Colorado
Meow Wolf Denver o ers a 2025 refresher for ‘travelers’ with new quests
BY ELISABETH SLAY
Meow Wolf Denver, the immersive art experience known for its blend of interactive installations and storytelling, is introducing new features in 2025.
e Denver location at 1338 1st St. o ers visitors a chance to engage with new creative concepts and technologies.
“One thing I always tell people about Meow Wolf is that Meow Wolf itself is almost like a sentient being that lives o
in the hillside, and it comes down from the hillside and attaches itself to parts of your soul and then follows you around wherever you go,” said Ru Johnson, Meow Wolf Denver’s public relations manager.
Johnson explained that when people visit Meow Wolf Denver, there is always something new to see as it’s a vast immersive experience exploring four di erent worlds.
“You can never really see the whole thing,” Johnson said. “I get lost here … But feature-wise, what we have
done is we have created multiple opportunities for visitors, we call them travelers, to immerse themselves deeper into the narrative.”
Johnson explained those opportunities include quests which can be accessed by QR codes placed throughout the exhibits and allow people to go down di erent rabbit holes within the exhibit.
e most recent quest offered is Plotzo’s Heist, which takes place in a secret Pizza Vault in the alley on C Street and Plotzo.
“So it’s like the quest takes you to newer parts of the exhibit, but not everybody nds the quest, and that makes sense,” Johnson said. “It really connects to the deeper divers in that way.”
Along with the quests, Meow Wolf Denver General Manager Hans Vollrath said there will be new bar services, a summer-long celebration among the converged worlds and the yearly Cosmic Howl during Halloween.
Democrats
introduce bills to crack down on rent algorithms, ‘junk fees’
BY ERIC HEINZ ERIC@COTLN.ORG
Two bills were recently introduced by Democratic state legislators intended to protect renters from increasing or excessive costs.
e rst bill would prohibit rental building owners from using algorithms to set leasing prices, which critics say leads to illegal collaboration.
e bill prohibiting the use of algorithms to set prices followsa move by Colorado and other states to le an antitrust lawsuit against the company RealPage, claiming that six of the nation’s largest landlords are “participating in algorithmic pricing schemes that harmed renters,” according to a statement by Attorney General Phil Weiser.
Bill sponsor state Sen. Julie Gonzales, who represents the north and west portions of Denver, said many changes are happening in the information technology world, but Colorado needs to prevent landlords from potentially colluding to set leasing prices.
“ e White House released a report last month that demonstrated that Colorado renters in the Denver market, particularly, were being charged an additional $70 per month,” Gonzales said during a press conference at the Capitol.
“As a result of these algorithms, renters took on the second-highest extra cost each month of RealPage’s algorithm, an average of $136. at is not OK, and that’s why we’re bringing this forward.”
e second bill, introduced by state Rep. Emily Sirota, who represents a corner of southeast Denver, would require the disclosure of certain fees for products as well as rent prices and prohibit landlords from assessing certain fees, often called “junk fees.”
“Too many Coloradans are blindsided by these junk fees and only nd out about these mandatory fees when they’re checking out online or paying their rst rental payment,” Sirota said. e bill would prohibit pricing information for a good or service of a property being o ered, displayed or advertised unless the total price is disclosed, with the exception of a government or shipping charge. It would also prohibit “misrepresentation” of pricing information and would prohibit a landlord for requiring a tenant to pay certain fees, charges or amounts.
The cathedral in one of the four worlds that make up Meow Wolf Denver’s Convergence Station. There are many new quests people may embark on this year while exploring the vast immersive exhibits of Meow Wolf.
PHOTO BY ELISABETH SLAY
BY LONDON LYLE
Matt Ball steps in to new role as state senator
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
After winning a vacancy committee vote, Matt Ball has replaced state Sen. Chris Hansen in the Colorado Senate. Ball, who worked as Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s policy director, represents Senate District 31.
An army veteran, Ball said his background in uences his approach to politics in a unique way.
“My military service colors how I see everything, not just policymaking,” he said. “ e impact of a policy can vary widely depending on who is implementing it and who is in leadership to execute what’s written down. It’s very important to think about how a policy will be implemented and who will be responsible for carrying it out. My experience in the army was at a tactical and operational level, where we were carrying out missions and orders we didn’t devise. at experience has given me a bottom-up perspective on policy.”
When addressing the state budget decit, Ball stressed the focus will be on deciding what not to cut rather than what to cut.
“ ere will be very di cult decisions to make about how much we cut things that we really shouldn’t cut at all,” he said. “My priority is to protect things like education and PERA, not to lose any of the progress we’ve made with the budget stabilization factor in education, and not digging ourselves further in a hole in terms of the state’s contributions to PERA.” He also said this scal environment presents an opportunity to have a broader conversation about TABOR and whether the current system provides enough exibility.
State Rep. Naquetta Ricks of Aurora, a sponsor of the “junk fees” bill, said a recent complaint stated tenants at one Denver property faced $619 in undisclosed monthly and one-time fees over the course of a year.
“ ose junk fees mislead consumers about the true price of a good service or property, preventing them from accurately comparing prices when shopping around, something that most Coloradans do to responsibly budget the expenses with the rising cost of living by concealing the true price,” she said.
On Jan. 15, the Federal Trade Commission sent a letter to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis to provide information about the e orts they have made to address junk fees and called for stronger legislation to prohibit them.
Drew Hamrick is the senior vice president of government a airs Apartment Association of Metro Denver (AAMD) under the Colorado Apartment Association. e association is a nonpro t trade association that represents building owners, developers, management companies and vendors of the multifamily housing industry.
Hamrick said his association is not opposed to requiring transparency for certain prices, but he said if the bill requires landlords to assess general operations fees as part of the overall rent, like the price of utilities, that could cause an un-
When it comes to building trust with his constituents, who didn’t have the chance to “vote him in” this time around, Ball said he plans to engage with the community and demonstrate his work as a senator. A Capitol Hill resident and father to three, he takes a down-to-earth approach to legislating. He also noted the size and diversity of his district, which ranges from downtown Denver to the border with Aurora, and said he intends to be accessible to constituents. He also expressed interest in reforming the vacancy committee. “Having
just gone through a vacancy committee, there are things that I think we should take a look at,” he said. “For example, under Colorado law, I was not technically a candidate, so none of the fundraising restrictions applied. A vacancy committee candidate could take a million dollars, buy every precinct organizer a car, and not tell anybody. at’s a loophole we could close to build more public trust in the process.”
Ball’s work in Johnston’s o ce, particularly on the Road to Recovery program, which o ers assistance to veterans strug-
gling with their mental health and addiction, has focused on the intersection of criminal justice and public health.
“I’ve sat at the intersection between policy and implementation for a little under two years,” he said. “I’ve seen state laws that make great headlines but don’t do much when implemented, and I’ve seen state laws that work. My knowledge of municipal government and my understanding of how things are actually implemented will be an enormous asset in the legislature.”
Mental health will also be a priority for Ball. Colorado ranks 46th in overall mental health rankings, according to Mental Health America, down from 30th in 2023. Ball stressed that Colorado only has two state-run psychiatric hospitals, one in Pueblo and one in Fort Logan, which is inadequate when compared to states with similar populations. Maryland, for example, has ve.
“ e sad truth is that when you see someone in crisis who really needs help, if there are no beds, there are no beds,” Ball said. “We need the state to step in and help solve this.”
He said that while this legislative session will be di cult due to nancial constraints, he is working with groups to explore ways to improve the delivery of mental health services.
Ball said his military experience has given him a perspective focused on those most impacted by policy.
“ e biggest thing my army experience has given me is an appreciation for the people on the ground and the people doing the work,” he said. “I’ve always been drawn to groups that don’t have a lobbying group or trade association to advocate for them. I think a lot of that comes from my Army experience.”
due burden for landlords.
He said the requirement for advertisements would also be burdensome.
“If you’re going to talk about price, you have to talk about total price, because we have tons of advertisements, as you might imagine,” Hamrick said.
“A room for rent would be a perfect example where nobody talks about price,
and having a requirement that you put any price regardless how it’s calculated in those communications doesn’t make sense. But it then goes on to prohibit a number of fees for the housing industry that I think most people would agree are reasonable fees.”
As for the bill regarding using algorithms, Hamrick said existing antitrust
laws should weed out any violators.
“If two competitors that have a big enough market share to be able to a ect the market start to communicate about what they want their future prices to be, that’s a problem, both legally under existing law and for free markets because they’ve got the ability to arti cially inate prices,” Hamrick said. “It’s price xing, and that’s been prohibited for the last 120 years in the United States for good reason.”
