Today's News

When Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper was a kid, his mom taught him to be frugal and to conserve. She washed tin foil and plastic wrap and taped them to the refrigerator door so she could reuse them to save money and to recycle wisely.

“What does it harm us to use less?” asked Hickenlooper, now a Democratic candidate for governor, when he visited Idaho Springs on June 23 to discuss renewable resources. He spoke at Beau Jo’s restaurant, known for its green approach to food service.

“… The horses’ necks are wringin’ wet

From keepin’ up the pace

And tears cut tracks into the dust

Upon the rider’s face.

The rank ol’ mare sniffs out the trail

While never breakin’ stride

But fast behind the wranglers come

Relentless, on they ride …”

— from “Runnin’ Wild Horses,” by Baxter Black

A local brother-and-sister team decided it wouldn’t hurt if Idaho Springs was a bit more musical, and so the pair have created a bluegrass festival.

The Clear Creek Rapid Grass music festival, a nonprofit event, will take place on July 10 from 4 to 11 p.m. at the Idaho Springs Baseball Fields.

As warm weather finally arrives, the high heating bills of winter give way to other energy challenges such as keeping homes cool and cutting down on fuel use.

In the Colorado foothills climate, some easy behavior changes can yield surprisingly big energy dividends. Before adding expensive solar panels or doing home retrofits, it’s wise to think of some no-cost or very low cost ways to save energy and cut your utility bills.