Life On
February 2019 FREE
CAPITOL HILL
A SPARK OF MEMORY Planting program helps Alzheimer’s patients
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WORKING AS ONE Womxn’s March promotes inclusivity
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FILLING THE CRACKS Nonprofit hopes to replace asphalt with green space
THE WIZARD IN DENVER Dorothy’s red slippers dance downtown
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BREAKING SCIENCE BARRIERS
Museum attracts volunteers to lab
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P4 A PUBLICATION OF
2 Life On Capitol Hill
February 2019 Nicole Garneau is a researcher at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science looking at how genetics can impact taste. In addition to her work at the museum, Garneau researches beer flavors and pairings.
TESTING OUT
TASTE Denver museum researcher breaks down barriers for volunteers
COURTESY OF DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE
A
By Kailyn Lamb | klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com
t the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, a small research lab is looking into how a person’s genetics impacts their sense of taste. The research can help determine
how people can pair healthy food with other things to make it taste better. But for Nicole Garneau, PhD, the study is also a way to bring more people to the table when it comes to science.
Garneau is curator of health sciences at DMNS. She first came to Colorado in 2004 when she was studying microbiology, specifically viruses, at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. The techniques for researching genetics are the same, but when Garneau joined the staff at DMNS, she joked that she “species hopped” from viruses to humans. What drew her to the museum, Garneau said, was the opportunity to communicate with the public. Although Garneau loves research, she also wants to show the everyday person how science can impact lives. The museum is an example of a place doing science “for the people, by the people.” But with genetics, there can be a little bit of a learning curve, she said. “We found through evaluations it’s incredibly hard to teach people about genetics when they’re not having it applied to their life,” Garneau said. “Everyone associates genetics with disease, when really it’s you. It’s part of you right now.” That’s where the Genes and Grains study came in. The study brought volunteers to see how the TAS2R4 gene affects the taste of wheat. The study is funded by Science Education Partnership Award from the National Institutes of Health. But the data is only part of the grant from the NIH, Garneau said. The museum is also looking at how studies use their volunteer scientists. The research is helping the museum look into how to break down barriers for volunteers, not only in the genetic studies, but in labs as well. Garneau said the research will help bring more diverse groups of people into studies. On the research side, Garneau said the study is also shaking things up. In the traditional scientific process, volunteers work in a linear fashion. They start with a question, do some tests to answer the question, and so on. But that method only works for people who are interested in becoming scientists like herself, Garneau said. “When you have volunteers, they have different motivations,” she said. “What we learned is our community scientists don’t want to be me.” Instead, the DMNS is catering what the volunteers do to their specific skill sets
or interests. Volunteers have been more invested when they feel they are bringing something back to the study, Garneau said. This new method has also lead to some discoveries in the study. During data analysis involving the papillae, or bumps on the tongue, volunteers noticed that a 20-year-old method of collecting information was giving subjective results. Without a large number of volunteers looking at the information, that may have been overlooked, Garneau said. The lab has now created a new method of collecting data, which has become the research standard. Discovering new information was one of Garneau’s goals in the study. “We really wanted this, the work that the public is being involved in, and our lab is actually something that is going to build the knowledge base of how the human body works,” she said. In the world of food pairings, Garneau is researching hop roasting in different beers. Pairing research can be complex, she added. Most scientific pairing data is done in a lab. The problem is that so much of flavor and how a person tastes food can be affected by the world around them, she said. Pairing can help people find a way to eat a food item they wouldn’t typically eat by itself, such as blue cheese. “Really, it just opens up the doors to how we’re studying flavor,” she said. “The beauty of a pairing is the sum is so much more than the separate pieces.” In addition to breaking down barriers in studies, Garneau hopes to reduce barriers for women and minorities interested in making a career in the sciences. The problem is not necessarily getting those people into those fields, she said. It’s supporting them once they are there. Garneau has personally felt the pressures of fitting into the mold of the ideal scientist. She’s been told to be less bubbly or wear less make-up during presentations and talks she’s giving. Making people feel like they have to change makes them feel like they don’t belong, she said. “You don’t have to change who you are,” Garneau said, “to be successful.”
Life On Capitol Hill 3
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4 Life On Capitol Hill
February 2019
WALTZING INTO
GREEN SPACE Uptown nonprofit hopes to raise funds for planting, asphalt removal
The Turnverein, an Uptown dance focused nonprofit, is raising funds to replace an area of cracked asphalt on the north side of its building with greenspace and plants. COURTESY OF THE TURNVEREIN
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Organization for the area. The two organizations called it the Greenverein project. Although Uptown on the Hill and the Turnverein did not n Clarkson Street in Upreceive the grant they applied for, it town sits the eye-catching did help get the ball rolling on fundTurnverein building. The raising initiatives, Hopper said. yellow stucco building is Since then, the nonprofit has lined with large bay style windows, launched a Go Fund Me page, and which offer glances in to the open held a silent auction to raise money dance floor. The historic building is for plants in the Greenverein project, home to several dance groups, from swing to tango. But on the north side and to possibly remove the asphalt there. So far, Hopof the building, located at 1570 N. Clarkson St., TO LEARN MORE per estimated the nonprofit has raised the asphalt is crumbling around $4,000 of a and uneven. For more information on As a nonprofit, money the Go Fund Me page, vis- $15,000 goal. Hopper added that is tight, said Judy Hopit https://www.gofundme. staff at the Turnverein per, the executive direccom/greenverein. are deciding if they tor of the Turnverein. will do other fundraising events Although she said members knew like the silent auction held last year. something needed to be done to make the cracked asphalt look better, The nonprofit will also promote the Greenverein efforts on its social it wasn’t high on the list of priorities. “We’ve lost several trees to disease. media pages. The nonprofit is also working with We really want to clean it up because its neighbor, the Fillmore Auditoit will make the area look nicer,” rium, Hopper said. On nights where Hopper said. “If you look across the there is a show at the Fillmore, street on 16th they have grass and guests line up on Clarkson Street trees. Our part, it needs some work.” toward East 16th Avenue. Since both The Turnverein started in 1865. organizations use the sidewalk there, The nonprofit focuses on dance Hopper said she wanted to make education, and is named for clubs sure that whatever green space is that promoted social and physical there works for both. activity. What the Turnverein can do with Last year, Judy Trompeter, presithe space also depends on how much dent of Uptown on the Hill, offered to help get the project off the ground money it raises. Hopper said she hopes to put plants in later this year. by applying for a grant that would “We’ll see how much money we help the organization add green have and what we can do, and go space to the lot. Uptown on the Hill from there,” she said. is the Registered Neighborhood By Kailyn Lamb
klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com
O
Life On Capitol Hill 5
February 2019
Business Matters By Kailyn Lamb | klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com Business Matters is a monthly column on the changing landscape of business and development in north Denver. If there are any inquiries on new developments in your area, or if you are a local business wishing to highlight an upcoming milestone, email Kailyn Lamb at klamb@ coloradocommunitymedia.com.
StretchLab A California-based stretching studio is heading to Cherry Creek next month. The studio will be located at 3201 E. Second Ave. StretchLab offers assisted stretching meant to counter imbalances or tightness in the body, according to the website. It can also help people with flexibility and range of motion.
BUSINESS OPENINGS
CLOSINGS
Zocalito After 14 years in Aspen, Mexican restaurant Zocalito has made its way down the mountain and into downtown Denver. The restaurant opened in January at 999 18th St. The restaurant announced it would be moving to Denver late last year. “After 14 years in Aspen, we look forward to the opportunity to continue to share the ingredients and culinary traditions of our beloved Oaxaca, at Zocalito’s new downtown location,” said chef and owner Michael Beary in a news release.
Beta Beta closed its doors on Jan. 5. The nightclub operated in Lower Downtown for nearly 11 years. Beta was located at 1909 Blake St. and frequently made national and local lists for high-ranking clubs. “It is with love and adoration for our community that we close the curtains on an amazing show we affectionately call Beta Nightclub,” the owners wrote in a post on the website. “It has been a source of great pride that we have had the privilege to provide a place filled with magic for our thousands of fans, countless DJs and faithful staff, promoters and partners.”
Broadway Market The Golden Triangle’s food hall has set an opening date. Broadway Market will open on Feb. 15, according to a news release. The release also announced several new vendors joining the food hall. Maria Empanada, will open its fifth location in the food hall. Empanadas are pastries filled with meat, cheese or vegetables. Wonder, a Boulderbased smoothie shop will also be opening, along with Little Noodle Pasta Co. Broadway Market is located at 950 Broadway. For more information on the food hall, read Life on Capitol Hill’s December article, http:// lifeoncaphill.com/stories/a-culinary-adventure,273982?. We Work We Work leased 18,000 square feet from the Finance House in Cherry Creek, 205 Detroit St. It will be the ninth location for the company in the Denver area. We Work offers co-working spaces for individuals or small companies. It is headquartered in New York City and has office space available across the country. We Work will take the second and third floors of the Finance House, according to the Denver Business Journal. The company’s website lists the Cherry Creek location, but does not have leasing information available at this time. B Bar MD Uptown now has a new type of beauty bar, which its owner, Helen Yeon, is hoping will bring convenience into cosmetic medical injections. Yeon said she wanted the business to be easy and convenient for all her patients. “I wanted to make it almost like getting gas,” said Yeon of her new business. Yeon, who has more than a decade of experience in medical aesthetics, offers several non-surgical options such as Botox. The business is located at 1801 Williams St. To learn more, visit https://www.bbarmd.com/. OK POKE Last month, Zeppelin Station announced a new restaurant for its food hall in a news release. Denver restaurateurs James Samara, Brendan McManus and Bobby Morgan created the OK POKE concept specifically for the food hall at Zeppelin Station, the release said. The restaurant will offer sushi-quality fish and rice bowls with add-in vegetables and garnishes.
Zocalito recently relocated from Aspen to downtown Denver. The restaurant was in the mountain town for 14 years. COURTESY OF ANNETTE SLADE
“Poke has gotten away from what made it popular in the first place: simple, fresh and nutrient-rich ingredients,” Samara said in the release. Untuckit Colorado is getting a second Untuckit shop, which offers casual shirts meant to be worn untucked. The men’s clothing brand is set to open a shop in the Cherry Creek Shopping Center early this year. The other Untuckit store is located in the Park Meadows mall. The Cherry Creek Shopping Center has the store listed as “coming soon” on its website. It will be located on the lower level of the mall.
Three Lions The Three Lions, a soccer bar on Colfax Avenue, has officially closed its doors. The bar opened at 2239 E. Colfax Ave. in 2011. The bar is rebranding as a more traditional sports bar, according to its parent company. Little Pub Co. Colfax Sports and Brew is set to open sometime this month. Little Pub Co. also owns the British Bulldog, another soccer-themed pub on Stout Street.
Denver Drumz A longtime Congress Park drumming school has moved to the Baker neighborhood at 420 Broadway. Owner JB Maroncelli wrote on the Denver Drumz Facebook page that he outgrew his space in Congress Park and is hoping the new space on Broadway will bring more visibility to his drum school. He expects to open the first week of this month. The space is 5,000 square feet and has room for studio space and band rentals. Maroncelli launched a Go Fund Me in 2017 to help raise money for the new space. So far, he has raised $1,000 of a $10,000 goal. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/2UhQJE2. Cho77 The former South Broadway restaurant opened its doors downtown late last month. Cho77 closed at 42 S. Broadway in September, and reopened in January at 1555 Blake St. Cho77, which is operated by ChoLon Restaurant Concepts, offers Asian-style street food. BorraCho Tacos, which is owned by the same restaurant group, is open in the former Cho77 space. Aviano Coffee A second Aviano Coffee shop has opened in Cherry Creek North. The new location is at 215 St. Paul St. The other location, at 244 Detroit St., has been there since 2010. The company opened its first shop in 2006.
IT’S AN
EMERGENCY UNTIL YOU HAVE EXPERT ANSWERS.
Tough Mudder Tough Mudder, a company known for its obstacle races across the nation, is set to open an indoor gym in the City Park neighborhood. The Denver gym, at 3805 E. Colfax Ave., is listed on the Tough Mudder Bootcamp website, along with 15 other locations across the nation. Locations in Las Vegas, Houston and Massachusetts are already open. The gym is expected to open next month, according to BusinessDen. Lovely Bride A bridal shop is set to extend into a full shop this month in the River North neighborhood. The Lovely Bride started as a pop-up shop at 3377 Blake St. The full showroom is set to open at 2636 Walnut St. Brides set appointments to go through the collection of dresses. Stylists help them select the dress. The shop does not tailor dresses or do alterations. Snarfburger Snarf ’s, a Boulder-based chain of sandwich shops, is set to open its first Denver location of its sister shop, Snarfburger. The Capitol Hill Snarf ’s, located at East 11th Avenue and Ogden Street, moved into the location next door in the building. The spot was previously home to a laundromat, which closed in early 2016. Since then, Snarf ’s has been teasing the opening of Snarfburger. The sandwich chain first opened in Boulder in 1996. It expanded into burgers in 2013. The first Snarfburger opened in Boulder. The Capitol Hill location is one of two Snarfburgers planned for Denver. The other is set to open on Federal Boulevard.
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6 Life On Capitol Hill
February 2019
Ginny Sedneck stands on the sidewalk at East 13th Avenue, holding her signs as marchers turned the corner onto Broadway. The Womxn’s March held a pre-march rally before people followed a short route downtown to Civic Center Park, where there were post-march speakers and art events. PHOTOS BY KAILYN LAMB
Marching with a new name, new focus Changes made after new leadership takes over the event women’s event
“We really helped get it off the ground, and this leadership team has a lot more professional experience in community organizing and communication,” she said. “That’s really the direction we all wanted it to go in.”
