Angela Rae Harris's Blog, page 9

Popular Denver Cheesman Park cafe closes abruptly Friday

The popular Secret Garden Bar and Cafe near Denver’s Cheesman Park closed abruptly Friday.

A representative from UFCW Local 7 union issued a news release saying the move was a “retaliatory closure in response to what is clearly activity protected under Federal law,” in reference to the workers who had voted in April to unionize, but owner Joe Vostrejs of City Street Investors told The Denver Gazette the business was losing money.

“We closed the restaurant because it has been unprofitable since it opened and we could no longer sustain the losses especially going into the winter months,” Vostrejs said in a statement. “This decision has absolutely nothing to do with the unionization.”

The restaurant’s website was taken down immediately, and 22 people lost their jobs. It’s located at 1290 N. Williams Street.

City Street, which owns and operates popular Denver restaurants Cholon Downtown, Corridor 44, and several in Union Station, recently announced a deal to purchase the historic Fort restaurant in Morrison.

“This sudden shutdown not only displaces workers who were organizing to improve their workplace but also strips the local community of a beloved gathering space,” according to Local 7’s release.

A Facebook user identified as Tess Devillier said she worked there in a Friday post.

“Today on October 10th, we had union organizers outside as well as employees (not scheduled) petitioning to save secret garden. They closed us down midshift,” according to the post.

“It is particularly galling that City Street Investors, a major participant in public-private development partnerships around Denver, would direct such a blatant campaign of union busting,” Local 7 President Kim Cordova said in the release.

Broncos 2025 rookie tracker: How Jahdae Barron, RJ Harvey and others performed through Week 5

Broncos general manager George Paton gets credit for building the roster with strong NFL draft classes.  

A significant number of the team’s best players — like edge rushers Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper, offensive lineman Quinn Meinerz, wide receiver Marvin Mims, quarterback Bo Nix and cornerback Pat Surtain — were all Paton draft picks. 

Is the 2025 draft class on pace to produce more key Broncos? 

Here is a breakdown for how the latest crop of rookies has performed through Week 5 of the season entering a London game against the Jets. 

CB Jahdae Barron — First round, 20th overall (Texas) 

Expectations: Barron, the 2024 Jim Thorpe Award winner, was a ball hawk in college with five interceptions as a senior. But he joined a talented secondary with established starters from the previous season. Barron projected at the nickel, a spot held down by cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian. The Broncos expected Barron to compete for the starting job with McMillian in training camp.  

Reality: McMillian won the job out of training camp and has played 64% of the team’s defensive snaps this season. Barron has played 26%. He’s most often included in dime formations as the sixth defensive back. Barron has the luxury of being developed without the heightened expectations of most first-round picks. He’s proven to be versatile, a reliable tackler in space and physical at the line of scrimmage.  

—Barron stats (five games): 10 combined tackles, two passes deflected and one fumble recovery. 

—McMillian stats (five games): 10 combined tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles and one deflected pass. 

RB RJ Harvey — Second round, 60th overall (Central Florida) 

Expectations: Harvey secured his role as the No. 2 running back in training camp, and the team waived second-year rusher Audric Estime. Harvey had the college game film and physical ability to suggest a breakout rookie season was possible. The biggest hurdle to playing time was pass protection as a relatively small running back (5-8, 205). 

Reality: J.K. Dobbins is the lead running back after five games with a clear offensive snap count advantage over Harvey (52% to 31%, respectively). Running back Tyler Badie has also carved out a role on third down and obvious passing situations as a protector and receiving target. Harvey will continue to grow into his role as a change of pass option behind Dobbins. 

—Harvey stats (five games): 31 carries for 150 yards / 12 catches for 87 yards and one touchdown. 

—Dobbins stats (five games): 77 carries for 402 yards and four touchdowns / six catches for 23 yards. 

WR Pat Bryant — Third round, 74th overall (Illinois) 

Expectations: The Broncos were deep at wide receiver in training camp and traded Devaughn Vele to the Saints. That suggested more opportunity for Bryant as a similar big-bodied possession receiver who is unafraid to contribute to run blocking. But Nix has ample passing targets in his second NFL season. It was unclear how Bryant fit into the picture. 

Reality: Bryant played only four snaps in the season opener. His role has slowly increased since then, playing on 31% of all offensive snaps after five games. Bryant made an impact with two receptions against the Colts. But he’s gone without a catch in four of the last five games. Bryant, as predicted, has been a bright spot as a willing downfield blocker to help spring big plays. 

—Bryant stats (five games): Two catches for 18 yards. 

DE Sai’vion Jones — Third round, 101st overall (LSU) 

Expectations: The Broncos traded up from the 111th pick to draft Jones to join a deep stable of defensive linemen. Jones can learn under Zach Allen and John Franklin-Myers, while competing for rotational snaps with Jordan Jackson and Eyioma Uwazurike. Jones has the tools to someday fill a bigger role on the defensive line.  

