As the head brewer at Little Brother Brewing in Greensboro, N.C., Stephen Monahan always had his eye out for what other beer makers were working on. Although it was two-thirds of the way across the country, Colorado held particular interest since Monahan had first started homebrewing here as a business administration student at the University of Denver.
In particular, he was fascinated by the sour beers produced by the nationally acclaimed Black Project Wild & Spontaneous Ales, which he could buy at a nearby bottleshop. So after moving back to Colorado in 2022 and hearing that Black Project had closed, Monahan asked about the now-vacant space, hoping to start his own operation.
This fall, Monahan plans to open Monolith Brewing, at 1290 S. Broadway, serving a wide range of beer styles, like IPAs, lagers and barrel-aged stouts, as well as sour ales.
“What an incredible legacy to take over,” he said. “I hope I can follow in their footsteps.”
That path will be easier to find since Black Project left behind the entirety of its brewing equipment, furniture, fixtures and even its beer, Monahan said. “It was as if they just walked out the door one day and didn’t come back. Everything was here.”
As a result, Monahan will use Black Project’s four-barrel brewing system and about 40 of the 130 wooden barrels that were on hand. He’ll also keep the coolship, an open-topped vessel used to ferment beer with naturally occurring yeast. He’s trading away some of the equipment and fixtures, however, including the bartop, which was made from an airplane wing. (That piece is going, appropriately, to the aircraft-themed FlyteCo Brewing, which has two Denver locations.)
The coolship and wooden barrels were the heart of the former brewery, which found immediate success when it opened in 2016, building a legion of fans who would line up for every new release. But by 2022, a combination of decreased foot traffic due to the pandemic, rising raw material prices, and a changing beer market made it impossible for owner James Howat to stay in business, according to a note he posted on social media. Black Project closed in September.
Monahan has experience with multiple styles and plans to brew some sour and mixed-culture barrel-aged beers, but the bulk of his beer program will be non-sour beers, all of which will incorporate as many local ingredients – malted barley, hops, yeast – as possible. Before starting Mononlith, he was the head brewer at Kodiac Brewery in Centennial, which just opened in January. Monolith will be the fourth brewery that he has helped to get started.
Other changes he plans to make include a makeover that will make the space more “light, bright and engaging.” He’ll also add a 100-foot-long mural and custom dark green marble bar top.
The brewery scene on South Broadway has undergone some changes over the past year. Although Black Project closed last September, a new brewery, called Public Offering, opened at 1736 South Broadway, in October. Then, last week, Dos Luces Brewing, which has been serving corn-based pulque and chica for the past five years, announced that it will close in July.
What could be more idyllic, more Colorado, than spending a day or weekend at a lake? Smooth glassy water reflecting the peaks, fish jumping, birds chirping; you’ll understand why John Denver sang about “the serenity of a clear blue mountain lake.”
From natural, frigid alpine lakes to slightly-less-frigid valley reservoirs to a couple of places where you can even swim comfortably, Colorado has some 4,000 bodies of water to choose from. With that in mind, we’ve put together some great destinations to add to your summer travel itinerary.
Lakes for motor boating
Blue Mesa, in the center of the state between Gunnison and Montrose, is a boater’s paradise. It’s also the largest lake in Colorado, at 14 square miles. As the name implies, the waters are crystal blue and deep enough for large boats. Secluded canyons abound where you can drop anchor and enjoy a cold dip or just the peace and quiet. And the fishing is spectacular – the reservoir is home to the largest kokanee salmon fishery in the country. The reservoir is in Curecanti National Recreation Area. There are 10 campgrounds to choose from and several beaches where camping is allowed.
Lake Granby in northern Colorado is another popular boating spot and covers 7,000 acres. There are numerous boat launches and commercial marinas where you can rent a boat, as well as several campgrounds.
Colorado’s second-largest natural lake is down south, adjacent to Lake City. Lake San Cristobal offers stunning views of the San Juan Mountains. There’s a marina and the Wupperman Campground along its shores.
Lakes for quiet boating
If you’d rather enjoy a quiet day in a canoe or kayak or on a stand-up paddleboard, there are many lakes where only non-motorized craft are allowed.
