WESTWORD WINS, JULY 22 P R I Z E P A T R O L Congratulations to Jay Vollmar and Alan Prendergast on the alt-weekly awards. Great job.

And I contend that Dave Herrera and the Backbeat crew got jobbed on Best Music Blog.

Backbeat does more for its hometown scene than any music blog I’ve ever seen. Keep up the great work, and thanks for making Thursday a day I look forward to every week.

Chase Squires Denver “BYE, BIENNIAL,” PATRICIA CALHOUN, JULY 15 M U R P H Y ’ S L AW Objectophilia is as impressive as it gets. I don’t know Lauri Lynnxe Murphy, but I sure wish I did. Great job.

Sheila Wright Denver I was very sorry to read that Lauri Lynnxe Murphy is leaving town — especially when the arts in this town are so exciting, in part because of Murphy. Thanks to Patricia Calhoun for giving her a fi tting sendoff.

Jaymie O’Neal Denver “TALKING TRASH,” COLIN ST. JOHN, JULY 15 WA T C H I N G T H E W A S T E L I N E Niles A., whose letter was published in the last issue, needs to be put in a trash compactor and fl attened! This fi rm is fantastic and attempting to do positive things on a myriad of environmental and social fronts. This is the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Best New Green Business; the Chamber is hardly a Marxist organization. They are not remotely Socialists, and John-Paul’s opinion on waste management’s environmental worth and history is correct upon further investigation.

Best of luck to this fi rm and its mission.

Matt McConaty Denver We were dismayed to learn of a statement by one of our team members regarding the “hundred ways to die” in a recycling facility.

Although, as the reporter said, the statement was a “quip,” it was a poor choice of words, and we apologize for it.

Waste Farmers values the working relationship with Alpine Waste & Recycling, and stands by our letter sent to the Colorado Public Department of Health on February 26 in support of its efforts: “Throughout my time in business I have found Alpine Waste & Recycling to consistently be a benefi cial strategic partner. Alpine has never deviated from their willingness to work with my company when the opportunity has presented itself for partnerships, and always fairly and ethically. In particular, John Griffi th has never hesitated to offer advice or lend a helping hand as our company has developed, though at times, we compete for business in the collection of organics.

Their ethical approach to business and commitment to fairness is a wonderful model for small businesses across all industries.” John-Paul Maxfi eld, president Waste Farmers CHEF AND TELL, LORI MIDSON, JULY 15 A F R E S H S T A R T I usually enjoy the Chef and Tell column — but please, for all that is good and tasty (and fresh, and local, and seasonal, and delicious, and risky, and blah blah blah blah insert trite adjective here), stop the six-words-todescribe- your-food question. I totally get it.

If you are a hip Denver chef, you cook fresh, tasty food rather than stale, repulsive foodlike substances.

Since Denver obviously has a deep bench when it comes to culinary talent, maybe you could dispense with the obvious question that produces nearly identical answers over and over and come up with a new stock question.

A question designed to give an answer that would actually be worth the read and be specifi c enough to make me want to try the chef’s undoubtedly fresh, tasty and seasonal food for myself.