Reality: Jones has been a healthy scratch in four out of five games this season. He played on six defensive snaps against the Bengals and has yet to register any stats. Defensive lineman D.J. Jones said: “He’s relentless.” But Jones did not play last week against the Eagles. It appears the Broncos are staying patient with his NFL development. 

OLB Que Robinson — Fourth round, 134th overall (Alabama) 

Expectations: Robinson missed the final four games of his college career with an elbow injury and still managed to set personal bests in tackles for loss (seven) and sacks (four). The Broncos bet on his upside with a mid-round pick to develop behind Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper and a deep cast of edge rushers. Robinson was in no rush to make an immediate impact. 

Reality: Robinson was a healthy scratch in all five games to begin the season. But it’s possible he debuts against the Jets in London with injured outside linebacker Jonah Elliss (ribs/shoulder) ruled out on Sunday. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph told reporters in London: “If he has go in and play for us, he’s got traits that we like. He’s practiced well.” 

P Jeremy Crawshaw — Sixth round, 216th overall (Florida) 

Expectations: Crawshaw was the first punter selected in the 2025 NFL draft. The Broncos last selected a punter in 2016. It felt like a serious investment in a player they envisioned to punt for many years to come. But Crawshaw was uneven in preseason games, and the team altered its practice strategy to focus on live-game situations. But the jury was still out before the season opener. 

Reality: Crawshaw has been arguably the most consistent player on the roster. He leads the NFL entering Week 6 with 15 punts downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Crawshaw might still have rookie lapses at some point this season. But the 24-year-old Australia native has been solid in his Broncos debut. 

TE Caleb Lohner — Seventh round, 241st overall (Utah) 

Expectations: Lohner is a significant project. He is a former college basketball player who changed to football. He played on just 57 offensive snaps at Utah. Lohner still produced four touchdowns on four receptions. That’s why the Broncos saw potential in the 6-foot-7 and 250-pound tight end. But he did not make the 53-man roster out of training camp. 

Reality: Lohner has spent the entirety of this season on the practice squad. It’s where he will likely stay unless the Broncos encounter significant injuries at tight end. Evan Engram and Nate Adkins are both healthy after dealing with injuries previously in 2025. Lohner will continue to develop behind the scenes for Denver. 

Denver City Council suggests changes to 2026 spending plan

Members of the Denver City Council submitted a letter to Mayor Mike Johnston late Friday afternoon outlining their suggested improvements to his proposed 2026 spending plan, including funding for elections, public health, housing and immigrant services.

In the letter, dated Oct. 10, the council identified additional funding for the Office of Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul López as among the recommendations supported by a  “supermajority” of its members. 

“The Clerk has identified $1 million in unexpended 2025 funds,” the letter read. “The Clerk and Recorder needs $2.5 million, assuming they are allowed to roll over $1 million in unexpended 2025 funds. The Council urges the Mayor and the Clerk and Recorder to work collaboratively toward an acceptable resolution on this funding issue.”

Johnston and López have been at odds this year over budget cuts to the city’s elections office, as the city works through a projected $200 million shortfall in 2026.

The mayor has stated that every city department must share in efforts to remedy budget woes.

López argued that cuts will close voter drop boxes, jeopardize voter access and “decimate” future elections.

“(The) City Council is not simply an advisory body in this process — under the City Charter, we are the authority responsible for reviewing, proposing amendments to, and ultimately approving the budget,” City Council President Amanda P. Sandoval said in a statement. “Facing a $200 million shortfall, we must ensure fiscal responsibility while meeting the needs of Denver residents. These recommendations reflect careful oversight, collaborative decision-making, and a commitment to accountability in how taxpayer dollars are spent.”

Johnston has stated that the budget he delivered to the City Council is a balanced budget and in accordance with the Denver City Charter.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston presented his 2026 budget proposal, which has been described as one of the “most conservative” spending plans in 15 years.

He described it as “cut to the bones.”

“If there are any amendments to the budget that add cuts to any of the departments,” Johnston said earlier, “those would directly either cut these core services because there is nothing left to cut in these departments from what has currently been done without affecting these core services or affecting layoffs, which is why we think it’s really critical for all the public to know about that in the process ahead.”

In their recommendation letter to Johnston, the council members said they “encourage the administration to explore creative alternatives before considering additional layoffs. The Council remains committed to collaborating on recommendations to ensure the final budget balances fiscal responsibility with the needs of Denver residents.”

Denver’s City Council would also like to see the mayor add $125,000 in direct city funding for the Denver Immigrant Legal Services Fund, a program that provides legal services and representation to “vulnerable” immigrants.

“With federal funding cuts and over 100,000 pending immigration cases in Colorado, this support is essential to maintaining legal infrastructure and access to representation,” the Council’s letter to Johnston read.

“We’re ready to work with Council collaboratively, as we do on every budget,” a spokesperson for the mayor’s offcie told The Denver Gazette.

Recommendations supported by supermajority

Department of Public Health and Environment

• Fund Denver Food System Summit ($50,000): Allocate funding for a Denver Food System Summit in 2026 to assess the city’s food policy landscape and plan for the establishment of a Food Justice Fund.

