Today's Features

For as long as there have been cars trusty enough to chug up the mountains, artists have ventured around the Lariat Loop hoping to capture that elusive sunset reflecting in Bear Creek or the first aspen turning to gold near Buffalo Bill’s grave.

The Lariat Loop is a 40-mile scenic circle developed in the 1920s to help Coloradans experience the mountains in proximity to Denver. To celebrate the anniversary of the Loop’s designation as a National Scenic Byway, on Oct. 17 the Loop’s Heritage Alliance will host the Lariat Loop Art Bistro.

Editor’s note: Local paleoclimatologist Peter Link embarked on a trip to South America earlier this year with his trusty camera in hand. His account of the trip follows, accompanied by stunning photos.

By Peter Link
1It was January, the dead of winter — time to break for South America.
And so, Scott from Shreveport, my brother Andy from Houston and I boarded an overnight flight to La Paz, Bolivia, 12,001 feet above sea level. OK for me, living at 8,100 feet; not so sanguine for Scott and Andy. They did survive.

The University of Colorado Buffs has honored Shaye Evans, an eighth-grader at Evergreen Middle School, for great attitude.
Qwest, Fox Sports Network Rocky Mountain and CU have named Evans a 2010-11 Winning Attitude Award winner. Winners are selected from a pool of stories submitted by middle school students explaining how their winning attitude made a difference in their communities. Students are honored for their outstanding efforts in sportsmanship, community involvement and teamwork.

Not everyone can see beauty in a stack of weather-beaten, sun-bleached wood. But in the hands of Tommy Banaszek and Jeanne Sullivan, salvaged wood turns over a new leaf and is transformed into handmade furniture.
KnoT New WooD, located in Kittredge at 26030 Highway 74, is the brainchild of Banaszek and Sullivan, who created the business to showcase wood repurposed into elegant, rustic or highly polished custom designs.
“People come in here and want to touch all the different woods,” said Sullivan.