by Mark Smiley | Jan 16, 2026 | Uncategorized
by Mark Smiley
When it comes to outdoor observation, binoculars are as essential as your boots or backpack, but choosing the right pair is about more than just magnification. Two models that have caught the attention of serious birders, hunters, and nature enthusiasts are the Maven B.3 and the Riton 3 Primal 10×42 HD. Both promise sharp optics and rugged durability, yet they cater to very different needs.
The Maven B.3: Small, Sleek, And Sharp
Maven’s B.3 binoculars are a compact powerhouse, available in 6×30, 8×30, and 10×30 configurations. With fully multi-coated lenses, phase-corrected prisms, and ED glass, they deliver exceptionally clear images for their size. Reviewers praise the edge-to-edge sharpness, especially in the 8×30 variant, and note that the B.3 feels surprisingly sturdy in the hand despite its compact footprint.
Weighing just over a pound and roughly the size of a large smartphone, the B.3 is ideal for hikers, travelers, and anyone who wants premium optics without the bulk. It’s waterproof, fog-proof, and comes with a lifetime unconditional warranty. The trade-off? Its 30mm objectives limit low-light performance, making dawn and dusk spotting slightly more challenging.
The Riton 3 Primal 10×42 HD: Full-Size And High Performance
For those who prioritize light-gathering ability and a more traditional binocular feel, the Riton 3 Primal 10×42 HD delivers. With a 42mm objective lens and 10× magnification, this model excels in low-light conditions. It uses HD/ED glass with fully multi-coated BaK4 prisms, offering high contrast and sharp resolution. The Riton is larger and heavier than the B.3, but its magnesium-alloy body and rubber armor ensure durability in rugged environments.
Priced lower than Maven’s premium compact, the Riton offers strong value, making it a smart choice for hunters and field observers who need dependable optics over long periods of use.
Maven’s B.3 is the winner for lightweight travel and backcountry use, easily slipping into a backpack or jacket pocket. Riton’s 10×42 is bulkier, better suited for t
hose who don’t mind carrying extra weight for superior low-light performance.
Both binoculars offer excellent sharpness, but Maven’s edge-to-edge clarity shines in compact form. Riton’s 42mm objectives excel in low-light conditions, giving it an advantage at dawn or dusk.
The Maven B.3 is ideal for birders, travelers, and anyone who values portability without sacrificing image quality. The Riton 3 Primal 10×42 HD suits hunters, wildlife observers, and those who prioritize low-light performance.
Choosing the right binocular comes down to your adventure style. If every ounce counts and you want a compact, razor-sharp optic, Maven’s B.3 is hard to beat. If you want traditional binocular heft with strong light-gathering capability at a reasonable price, the Riton 3 Primal 10×42 HD is the better bet. Either way, both models deliver exceptional optics that elevate the outdoor experience.
Visit www.mavenoptics.com and www.ritonoptics.com for more details.
by Ashe in America | Jan 16, 2026 | Feature Story Bottom Left
ASHE IN AMERICA
OPINION
Colorado’s 2026 legislative session kicks off this month, and that usually means brace for impact.
But the legislature is operating under markedly different conditions than those of recent years — and you can only kick the can down the road for so long.
Colorado is in a rough spot, with slowing revenue growth, tightening budget constraints, and heightened federal-state friction. That friction resulted in devastating federal spending cuts for Colorado lawmakers, and they’re figuring out, in real time, that discretionary spending is… discretionary.
Under Colorado’s constitution and statutes, the General Assembly must balance its budget annually while operating within the constraints of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). Note that’s why DSA Democrats keep trying to end TABOR — they live outside their means and they don’t like that.
According to legislative previews circulated to legal practitioners and industry stakeholders, lawmakers are preparing for a session in which discretionary spending will be even more limited. That may mean that, for the first time in nearly a decade, policy ambitions will be shaped as much or more by fiscal guardrails as by political fever dreams.
The pandemic is over, and it’s time to true up the accounting.
As Democrats gear up to wield legislative power, dynamics in the state party read less like confident governors and mor5e like a mid-break up relationship status:
It’s complicated.
Ideological differences between the DSA bullies and the more traditional and pragmatic Democrats have become increasingly visible in recent months. These tensions are no longer confined to floor debates but now shape caucus strategy, party messaging, alliances, campaign strategies, and social media mudslinging. But wait, there’s more!