By Casey Van Divier
Broader focus This is not the only way the march has changed since it began in 2017. The march, which was previously an LLC, restructured as a 501(c)(3) in 2018. “There’s the familiarity of `nonprofit’ and also the space to say we really are working for what’s coming next,” Astle said. Hoping to raise attendance and re-energize the movement, the team sought to build their organization around more than just the day of the march. “We can have multiple days of action and a multiyear plan for what we want to accomplish,” Byrd said. “We’re open to whatever we and the community want this to be.” The leadership team incorporated a number of changes in response to community input, such as a detailed site map and increased accessibility for those with limited mobility. The march in Denver was not the only one to see a name change. Seattle’s march, for example, also added an x to its name.
caseyvandivier@yahoo.com
A
s she helped coordinate the 2019 Womxn’s March in Denver, Regan Byrd noticed a trend among previous attendees. “Some folks were disenchanted from the first march to the second march, saying it didn’t feel like we built up on the momentum,” Byrd said. She added that participation dropped from 2017 to 2018. Womxn’s March Denver estimates that more than 180,000 attended the first march, while attendees at the second marched numbered in the tens of thousands. This year, however, the trend was reversed when a crowd of protesters gathered at Civic Center Park on Jan. 19. The protesters were dressed for the 30-degree weather and armed with the essentials: signs, Starbucks cups, and for a few, their dogs — some of whom had signs of their own. Colorado women came to the march hoping to make their voices heard by politicians — whether they
Celia Gonzalez stands at the front of the Womxn’s March before it was set to start. Gonzalez came to the March with her mother to represent Indigenous voices. were fighting for reproductive rights, climate-change awareness or for the rights of the LGBTQ community and women of color. This year’s Womxn’s March Denver drew an estimated 80,000 attendees, according to march leadership team member Angela Astle. The event also received sponsorships and major donations from nearly 20 organizations. The name of the march — which previously had featured the word “women’s” — was new this year. Members of the leadership team
Frances Schilt waves to people along the route of the Womxn’s March. She, along with several other volunteers from the Molly Brown House Museum in Denver dressed as suffragettes in honor of the occasion.
decided to incorporate an x into the name to promote inclusivity. The Denver event got its start at the end of 2016. Colorado women Jessica Rogers, Cheetah McClellan and Karen Hinkel were inspired by the national march and came together to organize a local one. Though none of the three women had experience organizing rallies, “toward the end of it, we figured it out,” Rogers said. “So many things got done by so many volunteers,” she said. “The hardest part was probably volunteer
management — and that was managed by a volunteer.” The widespread enthusiasm for the march manifested in other ways, as well; Rogers said the women received more than $100,000 in online contributions for the 2017 march. As this amount exceeded the cost of the march, surplus funds were donated to various nonprofits. After two years of leading the charge in organizing the march, the three founders have taken a step back, with Rogers now serving as an adviser for the new leadership team.
SEE MARCH, P7
Life On Capitol Hill 7
February 2019
March
FROM PAGE 6
In 2018, Colorado was the first state to allow gender nonconforming individuals to select an ‘x’ as their gender identifier on driver’s licenses and identification cards. Therefore, those organizing the march felt the x would be an appropriate symbol for inclusivity and intersectionality. “We knew that the march had not been as inclusive as it could have been at the beginning,” Byrd said. To change this, the leadership not only changed the name of the march but made an effort to include more diverse speakers and performers in the pre-rally and postrally. “It’s not just about one `ism,’” Byrd said. “It’s about racism and sexism and classism. We need to understand how to dismantle all of those.” “Being included and recognized in this just makes me feel I’m a part of something much bigger,” said Ty May Kranz, who gave a speech at the march. Kranz identifies as non-binary and Latinx — with the `x’ standing in place of the `o’ in Latino. “I feel like there’s somewhere for me now,” Kranz said. The focus on inclusivity reflects an aspiration among leadership to affect as much positive change in the community as possible and to identify what that goal entails. “I think it’s really about trying to figure out what the Womxn’s Mach is best suited for. It’s still trying to find its personality,” Rogers said. She added that one of the ways the march has excelled has been in “achieving earnest community dialogue.” “We’re moving towards how this march can represent everything it can,” agreed leadership team member Brenda Herrera Moreno. ‘Everyone’s rights’ Certainly, those who came out to the march had this same broad focus on social and political issues. While the individuals all attended the march in the name of progress, the issues that inspired them to march varied from person to person. “We wanted to raise awareness for missing and murdered indigenous women,” said Denver resident Yolanda Begay. Begay, who attended the march with family and friends, was also interested in bringing to light the way pollution hurts the climate and setting a positive example for her children. Likewise, many marchers said they had come to march because of their daughters. Arvada resident Mindy Mohr, who has two daughters in their 20s, said one reason she marched was to make the country a better place for them. “Our country has swung so far toward the irresponsible and hateful, we see it’s time to move things back the other way,” she said. Others, like Littleton residents Chris and Kristen Sorrells, brought their children to the march. “I’m here so they grow up realizing that if they want to affect change, they’re able to,” Sorrells said of his three daughters, Addie, Harper and Hannah. “They have a voice and they should be heard,” he said. “It’s not just women who should be standing up for women’s rights. It should be all of us, and for everyone’s rights.”
The Sorrell and Wiggins families from Littleton braved the cold for the Womxn’s March to teach their daughters how to use their voices to speak out in society. PHOTOS BY KAILYN LAMB
Kelsey Duckett holds a sign during the Womxn’s March. This year’s event changed the name to “Womxn’s” to make the march more inclusive to the LGBTQ community and women of color.
From left, Kathy Zaleski, Heather Tomlins and Jess Richardson attended the Womxn’s March at the Capitol Building in Denver. Zaleski said she thought it was important that March promoted inclusivity this year.
People crowd behind the Womxn’s March banner on Bannock Street in Civic Center Park. Organizers estimated that 80,000 people attended this year’s event.
8 Life On Capitol Hill
February 2019
Denver district, teachers union back in talks Wait for decision on state intervention delays strike
KEEP UP TO DATE This was the most recent development on the possible strike of Denver Public School teachers as of press time Jan. 30 for Life on Capitol Hill. For updates and continuing developments, go to www.lifeoncaphill.com or https://www.facebook.com/lifeoncaphill.
By Erica Meltzer, Melanie Asmar Chalkbeat.org
Editor’s note: This story was written before Life on Capitol Hill’s press deadline. The Denver Public Schools district and the teachers union went back to the bargaining table on Jan. 31 as they continue to await word on whether Gov. Jared Polis will intervene in their pay dispute. The Denver Classroom Teachers Association offered the date, which is notable because union officials previously had cast doubts on the value of ongoing negotiations unless the district is willing to come up with more money for teacher pay. Ahead of the meeting, union Executive Director Pam Shamburg said the union had no confirmation from the district that it would offer more money, but that officials had said “everything is on the table.” “We are willing to come to the table in a good-faith effort to get a deal done,” Shamburg said. The two sides have been in a bit of a holding pattern. After the teachers union voted to go on strike, the district requested state intervention in the hopes that a mediator or fact-finder could help broker a deal. The union opposes intervention
cost of that schedule. To do so, it looked at numbers from neighboring Aurora Public Schools, whose salary schedule is similar to the one proposed by the union. “It’s the same financial model we’ve always been using,” Ferrandino said — just updated. Shamburg, meanwhile, does not believe the new information makes the model more accurate because it’s not based on Denver teachers.
Newly announced DPS Superintendent Susana Cordova, left, and Ron Cabrera, the interim superintendent listen to teachers speak at a community meeting in December. Teacher voted for a strike last month. KAILYN LAMB and is preparing its members to walk off the job to pressure the district to meet its demands. Teachers cannot legally strike while a decision about state intervention is pend-
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ing. Polis has encouraged the district and the union to continue negotiating while state officials decide whether to intervene. Denver Public Schools Superintendent Susana Cordova said in late January that the district was eager to return to the table, but no date had been set at that time. The date setting came on the same day as a conference call on Jan. 29 between representatives of the governor’s office, the state labor department, the district and the state teachers union. Feedback in conference call Shamburg characterized the conference call as an opportunity to get feedback from the governor after his Office of State Planning and Budgeting did its own analysis of the two sides’ competing proposals, which differ in philosophy and cost. Colorado Education Association President Amie Baca-Oehlert and a researcher with the state teachers union were on the call on behalf of the union. District spokesperson Anna Alejo added that Polis set up the call to make sure there was clarity on the cost of the two sides’ proposals. Throughout the negotiations, it has often seemed as if the district and the union are not operating from the same set of facts, such as how much each proposal will cost over the long run, how many teachers would take advantage of opportunities for raises, or how different policies affect teacher retention. In its filing asking the state to stay out, the Denver Classroom Teachers Association said the district had “effectively unraveled” months of negotiations based on shared assumptions by introducing “a completely different financial model.” Mark Ferrandino, the Denver district’s chief financial officer, said that far from introducing a different financial model, the district was engaged in a good-faith effort to come up with more accurate assumptions about where teachers would fall on the proposed salary schedule and the likely
Lack of trust apparent This kind of disagreement is emblematic of the lack of trust between the two sides and of the competing claims that state officials are weighing as they decide whether to intervene. The state cannot impose an agreement on the district and the union, but it can require the two sides to participate in mediation, conduct independent fact-finding, or hold public hearings in an effort to broker a deal. Cher Haavind, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, which is the agency that would intervene, said the purpose of the joint call on Jan. 29 was to share information and better understand each side’s position. Haavind said one reason the law allows 14 days for the department to make a decision about whether to intervene is to provide an opportunity for the informal convening and information gathering “that helps us explore the value of intervening or not intervening.” Rumors have swirled that a decision by the department is imminent. Haavind said she does not expect the governor’s office and state labor officials to take the full two weeks to decide, but she stressed that no decision has been made and that officials are actively weighing evidence and monitoring events. “You have to be respectful of the process and the collective bargaining agreement and the working conditions,” she said. “We want to intervene if it’s helpful and we do not want to intervene if it will get in the way of negotiations.” She called the return to the bargaining table “positive.” Denver Public Schools and the Denver Classroom Teachers Association are negotiating an agreement that governs a system of bonuses and incentives that teachers receive on top of their base pay. The system is known as ProComp. As part of these negotiations, the union pushed the district to put an additional $30 million into teacher compensation. The district has offered more than $20 million, but the two sides are still roughly $8.5 million apart. They also have strong philosophical differences about how teacher compensation should be structured, with the district wanting to keep more money for bonuses and the union wanting smaller bonuses and larger base pay.
Life On Capitol Hill 9
February 2019
Chariot flames out
Micro-transit company shuts down two Denver lines
By Clarke Reader clarke.reader@hotmail.com
Denver residents and University of Denver students, faculty and staff will have to find new ways to make the first or last mile transit connections following the announcement that urban transport company Chariot will be shutting down. “In the new world of mobility solutions, the wants and needs of customers and cities are changing rapidly,” wrote Erin First, a spokesperson of the San Francisco-based Chariot, in an email interview. “As those changes continue, it has become clear that the mobility services delivered by Chariot over the past five years will not be a sustainable solution going forward.” Chariot was a micro-transit company, which is like Uber and Lyft but has 14-passenger vehicles instead of cars, according to Stuart Anderson, executive director of Transportation Solutions Foundation. The foundation works on transportation management and options in the city. The Ford-owned company’s closure is a result of a lack of long-term sustainability, according to First. In addition to San Francisco and Denver, Chariot also offered routes in numerous American such as Austin, Chicago and Seattle, as well as London, England. Chariot offered two programs in Denver: The first began running in July 2018 and provided routes for DU students, faculty and staff that would get them from the RTD light rail line to various campus buildings. The other began at the end of October and traveled between Cherry Creek and the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Service on these lines ended Jan. 27. DU started its year-long pilot program with Chariot to improve transportation around the campus, and as a way to cut down on usage of single-occupancy vehicles, explained James Rosner, associate vice chancellor for facilities, management and planning at DU. “We had something similar we were offering beforehand, but we wanted to use Chariot to see if there was a need on campus,” he said. “We found Chariot to be extremely successful and ridership was doubling every month.”
Chariot, a Ford-owned micro-transit company, stopped running its two Denver bus lines last month. The bus system offered routes around the University of Denver as well as one from Cherry Creek to Capitol Hill. COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF DENVER About 1,100 people on campus signed up to use the program and monthly totals started with 600 rides in July but had grown to about 2,000 in October, according to Rosner’s data. He said the university had every intention of renewing the contract when it ended and was even considering expanding service. “We were pretty disappointed and surprised when we got the call saying Chariot was closing down,” he said. “Now we’re scrambling a bit to find an alternative.” Denver has been looking for a microtransit concept for several years, according to Mary Beth Susman, councilmember for District 5. When Ford purchased Chariot, it seemed like a good time to launch a pilot program. The Cherry Creek route was filling in a need for people working in the area, Anderson added. “Cherry Creek is one of the largest employment centers for lower-income workers, mostly in the retail, hospitality and service industries,” Anderson wrote in an email interview. “Employees struggle getting to and from Cherry Creek because it is too costly to park and transit is somewhat limited to the
Grant helps homeless women start again Staff Report Last month, The Denver Foundation awarded a $20,000 grant to Volunteers of America in support of the Irving Street Women’s Residence, which serves 25 formerly homeless women, according to a news release. The program at Irving Street, located in the Westwood neighborhood in west Denver, helps chronically homeless women with disabilities or mental health issues. Some are also victims of domestic violence. Women are allowed to stay in the home as long as they need, the release said. The space allows the residents to care for themselves in a support-
ive community environment. “We are so grateful to have the support of organizations like The Denver Foundation, who enable so many women to rebuild their lives and find their forever home,” said Courtney Fischer, the Irving Street Women’s Residence Program coordinator, in the release. “We look forward to continuing our mission to serve those women most in need in Denver through this upcoming year.” In 2017, the program at the Irving Street Women’s Residence served 63 women. Staff from Volunteers of American help the women set goals to rebuild their lives and eventually find a home of their own.