Denver County Court 

• Restore Parking Magistrates ($575,000): Restore funding for five parking magistrate positions that were eliminated, each averaging $115,000 annually.

Department of Excise and Licenses 

• Maintain Excise Community Equity Fund ($30,000): Preserve minimal funding for the Excise and Licenses Community Equity Fund, which reimburses community groups for legal and organizing costs in opposing liquor or marijuana licenses. 

Department of Housing Stability 

• Restore Denver Day Works Funding ($550,000): Restore funding for Denver Day Works, the city’s homeless workforce program. 

• Increase Temporary Rental and Utility Assistance (TRUA) Funding ($7,000,000): Increase funding for the TRUA program by $7 million in 2026, with a $5 million rollover instead of the originally proposed $9 million and $3 million already allocated in the 2026 budget, for a total allocation of $15 million for 2026. 

• Restore Immigrant Legal Services Fund ($125,000): Add direct city funding for the Denver Immigrant Legal Services Fund. 

• Restore Denver Anti-Discrimination Program staff ($75,000): Hire a new full-time employee to lead the Denver Anti-Discrimination Program, focusing on education, outreach, and mediation.

Denver Clerk and Recorder

• Fund the Clerk & Recorder for the 2026 elections —The Clerk has identified $1 million in unexpended 2025 funds. The Clerk and Recorder needs $2.5 million, assuming it is allowed to roll over $1 million in unexpended 2025 funds. The Council urges the Mayor and the Clerk and Recorder to work collaboratively toward an acceptable resolution on this funding issue.

Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul speaks to reporters on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. López has called for the city council to consider an amendment to the mayor’s spending plan. (Deborah Grigsby | The Denver Gazette

Mayor’s Office 

• Move mayoral appointee salaries to Mayor’s Office budget (no cost): Reallocate all salaries and positions for mayoral appointees currently housed in agency budgets to the Mayor’s Office budget. 

Recommendations supported by a simple majority of councilmembers 

Auditor’s Office 

• Restore the Base Budget in Auditor’s Office ($499,038): Restore the Auditor’s base budget, allowing the office to absorb $120,000 to launch the Wage Justice Fund and $110,000 to expand the City Attorney’s Office litigation capacity. The Auditor will continue holding two deputy positions vacant and return $2 million to the General Fund. The Council urges the Mayor and the Auditor to work collaboratively toward an acceptable resolution on this funding issue. 

Department of Public Health and Environment 

• Restore STAR Program Funding ($500,000): Restore funding to the Support Team Assisted Response (STAR) program, reversing proposed 2026 cuts and maintaining 2025 service levels.

Denver Office of Economic Development

• Continue WorkReady Program Funding ($600,000): Maintain funding for the WorkReady program.

Department of Safety 

• Fill Vacant Crime Lab Positions ($537,283): Reallocate funding for five vacant positions in the Crime Lab. 

Department of Transportation and Infrastructure

• Increase Safe Routes to School Funding ($2,040,000).
• Restore Right of Way Enforcement Funding ($1,360,000).

Denver Sheriff Department
• Restore Crisis Response Team Positions ($286,000): Reinstate funding for three vacant Crisis Response Team positions within the Sheriff’s Department. 

On or before Oct. 20, the mayor must release his final proposed 2026 budget as required by the City Charter.

The City Council will hold a public hearing on the budget on Oct. 27. 

Nov. 3 will be the final opportunity for the council to propose and vote on budget amendments.

On or before noon on Nov. 7, the mayor must accept or veto any council-approved amendments.

Any veto to be overridden by the City Council will be considered on Nov. 10, before the final budget is approved. A supermajority of nine votes is required to override a veto. 

Colorado’s 2040 ‘renewable’ energy goal faces cost challenges

A new state report outlined how Colorado plans to reach 100% “renewable” electricity by 2040, a goal that supporters argued is crucial to achieving “net zero” carbon in a few decades but which critics countered is happening too quickly at a significant cost to consumers.

The report examined a buildout of wind, solar, batteries and transmission lines, while urging more uniform state oversight of local siting decisions.

Released by the Colorado Energy Office, the report reviewed county zoning, permitting and wildlife regulations that can slow “renewables” projects. It concluded that the patchwork of local siting rules may not support the speed and scale needed to meet Gov. Jared Polis’ climate goals.

The report hinted that a statewide permitting framework could eventually replace the current mix of county-level approvals. That worries local governments but aligns with the push for more state control under recent energy and building-code mandates.

The siting report built on Ascend Analytics’ “Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in Colorado’s Electric Sector by 2040, a report that seeks to assess the “lowest cost pathways to achieve 100% zero-emission electricity generation by 2040.” That report modeled several energy portfolios for cost and reliability. The renewables-only scenario — wind, solar and batteries — is projected to cost about $61 billion by 2040.

A second scenario that added advanced nuclear, hydrogen and geothermal came in at a slightly lower cost but was labeled “the highest-cost option” with no near-term deployment path by the siting report. But the framing of that scenario involved grouping small modular nuclear reactor generation with hydrogen fuel and geothermal generation, both of which are costly, as-yet unproven technologies.