But Hamrick also said landlords shouldn’t just guess their rental prices, and using market information is something that’s bene cial to the market and economy.
“All that’s true and certainly prohibiting price collusion using these types of programs is perfectly appropriate, but we have to be really careful about what we de ne as information that can’t be communicated because housing providers accurately knowing what the market is and raising or lowering their price accordingly is a good thing for the economy,” he said.
Hamrick’s comments regarding the bills were made during an online meeting with reporters regarding the association’s fourth-quarter 2024 apartment vacancy and rent report, which found the Denver Metro Area saw a “record” $69 decrease in the average rent from the previous quarter.
For the year, AAMD stated the average rent in the metro area fell by 1.5% from the previous year, even as in ation spurred rising costs across other sectors of the economy.
Denver Director of Policy Matt Ball, center, speaks to members of the Senate District 31 vacancy committee on Jan. 7 at the Christ Church United Methodist in Denver, Colorado.
PHOTO BY JESSE PAUL FOR THE COLORADO SUN
State Sen. Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, speaks to reporters Jan. 23 in the Colorado State Capitol about bills she and her party filed to protect renters and consumers from increasing or excessive fees.
PHOTO BY ERIC HEINZ
Real Estate
Commission Says Clients, Not Their Brokers, Should Choose Settlement Service Providers
The Colorado Real Estate Commission (CREC), whose mandate is to protect consumers, has made it clear in Position Statement #18 that we brokers should not dictate the settlement service providers utilized by buyers and sellers. Instead, the client should make that decision, influenced perhaps but not dictated by their real estate broker. Here’s the verbiage from that position statement: “When assisting a Consumer in finding a settlement service provider, a Broker must ensure the Consumer plays an active role in the process and is ultimately responsible for making the selection.”
A “settlement service provider” is defined as any provider of a service required in the execution of a real estate transaction: lenders, title companies, inspectors, surveyors, appraisers, home warranty providers, and lawyers. Another position statement (#3) echoes a federal law that prohibits us and any of those other service providers from receiving a kickback or “something of value” (such as dinners or even charitable gifts) in return for referring our client to them.
common practice for the buyer to assign that responsibility to the seller and to specify the title company named in the MLS listing — and for the buyer to use the same title company to purchase the “piggyback” title policy for the buyer’s lender. To choose another title company for the lender’s policy would always be more expensive and serve no purpose. Based on the CREC’s position statement, it would seem that we should tell each buyer that they may choose to hire a different title company for the lender’s policy than the one being used by the seller, but doing so would add hundreds of dollars to the cost of closing.
The exception to that is when the buyer is planning to flip the property (with or without making improvements) to another buyer and has an agreement with their preferred title company to “hold open” the policy for the resale, thereby saving the cost of a new title search and title policy.
There is a website to which we refer clients who want to do their own comparison shopping for title companies. I’ve promoted it in the past: www.CompareTitleCompanies.com
There’s another aspect of this matter which I have written about before which deserves repeating, and that’s the topic of “affiliated business arrangements” (ABAs). A service provider is considered an ABA when the brokerage has an ownership or profit-sharing interest in the provider. Virtually all the big brokerages and some smaller ones have their own mortgage companies, title companies and other service providers which bring additional revenue to the brokerage. Their ABAs must be disclosed to their clients, so they are aware that the use of one of the services (which the broker will invariably recommend) benefits the brokerage financially.
Golden Real Estate does not have any affiliated business arrangements, because I feel that having such relationships introduces an
ethical question of whether we are, as required by law and by the Realtor Code of Ethics always to put the client’s interests ahead of our own.
This ethical issue is amplified when the managing broker takes note (as he surely does) of which agents are “playing the company” game by “capturing” clients for their mortgage company and their title company.
Before I launched Golden Real Estate in July 2007, I was with two large brokerages which had those captive service providers, and it was clear to me that the managing broker was favoring associates with high “capture rates” for their affiliated businesses.
That is not only unethical, it constitutes “something of value” given to the associate in return for a service provider referral.
BTW, you’ll notice that we list Wendy Renee below as our “in-house loan officer.” She rents desk space in our storefront, but we earn nothing from the business she does.
In Memoriam: Our Free Moving Truck Has Bit the Dust
That law is the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 (RESPA). It was written to penalize persons or entities that are paid a fee (i.e., a kickback) for referring a client to a settlement service provider when the transaction includes a federally backed loan. As a practical matter, it has been assumed to apply to all real estate transactions.
RESPA’s primary focus is on lenders, to prohibit them from paying an “unearned” fee to a real estate broker, for example, in return for referring buyers to them. An “unearned” fee is one paid for doing nothing more than making the referral. If the person performs actual work, such as an attorney assisting on the transaction, that’s not a kickback, because it was earned
In this week’s column, I want to focus on the selection of title companies, since they, unlike those other service providers, are involved in virtually every real estate transaction.
Although the contract to buy and sell real estate allows the buyer to specify whether the seller or the buyer is to select the title company and pay for the owner’s title policy, it is a
I was reminded of this requirement that the seller actively participate in the selection of the title company when I was brought to task for my January 16th column in which I referred to First Integrity Title as our “preferred title company” because of a new service that they offer regarding HOA documents. Indeed, a complaint was filed against me by another service provider for violating the rule that the client, not the broker, must select the title company.
That complaint was dismissed by the Real Estate Commission’s investigator, but it inspired me to remind our readers — which includes real estate brokers and other service providers as well as prospective buyers and sellers — that this rule exists and that we should be diligent about obeying it. It’s not that hard to comply.
Henceforth, we will make it a practice to provide each client with a handout which, in addition to listing two or more lenders, inspectors, title companies and other settlement service providers, states in bold type (as suggested in Position Statement #18), that “the decision to hire a specific settlement service provider is completely at the Consumer’s discretion, and Consumers are not limited to service providers listed by the Broker.”
Back in 2004, I took delivery of our first box truck. After putting 150,000 miles on it, we bought a second truck and put another 100,000 miles on it. For a while, we actually had two trucks, and they got a lot of use, mostly by non-profits like BGoldN, the International Rescue Committee, Golden Chamber of Commerce, and Family Promise of Greater Denver. At right and below are pictures of volunteers from the Golden Relief Group who used the truck to transport donated furniture and furnishings for resettled refugees from Syria, Ukraine and elsewhere.
At right is our final truck, a 2012 Ford E350, which we purchased after it had logged 120,000 miles for Penske. The engine needs to be replaced at a cost of over $10,000, and it also needs a brake job.
We really enjoyed having a free moving truck to offer buyers and sellers, but you will notice in the box at left that now we only
provide free moving boxes and packing materials — still a nice benefit. We have decided not to replace the truck but to rent U-Haul trucks when the need arises. We are sorry that so many worthy nonprofits are losing access to a free box truck, but I’m hopeful they’ll find another company which can lend them one. Many self-storage companies have free box trucks for clients to use. Maybe one of them will do what we did.
Just Listed: 5-Bedroom Brick Ranch in SE Denver
$665,000
Don't miss out on this well maintained brick ranch with finished basement at 2677 S. Newport Street in southeast Denver, with easy access to I-25 and the Denver Tech Center. The 66-acre Bible Park, with its biking and walking trails, including the Highline Canal trail, is a half block away, along with numerous ballfields, tennis courts, exercise stations and a new playground. Inside on the main level there are hardwood floors throughout and a living room with brick fireplace, 3 bedrooms, and 2 bathrooms. A sliding patio door takes you outside to the covered patio and a large, dog friendly backyard with artificial turf area. The basement is finished and features 2 more bedrooms, a nicely updated 3/4 bathroom and a recreation room with a second wood-burning brick fireplace. The front yard and backyard are both professionally xeriscaped. The home has an updated kitchen, double-pane windows, a newer roof, and a high efficiency furnace. More information including photos and a narrated video tour are on the MLS and at www.GRElistings.com. Listing agent Chuck Brown will be holding it open this Saturday, Feb. 8th, from 11 am to 1 pm. Or call him at 303-885-7855
‘I’d
Businesses struggle with $300 million Colfax BRT construction
BY PAOLO ZIALCITA DENVERITE
It’s lunchtime at Bourbon Grill, the Cajun barbecue hole-in-the-wall at Colfax Avenue and Pearl Street.
Known for piling massive portions of saucy, grilled chicken, mac-and-cheese and rice into styrofoam boxes, Bourbon Grill often has a line at the door.
But on a cold Monday, Bourbon Grill’s workers were uncharacteristically idle. In fact, it had been slow for a few days now.
