Photo Credit: (Dennis Pleuss/Jeffco Sports Information) ARVADA — Arvada West baseball coach Danny Vais pushed all the right buttons Friday as the Wildcats ran their winning streak to nine games.  The Wildcats (16-2-1, 8-0 in Class 5A Jeffco League) finished a 2-game sweep over Columbine with a 9-3 home victory.  Freshman Kolten DeGroot got the start on the mound and gave A-West a solid four innings, giving up three runs on four hits. Junior Luke Alonso took over on the mound in the fifth inning and retired the first six batters he faced.  When Columbine (6-13, 2-6) got runners at the corners with one out in the top of the seventh inning, Coach Vais decided to put junior Cole Eisenreich on the hill and move Alonso to right field.  “I trust all of our bullpen. I was ready for whatever,” Alonso said of moving from pitcher to right field. “It was perfect. You just have to be ready for whatever the team needs.” The first pitch Eisenreich threw was a fly ball to Alonso in right. He caught the ball and fired to home plate to get out the Rebel that tagged up at third base. The 9-2 double play ended the game. “It is one of those situations where everything kind of worked out,” Coach Vais said of the game-ending double-play.  A-West’s bottom of the line-up got the offense started against Columbine. With two outs in the second inning, juniors Beau Friesen, Cameron Thornton, Keegan Millikan and freshman Holden Goodrich cranked out four consecutive hits that eventually led to a 4-run inning all with two outs.  “They came up huge for us,” A-West senior Tate Deal said of the Wildcats’ six- to nine-hole hitters.  With the bottom half getting things going, lead-off batter Braydon Reiner and sophomore Cooper Vais both had RBI singles to cap off the 4-run inning. “I was just trying to stick to my approach,” Deal said about his third at-bat. “Just adjust my swing to what was going on.” Alonso added on with a 2-run double in the sixth inning to make the score 9-3. “We have great coaches to lead us. Great seniors to help lead us,” Alonso said. “We have a lot of young guys who come in to just do their job.” A-West has a quick turnaround for its next conference game. The Wildcats have a 10 am game Saturday, May 3, at rival Ralston Valley (10-8, 5-3). The Mustangs are coming off being swept earlier this week in their 2-game set against Valor Christian. “Every one of these games is going to be big,” Coach Vais said of closing the regular season with a pair of games against Ralston Valley and Valor. “We are excited for those games. We know they will be up for us. They have great teams and great pitching on both sides. We are just going to have to match it.” A-West has a 1-game lead over Valor (9-10, 7-1) and 3-game lead over Ralston Valley with four league games remaining for all 5A Jeffco teams. “It really just comes down to taking it game-by-game,” Deal said about being in position to win a conference title for the first time since 2014. “Focusing on each and every game by itself.” Court records show the estate of Destinee Thompson received $2 million from the City of Arvada The settlement release was signed by the estate’s attorneys and Arvada City Manager Lori Gillis last July but was only finalized earlier this week According to a complaint filed in Denver District Court in 2023 who was a mother of three and pregnant at the time was on her way to have lunch with her stepmother in August 2021 She had moved regularly around the metro Denver area and would also use her stepmother’s mailing address Thompson was staying at the American Motel when officers arrived in search of a suspected shoplifter from a nearby Target store The suspect allegedly had a knife and was described as wearing a white tank top and blue jeans and had a chest tattoo Thompson was not wearing blue jeans at the time and didn’t have a chest tattoo Officers began yelling at her from both sides of the minivan shattered the passenger window with a police baton Thompson continued driving as officers surrounded her fired eight shots into the minivan as she pulled out killing Thompson and the fetus she was carrying The lawsuit stated that her vehicle had already pulled into the road and was 25 yards away when she was struck by the fatal shot who was staying at the same motel as Thompson After an investigation, First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King decided not to file criminal charges against Benallo, or others. In her decision letter she found that officers were justified in using deadly force She cited Thompson’s attempt to leave while boxed in and said her failure to respond to commands put officers in imminent danger.    Bickmore were also named as defendants in the case Arvada Police spokesperson David Snelling said Benallo is still employed by Arvada Police as are all but two of the others Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado. Listen now. © 2025 Colorado Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application He was a 2006 graduate of Pomona High School in Arvada CO and worked a variety of jobs in the Arvada area over the years Evan had a love of all sports but especially enjoyed playing and watching hockey.  Evan was deeply loved by his family and friends and will be dearly missed CO; cousins Christine (Steven) Sullivan and Jonathan (Shannon) Evans He was preceded in death by his grandfathers 2025 at 1pm at Horan & McConaty Funeral Home in Arvada A reception will follow immediately after the service.  