Angela Rae Harris's Blog, page 4

Weekend things to do around Denver and beyond: Horsecapades at National Western and more

Each Thursday, explore Denver’s essential weekend events curated by The Denver Gazette. Dive into cultural experiences and entertainment delights across the city. Whether you enjoy art galleries, pottery, or outdoor sports, there’s something for everyone in Denver’s vibrant cultural scene. To submit an event for consideration, email listings@gazette.com.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

With an amazing history of horsemanship, 76 years long and earning accolades as the “largest precision drill riding group in the world,” Horsecapades holds its annual fundraising show at National Western Stock Show Event Center in Denver. Known for colorful performances of trick riding and Roman riding harkening back to the Wild West shows of America’s early days. Pre-shows and shows Saturday and Sunday. westernaires.org/events/2025/horsecapades

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

Boulder has an official Indigenous Peoples Day the second Monday in October of every year and activities run for several days to help “correct omissions of Indigenous Peoples’ presence in places, resources and cultural programming.” Capping it off with a showcase this Friday to Sunday is a Roots Music Fest with 750 musicians on 15 stages including Yonder Mountain String Band, The Rumble, Andy Frasco, N. Mississippi Allstars, Karl Densons Tiny Universe and so many more. Tickets and three-day passes $20.65 to $248.04 at boulderrootsmusicfest.org. On the Pearl Street Mall. Boulder is also working with American Indian tribes toward a commemoration of the victims of the Sand Creek Massacre.

SATURDAY

This is so Colorado. The witches are arriving…by paddleboard. An estimated 400 athletic types will arrive in Roxborough Park Saturday in witchey attire and carrying their boards for Witch Paddle Festival from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration for sorceresses and warlocks to take to the water is $50. Spectators watch the fun for free. 11500 N. Roxborough Park Road, Littleton. colorado.com/littleton/events/2025-witch-paddle-festival

SATURDAY

What better place to understand archaeology than the inspiring Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre, especially since Saturday is International Archaeology Day. Learn more about natural Colorado and the rest of the world with a free full educational experience, artifacts, interactive activities, a tipi demonstration, Indigenous dances. A Colorado beer garden for the big folks and root beer for the kids. Free offsite cultural tours. From 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., meet at the park’s Lower South Lot 2. redrocksonline.com 

SATURDAY

The streets from West 41st to West 43rd Ave. will be packed with activities at the Tennyson Fall Fest and a don’t-miss highlight is the Pet Costume Parade at 10 a.m. Vendor tents filled with goodies for shoppers, group yoga, live music, family activities and loads of food await. tennysonfallfest.com/schedule

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

A weekend of music for the first Fort Collins Laurel Fest with music lovers walking between three venues on Laurel and College streets with 30 bands over the two nights. Designed to become an annual fall festival. Admission wristbands in advance $45. theatriumfortcollins.com/laurel-fest

THROUGH HALLOWEEN

If spiders spook you a bit, Butterfly Pavilion has an exhibition to help out. Spiders Around the World is the special feature through Halloween and you’ll learn all about everything from fuzzy tarantulas to jumping spiders and so much more, and appreciate arachnids a whole lot more, at their location in Westminster, 6252 W. 104th Ave. You’ll be up close in the Spider Zone. $17.45 admission, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Weekend Bug-A-Boo Trick-or-Treating and Spooky After-Hours Flashlight Tours, too. butterflies.org/spidersaroundtheworld

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

Visit Treat Street at “Arapahoe County Scaregrounds” for trick-or-treating at 40 stations, fun costumes, a maze and family activities, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 25690 E. Quincy Ave., Aurora. $10 online, $12 at the site; free for children 2 and under. arapahoecountyeventcenter.com/treatstreet

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

Artist studio tours are always a treat, experiencing the talents as they create in their home work spaces. Park Hill Open Studio Tour is an opportunity to visit a beautiful area and meet the artists with a bonus of maybe leaving with something perfect for your home or as a holiday gift. The Art Garage, 6100 E. 23rd Ave. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. artgaragedenver.com/articles/285

SATURDAY

Want to get out for a run this weekend? How about The Great Trailhead Footrace at Bear Creek Lake Park, 15600 W. Morrison Road, Lakewood. From 9 to 11 a.m. Single track it for 5 miles ($75) or double  back for 10 miles ($80) to the finish-line party. Beer for the 21+ and free entry for the day to the park, hot dogs, protein bars, bananas. trailheadfootrace.com

Air Force offensive line earns national recognition, can relate to struggles on other side of the ball

Trevor Tate isn’t out to judge. He and the Air Force offensive line are simply seeking perfection.

The line, which has started the same five players all six games this season, has paved the way for an offense that leads the Mountain West in scoring (38.3 points per game), total offense (490.3 yards per game), rushing (276 yards per game), yards per completion (20.74), passing efficiency (191.2) and has scored in 22 of 24 quarters.

The line, which in each game has started Tate at left tackle, Palmer Ridge graduate Alec Falk at left guard, Coston Cooley at center, Jack Burnett at right guard and Nathan Elwood at right tackle, was named to the Joe Moore Award midseason honor roll Wednesday night. The Joe Moore Award is the position award for offensive linemen equivalent to the Biletnikoff Award for receivers or Thorpe Award for defensive backs.

All three service academies, along with programs like Ohio State, Alabama and Indiana, were among the 24 lines named.

“We’re playing good,” Tate said, “but we need to play great.”

For all the Falcons (1-5, 0-4 Mountain West) have shown on offense, they are stuck in a five-game losing streak as the defense has struggled.

But Tate gets it.

