by Peter Boyles | Apr 1, 2026 | Blasting with Boyles
Blasting with Boyles
OPINION
It happened four Sunday mornings ago, February 15th. After completing the award-winning radio show on Saturday, I went home and I was dead tired and went to bed early — on Saturday night, Peter??
Woke up the next morning with the worst headache and I generally don’t get headaches; it’s the one thing that gratefully has left me alone. I normally have a Sunday morning breakfast with my biker buddies, and I didn’t have the strength to meet them and the headache continued.
My daughter said OK, let’s go to urgent care, and I argued against it, and she said you have to go. And the urgent care people, who were wonderful, said go straight to Swedish Hospital.
I went to Swedish hospital and ended up in the ICU for that night and the next day. Did an MRI and was told I had had a brain bleed. So, I’m writing this column as a warning for all of us about strokes and brain bleeds.
I was told all kinds of fun things like 50 percent of those who have a brain bleed will die before they get to a hospital. Of the 50 percent who make it to the hospital 30 percent will die there. And of those who survive 40 percent are left with some kind of cognitive defect. And in common terms, a brain bleed is actually an intracranial hemorrhage. In terms that I can understand, it’s a blood clot in your brain.
I’ll take it now to another level. There are two kinds: the spontaneous ones are aneurism or a stroke caused by trauma, but the most common type of brain bleed, the most common cause of death, is it’s secondary to a head injury.
That was some relief. The most common symptom is a sudden onset headache. Most of us describe it as the worst headache in their lives. And even people who get migraine headaches say the brain bleed headache is worse than any migraine. Some stroke patients describe having a bad headache. The symptoms come and go very quickly.
I received at Swedish one of the greatest experiences of my life: the migraine cocktail. Why I never knew about this before is beyond me. What a gift that is.
With a brain bleed there are people who fall into comas, and it causes you to lose consciousness and some of the following symptoms. This is all very frightening, such things as blindness in one eye, numbness on one side of the face, arm numbness, weakness on one side of the body. The thing that was most interesting is something for all of us to remember, and that is if you feel, have, or gone through any of these things it’s time to call the ambulance. I actually was told to not have your daughter drive you here but to call 911.
There is a medication to dissolve the clot. Mine was two centimeters and they told me there’s evidence you’ve had a couple of these puppies in the past. Which if you’ve been reading me explains a lot.
Bottom line with a brain bleed, if you ever have a headache like you’ve never had before, dial 911. Ignoring that pain like I have could prove to be fatal.
I’m writing this, as I said above, for all of us to be aware of what I just went through.
I will be 83 years old — maybe — this coming October. And those of you who have been reading me long enough, remember the final columns of Gene Amole who had become a great friend and drinking buddy, along with the late John Coit, Denver Rocky Mountain News columnist who died of a heart attack. I think about so many of the old people in the media and friends that have been with all of us and we’ve lost them. But you’re not getting rid of me because, I’m a hard man to kill.
Who was a hard man to kill? Rasputin, and Jim Bowie, and me.
—Peter Boyles
by Ashe in America | Apr 1, 2026 | Feature Story Bottom Left
ASHE IN AMERICA — OPINION
Partisan outrage broke out earlier this month when former Democrat Senator Sonya Jaquez-Lewis was sentenced to probation for committing four felonies in an attempt to mislead an ethics panel. Her charges included one count of attempting to influence a public servant (C.R.S. 18-8-306), and three forgery counts.
That statute should sound familiar. C.R.S. 18-8-306 was the charging statute for three of former Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters’ felonies — and she was sentenced to three and a half years in state custody for each of the counts.
Jaquez-Lewis attempted to influence the officials handling her ethics committee. Peters influenced three officials to bring an observer into her office. The difference in the cases comes down to prosecutorial discretion. That’s what caused the outrage.
Even Governor Polis got in on the drama.
“But it is not lost on me that [Jaquez-Lewis] was convicted of the exact same felony charge as Tina Peters — attempting to influence a public official,” the Governor posted on his personal account on X. “— and yet Tina Peters, as a non-violent first-time offender got a nine-year sentence.” He then talked about clemency calculus.