Horan & McConaty Funeral Service and Cremation - Northwest/Arvada Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors a group of investors opened the Lowry Beer Garden in east Denver billing it as the first business of its kind in Colorado the concept has spread across the state: outdoor public-oriented spaces that serve beer and food has opened gardens in Edgewater and Green Valley Ranch “They’re wonderful activators and neighborhood gathering spots and you can see why a lot of cities and towns would find it pretty appealing,” said Joe Vostrejs with several million dollars in support from local taxpayers The new location will be a centerpiece of a major redevelopment near Olde Town Arvada sitting at the west end of Ralston Central Park.   the Arvada Urban Renewal Authority (or AURA) has supported and funded the ongoing development of hundreds of apartments “We brought in all these new housing units and all the fast-casual restaurants but what we didn’t have is a place that had a sense of community — we were looking for a place that was family friendly — people could come and linger,” said Maureen Phair Arvada Beer Garden will be at the northwest corner of Garrison Street and West 58th Avenue The beer garden will include a central building and an adjoining patio and outdoor plaza as well as another commercial building that will be leased out to a third party The design is inspired by beer gardens that Vostrejs visited in Europe years ago.  “Every tiny little village that we came to had a beer garden,” he said Food and drink selection should resemble the menus at the company’s other beer gardens The beer garden — and a lot of the surrounding development — is happening with a lot of help from local tax dollars The beer garden site was previously a gas station AURA bought the gas station property for $3 million in 2020 part of a larger series of land purchases in the area The authority also spent $40,000 for demolition AURA sold the corner lot in 2024 to City Street Investors for only $270,000 Other developers in the area have gotten similar subsidies like discounted land or tax benefits AURA also contributed $1.6 million to help build the beer garden’s outdoor area including a plaza that will sit on private land but will be open to the public A heating system will help keep the building’s patio and the plaza comfortable in winter CSI previously said it would send $4 million of its own money on the project and they said it's now "a fair amount higher." Beer gardens are hard to build without substantial help from a local government The two buildings and the plaza will take up an acre they’re very expensive to develop — and part of what makes them expensive is that you need a lot of land you need to have thousands of square feet,” Vostrejs said is to attract new development — and tax dollars — to redevelop aging parts of town The new projects are replacing strip malls that once held businesses like Kmart and Chuck E “The private sector is not interested in coming into these older sections of town,” Phair said “We are the public in a public-private partnership and we have to lure the private there to say hey The funding for AURA’s investment in the area comes from taxes generated by a Super Target and Super Walmart and others in the area AURA is temporarily receiving a portion of property and sales taxes generated from those new developments that money will revert to the taxing entities instead A similar strategy helped to revitalize Olde Town Arvada with tax funding coming from stores like Costco There was no competitive bid process to choose a developer for the beer garden lot, Phair said. She originally reached out to CSI about the project, she said. CSI is also known for its involvement in local restaurants like Cholon and larger projects like Denver Union Station. AURA did conduct a competitive bid process to choose the master developer for the broader area Construction of the beer garden and surrounding projects are well underway The beer garden will border Ralston Commons, with 195 planned apartments and 27 townhomes. Further west, the Caroline at Ralston has replaced a former Kmart site with 328 apartments an acre park and another 10,000 feet of commercial space (About 16 of the Caroline apartments will be designated affordable.) To the south, Ralston Gardens includes 102 designated affordable units. It’s next to the Garrison Paseo, with a pathway and planting beds winding up a sloped parcel. Andrew Kenney became the supervising editor of Denverite in 2024. He covered state politics for Colorado Public Radio as a reporter from 2019 to 2024, and previously was a reporter at The Denver Post, Denverite and The (Raleigh) News & Observer. You power Denverite!If you love what we do, donate today to support our essential and delightful local news. according to city planning documents.  