Life On
September 2018 FREE
CAPITOL HILL BLOWN AWAY: Check out Denver’s electric art scene Pages 16, 22, 28
MUSIC ON THE COURSE:
Grandoozy launches at Overland Park Golf Course this month P21
CLEAN MACHINE: Laundry truck travels Denver to help the homeless
P4
A PUBLICATION OF
FREQUENT FLIERS:
Denver embraces quidditch, a Harry Potter-inspired sport P12
2 Life On Capitol Hill
September 2018
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Life On Capitol Hill 3
September 2018
R
esidents and businesses in Denver’s Uptown neighborhood struggled through a summer of unpredictable power outages that they said totaled as many as 14 in one neighborhood and 13 for one restaurant. Although residents said Xcel Energy was initially unresponsive, the power company — after a community meeting last month — promised to keep close tabs on the issue. “We are now hypersensitive to this neighborhood and what you’re going through,” Tyler Smith, Xcel’s area manager, told those at the Aug. 15 meeting at Stoney’s Uptown Joint, a neighborhood sports bar. The problem is recurring, residents said, noting that the neighborhood saw similar power outages during the past two summers. But this year has been the worst, said Chris Chiari, vice president of the Registered Neighborhood Organization (RNO) at Swallow Hill. Staff at Xcel Energy said it recorded the first outage on June 10, with an additional eight happening through August. To have this many outages happening in a concentrated area is unusual, said Mark Stutz, a spokesperson with Xcel. “After we got to that second, third one,” he said, “we knew we had some issues here.” But residents in the Swallow Hill Historic District, a neighborhood bordered by Colfax and East 17th avenues and Clarkson and Downing streets, said the problem was bigger than eight outages in a few months. Residents there estimated as many as 14 outages. Many also said the
Blackout summer Uptown residents, businesses, experience wave of power outages By Kailyn Lamb
Residents of the Swallow Hill Historic District say they heard a loud popping noise coming from a power pole on Ogden Street. After the noise, residents would lose power.
klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com
KAILYN LAMB
power company was, at first, unresponsive. Chiari said his home experienced 12 outages. On average, the neighborhood would lose power once every 10 days, he said. Chiari, who spent time on a utility advisory board at his former home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, said he is concerned the outages stems from too many people using an older power system. Residents told the RNO they would
hear a loud popping sound from a power pole on Odgen Street, followed soon after by a loss of power. But when Swallow Hill reported this to Xcel, the power company didn’t have an answer, Chiari said. Stutz said this was partially because Xcel was unsure at the time about the cause of the outages. Xcel focused its efforts on a six-block area from Colfax to East 16th avenues and from Clarkson Street east toward Downing. Outages in this area affected 350
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customers. But businesses and residences outside of that area were experiencing power failures as well. Will Trautman, co-owner of Stoney’s Uptown Joint, said the restaurant experienced 13 outages between June and early August. Stoney’s, 1035 E. 17th Ave., is just outside of Xcel’s focus area. Like many of the area’s houses and neighborhoods, Trautman said the restaurant is on a three-phase power system. If one
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of the phases goes down, Stoney’s loses power. In the first outage, Trautman said the restaurant lost some food. After that, the restaurant developed a system to save perishable items. What hurt the restaurant more was losing revenue and customer trust. “It’s just getting people back in the doors,” he said. “They’ll go someplace else because they don’t want to risk it being closed.” One of the first outages happened during a Final Four basketball game in the spring, and several others happened on weekends during games, Trautman said. News media reported on the outages after a sold-out concert was delayed at the Ogden Theatre on Aug. 6. After the article, a community meeting was organized for Aug. 15 at Stoney’s. At the meeting, members of the Xcel team said they may have found the source of the problem. Stutz said a fuse was installed improperly. But because many of the fuses throughout neighborhoods look the same, it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact problem spot. An outage in July was caused by a wreck in which a car knocked down an electrical pole. Both of those issues have been corrected and time will tell whether or not it was the root of the problem, Xcel staff said. Chiari said he was happy to see Xcel hold the community meeting to give an update, saying it was “a legitimate response” to the issue. Councilmember Wayne New also attended the meeting and said he would keep in contact with Xcel to provide residents with a weekly report.
