In April Colorado Public Radio Reporter Ben Markus reported on the influence of lobbyists on Denver policymaking. He noted it is difficult to know where lobbyists end and city government begins. Lobbyists solicit business for their corporate clients, even as they themselves do work for the City, and also give large campaign contributions to City Candidates.

Chuck Norris, engineer and hydrogeologist, describes the faulty assumptions used by the EPA to partially remediate the Vasquez/I-70 Superfund Site, even as they rush to de-list it from the National Priorities List of Superfund Sites in anticipation of the push to triple the footprint of I-70 through the Swansea-Elyria, Globeville neighborhoods of north Denver. In this, the most toxic U.S. Zip Code (80216), smelters in the 19th and 20th centuries left contaminants in the soil, such as cadmium, lead, zinc and arsenic, affecting the health of generations of north Denver families.

I thought I’d try a two-fer for this show. I usually don’t do food or music shows but recently had the chance to eat good food and listen to good music in the same place. The food was at Front Range BBQ on West Colorado Ave. in Colorado Springs. I learned about Front Range from the Food Networks Diners Drive-ins, & Dives. The music was 1920’s style Dixieland Jazz created by Blair Crimmins from Atlanta, Georgia.

Steve Denny: The Ritual