“We had a record low. e lowest [sales] we ever did was two days ago,” said Mac Vo, who is part of the family that owns the restaurant. eir sales for that day: “$165.”
To stay optimistic, Vo and the rest of the workers initially chalked it up to the cold weather. But they thought there was a bigger cause. Ever since construction on the $300 million Colfax Bus Rapid Transit project started in October, business has been trending downward for Bourbon Grill and its neighbors.
“How could we prepare for it?” Vo asked.
‘Now it’s even more dead’
e Colfax BRT project aims to transform one of Denver’s busiest roads into a public transit paradise. New trees, better lighting, dedicated bus lanes, nicer stops and reliable service are meant to get more people on the 15 and 15L bus routes.
Construction on BRT is scheduled through 2027, with sections of the project under construction for over a year at a time. e city has identi ed ve construction segments; some of the segments will be under construction at the same time.
is year, construction will stretch along three segments — from Broadway to approximately Monaco Street Parkway.
Construction started near Colfax and Grant, where Obeid Kaifo saw cones and heavy machinery block the sidewalks near his family’s Shish Kabob Grill.
Kaifo, who has worked at the Eastern Mediterranean restaurant since he was 14, said foot tra c in the area has been slow since 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic. He said it hasn’t recovered yet, as customers have been eating at home and saving money.
“ ere’s not much activity and on top
rather go through COVID again’
of it, the construction, it just makes it a hundredfold worse,” Kaifo said. “If you thought we were dead before, well now you’re annoying everybody, and now it’s even more dead.”
For a mile-long stretch of Colfax — between the Colorado State Capitol and the diagonal Park Avenue — orange cones plaster the street. Concrete barriers stand in front of some businesses as crews tear up the street — occasionally digging up ghosts of Denver’s public transit past.
Drivers aren’t the only ones dealing with closures. To get from Shish Kabob Grill to Capitol Hill Books — just across the street — pedestrians have to navigate fences and sidewalk closures.
In the bookstore, Holly Brooks sat alone at the counter, eagerly waiting for customers. Like Kaifo and Vo, the longtime owner of the bookstore hasn’t had much luck lately. Brooks, who said she already works for free, said she’s not sure how much longer they can survive with the BRT project’s impact on foot tra c.
“We had to let one guy go because that payroll was just too much,” Brooks said.
Parking for customers, already a rare luxury along Colfax, has decreased, with construction blocking o curb spots — something that’s annoying takeout customers.
“ ey’re mostly complaining it takes some 15, 20 minutes to nd parking,” Vo said.
THE PRINCE OF MUSIC 500 Years of Palestrina
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22
7:30 PM
St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Denver and via livestream
St. Martin’s celebrates the 500th anniversary of the most celebrated and admired composer of the Renaissance, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594). An eclectic survey of his masses, motets, madrigals, and other works will be presented within the context of his incredible life, rising from choirboy in a small town to be the choirmaster to the Pope at the Sistine Chapel.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23 3:00 PM First Plymouth Congregational Church, Denver
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24 7:00 PM Brown Palace, Denver
Will the BRT project change the Colfax vibe?
BRT has been in the works for over a decade. It’s the rst project of its kind in the region.
Planners envision it as part of a network of speedy buses that connects the Front Range. Besides bene ting commuters, supporters believe BRT will bring foot tra c to Colfax businesses.
Many business owners and workers Denverite spoke to weren’t entirely sold on that vision. While some are more optimistic, almost all shared a question: Will the project be worth the pain of construction?
“At the end of the day, if this thing is built and it’s a great big thing and we get all this business, but we lost 25 businesses in the process, it wasn’t worth it,” said Alex Barakos, who runs Pete’s Kitchen.
Denon Moore, the business support director for the Colfax Ave Business Improvement District, said major construction has hurt businesses in other parts of town, too.
“If we look at the impacts that construction had on Broadway, there were losses,” Moore said. “And so I think some of it is inevitable.”
City o cials have defended the BRT vision — they say it will help Denver reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving road safety and mobility.
“ is is something that needs to happen,” Councilmember Amanda Sawyer said in 2022.
Some parts of Colfax are more prepared than others
About two miles away from the construction zone, businesses in a starkly di erent side of Colfax watch intently to see how the BRT is going for their western counterparts. e project will be coming
to their blocks imminently, with tra c cones already approaching Josephine. Bookended by the Sie FilmCenter and Tattered Cover on one end and National Jewish Health on the other, this section of Colfax boasts nationally recognized restaurants, a summer farmer’s market, salons and a handful of independent thrift stores.
Some businesses in the area hope the makeup of these blocks will help them survive construction.
“I think we have probably a better chance of making it out alive during this just because of the residential area and the nature of what these businesses are,” said Holli Turner, owner of salon Big Hairy Monster.
Chip Litherland, owner of punk rockthemed antiques shop Scavenged Goods, said he’s planning to grow his social media presence to counter any foot tra c declines.
“My customers are ercely loyal,” he said. “I have customers that come in every day. I have customers that travel from all over.” Some on this side of Colfax, however, are not as prepared.
Phil Cardenas, who moved freezedried candy shop Mile High Sweets and Treats to Colfax from Central Park in late November, said he expects he’ll have to rely on event sales more than ever to make up for lost business from BRT.
“Had I known, I would’ve never set up shop here,” he said.
Will customers step up again?
City o cials have promised federal funds to support small businesses through a grant program. e Denver Economic Development and Opportunity o ce plans to open applications in March.
Initial phases of construction for the Bus Rapid Transit project on East Colfax will start from Broadway to Williams Street.
PHOTO BY MERYL PHAIR
Lawmakers seek limits on cell phones at school
Bill aims to eliminate distractions that hinder learning
BY JASON GONZALES CHALKBEAT
On Jan. 29, legislators unveiled a new bill that would require school districts to enact policies to limit cell phone and smartwatch use by July 2026. e bill also requires school boards to spell out exceptions, such as for health emergencies or to report a safety concern.
e legislation aims to eliminate distractions within the classroom that hinder learning, lawmakers and others said during a news conference ahead of the bill’s ling. ey said they hope device-free classrooms will foster better mental health among students.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, who supports the bill, announced seven statewide grants to support school districts in their e orts to revamp cell phone use policies.
“Every metric you can look at underscores what the Surgeon General has called a youth mental health crisis,” he said. “Over the last decade, the widespread adoption of smartphones is one of the main causes of why young people are su ering, why bullying is on the rise, why self-harm is on the rise, why distraction is on the rise, why kids are not sleeping at night.”
Recent research has shown that kids who spend more than four hours a day on social media experience signi cant mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression, Lauren Henry, a Children’s Hospital of Colorado clinical psychologist, said.
e bill has bipartisan support and three of the sponsors are former educators. Bill sponsors include state Sens. Janice Marchman, a Loveland Democrat, and Lisa Frizzel, a Castle Rock Republican, as well as state Reps. Meghan Lukens, a Steamboat Springs Democrat, and Mary Brad eld, a Colorado Springs Republican.
Lukens, who chairs the House Education Committee, said 19 other states have cell phone policies such as the one introduced in the bill. While many Colorado schools might have a policy, some are outdated or aren’t districtwide, she said.
However, an increasing number of school districts have started to adopt stricter cell phone policies in the last two years, according to a Chalkbeat survey of the 20 largest school districts in Colorado.
e policies vary, but most restrict use in middle and elementary schools during the day while high school students have more access. Students and parents have varied reactions to the changes.
e goal of the legislation is to respect the independence of districts, but also create statewide policy that reduces distractions and promotes better student mental health, Lukens said.
“We all want our students to succeed in
the classroom, and this bill sets us on the right path forward,” Lukens said.
Superintendent Brian Hill of Mesa County Valley School District 51 in Grand Junction said his district recently revamped its cell phone policies to prohibit cell phones in elementary and middle schools altogether and in high school classrooms. Some high school principals have even gone as far as banning cell phone use during lunch and in hallways, he said.
e bill would allow districts to gure out what works best for their schools, such as in District 51, he said.
“Our teachers actually were the ones that were most vocal,” he said. “ ey were saying we want something consistent across the board. We want it to come from the district, because I’m tired of being the one teacher that’s restricting cell phones and the other teacher isn’t.”
District 51 has lockers for cell phones and some schools have purchased pouch locks, Hill said. e bill doesn’t say how schools should store the phones because the bill’s authors said they don’t want to create extra costs not funded by the state.
“We have a duty to take immediate action to ensure the situation is addressed appropriately,” Brad eld said.