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4 Life On Capitol Hill
September 2018
More than
clean
clothes
Bayaud Enterprises runs a laundry truck in Denver that is fitted with washers and dryers and stops at several different locations throughout the city to provide the homeless population with free services. The company estimated it can do 5,000 pounds of laundry in one month. PHOTOS BY KAILYN LAMB
Local organization gives homeless access to laundry, job training By Kailyn Lamb klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com
O
n Wednesday mornings, a mobile laundry truck parks at a meter on West 14th Avenue at the Denver Public Library’s downtown branch. By 8:55 a.m., staff from Bayaud Enterprises has weighed individual bags of laundry for a line of homeless people, each of whom can do 10 pounds of laundry for free with the truck. Bayaud Enterprises, a job training and placement program that works to help people overcome barriers to employment such as disabilities and homelessness, launched the laundry truck last April. Demand for the service has been so great — about 5,000 pounds of clothes are cleaned a month — the company recently added a second truck. The company makes stops at the downtown library, as well as Colfax Avenue, and in the Cheesman Park, Five Points, Baker, Lincoln Park and River North neighborhoods. The Denver Public Library’s downtown branch is the busiest, said Craig Salas, who was formerly homeless and was hired by Bayaud to work the laundry trucks. For Anthony Murchison, one of the first people to start using the service, having access to a free laundry program means he has clean clothes for potential jobs or interviews.
“When you don’t have a few bucks in your pocket, this helps,” he said. The program’s goal is to do just that — save money for the homeless population, said Scott Kerr, director of Bayaud’s employment and opportunity center. Some of the homeless have told him they buy new clothes from thrift stores instead of doing laundry or spend money at local laundromats. Kerr said he’s hoping people can instead spend the money on necessities like food. An unmet need Besides the laundry trucks, Bayaud, located at 333 W. Bayaud Ave. in the Baker neighborhood, operates several other programs that help homeless people get jobs. A document shredding business employs homeless individuals to give them job experience, while also providing a revenue stream for Bayaud. When one of the shredding trucks was coming offline, the company asked the homeless community if there was a need that could be filled. “The deepest unmet need was laundry,” he said. Each truck holds seven washers, seven dryers and storage tanks for water from the laundry cycles that is later disposed of at Bayaud. At each stop, the SEE BAYAUD, P5
HOW TO HELP Denver Human Resources office: The city of Denver has compiled a list of things people can do to help the homeless population. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/2wpCEdx. The site includes volunteer information, as well as a link to the Give a Better Way Guide to Giving, which helps ensure that donated dollars go directly to helping the homeless.
Bayaud Enterprises: Find donation information at https://bit.ly/2BR7dyA. Staff members at the Bayaud Laundry Truck said the organization has taken donations of laundry soap. People can also volunteer with Bayaud. A list of opportunities, as well as the application process can be found at www.bayaudenterprises.org under the Get Involved tab.
Lewis McConnell hands his laundry to Craig Salas. McConnell just moved to Denver a few weeks ago from Kansas.