When the third-generation service academy player – his grandfather and two uncles played at Navy and his father was a 1992 Air Force graduate – was inserted into the starting lineup last year at this exact point of the season, the Falcons were a mess on offense.

The lineup for Game 7 featured the fifth combination on the offensive line and the team, through a 1-7 start, was held below 250 yards of offense five times.

The combination the team found up front when Tate joined the lineup stuck and started together for the final six games. Over the final four, all victories, Air Force averaged 29.3 points, 302.1 yards rushing, 372.3 total yards and a 38:30 mark in time of possession.

Cooley, Falk and Tate all returned this year and have maintained the level of play.

“That matters,” coach Troy Calhoun said of the continuity in this year’s offensive line. “Absolutely matters. … You aren’t going to be good at anything offensively if you aren’t sound and solid up front. Those guys, especially the five who are playing a good bit, they went through some growing pains. I think if you went last year and took about the first seven games, six, seven games, there was some ironing out that had to occur.”

Because of that history, Tate can relate to the growing pains of a Falcons’ defense that, largely because of injuries, has started five personnel combinations in the secondary through six games.

“I know exactly how it feels, and it’s tough,” Tate said. “So you can’t sit here and blame people. We’re a team. You’ve just got to take one step at a time – eyes up, next target. Just get better every week, focus on the small details and succeed. At the end of the day we’ve got to have some playmakers on both sides and that happens during the week in practice in the little things.”

Even if the defense lands on an effective combination, the impact might not be instant. It wasn’t for the Steed Lobotzke-coached line last year. The offense lost its first two games under the lineup that surged at the end of the season.

“I would say it continued to take some time,” Tate said. “It felt good to get that first win last year, and something clicked, but it’s a constant growth mindset. We’re still growing. There’s always room to grow, always room to get better. … It feels good to be succeeding. We’re just not winning.”

Mark Kiszla: The Broncos have a Bo Nix problem. QB is victim of his own success.

Bo Nix needs to stop playing quarterback like he’s trying to please his father.

Broncos coach Sean Payton is not Nix’s daddy, who raised the QB right but maybe wound him a little too tight.

“I’m definitely tough on myself,” Nix said Wednesday. “It was how I grew up, how I was raised. My dad was my coach. He was tough on me.”

Patrick Nix is an old ball coach who taught his son well. The lessons stuck.

The Broncos young quarterback always stabs himself in the chest with a thumb of accountability. And he would rather throw an incomplete pass in the dirt than get pounded into the turf for a sack.

“It’s tough,” Nix said. “I hate making mistakes. I hate not doing the correct thing.”

With a quarterback rating of 88.2, which grades out to a C-, Nix might be well served if his coach in Denver took a step back and gave some breathing room to a QB pressing to live up to the top-five-in-the-league hype that Payton blabbed way too early.

But we all know that ain’t happening, because Sean always knows best.

Payton is so old school the walls in the meeting rooms at Broncos HQ should be covered in ivy.

In love with his big, beautiful playsheet and personnel groupings that he sends into the Denver huddle like a line change hopping over the boards of a hockey rink, Payton can be a real pain in the khaki pants.

Much, in fact, way too much, has been made by media knuckleheads that Nix and Payton are a quarterback and coach perfectly suited for each other.

Yes, it’s true Payton had a man-crush on Nix because he entered the league as a QB in full at age 24. With more than 60 starts in college, Nix didn’t have to be taught how to color within the lines. He was the dutiful apprentice born in the same year as Payton’s own son.

But after a promising rookie year, instead of playing more free and easy in his second NFL season, Nix too often scribbles furiously within the box. And it can feel like a cage of his own making.

Rather than risking a sack, he gets impatient inside the pocket. Instead of waiting for routes to unfold, he rushes progressions. The devil-may-care scrambles that put defenders on their heels a year ago have been replaced by controlled slides, too often short of the first-down stick.

Since 2024, analytical nerds who quantify everything that happens on the field have determined Nix has checked down more than any quarterback in the league. And even a dummy like me can tell you Nix’s 6.2 yards per attempt ranks 26th in the league.

As a veteran with the scars to prove how tough the NFL can be, Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton loves Nix, but also sees a quarterback who sometimes grinds so hard his natural ability cramps up.

“He’s one of those guys that you’ve got to bring him back into himself,” said Sutton, who sees a lot of himself in Nix. “He’s so much of a perfectionist. And I love that about him. I love the fact that he wants to be the best version of himself.”

But as Nix’s frustration builds when Denver’s offensive drives turn into a gridlock of three-and-out, Sutton feels compelled to remind his quarterback to get out of his own head and stay present rather than get sucked down the rabbit hole with the incessantly critical inner voice of a perfectionist.

His message to Nix?

“Get back where your feet are.”

While it might sound counterintuitive, perhaps Nix should stop working so hard to be the teacher’s pet and try the red nose of a class clown on for size every once in a while.

Quarterback is not a game of perfect.

Sometimes, when Sutton sees Nix trying too hard, he approaches his teammate on the Denver sideline and reassuringly reminds the QB: “We good, bro … We got this.”

Growing up as a pro quarterback is hard to do. Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold had to accept failure as part of the gig before finding success at the NFL level. 

Before he hurriedly throws another pass into the ground to avoid the sack, maybe an old hippie should come out of the stands at Mile High and pass Nix the dutchie.

Stop playing quarterback like your father (or Payton) is looking over your shoulder.

Chill out, bro.

You’ve got this, Bo.

Steuer’s surprise resignation rocks Bonfils-Stanton

Arts news: Opie Gone Bad sighting; praise for Nora Garrett; Neil Diamond and Goo Goo Dolls in Denver

Gary Steuer surprised the local arts community this week when he announced that he will be leaving the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation after more than 12 years as President and CEO.