Speer-First Avenue-Leetsdale corridor with fewer services in other directions.” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock offered $250,000 from the “Smart City” funds for the six-month pilot program, and Cherry Creek stakeholders put in $57,000 for the pilot. According to data provided by Anderson, 730 people downloaded the Chariot app for this service and about 110 riders used the service at least occasionally. Anderson added Transportation Solutions
is working with the city to find an alternative service to begin Feb. 1 and looking for other long-term programs to test out. The remaining funds can be returned to the city or be applied to one of the alternatives that is being considered. “Most people in Denver don’t go more than three or four miles a day, so we need to find convenient, inexpensive transit options for those first and last miles,” Susman said. “For now, we’re back to square one on this.”
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10 Life On Capitol Hill
LOCAL
February 2019
VOICES
In a world without memory, it’s easy to get lost
I
love “The Golden Girls.” The show brings together group of older women who are navigating aging, friendships and dating, and creates a family. But there is one episode in particular that breaks my heart. In season three of the show, the women celebrate Mother’s Day. Each character has a flashback to a special Mother’s Day moment that fits their quirks and personality. For Blanche, the memory is visiting her 89-year-old mother in a nursing home. But her mother has trouble remembering things and thinks Blanche is her other daughter. The longer I watch Blanche navigate her mother’s dementia, the more my heart aches. The saddest part for me is that I can’t remember exactly when my own grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. My first true memory of the disease taking over my family’s life was during a summer visit to Denver when I was in high school. My dad’s family had come in to town from Illinois. My grandma was an avid rummy player, and I loved to play with her when she came to visit.
FROM THE EDITOR
Kailyn Lamb
But when I asked her to play with me, she just looked confused. My dad gently pulled me to the side and said “Honey, she doesn’t remember how to play any more.” At the end of the episode of “The Golden Girls,” Blanche and her mother reconnect. In a moment of clarity, she remembers who Blanche is and they share a hug. From my own experience, I know those moments of memory are few and far between the longer someone lives with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s and dementia slowly leech the memories from the people we love. For my grandmother it started with small things, like forgetting where she was going while driving. She would remember certain faces and details. But after suffering from the disease for years, she began to pull herself out of the conversation, becoming quieter and quieter each time I saw her. If she didn’t know the answer to a question, she would reach her hand up and stroke the hair by her ear. The last time we were in Illinois to visit my grandparents and uncle, my dad found a box filled with photos of my grandmother’s family. My dad would
try to ask my grandma about photos of her siblings. Up went her hand, and my dad realized she couldn’t remember. Hold your loved ones close. Ask them questions about their past, their families and memories. Ask them while you still can, because you never know when it will be too late. More recently, my grandfather made the decision to move my grandmother into a home treating people with dementia. The decision has been rough on him, as well as my dad and uncle. But we all knew it was for the best: caring for my grandmother had become a full-time job. My uncle and grandfather visit her on Sundays. They tell her about her grandkids and my niece, who is her only great-grandbaby. In this issue there are stories from Denver and Centennial on programs helping people live with dementia and Alzheimer’s. In a world without memory it doesn’t take much to get lost and to feel alone. It warms my heart to see these organizations help our loved ones find their smiles again.
Reflections on 2018, looking forward in 2019
F Keeping the planet clean in February HELPER HERE AND NOW
Diana Helper
O
h, them Romans! It’s the Month of Purification and fumigation, as we all—now—know. We must think about where to start! The heavy equipment will move in soon. First, Feb. 1, Groundhog’ Eve we’ll start by honoring when the groundhog underground that makes decisions about next-day events due to—hiding away or out cavorting in one’s festive tutu. You’ll find out Feb. 2: six more
Life On
CAPITOL HILL
A publication of
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winter-weeks? An early spring? Then party on with the birthday of our friend Shirley. On Feb. 5’s Chinese New Year — the honor is big — eat all you want, it’s the Year of the Pig. Then honor Abe Lincoln born on Feb. 12, then Washington, who claims Feb. 22 all to himself. In between, Feb. 18, honor all prez with impunity, our annual expression of kindness and SEE HELPER, P11
or Denver to maintain and improve our high quality of life, inclusive of residents of all backgrounds and sustainable for future generations, we must ensure there is a balance between housing people can afford and good-paying jobs. We also need an accessible and robust transportation and mobility network to help people move around in a variety of ways, whether walking, cycling, transit or driving. Affordable housing is on the forefront of many minds throughout Denver. That is why in 2018 I led the charge to prohibit housing discrimination based on how someone pays to rent or purchases a home, and worked with council colleagues and the community to launch a free Eviction Legal Defense Program. Council voted to double affordable housing funding to a record of more than $50 million in 2019 and extend rental affordability to a minimum of 60 years. Last year’s housing fund built a record 1,200 affordable homes for those earning between $0-$64,750 for a family of three, and the Temporary Rental and Utility Assistance program (TRUA) helped 961 households with rent and 164 with
GUEST COLUMN
utilities to avoid displacement. For more information on the TRUA program, visit https://bit. ly/2DdhZ0S. My first goal for 2019 just passed: an expansion of the Low-Income Councilmember Property Tax Rebate to reach Robin Kniech more senior and disabled homeowners and to help homeowners with children for the first time. Lowincome owners and renters may apply for a rebate of 2018’s property taxes after May 1. To promote good-paying jobs, I collaborated with councilmember Deborah Ortega and the administration to create apprenticeship training goals and targeted outreach to vulnerable individuals for construction careers on large Denver projects. I am currently championing the passage of a $15 minimum wage for city employees, contractors and tenants. SEE KNIECH, P11
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Life On Capitol Hill 11
February 2019
Kniech FROM PAGE 10
To ensure community trust in our public safety services, I supported our community in successfully advocating for stricter standards for use of force by police. This year, councilmembers Paul Kashmann, Paul López and
I are working to modernize and reinforce independent oversight of the police and sheriff by strengthening the Office of the Independent Monitor and the Citizen Oversight Board. Regarding sustainability, in 2018 the city committed to new goals for reaching 100 percent renewable electricity communitywide by 2030, energy efficiency and electric vehicles. I
Helper FROM PAGE 10
unity. Save love to honor the rose, candy, wines, cards, candy, cupids: Feb. 14 is Valentine’s! February’s the shortest month; born on Leap Day, my dears, your birthday comes `round only every four years. Now, what most needs February’s fumigation and purification??? Dirty old Planet! And who’s responsible for getting out the scrub brushes and shovels? This isn’t
will continue to actively support efforts to increase Denver’s waste diversion by incentivizing greater composting and recycling across the city. Lastly, we must remain focused on transportation and mobility. Thanks to voters, $431 million of the Elevate Bond package is devoted to transportation and mobility, including 375 miles of road repairs, 50 miles of bike lanes and 33
a matter for feather dusters. We have dirty air, water, and, yes, dirty dirt. Need to compost, recycle, bicycle, plant and maintain trees and open green space. Build on hardscape, not permeable. Require construction/developers to include plenty of green space to serve buildings. We need people of all ages to work, and they need good useful programs, mostly under the title of “climate change” for neighborhood programs, such as trees, gardens, for kids and everyone. Schools, churches. More and more are growing and in “cleaner dirt.” Amazing what they can do and how good you’ll feel. Just go online for climate change groups. Get in
miles of new sidewalks. The city’s 2019 budget includes $27 million more, focusing on pedestrian and bike infrastructure, filling sidewalk gaps and creating safer intersections. While substantial investment is being made, Denver needs dedicated, sustainable funding to improve our transportation network. It is one of my priorities this year to engage Denverites about the options for improving
touch with Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation (INC), which has many communities involved. For all our health, including old Mom Planet! Healthwise, we all could work on alternative transportation as better, cleaner exercise. Keep hearing about all these chubby kids who don’t have running space and will be waddling around. Then there’s the kids whose playgrounds are near high-pollution highways. Hack-kaff. The folks who have to stay in on asthma days. The pretty fit folks who’d be so much fitter out there walking and biking. Improved bus and train connections! Sidewalks and trails!
transit, roads and sidewalks for all users. Your ideas and questions are welcome. My office hopes to hear from you. Please email Kniechatlarge@denvergov.org to continue the conversation. Robin Kniech is a councilmember at-large on the Denver City Council. At-large council members represent the city as a whole.
And blub, blub — water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink matter of oceans! Rising, warming, clogging, polluted—call in the purification team! Surely there’s a way to scrub water? Imagine a great city all purified and fumigated. A great country, clean and green. A gleaming globe! Like a diamond in the sky!! Isn’t it Roman-ic? Make it happen. Now hand me that compost bucket. Diana Helper and her husband have lived in Denver for 63 years. She works on projects with the city, University of Denver, Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation and Open Space and Parks and Recreation.
Local Focus. More News. 17 newspapers. 20 websites. Connecting YOU to your LOCAL community.
ColoradoCommunityMedia.com VANDERVEEN
John Theodore Vanderveen July 25, 1935 – January 16, 2019
John Theodore Vanderveen, 83, passed away on the morning of January 16, 2019, having never fulfilled one of his son’s lifelong dreams of watching his incredibly intelligent father crush any and all opponents on the game show Jeopardy. Vanderveen’s ability to remember a myriad of facts — some significant, some not — will forever remain legendary in Vanderveen family lore. Born on July 25, 1935, in Logansport, Indiana, to parents Theodore John Vanderveen and Martha Jean (Seybold), John T. Vanderveen was an only child who quickly developed a reputation as a student of life if not necessarily a student of cleanliness. A byproduct of the Great Depression, he often kept his refrigerator stocked to the brim with outdated foodstuffs better suited to the interior of a museum than an actual modern-day appliance. A survivor of Polio when he was 10, Vanderveen never let the virus’ impact on his right leg keep him from one of
his first loves. Close to a scratch golfer at one point, he continued playing a mean round of golf well into his seventies. Vanderveen, a lifelong conservative and walking definition of the word dissonance, received a bachelors and masters from the notoriously liberal University of California at Berkeley (go Bears!). From there, he worked as a Foreign Service Officer in such places as Managua, Nicaragua, and Milan, Italy. In Managua, he once lived next door to baseball great Johnny Pesky. He also told a story of answering a phone one day only to discover LBJ shouting at him from the other end. Fluent in Spanish and Italian, Vanderveen in his latter years would often confuse poor waiters and wait-
resses in Spanish and Italian restaurants by assuming they too were fluent in the languages of their respective dining establishments. In 1973, he and his wife at the time, Mary Ann Vanderveen, moved to Denver with their son Theodore John (notice a pattern?) after an offer from Johns-Manville. That same year, the family welcomed a pair of twins Christopher Bolan and Kevin Robert. In 1983, John Vanderveen founded VSA International Corporation which led him to places like New Mexico and Arizona where he worked with the Navajos. Never afraid to tell someone what was on his mind, John Vanderveen left his three sons with an indelible understanding of the depths of sarcasm and wit. He loved the Oakland Raiders;
hated the Los Angeles Raiders and assumed the Las Vegas Raiders to be a sign of an upcoming apocalypse. He is survived by his sons Ted (49), Chris (45) and Kevin (45); his daughters-in-law Hilary, Kimberly and Susan, his partner Gayle Wunder; and his grandchildren Ann Marie (14), Colin (11), Sarah (6), Lila (8), Hollin (12), and his namesake Johnny Theodore (9). There will be a wake held at Ted Vanderveen’s house in Centennial at a date to be determined. If you’d like to honor John Vanderveen, read a book, study business and/or history, understand random trivia better than anyone else, consider a donation to the fine folks at Denver Hospice, and rid your refrigerator of random food items that appear to be long past their proverbial prime. And, maybe, consider telling Alex Trebek he missed out on seeing one of the greatest Jeopardy champions of all time. Dad, we miss you and we love you!
12 Life On Capitol Hill
February 2019
com
ing
soo
n!
How to start your own vegetables
THE FLAMING LIPS WITH THE
Colorado Symphony
One way to start seeds in your home is to plant them in a cardboard egg carton. For egg cartons, as well as other recycled items used for planting, be sure to add drainage holes.
F E B R U A R Y
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I
t’s time to look through seed catalogs and your favorite nurseries’ seed racks. When choosing varieties, stick with three criteria: 1. Don’t over plant; a crowded garden is an under performing garden. GUEST 2. Choose varieties with COLUMN fewer days to maturity (80 or fewer for tomatoes, 100 or Brien fewer for winter squash). 3. For maximum harvest, Darby select a variety of cool- and warm-season vegetables. Next, determine which plants will be direct sown — the method in which seed is placed directly in the ground — and which seeds will be propagated inside and transplanted out later. Most seed packets will provide this information, but there are a few general rules to follow. Root crops (beets, carrots and radishes) are always direct sown. The same goes for quick-growing, cool-season greens like lettuce, spinach and arugula. Greens that will be harvested over a longer period, like chard, kale and collard greens, will grow better and larger if grown as transplants. The same is true for nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, tomatillos and eggplants), basil, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. The squash family, including melons, cucumbers and summer and winter squash, can either be direct sown or transplanted. Direct-sown squash are in danger of drying out or being eaten by wildlife, but squash transplants take up a lot of room in your propagation area. Lastly, the larger, warm-season seeds like beans and corn will grow better if direct sown. Knowing how many plants will be propagated indoors helps you design a grow space that
fits your needs. This space will need consistent warmth — at least 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit — access to water, good airflow and supplemental lighting (12-14 hours of light per day). The two most affordable options for lighting are fluorescent grow lights and LEDs. The latter are more energy efficient but also more expensive. With either type, make sure that the light is a minimum distance of 2-4 inches from your seed trays. As the seedlings grow, you will need to raise the lights or lower the trays. Consider setting up an adjustable system. Seeds can be grown in a variety of pots. Nursery-grade seed trays will save the most space. Many recycled items, including egg cartons and plastic food containers, can also be used, but remember to add drainage holes. More important than the container is the growing medium. A good germination mix contains peat moss and bark and, possibly, vermiculite, ground into very fine particles. It can be found at most nurseries. Seed trays should be kept consistently moist, but not left in standing water. Lastly, schedule your transplants so they are ready for planting when the weather allows. Most cool-season transplants will take five to six weeks to grow indoors and can be planted outside in early to mid-April. For warm-season transplants, plan on six to eight weeks for tomatoes, eight to 10 weeks for peppers and eggplants and four to five weeks for the squash family plants. Plant outside towards the end of May or past the danger of the last frost. Brien Darby is a senior horticulturist and manager of Urban Food Programs at the Denver Botanic Gardens. She can be reached at horticulture@denverbotanicgardens.org.