Critics have argued that bundling nuclear with unproven technologies artificially inflates its cost and downplays its value as a long-term, zero-carbon source.

Federal data from the Department of Energy and Idaho National Laboratory show that small modular reactors licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission can operate 60 to 80 years — two or three times longer than wind or solar systems that must be rebuilt several times.

NuScale small modular reactor cutaway showing the internal components. The 77 MW reactor is 76 feet tall and 15 feet in diameter and is submerged in water to provide cooling during a module shutdown. As many as 12 modules can be installed in a single power plant. Individual modules can be taken offline for service or refueling while the others continue operating.

Over a full life cycle, nuclear power could offer comparable or lower system costs without the vast land use, visual impact and transmission expansion required for statewide “renewables” development.

One of the negatives stated in the report is that Colorado has no legislative or regulatory framework to deal with nuclear reactors. Only recently did the Colorado General Assembly add nuclear power to list of “clean energy” sources.

Asked by The Denver Gazette if the state had any reports on the viability of nuclear energy in Colorado in April 2022, Dominique Gómez, deputy director of the Colorado Energy Office said, “As it turns out, we actually do not have any reports or studies on nuclear power potential for CO from any point in the last three years. There is not a task force that we are aware of. I haven’t found any previous statements from the administration.”

Colorado Energy Office Director Will Toor has maintained that “renewables” remain the cheapest route to a clean grid, but that natural gas generation will remain as a backup.

“Firm backup generation will always be needed,” Toor said in a March 2025 interview with the Denver Gazette. “Existing gas turbines will continue to provide backup a few percent of the time to maintain reliability.”

The Independence Institute, a free-market research organization based in Denver, and the Common Sense Institute, a nonpartisan economic think tank, challenged that assessment.

“Colorado’s 2040 deadline could raise overall costs and threaten reliability,” said researchers with the Common Sense Institute in an April 2025 report.

Both groups urged a flexible, technology-neutral strategy that includes firm, zero-carbon resources, such as nuclear power.

The Common Sense Institute projects more than $100 billion in generation and storage spending by mid-century and household bill increases of several thousand dollars. The Independence Institute warned that excluding nuclear and relying on intermittent “renewables” could drive up costs and risk outages during long weather lulls.

The siting report also revealed the physical scale of the 2040 target.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife has reviewed more than 120,000 acres of proposed solar projects and 10 gigawatts of wind developments. Most are outside critical habitats, but continued expansion will require converting open land and building new transmission corridors across rural counties.

Supporters of nuclear power said a handful of long-lived plants could produce the same energy with a fraction of the footprint.

Environmental groups are backing the state’s “renewable” energy timetable.

Western Resource Advocates and The Nature Conservancy praised the siting report for balancing “renewables” expansion with habitat protection and said statewide coordination is needed to avoid piecemeal development.

Polis is pushing for the 2040 deadline, shortened from the original 2050, calling it a moral and economic necessity. He has argued that aggressive timelines are vital to fight climate change and insulate consumers from fossil-fuel volatility.

“We can’t afford to wait another generation to act,” Polis said in promoting his Greenhouse Gas Reduction Roadmap 2.0.

Opponents called the deadline arbitrary, saying it will force ratepayers to fund costly rebuilds of short-lived infrastructure while ignoring firm technologies already licensed by federal regulators.

Broncos practice on ‘Field of Dreams’ English countryside before facing Jets in London

WARE, U.K. — Pardon those on the Broncos if they stopped at any point during Friday’s practice to admire the scenery.

In preparation for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Broncos practiced on a field at the Hanbury Manor Marriott Hotel & Country Club in Ware, where they are staying an hour north of London.

“Yes, it’s beautiful,’’ Broncos coach Sean Payton said of the greenery and rolling hills in the background. “It’s picturesque. It’d be hard to describe this football field in the middle of nowhere. ‘Field of Dreams,’ if you will.”

The Broncos practiced Wednesday and Thursday at the Tottenham Training Ground in the London suburb of Enfield and had been scheduled to go there again Friday. But the venue was switched.

“(With) the Friday schedule at home with the linemen and the recovery, this obviously was easy to do logistically,’’ Payton said of his weekly Friday schedule at Broncos Park in which offensive and defensive linemen and outside linebackers do recovery work during a portion of the practice. “This field was remarkable, and so that just made the schedule work a little cleaner.”

The Minnesota Vikings practiced on the field between playing games in Dublin on Sept. 28 and at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last Sunday. Other NFL teams have practiced on the pristine turf at the venue, with goalposts being in place.

Elliss out, Roach questionable

As expected, Broncos outside linebacker Jonah Elliss was ruled out Friday for Sunday’s game.

Elliss did not practice all week due to ribs and shoulder injuries. Payton declined to comment on injuries to Elliss, who suffered a fractured scapula bone in his right shoulder in Denver’s 31-7 playoff loss at Buffalo last January and had surgery.