Although the bill doesn’t provide funding for any policy work by boards, some schools will get support through the attorney general grants to identify practices that work for their communities. Here’s a list of the schools and their intended goals
for the funding:
• Aurora Public Schools plans to host educational opportunities for students, educators, and parents about healthy smartphone usage.
• Denver Justice High School wants to create an incentive-based system to support student compliance with smartphone policies. e school will also hold engagement sessions with families about cell phone use.
• Eastlake High School will use the grant to expand and improve existing smartphone storage policies.
• Englewood Schools plans to buy smartphone lockers for classrooms and create a yearlong campaign that talks about the challenges of cell phone use.
• Mesa County Valley School District 51 intends to develop learning tools that focus on digital literacy and the impact of technology on students.
• Pueblo County School District 70 will host digital literacy presentations and student-led awareness campaigns to teach students how to use smartphones responsibly.
• Trinidad School District 1 plans to teach students and teachers about the challenges of cell phone and social media addiction. District leaders also want to purchase smartphone storage containers and review its policies.
Reprinted with permission from Chalkbeat, a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.
CHUN announces 2025 SEED Awards
BY JACQUI SOMEN
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods (CHUN), a registered neighborhood organization (RNO), recently announced its 2025 Seed Awards winners — 10 nonpro t organizations whose work impacts the communities CHUN represents — at their Annual Members Meeting. CHUN is made up of nine neighborhoods, including Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, City Park West, Congress Park, Country Club, North Capitol Hill, and Speer, and is involved in advocating for the area’s historic preservation, a ordable housing, land use and
zoning, public safety, and community enhancements through volunteerism and civic engagement.
Each year, CHUN contributes funds to a number of projects that impact these communities through its SEED Awards program. e SEED Awards program has awarded over $33,000 to nonpro ts throughout Denver since it was founded in 2019.
“Nonpro t work is vital in our community, addressing essential needs and advocating for those who are often underserved,” said Brittni Joy West-Ware, executive director of CHUN. “ e SEED Awards aim to highlight the transformative e orts of local organizations and the
positive change they bring to the lives of individuals and families in our area.”
SEED Awards winners must be individuals, groups, or organizations recognized as a nonpro t and/or an RNO, proposing a project within CHUN’s boundaries. Selected projects must meet certain requirements, such as aligning with the mission and values of CHUN, enhancing the quality of life for those who live within the community, and having a long-term impact. SEED is an acronym of the program’s funding priorities: smart, solutions-oriented development, enrichment, environmental sustainability and diversity. e 2025 SEED Award winners are: Dry Bones Denver/Purple Door, a cafe
that provides opportunities for homeless youth to learn barista skills under master baristas, which will use funds to support the nalization of the setup of the Purple Door Cafe.
Denver Park Trust, an organization that advances equitable access to quality parks and green spaces across Denver, which will use funds towards more plant resources for planting and cleaning supplies. e Gathering Place: A Refuge for Rebuilding Lives, an organization that provides essential resources and hope for women, children, and transgender
RTD adds detective bureau to enhance safety
BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e Regional Transportation District will now investigate all crime that happens on the agency’s property, through a newly created and fully functioning detective bureau.
e in-house detective bureau will enable RTD to directly perform investigations on thefts and any other criminal activity that may occur on its property – “anything that a ects the ability of our customers to ride the system safely,” said Brian Cousineau, the agency’s RTDPD Commander, who will lead the detective bureau. “We want people to utilize our services and feel safe doing so.”
Cousineau said in a news release that the new bureau will help RTD pursue prosecuting personal crimes, involving any threat or use of force, and includes felony-level narcotics violations across the agency’s system or property.
As the bureau works out protocols for working with the eight counties in the agency’s district, the department will be able to le its own cases and carry out investigations on related cases that occur in di erent municipalities. As an example, Cousineau pointed to last year’s copper wire thefts from RTD tracks.
“If a copper wire theft happens in Aurora on our property and the wire was valued at $900, that’s a misdemeanor crime; we would hand it over to the Aurora Police Department,” Cousineau said. “Let’s say the same $900 copper wire theft happened a week later in ornton, and then a week later at Lakewood. e bene t of having our own detective bureau is that we can assign our detectives to all those cases. is changes the crime from being a misdemeanor to a felony-level crime.”
e RTD-PD had aimed to establish a fully functioning detective bureau to le criminal cases in jurisdictions throughout its service area prior to the copper wire thefts in 2024. e thefts “were de nitely a catalyst for us to get the bureau established more quickly,” Cousineau said. Cousineau anticipates the RTD-PD detective bureau will be fully operational by the end of
SEED AWARDS
individuals experiencing poverty, which will use funds toward assisting those who need affordable accommodations and resources.
Urban Peak, an organization that assists youth experiencing homelessness with shelter, education, and job opportunities in achieving stability and independence, which will use funds to support the resource rooms and community kitchen.
East High School Wrestling Team, a team that is promoting teamwork, discipline, and athletic achievement among Denver’s youth and encouraging personal development through sports, which will use funds to help cover new equipment and snacks for the away games.
Senior Housing Options (SHO), an organization that provides safe and a ordable housing to seniors and individuals with disabilities, which will use funds toward new patio furniture.
Friends of Morey: Morey Middle School Parent Teacher Organization, an organization that enhances educational opportunities and resources for students and teachers, which will use funds to provide student access to STEM eld trips.
SafeHouse Denver, an organization that supports survivors of domestic violence with emergency shelter and counseling services, which will use the funds to create a patio for their families to enjoy while trying to feel safe. Denver Philharmonic Orchestra, an or-
the second quarter in 2025, according to the news release.
“One of the biggest lifts that we have is to get with all eight counties to le cases to each of their expectations. is will also include establishing secure systems for e- ling and setting up protocols for writing probable cause a davits.”
On Jan. 6, the RTD-PD internally promoted Transit Police o cers Fabian Rodriguez to detective lieutenant and Brian Beary to detective on its force, according to the news release.
Rodriguez has served as an o cer for 27 years, with most of his career at the Adams County Sherri ’s O ce where he supervised general investigations and the North Metro Drug Task Force.
Rodriguez’s career includes working with federal organizations such as the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Beary has served in law enforcement for 18 years. Prior to joining RTD-PD, he was a criminal investigator for the Colorado Department of Revenue for six years, the news release states.
A third detective, Craig Tangeman, joined the force on Jan. 21. Tangeman has worked in law enforcement for over 26 years, with 19 years dedicated to investigative operations for Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce. He has conducted federal and state investigations and managed over 200 police o cers, federal agents, and volunteers as part of proactive investigative operations, the news release states. Tangeman is experienced in conducting major case investigations having been assigned to the Metro Gang Task Force, the Safe Streets Fugitive Unit, and the Child Exploitation and Human Tra cking Task Force.
Cousineau who has worked for RTD-PD for almost two years, according to RTD. In Cousineau’s 28 years working in law enforcement, 14 have been dedicated to supervisory and investigative functions, including working on narcotics task forces, supervising detectives, and overseeing investigations ranging from high-level misdemeanors to homicide crimes and internal a airs.
BROOKE WARNER Executive Director brooke@ntln.org
e agency is budgeted to add two more detectives to the department later in 2025, RTD says. e RTD-PD is also in the process of developing an evidence room to follow the proper chain of custody to hold evidence needed to prosecute cases. Once established, this will mitigate reliance on other police agencies to retain evidence needed to prosecute criminal activity that occurred on RTD property.
e agency states in the news release that RTD-PD have taken deliberate strides to grow the force to better support community and employee safety as part of the agency’s “Welcoming Transit Environment” strategic initiative.
e RTD-PD force stands at approximately 90 o cers today and began the year with recruits in the police academy. e agency is budgeted for 150 sworn o cers in 2025 – a signi cant growth from when the department had 19 o cers on the force in August 2019, the news release states.
ganization that is enriching Denver’s cultural landscape with accessible, high-quality orchestral music, which will use funds to bring music to Cheesman Park.
Warren Village Early Learning Center, an organization that assists adults, children, and youth in reclaiming their right to a life free from domestic violence, which will use the funds to
build a new playground for children.
“( e winners’) work exempli es the spirit of collaboration and resilience that de nes the Greater Capitol Hill area,” West-Ware said.
“By providing nancial support, we empower these nonpro ts to expand their programs, enhance their services, and ultimately create a more equitable and thriving community.”
LINDA SHAPLEY Director of Editorial & Audience lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com
CHRISTY STEADMAN South Metro Editor csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com
ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com
LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com
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CORRECTIONS
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Email linda@cotln.org if you notice a possible error you would like us to take a look at.