Life On Capitol Hill 13
February 2019
CHUN awards celebrate local projects Staff Report On Jan. 10, Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods (CHUN) announced its annual Good Neighbor Awards. The awards recognize individuals, nonprofits and local businesses for outstanding volunteerism, community development, historic preservation and promoting safe neighborhoods, according to a news release. In previous years, CHUN also had a grant program benefitting neighborhood nonprofits. A number of years ago, CHUN suspended the program because of financial restrictions,
the release said. This year, the organization revived the program. Nonprofit winners of the Good Neighbor Awards received a $350 grant. Individuals and for-profit winners of awards selected a nonprofit within CHUN boundaries for the award. “It’s an opportunity for us to celebrate the previous year’s accomplishments and to bring attention to the great work taking place throughout our community,” said Travis Leiker, president of CHUN, in the release. CHUN serves 10 Denver neighborhoods. Its boundaries are from Broadway east to Colorado Boulevard and from First Avenue north to 22nd Avenue.
2019 GOOD NEIGHBOR AWARD WINNERS
Diane Travis of the Swallow Hill Neighborhood Association in north Central Denver receives a Neighborhood Star Award from Denver INC president George Mayl. Travis received her award during the 33rd annual INC Awards. KAILYN LAMB
Neighborhoods making a difference 33rd annual awards honor individuals, community projects Staff Report A group of Denver residents and schools were honored for their work in 2018, celebrating conservationists, activism and community projects. The Denver Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation (INC) held its annual award ceremony on Jan. 23. Two new awards were given this year, the INC Sustainability Award and the Youth Civic Engagement Awards. During the 1990s, INC created the $1 Dictionary project, which gave out dictionaries to all third-grade students in Denver. After
the program was canceled, the organization still wanted a way to work with young people of Denver. With this year’s new award, the two schools also received $500 toward their projects. Before the awards ceremony, Michael Henry gave a speech on the impact a community organization can have. Henry was one of the founding members of the INC back in 1975. He highlighted victories by the INC, as well as several other neighborhood organizations over the last four decades. Irene Aguilar, a former state senator who represented a portion of Denver, and director of the Neighborhood Equity and Stabilization Team, spoke about the need to preserve the city’s history and cultural diversity. Grace Lopez Ramierez from the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Engagement presented the awards. Winners were nominated by INC community members and then selected.
INC AWARD WINNERS Neighborhood Stars: • Anne Callison, Winston Downs Community Association • Glenn Harper, Sun Valley Community Coalition • John Robinson, Harvey Park Neighborhood Association • Denise Sanderson, Canmer Park/Hilltop Civic Association • Blair Taylor, Greater Park Hill Community • Diane Travis, Swallow Hill Neighborhood Association
• Michelle Valeri, Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods • Phyllis Ward, University Park Community Council • Brooke Webb, Virginia Vale/Ellis Community Association • Ann White, Montbello 20/20 • Bill Gross Memorial Award for Public Safety: Chaffee Park Neighborhood Association, ElyriaSwansea Neighborhood Association, Colorado Latino Forum and the Colorado Sierra Club
• Sustainability Award: Ronnie Crawford, Overland Park Neighborhood Association • Walt Kemble Memorial Award for Outstanding Delegate: Drew Dutcher, Elyria-Swansea Neighborhood Association • Virginia Oredson Memorial Award for Person of the Year: Christine O’Connor, Lowry United Neighborhoods • Youth Civic Engagement Awards: Colorado High School Charter and Arts Street @YEA
• Roger Armstrong Outstanding Volunteer Award: Richard Wilson and Kevin Kelly for their support of CHUN operations.
tol Hill United Ministries for coordinating programs helping homeless women find safe places to sleep throughout the year.
• Neighborhood Character Award: The Park People and Denver Digs Trees for its work to preserve Denver green space and tree canopy.
• Tom Knorr Award for Community Service: Colfax Ave Business Improvement District (Colfax BID) for its work launching the Colfax Works program, which helps the homeless or those emerging from homelessness find employment.
• Homelessness and Affordable Housing Award: Rev. Diana Flahive of Capi-
• Safe Neighborhood Award: WalkDenver for its work in advocating for a safer, more walkable Denver. • Jim Peiker Award for Historic Preservation: GM Development principles Ben Gearhart and Charles Moore for refurbishing the former Denver International Youth Hostel into the Essex Apartments.
14 Life On Capitol Hill
February 2019
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Life On Capitol Hill 15
February 2019
HEAR MY VOICE In the January issue, Colorado Community Media readers were introduced to several young people throughout the Denver metro area in a special section called Hear My Voice, reported by Taylore Todd. They shared their passions and
hopes for the future and why their voices should be heard. These young people, with varying backgrounds and expeiriences, face some of the nation’s most pressing challenges — racism, sexual identity, immigration and more. This is the
project’s final installment. The interviews have been edited for clarity and space. To see the full series, visit http://coloradocommunitymedia.com/hearmyvoice/.
‘We shouldn’t be working against each other’ Ben Yoshida Highlands Ranch
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en Yoshida, 17, uses his Buddhist faith to strive to make the world a better place. Buddhism focuses on reaching a sense of peace and learning the meaning of life by following in the footsteps of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. A high school senior, he is an editor of his school magazine. His faith, he says, gives him hope and something to look forward to. He wants to attend college to study politics and business. If you knew me, you would know ... Being Buddhist “didn’t really shape my life until recently. I went to a camp over the summer in California that really changed my perspective. I wouldn’t say that my life really revolves around it or it’s the most important part of my life, but I’d say that it’s a community that I have friends in also — outside of school, outside of clubs. It’s just additional support, so it’s kind of cool. “I think it’s helped me be more openminded. I like to hear stories from everyone. It’s one of the reasons I still
Ben Yoshida like journalism, too, and still do it. I want to hear the stories of other people. I want to know. I want to be open to different perspectives. I think that being Buddhist has kind of helped me stay open to different possibilities, different options in my life in general. “I don’t hate anyone. One thing that I’m proud of is that I don’t really hold a grudge against anyone and I try to be as happy as possible all the time. I feel like I’m able to accomplish that
through Buddhism, but also through my everyday life. I feel that one of my strong suits is that I have been able to meet a lot of people and make a lot of connections. I guess Buddhism has helped me because I’ve met a whole different group of people who have similar ideas as me. I like to not hate people.” How I want to change the world “We’re all coming from different
points of view. We are all working towards a common goal, and we shouldn’t be working against each other. “I want to bring a sense of understanding to other people and to myself because no one is exactly the same … We don’t necessarily have to like what someone else thinks or even want to know it, but we should have a sense of understanding and compassion for their situation. We shouldn’t feel the need to dislike someone for what they think ... Everyone’s opinions should be valued. “I want to pursue business and politics as a career, although I’m not exactly sure yet. I also hope to travel internationally to experience different cultures. I want to make an impact environmentally by doing a lot of community service and helping with alternative energy sources.” Why my voice is important “I believe that it’s important for people to listen to young people because we offer a unique perspective from growing up with technology. Most people in our generation are very passionate: Our generation’s drive will not only benefit us but society as a whole.”
‘I’m hopeful that life gets better’ Chloe McNamee Denver
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hloe McNamee, 17, a leader of Children’s Hospital Colorado’s Youth Advocacy Board, a group of 20 metro-area students who raise awareness and advocate for mental health, struggles with anxiety and depression. She also is an ambassador for the hospital and has testified to pass a bill that would increase suicide prevention training for professionals who work with youth. She lost her brother, who had bipolar disorder, to suicide. She says she has attempted suicide several times. She wants to become a clinical psychologist to help others the way she has been helped. If you knew me, you would know ... Her brother’s death by suicide “was a huge thing that really impacted me. But at the same time, it was like `I can’t just wallow in this sadness. I feel like I should do something about it.’ So my mom, actually, is on the adult board for the PMHI, which is the Pediatric Mental Health Institute, so she told me about this youth board. I wanted to be a part of that just because I want to help so that somebody else doesn’t have to go through that — or they have the resources so they don’t have to reach that point.
FOR MORE INFORMATION The Youth Advocacy Board works to raise awareness of and destigmatize mental health issues. https://www.childrenscolorado.org/doctors-and-departments/departments/psych/youth-action-board/ “I struggle with my own mental health stuff, which also makes me want to do more ... but I am getting to the point where I can function, which is good. It’s just a process. It’s not linear by any means. It’s hard, but I’m hopeful that life gets better.” Having a mental illness “has lead me to be more empathetic with other people and develop friendships that are deeper because we can talk about these things, and I’m more open with that. That’s a huge part of me — developing relationships with people and being able to connect on the emotional level, and understanding where they’re coming from when they’re dealing with hard stuff. Also, it’s just driven my passion for advocacy. I didn’t really have anything that I was super passionate about before, and now this is something I can really focus on — and it means a lot to me. I always want to do more with it.” How I want to change the world “In the ideal world, I would like to create more access for mental health
Chloe McNamee treatment just among different demographics of people because I know that there are a lot of barriers, especially if you don’t have money to pay for it. It’s expensive. It’s not offered in some places ... So I just want to increase access for everybody no matter what circumstance they’re in. I think that there are some racial barriers and stigmas within communities ... In any way I can, I just want to make it better for somebody. “Having a mental illness is not a choice. It’s hard to talk about, but we need to talk about it. If you ignore it, it’s not going to go away. You can’t just sweep it under the rug because that’s how it gets worse. Just reach out to somebody ... You can be helped, but
you have to take that step of asking for help. It’s hard for other people to know, so you need to advocate for yourself and express your own needs.”
Why my voice is important “I think our generation has a lot of different experiences than other generations. Especially with social media, we’re more aware of a lot of things because it’s so accessible. I think we have a different perspective. I also think that there are a lot of kids who are really invested in activism and just changing the way the world is ... I think that we have a lot to say and it’s challenging the social norms in a way that people haven’t done before.”
16 Life On Capitol Hill
February 2019
HEAR MY VOICE
‘You don’t know everybody’s story’ Vanessa Garcia Arvada
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anessa Garcia, 23, was 15 years old when she gave birth to her son. She was “scared, disappointed ... in disbelief ” when she found out she was pregnant. She relied on Hope House, a nonprofit in Arvada, to help her take care of her son and herself, living in its residential program for about five months. Today, she works full-time and plans to attend college in Florida to study law. If you knew me, you would know ... “I was a baby having a baby. I was 15 when I had my son, so I was in ninth grade … Teen moms, when they have a child, they either mature or they don’t. With my case, I come from a very dysfunctional, abusive family. So I feel like when I had my son, when I found out I was having him, it was kind of like a fight-or-flight feeling for me because I didn’t have anybody to fall back on … He shaped me into wanting to be the best mom … I wanted to give him everything that I wasn’t provided with. It’s been an awesome Vanessa Garcia eight years. We’ve grown up together, after all. He’s like my best friend, but he’s my son. “The first thing that people do is judge. They judge. I just feel like they shouldn’t be so judgmental because they don’t know exactly what is going on or what happened. They don’t know if the mom has support or family. You don’t know everybody’s story. “I don’t think I would change anything because it’s made me who I am now ... I think the only thing I would have changed was to probably push myself more as to wanting to achieve my goals Vanessa Garcia and go after my goals. Like I said, I come from a very dysfunctional family. So having that voice in for a machine company, so they make your head 24/7 telling you that parts for different things people need. you’re never going to be this, you’re I handle all the administrative, so I never going to do that, that you aren’t handle the money, the bills, their data worth it, that stopped me from being entry, all of that. I definitely want to able to do a lot of things because I move up in the world, but as of now, never believed in myself. So now … I it’s cool. just go after what I want to do.” “My real dream is to become a homicide detective, but to make it more How I want to change the world realistic, I would work in a jail or be “I definitely want to be able to help a probation officer ... I just want to be out … with teen moms because I was able to help out in some way.” there at one point. I know it’s hard. It’s difficult — especially when you’re Why my voice is important a baby having a baby. I mean, can you “Everyone, regardless of age, is enimagine being 15 years old? You can’t titled to their own opinion. Everyone go out and have a job. There are age has a different situation, relatable or limits for everything … I definitely want to be able to help people the way not, but being a younger crowd, we shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help I’ve been helped. when needed or just be heard. I guess “I’m moving to Florida, but I do it just doesn’t hurt anyone to hear us plan on going to college out there and out. Maybe they’ll learn a thing or studying law. That’s a goal of mine. two.” Right now, I work full-time. I work
‘Everyone has a different situation, relatable or not, but being a younger crowd, we shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help when needed or just be heard.’