The city of Arvada has approved a developer’s plan to build a new 40,000-square-foot grocery store at 7815 Wadsworth Blvd. replacing a Hobby Lobby that formerly stood on the site is jumping into an area that already has two organic and health-focused grocers The new supermarket will open just a few hundred feet from a Natural Grocers store as well as a Sprouts store just a little farther south the Arvada Whole Foods will fill a gap for the chain The nearest Whole Foods stores are more than five miles away in Lakewood Whole Foods also is planning a new store in Denver’s Central Park neighborhood, BusinessDen reported. The Arvada store’s developer is listed as Kimco Realty, a publicly traded real-estate company. The developer submitted an application to the city in 2023 and recently received approval for its overall plan, though some of its permit applications are still under review. Neither Kimco nor Whole Foods responded to requests for comment on Thursday. Crews already appear to be working to clear the old Hobby Lobby building. of Arvada Colorado passed away on February 15 Amy was a proud grandmother to Dennis (Gail) Best; Kelly (Morgan) Best; Nicolette (Dylan) Heller; and McKenzie (Nick) Tuminnaro She was also blessed with 5 great-grandchildren Maizey Best Amy had a passion for life’s simple pleasures and expressing her creativity through arts and crafts She was known for her incredible handmade one-bedroom dollhouses and her love for coloring in her cherished coloring books Amy had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh She was able to find humor in all sorts of situations and made the people around her laugh along with her She also loved all kinds of music and dancing Visiting the Elk’s Club on Friday nights to hear a county-western band where she could dance always brought her great pleasure Colorado was the perfect place for her to live The beautiful mountains brought her a lot of peace and joy especially camping in her beloved trailer that had everything a person could need and love for her family will be deeply missed but forever remembered A celebration of her life will be held on March 13 2025 at 10:00 AM at Horan and McConaty 7577 W 80th Ave The Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel is an independent office of the Colorado Supreme Court A state disciplinary judge has ended the Colorado career of an immigration lawyer and ordered her to pay $8,120 to former clients after determining she spent their money on everything from piano tuning to yoga classes then falsified documents to cover up her misdeeds “She is unregulatable,” Judge Bryon Large wrote of the lawyer Lindsay Arroyo on March 4 “and she poses a significant danger to Colorado citizens who also goes by Janet Lindsay Richardson-Vargas She is licensed in New York but worked in Arvada and practiced in Colorado federal courts details some of the most egregious wrongdoing by a Colorado lawyer in recent years a pattern of bad behavior that left her desperate clients in dangerous situations while Arroyo enriched herself from their scant resources the legal profession and the reputation of lawyers,” he wrote an undocumented immigrant known in court documents as A.G paid Arroyo $2,620 to request a waiver that would let him leave the country Arroyo pocketed the $2,620 and didn’t pay A.G.’s visa fees felt especially harmed because (Arroyo) gave him hope that he could see his mother and family but then betrayed that hope by doing nothing on his case,” Large wrote is still seeking lawful residency eight years later and was nervous about testifying at Arroyo’s disciplinary hearing because “he feared that immigration authorities might nab him.” scrounged $2,400 from friends and family and paid it to Arroyo wanted out and knew that a work visa would help her and her children When Arroyo kept the money and failed to file L.R.’s paperwork — or even return it — L.R her two minor children spent more time in the confines of a situation in which they witnessed their mother abused and mistreated,” Large wrote stated that she believes Arroyo takes advantage of people and that her experience with Arroyo has deepened her distrust of lawyers whom she fears will take her money but again fail to help her.” Arroyo used a trust account for her clients’ money “as her personal bank account,” the judge determined That meant spending clients’ money to pay her rent and car insurance to tune her home piano and host a birthday party for her child Some of the money paid for a required course on legal ethics Chase Bank reached out to the Colorado Office of Attorney Regulation to say that Arroyo’s trust account was overdrawn which shouldn’t happen since it is designed only to hold clients’ money The office then asked Arroyo for three months of bank statements it realized that Arroyo had falsified the statements she sent the judge ordered her by April 8 to pay $3,100 to L.R. and $2,400 to a third client she abandoned Arroyo did not participate in the disciplinary proceedings and did not answer BusinessDen’s requests to comment “Undocumented immigration clients are generally considered the epitome of vulnerable victims,” Large explained “(Arroyo)’s clients testified about their unsettled immigration status which left them particularly vulnerable to predations from unscrupulous individuals — like her.” This story is for our paid subscribers only Please become one of the thousands of BusinessDen members today Renew now by choosing a subscription below ALL MEMBERSHIPS RENEW AUTOMATICALLY. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR A 1 YEAR MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL AT THE RATE IN EFFECT AT THAT TIME UNLESS YOU CANCEL YOUR MEMBERSHIP BY LOGGING IN OR BY CONTACTING [email protected] ALL CHARGES FOR MONTHLY OR ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS ARE NONREFUNDABLE EACH MEMBERSHIP WILL ONLY FUNCTION ON UP TO 3 MACHINES ACCOUNTS ABUSING THAT LIMIT WILL BE DISCONTINUED FOR ASSISTANCE WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP PLEASE EMAIL [email protected] Justin covers litigation, white-collar crime and other news. He is a graduate of Southern Illinois University and previously reported for The Denver Post, The Oklahoman and The Topeka Capital-Journal. [email protected] © 2025 BusinessDen - All Rights Reserved Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now × Arvada has more than 800 short-term (less than 30 days) rental properties in operation though just 250 to 300 of those are licensed which can create problems for code enforcement officials Arvada’s Director of Community and Economic Development Jessica Gardner said Gardner discussed the current state of short-term rentals in Arvada during a workshop at the Feb 10 city council meeting and said that when a property has chronic issues but no license it makes it very difficult to enforce city codes because it becomes unclear who to contact to resolve potential issues but one of the bigger challenges we have is when we’re dealing with persistent chronic problems from some of these properties it’s also because they don’t have a license so it makes it even more difficult to enforce,” Gardner said Code Enforcement Officer Peter Krentz said that although complaints against short-term rental properties are a small proportion of the cases he handles — about 3% of cases or 23 complaints against short term rentals out of over 2,000 complaints against other properties — license gaps make following up on those cases difficult at times “I have issues when they don’t have a license and there’s no one to track down,” Krentz said “A lot of (short-term rental properties) are owned by LLCs some of them by foreign LLCs or they’ll loop them through other states or some of them will be defunct and I’ll have no one to talk to said they have been getting complaints from residents themselves and said short-term rentals do little to help the local community “I am amazed that you only got 24 complaints because I got 13 of those about five different properties in 2024,” Ambrose said “According to our Housing Needs Assessment That is the number of affordable units the city lacks and having 800 of them for short-term rentals Fifer said the city would be better off to just do away with short-term rentals as a whole “I think we should stop this resolution and just not allow them in our city,” Fifer said “It’s just not worth it for what little we get.” The fee to register a short-term rental in Arvada is $150 annually Gardner said cutting the short-term rental program in Arvada would likely do more harm than good “I just want to acknowledge the challenge of short-term rentals; I know they can be difficult and I know we get some kind of problem properties that arise that are very noisy and cause a lot of problems for the council members,” Gardner said “That is the minority of the short-term rentals that are out there “The other thing I want to mention is that once we decide that we don’t want to regulate it won’t get rid of them; it will just get rid of the mechanism to regulate them,” Gardner continued “And we won’t have any fees coming in to offset the costs to manage that situation what we feel is the best way to move forward is let’s regulate them and let’s do the best job we can to try and catch those challenges we face and do the best we can to bring them into compliance.” Council resolved to direct the city team to find a third-party vendor who can manage short-term rentals within the city and get the unlicensed properties in compliance while also fielding reports of concerns 24/7 The cost for that is estimated to be $18,000 The city team and city council discussed taking that out of the police budget or funding that through licensing fees This story was made available via the Colorado News Collaborative Get top headlines and KUNC reporting directly to your mailbox each week when you subscribe to In The NOCO a room at the Brown Palace Hotel was transformed into a museum; a music festival featuring metal and hardcore music was just announced; and the Arvada Center released the lineup for its upcoming theater season two annual film festivals — the Boulder International Film Festival and the Colorado Dragon Boat Film Fest in Denver — return to theaters Room 321 in Denver’s historic Brown Palace Hotel has been transformed into a museum honoring Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Yat-sen was the leader of China’s democratic revolution credited with overthrowing the Qing imperial dynasty and helping establish the Republic of China Chinese revolutionaries overthrew the Qing Dynasty and declared independence meeting with the local Chinese community and raising money for revolutionaries “Here in Denver he spoke at the Chinese Theater on Market Street and raised $500 which is pretty astonishing,” Brown Palace historian Debra Faulkner said “There were probably only five or six hundred Chinese in the city at the time Chinese pilgrims still visit the Brown Palace today to pay their respects.  this is like George Washington slept here July 4th commemorating the 100th year since his death is free and open to the public through Saturday Though the formal exhibition is only on view for a short time many of the images and artifacts will become a permanent fixture in the room Faulkner said visitors are welcome to ask staff to show them the room if it isn’t open when they stop by Sun Yat-sen has also been added to the permanent collection in room 321 For four days, Boulder will bustle with the 21st annual Boulder International Film Festival. From Thursday, March 13, through Sunday, March 16, BIFF will screen 68 films from 18 countries at venues across the city The festival lineup includes short and feature-length films, documentaries and narratives, 15 films by Colorado filmmakers and four films direct from the Sundance Film Festival “The basis of the entire festival is the critically acclaimed