The Broncos listed as questionable for the game defensive tackle Malcolm Roach, who returned to practice this week after being on injured reserve for the first five games with a calf injury.

For Roach to play, he would need to be activated off injured reserve Saturday. A source told The Denver Gazette that is “likely” to happen.

The likely move would then be Roach replacing guard Ben Powers on the 53-man roster. A source has said Powers will be put on injured reserve after suffering a torn biceps muscle in last Sunday’s 21-17 win at Philadelphia and having surgery Monday. He is out until at least December.

“He’s doing well,’’ Payton said of Roach, who was a limited participant in practice Wednesday and a full participant Thursday and Friday.

Roach, Denver’s top reserve defensive lineman, would add additional depth to the Broncos, who are No. 2 in the NFL in scoring defense and No. 5 in total defense.

With Elliss out, rookie outside linebacker Que Robinson is expected to make his NFL regular-season debut after being inactive the first five games.

“He’s doing well,’’ Payton said of the 6-foot-4, 243-pound Robinson, who could play a role on special teams. “He’s long, he’s disciplined.”

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton speaks during an NFL football press conference at Tottenham Hotspur training ground in London, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Nix, wife expecting couple’s first child

The wife of Broncos quarterback Bo Nix announced on social media Friday that the couple is expecting their first child.

Izzy Nix posted a picture of her holding hands with Nix, who appeared to be holding ulstrasound images. Izzy posted a message reading, “Nix, party of 3!!!”

Izzy Nix further captioned the photo with a Bible verse: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.” Jeremiah 1:5.

The two have been married since 2022. They met at Auburn, where he played quarterback from 2019-21 and she was a cheerleader.

Leicester Panthers visit

With Payton having been a quarterback for the 1988 Leicester Panthers in the now-defunct UK Budweiser National League, he invited the Leicester Panthers under-17 team to Friday’s practice. Four of his former English teammates also came.

“We’ve all gotten older,’’ Payton quipped.

As part of the Panthers’ visit, the Broncos donated 16 Riddell helmets to the team and Riddell donated 16 pairs of shoulder pads. The helmet donation is part of the Broncos’ “All In All Covered” program in which they have donated 15,000 helmets to Colorado high schools.

“It’s our international program for the helmets,’’ said Broncos owner Carrie Walton Penner, who helped hand them out to Panthers players.

Broncos owner Carrie Walton Penner hands out helmets to the Leicester Panthers in London as part of the ALL IN. ALL COVERED. Photo by Chris Tomasson/The Denver Gazette

Payton critical of field-goal issue

In Minnesota’s 21-17 win over Cleveland last Sunday, a 51-yard field goal by Will Reichard early in the fourth quarter was no good after his boot hit a camera wire. But there was no challenge and Reichard wasn’t awarded a retry.

“You can actually challenge that,’’ Payton said. “Then you hope the powers to be learn from that. I get the angles, but that’s not a new Tottenham (Hotspur Stadium) thing, that’s an NFL thing. They want to get those angles, but when you’re in charge of that camera and you’re kicking a field goal, you probably want to be out of the trajectory (of the kick).”

Briefly

Asked about the week of being in England and playing the Jets on Sunday, Payton said last week was “the challenging routine” with the Broncos defeating Cincinnati 28-3 on Monday Night Football on Sept. 29 and then preparing for a short week to play at Philadelphia. “This week is down pat,’’ he said. … Despite their 0-5 record, the Jets were lauded by Payton. “Obviously they’re running the ball extremely well, really well,’’ he said of Breece Hall having 351 yards rushing in five games and quarterback Justin Fields having 204 in four games. … A reporter asked Broncos defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers what’s the “most English thing” he has done this week. “I’ve had some fish and chips,” he said. “Does that count?”

Aurora Borealis fest to dazzle night sky this weekend

The Aurora Borealis Festival returns to Aurora this weekend, bringing a re-creation of the northern lights, a global gift bazaar and a variety of activities to Painted Prairie in the second annual festival.

The festival is at High Prairie Park at Painted Prairie, 21448 E. 59th Pl., on Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

General admission tickets are $15 and VIP tickets, which include premium parking, a VIP lounge and complimentary catering, are $75. Tickets are required for everyone ages 4 and older, and are nonrefundable, according to the event’s website.

Cash will not be accepted at the event.

A main stage will have performances throughout the night surrounded by light art installations, including a greenhouse-inspired lightscape called The Solarium, a 60-foot “Forest of Confusion” with illuminated trees respond to touch and a sculpture inspired by Earth’s magnetic field.

Other festivities include a Flavors of Aurora food court with more than 10 vendors, a global gift bazaar with 20 retail vendors and a silent disco, according to the event website.

The festival’s main event is a re-creation of the Aurora Borealis made with water-based special effects, which begins at sunset.

Rick Crandall, Visit Aurora’s board chair, told a crowd of festivalgoers at last year’s festival that it began with a vision from the board to “position Aurora as a vibrant cultural and tourism hub.”