RTD expanding its police force to include detectives that will investigate crime across the systems’ routes and stations. COURTESY RTD
Denver Park Trust board of directors and sta at a prior Parks, Rivers, Trails & Trees event.
Dr. Je is alive
Rumors of the Conifer veterinarian and Animal Planet star’s demise are greatly exaggerated
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A year ago, an international website published a story saying veterinarian Dr. Je Young had died. at single false story still resonates at Conifer’s Planned Pethood, the animal hospital owned by the former star of Animal Planet’s long-running “Rocky Mountain Vet.”
Young is now on his fourth round with cancer, but very much alive and with a still very intact sense of humor.
“People send us sympathy cards with checks, so I’ll call them and say, ‘I’m still alive,’” he said. “And I’ll o er to send the check back.”
No one has taken him up on that o er.
“ ey’re so happy and relieved he’s OK; they don’t care about the money they sent,” said Steve LuKanic, Planned Pethood’s marketing and communications
director.
Young, 69, was rst diagnosed with lung cancer in 2013, and had a portion of his lung removed, eliminating the cancer. In 2016, during a routine exam, doctors discovered he had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a diagnosis he revealed on an episode of “Rocky Mountain Vet.” It went into remission after treatment. But in early 2023, he was diagnosed with lung cancer again. It is now in remission.
“ is is my fourth cancer,” he said. “It’s stage 4 lung cancer, and I will die. My goal is to have this facility be nancially soluble so it can go on long after I’m gone.”
Young is not taking time to think much about his diagnosis but is instead planning future renovations and expansions of Planned Pethood. During a recent tour of the facility, he barely paused to address his condition but admitted the cancer is causing him pain.
“My back hurts all the time,” he said, adding, “from the cancer but also from standing doing so many surgeries.”
e rumors of his death have taken a toll on the veterinary clinic. People who once supported it with donations and thought he had died stopped doing so.
“It does hurt us nancially; people think I’m not around and it’s going to go de-
funct,” he said.
But that’s not going to happen, he said. His wife, fellow veterinarian Petra Mickova, who runs the nonpro t organization with him, will ensure it.
“My wife is far smarter than me,” Young
said. “She’s going to run an even tighter ship than I do.”
“Rocky Mountain Vet” launched in 2015. During its 8-year run on Animal Planet, it was the network’s most-watched program, drawing 1.7 million viewers each week.
Colorado author gives sports industry tricks and tips in new book
BY JOHN RENFROW
JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
For students interested in sports management, marketing or just getting their foot in the door of the sports industry, a local author might have the blueprint for you.
Brandon Tosti, who lives with his family in Arvada, is an industry veteran and longtime sports business professional. His new book, “Bright Lights & Long Nights,” provides behind-the-scenes insights into how the sausage is made in the world of sports.
Many don’t want to give up sports when their playing days are done, and Tosti said this book could help them break through into the business side. “ is is the book I wish I’d had when I was 22,” Tosti said, who has nearly two decades of experience in the sports industry. “ rough this book, I aim to help
the next generation of sports management (and marketing) students understand how to break into the sports industry. I also wanted to show diehard fans how everything works with a unique and authentic behind-the-scenes view.”
Tosti has taught sports management and marketing at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, and the University of Colorado-Denver. He also spent eight years in the concert business.
He is originally from Paintsville, Kentucky, and attended the University of Kentucky where he received his master’s degree in sports management.
He’s been in Colorado since 2000 and has been involved in sports and sponsorships since, including managing the opening of Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City.
Tosti is now the director of sponsor relations for Outside Inc. in Boulder, and
the founder and executive director of the Denver-based nonpro t Sports for a Cause.
sports industry, not an individual athlete or famous coach,” he said. “ e front ofce is lled with dedicated, hard-working
individuals that no one hears about, and I want sports fans to understand the work it Search for “Bright Lights & Long Nights” on Amazon, and for more on Tosti, visit www.brandontostiauthor.
Dr. Je Young in his surgery room at Planned Pethood. Young is planning an addition and other renovations to the Conifer facility. PHOTO BY JANE REUTER
Thu 2/13
3420: Michal Menert @ Ogden Theatre @ 7pm Ogden Theatre, 935 E Colfax Ave, Den‐ver
Bob Sumner Music @ 7pm Lost Lake Lounge, 3602 E Colfax Ave, Denver
Control Freak @ 8pm
Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Den‐ver
Valentine's Day Comedy Show at Den‐ver Comedy Underground! Free Pizza! @ 6:30pm / $25 Feb 14th - Feb 15th
Denver Comedy Underground, 675 22nd St., Denver. info@denvercomedyunderground.com
JME
@ 8pm Ski House, 2719 Larimer St, Denver
Fri 2/14
Live @ The Rose - Spinphony Electric String Quartet
@ 6pm / $28
Buffalo Rose, 1119 Washington Av‐enue, Golden. information@buf falorose.net
The Galentines: Heartache Cabaret @ 7pm Skylark Lounge, 140 S Broadway, Den‐ver
Alex Williams @ 7pm Star Bar, 2137 Larimer St, Denver
Mortiz Hofbauer [LIVE] @ 10pm / $24.95
The Basement at Club Vinyl, Denver
Sat 2/15
The Velveteers: Album Signing and Release Party @ 5pm Twist & Shout Records, 2508 E Colfax Ave, Denver
Christopher Morse @ 6pm Roxy on Broadway, 554 S Broadway, Denver
Noche de Verano Sin Ti: DEBÍ TIRAR MÁS FIESTAS @ 8pm Gasolina Night Club, 1414 Market Street, Den‐
ver
DJ Minx @ 10pm Club Vinyl, 1082 N Broadway, Denver
The Plot In You @ 7pm Ogden Theatre, 935 East Colfax, Denver
Holding Absence @ 7pm
Ogden Theatre, 935 E Colfax Ave, Denver
Boundaries @ 7pm Ogden Theater, Denver
9Million @ 8pm
Skylark Lounge, 140 S Broadway, Denver
Bukez Finezt @ 8pm
The Black Box, 314 E 13th Ave, Denver
The Kevin Daniel: Kevin Daniel & The Bottom Line x Star Bar @ 9pm Star Bar, 2137 Larimer St, Denver
Sun 2/16
Live @ The Rose - Sunday Swing @ 3pm / $20
Hazlett @ 8pm Bluebird Theater, 3317 E Colfax Av, Denver
Wed 2/19
Buffalo Rose, 1119 Washington Av‐enue, Golden. information@buf falorose.net
moe. @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood
Mon 2/17
Kerry King @ 7pm Ogden Theatre, 935 East Colfax, Denver
Tue 2/18
Sierra Spirit @ 7pm
Eric McFadden: Sgt. Splendor @ 8pm Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom & Other Side, 2637 Welton St, Denver
Alejandra Guzmán @ 8pm
Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre, 1350 Cur‐tis St, Denver
Bellco Theatre, 700 14th St, Denver
BAYNK @ 8pm Ogden Theatre, 935 East Colfax, Denver
Tomorrow starts today
Procrastination is the silent thief of accomplishment. It’s that gentle nudge in our minds whispering, “You can do it tomorrow.” Before we know it, tomorrow becomes next week, next month, or even never. But here’s the hard truth: Tomorrow always begins today. e choices we make today, what we prioritize, what we push through, and what we avoid, lay the foundation for the outcomes we experience tomorrow.
It’s not just about being productive; it’s about embracing a proactive life over a reactive one. Proactivity means taking control of the present and responding swiftly and e ectively to opportunities and challenges. On the other hand, a reactive mindset often leaves us scrambling, either overreacting to situations or, worse, underreacting and achieving nothing of signi cance. So, why do we procrastinate? Why do we knowingly defer tasks, especially the ones we know are important? e roots of procrastination. One reason is a lack of con dence. Sometimes, a task feels daunting or overwhelming. Maybe we don’t know where to start, or we fear failure. We worry about disappointing others or ourselves. is mental chatter, often called
“head trash,” convinces us that avoiding the task is easier than confronting it. But here’s the irony: avoidance only magni es the challenge. e longer we wait, the bigger and scarier the task seems.
Another reason is fear of confrontation or discomfort. Often, procrastination involves situations that require us to face di cult truths or deliver uncomfortable messages. Whether o ering a harsh critique or delivering bad news, it feels easier to delay than confront. But avoidance doesn’t solve the issue; it simply prolongs the discomfort.
