8/22/25 Blog: The Wine Yogi Wills Autumn Into Being

IT'S NEARLY TIME FOR OCTOBERFEST! And The Wine Yogi Kristal Alfonso has created a SPECTACULAR list of local Octoberfest events if you want to slap on the lederhosen and head out to enjoy German beer and food. She's also got a bunch of wine tastings coming up at The Wine Gallery in the Springs that you can join. We're also going to talk about the trip she just took that is the Mandy Connell Adventure next year down the Rhine. It's already almost sold out so if you want to go with us you may want to call now before we do the advertising push to sell the rest out.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ROSE MARY ECHO SILVER DOLLAR TABOR? She's the star of the novel Silver Echoes and author Rebecca Rosenberg joins me at 1 to talk about her latest historical novel. Find the book here and Rebecca's upcoming signings here.

IT'S AN ASK ME ANYTHING SORT OF DAY Because it's Friday and whatnot.

JARED POLIS TRIES TO REDEFINE "SANCTUARY" The Governor is fighting a losing battle with the federal government. Even as HIS Attorney General is investigating law enforcement around the state about cooperating with ICE, he's trying to say we are NOT a Sanctuary state. That is patently absurd. Here is the idiotic statement he sent to Attorney General Pam Bondi about our status:

"The governor continues to be frustrated by this mistaken and incorrect label and the lack of transparency from the federal administration on this and many other items," his office said. "In Colorado, we are improving public safety, apprehending dangerous criminals, cooperating with federal law enforcement on criminal investigations, and keeping our communities safe. The governor encourages the federal administration — and Congress — to focus on actually securing the border, decreasing violent crime, increasing transparency, and passing real immigration reform.”

This is just stupid. And a bit Orwellian. He's trying to say that all the laws we've passed since Trump's term (to show how compassionate WE are while ORANGE MAN BAD) don't interfere with law enforcements ability to call ICE, or keep a suspect in jail until ICE comes to get them. We know that criminal aliens have had to be chased around parking lots because they weren't held and ICE can't access parts of the jails where a safer transfer takes place. WE ARE A SANCTUARY STATE. Polis is gaslighting us all AGAIN. Polis continues to try to gaslight the Feds by saying this:

“fully cooperates with federal authorities in identifying, apprehending, and prosecuting criminals — regardless of immigration status.”

Except they don't as I clearly pointed out right above. A quick Google search this morning gave me this story, where Polis's AG Weiser got two deputies PUNISHED for something that sure looks like Sanctuary state policies. From the Associated Press:

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has filed a lawsuit against Mesa County Deputy Alexander Zwinck, alleging that Zwinck violated a state law that prohibits local police agencies from sharing information with immigration authorities, according to the Associated Press.

That certainly seems to punch a huge hole in the Governor's lying assertion. As a matter of fact, the DoJ just amended their suit to add that very case. Polis is a lying liar who lies and he's trying to gaslight us all and I'm not going to let him. There are TWO state laws that make us a Sanctuary state:

1. House Bill 19-1124 (2019) — "Protect Colorado Residents from Federal Government Overreach"

Enacted in May 2019, HB 1124 prohibits law enforcement from arresting or detaining individuals solely on the basis of ICE civil detainers and forbids probation departments from sharing personal information with federal immigration authorities FAIRUS+15Colorado General Assembly+15Colorado General Assembly+15.

It also blocks ICE from accessing secure areas of jails or law enforcement facilities without a judicial warrant and requires individuals to receive rights advisement before interviews with ICE Colorado Newsline.

2. Senate Bill 25-276 (2025)

Passed by the Colorado Legislature in 2025, this bill expands immigrant protections. It:

Prohibits jails from delaying inmate release for immigration enforcement purposes.

Restricts sharing personal identifying information with ICE.

Limits ICE access to sensitive areas like schools, hospitals, libraries, and non-public areas without a warrant.

Eliminates affidavit requirements for certain immigrants applying for in‑state tuition or identification documents.

Allows criminal defendants to petition to vacate guilty pleas if they were unaware of immigration consequences New York Post+15Colorado General Assembly+15Aspen Times+15American Immigration Council+7Colorado Newsline+7The Washington Post+7.

Thanks Chat GPT for finding those so easily. Maybe the Governor should use Chat? That might help him live in the real world? We need to repeal TWO BILLS to avoid the ugly flap with the Feds that is coming. No matter how much he tries, Polis will not be able to argue himself out of this one until these two trash Democrat bills are repealed. Your move, Legislature.