Steuer said he has simply decided “it is time to move on.”

“I am excited about what the future holds for the Foundation and the opportunity for new leadership,” he said.

The Bonfils-Stanton Foundation invests anywhere from $3 million to $5.5 million a year in arts, culture and nonprofit leadership in the Denver area through grants and fellowships.

It also focuses on promoting equity and serving historically marginalized communities.

As CEO, Stanton is responsible for the foundation’s overall strategic direction, and using “impact investing” to align the foundation’s assets with its mission. Under Steuer, for example, the share of foundation grants directed to BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disability-led organizations grew from just 2% in 2012 to roughly 40% in 2024. 

Other significant accomplishments included creating a COVID emergency relief fund that leveraged additional investments from peer foundations and individual donors to distribute more than $2 million in total aid to artists in need. In 2022, Bonfils-Stanton relocated its headquarters to the Santa Fe Arts District to become more accessible to arts and culture organizations.

The foundation has responded to critical real-estate needs in the cultural community by supporting major capital projects at organizations including the Denver Art Museum, Denver Botanic Gardens, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Su Teatro, Latino Cultural Arts Center, Lighthouse Writers Workshop and Access Gallery, among others.

“I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished since I arrived in 2013,” Steuer said in a statement.

Just last year, Steuer was included among “The ArtDesk 100” – a heady list of 100 creators, thinkers and voices who evangelize for a better world in a way that transcends their own success. Steuer was included alongside luminaries such as Dolly Parton, Bono, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lin-Manuel Miranda, John Waters, Nick Cave and Isabel Allende. He was nominated by Scott RC Levy, executive director of Green Box Arts in Green Mountain Falls.

“There are certain people who just exude a passion for advocacy of the arts, and Gary is one of those people,” Levy told the Denver Gazette. “I think the work of Bonfils-Stanton under Gary’s leadership has served as a model for arts advocacy and philanthropic support throughout the entire state – and it’s made ripples throughout the country.”

But at a time when federal funding for the arts has been slashed and DEI initiatives have been under attack, Steuer’s withdrawal could not come at a more precarious time, especially combined with Deborah Jordy’s recent resignation as executive director of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District.  

Christin Crampton Day, executive director of the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts, praised Steuer as a role model and exemplary leader who drives innovation, advances creativity and invites collaboration.

“We navigated some tough times together where (Gary’s) leadership and swift actions were critical for so many,” she said, adding that Steuer “always led with heart, equity and community in mind.”

A national search for Steuer’s successor, led by a Foundation trustee search committee, in partnership with a human resources consulting firm called Campbell.HR, already has begun.

Opie gone back

Jake Schroeder, last seen onstage in Denver hosting a reunion show for Opie Gone Bad in May 2024, spends much of his time now in France running his nonprofit called D-Day Leadership Academy. But if you were at Community of Grace Presbyterian Church in Arvada on Tuesday and you think you saw Schroeder singing as part of the church’s Second Tuesdays concert series, you did. Schroeder sang along with flutist Brook Ferguson and guitarist Ito Masakazu Ito. “We had so much fun that I think we are going to do a weird classical-pop hybrid gig,” he said. Stay tuned …

Praise for Nora Garrett

Last week, we told you that the new Julia Roberts film “After the Hunt” will be widely released Friday. It’s written by first-time screenwriter Nora Garrett, alumna of Denver School of the Arts. It’s a thriller that follows a college professor caught in between a sexual abuse accusation involving one of her students and a colleague. The story has sparked some controversy over its portrayal of the assault. 

In interviews, Roberts has acknowledged the strength of Garrett’s writing in bringing the film to fruition. On this week’s “Smartless” podcast episode, co-host Sean Hayes raved about the script. “What an awesome, dark, complicated character,” Hayes said of Roberts’ Alma – a Yale philosophy professor. “I believed every word coming out of her mouth, and it was crafted in such a way that reminded me of ‘Doubt’ and ‘Conclave.’”

Briefly …

The 39th annual Carousel Ball raised $2 million for the Children’s Diabetes Foundation on Oct. 11 at the Hyatt Regency. Legendary singer Neil Diamond was presented the Inspirational Lifetime Achievement Award, followed by a set from the rock band Goo Goo Dolls …

ALS activist Mindy Uhrlaub will be at The Bookies bookstore (2085 S. Holly St.) at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 23 with her new memoir “Last Nerve.” She’s a genetic carrier of the disease, and in her book she details her experience caregiving for her mother as she died of the same illness. Uhrlaub lived here for 13 years and attended the University of Denver for her undergraduate and graduate degrees.

John Moore is the Denver Gazette’s Senior Arts Journalist, and himself a member of the ArtDesk 100. Email him at john.moore@denvergazette.com

Inspirational Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Neil Diamond (center) with son, Jesse (left) and wife Katie, acknowledges the cheering crowd along with Nick Fradiani (right), star of “A Beautiful Noise–The Neil Diamond Musical.” The 39th Annual Carousel Ball, hosted by the Children’s Diabetes Foundation, benefiting the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado, on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. STEVE PETERSON

After shaky offensive showing vs. Jets, Broncos seek more consistency vs. Giants

ENGLEWOOD — Plenty of times this season, the Broncos have stressed the need to start games faster. Ending them faster also might be a good idea.

In Week 5, the Broncos stormed back from a 17-3 deficit early in the fourth quarter to win 21-17 at Philadelphia. So starting faster became a goal entering their Week 6 game against the New York Jets.