Mike Andrews
‘The only way to change is to listen’
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Mike Andrews Denver
ike Andrews, 20, a volunteer coach at The Phoenix, a sober active community in Denver, began using meth and heroin when he was 13 years old, getting high with his mother. He got his GED before heading into recovery. He says he has been arrested and jailed about seven times. Almost two years ago, after a week into his six-month sentence, he realized he needed to make a change. He hasn’t touched a drug since, he says, and is intent on helping others. If you knew me, you would know ... “Using was pretty much the ultimate reason why I was arrested several times. I’m now labeled a multiconvicted violent felon, so there’s a huge overhang. I can’t have a normal job, so right now I work at a treatment center. “Using is also the only reason that I have become the person I am today. It’s the only reason I’ve had to work this hard to be as good of a person as I try to be. It’s influenced everything in my life. “I grew up in a home with addiction, so it’s always kind of been a part of my life. I got high with my mom. That kind of screwed my whole worldview. “My breaking point was the realization of how alone I was in the world. With all the ‘friends’ that I had made, none of them were real and nothing was real, essentially, which is really strange if you think about it. The last time I got locked up, I went into jail and I had a pair of pants, a pair of boots and a hoodie and two rings. I didn’t have a wallet. I didn’t have a phone. I didn’t have anyone to call. I didn’t have anywhere to go. “Having completely nothing and having to build myself back up was probably the hardest thing I’ve done in my life … It took me a solid six months of doing nothing but walking the streets all day long trying to find an ID, a job, a place to live and all these other things.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION The Phoenix is a sober active community that provides resources, support and community for addiction recovery. 2239 Champa St., Denver, 720-440-9175, https://thephoenix.org How I want to change the world “I’ve completely turned my life around, so I’m just trying to break the stigma behind how terrible addiction is. The whole ‘addiction is a choice thing’ irritates me so much … That’s absolute nonsense, so I’m trying to change that stigma as well. Nine out of 10 people don’t know that I was ever a drug user. Essentially, not everything is what it seems. “I think a lot of the perspective around addiction is that a lot of us are monsters and that we’re incapable of being helped, and that we’re just pretty much a lost cause. That’s definitely not true. The whole monster piece, that shapes the people in addiction, that shapes their view of themselves, because for a long time I fully believed I was a lost cause and that I was a monster, whatever you want to call it. “I work in a treatment facility, not only because that’s pretty much the only job I can get, but it’s nice to help other people — whether it’s just helping other addicts or getting the information out. I think both are equally relevant. Whether or not the information gets out, there still needs to be people there for other addicts. There still needs to be some type of support. Whether they do 12-step, whether they’re religious, whether they’re just doing their own thing, whatever that looks like for them, I’m always there to support whoever. That’s been my biggest mission for me because I had no help for a good while before I figured things out.”
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Why my voice is important “If we don’t listen to our youth then nothing will change. Young people die every day, whether it be from addiction or hate crimes, and it has to stop. The only way to change is to listen, so people need to start opening their ears and their minds.”
Life On Capitol Hill 17
February 2019
HEAR MY VOICE
‘We live in a democracy — let’s make sure it stays that way’ Abigayle Post and Codey Carr Golden
spread more ideas. That’s really when you can have a stronger foundation in your own opinion. So I feel like the stronger your opinions are and the more well-founded they are, the more impactful, I think, on a personal level, your vote actually is.”
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bigayle Post, 18, and Codey Carr, 15, helped push for a law to lower the voting age in Golden to 16 years of age, as well as help write city legislation to ban conversion therapy, the practice of trying to change a person’s sexual orientation from homosexual or bisexual to heterosexual. Abigayle became involved in politics after the election of President Donald Trump, which she said threatened her beliefs in social justice, change and diversity. Codey’s involvement also began soon after the election — he wanted to make a difference and ensure his ideas were represented. They plan to remain involved in politics in the future. If you knew me, you would know ... Abigayle: “I think it’s important to speak up because it’s important to create the world that you want to live in and to create the spaces that future generations will live in, and so speaking up is so important to make sure that you can live in the best world possible. I think I’m so passionate because it’s exhausting to watch history repeat itself, and watch the same issues come up again and again. And I think it’s important to try and create that change individually so that we can also create it as a society.” Codey: “Being involved in politics has really just shaped my willingness to speak to other people, my willing-
Abigayle Post
Codey Carr
ness to listen to other people’s opinions. I think before I really started getting engaged and super actively involved, I had opinions I wanted to stick to and that was that. Talking to more people, spreading the word, canvassing and actually being involved a lot more with just more discussion, in general, has just really changed my opinions as well as just made me stronger in what I believe in and what I think on what America stands for.”
Codey: “I want to work in the state department when I am older, so I’d really like to change the political sphere not only on a national level but on an international level as well, and make sure that every single international relation does either benefit the United States — or we’re informed in regards to that issue and we can also really make the best decision on that. On a national level, I think more moderation is wonderful. I think we are so polarized right now as a country that I would do anything I could to … make sure that everything is heard and it’s not just black and white, but a spectrum of gray. “I also think just keeping open dialogue with people you don’t agree with — that’s the best way to make informed decisions, besides going and actually reading up on the issues. When you talk to more people, you
How I want to change the world Abigayle: “I would love to create a political sphere that is focused on diversity and diversifying the people that we see in office and the policies that are brought to office — not just the type of person they are, but when it comes to health care, gun control and things like that, diversifying the types of beliefs that really get media-megaphoned.”
‘All of us can help out in the world’
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Cyndy Dominguez Arvada
yndy Dominguez, 20, attends Sobesky Academy in Lakewood and is participating in Children’s Hospital Colorado’s Project Search Program, which teaches young people with developmental disabilities who are nearing the end of their high school careers the skills they need to work. She has a cognitive disability that makes it more difficult for her to learn new things quickly. She is interning at the hospital to gain job experience. For her internship, Dominguez takes the vitals of patients, cleans the exam rooms and performs many other jobs usually handled by medical assistants. Her goal is to live an independent and successful life. If you knew me, you would know ... “They didn’t find my disability until I was a freshman in high school. The put me on a ton of meds for ADHD, but it wasn’t that. It’s cognitive. And then my life changed. How I learn has changed. I feel like I got more support to learn in the way I learn best — being shown and talked to during the process just to make sure I do it right.
Cyndy Dominguez “I’ve been in Project Search just for a few months, but I’ve been in transition for three years. JeffCo Transition Services is for young adults with a disability to job train, budget and teach them how to do cooking and cleaning. “I want to be a CNA (certified nurse assistant) and maybe an RN (registered nurse). I want to take classes and find good classes that will help me how to do stuff. I maybe want to go to college in the future, I’m not sure. I want to get my own apartment in Arvada and get my driver’s license.”
How I want to change the world “I did a summer job at a retirement home and I just fell in love with it because I was helping the elderly and taking them to the bathroom and giving them baths and talking to them. I just like helping people ... That made me feel like I was helping patients and learning more about medicine and how to not just be a standby person. I liked that feeling of helping people and this job will give me a good point of view in the medical career. “I want to help people and to demonstrate all of us can help out in the world, too. Just be patient with us. Don’t think we can’t do everything you guys do ... some of us can’t, but most of us can. All of us can’t be independent all of the time and all of us need support.” Why my voice is important “We are still figuring out life. The older generation needs to be more patient with us because we are still figuring it out. We do the same things they have been through ... It makes them aware about how people with a disability don’t get everything they say and it kind of puts them in our shoes. To teach them how to actually talk to us and not get mad easily. If they try to tell us what to do really fast, sometimes we can’t.”
Why my voice is important Abigayle: “We have all been lucky enough to be in a country that wants us to exercise our voice and vote on our right to speak to one another. As individuals, the best thing that we can do for our community is to take a stand and talk about what we believe in. “Just a general rule of thumb, especially to the younger population, is to make sure that you understand when you go into the voting booth how many people have worked for and fought for and died for that right that you have now been given. And that, as a person, the best thing that you can do is make sure that your opinion is heard. You’ll hear a lot of people say, `Oh, vote blue, vote red.’ But vote how you believe in and what you believe and just make sure that you are always doing what you truly believe is best for your country — and then you can’t ever really go wrong.” Codey: “It’s always that we’re trying to get more people to vote, right? In my opinion, it does not matter how you vote as long as you are voting and making sure that you are putting your opinion in the polls and you are making your vote matter. That’s so important. We live in a democracy, let’s make sure it stays that way.”
ABOUT THE REPORTER Taylore Todd, 17, is a senior at Castle View High School in Castle Rock, where she is copy editor of the yearbook. She has been involved in the school’s journalism program for four years and has spent the past nine weeks interning at Colorado Community Media. Todd was inspired to do this project by Brandon Stanton’s “Humans of New York.” She has always loved learning about people and their experiences and is passionate about advocating for social equality for people of all backgrounds. She used both interests to create the idea for “Hear My Voice.” To report and write the stories for this project, she interviewed youths from Castle Rock to Arvada to Denver and other metro-area municipalities to find out how they see their place in today’s world. “I haven’t been through Taylore Todd a lot of the experiences they have been through,” Todd said of the young people she interviewed. “It made me aware of what more I can do. This world is going to be ours someday — it might as well start listening to us now.”
18 Life On Capitol Hill
February 2019
PLANTING SEEDS OF JOY
Denver Botanic Gardens offers relief to dementia patients, caretakers
Debbie Reid, right, looks at her mother, Miss June, during a SPARK class. SPARK is a horticulture therapy class run by the Denver Botanic Gardens in partnership with the Colorado Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
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SPARK classes start with a tour at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Then, participants work on an activity such as making tea bags or pumpkin painting. PHOTOS COURTESY OF DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS By Kailyn Lamb klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com
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ven before she became a certified horticulture therapist, Lee McCoy has always felt that plants have a special way of helping people live in the moment. The feel of the soil — or the smell of a flower — can help ground people. “I’ve just always noticed within myself the ability of plants to get you out of your head,” she said. “I was just drawn to that and wanted to explore it more.” McCoy has been running the SPARK class for four years, although the gardens has run the program for the last six. SPARK is a special horticulture therapy class for patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s and their caretakers. It is run in partnership with the Colorado branch of the Alzheimer’s Association, a national nonprofit providing care
and research for dementia and Alzheimer’s. McCoy worked with tropical plants at the Denver Botanic Gardens before taking over the class. The class uses gardening activities to help people with these diseases to engage in their surroundings, as well as with other participants in the class. Many of those who take the class were former gardeners, McCoy said. And certain plant smells, such as from a common garden flower, “often spark a memory for them.” That spark is also where the program got its name. While the class can offer a road back to memories for patients, it also offers relief to caretakers. Caring for someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s can be an emotionally draining job, McCoy said. Connecting with others can help vent some of that frustration.
A participant in the Denver Botanic Gardens SPARK class holds up the craft project she made at the Chatfield Farms location. SPARK is offered once per month and rotates between the Denver and Littleton locations.
“It’s nice to see them get to talk to other people who are in the same boat,” she said. “It’s just sort of become a nice supportive community.” In summer and fall, SPARK is held on the first Tuesday of the month. The class alternates between the Denver location of the Botanic Gardens at 1007 York St. and its Chatfield Farms location at 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Road in Littleton. McCoy usually starts the classes with a tour. What section of the garden the class tours depends on the day’s activity. In October, the class painted pumpkins and toured the Chatfield pumpkin patch. The class toured the tropical gardens before making tea bags with tropical herbs and flowers. Classes have also done planting and garden bed design work at the Botanic Gardens. In summer, the class will plant in June, and then return to the beds in August to see their
efforts in bloom, McCoy said. Since many of the people taking the class don’t have garden spaces of their own, the program will also have container planting activities. Once class participants begin to work on activities, McCoy said it feels as if a weight has been lifted for people. She enjoys seeing the groups interact. “To me that’s one of the most beautiful things about our program.” This year, the Botanic Gardens has extended its program into the winter months for the first time. At the Denver location, the classes are held in the Sensory Garden. It’s a peaceful place, McCoy said. Fountains help create soothing sounds and plants often draw in songbirds. “It just takes you out of your head to see all of those things,” she said. “Plants have a way of clearing out the cobwebs for some people sometimes.”
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Life On Capitol Hill 19
February 2019
Therapy campus targets dementia Alumia Institute to offer music, cognitive, nutritional methods in Centennial area By Ellis Arnold earnold@coloradocommunitymedia.com
A one-stop shop for those facing the early stages of dementia opened last month in the Centennial area. “There’s nothing like this in the state of Colorado from beginning to end: Our testing, therapeutic services, meals,” said Kathi Miracle, executive director at Alumia Institute. Dementia is a decline in ability to think, remember and reason, impacting a person’s daily life and activities. Alumia Institute opened at 9800 E. Geddes Ave. in the Centennial area in January, bringing a wide range of therapy to help slow the pace of cognitive decline. The 15,000-square-foot campus offers a social, daytime setting where members can participate in therapies involving art and music, physical activity, brain-training and computer games — and even eat a diet designed to help brain activity. “Every journey with dementia is different and we understand that,” Miracle said in a news release. “As our members’ needs change, so do their therapies. We are here to help guide, support and educate our members and their families.” People with early-stage dementia who are no longer working may be used to work hours, and Alumia is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, Miracle said. Therapies are provided from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., including snacks and meals, the release said. The campus environment allows members to remain living at home or in an independent living community, the release said. The campus system is designed with its members in mind: Room signs are color-coded to help members find where they’re going. Staff who oversee members will wear shirts with colors that help coordinate with their groups, Miracle said. A brain training room offers a program with computer games that help functions such as memory and navigation, and members also can access the program at home. Periodic evaluations will look at members’ brain activity progress. A music therapy room offers touch-screen tablets with headphones and a few instruments including a keyboard. And in the full kitchen and dining area, members can benefit from a nutritional plan by well-known area
Daniel Asher, a well-known chef in the Denver area, tops food samples Dec. 18 at Alumia Institute, a therapy campus for those in the early stages of dementia, at 9800 E. Geddes Ave. Asher is the chef consultant for the campus and designed its nutritional plan. PHOTOS BY ELLIS ARNOLD
chef Daniel Asher, based on what’s called the MIND diet — Mediterranean DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay — and findings in the diet-dementia field, the release said. Located near the Inverness area in unincorporated Arapahoe County — just outside Centennial — the campus is accessible from Interstate 25 and East Dry Creek Road. “It’s right in the heart of our demographic,” Rost said. It sits in an area of metro Denver that will allow the campus to reach many people with early-stage dementia, Rost said. Alumia’s therapy program, called Kynemics, addresses four areas — physical, cognitive, nutrition and social — aimed at stimulating brain function. It’s based on recent research, including the conclusion that it may be possible to prevent cognitive decline using a multi-pronged intervention for older, at-risk individuals, according to the news release.