Predictably, the uniparty lost their minds at Polis’ suggestion that Peters might get out of prison. She represents the death rattle of a carefully created narrative about “election denialism” being dangerous to “democracy.”
They need that to be true (it isn’t), because they used that fake narrative to weaponize the government and undermine democracy themselves. If it’s not true, they violated their oaths of office and abused their power.
Clemency makes that inevitability go away for them. It’s an act of mercy for agreed upon guilt. It fortifies the state’s assertion that Tina Peters got due process, and that she was convicted by a jury of her peers after a fair trial. That’s not true.
The handling of Tina Peters’ case was so egregious that the three-judge panel that heard her appeal in February seemed poised to grant Peters at least some relief:
“The official misconduct charge was charged as with the intent to receive a benefit for herself,” Judge Tow said. “Why is it not relevant to the jury for her to say, ‘I didn’t intend to receive a benefit for myself. I intended to do what I thought was my job and protect the election process.’ Why was that evidence not relevant at least to that charge?”
Peters was prohibited by the trial court from defending against the state’s characterization of her intent before the jury.
The judge continued after an exchange with the solicitor arguing for the prosecution, “Why was that evidence not appropriately submitted to a jury?”
“When it comes to a defendant’s Constitutional Right to present a complete defense, does a trial court have the ability to curtail that in the interest of not letting the sideshow overcome the circus? Don’t they have a Constitutional Right to present a complete defense? …the Court can prevent cumulative or irrelevant evidence, but I cannot curtail the presentation of relevant evidence.”
This should be fatal to the prosecution.
The state and judge biased the jury — and not just on the misdemeanor. The only intent argument that was presented to the jury about Tina Peters — for any count — was the state’s characterization of her intent on the misdemeanor. That violation on one count arguably biases the jury on all counts. That’s not justice.
Earlier this month, I debated this point with District Attorney George Braucher (R-JD23) on Ryan Schuiling Live (630 KHOW) where I quoted Judge Tow’s statements above and posited, “Why she did what she did is relevant; and you could say it doesn’t matter, but then you have to throw out the misdemeanor for official misconduct because there’s an intent requirement. You cannot allow the state to…characterize her intent to the jury and refuse to allow her to present a defense for that.”
Brauchler’s response was chilling: “…we’re not talking about the intent like [Tina] had the intent to break the law [in] her conduct. She acted like a guilty person in the way that she did this. She didn’t act like an innocent person doing innocent things for a greater good.”
Is that the legal standard for whether the accused has access to due process and a trial by jury?
She acted guilty and, essentially, we knew she was guilty — so it’s fine that we violated her rights. She was guilty!
That’s grounds for reversal on appeal, which would expose due process violations and reinforce the rule of law; clemency keeps the conviction and the official narrative intact and allows the prosecutors to avoid inquiry on their violations of Tina Peters’ rights.
The Bill of Rights is always inconvenient for prosecutors. That’s its point. It’s non-negotiable in its demands that justice not be weaponized for politics…even if the government is certain the accused is guilty.
A 70-year-old woman, with no record, was charged with a nonviolent offense; the prosecutors decided her intent and characterized it to the jury; they prohibited her from disputing that characterization; and she was convicted.
Then they locked her up for almost nine years.
It’s hard to argue this is about the ethics of public officials and making examples when another official — Sonya Jaquez Lewis, who has the correct politics and positions on elections, gets probation under the same statute.
The facts, the evidence, and the law — not the stories told to the public — are what is supposed to matter in a court of law. In Tina Peters’ case — a political show trial bolstered by due process violations and false narratives about election crimes — only the story mattered.
Clemency locks that false story in — and it moots any further attempts to correct it. For due process, elections, and Tina Peters, that’s the worst possible outcome.
For those white knuckling the story, it’s the best.
That’s likely why Jared Polis is now talking about clemency in this case.
Ashe Epp is a local writer, host, and activist. Find all her work at linktree.com/asheinamerica.
by Amber Wyatt | Apr 1, 2026 | Editorials
by Amber Wyatt
The cast as Jimmy learns the importance of honesty.