Life On Capitol Hill 5
September 2018
Bayaud FROM PAGE 4
trucks connect to a local water source. The homeless hand their laundry to Bayaud staff, which then attaches a sticky note with the person’s name, clothing weight and a number that matches the one on the laundry bag. That way people know which one to pick up later in the day. In addition to providing laundry services, Kerr said the program helps build a relationship with people in the hopes of getting them into job training at Bayaud. “We really wanted the truck to be by and for people who are emerging from poverty,” he said. Salas said he first went to Bayaud when he was homeless. He moved to Denver from Oklahoma four years ago, and at one point was living in Bayaud’s parking lot. The company, he said, is unlike any other aid organization he’s seen. The job training portion is meant to help people that may not have had work for a while, Salas said. “You’re allowed to make mistakes,” he said. “You get people where (they) need to be.” Creating jobs for all skills Last year was a busy one for Bayaud. In addition to launching the laundry truck, it started the official Denver Day Works program after a successful test pilot. The pilot program, which started in November 2016, helped 110 people find permanent work, according to a news release from the city of Denver. Denver Day Works partnered with several employers throughout the city such as the Denver Zoo, city departments, Goodwill, King Soopers and more. Since the end of the pilot, Denver Day Works has expanded to include jobs along the Colfax Business Improvement District. In August, Kerr said it also expanded to the River North upcoming pop-up Boxyard Park, located at Blake Street and Broadway. The park will host community events and will have a rotation of food trucks. “We can find and create jobs for folks all along the skills spectrum,” Kerr said.
OTHER RESOURCES FOR THE HOMELESS The Denver’s Road Home website includes a map with day shelters for homeless people. Its resource guide includes a list of shelters, churches and other services from throughout the state of Colorado. Each listing includes hours and contact information and a brief description on the services the organiazation providies. Visit https://bit.ly/2tBN73I for the guide as well as other resource information at Denver’ Road Home.
Greg Bristow brought his laundry to the downtown branch of the Denver Public Library. A laundry truck run by Bayaud Enterprises stops there every Wednesday to offer free services to homeless people. KAILYN LAMB
‘You don’t want to give up’ Resources and jobs can help make life a little easier on the street By Kailyn Lamb
klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com
At 9 a.m. on Aug. 15, Lewis McConnell, Greg Bristow and Robin Delaney stood in a huddle on the library lawn after dropping off their laundry. Bristow offered the other two a doughnut, saying his diabetes prevented him from eating such a sugary treat. He gestured to a nearby walker, saying he also struggles with vertigo. Bristow has been living on the streets in Denver for the last year. His
daughter is pregnant, and he wanted to be around to help her, he said, but she didn’t have room for him to stay in her house. Delaney and Bristow said they have used the Stout Street Health Center when struggling with medical issues as a homeless person. The clinic, located at 2130 Stout St., is run by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless and treats patients regardless of their ability to pay. “It’s not easy,” Bristow said. Living as a homeless person with a disability, McConnell said he likes to keep up on all the resources available. He’s only been in Denver a few weeks, and had just heard about the laundry truck. He came from Kansas after trying to apply for Supplemental Security
Income. “I decided to go somewhere I might enjoy myself,” he said. Denver’s Road Home, a branch of the city’s Human Services department, can be an important resource for people looking for shelters or other program information. The website has a comprehensive list of programs including meals, housing and medical locations. After working as interim director of Denver’s Road Home for the past year, Chris Conner was appointed director in August. He previously worked with Urban Peak doing street outreach. Urban Peak specifically works with homeless youth in Denver. At one point, Conner said, data showed Denver’s homeless population
was growing at the same rate as the rest of the city’s population. Denver’s Road Home is a partner of the Denver Day Works program, and Conner said that when the idea came to his desk he knew he wanted to fight for livable wages for participants. Conner said they are paying Day Works employees $12.59 an hour. Living as a homeless person is a daily struggle. Delaney said he had to have a metal plate put in his arm after getting attacked and robbed. He also has sleep apnea. The Denver native has been homeless off and on since 2012. For him, a part of the struggle is to remember hope. “You don’t want to give up,” Delaney said. “I would say in this environment it’s really easy for people to give up.”
6 Life On Capitol Hill
September 2018
Business Matters
By Kailyn Lamb | klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Business Matters is a monthly column on the changing landscape of business and development in central Denver. If there are any inquires 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.
DEVELOPMENT 260 N. Josephine St. Elevation Development Group broke ground in mid-July for a six-story project in Cherry Creek North. The building is set to be 70,000 square feet of mixed-use space including retail and office spaces. The building will also include parking levels. Elevation is based in Denver. The company estimated the project will take approximately one year to build.
