Mile-High Headlines for Monday, November 24

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Signs of the Times
“Want one more palpable sign of a desperate economy?” writes The Denver Post. About 40,000 people showed up at the Miller family farm, which is about 37 miles north of Denver, near Platteville, for surplus potatoes, carrots, and leeks, clogging Colorado Highways 66 and 119 on Saturday. People are hungry in tight economic times, one of the Millers’ noted. Some people lacked the right tools to harvest the veggies, but they made do regardless, reports the Greeley Tribune. Meanwhile, churches in Fort Collins–12 in all–have been plagued by robberies since September. In each case, thieves stole money and food, according to 7News. Taking a more positive view of the economy, the recession is breathing new life into The Transition Movement, reports CBS4, which embraces the simple idea that you can stimulate the local economy, help the environment, and save money by lowering your dependence on fossil fuels. Some of the keys: Ride your bike more often and go to farmers’ markets.

Ski Resorts Get Mixed Grades on the Environment
The Ski Area Citizens’ Coalition, a group that monitors the environmental friendliness of ski resorts around the West, gives its highest and lowest letter grades to resorts in Colorado. Aspen Mountain receives an A, and Copper Mountain is among seven areas in the West that got an F, as The Associated Press reports (via the Boulder Daily Camera). Copper’s score is “almost entirely” linked to its expansion and associated real estate development, while Aspen Mountain gets kudos for “trying to minimize impacts of development.” Overall, 53 of the 83 resorts reviewed have improved over last year. Colorado Ski Country USA, meanwhile, has issued a wish list for President-elect Barack Obama, according to The Denver Post. Among the items: “Address climate change by increasing tax credits for businesses that pursue environmentally friendly programs.” Another item, “Stimulate the economy and get people vacationing.” As The Aspen Times notes this morning, the Aspen Skiing Co. anticipates business will go downhill this season, dropping between 5 and 15 percent because of tough economic times.

Jetting the Royal Gorge

The Ute Indians wintered near the Royal Gorge. Spanish missionaries came as early as 1642. Fur trappers followed. Then along came explorer Zebulon Pike. In 1929, hanging 1,053 feet above the Arkansas River, up went the Royal Gorge Bridge, which is the world’s highest suspension bridge. Now, today at noon, Eric Scott will attempt to make history by strapping a jet pack to his back and hover himself across the Royal Gorge. KOAA News notes, “Many things could go wrong.” Scott won’t be wearing a parachute. A nasty spot of wind could crop up at the wrong moment, and he has only enough fuel to last 33 seconds. As Scott puts it, “I’ve always been an adrenaline junkie, and my own source of entertainment. This gives me a little more field, I guess, if you will, to play with.” Scott has flirted with the gorge before–two years ago, embarking on a short flight over the edge, looking down at one point to “feel real insignificant and small.”

Noisy Band Gets Manilowed
The soothing sounds of pop king Barry Manilow served, in part, as punishment for the members of the unsigned Fort Lupton High School rock band Revolving Reverence. After the town’s police busted the group for violating a noise ordinance, Municipal Judge Paul Sacco sentenced members to a torturous one-hour listening session that included Manilow and Barney, according to 9News. “These people should have to listen to music they don’t like,” the judge said, adding, “Most kids don’t want to hear somebody like Glen Close trying to sing opera.” This video shows the teens struggling through the sessions, restlessly moving in their seats. A blog out of Parker, Hot Chicks Dig Smart Men, finds the music of Revolving Reverence, featured in 9News’ clip, “to be a big, steaming pile of poo.”

Happy Birthday: Denver’s 150th
On Saturday, 150 people were honored at the Colorado History Museum for their contributions to making Denver a better city. Celebrating the city’s 150th anniversary, unsung heroes–teachers, city planners, musicians, volunteers, and cafe owners–were recognized, according to The Denver Post. As 5280 notes with a series of stories, Denver’s Wild West stereotypes are backed by truth, but “peel back the layers of cliché and you’ll find the true Denver, a city that in a brief 150 years has written its own rich, varied–and often paradoxical–historical narrative.” The Rocky Mountain News touched on the subject as well.

Cutler: Inspiration or Frustration?
Before Sunday’s loss to the Raiders at home, Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler was on pace to set a franchise record held by John Elway–more than 4,500 yards passing. Following a pitiful performance yesterday, whether he can hit the target remains to be be seen, as Cutler attempts to meet the demands of managing his “diabetes with the pressure of being ‘The Man’ in quarterback-crazy Colorado, where he raised eyebrows last month by saying he had a stronger arm than Elway, ‘hands down,'” writes The Washington Post. Yet as Cutler goes, so go the Broncos, writes the Rocky Mountain News: “The heart of the Broncos’ inconsistency is their quarterback. He personifies their split personality.”

Nugs Shake the Bulls
The Denver Nuggets knocked the Chicago Bulls at the Pepsi Center last night in a 114-101 victory thanks, in part, to Carmelo Anthony’s new workout regimen. Instead of hitting the town on Saturday night, Melo went to the gym, according to the Rocky Mountain News. It seemed to help. After going 18-for-61 in jump shots in the four prior games, Melo shot 6-for-11 last night.

Videodose: “Get out of there, dude. No wait, keep filming.” Check out this footage of a Colorado tornado as it forms from a waterspout.

Cheapest Gallon of Gas ‘Round Here: $1.50, Pecos Sunmart, 7170 Pecos Street (via www.gasbuddy.com).

Email relevant articles to michael@5280.com.