“It’s not just a celebration, it’s a catalyst for community pride and economic growth,” Crandall said. “You guys are proud to live in Aurora right?”

His question to the crowd was met with loud cheers.

Crandall explained the Aurora Borealis effect to the audience last November, telling them to look to the sky above them as misters came on. 

“You can see things are starting to light up around you,” he said. “You’ll want to be out here under this mist, because the Borealis will be above you.”

Sure enough, as the misters came on, lights began to flicker above the crowd, drawing “oohs” and “ahhs” as a live band took the stage. 

While the celebration honors the magic of the northern lights, it is also a celebration of the city of Aurora and “everything that makes Aurora special,” according to Visit Aurora’s website.

Site selection experts raise a warning flag at Denver economic development event

The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce hosted a crowd of 500 civic leaders decked out in western wear Thursday, for a look at the new Stockyards Event Center behind the National Western grounds — perfect showcase for Colorado’s many attractions that reach out to corporations wanting to expand.

But six experts who spoke to the crowd, each of them a national consultant to Fortune 500 companies on where to select project sites, hoisted warning flags about practices that could be losing business to competitors like Texas and Utah.

Conversations with those “site selectors” are a featured attraction yearly at the Chamber’s Site Selection Conference arranged by the chamber’s Economic Development Corporation. The event was capped this year by the western-themed dinner, including a roundtable discussion with those experts.

Not in the least question was the value of the lifestyle Colorado offers in attracting a superior workforce.

“The quality of life is the best,” Steve Brunson with C&I professionals told the crowd. He added that commute times in the Denver area, and the availability of bioscience and other technology resources were marked advantages.

Experts also flagged Denver International Airport’s expansion — enabling better direct connections to international customers — along with Colorado’s better-than-average educated workforce.

But selection professionals quickly wrapped up the kudos and moved on to a longer discussion of areas in which they see Colorado lacking, starting with regulations that slow new project development.

“Colorado is viewed as business friendly,” said Larry Gigerich, veteran of some 600 economic development projects representing $12 billion in capital investments, according to his profile.

“Just taking longer (to approve projects for development) is a thing to keep an eye on,” he cautioned.

Brunson told the assemblage that corporations viewing expansions are continually asking themselves: “How quick can I get shovels in the ground?”

That answer can typically be three-to-four months in some Texas competitor locations, Brunson added. On some corporate scale projects, he said: “If the answer is six to eight months, every month is $90 million to the client.”

“Speed is going to be the most important thing now,” added Jim Renzas, an expert witness to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on federal incentive programs to encourage the redevelopment of distressed communities.

A crowd of civic and corporate leaders gathered at the National Western’s new Stockyards Event Center to hear comments from nationally recognized site selectors who consult with national corporations on relocations and project sites. (Credit David Chavez)

Among other issues that panelists flagged as potential weaknesses for Colorado in competing for expansion projects: taxes, energy load capacity, and the regulatory pipeline for getting artificial intelligence-related projects approved. AI projects are already facing legislative hurdles in some states and in Canada, they said.

“If you can’t get power (available for a project) quickly, it’s off the list,” said Brunson.

Consultants were openly skeptical as to whether solar, wind and other renewable sources often trumpeted by state development and energy officials, can realistically meet the demands of AI and other projects of a size that can make meaningful contributions to the state’s economic growth.

Consultant Mike Falleroni, a principal at Ryan, LLC, specializing in data center incentives, told the group: “It’s not wind and solar.”

Coming projects, he added, could singularly require a gigawatt of added capacity, in addition to new storage systems to maintain load reliability.

“The site selectors didn’t hold back, and that’s exactly what we wanted,” said Raymond H. Gonzales, president of Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, the chamber’s economic development arm, following the gathering.

“Having legislators in the room to hear firsthand how policy decisions influence Colorado’s competitiveness is critical. When policymakers and our private sector members come together in honest dialogue,” Gonzales added. “That collaboration is what will ultimately strengthen Colorado’s business climate and ensure our communities continue to thrive.”

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Broncos to face Jets in London in ‘concert’ environment but Tottenham’s artificial turf might not be ideal

LONDON — For tips on Tottenham, Trent Sherfield is a man to see.

When the Broncos wide receiver takes the field Sunday against the New York Jets at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it will mark the third straight year he has played at the venue — with three teams.

Sherfield suited up for the Buffalo Bills in a 25-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2023 and for the Minnesota Vikings in a 23-17 win last year over the Jets.

“I think really the only (bad) thing is just the (artificial) turf. The turf, that’s not our favorite thing to play on, I think, as a collective group,’’ Sherfield told The Denver Gazette on Friday about grass being a preferred surface. “But the facilities are super, super nice. The locker rooms are really, really nice. Honestly, I think that every NFL locker room should look like that.”

The stadium actually has two fields it uses. There is a grass soccer pitch that can be retracted and underneath it is the artificial turf used for NFL games and concerts.