THE STABBING AT STAUNTON PARK WAS A HOAX??? This is CRAZY. The ranger who suffered stab wounds in what he said was an attack by another person seems to have stabbed himself? Callum Hesket is not facing charges for creating the elaborate hoax that probably cost a fortune because of the response to the alleged attack. Why does someone do this? Is stabbing yourself really worth the attention? Heskett was the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Seasonal Ranger at Staunton State Park who radioed for help at about 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 19. This is NUTS.

I HAVE THEORY ABOUT ALL THIS CHICKEN TENDER RESTAURANTS You guys already had to listen to me complain about the fact that the new "Bojangles" in Pueblo doesn't even serve REAL chicken, just chicken tenders. Now we've got another stupid chicken tender chain coming to Colorado. This new wave of boneless boring chicken tenders is another way they are just making us soft. Too soft to deal with bones. The wussification of America begins with boneless wings. We're done for.

JOHN BOLTON'S HOUSE IS RAIDED BY THE FBI And they seem to be looking for classified documents. Bolton would do well to appear very forgetful, yet sympathetic, so he won't have to face actual charges, as that worked brilliantly for Joe Biden. Read more here.

THE COOLEST THINGS MADE IN COLORADO I LOVE this every year. The Chamber of Commerce has selected the finalists for the Coolest Thing Made in Colorado and the list is SO impressive. There are so many amazing things happening here.

DEMOCRATS WON'T HAVE REP RYAN ARMAGOST TO KICK AROUND ANYMORE Because he resigned before Democrats could issue a censure on him because he took a picture of a fellow lawmakers outfit and then sent it to other Republicans so they could make fun of her on a chat. It was petty and small and all the Republicans who piled on should be very embarrassed at their behavior, but Armagost was already leaving in September to move to Arizona so who cares? My question is who leaked the chat? Embarrassing behavior aside, these Republican lawmakers need to understand that someone is ratting them out. I do believe that Democrats have likely done similar things via chat about Republicans, they are just better at keeping things to themselves.

THE FED MAY CUT RATES But Jerome Powell is playing coy on the whole thing. You can read it here but we'll just have to wait and see what he decides to do.

WHICH WINES WON THE GOVERNOR'S CUP? Some of my favorite Colorado wineries are being honored this year, including Carboy and Blanchard Family Wines. Find the whole list here! You can taste a bunch of those wines at Uncorked! which you can buy tickets for here.

TYLENOL COULD CAUSE ADHD AND AUTISM? If taken by pregnant mothers that is. Read this bit:

Now US researchers from Mount Sinai and Harvard's School of Public Health say their analysis of more than 100,000 people is the most comprehensive yet—and provides the 'strongest evidence so far' of a link. 

They urged mothers-to-be to use paracetamol sparingly, recommending only 'the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time.'

However, the team stressed the findings do not prove the drug directly causes neurodevelopmental disorders—only that the association is consistent and worrying enough to demand further investigation.

This is pretty earthshaking news and another thing for pregnant women to worry about.

SENATOR KLOBUCHAR DIDN'T COMMENT ON SYDNEY SWEENEY Or say that Democrats are too ugly to go outside. It was a well done AI fake, and though it is kind of funny, this stuff is going to be super dangerous. As it gets harder and harder to tell reality from AI we are going to see some crazy stuff come out right before elections. Some of it might be true, but those depicted will say it's AI, and vice versa. This is dangerous territory. I think you can clearly tell this is AI but it won't be long until you can't. To be clear, THIS IS FAKE.

DU DITCHES DEI And they did so before anyone reached out directly from the Trump Administration. Worried about losing federal aid and research dollars the university has done away with DEI training for staff (THANK GOD) and race based scholarships. Good for them for being proactive instead of just trying to NUH-UH it away like the Governor is trying to do with sanctuary state status. Read more here.

PROGRESSIVE FINDS OUT HER SIGN IS RACIST AND SHRUGS This woman is protesting Winsome Sears, a black woman running for Governor of Virginia, because the Republican Sears has said men should not be allowed in the women's restrooms. She thought her sign was snappy, I'm sure. It says, ""Hey Winsome - if trans can't share your bathroom, then BLACKS can't share my WATER FOUNTAIN." SO GREAT, amiright??? Just Democrats returning to their Jim Crow roots! She got pulled aside by the chair of the Democrat party and told her sign wasn't landing well.

