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WEEK OF JANUARY 16, 2025
VOLUME 98 | ISSUE 7
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Denver moves recycling pickup to accelerate compost rollout BY ALLEN COWGILL SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Andrews has been a stalwart of the NWSS for decades. Having been its CEO for 15 years, he’s finally ready to pass the torch to another person. However, the NWSS has not named a replacement at this time. The organization is going through a national search to find someone who can fill Andrews’s boots. Andrews said he will stay on as the CEO until the NWSS can find a replacement. “I’ll be down here all the time at the next year’s show, and the show after that, and the show after that, God willing,” he said.
The Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) is accelerating its rollout of the citywide compost collection program. All Denver neighborhoods will start getting compost pickup by March. To accelerate the rollout, DOTI is making a trade off, eliminating the weekly pickup of recycling. Denver residents will instead get recycling pickup every other week. Compost pickup will be weekly as will trash pickup. Another change to make the accelerated compost rollout possible is large-item pickup will only come once every nine weeks. DOTI’s goal is to divert 50% of all waste from the landfill by 2027. By the end of this process the department projects to have around 115,000 compost customers and 180,000 recycling and trash customers. Denver residents who do not yet have compost service should have gotten a letter with more details on selecting their compost cart size. More details are available at: Denvergov.org/CompostRollout. Compost carts can handle any kind of food waste including food scraps, egg shells and even bones. They can also handle yard debris like weeds, grass clippings, leaves, and small tree branches. Denver no longer accepts paper products or products labeled as compostable such as cups or plates in compost bins as of April 2023, since the state’s largest compost processor stopped taking those items. DOTI stated it was comfortable going back to recycling pickups every other week as weekly collection offered in 2023 and 2024 has not yielded “a significant increase in recyclables collected, while trucks circled the city twice as often.” The department said residents should break down their cardboard boxes to maximize space in their compost bins. If people need extra space, DOTI will take requests for a second compost bin sometime starting in the second quarter of this year
SEE STOCK SHOW, P6
SEE ROLLOUT, P5
A favorite at the National Western Stock Show is the stagecoach entrance. Pulled by six magnificent horses, this replica is a reminder of how people, FILE PHOTO mail and goods used to cross Colorado.
Rodeos, animals and entertainment BY ERIC HEINZ ERIC@COTLN.ORG
Another year of the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) is here and with it comes a variety of rodeos and entertainment. Taking place through Jan. 26 at the traditional National Western Center, the events draw hundreds of thousands of people to the area. Paul Andrews, the CEO of the National Western Stock Show, said this is a year of new beginnings. “We’ve got about maybe a dozen, maybe a little more than that, new vendors in the trade show hall that have some really interesting products that people will enjoy,” Andrews said. “It’s kind of the year of the baby around here. We’ve got lots of baby animals that have been born, and in fact one is the baby
Scottish Highland cows that will be here up in our expo hall, and they’re going to be available to take pictures with.” Andrews said there is also a new baby Clydesdale horse that will be at the stock show. The Clydesdale horses are large creatures who pull the wagons during the rodeos. Andrews said there will be about 130 rodeos throughout the stock show. So far, Andrews said the early indicators, including ticket sales, show there could be as many as 700,000 people who visit the Stock Show. In addition, there are participants from all 50 states and other countries who will participate in stock show events. This contributes to what the NWSS estimates is a $171-million economic impact in the Metro-Denver area during the 16-day event.
VOICES: 10 | LIFE: 12 | CALENDAR: 15
“That’s only the second time in my tenure that I can say that, and I’ve been here for 15 years,” Andrews said. “Our ticket sales are significantly ahead of any other year on this same date. If Mother Nature holds up on the weather for us, and we don’t get some 20-inch snowstorm or something of that, yeah, that will impact ticket sales. We’re feeling very good about (ticket sales).” A full schedule of events can be found at nationalwestern. com/schedule/. The NWSS also redid its menu in the steakhouse this year, including the addition of a 48-hour braised short rib “that is as big as my arm,” Andrews said. “Like always, there’s something new at the Stock Show. But there’s also the same great traditional things that people love,” he added.
About 600 temporary workers were hired this year to enhance the events. Many have been on site since December, and some will work into February. CEO change coming
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