The Broncos (4-2) did better in that regard, taking a 10-6 lead at the end of the first quarter Sunday in London. But they managed just three points the rest of the way and had to hold on for a 13-11 victory over the winless Jets (0-6) in London.

“It’s something that we’ve got to have a heightened awareness to and to the attention to detail,’’ head coach Sean Payton said after practice Wednesday at Broncos Park about the inconsistency of the offense entering Sunday’s home game against the New York Giants. “It’s the little things. … That has to happen fast.”

While the Broncos are No. 2 in the NFL in both scoring defense and total defense and are coming off an astounding nine-sack game against the Jets, they rank just No. 20 in scoring offense and No. 15 in total offense.

Even though the Broncos pulled out a win over the Jets, their offensive showing was troubling. They had just 175 total yards, including just 71 in the second half.

“Everybody’s got to be on high alert,’’ tackle Mike McGlinchey said when asked about the inconsistency. “It’s a matter of playing that smart ball where you can’t give up a penalty, you can’t bust an assignment, you can’t get beat in a critical situation. … Because the defense we’re playing this week is no joke. So we got to be ready to go.”

Actually, the Giants aren’t that good on defense, ranking No. 20 in points allowed and No. 28 in total defense. But the other New York team is No. 28 in points allowed and No. 20 in total defense, and the Jets sure slowed down the Broncos.

Penalties continue to be an issue for the Broncos. They had six for 37 yards, which might not seem like a lot but they came at inopportune times and bogged down drives.

“We go from a third-and-1 to third-and-(15) on one drive,’’ tight end Adam Trautman said of a second-quarter possession when the Broncos were at the Jets’ 39 but then had two penalties and were pushed back to their 47 before punting. “That’s a (potential) scoring drive.”

In the second half against the Jets, the Broncos did not get a first down on their first four possessions. One was a one-play drive in which Denver guard Quinn Meinerz was called for holding in the end zone. That resulted in a safety, giving the Jets an 11-10 lead with 4:56 left in the third quarter.

Broncos quarterback Bo Nix did not complete his first pass of the second half until he hit tight end Evan Engram for 12 yards with under 10 minutes left.

“It literally felt like a relief after we got the first down,’’ Nix said of the play. “It was like, ‘OK, we know how to move the ball now, let’s go do it again.’”

To the Broncos’ credit, on that possession they did put together a 12-play, 65-yard drive that led to a 27-yard field goal by Wil Lutz that gave them the lead for good at 13-11 with 5:06 remaining.

Still, nobody on the Broncos denies they need to be more efficient on offense. Nix on Wednesday talked about playing with more tempo.

“I just like it because it gets the defense off balance,’’ Nix said of a no-huddle offense. “They don’t have many calls that they can get to when you go quick, and we just play well from a quick game and getting to the ball, seeing what they’re in, just finding answers and going. I think it’s just tough on defenses.”

How efficient the Broncos can be on offense will depend a good bit on their offensive line. Payton said it wasn’t up to par against the Jets.

The Broncos played their first game without starting left guard Ben Powers, out until at least December with a torn left biceps muscle suffered against the Eagles. McGlinchey didn’t deny that “it’s not easy to replace him.”

Matt Peart started for Powers and had three penalties, two for holding and one for a false start. It turned out that Peart suffered a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee early in the game and ended up playing all 60 offensive snaps.

“He didn’t even ask to get it looked at,’’ McGlinchey said. “It’s putting it on the line for our football team, putting it on the line for himself and his career. That’s an unbelievable unselfish player.”

With Peart placed Tuesday on injured reserve, a strong possibility to start at left guard Sunday is third-year man Alex Palczewski. McGlinchey called him “exactly the kind of guy you want on your team” and said he is “so tough.”

Against the Giants, the Broncos will try to get their running game going again. They managed just 78 yards against the Jets, including 28 in the second half.

After he averaged 80.4 yards in the first five games, Denver’s J.K. Dobbins was held Sunday to just 40 yards on 14 carries

“It’s definitely frustrating,’’ Trautman said of the Broncos’ recent woes. “We’re always talking about starting fast and we’ve started slow a couple of times. So when you we start fast and then we kind of get into a lull, it’s a kind of a shock to you.”

Payton has talked about the Broncos being a legitimate Super Bowl contender and their defense certainly helps in that regard. But to truly be a contender, they might need an offense that more often can start fast and finish fast in the same game.

David Adelman, Denver Nuggets still evaluating early experiments | NBA Insider

Denver Gazette beat writer Vinny Benedetto takes you around the NBA and inside the Nuggets locker room:

NBA Insider

David Adelman’s experimentation is going to continue into the season.

The Nuggets’ new coach has established a willingness to try a variety of different schemes in his short time as an interim coach last season and the first four preseason games since his temporary tag was removed.

It started last postseason with more zone mixed into the equation. The Nuggets even threw some full-court pressure at the Clippers in the first round and some junk defenses at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder in the second. With first-year assistant Jared Dudley coordinating the defense, the team’s man defense is also significantly different, though Adelman said they might not show some of the tweaks during the preseason.

“The defense is new for us. There’s a lot of new concepts, a lot of new actions. We’ve been good up to this point. Obviously, we’re not too worried about offense, just got to worry about the defense side of the ball,” Christian Braun said after Tuesday’s preseason win over the Bulls when Denver turned 18 Chicago turnovers into 18 points.

“We’re throwing different things. We have a lot of different lineups we can throw at people. I think the zone was so good for us in the playoffs. It was a different look.”

Adelman came into the season wanting to see what it looked like with Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas on the court together. It took three preseason games for the two-big lineup to play its first minutes together.