O’Haver Lake, in a stunning valley off Poncha Pass, is a perfect place to enjoy some quiet flatwater. And there’s even a campground where you can pitch a tent near the water, a rare thing in Colorado. Reservations are highly recommended for a campsite.
Cottonwood Lake, west of Buena Vista and a few miles south of the top of Cottonwood Pass, is a lovely and quiet boating location – 40 acres and no motors allowed. There’s also a large campground along the lake and plenty of free dispersed camping in the area.
Big Meadows Reservoir is a short distance from the town of South Fork in southern Colorado. It is surrounded by spruce-covered hills. The lake can seem busy along the shore but head out in a boat and you’ll find solitude. There’s a campground along the shoreline.
Lakeside trails for mountain biking
Twin Lakes, created by water diversions through the Continental Divide (part of the massive Fryingpan-Arkansas Project), is known for its gorgeous vistas. Mount Elbert, Colorado’s tallest peak, towers over the area. There’s also a great intermediate mountain bike trail that rings the reservoir, nearly 15 miles of single-track with little elevation gain. There are several campgrounds in the area, as well as free dispersed camping on the east side of the lake.
Rampart Reservoir is near Woodland Park, part of Colorado Springs’ water system. The 14-mile loop trail around the lake offers a great singletrack ride, with 1,000 feet of uphill required. Start at the Rainbow Gulch trailhead for free parking, as you’ll have to pay at the lots closer to the water. There’s camping around the lake and plenty of dispersed camping along Rampart Range Road.
Lakes for swimming
Most of Colorado’s lakes are fed by snowmelt and too cold for most swimmers. Pueblo Reservoir is an exception. The 4,600-acre lake is at a low elevation in Colorado’s banana belt, which makes it comfortable for swimming on hot summer days. You can take a dip at the Rock Canyon swim beach, or better yet find a swimming hole somewhere along its 60 miles of shoreline. Those with boats will enjoy finding a secluded cove for a swim.
There’s a $10-per-vehicle fee to enter Lake Pueblo State Park (which surrounds the reservoir) and camping costs $28-$36 a night. (If you’ve paid for vehicle registration this year, you already may have access to all state parks through the Keep Colorado Wild pass.)
Closer to Denver, Chatfield Reservoir is at a low enough elevation for comfortable swimming. The swim beach in Chatfield State Park is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The daily park entrance fee is $10 per vehicle. There are some 200 campsites near the lake ($28-$41 a night).
Lakes for fishing
Colorado’s waters are an angler’s paradise, abundant and stocked, so narrowing your choices to just a few is difficult. Practically any lake on this list, or any list of lakes, will make for a great fishing trip.
Here are a few lakes to try within an easy day trip of the Front Range:
Eleven Mile State Park is located around a large reservoir and scenic river canyon in Park County and is known for an outstanding fishery.
Grand Lake, adjacent to the town that bears the same name, has excellent fishing and stunning mountain views to match.
Dillon Reservoir in Summit County has 26 miles of shoreline, enough to find your own fishing spot, and spectacular views of mountains that make up ski country.
Hike to these great lakes
You might have noticed that most of the lakes listed here are man-made reservoirs. That’s because most natural lakes have no roads to them, so you’ll need to lace up your boots and hike into the wilderness. Some visits require multi-day slogs through the mountains, while others can be enjoyed as a day hike. I’m sharing some of my favorite day hikes.
Andrews Lake
Most of Colorado’s glaciers are long gone, but a few small ones remain, remnants of the forces that shaped the Rockies. This 8.4-mile hike in Rocky Mountain National Park takes you up steep, rugged canyons. You can find snow here year-round on the dwindling glacier.
Blue Lakes
In the shadow of 14,157-foot Mount Sneffels – perhaps Colorado’s prettiest mountain – are three clear-blue lakes reachable by a moderate hike. It’s 3 miles to the first lake, and 3 more miles if you want to visit all three lakes, each offering vastly different views. You’ll wish you’d brought a tent to stay the night. (Take the hint, friends.)
North Brush Lakes
Many of the lakes in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains require long approaches. Not so for this pretty lake outside the town of Westcliffe, thanks to a forest road leading to the edge of the wilderness. It’s 4 miles to the lower lake (the prettier of the two) and a half-mile to the upper lake.