Finally, we procrastinate because we’re human. We’re wired to seek comfort and avoid pain. Tackling a challenging or unpleasant task doesn’t align with our natural instincts, so we nd excuses to delay. e cost of delay. Procrastination is an accomplishment killer. It creates a snowball e ect where undone tasks pile up, adding stress and reducing our ability to focus on what matters most. Over time, it erodes our con dence, making even small tasks feel in-
surmountable.
e truth is procrastination doesn’t just rob us of productivity; it robs us of peace. at nagging feeling in the back of your mind, the one reminding you of what you still haven’t done, drains energy and focus.
e Solution: Start Today. One of the greatest life lessons I’ve learned is this: tackle the hardest task rst. If there’s a frog you have to kiss, kiss it quickly. e longer you wait, the bigger and uglier that frog becomes. By addressing the most di cult item on your to-do list rst, you free yourself from its weight. Your mind becomes clearer, and the sense of accomplishment fuels momentum for the rest of the day.
Here’s the reality: the hardest tasks are rarely as bad as we imagine. e fear of starting is often worse than the task itself. When we choose to face challenges head-on, we discover that we’re more capable than we thought.
Living Proactively. Living a proactive life means making deliberate choices to act rather than delay. It means embracing the discomfort of today to build the success of tomorrow.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Both parties must tackle debt America’s $36 trillion national debt is a crisis we can no longer ignore. Interest payments alone are now the fastest-growing federal expenditure, eclipsing vital programs like Medicare and education. is burden sti es economic growth, inates interest rates and reduces our ability to address national emergencies or invest in future generations.
Finger-pointing won’t solve the problem. Since 2001, both parties have contributed to the debt by passing bipartisan spending and tax measures without accountability. Now, we face insolvency in programs like Social Security by 2033 unless action is taken.
It’s time to set aside partisanship. A bipartisan scal commission could chart a path forward, with everything on the table: responsible spending cuts, necessary revenue adjustments and reforms to safeguard entitlement programs for future generations. Let’s aim to stabilize the debt relative to GDP and commit to no new borrowing. We must demand leadership that prioritizes America’s scal health over political expediency. Together, we can secure the economic future of our nation.
Jim Felton, Denver
Climate change requires action Climate change is putting our health at risk, and we are feeling its e ects now. Have you ever felt the fear and helplessness of not being able to breathe during an asthma attack? I did just this weekend — and found myself in the ER, thankful for the privilege to eventually exhale. Literally.
Pollution chokes our air, worsening respiratory conditions like asthma. Investing in clean energy and reducing fossil fuel dependency will lead to healthier air quality and stronger communities. Climate change is more than an environmental issue; it is a public health crisis that demands immediate and coordinated action.
Progress in school choice shows promise for future
The people of Colorado may have voted against a measure that would have added a right to school choice to the state constitution, but families in the Centennial State still want choices when it comes to K-12 education.
Consider the story of one Colorado fourthgrader who was miserable at her school, causing her to fall several years behind in reading and math. After a transfer to a school that better met her needs, the little girl became motivated — and her learning skyrocketed. Eventually, she received a basketball scholarship for college.
Look at the children in your life: ey are proof that there is no one-size- ts-all education for every student. Every child deserves a good school t, and for some, that means thinking outside the box.
GUEST
COLUMN
Shelby Doyle
From public school choice to public charter schools to homeschooling and microschooling to privately-funded scholarships provided by ACE Scholarships, which support disadvantaged students, the state excels in these di erent areas of school choice. ere are over 270 public charter schools in the state with more than 15% of Colorado students attending them, placing the Centennial State in the top three states for proportion of students enrolled in public charter schools. ese schools have more freedom to innovate with learning methods compared to traditional public schools. e strong support for public charter schools — 69% of school parents support them — should come as no surprise, with so many
families choosing this learning option. e state also has unrestricted open enrollment for public schools, which means that families may be able to send their children to any public school in Colorado, regardless of where they live or where the school is located. It also prohibits public schools from charging tuition for transfer students; open enrollment is always a free option for families.
Colorado also has magnet schools, which are public schools where children can narrow in on a speci c learning track, such as engineering or STEM. Students also enjoy access to a plethora of online learning options, some of which cater to children who need extra academic or social support.
SEE DOYLE, P11 SEE NORTON, P11
ere are three real ways Congress can act in 2025 to make meaningful progress:
1. Impose a carbon border tari . With around 25% of global carbon pollution tied to trade, policies like this could have a huge global impact. (Source: Trade and Climate Change, World Trade Organization.)
2. Pass bills and enact policies that support clean energy technology. Examples from 2024, such as the Energy Permitting Reform Act, already have signi cant bipartisan support.
3. Fund reforestation and wild re mitigation. Bipartisan solutions in the Farm Bill and other legislation could advance reforestation and forest health initiatives.
Remember, the question is not: “Will I do harm or will I do good?” e question, when faced with a crisis as overwhelming as our climate and our future, is: “Will I do good, or will I do nothing?” Grace Trautman, Denver
WINNING
Face facts, take action on radon
In my role as program coordinator for the Colorado Radon Program at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), I have worked with scientists, doctors, homeowners, the media and lung cancer survivors to spread the message that radon causes cancer. With education and awareness, we can help to combat the second leading cause of lung cancer.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas with no color, odor or taste. Radon can easily enter homes and other buildings through small openings like cracks in foundations, crawl spaces and openings around pumps and drains. Approximately half of all homes in Colorado have radon levels above the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Radon Action Level, and our state ranks among the highest in the nation for radon levels due to its above-average, naturally occurring uranium soil content.
GUEST COLUMN
ast, health educator, tness trainer and non-smoker.
Her diagnosis was a mystery until her son, an environmental engineer, noted that Mrs. Onda spent a lot of time in her basement gym and asked if she had ever tested their home for radon. Based on that conversation, Heidi tested her home and discovered elevated radon levels above the threshold of 4 pico curies (pCi/L). Using CDPHE’s list of accredited mitigators, she immediately installed a radon mitigation system in her home. Mrs. Onda has since gone on to establish the White Ribbon Project, a grassroots lung cancer awareness and advocacy organization.
DOYLE
is widespread public school choice fosters a competitive environment that incentivizes schools to enhance their o erings and learning outcomes in order to attract and retain students. is dynamic bene ts families by expanding their educational options and elevates the overall quality of public education throughout the state.
Colorado has also embraced innovation in education by supporting homeschooling and microschools, which o er small, supervised learning groups.
As National School Choice Week
NORTON
We encourage homeowners to retest radon levels, even if they received a low test result in the past, as a variety of factors can change radon entry pathways. Living in a home with Colorado’s average level of radon is like having 200 chest X-rays each year. Residents who spend a lot of time at home, such as remote workers, may be especially susceptible to the e ects of elevated radon levels. e impacts of elevated levels of radon are especially concerning for people with a history of smoking and/or a family history of lung cancer.
One Coloradan’s personal experience
Colorado resident Heidi Onda was diagnosed with Stage 3A lung cancer in October 2018 despite being a lifelong health enthusi-
We at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment strongly urge Colorado residents to test their homes for radon using a free radon test kit. If your home has high levels of radon, it’s important to take action to reduce your risk. Radon mitigation systems can reduce radon levels in any home. For those who cannot a ord a mitigation system, Colorado o ers a Low Income Radon Mitigation Assistance program to homeowners who qualify through a simple application process.
More information is available on the CDPHE website: ColoradoRadon.info.
is guest column was written by Margaret Horton, the coordinator of the Colorado Radon Program in the Colorado Department of Health and Environment.
Imagine how di erent your life could be if you adopted this mindset consistently. What if every time you faced a di cult decision, you acted immediately? What if you tackled tasks today instead of pushing tasks to the future? You’d experience less stress, more con dence, and greater control over your life.
Tomorrow starts today. Always remember that. e path to accomplishment isn’t paved with intentions or plans for the future; it’s built with actions taken in the present. Whatever is on your list, whether
celebrated its 15th year at the end of January, there is much to celebrate in Colorado. Yet, this is also a pivotal moment to plan for a future that expands educational opportunities. Now is the time to engage, collaborate, and act. We need to work together as parents and advocates to create a state where every Colorado child thrives academically and achieves their fullest potential.
Shelby Doyle is the vice president of public awareness at the National School Choice Awareness Foundation, the 501(c)(3) nonpro t organization that hosts National School Choice Week each January and maintains the nation’s largest online portfolio of English- and Spanish-language school navigation resources.
it’s a task you’ve been avoiding, a decision you’ve delayed, or a conversation you’ve dreaded, take the rst step now. Don’t let procrastination rob you of the success and peace you deserve.
As you look at your to-do list today, remember: the frog isn’t going to get any prettier. I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com. And when we live life with the philosophy that tomorrow begins with today, it really will be a better-than-good life.
Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.