program,” said festival Director Kathy Beeck “We program based on what this community and this area is looking for We don't have a premier requirement like some festivals do.We're really looking for the best films the cream of the crop that are out there on the circuit And I think we've put together just a fantastic program this year.” Select films from the festival will be available for streaming on “BIFF at Home,” starting Monday Other special series include an Adventure Film Program, a free singer-songwriter showcase, a Call2Action program and a series of free workshops for students led by Emmy- and Oscar-nominated presenters Guest speakers this year include designer Kenneth Cole who will be interviewed in conjunction with films in the program Colorado’s Ultimate Film Festival Guide: 30+ Events for Movie Lovers in 2024-2025Courtesy DenverFilmPeople gathered in the lobby of the SIE FilmCenter for the 2024 Dragon Boat Film Festival.Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival The Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival and Asian marketplace returns to Denver’s Sie FilmCenter March 14-16 The theme of this year’s three-day Asian and Asian American festival is “Honoring Our Past to Guide Our Future,” celebrating the rich cultures and experiences of AANHPI communities “As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival we reflect on the power of storytelling to bridge generations and perspectives,” said Colorado Dragon Boat Executive Director Sara Moore we foster a shared sense of humanity — one that inspires us to build a brighter Opening night on March 14 features “New Wave,” a documentary about the Vietnamese new wave music scene Director Elizabeth Ai will hold a live Q&A following the screening Closing night on March 16 features “Tinā,” which follows a grieving Samoan mother as she rediscovers her purpose after the loss of her daughter The festival also features a variety of non-cinema happenings a “culinary experience” and a pop-up marketplace Full festival passes are $75 for Denver Film members and $85 for non-members Individual film tickets are $13 for members and $16 for non-members Unhinged Fest, a metal and hardcore music festival, just announced a two-day “extreme music event” at the National Western Stockyards in Denver featuring headliners Knocked Loose and Lamb of God put on by AEG Presents and Brew Ha Ha Productions is produced in collaboration with AEG Rocky Mountains and promises “an unforgettable experience” — pairing live music with craft beer The festival takes place on Saturday, July 26, and Sunday, July 27. Over the weekend, more than 25 bands will perform with no overlapping set times. View the full lineup here with an optional $15 per day beer-tasting add-on Single-day tickets will be available closer to the event More on Colorado's 2025 concert seasonHere’s the Red Rocks 2025 concert lineup (so far)Colorado Springs’ Ford Amphitheater 2025 concert lineup (so far)Eden Lane/CPR NewsThe Arvada Center 2023.Arvada Center unveils upcoming season scheduleThe Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities just released the lineup of new performances for the 2025-2026 season The center is also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year “Live theater is one of the few places in our increasingly siloed world where we come together with strangers to share an experience,” said Artistic Director Lynne Collins “When the person next to us laughs or gasps or breathes differently we feel it and our own reactions are changed because they are shared.” and learn together” during the upcoming season.  First on the calendar is the longest-running play in the history of theater Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap.” It’s a whodunit filled with the red herrings and plot twists Christie is famous for Up next is “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill,” a Billie Holiday musical set in 1959 The performance will be in the Arvada Center’s black-box-turned-cabaret Then comes a holiday musical: Disney’s “Frozen.” The beloved story explores the power of sisterhood and true love Kicking off 2026 is “Romeo and Juliet,” the classic Shakespeare love story Closing out the season is “Come From Away,” an Irish folk musical that tells the story of a place that opens its arms to people from all over Season ticket packages to the Arvada Center season are on sale now Single tickets for all productions go on sale July 7 at 11 a.m Some groups mentioned in the CO Arts Spotlight may be financial supporters of CPR News Financial supporters have no editorial influence How we pick our events: CO Arts Spotlight highlights events around the state to give readers a sense of the breadth of Colorado’s arts and cultural happenings it is not — and can not possibly be — a comprehensive list of all weekly events Each week’s list is published on Thursday and is not updated You want to know what is really going on these days We can help you keep up.  