“That’s going to be a process. I’m not going to shy away from it,” Adelman said. “I think it can work. There’s been really good moments and very confusing moments.”

In the fourth preseason game, Adelman paired the two centers with Aaron Gordon at small forward in a supersized lineup “just to see it.” Adelman also went the other direction, playing Spencer Jones, listed at 6-foot-7 and 225 pounds, at center. With one new member of the starting five, three new faces in the second unit and plenty of new coaches, the Nuggets spent the start of training camp and preseason building the foundation. The more creative stuff came later. The evaluation process will carry into the meaningful games.

“I think you have to be OK with trying things for three minutes,” Adelman said.

“It’s not like we’re practicing for 14 hours a day. We’re not an NFL team that gets six days to script plays and put these different combinations out there. You’ve got to let them go do it and see what happens. You can’t freak out if it’s ugly.”

What I’m Thinking

Hands should be nowhere near the panic button when it comes to the start of Cam Johnson’s and Tim Hardaway Jr.’s stints with the Nuggets.

Denver Nuggets forwards Tim Hardaway Jr., left, and Cameron Johnson greet each other during an NBA media day news conference Sept. 29, 2025, in Denver. (The Associated Press)

Shots haven’t fallen – Johnson is 5 for 16 (31%) from 3, and Hardaway is 2 for 18 (11%) but they’re taking the right ones far more often than not. Johnson’s two makes against Chicago came off handoffs from Gordon and Jokic, a staple of Denver’s offense and an easy way to generate looks for Johnson, who’s shot 39% or better from deep in the last three seasons. The misses were a clean catch-and-shoot attempt and an aggressive pull-up 3 in transition, the only questionable attempt. The more important part is Johnson’s comfortable with where he’s at in the integration process.

“I’m feeling out the movement of everything, where people go, where people look … where passes come from,” Johnson said. “It’s a spacing thing. It’s a personnel thing. It’s just getting used to playing with the guys. I feel good about the spots I’ve got shots out of. Just finding other ways to be aggressive outside of that is probably more of my concern.”

Hardaway’s success is going to be more contingent on getting the 3s to fall sooner than later. He’s attempted four shots inside the arc in the first four preseason games. His process has also been complicated by splitting his preseason minutes between the starters and second unit. The veteran’s lone make against the Bulls also came off a Jokic handoff, but most of the six misses, one of which came from 32 feet out in the final seconds of the second quarter, were the shots the Nuggets need him to take.

“I thought we got really good looks,” the Nuggets’ coach said. “We had shooters that didn’t have great nights (but) got great looks.”

What They’re Saying

To the man behind the visiting bench for the Nets’ trip to Denver on Jan. 10 last season, Cam Johnson hasn’t forgotten. Johnson was sidelined with an ankle sprain and spent much of the night going back and forth with Nuggets nation. Johnson also saw some hostile Denver crowds during his time in Phoenix.

“I remember last year when we were playing here, the crowd got like kinda raucous and chippy and, you know, annoying. So, it’s nice to have them backing me now,” Johnson said.

“They’re ganging up, and they’re yelling. There’s one guy that just kept yelling. I’m like ‘Shut up.’ He’s like right behind the bench, just wailing. I’m like ‘Oh my God. Go somewhere.’ It’s just funny now, how the feeling is so different when you switch sides.”

—

South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley had a legitimate interview with the Knicks this summer, but she doesn’t think the NBA will have a woman coach in her lifetime.

“If the Knicks have a five-game losing streak, it’s not going to be about the losing streak,” Staley said at a recent press conference. “It’s going to be about being a female coach. So, you as an organization, a franchise, you have to be prepared for and strong enough to ignore those types of instances when you’re going to look to hire a female coach.”

What I’m Following

Russell Westbrook has a new home. The Nuggets’ second-unit point guard last season is headed to Sacramento. It’s likely another veteran minimum contract for Westbrook, who enters his 18th NBA season.Sacramento also reached a five-year contract extension with forward Keegan Murray worth a reported $140 million. The No. 4 pick became the sixth player from the 2022 draft class to sign an extension. Christian Braun and Peyton Watson remain eligible for extensions until Monday.The Nuggets have signed and waived James Akinjo, Terrence Hargrove Jr. and Coleman Hawkins from their training-camp deals in the last week. The moves allow the Nuggets to add the trio to their G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold.The 2017 Rookie of the Year has decided to call it a career. Malcolm Brogdon decided to retire Wednesday. Brogdon joined the Knicks this offseason. He also won Sixth Man of the Year with the Celtics in 2023.Mavericks coach Jason Kidd received an extension Tuesday. The Knicks had interest in interviewing the Dallas coach in the offseason but were not granted permission by the Mavericks. Kidd starts his first season coaching No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg with a little extra job security.

Ski resort markets show signs of life as first snows arrive

As the first real snow of the season arrives in Colorado’s mountain resorts, real estate agents in ski towns are reporting a better market this fall than the one that brokers down the hill along the Front Range are seeing.

“There is healthy activity as both buyers and sellers adjust to new price realities,” said Summit County agent Dana Cottrell with Summit Resort Group, one of the regular reporters to the Colorado Association of Realtors and its monthly Market Trends report.

“It’s not a frenzy, but it’s far from frozen,” Cotrell added.

Burst of September sales

In Steamboat Springs, agents were shocked to see a burst of sales arrive at the first of September, following what had been a lackluster summer season.

“The sales activity we usually see around July 1st really happened Sept. 1st,” Steamboat-area agent Marci Valicenti with The Group Real Estate told The Denver Gazette.

