My Page: Contributing Writer

Disasters

By Dave Taylor

Hurricanes don't make it to Colorado, but being perched on eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains offers its own risk for those of us living in Boulder, Colorado. We already get the 50-75mph winds that whistle down the canyons and tear trees apart: you can tell because Boulder residents are typically out trying desperately to fly kites.

But water's another story, and with fifteen major drainageways channeled through the city of Boulder, there's a known flood danger that can take even local residents by surprise. City planners estimate that there are over 3000 structures located in a floodplain, and they break the flooding risk down into "100 year" and "500 year" floods, suggesting that there's plenty of
time before it's an issue, but who really knows? [more]

Chef Boy Ari

By Ari LeVaux

“We’d better eat this delicate dish of venison and morels before the ema-datse,� I cautioned. “Or we won’t be able to taste the subtle flavor.�

“That’s a myth,� said Kuenga Wangmo, my Bhutanese friend. “Ema doesn’t dull the taste one bit.�

Bhutan is a tiny Himalayan nation tucked between India and Tibet. Ema is their word for hot chili pepper. Datse means cheese. When combined correctly, ema and datse form a dynamic balance between fire and cream that has become a part of the Bhutanese identity. Ema-datse is part food, part endorphin release and part out-of-body experience. [more]

Subdivision Near Aspen

by Russ Arensman

Glenwood Springs voters rejected a controversial annexation proposal by a nearly 3-to-1 margin two years ago. But plans to build some 270 homes on an adjacent ranch are drawing a warmer reception, thanks to the new developers' more collaborative approach and willingness to preserve up to 80 percent of the property.
[more]