Rainbow Lakes to Slide Lakes
Deep in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness – Walden is the closest town, and it’s not that close – this hike lets you explore three pretty lakes. It’s 3.5 miles to Rainbow Lake, a worthy destination if you’re only up for a short day hike. Another 3 miles takes you to the upper and lower Slide lakes, both of which offer amazing backcountry camping.
Since last fall, Colorado employers have gone from adding jobs one month to shedding them the next, resulting in an economy that has behaved more like a sputtering lawn mower than a finely tuned engine that fires up on the first pull of the cord.
But that changed in May, when the state finally strung together two consecutive months of respectable job gains, according to an update Friday from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. Despite that, 2023 still appears to be lagging.
“After five months it seems the Colorado labor market is underperforming the U.S., assuming there will be no major revisions in the future. It is easy to look at the data and see where changes are occurring. It is more difficult to understand the structural changes in the economy that are causing these changes,” said Broomfield economist Gary Horvath in an email.
“In other words, why is the Colorado economy struggling more than other states?” he asked.
Colorado employers added 3,900 nonfarm jobs between April and May, which follows a revised gain of 6,100 jobs between March and April. Originally, the CDLE had estimated an increase of 7,200 jobs in April.
The private sector added 2,800 jobs last month while governments added 1,100. Other services, a catchall category, was up by 3,900 jobs; leisure and hospitality was up by 2,900 and manufacturing was up by 1,300.
“After declining for two straight months, Colorado’s manufacturing sector bounced back in May, adding 1,300 jobs. This was the largest growth for this sector since June 2020 when it added 1,300 jobs,” said Cole Anderson, a research analyst with the Common Sense Institute, in comments on the employment report.
The biggest declines came in professional and business services, down by 1,900; construction, off by 1,800, and financial activities, which shed 1,200 positions.
Over the past year, the state has added 30,200 jobs, which translates into a relatively anemic 1.1% growth rate. Four sectors have lost jobs in the past 12 months. The state’s economy would be in a much weaker spot absent the 17,200 jobs added in the public sector and the 21,200 that came in leisure and hospitality.
And after months of lagging behind, government employment is finally back above pre-pandemic levels — 464,700 in May compared to 462,100 jobs in February 2020, said Ryan Gedney, a senior labor economist with the CDLE, during a news call Friday morning.
Higher interest rates are impacting employment in construction and financial activities, which includes mortgage lending and real estate. More worrisome at first glance are the declines in professional and business services, a diverse category that represents some of the highest-paying jobs.
Gedney said most of the shrinkage there appears to be coming from employment agencies and not professional and technical services, which covers high-paying professions like attorneys, accountants and research scientists. Employers aren’t bringing on as many temporary workers as they have in the past.
On a positive note, the state’s unemployment rate held steady at 2.8% in May. By contrast, the U.S. unemployment rate rose from 3.4% to 3.7% last month. With the exception of February, Colorado has had a seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate of 2.8% since September.
Two Englewood police officers who fired rifle shots, one of which killed a man inside a home from where a gun was fired at police outside, were justified under Colorado law in their use of lethal force, according to an investigative review of the police shooting that was released Friday.
On the night of July 24, 2022, police responded to a home in the 5000 block of South Grove Street on a report of a man who was intoxicated and firing a gun inside the residence, according to the review. Multiple officers arrived, including Dirk Smith and Aaron Jarrett, who fired at Matthew Mitchell and Phillip Blankenship, brothers who were inside the home. Mitchell, 22 at the time, was hit in the chest by gunfire and died at the scene.
Blankenship, who allegedly was intoxicated and had fired a gun inside his home prompting a 911 call to police, was arrested on investigation of attempted first-degree murder after he eventually walked out of the home and surrendered to police.
Blankenship, according to the review, told investigators he fired at police from inside the home, but Mitchell did not. An investigation of the police shooting, however, concluded that Mitchell was armed and had fired a gun at officers as well.
When officers first arrived, commands were given for people inside the home to come out “with their hands up.”
