Summer fun

and more water news

I found these chilis in Nick’s Garden Center a couple of years ago, and they seem to symbolize the abundance of summer. Nick’s, at Chambers and Evans, has a farm market with local produce from July to October.

Pancakes and policy: Council members share goals

I try not to dwell on politics in this community-celebrating work, but government is part of the community, and its activities are important to our lives. So, here’s an example of what our government looks like at the most local level.

On a recent Saturday morning, a group of about 25 Aurorans met for breakfast in a Greek restaurant, The Athenian. Among them were three city council members, a couple of state legislators, and several candidates. They talked about what they were doing, and what issues were important to them.

The council members were Gianina Horton from Ward I, Amy Wiles from Ward II, and Alli Jackson, at large, meaning representing the whole city.

Balancing needs

They are trying to balance the needs of local businesses and residents. While encouraging economic growth, “We don’t want a gas station on every corner,” as Wiles put it. The same approach can help decide where to locate the many food trucks that have appeared recently. The proliferation of data centers is another concern, but so far those in Aurora, someone explained, are relatively small clusters of servers and not the huge structures making headlines. Council members are weighing the needs of all generations, from starting a youth council and managing road traffic around schools to making council meetings more assessible, such as providing captions during spoken discussions. Jackson noted, “We want people to feel comfortable speaking at meetings.”

As Horton explained, council members are concerned about health conditions, especially reporting of disease outbreaks, at the private GEO detention center. They are working with state legislators to provide families with better access to prisoners, especially those who have been relocated to or from distant facilities.

The spirit of cooperation

If there was an overall theme to the conversation, I believe it was cooperation. We heard of efforts to serve young and old, business and residents, and people of different cultures. It was encouraging to know that the 10 council members often join with state and federal officials to make things happen. They are not striving alone, so neither are we.

There was other good news: Citizens have formed groups to promote other objectives. Leaflets on the tables announced Save the Aurora Reservoir and PAC Mo, the Positive Aurora Community Movement, which meets before every city council meeting “to talk positive about everything we love about Aurora.”

To contact the council directly, you can send an email to citycouncil@auroragov.org.

Music and drama in store this summer

Laura Embleton, our local guide to the art, music and drama scene, has announced upcoming performances around the state. Below are highlights. To learn more or reserve (possibly discounted) tickets, contact her at laura@coloradoartsconcierge.com.

July 23-26: Creede Repertory Theater with receptions, tours and meeting performers in two “funny and uplifting” plays.

August 2: Colorado Music Festivel at Chautauqua Park in Boulder.

October 17: Performance of “Sweeney Todd” at Platte Valley Theatre Arts in Brighton.

Save water, save money

After joining a Saturday-morning walking tour of the Water-wise Garden in front of city hall, I received a message from Maddie Parsnick, the water conservation specialist at Aurora Water. She told me, “The Water-wise Passport rewards Aurora Water customers who complete four water-saving activities by December 31, 2026. Since you’ve already attended at least one Aurora Water class, you’re already 25% of the way toward earning your $50 bill credit—and if you’ve attended multiple classes, you may be even closer!”Here’s how the plan works: You must be an Aurora Water customer and complete four of the following activities:

• Attend up to four water conservation classes (the tour counts as one)

• Sign up for leak alerts

• Enroll in the city’s “Know Your Flow Program”

• Get a free landscape design for a water-wise garden

• Complete an outdoor water assessment

• Complete an indoor water assessment

Then apply for the passport discount at aurorawater.org.

Honoring the Solstice

The June Solstice (Summer in this hemisphere) is a time of worldwide celebration, with various rituals and traditions marking the year’s longest day and shortest night. These photos show some local folks practicing their Celtic skills on Midsummer Night’s Eve, with a mock swordfight and drums. As Rumi, the 13th century Sufi mystic, wrote,

And still, after all this time, the Sun has never said to the Earth, “You owe me.” Look what happens with love like that. It lights up the sky.