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20 Life On Capitol Hill
February 2019
‘Wizard of Oz’ premieres in Colorado Ballet shows L. Frank Baum tale from 1900 is adapted for classical dance
IF YOU GO
S r “Wizard of Oz,” presented t by the Colorado Ballet, g l showing at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House at the Denver Center N for the Performing Arts in downtown Denver. Dates and times: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 1, 2, 8, 9; 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3, 10; 2 p.m. L Feb. 2, 3, 9, 10. Call D 303-837-8888, ext. 2 or visit coloradoballet. 5 org. Prices: $35 to $155.T (Colorado Ballet asks that you buy tickets directly from them.) M 1 l
By Sonya Ellingboe sellingboe@coloradocommunitymedia.com
As a forward to his original “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” published in May 1900, L. Frank Baum wrote: “A time for a newer set of wonder tales ... without stereotypic genie, dwarf and fairies ... together with all the horrible and blood curdling incidents created by the authors to put a fearsome moral to every tale ... Modern education includes morality, therefore the modern child seeks only entertainment in its wonder tales and gladly dispenses with all disagreeable incidents.” Baum’s thoughts are a good lead into thinking about his wonderful storytelling more than a century later. From Feb. 1 to 10, the Colorado Ballet will present a new classical ballet, “Wizard of Oz,” based on Baum’s stories, at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts downtown. (Baum published 14 Oz books.) A concept floated by famous choreographer Septime Webre (presently artistic director of the Hong Kong Ballet, formerly with the Washington National Ballet) led to Colorado Ballet’s collaboration with the Kansas City Ballet and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet to bring those Oz characters dancing along the Yellow Brick Road again. Gil Boggs, Colorado Ballet artistic director,
February 9–17
S 1 I Cast members in Colorado Ballet’s “Wizard of Oz,” running through Feb. 10. observed that “a company of our size might be able to contribute to the creation of a new full-length work every 20 years ... this is an extremely exciting time for Colorado Ballet to be part of something so special and extraordinary ...” American composer/violinist Matthew Pierce, who has found his groove in compos-
Colorado Convention Center
PRESENTED BY
www.ColoradoGardenFoundation.org HOURS & PRICING: Kids 12 and under are FREE SHOW FEATURES: Saturdays, Feb 9 and Feb 16 10 am – 8 pm • Get ideas, inspiration and advice for your Sundays, Feb 10 and Feb 17 10 am – 6 pm home from more than 600 companies Friday, Feb 15 Noon – 8 pm at Colorado’s largest home and garden $12 adults / $10 seniors marketplace. Mon, Feb 11 – Thur, Feb 14 Noon – 7 pm • Research, compare and choose from thousands of products and services, and take 2 for 1 Admission advantage of show-only specials! PURCHASE ADVANCE TICKETS AT: • Experience the Great Outdoors Colorado GETTING THERE: “Generation Wild” Entry Garden presented Take light rail to the Convention Center or park at by Bellco and see 10 more gardens bursting Broncos Stadium at Mile High Lot C (West on Colfax with thousands of beautiful flowers. from I-25. North on Federal Blvd) for $5 and ride • Visit the CSU Education Garden to see the the free shuttle to the show. new plant varieties and get free advice from their Master Gardeners. • Admission for kids is free, and the American Family Insurance Kid’s Zone offers a play structure, fun crafts and more! • 100% of every ticket sold is awarded warded in horticulture grants and scholarships across Colorado. Present thi SPONSORED BY
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
ing scores for ballet companies, was commissioned to create a score, and a team from across the nation was assembled to create the additional stage magic. Liz Vandal designed costumes; set and lighting design were developed by Michael Raiford and Trad Burns; and puppeteer Nicholas Mahon added his skills to the new production, while video and projection skills of Aaron Rhyne round out a package. The resulting production package, owned by the three companies, can in the future generate revenues as it is rented to other ballet companies who are looking for new material. Colorado Ballet hosts its annual gala on Feb. 7 in the Land of Oz, with cocktails along the Yellow Brick Road, an auction and meal in the Emerald City. Attendees will be invited to click
s coupon at the Color ado Convention Center Ticket Window for 2 for 1 admission to the Colorado Garden & Home Show. Maximum 2 people . Coupon has no cas h value.
CCM Produced by Colorado Garden Foundation, a non-profit organization providing grants and scholarships statewide.
COURTESY PHOTO
their heels together in dancing on the Ellie stage. Call for tickets. The 10 performances are grouped on week- F ends and tickets cost $30 to $155. Some dates are sold out, so advance reservations are in 7 order, to avoid the prospect of a dismayed little D dancer, dressed up in her special outfit, being 1 b told “No seats are available.” Or a grownup wonder tale fan! The season continues with two additional M 6 productions: E • March 8-10: “Tour de Force,” featuring Colorado Ballet, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance and Wonderbound at the Ellie Caulkins Opera T House. • April 5-14 “Ballet Masterworks” at Ellie 3 Caulkins Opera House. D R 2 d
City, museum partnership looks to City Park Park users will see renovations of two playgrounds in coming years Staff Report Denver Parks and Recreation announced a partnership with the Denver Museum of Nature and Science to renovate a playground in City Park, creating a new “nature play” space, according to a news release. The playground is on the east side of City Park. The museum will bring in expertise on informal learning and will help with community engagement for fundraising efforts, the release said. The city recently finalized design plans on a separate playground space in City Park, 20-year-old Dustin Redd Playground. Similar
B 6 L
to Dustin Redd, the museum playground will follow design guidelines for the park, as well $ 7 as the 2018 City Park Master Plan. “We were not expecting to be able to ad- D dress this play space so soon and in conjunc- 1 tion with the redevelopment of the Dustin b Redd Playground on the west side of the park,” said Happy Haynes, executive direc- T tor of Denver Parks and Recreation in the release. “Partnering with the museum allows 6 City Park users to benefit from the opening ofT two newly redesigned playgrounds within the next few years.” The city, as well as the musuem, will host an open house on the playground on Feb. 23 at 9 a.m. at the museum, 2001 Colorado Blvd. Attendees can sign up to give input on the new play space at the open house. For more T information, visit https://secure1.dmns.org/ 3 D nature-play-in-city-park-open-house. 1 The city expects to put bids out for the Dustin Redd Playground this year with con- d struction estimated to start in early 2020.
Life On Capitol Hill 21
February 2019
Things to Do Submit calendar listings on our website, coloradocommunitymedia.com, go to the Calendar tab and click “Submit an Event.” Priority is given to non-profits, low- or no-cost events and locations within our distribution map. Next Issue Deadline: Thursday, Feb. 14
EVENTS League of Women Voters Denver Presents: Understanding the Denver Public Schools Budget 5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4. Tracie Rainey, director of Colorado School Finance Project, will present background on the complexity of school budgets and specifics on the workings of the DPS budget. Montview Presbyterian Church, 1980 Dahlia St., McCollum Room lwvdenver.org Spark! 10 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5 In partnership with the Colorado chapter of the SPARK! Alzheimer’s Association, Denver Botanic Gardens offers an opportunity for participants with mild memory loss to enjoy hands-on garden related projects. The SPARK program integrates the participants multiple senses to inspire creativity and engagement. Free, registration required. One registration includes participant and their care provider. 720-865-3500 Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St. botanicgardens.org Meet Meriwether Lewis 6 and 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5 Enactor Brian “Fox” Ellis brings Meriwether Lewis to life with stories drawn from the journals of Lewis and Clark. Tickets: adult: $15 member, $18 adult nonmember • junior: $10 member, $13 nonmembers. 303-370-6000 Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Ricketson Auditorium 2001 Colorado Blvd. dmns.org Beginning Rocky Mountain Gardening 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6 Learn the skills necessary to become an enthusiastic gardener. Annuals, perennials and vegetables are discussed, along with trees and shrubs that thrive in our climate, elevation and varying soils. Plant selection, planting and troubleshooting is discussed. $90, $80 member 720-865-3500 Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St. botanicgardens.org The Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra Featuring vocalist Robert Johnson 6:30 and 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6 The Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra plays Dazzle Jazz at Baur’s with music from their Invitation CD and new selections from their Stevie Wonder Project. Additionally Robert Johnson will sing “I’ve Got News for You” and the Clayton - Hamilton Orchestra arrangement of Joe Cocker’s “You Are So Beautiful.” Tickets are $25 303-839-5100. Dazzle at Baur’s, 1512 Curtis St. dazzledenver.com
Garden Guru Tour 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7 Come enjoy the Gardens in the company of an expert. The February tour features orchids. $17, $15 member 720-865-3500 Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St. botanicgardens.org The Art of Pressed Flowers 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 9 Learn the best flowers to grow and how to press for optimal color, durability and longevity. Handout and all materials provided. $55, $50 member 720-865-3500 Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St. botanicgardens.org Drop Red Gorgeous Fashion Show 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9 The event will include a heart-healthy brunch and a fashion show featuring models who have been personally affected by heart diseases and stroke. Attendees are encouraged to take charge of their heart health and be inspired by the stories of the models. This event is free, but RSVPs are required at www. heart.org/denverfashionshow and total attendance will be capped. Wellshire Event Center, 3333 S. Colorado Blvd. Darwin Day Celebration 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10 Aron Ra will speak on evolution from Darwin’s Tree of Life to the Phylogeny Explorer Project. Where do you fit in? Secular Hub at the Walnut Room. Hub members: $12 in advance, $15 door. Non-members: $20 in advance, $25 door. Walnut Room, 3131 Walnut St. secularhub.org Stories on Stage presents “Intro to Ethics 101” 1:30 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10 With ethical dilemmas crowding the headlines, the time is right for Stories on Stage to present “Intro to Ethics 101.” Single tickets are $15 - $28. For more information, 303-494-0523 Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center,
721 Santa Fe Dr. storiesonstage.org Guided Sitting Meditation: Loving What Is 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12 Meditate on the four qualities of love: maitri (loving kindness), karuna (compassion), mudita (joy) and upeksha (equanimity). $18, $15 member 720-865-3500 Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St. botanicgardens.org League of Women Voters Denver Presents: Drinks and Dialogue with Beth McCann 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12 Beth McCann, Denver District Attorney since January 2017, will join us for conversation in a casual atmosphere at the Irish Snug. Come for drinks, fun and Q&A. The Irish Snug, lwvdenver.org Save the Last Dance: A Story of North American Grassland Grouse 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12 Awardwinning photographer Noppadol Paothong is striving to rescue grassland grouse from the brink of extinction by showing the world what it stands to lose if these species are allowed to disappear forever. Tickets: $12 Museum, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, or Audubon member, $15 nonmember • Book sale & signing 303-370-6000 Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Phipps Theater 2001 Colorado Blvd. dmns.org Sex in the Sea 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14 Dr. Marah Hardt will uniquely connect the sustainability of the oceans with the inventive sex acts of marine life, as she shares stories of elaborate mating rituals of armored lobsters, giant right whales engaging in lively threesomes, and full moon sex parties of groupers. Hardt is the author of the book “Sex in the Sea.” Tickets: $20 member, $25 nonmember • Cash bar • Book sale & signing • Ages 21+ 303-370-6000 Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. dmns.org New Gardener Boot Camp 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16 Get started on the right foot this year with all of our best beginner classes, carefully designed
to equip you with all the tools needed to master that garden once and for all. This series occurs on two evenings, two boot camp classes will be covered each evening. Topics are Garden Planning 101, Soils 101, Beginning Vegetable Gardening and Annuals and Perennials for Color in the Garden. $80, $60 member, lunch is included 720-865-3500 Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St. botanicgardens.org Delicious Vegetarian Cooking Class 10 a.m to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16 Discover the scrumptious side of international vegetarian cuisine! Start with a savory salad and continue with a butternut squash curry, a spicy cashew veggie stir fry, a pesto and roasted veggie pizza and end with a sweet. Recipes and full meal included. $60, $55 member 720-865-3500 Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St. botanicgardens.org If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On 4 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16 Join the Denver Pops Orchestra for our a romantic evening of music at our annual Valentine’s concert. This year’s theme is “If Music be the Food of Love, Play On.” Tickets $20 Adult, $15 Senior, $10 Child (12 & Under). Central Presbyterian Church, 1600 Sherman St. denverpopsorchestra.org Children’s Workshops: Junior Surgeons • Grades 2 & 3 Cutting Edge • Grades 4 through 6 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17 Observe and perform dissections to find out how the human body functions. Dissect sheep hearts and lungs, eyes, brains and frogs. Examine real bones, listen to your own heartbeat and more! Tickets: $60 junior member, $70 child/junior nonmember 303-370-6000 Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. dmns.org Stay Up with the Stars 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17 Stay up late with us as all the stargazers in the family explore the incredible Colorado night sky. Tickets: adult: $20 member, $25 nonmember • junior: $15 member, $20 nonmember 303-370-6000 Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. dmns.org League of Women Voters Denver Presents: Colorado Demographic Trends 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19 Elizabeth Garner, State Demographer in Colorado Department of Local Affairs, will sort through all the raw data and historical patterns to make sense of the numbers, the polls, and predictions. Montview Presbyterian Church, McCollum Room, 1980 Dahlia St. lwvdenver.org SEE THINGS TO DO, P22
22 Life On Capitol Hill
Things to Do FROM PAGE 21
Planning a Medicinal Plant Garden 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21 A home garden can be both beautiful and useful. This class offers advice on growing medicinal plants and culinary herbs in the garden. Learn about a variety of herbs that thrive in the unpredictable Colorado climate. Learn how to grow these plants and receive tips on harvesting and uses in cooking, cleaning and medicinal remedies. $34, $29 member 720-865-3500 Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St. botanicgardens.org Science Lounge: Sugar, Sugar 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21 Enjoy a mind-expanding experience with cocktails and entertainment the third Thursday of the month. For ages 21 and up. This month, bring your sweetie and prepare your taste buds for some sweet, sweet science! Experiment with some of your favorite candy and learn how sugars affect the human body. From sucrose to glucose, this is one sweet night worth bouncing off the walls for. Tickets: $13 member, $15 nonmember 303-370-6000 Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. dmns.org Wish Night: Share the Power of a Wish, benefitting Make-A-Wish® Colorado 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22 Experience the power of a wish for Colorado children battling critical illnesses. Music
February 2019 and dance performances by local wish kids as well as cocktails, dinner, silent and live auctions. Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center, 650 15th St. colorado.wish.org
and $10 for children. Tickets to the ballet with the Little Ballerina Tea Party are $25 for adults and $20 for children. 303-945-4388 Pinnacle Performing Arts Center, 1001 W. 84th Ave. balletariel.org Comedy with Roger Mondays 10 p.m. 303-320-9200 | Lion’s Lair, 2022 E. Colfax Ave. www.lionslairco.com/events
Great Perennial Grasses 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23 Lauren Springer Ogden discusses both adapted exotic and native North American grasses and shows inspirational examples of their incorporation in garden settings. $31, $26 member 720-865-3500 Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St. botanicgardens.org Black History Live Tour Meet Maya Angelou portrayed by Becky Stone 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23 This living history portrayal will give insight into how Dr. Angelou wrote, and why, and reflect on her philosophy of life, which included a strong belief in the power of words. 303-894-7951 Denver Public Library, Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales Branch Library, 1498, N. Irving St., Community Room coloradohumanities.org A Little Ballerina Tea Party 3 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23 Tickets for the mini-performances at the Pinnacle Performing Arts Center and Cleo Parker Robinson Theatre are $15 for adults
Baker Historic Neighborhood Association General Meeting 6:30 p.m., second Tuesday of the month. As always, we will hear from our Community Resource Officer from Denver Police and learn about different items impacting Baker. Come a little early to socialize and meet some fellow Bakerties. Hirschfeld Tower 333 W. Ellsworth Ave. bakerneighborhood.org East Evans Business Association Meeting Meets every 4th Tuesday This meeting provides a great opportunity for local businesses to meet, network and raise awareness of what’s happening on the East Evans corridor. 303-671-6639 Panorama Building, 2055 S. Oneida St. Chamberlin Observatory Public Night Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:30 p.m. All public nights start with an informative, multi-
media astronomy presentation. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for kids and is payable online via PayPal. Reservations are recommended, as nights sell out. Times vary by season. Observatory Park 2930 E. Warren Ave. denverastro.org/das/public-nights Why Not Wednesday Wednesdays 4 p.m. We open wines that most stores wouldn’t dare to open. Whether it’s grand cru champagne, cult cabernet or an amazing bottle of Amarone. Find out what the wine of the week is on our website! 303-282-5103 Pearl Wine Company, 1886 S. Pearl St. pearlwinecompany.com Friends and Neighbors (FANS) of Washington Park 6 p.m., second Wednesday of each month Meetings typically include a brief overview of the latest park news and often feature a guest speaker. Check out the website for the topic of the month. Washington Park Dos Chappell Bath House, 600 S. Marion Parkway fanswashingtonpark.org Denver GOP First Friday Breakfast First Friday of the month 7 a.m. Great speakers and conservative camaraderie. This months speakers are Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams and Denver Clerk & Recorder. Please RSVP and order breakfast to support Pete’s. 303-782-9555 Pete’s Greek Town Cafe 2910 E. Colfax Ave. www.denvergop.org SEE THINGS TO DO, P26
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Life On Capitol Hill 23
February 2019
RECRUITMENT www.ColoradoCommunityCareers.com
Medical billing and coding According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the industry for medical records and health information technicians continues to grow. The industry is expected to grow by more than 13 percent by the year 2026, faster than the average for all occupations. According to 2017 numbers, the median salary for medical records and health information technicians is $31,180 per year, averaging about $18.83 an hour.