The Lookout is a free daily email newsletter with news and happenings from all over Colorado Sign up here and we will see you in the morning ARVADA — Columbine girls soccer got its scoring from a bit of an unlikely source Monday at the North Area Athletic Complex Freshman defender Kendyl Dirschl scored her first two goals of her young high school career to give the Rebels a 2-1 victory over Arvada West 2-0-0 in league) struck early to take the lead Dirschl scored her first career goal 48 seconds into the match The freshman fired a shot from distance that sailed out of reach of A-West senior goalie Hayden Briscoe just 48 seconds into the game “I just saw the openings and decided to hit it,” Dirschl said of her goals from her defensive position in the 1st and 62nd minutes 0-2) got on the board late in the first half The Wildcats’ leading goal scorer — senior Gigi Grieve — put in her 14th goal of the season in the 31st minute to tie things up at 1-1 going into halftime Dirschl’s goal in the 62nd minute sailed over the head of A-West senior goalie Lexi Tancredo who played the second half for the Wildcats in net “(A-West coach Dan Watkins) does a good job coaching no matter what group he’s got,” Todd said The win will make it tough for A-West to contend for a conference title with an 0-2 start Columbine remained atop the league standings with Valor Christian (5-1-1 Scoring has been a bit of an issue for the Rebels Columbine has scored 13 goals in its first nine games “We had a great day last week against Chatfield We really came alive and played some good soccer We scored some good goals,” Todd said of the 5-0 victory over the Chargers last week “I was hoping that would replicate itself today Columbine and A-West will both return to conference play at Lakewood Memorial Field on Thursday The Rebels square off against Lakewood at 5 p.m “I think we are getting better,” Todd said “I think more goal scoring chances are coming as the season comes along.” — Video captured by residents of an Arvada neighborhood shows a terrifying gun battle between police and a car theft suspect playing out in front of their home early Sunday morning The incident occurred around 3:40 a.m. in an alley west of Kipling Parkway Arvada Police said officers shot and wounded a man sitting inside a stolen vehicle after they said he would not exit the vehicle The video was shared with Denver7 by a resident who did not want to be identified you can hear several gunshots and the reactions of the homeowner as they film the incident from inside their house You can watch the video [Caution: some may find it disturbing] in the player below: Other residents in the neighborhood who spoke with Denver7 said the area is normally quiet a couple people trying to run people over at the stop signs Garcia said he woke up to the sound of gunfire and then SWAT team right in front of our house," Garcia explained because I guess they were arguing about the The suspect was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries but three were placed on administrative leave Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right lending a helping hand and following through on promises Stone Cellar Bistro eschews culinary trendiness in favor of unfussy feels like a throwback—in the best possible way It could be because chef-owners Jordan Alley and Brandon Kerr met while working at LoHi’s belovedly classic Or it could simply be that the chefs prioritize seasonal ingredients and solid techniques over trends and niche gastronomy The two have been busy since their time at Z working in lauded kitchens across the country (both) opening Stone Cellar’s predecessor food truck (Alley) and appearing on season 23 of Hell’s Kitchen this winter (Kerr They opened Stone Cellar Bistro in 2022 for their neighbors in Arvada but they quickly attracted diners from farther out who heard rumblings about elevated fare in the ’burbs so the Arctic char you loved yesterday may still be there in two weeks and on my first visit—when I noticed that most tables had ordered the hot-honey-topped dish—I understood why The bird downright hisses when you crack into its crisp crust which is uniquely seasoned with ground bay leaf and clove Double dredged to create a shell that locks in moisture and leg were the best and juiciest I’ve had in years (Don’t be nervous about the heat; there was only a drizzle of hot honey and it can be left off for fried chicken purists.) Stone Cellar also scores points with me for using a slightly funkier cheese than the standard American or cheddar on its burger The sticky slab of nutty raclette adds depth without overpowering the bacon dijonnaise and thick patty whose steak scraps are ground with Grand County Fitch Ranch chuck hit with salt and apple cider vinegar powder provide the salty-sweet-tangy combo you crave in a fry though—the high-dollar proteins that better be cooked just right—that most remind me of Denver restaurants in the pre-TikTok era My favorite from cold-weather dining is the confit duck leg served with a jammy egg that bleeds into satiny polenta Eating all the components together is like experiencing a velvety crackly skinned duck leg concert grooving on your taste buds Read More: A Local’s Guide to Eating and Drinking in Olde Town Arvada The steak offers its own harmonious flavor ensemble The chefs clearly know how to balance flavors and textures blurring the tomatoes’ sting with umami aplenty and contrasting snappy Brussels sprouts with those puréed potatoes because there are two pieces of meltingly tender New York strip I could barely sip down a $14 mocktail that was a mix of fig balsamic shrub and clove simple syrup lacking any sort of sweetness or much flavor (An Earl Grey tea and hibiscus syrup drink with gin was much better.) And on one evening it took 45 minutes for our entrées to arrive Our server acknowledged the delay but didn’t offer a drink or any other compensation When you’re waiting on $49 items (prices here are definitely not throwbacks) either the swiftness or the reparation needs to be better The setting is reminiscent of Denver’s pre–community table and Edison bulb days which would be