One of my favorite urban commentators is Jon Talton, formerly with the Arizona Republic newspaper, who now lives in Seattle. While at the Republic, Jon frequently wrote about the urban condition in Phoenix and that city’s uphill struggle to overcome a half-century of widespread sprawl and an anti-urban political mindset. Jon also lived for a time in Denver and wrote for the Rocky Mountain News. He now has a blog that features both political commentary as well as observations about urban development in Seattle, Phoenix, and elsewhere. Recently, Jon wrote about Denver and its success in maintaining and improving its urban core. It’s a good read and it affirms that we’re on the right track in Denver.