According to BLS, medical records and health information technicians, commonly referred to as health information technicians, organize and manage health information data. They ensure that the information maintains its quality, accuracy, accessibility, and security in both paper files and electronic systems. They use various classification systems to code and categorize patient information for insurance reimbursement purposes, for databases and registries, and
to maintain patients’ medical and treatment histories. Medical biller and coders play an important role in the health care industry. They are the ones to create a connection between providers, patients and insurance companies. Those working in the industry might perform the following duties: • Reading and analyzing patient records • Determining the correct codes for
patient records • Using codes to bill insurance providers • Working with physicians and assistants • Tracking patient data • Managing coded information • Respecting patient confidentiality and information security
In-home health care Home health aides and personal care aides are a growing industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the in-home care industry is expected to grow by more than 41 percent between now and 2026, much faster than the national average. Both home health aides and personal care aides often help older adults who need assistances. Patients might have disabilities, chronic illness, cognitive impairment, or need assistance with daily living activities. These duties may include giving medication, checking vital signs and working under the direction of a qualified nurse or healthcare practitioner. Some of the tasks performed include: • Assisting clients in their daily per-
sonal tasks, including bathing and dressing • Housekeeping, such as laundry, washing dishes and vacuuming • Help to organize a client’s schedule and plan appointments • Arrange transportation to doctor’s offices or other outings • Shop for groceries and prepare meals to meet a client’s dietary specifications • Keep clients engaged in their social networks and communities • The median annual wage for home health aides was $23,210 in May 2017. • The median annual wage for personal care aides was $23,100 in May 2017.
CAREGIVERS NEEDED!
Above Average Pay! $15 - $16 per hour Caregivers needed to work with clients in their homes, assisting with the activities of daily living. FT/PT available. Please call: 303-734-0641 or visit: www.elderlinkhomecare.com/work-opportunities/ to fill out our online application. We have designed our process to get you working as quickly as possible. We look forward to hearing from you!
To Advertise on this page or for more information contact Karen at 303.566.4091 kearhart@coloradocommunitymedia.com Check us out online at www.ColoradoCommunityCareers.com
24 Life On Capitol Hill
February 2019
special edition financial pages
Live your best retirement without a mortgage payment BY KATHY MUNI SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
If you have paid off your home and have no mortgage, you have done well and should feel proud of your accomplishment. It took faithfulness and sacrifice to achieve that mile marker. Your home is likely your greatest asset, and yet the money that is in the home, your housing wealth, is tied up with no way to access it unless you sell the home. However, most seniors want to stay in their home forever. Other seniors are well into retirement and have a monthly mortgage payment that, as the years go on, feels like it is strangling them. If you have a large monthly house payment and would like to eliminate it, then you can also use the wealth in your home
to eliminate your monthly mortgage payment. Many people are in the situation where they are “house-rich, and cashpoor.” They have paid off the house, but are not enjoying retirement due to the constraints of a fixed income. The equity in your home is YOUR money. Why not access it and put it to work for you? A Home Equity Conversion Mortgage converts some of your equity into Muni a usable asset – either as a lump sum of cash, a growing line of credit, a monthly income stream, or a combination of the three. At least one borrower must be 62 years old or older, and you need to have around 50% equity in your home, so if
you have a mortgage you can still tap into your housing wealth. Income and credit qualifications are adjusted to accommodate senior homeowners, and bruised credit is often no problem. The amount of equity you can draw is established by the age of the youngest borrower, the value of the property and what is owed. Substantial equity always remains in the home. This is your housing wealth. No one owns the home but you, and you will the property to your heirs who never inherit any debt. The proceeds of a reverse mortgage are not taxable like other investment accounts, and may be used for any purpose. Many people do a reverse mortgage to plan ahead to be sure that the surviving spouse will always be able to live in the home without a mort-
gage payment. For others, the line of credit provides a safety net and easy access to funds if-and-when needed. The guaranteed growth of around 5 percent y a year, compounding annually means a that there will often be a large sum of c money for use in the future to pay for h c home health care or anything else. The house you paid into for so long s can become an asset that pays you back u for the rest of your life. Call your local s Reverse Mortgage Specialist for the specifics of how this will benefit you. o You owe it to yourself and your family p to know your options so that you can l t live your best retirement. Editor’s Note: Kathy Muni is a reverse t m mortgage specialist with Silver Leaf c Mortgage in Centennial. You can contact her at (720) 485-4041, or eamil at 1 KathyM@SilverLeafeMortgages.com. m
c d a i Closing unnecessary accounts e In this day in age of identity theft- it’sb just not a good idea to keep unneces- p sary accounts opened. Keep it simple. i s Know where your money is. Consolidate accounts to ones you look at frequently so you can keep your eye on any suspicious activity. It just makes sense. Plus, most accounts charge fees to keep them open. Don’t pay unnecessary fees for accounts you don’t use.
Get financially healthy in 2019 – Define it, develop a plan and be disciplined BY NELISHA FIRESTONE SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, getting family finances under control is a big one. Whether you are retired and looking to stay on track, or managing a family and full household, there are plenty of areas to consider in putting finances on the right course. Prioritizing debt Not all debt is created equal. There’s good debt and bad debt. Good debt increases your net worth or has future value such as a home loan. If it doesn’t do that and you don’t
have cash to pay for it, it’s bad debt. Bad debt can get out of hand if not addressed. There are 2 schools of thought on prioritizing paying down bad debt. 1. Pay off highest interest debt first. This way you’re chipping away at the debt that’s costing you the most to finance. 2. Pay off lowest balances first. This gives you a sense of accomplishmentlike you’re making headway towards your goal to become debt free faster. IRA accounts (opening a new one and managing a current one) IRA’s are a great way to build a nest egg especially if you don’t have
an employer plan. The contribution limit for 2019 is increasing to $6,000 for people under age 50 and an extra $1,000 “catch up” contribution for those over 50 making their maximum contribution $7,000. Automatic savings plans The best savers are disciplined. To automate your savings is a great way to become a disciplined saver. Just like your 401K you can autosave in just about every type of account. Figure out what you can afford monthly and pay yourself first! If you don’t have it in your checking account, you’re likely to not spend it.
Personal finance software The new year is always a great time to get a handle on budgets. SEE PLAN, FOLLOWINGPAGE
REFINANCE YOUR MORTGAGE
THINKING OF MOVING?
CONSOLIDATE DEBT! INTEREST RATES ARE LOW!
FIND OUT HOW MUCH HOUSE YOU CAN AFFORD
Cut your monthly bills in half by refinancing your mortgage. With home values soaring and mortgage rates low for the moment, now is the time to refinance and consolidate your debt. Pay off credit cards and other monthly debt saving hundreds and sometimes $1,000s per month. Get a fresh start in 2019!
Shop in the right price range for you! Get pre-approved for your new home mortgage and have written buying power behind your new home purchase contract. Call TODAY!
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CALL TODAY! 720-458-4041 SLM NMLS# 1394377 is an Equal Housing Lender. Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Regulated by the Department of Real Estate.
Life On Capitol Hill 25
February 2019
special edition financial pages
Eliminate high-interest debt, do home improvements with a cash out refinance BY KATHY MUNI SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
“Our debt had been growing over the years as we financed three weddings and put multiple children through college. Being able to refinance our home and pay off the high-interest credit cards was a blessing. It not only simplified our financial lives, it saved us money!” ~ KC Many homeowners are in a similar situation. When they become aware of the high interest rates they are paying on personal debt such as car loans, credit cards, and student loans the interest rates can be much greater than doing a refinance of their home mortgage. The average interest rate for credit card debt at the end of 2018 was 16.71 percent while the average 30-year mortgage rate was 4.3 percent. The average American household carries about $16,000 in credit card debt, approaching $30,000 in car loans, and many 10’s of thousands of dollars in student loans. The savings in interest can be significant. The difference between the credit card debt (16.71 percent) and the average mortgage rate in the 4 percent is over 12 percent in savings. Doing a cash-out refi can help solve
PLAN FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Most people don’t know what they spend. Free personal finance software is available that will help you track your spending by interfacing with your bank accounts and credit cards. It will categorize your spending down
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this problem of overwhelming debt. A refinance allows you to tap into the equity tied up in your home putting it to work for you. When you refinance and access some of your money, you may use it for any purpose. Many pay off debt, which means optimizing their finances. Others want to do upgrades to their home, take a vacation, buy an investment property or pay for a wedding. The choice is yours! Some of our clients save $100s and even $1,000s per month restructuring their debt by refinancing. If you are concerned that your mortto the penny to help you assess where you can cut some fat in the New Year. Saving for children’s college fund With college costs soaring- the sooner the better when it comes to saving for Jr’s college. Today, a 4-year degree at an in-state school will cost you between 25K-30K per year. Those costs are rising faster than inflation at 4 percent. Colo-
gage will start over at 30-years, we have programs that offer flex terms, so you can keep your current term. We can do just about any term between 10-30 years. If you want 23, 18 or 12 years, we can do it. If you currently have mortgage insurance, you may be able to eliminate that portion of your payment if your value has increased enough in the past few years. Refinancing is an easy process and can have the added benefit of boosting your credit score when all is said and done. If your cards are maxed out or are higher than the recommended 30 percent usage, paying them off with proceeds from a refinance can help your credit score. Also, if you have an FHA loan, refinancing has never been faster or easier with an FHA Streamline. You can lower your monthly mortgage payments - in some instances, even if you owe more than your home is worth. No appraisal is required, rates are low, and there is no income documentation required (W-2s and pay stubs). The benefit to you must be at least a 5 percent drop in your mortgage payment, and there are 15, 20, 25, and 30-year terms available, with Primary Residence and Non-owner Occupied properties
allowed. An FHA Streamline can lower your monthly mortgage payment as well as your interest rate. If you have not refinanced since HUD lowered the MIP in 2015, now is the time! You may also be able to refinance out of an FHA loan, if you qualify for a Conventional loan eliminating the mortgage insurance, assuming your home value has increased enough. The VA has a streamline process to lower your rate. You can also take advantage of this rising real estate market using a VA cash out refinance with a loan up to 100% of the current value. Interest rates are still at historical lows, but may be set to rise soon. Silver Leaf Mortgage is a broker, which means that we can seek out the very best options for you offered by a variety of lenders whether you are self-employed, or W2. Our loan officers have years of experience and will work closely with you to be sure that the refinance loan you select will best meet your needs. Editor’s Note: Kathy Muni is a reverse mortgage specialist with Silver Leaf Mortgage in Centennial. You can contact her at (720) 485-4041, or eamil at KathyM@SilverLeafeMortgages.com.
rado has made it easy to save in the state sponsored 529 plan at www.collegeinvest. org. The money you put into the 529 plan is also state tax deductible. Colorado is one of few states that doesn’t cap that deduction. So, your savings for college is working for you 2 ways.
without a plan is just a wish. If you document your goals you are 80 percent more likely to achieve them. Define it, develop a plan, and be disciplined. Editor’s Note: Nelisha Firestone is an LPL Financial Advisor for Properion Financial Advisors, located in Greenwood Village. Visit their website at www.prosperionfinancial.us.