Pending sales in the town famous for its champagne powder jumped around 40% during September over the year previous, she said.

“It’s really strange,” she added. “We were busy this summer, but not contract busy. But, boy, did it happen in September.”

Berkshire Hathaway agent Mike Budd in Edwards, centered between Vail and Beaver Creek, said that several factors can tend to insulate the resort market, particularly its higher end, during a year when other residential sales are off.

Less impact from mortgage rates

“There are certainly excellent opportunities to buy and sell as the macro economy does not necessarily drive our market,” Budd reported in the new Market Trends report.

“We still sell most properties with cash purchases, so mortgage rates have less impact on the market activity,” Budd added.

“Typically, September and October are the months with the most closings in the Crested Butte–Gunnison area, and this year has proven to be on trend,” said Coldwell Banker agent Molly Eldridge, who tracks the market in Gunnison County.

“Overall, 2025 has been very similar to 2024, but September sales moved this year ahead of last year and October seems to be on track to help that continue,” she said.

“For September, dollar volume was up 73% and the number of sales were up 37%,” Eldridge reported, “not a surprise given the slow start to the summer and the activity we saw in late July and August.”

Grand County

Over the top of Berthoud Pass in Grand County, agent Monica Graves with eXp Luxury Division said that the latest data from Winter Park, Fraser and Tabernash have shown sizable gains in average sale price and sales volume tied to resort activity.

Reports on the markets in Granby and Grand Lake, further from Witner Park, were more mixed, she said.

Summit Resort Group’s Cottrell described the market around Keystone, Copper and Breckenridge as steady, bright and full of movement heading into snow season.

Single-family sales there jumped 42.9% last month over sales the year before, she reported. That was despite the median price continuing to rise — up 2.1% to $2,087,500, with the average price dipping slightly.

Condo and townhome sales

Cotrell said the price changes show continued strength, particularly in the luxury segment of the market, but with more balanced pricing overall.

Townhome and condo sales in the Summit County market climbed 26.6%, Cotrell said, with 100 homes sold and a median price rising 2.9% to $807,500.

Kindred Resort is opening this year as a luxury-priced offering that will have restaurants, a hotel and ski valet services, opening onto Keystone’s River Run Gondola. (Courtesy of Kindred Resort)

On the luxury end, developers creating Kindred Resort at the base of Keystone were feeling that warmer market, sensing buyer interest at a moment when the snowmaking equipment fires up and opening days are pending.

New price threshold

“We’re 90% sold and in our final phase,” Amy Kemp with Kindred Resort told The Denver Gazette.

The project, with 95 luxury residences that form the core of a new village center opening from Keystone’s River Run gondola, marks a new pricing threshold not just in Keystone, but for all of Summit County, she said. Prices on remaining units are from the upper $2-million range to $5.35 million.

“Luxury seems to be outperforming the rest of the market, particularly in the resort areas,” Kemp added.

Doyle Richmond with LIV Sotheby’s International, co-broker on the Kindred project, told The Denver Gazette that the resale market in Summit County has a healthy feel despite a higher level of inventory. “There’s a want-to-sell feeling, but not a have-to-sell feeling,” he added.

“Keystone is a market that has always grown and has always been family oriented,” he said. “But people still want higher end experiences, and (the Kindred project) will elevate it.”

New construction projects

Some of the buyers, he reports, have resources to purchase in the very pricey markets farther west, but are choosing Summit for the proximity to Denver.

In Steamboat, Marci Valicenti said that new construction projects were similarly auguring well for the broader market. “We still have a lot of cash buyers and see a lot big sales,” she added.

She is working on the Crawford Square at Burgess Creek project, a boutique sized offering at the resort base a short walk from Ski Time Square, with prices starting at $6.75 million and ranging to $9.5 million.

The Colorado Association of Realtors represents some 23,000 members statewide.

Affordable housing plan stalled as Denver rejects property buy

A resolution that would have pulled $2.5 million out of the city’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) contingency fund to purchase a former Goodyear auto repair shop in the city’s Central Business District has failed.

Members of the Denver City Council voted 7 to 4 on Tuesday to reject the plan to purchase the property at 1460 and 1480 Tremont Place, which is being eyed for a future affordable housing development project, specifically citing concerns over the funding source.

“By definition, a contingency is an event such as an emergency that may but is not certain to occur and something liable to happen as an adjunct or result of something else,” Councilmember Flor Alvidrez said. “For example, pullback of federal funding, collapsing bridges, unexpected costs incurred, and many other needs that didn’t make the bond projects and many other needs across the city. In other words, contingency funds are meant to cover emergencies and unexpected things, not speculative real estate opportunities.”

Currently, the CIP contingency fund holds about $7.4 million, Jackson Brockway, capital planning and budget manager with the city’s Department of Finance, said.

Lisa Lumley, the city’s director of real estate, explained to the council that the out-of-state owners were anxious to sell and that the property’s price point presented itself as a “unique opportunity.”

Council President Pro Tem Diana Romero Campbell, who voted no, said that if the deal could be postponed for a month, the city could work with the owners and possibly find another funding source.

District 10 Councilmember Chris Hinds stated that, given the current offer, purchasing the parcels wouldn’t allow for the acquisition of an affordable housing project of comparable value. Still, the city could leverage the purchase to help a developer with an affordable housing project through a lease. 

Amanda Sawyer, who represents Council District 5, asked if the city should even be considering the purchase.

“We do not have the tax base for it, and it feels like we are trying to be all things to all people with the breadth and depth of all of the things that we have been talking about over the last two years under this administration,” Sawyer said. “We don’t have to take every opportunity that comes in front of us, especially not when we are in a budget crisis, especially not when, if the city is willing and ready to spend $7 million of CIP contingency – well, we’ve got a list a mile long.”