Piling on, legislators may face an unexpected barrier with Governor Polis. Colorado’s Chief Executive is expected to announce a Presidential run for 2028, and Polis plays libertarian when he’s running for office. With a compounding budget crisis, multiple federal investigations into weaponization, waste, fraud, and abuse, as well as close to 50 expensive lawsuits (a central feature of Phil Weiser’s gubernatorial campaign strategy), Polis may pretend to be his party’s adult in the room.
While Republicans have no real power in the legislature, they are well-positioned to be extremely antagonistic to the ruling party. That’s going to be fun to watch. Expect GOP leaders to focus on oversight, fiscal restraint, and public accountability as they seek to influence the electorate in the run up to the midterms.
So what’s on the agenda? Several issue areas are expected to dominate early committee exploration and debates.
Housing policy remains central, including affordability measures and tenant protections. Labor and employment policy, including wage standards, workplace regulations, and contractor classifications. Energy and environmental regulation is likely to command attention across stakeholder groups as the state attempts to reconcile their green new deal priorities with their unfortunate economic realities. Election administration and campaign-related legislation are also anticipated, as the DSA Democrats fight the federal government’s election integrity agenda while attempting to white knuckle their single-party electoral control.
This session is also likely to be shaped by the Colorado Democrats’ rabid Trump Derangement Syndrome, but unlike their earlier resistance politics in Trump 1.0, DSA Democrats no longer have the resources. We can expect symbolic legislation aimed at opposing federal actions, but practical change is unlikely. They have to stand on their record. And their record is incredibly unpopular.
Many of these priorities have been debated but unresolved in prior sessions, raising questions about whether the ruling party can get them done at all now that political will for Marxism is (finally) waning. While the DSA cheers for Mamdani’s NYC, moderate Democrats are bracing for public backlash and distancing themselves from the DSA.
(Note: These priorities may feel a bit Marxist, but take comfort knowing that’s only because Marxists currently run the Colorado government. Standby for Republicans to tell you that you voted for that.)
It’s all shaping up to be especially contentious in 2026. The bottom line is that the DSA Dems thrive on crisis and outrage, but when there’s already a crisis on every front, it’s hard to engage the public in new ones.
It’s much more likely the public will choose a reckoning.
Ashe in America is an independent writer, host, and activist in Colorado. Learn more at linktree.com/asheinamerica.
by Peter Boyles | Jan 16, 2026 | Blasting with Boyles
Blasting With Boyles
OPINION
Moolah: Republican State Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer is known in political circles as the Fabulous Moolah after the 1950’s professional wrestling star. Shown here pounding on one of her Republican gubernatorial opponents.
It’s come to my mind that the Republican Party has a snowball’s chance in hell of putting one of their own in the governor’s throne for the great state of Colorado.
And hence, as Patsy Ramsey wrote, I decided what we really need is a combination of professional wrestling and the folks who fiddle in the middle of stations that are gone.
Let me introduce to you a few of the candidates in two out of three falls, loser leaves town, in a cage match. Hopefully.
Professional wrestling, as we all know, the only true sport left is what’s known as a “work.”
You know the beginning; you know the middle as a high spot; and then the already predetermined end of the match. Can you see this shaping up? This could be a tournament. Also known as the Republican Primary, that looks from the outside to be controlled by the evil eminence, the democrat party, due to open primaries.
So as I once said when I was working in the ring in a rented tuxedo, you would always introduce the bad guy first. Well in this case they’re all bad guys and the biggest bad guy is a gal, Barbara “Fabulous Moolah” and democrat-light State Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer.
She is competing against any number of the lunatic fringe of the republican party. And they are, trust me, lunatics.
Let me introduce to you Joe “the Hangman” Oltmann. His finishing move is hanging anyone that disagrees with him. A brilliant finisher.
After he proclaimed how he wanted to be deposed in the Dominion lawsuit and then found himself stepping/running out of the deposition. This is a guy that you really want in that ring.
The newest, and it’s called a “run” in the wrestling business, charging to the ring challenging Moolah and the Hangman comes the Childhood Assassin Victor Marx. Marx has made it a staple of his campaign that he assassinated a man when he was seven years old. Now it’s hard to top a story line like that.
