The Old Town Tomorrow Working Group seeks 12-15 members to provide input, engage residents and help develop and implement the Old Town Tomorrow plan. Applications are available at lafayette-listens.com/old-town-tomorrow. Once residents apply, a brief virtual interview will be scheduled with Lafayette staff on Oct. 27, with the first meeting scheduled for 6PM on  Nov. 1.

Newsom signed a law banning the red dye No. 3 chemical used as food coloring for products like Peeps, the marshmallow treat most associated with Easter. The chemical has been linked to cancer and has been banned from makeup for more than 30 years.

The law also bans brominated vegetable oil, which is used in some store brand sodas, and potassium bromate and propylparaben, two chemicals used in baked goods.

Newsom said in a signing statement that the additives addressed in the bill are already banned in various other countries. All four chemicals are already banned in foods in the European Union.

With support from the Colorado Grain Chain, Cortez Colo.’s WildEdge Brewing Collective announces “From The Fields” (5.6% ABV), a limited release Dunkelweizen-inspired beer made with 100% Colorado-sourced ingredients, including a new grain varietal provided by the beloved Colorado-based craft malthouse, Root Shoot Malting...

...The Colorado Grain Chain provided WildEdge with a microgrant this year to fund the brew that celebrates all elements of the Colorado craft beer supply chain...

> Founded in 2020 by mechanical engineer Sadie, Full Stop. Bakery creates all-natural, small-batch sourdough crackers in Boulder. 'Full Stop. started as a way to slow down, reset, and love people better,' Sadie explains. She transitioned from engineering because she wanted to prioritize people, recognizing that 'food makes people feel comforted, loved & seen.' The crackers are 'thoughtfully made in small batches' with customers declaring them 'the BEST crackers I've ever had.'

The Arts HUB, located at 420 Courtney Way in Lafayette, held its 2023 Gala to support community theater expansion. All proceeds benefited building upgrades and the Arts 4 All scholarship program. The Arts HUB operates as a nonprofit dedicated to making theater accessible to underserved populations. The Arts 4 All program targets children from Alicia Sanchez Elementary School, providing free classes and tickets to 12 students. The organization launched its first year-round adult community theater season, beginning with Urinetown, with upcoming productions including Peter and the Starcatcher, Newsies, Sweeney Todd, Rent, and Once Upon a Mattress.

Kevin Poss’ grandfather grew Scout 66, a cool-season wheat variety, on the family farm in Hugo. While grain production has changed significantly in the past three generations, Kevin continues growing the winter wheat variety.“ My father and grandfather both sold their grains into the commodity system,” says Kevin, a Colorado Grain Chain member. “We sell direct to consumer, and I am so grateful to my customers who make it possible for me to still carry on the family tradition of farming grains close to Hugo.”

Efrain Gomez built his restaurant empire following an apprenticeship with his uncle, known as Señor Miguel, a pioneering figure in Boulder's Mexican food scene. Señor Miguel was notably the first Mexican American to own a commercial building in Boulder, a fact Gomez takes considerable pride in. Gomez opened his first establishment in Lafayette in 1991. After achieving success there, he eventually transferred operations to his siblings and redirected his focus toward Boulder. Efrain's of Boulder opened in 1997 and has remained under Gomez's direct management ever since. He emphasizes the importance of consistent personal involvement, stating: A lot of people open a restaurant, and then get some success with it, and they walk away. They go on vacation, and when they come back, things aren't so good. The restaurants' foundation rests on chile verde—green chile with pork—which customers consistently praise. Gomez distinguishes his preparation method: The problem with a lot of other places is that they put flour in their chile verde to thicken it. We don't do that, and it's much better. The Boulder location's success earned Efrain's the Best Mexican Food award from the Boulder Daily Camera for 19 of 20 years. Gomez's nephew, Christian Piñon, is transitioning into leadership. Recently, Piñon orchestrated the Boulder restaurant's relocation to a more prominent location near McGuckin Hardware.

> Created by culinary school graduate Rick and home-taught cook Cassie, Freshly Laid Food Truck partners with local farms to source freshly laid eggs for their 'suggestively tasty' breakfast dishes. Their signature 'Basic Chic' features house-made Frosted Flake-crusted crispy chicken, a farm-fresh fried egg, and chili maple aioli on French toast brioche. Having worked together on 'at least a dozen food-related jobs' over the past decade, they bring farm-to-table breakfast to Lafayette's food scene.

> L.R. Laggy is on a mission to serve 'the most delicious brisket in the region' while making barbecue that is 'healthy for people's bodies as well as the planet.' With the pledge of 'no seed oils, ever,' Rang Tang cooks ethically-sourced meats for hours using local oak and fruitwoods on an offset smoker. Sourcing from Grama Grass & Livestock, Buckner Family Ranch, and Frank's All Natural Homestead Meats, Laggy believes that 'the way to transform the food system is to have high standards.'

"Gray's Misen Place is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to raising food waste awareness and empowering youth with culinary education."