After a brief verbal exchange, a gun was fired from inside “the front picture window,” according to the review. Smith immediately fired five shots with his department issued Smith and Wesson M&P 15 rifle, at the window.
Smith told investigators with the 18th Judicial District Critical Response Team that before the initial shot was fired he saw a man wearing light clothing looking out the picture window. Mitchell’s body was found on the living room floor near the front picture window, according to the review. He was dressed in light clothing. In a hallway off of the living room a Glock .380 handgun, magazine and a live round was recovered from the floor.
Shortly after the first exchange of gunfire, a second gunshot was fired from a bedroom on the north side of the home, according to the review. Jarret returned gunfire, shooting 18 rounds in five bursts in about a two-minute span.
Blankenship, wearing dark clothing, came out of the home at 8:09 p.m. and was taken into custody, according to the review. Blankenship told investigators that he had used the .380 handgun and that he was the only one who fired at officers.
Footage from officers body-worm cameras was part of the investigation and the video supports the finding that the first shot at officers was fired from inside the living room, according to the review.
“Based on my review of all the evidence in this case, I find no evidence establishing Officer Smith committed a crime when he fired his rifle,” according to the review, signed by Vicki Klingensmith, senior chief deputy district attorney, on Jan. 12, and addressed to Englewood Police Department Chief Sam Watson.
Upon publicly releasing the review Friday, the district attorney’s office said the release was delayed by a gag order in the case. The review letter was released after the DA’s office received clarification from the court.
Officers Smith and Jarrett “reasonably believed that their own lives and the lives of other officers were in imminent danger,” the review found. “Moreover, I find, based on the law and the facts, that Officer Smith and Officer Jarrett were justified in their use of force to defend themselves and their fellow officers.”
It looks like there is already a community with the same name, but when I go there to subscribe, it says "removed by mod." maybe that's my issue. Because even when I try to open new tabs and navigate to the community I'm trying to create, it's not working.
So I changed the name of the community, and it was created instantly. It looks like the other mod created a community with my desired name then deleted it, but the name was still taken. I'm now a proud mod of my own community, https://lemmy.world/c/bipolardisorder. Thank you again for your help!
Bipolar Disorder Infographic (infographicjournal.com)
YSK: The International Bipolar Foundation has a great book for the newly diagnosed you can read online for free (pressbooks.pub)
And Then His Wife Called Me On Christmas: A Tale of Bipolar Hypersexuality (medium.com)
I present to you, the Bipolar Brain! (lemmy.world)
Hello and welcome to our community!
Your contribution is what makes it thrive, so please share your thoughts....
RTD rides will be free July and August (www.rtd-denver.com)
CHALLENGE: What is this thing? [SOLVED]
https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/944a46e7-c0f2-4dda-9432-16e4deb90fbe.jpeg...
FAN EXPO Denver Is Celebrating Comic-Book Creators! Here's Who You'll Want to Meet. (www.westword.com)
A new brewery will take Black Project’s space on South Broadway (PAYWALL - TEXT IN COMMENTS) (www.denverpost.com)
16 Colorado lakes and reservoirs for a dreamy summer day (PAYWALL - TEXT IN COMMENTS) (www.denverpost.com)
Rescuers are braving snipers as they rush to ferry Ukrainians from Russia-occupied flood zones (apnews.com)
A historic mining cabin stood in Keystone Gulch for more than 100 years. Then the US Forest Service took it down without formal approval. (www.summitdaily.com)
What’s Working: Connecting Colorado’s latest economic reports on inflation, housing and jobs (coloradosun.com)
Denver inflation falls but is still higher than the nation. Plus: Housing prices dip, more Coloradans are working and wages are growing. But slower.
Judge finds members of Douglas County School Board broke Colorado open meetings law (coloradosun.com)
Colorado logs a second straight month of employment gains on strong government hiring (PAYWALL - TEXT IN COMMENTS) (www.denverpost.com)
Englewood officers cleared in fatal police shooting according to DA’s review (PAYWALL - ARTICLE TEXT IN COMMENTS) (www.denverpost.com)
let's cut the "Reddit" circle jerk and start actually making content
Not that it is not interesting but I would like just a tad more variety on the front page....