🗳️ What to know for Super Tuesday

🗳️ Votes for Trump Will Be Counted

Yesterday, just one day ahead of Election Day for the presidential primary, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that all Colorado votes for former President Doland Trump will be valid and counted. The ruling overturned a Colorado high court’s decision earlier this year to bar Trump from the ballot, citing engagement in insurrection. [Denver Post]

• As for Biden: As the results of the Colorado primary roll in, a major question remains — Will Palestinian solidarity groups’ last-minute push for Democrats to vote “noncommitted delegate” have an impact on President Biden’s nomination? [City Cast Denver 🎧]

⚖️ Paramedic in McClain Case Sentenced

The Aurora paramedic who administered a lethal dose of ketamine to Elijah McClain in 2019 was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday. A jury convicted Peter Cichuniec of criminally negligent homicide and second-degree assault in December. Cichuniec’s co-defendant and fellow former Aurora paramedic will face his sentencing in April. [CPR]

⚰️ Will CO Crack Down on Funeral Home Regulations?

A bipartisan group of Colorado lawmakers have introduced a bill that would create licensing requirements for funeral directors, embalmers, cremationists, and others in the funeral industry. Currently, Colorado is the only state that doesn’t require this kind of professional licensing, as evidenced in the several high-profile local cases involving malpractice, corpse abuse, fraud, forgery, and the illegal sale of body parts. [CO Newsline]

The winter snow is turning to slush and springtime is just around the corner, so dust off your potting gloves and bust out your pruning shears because it’s never too early to get a jump on your garden. Learn what to plant and when with these tips from local pros for a happy, healthy springtime harvest.

Start Seeding Now

Because Colorado’s gardening season is so notoriously short, experts often recommend beginning some of your seeding indoors and then transplanting the seedlings to an outdoor garden bed when the weather gets warmer. Local gardening expert Betty Cahill authors a blog complete with detailed charts that break down ideal seeding and planting windows for dozens of popular plants, herbs, and crops.

Pick the Right Plants

The best way to find plants that will withstand Colorado’s unpredictable weather conditions and unique ecosystem is to buy from local purveyors. Selecting seeds from big-box seed companies that source internationally might leave you with varieties that aren’t prepared to thrive in our local climate.

You should also familiarize yourself with the different local growing seasons: Cool season (mid-March to mid-May), warm season (mid-May to mid-July), and mid-summer / fall season (mid-July to August). Knowing which plants fall under which season will help you understand their temperature and sunlight requirements. Some examples:

• Cool season: spinach, lettuce, peas, potatoes, beets, pansy, calendula, snapdragon and sweet pea
• Warm season: tomatoes, peppers, squash, corn, petunias, geraniums, marigolds, sunflowers, cosmos, and ornamental perennials
• Mid-summer / fall season: squash, okra, and basil (plants that mature quickly)

Hey loyal readers and listeners. We love to hear from you! Got a question about something going on in the city? A spicy take on a trending topic? A dynamite food, drink, or show recommendation? We want to know 💌

👃 More Iconic Denver Smells

Following our recent podcast episode on North Denver’s infamous dog food smell, you all have been sharing other iconic Mile High scents. Daniel was fortunate enough to grow up near the old Jolly Rancher factory in Jeffco:

• “When the wind was right, my entire neighborhood might smell like cinnamon, or grape, or whatever flavor they were making that day. It was pretty awesome to be a kid and have the whole world smelling like candy all the time.”

🍜 A Ramen Apology

Last week, I called out The Denver Post for snubbing Glo Noodle House in their ongoing Ramen bracket. Jonathan Shikes, the DP reporter behind the bracket, followed up with me:

• “[Omitting] Glo was my bad. It was high up in my original file, but got knocked out somehow and I never put it back in. Bummer.”

🥧 Denver’s Best Shepherd’s Pie

In our Guide to March podcast episode, I mentioned my quest to find the best shepherd’s pie in Denver before Saint Patrick’s Day. Listener Ryan A. had few nominees:

• “Finley’s Pub in West Wash Park does a shepherd's pie with lamb. They keep it nice and simple, which I like. They have great beers on tap and for dessert you must try grandma Finley’s peanut butter pie. For a bit of something different, GB Fish & Chips’ shepherd's pie with a side of curry to pour on top is another go-to of mine.”

Gaza Protest Votes, Labor Union Drama, and Real OG Denver Bagels

It’s primary day! We already know who’s most likely going to end up on the presidential ballot in November — so why are local Palestinian solidarity groups urging Coloradans to vote for a “noncommitted delegate” on the primary ballot? Plus, a judge has decided that a local labor union violated labor laws, leaving questions about what this means for the future of local union organizing.