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26 Life On Capitol Hill
February 2019
Things to Do FROM PAGE 22
House District 2 Democratic Party Meeting Third Saturday of the month Monthly meeting covering business/topics at hand. 303-830-8242 Washington Street Community Center, 809 S. Washington St. www.denverdemocrats.org
ART “The Parks” exhibit by Topher Straus at Niza Knoll Gallery: Through Feb. 16 Artist Topher Straus chose to use the vast National Park system, established 150 years ago, as a blueprint for his unconventional representational landscapes featured in a new exhibit. Niza Knoll Gallery 915 Santa Fe Dr. nizaknollgallery.com Orchid Showcase Through Feb. 17 This annual exhibit presents hundreds of colorful orchid blooms in the Orangery and Marnie’s Pavilion. Common and rare species are featured, some even so special they must remain behind the greenhouse glass. Denver Botanic Gardens 1007 York St. botanicgardens.org
Stampede Public Tours Occurs every day through May 19 In this daily 45-minute tour, see how animals have captivated artists throughout history in “Stampede: Animals in Art.” Discover and consider the role animals play through themes such as personal connections with animals, how animal materials have been used in art, how animals are used to tell stories or represent political ideas, and how artists use animals in imaginative ways. No reservations necessary. Meet on level 1 of the Hamilton Building. 720-865-5000 Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway denverartmuseum.org/calendar/stampedepublic-tours DaVinci X – The Machines & You Exhibition Hours:Monday Closed for Groups and Private Events, Tuesday through Saturday – 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday – Noon to 5 p.m. Guided Tour Times – (Subject to Docent Availability) 1 p.m. Weekdays 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Weekends The DaVinci Machines Exhibition displaying hand-crafted inventions built from Leonardo’s 500 year old designs brought to life. DaVinci X Exhibition, Located on the 2nd Floor of the Denver Pavilions – Suite 268 Take Escalator to 2nd Floor Next to Henry’s Tavern at 16th and Welton Check Mall Directories As Well discoverdavinci.com Clyfford Still Museum Free Day Last Friday of every month In appreciation supporters of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SFCD), and in the spirit of community engagement, the Museum offers free admission on the last
Friday of every month. 720-354-4880 Clyfford Still Museum, 1250 Bannock St. clyffordstillmuseum.org
Alamo Placita Park, East Fourth Avenue & Ogden Street wscc-denver.org
CLASSES, LECTURES, FORUMS Sunday Open Meditation First Sunday of the month. Free to the public - all welcome. The Center is open to the public for “drop-in” meditation and contemplative practices, 10 a.m. to noon. Meditation instruction, 10:30 a.m., Padmasambhava Meditation Center, 1900 S. Cook St. padmasambhavameditationcenter.org English Learning Center Monday-Thursday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. & Wednesday and Thursday 6:30 to 8 p.m. The English Learning Center, located at the Evanston Center for Spiritual Wholeness & Healing at 2122 S. Lafayette St., offers affordable day and evening English classes. If you are interested in teaching, assisting, or for more enrollment info. call 303-420-0172, or contact Caryn Oppenheim, Exect. Director at Caryn.elcdenver@gmail.com Free Yoga for All Sundays 10 a.m. Relax and stretch with free yoga at a year round class designed for all ages and levels. Bring a mat if you can. Donations are appreciated but not required. 720-244-8252
Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Sundays 9:30 a.m. Learn both Tibetan and rhythmic English chants and brief silent meditations. Led by members of Yeshe Nyingpo Denver, a chapter of the Dudjom Tersar and aligned with the Dalai Lama. 303-294-9258 Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St. mercurycafe.com Sunday Open House and Meditation Sundays 10 a.m. A relaxed and informal Open House in the community room includes information about activities and meditation followed by a discussion and opportunity to meet others. Meditation instruction is available. Shambhala Meditation Center of Denver, 2305 S. Syracuse Way, Ste. 214 denver.shambhala.org Meditation and Kirtan Sundays 4 p.m. Leave your troubles behind and practice meditation and Kirtan every Sunday. Childcare provided. For more info call Ed. 720-810-9071 854 Pearl St., Denver Denver Laughter Club Meets every Monday except major holidays at St. Barnabas Church. 11:45 a.m. All are welcome, free, no jokes just laughter for no reason, with Chi Kung warmups, pure joy!! Call Meredee for more info. 303-877-9086
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Life On Capitol Hill 27
February 2019 By Jessica Gibbs jgibbs@coloradocommunitymedia.com
F
ashion fans need wait no longer for the Denver Art Museum’s latest showcase of high fashion and its place in the art world. “Dior: From Paris to the World” opened Nov. 19 and runs through March 17. The exhibit marks the first major retrospective of the House of Dior in the United States, meaning it highlights nearly all 70 years of the brand’s existence. It’s not a traveling show and was curated especially for the Denver Art Museum, featuring some pieces rarely seen outside Europe. “This is really an exciting and amazing moment,” Christoph Heinrich, the Frederick and Jan Mayer director of the Denver Art Museum, said three days ahead of the exhibit’s grand opening. The exhibit originally ended in early March, but in January the museum announced that it had been extended for another two weeks. The project took more than two years to plan and bring to fruition, project leads said. Dressing the mannequins alone took a team of 12 people one month to complete. Shaping one dress to a mannequin could take a full day, and there are more than 200 dresses in total. That’s not counting the other accessories, sketches, photographs and artworks (such as Renoir’s and Monet’s) featured in the exhibit. Overall, there are more than 500 objects from throughout Dior’s history in the exhibit. “It was a very important and ambitious project,” said Florence Müller, the Avenir Foundation Curator of Textile Art and Fashion for the museum, who curated the show. Müller, a fashion and art historian, has worked on 15 exhibits about Dior in her career but said this one was “shaped for Denver.” Half of the 15 rooms follow a chronological timeline of the fashion house’s seven creative directors. The other half are thematic. Each designer to follow Christian Dior — Yves-Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons and
House of Dior
gets display
in
Denver
Exhibit covers more than seven decades of high fashion history
This red satin dress was designed by John Galliano for the Haute Couture Fall-Winter 2004 collection in Paris. Galliano was the fifth creative director of Dior, where he worked from 1997 through 2011. JESSICA GIBBS the present director Maria Grazia Chiuri — brought their own vision to the brand while still paying homage to the founder, Müller said. Building a legacy Christian Dior founded the fashion house at age 42, approximately 10 years before his death. Leading up to the venture, he’d taken up fashion illustration as a way to support himself during the Great Depression, leaving behind a career running art galleries. In 1946 he received the finan-
cial backing necessary to open a couture house, and in 1947, Dior the label was born from a townhome at 30 Avenue Montaigne in Paris. The company still operates from this location. Dior rose on the promise of a “New Look,” also the name of its first collection. The collection offered women feminine, glamorous styles craved by many in the postwar era and which starkly contrasted with the masculine shapes worn during World War II. The first room of the exhibit
IF YOU GO “Dior: From Paris to the World” is on display at the Denver Art Museum March 17. Located on Level 2 of the Hamilton Building, 100 W 14th Avenue Parkway in Denver, tickets are available for purchase online at denverartmuseum.org or by calling 720-913-0130. Parking is available in the Cultural Center Complex Garage at 12th Avenue and Broadway.
begins here. Two rows of nearly all-black ensembles from the New Look collection flank the walkway that leads visitors from the exhibit entrance back through time. One line features full skirts and the other narrow silhouettes. Some criticized this first collection, pegging it as wasteful luxury, according to the Denver Art Museum, while others took offense to the sensual designs. Many New Look pieces featured emphasized busts, accentuated hips and slim waists. Still, the house created a lasting legacy and has attracted some of the most famous women in history to its doors, hence the exhibit room dubbed “Ladies in Dior.” Grace Kelly wore Dior for her engagement announcement, Marilyn Monroe wore Dior in her last photo shoot and Elizabeth Taylor was among actresses who wore the fashion house’s designs. Other current names like Charlize Theron, Jennifer Lawrence, Natalie Portman and Rihanna are but some of the famous women to don Dior pieces today. Dresses worn by each can be found at the exhibit. More recently, Michelle Obama wore an all-Dior outfit on the cover of Elle magazine’s December issue, and model Karlie Kloss wore a custom Dior dress for her October wedding to Joshua Kushner. Going global Dior forged a global reach — the result of strategic business moves that earned Christian Dior a reputation for pioneering key aspects of the fashion industry. “This house was always on the top of the game of the fashion
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world,” Müller said. He championed offering women with everything they would need to complete an outfit in one boutique. From lip colors to shoes and jewelry, the exhibit outlines this approach to fashion in a showroom called “The Total Look.” Dior also took his fashion house global by licensing other companies to manufacture products under Dior’s control and establishing locations in countries including the United States, Mexico, Chile and ultimately on five continents. Christian Dior and his time around the world can be seen and felt in designs throughout the fashion house’s history. This largely inspired the exhibit’s finale — a large room with stair-like platforms that stack internationally influenced designs high above the floor. The exhibit was designed by architecture firm OMA New York and led by Shohei Shigematsu, partner and director of OMA New York. The team drew inspiration from Christian Dior’s life and from the Denver Art Museum’s Hamilton Building, merging the two worlds of classical Paris and contemporary Denver. Walkways mimic paths from Christian Dior’s private home and garden, and backdrops are built of raw aluminum, mirroring the Denver Art Museum’s modern exterior. “I think it gives a very interesting environment, an immersive environment,” Shigematsu said. Müller said it’s difficult to pick a favorite or most significant piece featured in the exhibit but praised a taffeta evening ensemble worn by Rihanna in 2017 and designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri. Most significant may be the New Look collection, she said, calling it “the manifesto” of Dior. Heinrich said the museum hopes their exhibit draws people to Denver and showcases the artform of haute couture. On Nov. 16 Müller said she was eager for people to see the show but was sad to think about their time working on it coming to a close. “The opening of the exhibit is almost,” she said, “the end of the adventure.”
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28 Life On Capitol Hill
Denver roofs go from Ordinance changed to allow for more sustainable options By Clarke Reader creader@coloradocommunitymedia.com
In 2017, 54 percent of Denver voters approved an ordinance that aimed to make the city’s roofs greener, and thus, better for the environment, despite big money opposition. But in October last year, city council approved some changes to the ordinance that some see as a weakening of the voters’ intent. The original green roof ordinance required new buildings 25,000 square feet or higher — with the exception of residentials under four stories — to ensure a certain percentage of their rooftop is used for gardens and vegetative space or solar pannels. A building could cover its entire roof in solar panels to be exempt from the requirement. Existing buildings could receive a total waiver or they could get the percentage that needs to be covered reduced by applying to the Denver Planning Board. Under the new requirements, new Denver roofs must be white or “cool roofs,” which reflect sunshine instead of absorbing it. Property owners also have several other sustainable options to work into the design, including green space on the roof or somewhere else on the property, solar panels,or paying money to the city’s Green Building Fund. Kyle Zeppelin, co-president of Zeppelin Development, said the changes reflect a lack of
green to white
leadership and dampening of the positive effects residents voted for when they approved a green roof ordinance in 2017. “These changes are giving industries a reprieve, when this should have been a lever to get more greenspace into Denver,” Zeppelin said. “We had an opportunity to make up some ground on green development. Instead, the results are exactly what the building industry wanted.” Zeppelin Development was behind several projects in the River North neighborhood, such as Zeppelin Station and The Source Hotel. Brandon Rietheimer, founder and campaign manager of the original green roof requirements, approved of the revisions made to the original ordinance. “There were some major flaws in the ordinance I drafted. One was that only a portion of the roof had to be covered and it did not specify that the other portion of the roof had to be a cool roof,” he said. “The largest issue was that nearly 90 percent of existing buildings would have been exempted the way Zeppelin it was written. Significant climate impact would have been lost had we allowed these buildings to be exempted.” Making a positive impact on climate change was a key motivation behind the ordinance, especially since Colorado could be in for some hot summers in the coming years if data projections from the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE) are correct. Projections state that by 2080, Denver
Argonaut Has It!
February 2019
GREEN ROOF ORDINANCE Denver’s new cool-roof rules: • Roofs must be white or “cool roofs,” which reflect sunshine instead of absorbing it.
Parking garages Temporary or air-supported structures
Greenhouses • Property owners also have several sustainable options to work into the design, including Single-family homes, duplexes green space on the roof or somewhere else on the property, solar panels,or paying money to Multifamily residential buildings that are five stories or less the city’s Green Building Fund. • Approved unanimously by Denver City Council in October 2018.
Emergency roof replacements for wind or fire
• Exemptions:
• There are other exemptions based on technical feasibility, character-defining features and existing green roof or renewable energy systems.
could see about 79 days above 95 degrees. The situation could be exacerbated by the fact that Denver has the third worst heat island in the country, according to the DDPHE. As the Environmental Protection Agency describes it, a heat island is a location where the population keeps the temperature higher than surrounding areas by building lots of unshaded surfaces like roofs and pavement. Heat islands can lead to increases in summertime peak energy demand, air conditioning costs, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, heatrelated illness and mortality, and water quality. Once the ordinance passed, city staff went about looking at the best way to implement the new requirements. About 24 stakeholders got involved and they had nine three-hour meetings on implementation, said Katrina Managan, energy efficient buildings lead in the
DDPHE’s Environmental Quality Division. “We reached a consensus about adding some flexibility and expanded options for people to meet the requirements,” Managan said. “I really think we found the sweet spot with these changes.” Rietheimer agreed, saying the new changes will allow for a more significant impact on the urban heat island and climate change by allowing multiple compliance pathways. Where some like Rietheimer see the compromises as a positive, Zeppelin believes the less stringent requirements represent a missed opportunity from Denver officials. “We need more forward-thinking leadership as we move forward,” Zeppelin said. “I think the original initiative captured the imagination and energy of a lot of people, and that’s not going anywhere.”
• Applies to buildings of at least 25,000 square feet.
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