That story appeals to the darkness of Republicans.
He also makes claims of multiple black belts and fast gun takeaways — you can’t beat having a candidate like this in the ring.
This three-way dance will be refereed by iHeart media talk show host and Gazette columnist Jimmy “the Weasel” Sengenberger. And his color announcer will be Congresswoman Lauren “White Trash” Boebert.
And of course, far more important than what goes on in the ring are the voices that describe the action. With Tina Peters, released from prison for one night only to be the ring girl. The crowd wants Tina to be permanently freed from prison.
Rino loving KOA’s Mandy Connell and Ross “the Boss” Kominsky will be the ring announcers. What a night it’s going to be.
Tickets are on sale at Shotgun Willies and other gentleman’s clubs throughout Colorado.
It’s going to be a barnburner, so I advise you all to get tickets now. They go on sale after income Tax Day, April 15th.
All great professional wrestlers have a finishing move. We don’t know what Kirchmeyer’s is because she has no position on anything.
The Hangman’s is self-evident. And Marx will jump off the top rope and karate chop you with his well-honed techniques.
The best part, as I mentioned before, is none of this realty matters because none of them has a chance against the well-oiled democrat machine that controls all statewide offices, a combination of corrupted voter rolls and mail-in ballot harvesting as well as turning the former red suburbs blue.
So, enjoy the WWE 2026 Republican primaries this year.
— Peter Boyles
by Valley Gadfly | Jan 16, 2026 | Valley Gadfly
Aahh February! Welcome to the month of love, laughter, and beautiful surprises. Spring stands at the gate with her finger on the latch. It’s the month when we celebrate romance.
At the heart of it is Valentine’s Day celebrated on February 14. It’s a day dedicated to expressing love through heartfelt gestures, thoughtful gifts, and quality time with those we love.
The year’s shortest month is named for Roman purification rituals. It also features Super Bowl Sunday. Here are our tease and freeze choices for shopping, dining, and entertainment:
Experience the thrill of the roaring 20s, as the Colorado Ballet does F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. With original score by Carl Davis, show is at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Feb. 1-8, 7 p.m. Information: 720-865-4220.
Enjoy the music of Israeli-born jazz guitarist Gilad Hekselman — with 10 award-winning albums — playing Dazzle Feb. 9, 6:30 p.m. Information: 303-839-5100.
Singer, bassist Mashell Ndegeocello entertains by singing-playing funk, soul, jazz, and rock at the Newman Center Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m. Information: 303-623-7876.
Looking for a V-Day or any day dining spot with a friendly staff and remarkable service? Jimmy’s Jersey Street Café is a culinary institution with a standout menu of Italian comfort foods and wine in a cozy setting. Information: 720-328-9481.
Want your kids grades K to 8th grades to participate in no-contact winter indoor rugby? Start them on Saturdays in February with the Glendale Raptors at the Glendale Sports Center. Information: GlendaleYouthRugby.com/winter-rugby.
Colorado’s “Front Range Darlings” Dakota Blonde perform their annual Valentine Concert in Swallow Hill’s Daniels Hall Feb. 14, 8 p.m. Information: 303-377-1666.
Catch the witty Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 — a romp filled with humor —playing at Boettcher Concert Hall, Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m. Information: 720-865-4220.
Instrumental band Drama and vocalist Via Rosa entertain with rock and electronic music at the Mission Ballroom, Feb. 27, 8 p.m. Information: 303-377-1666.
Attend the elegant 14th Annual Kaleidoscope Gala at the Ritz-Carlton February 21, 5 p.m. Benefiting Rocky Mountain Children’s Health Foundation, event supports sick children, infants, and their families. Assistance includes everything from rent payments to donor milk for premature infants. Information: 720-644-8767.
February can often seem like a difficult month. It’s the last month of winter, so you are likely fed up with waking up on cold, dark mornings, and driving to work in the dark.
Many of us feel like February is just January pretending it’s still cold. Yet, in the heart of winter, February brings warmth and love. There’s everything to hope for and nothing to regret.
Roses are red, violets are blue. If you think finding love is hard, try getting a reservation on Valentine’s night. What did the hamburger buy his sweetheart? An onion ring.
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com