At the Denver Children’s Theatre, whimsy is not simply a stylistic choice, it is a philosophy. This spirit was on full display in the recent production of Pete the Cat, a vibrant, 50-minute musical that blended imagination, mentorship, and community into a singular theatrical experience. Presented under the umbrella of the Mizel Arts and Culture Center, the show exemplifies how youth-focused performance can be both playful and profoundly impactful.
Directed by Matthew Zambrano, Pete the Cat leaned into creative minimalism. In a bold artistic decision, the production featured limited physical props. Many times, actors relied entirely on pantomime, miming instruments, books, and even telephones, inviting young audiences to co-create the world unfolding before them. “Theatre for Young Audiences is some of the bravest
Guzman and Enriquez in one of the show’s final scenes.
work being done,” Zambrano noted, emphasizing that when the goal is to inspire empathy rather than chase reviews, the results can be transformative.
That transformation begins with the performers themselves. Brandon Guzman, who plays Pete in the production, brings both technical precision and heartfelt enthusiasm to the stage. Guzman’s journey into theater began at Florida’s Manatee School for the Arts, where an encouraging teacher first recognized his potential. From portraying Bernardo in West Side Story to earning a BFA in musical theater from the University of Tampa, his path has been marked by dedication and adaptability from the start.
After an early stint in New York was interrupted by the pandemic, Guzman found renewed momentum in Denver. Since arriving in 2025, he has built an impressive résumé, with performances ranging from On Your Feet! at Town Hall Arts Center to Frozen at the Arvada Center. Yet it is his work in Theatre for Young Audiences that seems to resonate most deeply. Having toured bilingual productions across multiple states, Guzman understands the importance of representation. “It allows kids to see themselves in the story,” he shared, underscoring the inclusive power of performance.
Equally compelling is the journey of Izzy Enriquez, who plays Olive, a warm and supportive sibling character in Pete the Cat. A recent graduate of Texas State University, Izzy discovered her passion for theater through a blend of storytelling and visual art. Initially hesitant about the vulnerability required in dramatic acting, she found confidence through musical theater’s structure and discipline.
Her move to Denver marked a turning point. While working as a stagehand at Elitch Gardens, she discovered the audition for Pete the Cat through the Colorado Theatre Guild. For Izzy, Theatre for Young Audiences is more than performance, it is access to profound influence. “It’s about meeting audiences where they are,” she explained, reflecting on the importance of making theater approachable and meaningful for all children. Her portrayal of Olive captures the show’s central themes of belonging and acceptance, offering young viewers a character who embodies kindness and encouragement.
Behind the scenes, the production is part of a larger mission driven by leaders in the community like Tim Campbell. Through his work with the Mizel Arts and Culture Center, Campbell helps bring cultural programming to nearly 100,000 people each year. His vision is rooted in connection: creating spaces where diverse communities can come together through shared artistic experiences.
Entire cast of Pete the Cat at Mizel’s Denver Children’s Theatre.
“Live theatre invites audiences into something communal and alive,” Campbell said. “For children especially, it opens the door to creativity, learning, and confidence.” With programs like Pete the Cat, that door is flung wide open, welcoming first-time theatergoers and seasoned patrons alike to a crash course in performance art.
What makes this production particularly memorable is its ability to balance entertainment with intention. From pre-show activities that encourage children to guess mimed objects, to post-show “encore talks” that demystify lighting and sound design, the experience extends beyond the stage. It becomes educational, interactive, and deeply human.
At its heart, Pete the Cat is a story about friendship, courage, and saying “yes” to new experiences. But in the hands of this talented cast and creative team, it becomes something more: a celebration of imagination and a testament to the enduring power of live performance.
In a city rich with artistic offerings, productions like this remind us that sometimes the most meaningful stories are the simplest ones, told with heart, creativity, and just a touch of whimsy where all generations can meet with a smile.
by Mark Smiley | Apr 1, 2026 | Featured Stories & Advertisers