The Su ragette’s Murder By Sandy Rustin
Directed by Margot Bordelon
FROM PAGE 10
PRESERVING THE MAGIC
BY RYLEE DUNN
Over 50 years since Pong burst onto the gaming scene and 30 years since the Sony PlayStation changed the trajectory of the eld, small independent arcades featuring scores of vintage games continue to thrive throughout the Denver metro area.
In many cases, unassuming exteriors give way to dimly lit interiors with memorabilia-adorned walls, locally sourced libations, and, of course, the ashing lights, exclamative sound e ects and controller clatter of the arcade’s reserve of classic games. ere’s something, perhaps, a bit more impersonal when the venue gets scaled up in a corporate chain setting.
To its credit, many Denver-area locales have managed to preserve the magic of these establishments.
Jason Ungate, owner of e Tabletop Tap in Englewood, credits the
thriving local arcade scene with the renaissance of interest in classic games.
“ e Denver-metro area has a handful of very unique arcades which all o er something a little bit di erent,” Ungate said. “( e) 1Up (Arcade Bar) has a thorough lineup of arcade games that invoke the feeling of the ‘80s via their classic game lineup. Akihabara (Arcade and Bar) gives locals the chance to experience a Japanese-themed spot with candy cabs and other games you’d never see in an American arcade.
“We at Tabletop Tap marry board games with video games and console games, a mishmash of multiple nerdy elements,” Ungate continued. “ ese places and more o er unique experiences, both for the generations that may have grown up with them, and the younger generations who are just encountering them for the rst time.”
While Akihabara and 1Up both keep Westminster’s gaming community satiated, the metro area abounds
with unique shops in other locales as well. Up in the foothills, Wild Game Entertainment Experience in Evergreen has everything from bowling to arcade games, while Blizzard Mountain Pinball specializes in the kind of wizardry e Who immortalized in 1969.
Over in Arvada, dueling Olde Town arcade establishments Secret Level and Super Zoom Bang Bang cater to di erent demographics; the former includes a bar and is generally open a couple of hours later than its counterpart, which primarily caters to younger kids and doubles as a toy story.
Holly Nikolich owns the Colorado Pinball Pub in Littleton (with another location in Monument) and opened the shop with her husband as an outgrowth of sorts of their annual pinball festival, the Rocky Mountain Pinball Showdown and Gameroom Expo, which is entering its 21st year this year.
The Tabletop Tap’s decor features nods to the past, like this classic Pizza Hut light fixture. COURTESY OF THE TABLETOP TAP
rado Pinball Pub as a year-long home for the folks who enjoy our annual pinball festival.
“ e once-a-year festival brings together the pinball and gaming community from across Colorado, neighboring states, and beyond,” Nikolich continued.
A longtime love of games seems to be a common thread with shopkeepers.
Ungate said he and his wife, Kristin, had been collecting classic games like Joust, Battlezone and Frogger, and eventually set out to combine their love of classic games with their love of board games in what would become Tabletop Tap.
ARCADES
“We’re long-timers in the pinball and gaming world and are proud to bring the arcade and whiskey community together with the Colorado Pinball Pubs,” Nikolich said. “My husband and I opened Colo-
“We wanted to create a place that was clean and welcoming, but also full of nostalgia for the ‘80s and the ‘90s,” Ungate said. “We o er over 250 board games, a small but rotating collection of arcade games.”
Ungate also said that he, like many other arcade owners, seeks to foster community at the arcade, even going so far as to host community nights such as a monthly Mario Kart tournament, a “nerdy book club,” and a video game book club.
he says caters to both gaming veterans and young people looking for community.
Velasquez also said that the advent of arcade chains — such as Round One in Littleton, Immersive Gamebox in Den-
ver and Main Event in Highlands Ranch, ornton, Colorado Springs and Windsor — has allowed corporations to gain a foothold in the industry, though he posits that these establishments are more focused on alternative revenue streams
“(Arcade) chains are more focused on making money in other ways, like through drinks and food sales,” Velasquez said. “I think local shops put more of an emphasis on the games and keeping up the games over time.”
Nevertheless, the independent arcade scene in Denver seems to be thriving, and hopefully won’t be ceding way to its corporate competition anytime soon.
Channel 3 Retro Gaming Center in Lakewood o ers classic arcade fun for all ages. COURTESY OF CHANNEL
Tetris is just one of the many arcade games o ered at The Tabletop Tap. COURTESY OF THE TABLETOP TAP
COURTESY OF THE TABLETOP TAP
The 1985 arcade classic Gauntlet at The Tabletop Tap. COURTESY OF CHANNEL 3 RETRO GAMING CENTER
Fun characters make ‘Ayesha at Last’ a blast
It’s February, Valentine’s Day is around the corner and love is in the air. For a fun read with some interesting social commentary, try the wonderful “Ayesha at Last” by Uzma Jalaluddin. Jalaluddin has creatively transported “Pride and Prejudice” to a modern day Muslim community in Toronto, where free-spirited Ayesha and conservative Khalid meet, annoy each other, and yet somehow nd themselves continually thrown together. Fabulous characters, great dialogue and a sweet romance with a lot of depth made this one of my favorite books of 2019. When I read it again recently, I was still laughing out loud. Ayesha is succeeding in her job as a substitute teacher, but longs to become a working poet. She lives with her supportive family, including her mother, brother and her wonderful, wise, and somewhat mischievous grandparents Nana and Nani.
Ayesha also has what amounts to another family that includes her aunt, uncle and cousins. Her ighty cousin Hafsa is participating in an arranged marriage process, which a ects everyone in the extended family in di erent ways. Khalid, on the other hand, lacks this
ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Quinn
kind of family support. He lives with his awful mother, Farzana, and his father has recently died. Farzana is extremely conservative and wants an arranged marriage for Khalid. Khalid’s beloved sister, Zareena, is mysteriously absent after being sent away for not acting as a proper Muslim girl should, at least in Farzana’s opinion.
Ayesha is generally a tolerant person, but Khalid brings out the worst in her, so when she hears gossip about Khalid and his family, she judges him harshly. ough Khalid is a kind person and means well, his sti manner and lack of a conversational lter often land him in trouble. He o ends Ayesha at their rst meeting by voicing his unfounded assumptions about her. However, they are destined to keep meeting, and despite many hurdles, disagreements and misunderstandings, fall in love at last.
One of the things I like the most about this book is that although the romance between Ayesha and Khalid is at the cen-
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ter, it has many other storylines that add richness and fullness to the plot. In other words, love and romance are important, but so is friendship, family, tolerance and acting with integrity.
Also important is the ability to question the quality and validity of your beliefs. ere are strong themes relating to the damage done by keeping secrets, both within the family and otherwise, the need for equality and freedom in all cultures, and the danger of imposing your beliefs on others.
Although this book is lled with joy and lighthearted humour, the author does not shy away from important issues, and allows her characters to grow and expand. is is the best kind of book, a book that takes you on a fabulous journey and expands your knowledge of the world while you laugh all the way through.
Join us for Black History Month Book Buzz from noon to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb.18 at Virginia Village Branch Library.
Janet Quinn is a librarian at Virginia Village Branch Library. She loves walking, hiking and being in nature. She also likes reading, thinking and talking about books.
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Janet
CROWSSUPDRO
1. TELEVISION: What is the name of the spaceship on the TV drama “Fire y”?
2. GEOGRAPHY: What is the only tropical rainforest in the United States?
3. LITERATURE: What is the title of author Oscar Wilde’s only complete novel?
4. MOVIES: What is the name of the killer in the movie “Silence of the Lambs”?
5. SCIENCE: What are the three branches of science?
6. AD SLOGANS: Which fast-food chain’s slogan is, “What you crave”?
7. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: How many NFL teams are named after animals (including birds)?
8. U.S. STATES: In which state is the U.S. Naval Academy located?
9. ASTRONOMY: How many constellations are visible from Earth?
10. ART: What is the Japanese art of arranging owers called?
TrIVIa
Answers
1. Serenity.
2. El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico.
3. “ e Picture of Dorian Gray.”
4. Bu alo Bill.
5. Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and Formal Sciences.
6. White Castle.
7. 14 (Atlanta Falcons, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks).
8. Maryland.
9. 88.
10. Ikebana.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
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Broncos Towing, 303-722-3555 (office) will be applying for title to the following vehicles, abandoned.