When Denver is in a financial crisis and facing a citywide backlog of urgent needs, Alvidrez said, “It is fiscally irresponsible to use contingency dollars for land acquisition.”

Here are a few tips that might save your life during hunting season in Colorado

Written by: Anna DeBattiste; Colorado Search and Rescue Association

A successful hunt is not just a hunt that fills a tag – it’s also a hunt in which you don’t end up with a tag on your toe. 

Backcountry search and rescue teams in Colorado will tell you that hunters can be harder to find than other demographics like hikers, especially in archery and muzzleloader season.  Evacuations of injured hunters can also be lengthier and more complex due to hunters being off-trail.

Safe hunting trips start long before the trip to the trailhead and the camp. A solid planning and preparation process is critical, including:

Leave a trip plan with a person who is staying home and can call 911 to report you overdue. This plan should include your day and time of departure, your expected day and time of return, how overdue is cause for alarm, the coordinates of where you’ll be parking, your vehicle(s) description and license plate number(s), your likely hunting, scouting and camping areas, and what you’ll be carrying in your packs. If you’re in a group, give the contact information of your person at home to the other hunters’ persons at home so they can communicate and coordinate with each other in an emergency.Items to consider carrying in your day pack:The basic essentials Battery banks and cords, enough for your phones and other devices to last throughout the trip and an extra few days, should things go poorlyAn old phone with downloaded maps for offline useConsider carrying a two-way satellite communications device, especially if you’re likely to be out of cell phone range Extra mags or ammo for emergency signaling to other hunters in the areaPlenty of extra water or a means to purify water Carry your “must have” essentials in your glassing case or elsewhere on your body. Include medications, navigation tools, firestarter and tinder, a whistle and an emergency blanket.Make a group plan that includes the general area where each of you will go, how you will communicate, and where and when you’ll meet. Stick to the plan. Also, talk to other hunter groups in the area to share your general plans. Many false alarm rescue calls are caused by poor communication within the group.  Routt County SAR once had a call for an overdue hunter in which the group had planned to return to base camp the next day after a spot and stalk. But one member thought the plan was to spend two nights away from camp, so the rest of the group thought he was overdue. RCSAR launched a search and he was found napping under a tree, planning to hunt the next day.Make sure everyone knows the help signal for the group: three quick shots in a safe direction. Summit County Rescue Group once recovered the body of a hunter whose campmates thought his three blasts meant he was lost, so they stayed put and fired their guns to guide him back to camp. What he really needed was immediate medical attention.Download maps to your phone or GPS device so you can use them offline. E-scout ahead of time to know what areas, drainages and trails you will likely use, and share these with your trip plan person. Include contingency plans for muddy or icy roads and vehicle breakdowns. Hunting season in Colorado is typically a time when sudden weather changes can cause roads to become impassable with mud and/or snow and leave your entire group stranded at camp.Leave the keys at the truck in a location everyone knows, so the group can get in if needed. We often hear, “Oh shoot, the keys are with the guy who just left in the medevac helicopter…”Consider that there is no such thing as just a short hunt or scout; always take your pack and be 100% prepared to spend extended time in the woods. You never know when you’ll get on the trail of an animal or an unexpected storm will pop up.Plan to conserve your phone battery by switching to airplane mode or turning your phone off while hunting. You can turn it back on once in a while to check for messages, but if you need to call for help at some point, you’ll be grateful that your battery isn’t dead.Check weather forecasts right up until you leave, and be prepared for weather changes. Make sure you will have some way to continue to get weather forecasts in the backcountry once you’ve left for camp; if you can’t, be prepared for absolutely anything, including a blizzard.  

Once out on the hunt, know and respect your physical limits and those of your hunting party. If anyone has any significant medical conditions or is on daily medications, this information should be shared with the group, including medications to be taken in case of emergency like epi pens for an allergy or baby aspirin for a cardiac event. Routt County SAR once saved a hunter who had a diabetic episode but hadn’t told his hunting buddies he was diabetic. When they came back to the tent and found him unconscious, they didn’t know the cause and that resulted in a difficult rescue during a snowstorm to get the hunter to definitive care.

There’s no place outside safe from lightning, including your tent.  If you can’t get back to your vehicle in an electrical storm, at least know how to minimize risk.

If you’re hunting at altitude, watch for signs that you or another member of the group may have altitude sickness. Descend to a lower altitude immediately if anyone shows signs of serious altitude illness. Altitude can also stress underlying medical conditions and cause them to flare up, so consider if it is prudent to be spending time deep in the backcountry if you have a history of significant medical conditions.

Causes of injured hunter rescue calls include tree strikes, impalement hazards in deadfall, or injuries from sharps in the field like broadheads and field dressing knives. Many of these can be avoided if you take extra care; don’t walk through deadfall with a nocked arrow, be attentive while field dressing, and keep an eye on your surroundings to avoid being under dead trees or caught by a tripping hazard. Carrying a tourniquet in your first aid kit can save a life in case you need to stop serious bleeding.

If you have generators or stoves in your tent, keep the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning in mind and make sure you’ve got adequate ventilation. 

Are you traveling by horse? Routt County SAR reports that some of the worst hunter trauma calls they’ve responded to have been caused by people getting bucked off or rolled over by a horse. Consider that horses may not be the best option for inexperienced riders, especially rented horses you aren’t familiar with. It may be safer to use horses as pack animals rather than riding them, especially if trail conditions are slippery. The same risks apply if you’re using ATVs or UTVs; wear a helmet, and consider keeping inexperienced riders off the machines in steep, rugged or snowy terrain.