As for the atmosphere at the 62,850 seat stadium, Sherfield called it unlike any NFL regular-season games in the United States. That’s because many who attend are simply football fans who don’t have a particular rooting interest in either team.

“It’s kind of like a concert, almost like just constant noise,’’ Sherfield said. “People are cheering (all the time) but it’s really cool. And at the stadium you see the fans are wearing different jerseys (of NFL teams). And they’re wearing old-school jerseys, so it’s pretty dope.”

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, left, watches as Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws during an NFL training session at Tottenham Hotspur training ground in London, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Fans come to the games in London wearing current and retro jerseys representing all NFL teams. Sherfield said he saw fans wearing retro jerseys of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and Maurice Jones-Drew among others.

“Yeah, you’ll probably see like five Aaron Rodgers Packers jerseys, six Tom Brady jerseys from either the Bucs or the Patriots,’’ said Broncos tight end Adam Trautman, who played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when the New Orleans Saints lost 28-25 to the Vikings in 2022.

Victor Osweiler, the cousin of former Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler, lives in England and was curious whether the jersey of every NFL team would be represented at a game in London. So Osweiler attended last Sunday’s 21-17 win by the Vikings over the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium along with two friends from the Denver area and they began counting jerseys before the game.

“The Broncos were easy,’’ Osweiler said of seeing a number of fans wearing Broncos gear at that game. “We found every team. The very last team we found checking was 15 minutes before the kickoff and it was the least-represented team, the Tennessee Titans.”

Osweiler said there also weren’t a lot of Houston Texans and Washington Commanders jerseys. But spotted were plenty of fans wearing jerseys of the former Washington Redskins.

Osweiler, who was decked out in London this week with a No. 17 Brock Osweiler jersey from when the quarterback played for the team from 2012-15 and in 2017, won’t attend Sunday’s game due to a previous engagement. But there will be ample Broncos jerseys on display and perhaps another one with “Osweiler” on the back.

As for the crowd noise, Trautman agreed with Sherfield about it being different from a typical NFL game.

“It’s kind of like a constant buzz,’’ Trautman said. “It’s not like super one-sided.”

The Jets are the home team, which figures to influence how the game operations staff will handle matters with scoreboard messages. So Trautman said “maybe (fans will) get loud when we’re on offense.”

Routine punts and kickoffs figure to get a good reaction. Sherfield said “they do cheer a lot for the kicking” in London.

“Obviously, with the soccer background, with the punting, the rugby, all that kind of stuff, the field-goal stuff. I feel like the special teams gets a little love over here because of the soccer background,’’ said Broncos special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi, who has been on the sideline as an assistant for four previous games in London, three with the Dolphins and one with the Saints. “It’s funny, any questions I’ve ever gotten from the English fans have been really directly related to the kicking stuff.”

Fans sing “Sweet Caroline” during an NFL football game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Denver Broncos at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022. Broncos defeated the Jaguars 21-17. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough

Broncos tight end Evan Engram also has been involved in plenty of London games. He told The Denver Gazette he feels “like a local” due to having played in five games in the city in the past three seasons with the Jaguars.

“The atmosphere on Sunday is going to be incredible, so both teams are going to be jacked up,’’ Engram said Friday.

Broncos coach Sean Payton, who headed the Saints for games in London in 2008 and 2017, has talked about how British fans have become more knowledgeable over the years about football. But he did note that he confused them a great deal in the waning seconds of New Orleans’ 37-32 win over the San Diego Chargers in 2008.

“In 2008, late in the game, we snapped the ball to (then Saints quarterback) Brees, and he turned and ran and threw it backwards through the uprights for a safety,’’ Payton said. “I think half the stadium didn’t know what the heck just happened. It was early in the process.”

Payton said those in London now are “true football fans.” But he said there still is a soccer-game feel.

“We’re going to hear some songs,” he said.

Sherfield did say the games are like a “concert.” So perhaps the fans will do some performing as well as plenty of cheering.

Denver area events for Oct. 10

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.

Friday

Tape B — With Cool Customer, Know Good, Richard Finger, 6 p.m., Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison, $172 and up. Tickets: axs.com.

It’s a Salsa Party! — With CJRO Latin Jazz Ensemble, featuring Marion Powers, 7:30 p.., The Schoolhouse Theater, 19650 E. Mainstreet, Parker, $27-$32. Tickets: coloradojazz.org/concerts.

The Stews — With The Dirty Turkeys, 8 p.m., Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, $30.62-$36.81. Tickets: axs.com.

Carbon Leaf — 8 p.m., Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder, $40.41-$42.99. Tickets: axs.com.

Super Diamond: The Neil Diamond Tribute — 8 p.m., Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St., Boulder, $36.81-$38.87. Tickets: axs.com.

Friday-Saturday

Aurora Borealis Festival — Recreation of the northern lights with interactive lighting installations, Global Gift Bazaar and Flavors of Aurora Food Court, 4-10 p.m., High Prairie Park, 21448 E. 59th Place, Aurora, $17.33 and up. Tickets: auroraborealisfestival.com.