For a little context, this issue is big right now because of the man below, who was allowed to use a girls locker room because he SAID he was trans. I know, it's SO HARD to tell him from an actual woman.

They are so on the wrong side of this issue.

THE NEW CRACKER BARREL MENU IS SOMETHING And just so you know, this is satire and not real...or is it?

CALIFORNIA BEGS OIL AND GAS TO COME BACK OH MY GOSH you guys, this is OUR FUTURE. Gavin Newsom, who is facing the prospect of 8 dollar a gallon gas because of the relentless Democrat attack on oil and gas in his state (sound familiar???) is now begging oil and gas companies to re open wells that HIS GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN. But that's not all. The last two refineries are about to shut down, and Newsom and other California Democrats have begun to realize that green energy is not going to get it done. Read this bit:

Newsom and Democratic legislative leaders are now negotiating a plan with the industry to boost stagnating production in California’s oil-drilling hub of Kern County — and avert a nightmare scenario for a governor with national ambitions and a party that has promised to focus on affordability. Lawmakers could pass a measure before the end of their annual session in mid-September, though the details remain unsettled and environmental groups are raising alarms.

The headspinning realignment potentially heralds a new era in California’s transition to a carbon-free future, as high costs, technological impediments and flagging political will force Democrats to recalibrate their ambitious climate goals. President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are also taking aim at the state’s vast powers to regulate its greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, including revoking California’s mandate to phase out gas-powered vehicles and slashing renewable energy tax credits.

“We all need to kind of evolve. Maybe that’s just the lesson on climate. There’s not really a purity test on this. It’s not like civil rights,” said state Sen. Henry Stern, a Calabasas Democrat who five years ago was publicly advocating for keeping more California oil in the ground. 

This is OUR future, Colorado. We need to course correct NOW. If they just listened to Republicans they wouldn't be in this mess, but virtue signaling is far more important if you want to be invited to the French Laundry for a birthday party during Covid.

DENVER SCHOOLS STILL HAVEN'T CAUGHT UP The CMAS scores are out and most schools returned to the rather pathetic levels they had attained before the pandemic. Denver Public Schools is still behind 2019 scores, which were already terrible. There is a reason Superintendent Marrero likes to focus on graduation rates, which can be gamed by passing kids who should not pass, rather than actual achievement as measured by a standardized test. You really should read this article and then wonder why people aren't freaking out over the failures of some of these schools. I mean, we have MULTIPLE schools where less than 10% of the student body is on grade level. In one school math achievement on grade level is 1%. These aren't schools, they are day care centers.

COLORADO DEMOCRATS WANT TO GIVE MONEY TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD IN THIS SESSION TO CUT SPENDING

THE MAGIC OF LINES Watch below or click here.

THE INVENTION OF GLASS I'm sure it was just like this. Watch below or click here.

60 MOTORCYCLISTS DEAD THIS YEAR About half were not wearing helmets or protective gear.

THIS WOMAN DOESN'T NEED TO BE ON SOCIAL MEDIA She needs Dave Ramsey and the Every Dollar budgeting system.

DON'T BE A HORRIBLE HOTEL GUEST And here are some horror stories from hotel workers, do you see yourself in any of these? I was watching a show on Las Vegas and at one hotel 10 to 15 rooms PER DAY are absolutely TRASHED by hotel guests. I find that gross, not cool, not edgy, just foul and disrespectful. Here's a thought, just make sure all of your trash is in the trash cans (or right next to them if you have a lot) and drop your towels in a pile on the floor before you leave.

NICK CANNON DOESN'T KNOW THE NAMES OF HIS KIDS And he looks like a complete idiot here when he pushes back on a woman who asked him the name of his kids.

Those last two must feel super special. What an ahole this guy is.

NOTE TO SELF: BE CAREFUL WITH COLORADO FUNERAL HOMES Because we have a SECOND case of stacks of bodies being piled up waiting for cremation, and some of these are FIFTEEN YEARS OLD. And it gets better, the man who owns the funeral home is the County Coroner! HOLY SMOKES. Or not. Davis Mortuary in Pueblo has been shut down, no word on the status of the coroner.

LATE ADDITION: JUST HOW BAD IS COLORAD'S AI BILL? This is a great column by my friend Vanessa Rutledge from the Independence Institute about the significant issues with the bill.