refreshing if the decor weren’t so generic the only hint of style coming from an underlit bar with wood slats crafted by chef Kerr The upscale restaurant threaded with a sports bar aesthetic works for his crowd and location If you’re one of those city dwellers who’s all about the vibes and innovative tasting menus Stone Cellar isn’t going to be worth your drive But if you’re craving excellent takes on classic dishes Byron Gomez isn’t camera-shy; the Costa Rican chef appeared on season 18 of Bravo’s Top Chef and fall 2024’s Last Bite Hotel on the Food Network. Although he didn’t win either show, he did score the title of executive chef at LoDo’s Brutø last year Colorado has been well-represented on Top Chef—Carrie Baird (Fox & The Hen), Manny Barella (Camp Pickle), Eliza Gavin (221 South Oak), and Brother Luck (Four by Brother Luck) all competed—but only Hosea Rosenberg hasn’t been asked to pack his knives and go. Find the top toque’s food at Santo in Boulder and both locations of Blackbelly Thoa Nguyen might have fallen just short of the crown on Food Network’s 2023 Holiday Baking Championship, but her strawberry split croissants, fruit tarts, and crêpe cakes are the eternal champions of our hearts. Try them at her cheery Colfax bakery, Bánh & Butter Colorado School of Mines and several key partners broke ground on Quantum COmmons at Arvada a 70-acre site owned by Mines and dedicated to advancing quantum technology marking the region's first major investment since Colorado became a designated Tech Hub by the U.S Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA). “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Colorado and all of the Elevate Quantum partners and the nation is looking to us to accelerate growth of the quantum technology industry and economy,” said Dr “Having already launched one of the nation's first quantum engineering graduate programs Mines is excited to now take the lead on developing the Quantum COmmons at Arvada site and in the near-term delivering shared-use facilities critical to achieving the Elevate Quantum vision.”  When Quantum COmmons at Arvada comes online in 2026 Elevate Quantum, a designated Tech Hub by the EDA, was awarded $40.5 million in federal funding That funding activated $74 million in matching state support and $1 billion in private capital to help realize its ambitious plans to make the Mountain West — and partner Colorado School of Mines — the global leader in quantum innovation  Quantum COmmons at Arvada is a key asset for the technology hub and it's expected that about $40 million will be invested in the next 18 months to activate the site It will be developed into a leading global technology park providing open-access user facilities critical to accelerating the speed of progress in the quantum industry These facilities will offer capabilities in solid state and AMO modalities alongside fabrication services to accelerate the speed of iteration across the entire quantum industry This will enable breakthroughs ranging from artificial intelligence and healthcare to sensing and well beyond."We aren't wasting any time and are rolling up our sleeves and getting to work ensuring Colorado's leadership in quantum technology,” said Colorado Governor Jared Polis we are building what we need to support the quantum revolution."  Also welcoming the start of construction was U.S "The Department of Commerce is focused on fostering the future of critical and emerging technologies like quantum and using innovative place-based economic strategies to spread its benefits to every corner of our country," he said "The Elevate Quantum Tech Hub is on the cutting edge of that mission and will help write the next chapter of Colorado's economic prosperity."     Joining Johnson Graves and Polis at the groundbreaking was U.S Home to one of the nation’s first quantum engineering graduate programs, Mines offers hands-on, interdisciplinary programs to help address critical workforce needs and prepare students to shape the quantum-powered future Quantum COmmons at Arvada will give students an opportunity to engage in experiential learning such as internships with start-ups and working on senior design projects Boulder Arts Week will sweep through town with a wide variety of cultural events the Sie FilmCenter in Denver kicked off a new “tearjerker” film series the Arvada Center just announced three major concerts that will join its Summer Concert Series lineup Read on for your weekly arts and culture recap the city of Boulder will celebrate the artists nonprofits and businesses that bring the arts to life throughout the city.  This year’s schedule features 134 events This is also the inaugural year of the Boulder Arts Week Awards funded through the Community Vitality Department’s Office of Arts and Culture recognize individuals and organizations that have a positive impact on the local arts community Winners will receive a $1,000 stipend to support their work or donate to an arts organization the city hopes to inspire continued creativity and collaboration in Boulder’s arts ecosystem,” the city said in a statement Summer concert season at the Arvada Center begins in June The Arvada Center’s outdoor amphitheater seats 1,500 — with 600 reserved seats in a covered section and the rest general admission on the lawn GA seating is a blanket or legless chair only Though no outside picnic supplies are permitted President and CEO Philip Sneed lauded the food and beverage service offered by the center.  “Although the menu is not set yet for the summer it typically features everything from really good burgers with fresh ingredients to salads and other things like that.” He said the beer and wine selection is “not just the lowest level of beer and wine,” either The outdoor amphitheater season begins on June 18 “We're starting off on June 13 with an indoor concert by the Denver Gay Men's Chorus and Denver Feminist Chorus a concert called’ Leather and Lace,’” Sneed said “We've been bringing them here as part of Pride Month every year.”  Sneed said the Arvada Center considers two main aspects when programming its Summer Concert Series: offering “something for everybody” and “what’s affordable.” Find information on ticket prices, showtimes and more here Denver’s Sie FilmCenter on East Colfax brings “April Showers: The Ultimate Tearjerkers” to the big screen throughout the month of April there is nothing more cathartic than a big ol' cry,” said Artistic Director Keith Garcia “So we've gathered 15 of the best films whose strength is their ability to help you just let it all out.” Garcia said the series includes everything from “Douglas Sirk to Lars Von Trier animation to devastation — and even an emotional zombie movie and we’ll provide the tissues,” Garcia said The box office has “April Showers”-themed tissues ARVADA — Horizon and Arvada West boys basketball teams got some overtime in before the holiday break The Hawks (6-1 record) and Wildcats (6-2) battled through a pair of overtime periods before Horizon finally came away victorious with an 83-81 win in double-overtime Sokolowski got the defensive play of the game blocking the Wildcats’ chance to send the game into a third overtime period A-West junior Noah Meurer was fouled with 1.6 seconds left and Horizon up 83-81 in the 2OT so he had to intentionally miss the second shot and hope A-West could get the rebound and a put-back to tie the game It nearly worked out with senior Connor Woods able to get the ball but his shot in the lane was rejected by the 6-foot-8 sophomore “I don’t know what I was thinking,” Sokolowski said of his game-saving block “My job was just to get there and block it A-West got 3-pointers from Woods and Meurer in the second overtime but Horizon junior Carter Marsh made his only two shots of the game on open 3-pointers to keep the Hawks in position to steal the road victory “That saved us,” Sokolowski said of Marsh’s pair of 3-pointers in the second overtime “If we didn’t have those two 3-pointers we would have lost the game.” Senior Aiden Greene’s bucket with 48 seconds left gave the Hawks the lead for good at 82-80 Greene finished with a game-high 25 points Sokolowski finished in double-digit points with 17 as did sophomore Boaz Wisne (16 points) and senior Dane Bauer (11 points) The Wildcats had their 4-game winning streak come to an end Junior Keegen Balistreri had a team-high 24 points Meurer finished with 13 points and sophomore Cooper Vais had 17 points Cooper Vais did have the shot of the night The sophomore launched nearly a full-length shot after a missed shot by the Hawks at the end of the first quarter Cooper’s shot hit nothing but net to give A-West a 15-10 lead after the opening quarter The Wildcats’ biggest lead of the night came midway through the third quarter A-West led 44-27 after a 3-point play by senior Mason Lusche Horizon had an 11-0 run early in the fourth quarter to start its comeback attempt “We’ll go into the next team,” Vais said about hosting Brighton on Friday night Trumark Homes has closed on land to develop Hillcrest Creek in Arvada The new development will feature 83 three-story townhomes with four floor plans ranging from 1,438 square feet to 1,826 square feet “New housing projects in Arvada are rare and in high demand so we are particularly eager to build this community of modern townhomes surrounded by public transit to employment centers and recreational options,” said Brian Mulqueen Colorado division president for Trumark Homes “Hillcrest Creek provides attainable housing in Denver for a variety of buyers three-and-a-half bathrooms and a 2-car garage The community is anticipated to include a walking path and landscaped open space along the tributary The community is located on West 59th Avenue and Ward Rd in Jefferson County Nearby is historic Olde Town Arvada which offers a wide range of dining options The townhomes are also close to the Van Bibber Open Space and the Stenger Soccer Complex which provide recreational opportunities perfect for families and outdoor enthusiasts The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities is also nearby and is a local cultural hub offering live theater adding a cultural element to the community’s entertainment options Hillcrest Creek in Arvada joins the ever-growing Trumark Homes’ Colorado portfolio of communities including currently selling Harmony and Duet at Sterling Ranch in Littleton and RainDance and Pelican Shores in Windsor “Trumark Homes is dedicated to meeting the diverse housing needs of Colorado residents,” said Mulqueen we’re excited to expand our footprint and offer thoughtfully designed homes that cater to a variety of lifestyles and we look forward to continuing our growth throughout Colorado in the future.” with a sales launch anticipated in September 2025 Pricing and specific home details will be announced at that time Opus has broken ground on Catalyst Industrial a new 188,054-square-foot Class A speculative industrial development on 14.26 acres located at 15030 E Each year during National Preservation Month Historic Denver opens the doors for the public to nominate the people and projects