4 NOVEMBER 24-30, 2022 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | W ® 11 DRINK HERE The 100 Denver bars we can’t live without. 6 FOLLOW THE MONEY Does the Fair Elections Fund have enough funds to cover this race? BY CONOR MCCORMICK- CAVANAGH 24 JEDIS, ASSEMBLE! The Aurora Fox Arts Center is forgoing candy canes for Star Wars this holiday season. BY TONI TRESCA 27 BULWARK OF THE BLUES David Booker hasn’t let cancer stop his decades- long musical career. BY MARTY JONES 6 News 24 Culture 27 Music CONCERTS/CLUBS ................................... 30 36 Marijuana TOKE OF THE TOWN ................................ 36 ASK A STONER ......................................... 38 STRAIN GANG .......................................... 40 VOLUME 46 NUMBER 13 NOVEMBER 24-30, 2022 E D I T O R I A L Editor Patricia Calhoun Editorial Operations Manager Jane R. Le Culture Editor Emily Ferguson Food and Drink Editor Molly Martin Cannabis Editor Thomas Mitchell Staff Writers Catie Cheshire, Conor McCormick-Cavanagh, Michael Roberts Senior Contributor Alan Prendergast Contributors Amy Antonation, Dustin Bailey, Nathalie Baret, John Bear, Staci Berry, Alex Berryhill, Teague Bohlen, Jake Browne, Hyde Chrastina, Jacqueline Collins, Linnea Covington, Justin Criado, Nate Day, Claire Duncombe, Susan Froyd, Tom Hellauer, Nick Hutchinson, Danielle Krolewicz, Karl Christian Krumpholz, Kristen Kuchar, Cleo Mirza, Ryan Pachmayer, Michael Paglia, Kristin Pazulski, Adam Perry, Evan Semón, Amber Taufen, Kastle Waserman, Juliet Wittman Editorial Fellow Katrina Leibee A R T Art Director Jay Vollmar P R O D U C T I O N Production Manager Michael Wilson Assistant Production Manager Erin Kirk Graphic Designers Chris Arneson, Tori Bohling, Danielle East C R E A T I V E S E R V I C E S Senior Graphic Designer Allie Seidel A D V E R T I S I N G Account Manager Natalie Proctor Senior Multimedia Account Executives Amy Camera, Aaron Lembke, Danelle Trujillo Multimedia Account Executives Quincy Lynch, Katelyn Meeker, William Savoie, Allison Wissink Operations Administrative Coordinator Heyward Manning Marketing and Promotions Manager John Davis Event Marketing Manager Britton Sacharski House Account Manager Anna Hortik Operations Manager Maddie Miller Digital and Advertising Sales Manager Taylor Wheeler Advertising Director Teri Driskell C I R C U L A T I O N Circulation Manager Ty Koepke Circulation Coordinator Chris Speed B U S I N E S S Business Manager Sarah Dunahay Financial Accountant Robert Scribner AR Coordinator Stacy Phillips Receptionist Cindy Perez Associate Publisher Tracy Kontrelos Publisher Scott Tobias V O I C E M E D I A G R O U P Executive Editor Christine Brennan Executive Associate Editor Andy Van De Voorde Corporate Controller Beth Cook Legal Counsel Steve Suskin Chief Financial Offi cer Jeff Mars Chief Executive Offi cer Scott Tobias V M G N A T I O N A L National Advertising: 1-888-278-9866, www.voicemediagroup.com Senior Vice President of Sales Operations Joe Larkin D I S T R I B U T I O N Westword is available free of charge. 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Periodicals postage paid in Denver. Domestic subscriptions may be purchased for $50 yearly. Postmaster: Send address changes to Westword, P.O. Box 5970, Denver CO 80217. Mailing address: P.O. Box 5970, Denver, CO 80217 Street address: 1278 Lincoln Street, Denver, CO 80203 For retail or classifi ed advertising, call: 303-296-7744 For general information, call: 303-296-7744 For Editorial, email: [email protected] “STAY AWAY,” CONOR MCCORMICK- CAVANAGH, NOVEMBER 17 A H O M E R U N Incredible story about Sue Sanders, who didn’t have to die. We can do better with the homeless, and we must do better. Tina Vigil Aurora The more I read, the more angry and incredibly sad I became. This is NIMBY at its fi nest. Under NIMBY in the dictionary, it should read “See Greenwood Village.” And John Jackson should be hanging his head in shame. Poor John felt like he was attacked by a woman who was at the end of her rope, who was just trying to open his eyes to her and the struggles of hundreds of other homeless individuals. All from the comfort of his heated home with plenty of food, I’m quite sure. The leadership and citizens of Green- wood Village need to get together and do better. Not holding my breath. Laura Ann Denver “PAGING THROUGH HISTORY,” TEAGUE BOHLEN, NOVEMBER 3 F O O D F O R T H O U G H T I was born in 1990. When my mom moved out here in the early ,80s from Minneapolis, she cried because she considered Denver a “podunk cowtown.” She changed her mind after she met my dad on a blind date and they got married. My dad has lived here his whole life and never had those feelings. To hear his stories of growing up in the Northside (not Highland) just fi lls me with awe and wonder. “There’s a million stories in the naked city,” he would always say, wrapping up another story as we would go on driving tours of his old haunts. When I was a kid, he showed me this city was special. This city had a soul. He taught me to really look, experience and appreciate how special Denver was. My favorite restaurant was Pete’s Greek Town Cafe. My second favorite restaurant was the Breakfast King. I literally shed a tear when both of those died. To me, that’s the best way I can explain what’s happening with this city. Down with the institutions, in with the conglomerate restaurant groups. How many hot chicken places do we need? How many hip tequila bars with those dumb fl at metal stools do we need? How many ugly apartments need to be built in places you couldn’t pay me to live? (Welcome to “Scenic Behind Sinclair on Sixth and Kalamath!!”) I’m lucky to work in a bar that’s locally owned, and it’s considered a neighborhood institution. Drinks are cheap. I have no cor- porate overlords making sure their perfectly curated, endlessly looping music is playing or I’m wearing a uniform correctly, and I’ve never been happier. However, I’m no fool. It’s only a matter of time before the owner sells and we get replaced with some hot new concept from California or Texas (fuck you, Torchy’s Tacos). Hot chicken tacos, probably. With 25 craft beers on tap! Denver has become a Bennigan’s. Just another link in a chain that’s dying to tell you how unique and cool it is. Fake. Fake. Fake-ass bullshit. Westword, though? Y’all are an institution as well. I love you guys. Jordan Black Denver “EAT HERE,” MOLLY MARTIN, NOVEMBER 3 L E T ’ S E A T ! That was an inspirational story about Nathan Dolbeare eating at all of the 100 restaurants on the Westword list last year (with some help from his wife). I kept my copy, but I probably only made half of them. I’ll do better next year! Howard Parks Lakewood I love the Columbine. It will always hold a special place in my heart. Anthony Robert Denver I’ve defi nitely been to a few of those places! I think I’ll make that run on 100! Cody Mcguire Denver Editor’s note: Are you ready to make a run at the 100 restaurants we can’t live without? Our 2023 list is coming on December 8. Don’t miss a word! The stories in this print edition are just a fraction of the pieces we publish every week on westword.com. For a cheat sheet on all that content, subscribe to our daily newsletter at westword.com/ profi le?newsletter=12003988. You can also follow @Denver Westword on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And it’s all free! 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