Spells, Spirits & Mariachis — Presented by Cherry Creek Chorale, 7 p.m., Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E. Hampden Ave., Cherry Hills, $17.25-$27.25, free for ages 12 and younger. Tickets: cherrycreekchorale.org.

Friday-Sunday

Pumpkin Festival — 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Chatfield Farms, 8500 Deer Creek Canyon Road, Littleton, $10-$20, free for ages 2 and younger. Tickets: botanicgardens.org/events/special-events/pumpkin-festival.

“Convergence 2025” — 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 4 p.m. Saturday, Parsons Theatre, 1 E. Memorial Parkway, Northglenn, $20-$30. Tickets: lifeartdance.org.

Friday-Sunday, Oct. 17-19 and 30

Ghosts in the Gardens – Open Air Scare — Walk our dimly lit paths after hours and listen to the haunting stories that lurk throughout the Gardens’ history, 5:30-10:30 p.m., $29-$34. Tickets: Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St., Denver; botanicgardens.org/events/special-events/ghosts-gardens.

CARLOTTA OLSON, The Denver Gazette

Mark Kiszla: How an old friend saved Vance Joseph from blowing his second chance to be an NFL head coach

LONDON — Despite a powerful hankering to be a head coach in the NFL again, Vance Joseph knows blind ambition is the worst way to chase a second chance.

“God willing, I will be a head coach again,” Joseph told me Thursday, as we stood on a soccer pitch where the Broncos are practicing this week. “I want the opportunity to be a head coach again, but it has to be in the right place.” 

As coordinator of the fast and furious Denver defense, which leads the league with 84 quarterback sacks since 2024, Joseph’s stock is on the rise.

At age 53, he’s far wiser than when he let John Elway push him around during a frustrating two-season stint as Denver’s head coach from 2017-18, when he got unceremoniously canned for losing 21 of 32 games.

Denver Broncos head coach Vance Joseph speaks after an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017, in Denver. The Bengals won 20-17. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

But know what’s maybe the most important thing he has learned about this crazy business? Only a fool looks before he leaps into a bad situation, because not all NFL head coaching vacancies are created equal.

“There are only 32 of these jobs in the NFL, so every opening is good,” Joseph said.

There is, however, one huge caveat. There are bad NFL jobs where even a tough and smart football coach is doomed to failure from Day One.

“Most NFL jobs you’d be taking are with teams that are broken. and you have to go fix them,” Joseph said. “It can be tough to fix. That’s why four or five NFL head coaching jobs open up every single year. And the thing is, it’s usually the same jobs again and again.”

In a league where a failed head coach seldom gets more than one second chance, an old friend saved Joseph from blowing his shot at redemption in a dead-end job with the gosh-awful New York Jets.

“I did interview with the Jets in January,” Joseph said.

After leading a defense that ranked among the league’s top three in points allowed last season, Joseph was among a cattle call of at least 16 candidates the Jets chatted with during the search for their fourth head coach since 2015.

The vacancy was filled by Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, whom Joseph has known for 30 years, since he was an undrafted rookie out of CU learning the secrets of playing defensive back from Glenn, a first-round draft choice of the Jets in 1994.

“I thought Aaron was a great pick as coach for the Jets,” Joseph said, “because he played for them, and that should buy him some time with fan support in order for him to turn things around.”

When Joseph looks across the field on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, however, he will see Glenn trying to break the NFL’s only winless team from a funk that has plagued the franchise since its last playoff appearance in January 2011.

“We’re 0-5 and we own it,” Glenn said.

The impatience that quickly festers with losing cost Joseph any chance to grow into an effective coach in Denver.

Elway gave him the job with too many strings attached, tried to replace Joseph after only one year in an unsuccessful dalliance with former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan and fired V.J. when Denver ended the 2018 season with four consecutive losses.

Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, left, and senior defensive assistant Joe Vitt look on in the second half of an NFL preseason football game Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Experience is a cruel but effective creature, especially when there are scars to remind how quick, hard and painful a head coach’s fall from grace can be.

“The second time around, at least for me, you know the pitfalls that await before you take the job. The first time around, you have no idea what the pitfalls are, because you have no idea what’s inside that cupboard. You only know what a team showed you during the interview process and what you’ve heard from around the league. But you don’t really know what’s there until you take the job,” Joseph said.

“The second time around, it allows you to go into the job with a more detailed idea of what it should look like. Hopefully you have more say in terms of personnel and have enough power to do it your way.”

From the New York Giants to the Miami Dolphins to the Cleveland Browns, there are embattled head coaches already on the hot seat in 2025.

With Denver edge-rusher Nik Bonitto looking like a strong candidate to succeed teammate Pat Surtain as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, Joseph figures to be a strong candidate to fix the mess anywhere from Miami to Cleveland.

“Right now,” Joseph said, “I’m focused on the Broncos. I have a great job, so I’m not overly concerned with what head coaching jobs might be out there. If it happens, it happens.”

His second chance is coming.

And, this time, V.J. is determined to do it his way. 

“It has to be,” Joseph said, “the right fit.”