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Michael Roberts

Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword‘s news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor’s degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master’s degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

michaelrobertscolo@gmail.com

Cary Kennedy on Her Run for Governor in 2018, Campaign Announcement

By Michael Roberts

After former Colorado state treasurer Cary Kennedy announced that she is running for the 2018 Colorado governorship on Facebook Live from behind the wheel of a moving car, the video went viral for reasons she hadn’t anticipated; political opponents and the press needled her for supposedly distracted driving. But rather than fuming over the response, she says she’s pleased that so many people got to hear her message, which she expands upon in a wide-ranging interview with Westword.

Denver’s Hot Housing Market: Why Are There More “Coming Soon” Signs?

By Michael Roberts

Thanks to Denver’s red-hot real estate market, more and more people trying to buy a home in the metro area are finding themselves in bidding wars, resulting in offers that frequently blow past the property’s listed price. The incredible demand, as well as the speed with which purchases are being made, explains why some real estate agents have started putting up “Coming Soon” signs on houses before changing them to “For Sale.”

Denver 420 Rally Cleanup Delayed by Knife-Wielding Man, Organizer Says

By Michael Roberts

The morning after the 2017 version of the Denver 4/20 Rally, Civic Center Park was still a mess and angry residents were phoning local TV stations with complaints. But as noted by Miguel Lopez, wearing a yellow hoodie that accurately identified him as “Chief Event Organizer” for the rally, his permit allows him until noon the next day to fully clean up the area. Lopez was confident he’d still be able to make that deadline despite delays caused after the festival was over by a man with a knife who’d slashed open garbage bags and scattered trash that had already been collected.

Springs Cops Deny Racial Profiling After Racial Profiling Case Settled for $212K

By Michael Roberts

The Colorado Springs Police Department denies that Ryan and Benjamin Brown were racially profiled during an aggressive arrest captured on video even though the City of Colorado Springs has agreed to pay $212,000 and alter some policies in order to settle the case. The CSPD also accuses the ACLU of Colorado, which represented the Browns, of inaccuracy and more over the way it’s portrayed the matter. But the ACLU isn’t backing down.

Denver 420 Rally Nightmares: Rain, Long Lines, Arrests, Nearby Shooting

By Michael Roberts

For the second consecutive year, the vibe of the Denver 4/20 Rally at Civic Center Park was harshed by Mother Nature. The weather for the bash held yesterday, April 20, was far better than in 2016, when a snowstorm forced a postponement until May 21. But an afternoon rain that ranged from drizzly to steady increased the misery of those who had to stand in line for an hour or more in some cases in order to gain entry to the festival grounds, which were protected by a fence that attendees eventually broke down in the minutes before the annual 4:20 p.m. countdown.

Was Bill O’Reilly the Biggest Jerk in Denver TV History?

By Michael Roberts

Bill O’Reilly, who has separated from Fox News in the wake of big money sexual-harassment settlements, loved his late-1970s time at Denver’s KMGH-TV. As we reported yesterday, he once wrote that “working this gig was the most fun I’ve ever had in my life.” But according to a former co-worker in Denver, O’Reilly was widely disliked at the station due to behavior that could be rude, egomaniacal and underhanded, and on multiple occasions he was pranked by colleagues who left aromatic food to rot in his desk.

Longer Suspension for Sexy Text Than for Killing Michael Marshall

By Michael Roberts

Attorneys and family members of Michael Lee Marshall, who died in Denver jail circa November 2015, call discipline imposed on two deputies and a supervisor over the incident incredibly insufficient. And indeed, previous suspensions of Denver law enforcers in cases that didn’t lead to death, including actions involving a sexually explicit text, flashing a badge to get faster restaurant service and more, were as long or longer than those handed out in regard to Marshall’s passing.

Bill O’Reilly Is Leaving Fox News: Remembering His Days in Denver

By Michael Roberts

Citing confidential sources, New York magazine is reporting that Fox News has decided to part company with personality Bill O’Reilly in the wake of revelations that the network has paid $13 million in settlement money to five women who accused him of sexual harassment. Upon leaving Fox News, O’Reilly may want to consider a return to Denver.

Denver 4/20 Rally: Ten Things to Know Before You Go

By Michael Roberts

Tomorrow, April 20, the latest edition of the Denver 4/20 Rally will hit Civic Center Park. The event, which gets underway at 10 a.m., is expected to draw approximately 50,000 people, and there’ll be plenty of food and music courtesy of DJs, local hip-hop groups and headliner 2 Chainz, who’ll emcee the annual 4:20 p.m. countdown. But what do attendees really need to know? We asked Miguel Lopez, the man behind the bash. Here’s his personal Denver 4/20 Rally top ten.

When a Colorado Police Officer Is Most Likely to Be Assaulted

By Michael Roberts

All too often these days, we hear about police violence against suspects, as in the 2015 fatal officer-involved shooting of seventeen-year-old Jessie Hernandez, which recently led to a City of Denver settlement of just under $1 million. But there are plenty of times when cops are the victims of violence from individuals they encounter, as is made clear by some startling statistics assembled by the Colorado Springs Police Department. According to FBI data detailed in a series of graphics on view below, more than 1,000 Colorado police officers have been assaulted annually in recent years, with most of those attacks taking place late at night or early in the morning.

Introducing the Sunday Gardner, Weekly Protests Against Senator Cory Gardner

By Michael Roberts

Indivisible Denver, under the auspices of local artist Eric Shumake, is staging weekly rallies at the Denver offices of Senator Cory Gardner. Dubbed the Sunday Gardner, the gatherings blast the state’s highest-ranking Republican official for his unblinking support of President Donald Trump, not to mention his efforts to denigrate demonstrators by suggesting that they’re being paid to protest.

Why It’s So Hard to Make a Living in Denver Despite Strong Economy

By Michael Roberts

A new survey lists Denver among the top ten U.S. cities for job seekers owing to the area’s strong economy, low unemployment rate and plenitude of high-tech industries. But the man behind one of the city’s most popular job sites feels that these factors mask the difficulties many people in Denver are having when it comes to making a comfortable living.

Why Frontier Finished Last in Airline Quality Rating — Again

By Michael Roberts

Frontier Airlines finished dead last among the twelve carriers analyzed in the 2017 Airline Quality Rating, just as it did in 2014. According to the report’s co-author, Frontier sunk to the bottom of the rankings again after finishing in eighth and eleventh place during 2015 and 2016, respectively, due largely to customer anger over a series of delays and cancellations last December at Denver International Airport and other facilities around the country. But he also feels the airline may be suffering from something of an identity crisis.