1) 1976 whit camper vin 1081DA
Legal Notice No. DHD 3430
First Publication: January 30, 2025
Last Publication: February 20, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Notice to Creditors
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of LARRY DARNELL HILL, aka LARRY D. HILL, aka LARRY HILL Deceased
Case Number: 2025PR30000
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before May 30, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Patricia Hill, Personal Representative c/o 3i Law, LLC
2000 S. Colorado Blvd. Tower 1, Suite 10000 Denver, CO 80222
Legal Notice No. DHD 3435
First Publication: January 30, 2025
Last Publication: February 13, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Jane E. Wasson, also known as Jane Edmondson Wasson, Deceased
Case Number: 2025PR30009
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before June 6, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Kate B. Wasson
Co-Personal Representative
3060 S. Adams Street
Denver, Colorado 80210
AND Mary O. Wasson
Co-Personal Representative 10594 N. 65th Street
Longmont, Colorado 80503
Legal Notice No. DHD 3445
First Publication: February 6, 2025
Last Publication: February 20, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Jose Piñon, aka Joe Piñon, Deceased Case Number 2024 PR 31157
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the Probate Court of Denver County, Colorado on or before May 30, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Name of Person Giving Notice: Sofia Wishard and Mary Montoya
Co-Personal Representatives
Address: 2300 E. 84th Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80229
Legal Notice No. DHD 3434
First Publication: January 30, 2025
Last Publication: February 13, 2025 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of PETER C. TRIPP, a/k/a PETER TRIPP, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR31523
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before June 6, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Jeffrey D. McDowell
Personal Representative 5275 South Dayton Street Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Legal Notice No. DHD 3444
First Publication: February 6, 2025
Last Publication: February 20, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
In the Matter of the Estate of:
CYNTHIA D. STEWART, aka Cynthia Danette Stewart, aka Cindy Stewart, aka Cynthia Stewart, Deceased Case Number: 2024-PR-31504
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Denver County, Colorado on or before June 6, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Dated this 22nd day of January, 2025.
DANIEL RICHARD KIRBY
Personal Representative to the Estate 12812 County Road 118 Kiowa, Colorado 80117
Legal Notice No. DHD 3440
First Publication: February 6, 2025
Last Publication: February 20, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Dwight M. Heffner, also known as Dwight Heffner, and Dwight Morgan Heffner, Deceased Case No: 2024PR31429
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to te Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before May 30, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Charles Heffner, Personal Representative 110 Capstan Street Jamestown, RI 02835
Legal Notice No. DHD 3431
First Publication: January 30, 2025
Last Publication: February 13, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
ESTATE OF STACEY JAVAZON, Deceased, Case Number: 2024PR31276
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to Probate Court of the District Court, City & County of Denver, State of Colorado on or before June 6, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Shelley Thompson, Esq. on behalf of the
Personal Representative for the Estate of Stacy Javazon Law Office of Shelley Thompson 6400 S. Fiddlers Green Circle, #300 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 (720) 716-5677
Legal Notice No. DHD 3442
First Publication: February 6, 2025
Last Publication: February 20, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of LORETTA LAVERN KING, aka LORETTA L. KING, Deceased Case Number 2024PR30001
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before May 30, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Tamra A. Palmer Attorney to the Personal Representative c/o 6060 Greenwood Plaza Blvd #200 Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Legal Notice No. DHD 3427
First Publication: January 23, 2025 Last Publication: February 6, 2025 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Thomas Wayne Travis, a/k/a Thomas Travis, a/k/a Tom Travis, a/k/a Thomas W. Travis, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR31550
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before May 30, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Michael A. Rubridge, Personal Representative c/o Arlene S. Barringer, Esq. GLA TSTEIN & OBRIEN, LLP 2696 S. Colorado Blvd., Suite 350 Denver, Colorado 80222
Legal Notice No. DHD 3433
First Publication: January 30, 2025 Last Publication: February 13, 2025 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
MEOW WOLF
“We are excited to build on the successes of 2024 through enhanced guest experience o erings, new seasonal programming, world-class special events and concerts, and the continued popularity of our annual Portal Pass,” Vollrath said. is year, Meow Wolf Denver will continue its “deep engagement and support of local artists and the arts community through various activations.”
Vollrath said these activities include the Meow Wolf Makers workshops, the inexhibit Galleri Gallery and the Absolute Rubbish Trashion Shows, which celebrate local fashion designers using upcycled materials.
Johnson said the next featured artist of Galleri Gallery will be Denver-based photographer Shadows Gather, which will be
BUSINESSES
About $2.8 million was set aside in the city’s 2025 budget for grants, a gure that drew criticism from some city o cials for being too low.
e grants will compare at least 90 days of pre-construction revenue to revenue from the rst 90 days of construction and could award the di erence between the two. Businesses that sell cannabis are ineligible due to federal constraints.
e Colfax Avenue Business Improvement District is also fundraising for a micro-grant program.
on view beginning in February through April.
“It’s an ode in homage to the club,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be sound, it’s going to be conversation, it’s going to be photographs, and it’s going to be photos of people that Shadows has captured throughout their time of being here in Colorado.”
Meow Wolf Denver is also partnering with Shadows Gather for an event during Denver’s Month of Photography, a biennial festival in March that celebrates the art of photography with exhibits and events throughout the region.
e Shadows Gather Month of Photography event at Meow Wolf is Adulti-Verse Shutter Up and Smile: A Shadows Gather Takeover! It takes place at 5 p.m. March 5. Meow Wolf’s Adulti-Verse events are 21+ only and a valid ID must be presented. For more information on Meow Wolf Denver, visit meowwolf.com/visit/denver.
“ is isn’t going to keep someone in business, but maybe it’s going to help, maybe $1,000 is going to help them cover their grocery costs for the week or some of their payroll, or it pays part of the rent to just hopefully ease something for a small moment,” Moore said.
Still, some business owners are worried the grants aren’t adequate, especially compared to the substantial money given during the pandemic.
“I’d rather go through Covid again just because of those two relief packages,” said Barakos of Pete’s Kitchen.
Kaifo, of Shish Kabob Grill, believes survival depends on whether
Public Notices
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Philip Sheridan McCaleb, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR31403
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before May 7, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Dated: January 24, 2025
CURTIS LAW FIRM, LLC
/s/ Cory M. Curtis
Cory M. Curtis, #40549
Attorney to the Personal Representative
10333 E Dry Creek Rd, Suite 210
Englewood, CO 80112
720-263-4600 Fax: 303-482-2180 cmcurtis@cmcurtislaw.com
Legal Notice No. DHD 3441
First Publication: February 6, 2025
Last Publication: February 20, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
businesses can rouse customers to support them — like they did in the pandemic. In 2020, customers would call them just to throw money at them.
“People were thinking that because they didn’t want to lose the places that they appreciate,” he said. “ ey were worried about them being lost in the pandemic.”
For Kaifo and others, COVID and BRT construction are a brutal set of blows in a relatively short period. And only time will tell if it’s a knockout. is story is from Denverite, a Denver news site. Used by permission. For more, and to support Denverite, visit denverite.com.
Estate of Paul J. Hoenmans,
a/k/a Paul John Hoenmans, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR30005
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before June 6, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Person Giving Notice: John Paul Hoenmans 8720 Oakmere Court Roseville, CA 95747
Legal Notice No. DHD 3443
First Publication: February 6, 2025
Last Publication: February 20, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of GAIL ANN EMERSON, also known as GAIL A. EMERSON, and GAIL EMERSON, Deceased Case Number: 2024 PR 31498
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the PROBATE COURT OF CITY AND
COUNTY OF DENVER, COLORADO, on or before May 23, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
William Andrew Kenney Emerson, Jr.
Personal Representative 17 Whitney Road Stow, MA 01775
Legal Notice No. DHD 3425
First Publication: January 23, 2025
Last Publication: February 6, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Susan Ruth Kraus, a/k/a Susan Kraus, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR30007
All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before May 30, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Linda K. Crook, Personal Representative c/o Keith L. Davis, Esq. Davis Schilken, PC 1658 Cole Blvd., Ste. 200
Legal Notice No. DHD 3432
First Publication: January 30, 2025
Last Publication: February 13, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
Public Notice is given on January 22, 2025 that a Petition for a Change of Name of a Minor Child has been filed with the Denver County District Court in Case Number 2024CV33013.
The Petition requests that the name of Reese James Hesting be changed to Reese Analie Hesting
Date: January 22, 2025
By: District Court Magistrate Karen F. H.
Legal Notice No. DHD 3436
First Publication: January 30, 2025
Last Publication: February 13, 2025
Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch
The Bluebird Theater on East Colfax Avenue sits in the center of the Bluebird Business Improvement District. PHOTO BY MERYL PHAIR
Another world and position of the vast immersive exhibits at Meow Wolf Denver.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MEOW WOLF DENVER