If you’re packing out a rack or skull and cape, put fluorescent flagging tape on it to ensure other hunters can easily identify that you are not a target. And don’t forget firearm safety and your mandatory CPW hunter education course!  Rescue teams occasionally respond to injuries – or worse –  caused by accidental discharges.

What if something happens and you have to call for help? Backcountry SAR teams in Colorado are activated through a call to 911 or an SOS from a satellite communications device. If you need help, don’t waste time and battery calling your family; call 911 right away.  Your friends and relatives can’t help you, but search and rescue can.

Greg Foley from Grand County Search and Rescue says, “One of the first things our team is going to do is send you what’s called an SMS locator by text. It will be a text message from a number you don’t recognize that looks something like this:

It is critical that you activate the link. If you don’t have cell service, move to another location if possible and try again. Your location service on your phone must be turned on from the locator to work. If you have enough charge, leave your phone on so search and rescue can continue to track your location.”

Once you’ve made the call, prepare to wait; we are all volunteers responding from our homes or workplaces, and once we get to the trailhead we have to hike or ATV into the field just like you did. If you’re off trail and in rugged terrain, that will add response time. If you’ve done your job in the planning and preparation phase, you should be able to stay warm and dry while you wait. You can read more about handling a backcountry emergency here.

If you’re lost, remember the STOP acronym: Stop, Think, Observe and Plan. If you determine you can’t find your own way back, make the call for help and then stay put. Continuing to move around will make it harder for us to find you. If you’re calling for a buddy that’s lost, try to give the 911 dispatcher some specific descriptors to help us find the person. “White, adult male wearing camo” is typically not very helpful. SAR teams also need a last known point to begin their search, such as a vehicle, confirmed sighting, or the area they have a tag for. Sometimes a call comes in from a concerned family member at home but all they know is that the party was hunting “in the Flat Tops,” which encompasses parts of four counties and over 240,000 acres.  Without a more specific starting point, it will be more challenging for a SAR team to initiate a search.

Bow hunters should be aware that wearing only camo makes it extremely difficult for us to see you, especially if you’re off trail. Carrying a brightly colored tarp, game bag, or other means of visually signaling and attracting attention is very important. 

If you know we’re already searching for you, stay put and keep your eyes out for aircraft that may be part of our operation. If you see a helicopter, drone or small fixed wing plane circling, make yourself as visible as possible. Move to a clearing or open field if possible and wave your arms, a space blanket or brightly colored piece of clothing, or a flashlight or headlamp. If conditions allow, a signal fire can help guide teams to your location.

Routt County SAR, a team that has a high number of hunter incidents every year compared to other teams, reports that the most frequent cause of calls is miscommunication or lack of coordination within groups. Harry Sandler, an incident commander with RCSAR, comments, “We get a lot of calls for overdue hunters. But are they really lost, or did they just have a successful hunt and are field dressing their game and late getting back to camp? Did they accidentally miss a check-in, or is there a true emergency? We often don’t know because the members of the hunting party don’t know either; they didn’t have a solid plan for how they would communicate and coordinate.” 

Backcountry SAR teams don’t charge for services in Colorado and would like you to call sooner rather than later when you need help. Want to learn more about how they are funded, including how the surcharge on your hunting license is used? Read more here.

Denver area events for Oct. 15

If you have an event taking place in the Denver area, email information to  carlotta.olson@gazette.com  at least two weeks in advance. All events are listed in the calendar on space availability.

CARLOTTA OLSON, The Denver Gazette

Wednesday

Kublai Khan TX — 6 p.m., Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 Clarkson St., Denver, $42 and up. Tickets: ticketmaster.com.

Cabaret Night at the Savoy Denver: An Evening of Thanks — 6-9 p.m., The Savoy Denver, 2700 Arapahoe St., Denver, $39.19. Tickets: savoydenver.com.

Charles Wesley Godwin — With Ole 60 & the Castellows, 6:30 p.m., Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison, $58 and up. Tickets: axs.com.

I’m with Her – Wild and Clear and Blue 2025 — 7 p.m., Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place, Denver, $53 and up. Tickets: ticketmaster.com.

Suzie True, Sour Guy, Ripcords — 7:30 p.m., Skylark Lounge, 140 S. Broadway, Denver, $14.47. Tickets: skylarklounge.com.

Matt Maltese: Tour for You My Whole Life — 7 p.m., Summit Music Hall, 1902 Blake St., Denver, $39 and up. Tickets: summitdenver.com.

Strung Out & Agnostic Front: East Meets West Tour 2025 — With Murphy’s Law and La Armada, 7 p.m., The Oriental Theater, 4435 W. 44th Ave., Denver, $41.16 and up. Tickets: theorientaltheater.com.

Puns N’ Roses: A Stand-up Comedy Showcase — 7:30 p.m., Comedy Works Downtown in Larimer Square, 1226 15th St., Denver, $14. Tickets: comedyworks.com.

Ocean Alley — With Bird and Byron, 8 p.m., Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver, $54.58-$113.42. Tickets: axs.com.

Quinnie — With Operelly, 8 p.m., Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St., Denver, $27.64-$30.64. Tickets: larimerlounge.com.

Celestial Wizard — With Hel Hath Fury & Ither Hest, 8 p.m., Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver, $19-$24. Tickets: globehall.com. 

Brubeck Brothers Quartet — 9:30 p.m., Dazzle at Baur’s, 1080 14th St., Denver, go online for prices. Tickets: dazzledenver.com/#/events.

CARLOTTA OLSON, The Denver Gazette