Denver Health The Lincoln Park hospital has two building projects underway, with a recent groundbreaking for a new Outpatient Medical Center and an upcoming parking garage. The outpatient center received $45 million in funding from the 2017 Denver’s General Obligation Bond. The 300,000-square-foot facility at 660 Bannock St. will replace a building that used to house administration and office space. Wade Ebersole, assistant chief operating officer at Denver Health, said the new outpatient center will help make things more efficient. Patients have to visit several different buildings across the hospital’s campus for various outpatient services. Once this building is complete in 2020, patients will be able to go to one building for all their needs, including a pharmacy. The current buildings are also not current with medical standards, Ebersole said. “These buildings that they’re practicing in are well beyond their useful life.” It would be cost-prohibitive for Denver Health to reconstruct the buildings to fit those standards. Instead, the hospital will use the building for support staff such as the IT team, who do not require the same strict medical standard. The parking garage will replace support staff buildings at 530 and 550 Acoma St. and will have more than 1,200 spaces. The hospital will demolish the current buildings later this year, with construction on the parking garage starting in early 2019. Ebersole said the hospital is aiming to have the garage open before the Outpatient Medical Center since the new facility will require increased parking.
BUSINESS OPENINGS
Gorman and Co. recently purchased the Colburn Hotel building in Capitol Hill which was being used as affordable housing units. Gorman and Co. plans to renovate the building and continue using it for affordable housing units. COURTESY OF GORMAN AND CO.
Colburn Hotel Since 1990, the former hotel at 980 Grant St. has been run as an affordable-housing apartment building. Gorman & Company purchased the building last month and will begin renovating the apartments in 2019. The 10-story building has 91 low-income units. Gorman plans to continue leasing the space as affordable housing. Construction will happen in phases so current tenants will not be displaced. In May, Gorman received $6.3 million from federal and Colorado low-income housing tax credits, which helped to fund the purchase of the building. “Similar properties have already been sold to private developers for conversion into market-rate properties, while restrictions on another 2,000 homes are set to expire in Denver,” Kimball Crangle, Gorman & Company’s Colorado market president, said in a news release. “If we don’t act now, we lose these apartment homes for our most vulnerable community members forever.” The Colburn Hotel was built in 1925. Charlie Brown’s, a neighborhood bar, and Cynergy Chiropractic Center will remain on the first floor.
PuppComm Denver native William Loopesko created a new app for dog owners to help check on their pet’s well-being in cars. Loopekso said he came up with idea when he got a dog in 2014. He frequently took Denver native William his dog on hikes. Loopesko created But when he had an app that will help to make a quick track a dog’s safety. stop in a store, he COURTESY OF PUPPTECH worried about his pup. PuppComm is a device that sits in the car with a dog and tracks the vehicle’s temperature, humidity and location. Owners can then check those stats via an app to ensure their four-legged friends are doing alright. “This is a problem that a lot of dog owners deal with and a real concern they have on a regular basis,” Loopesko said. The app is meant for quick errands, he added, and he doesn’t advocate owners leave their dogs in the car for long periods of time. The app comes with a sticker that owners can place on their car. Passersby can use the sticker to put a code into the PuppComm site to check on dogs as well. PuppComm launched on Indiegogo at the end of July with a goal to raise $20,000. As of Aug. 28, PuppComm had raised more than $32,000. SEE BUSINESS, P7
Life On Capitol Hill 7
September 2018
Business FROM PAGE 6
Mila The Kevin Taylor Restaurant Group is expanding to add a new Mediterraneaninspired restaurant at 999 18th St. The company is aiming to open Mila this fall. The restaurant is replacing Urban Roadhouse Downtown. In September, Kevin Taylor closed Palettes, its restaurant housed in the Denver Art Museum. The DAM is currently renovating the north building and demolished the portion where Palettes was located. Palettes’ chef Austin Cueto will continue working for Kevin Taylor as the head chef of Mila. Liberati Denver The authentic Italian restaurant and brewery at 2403 Champa St. will offer 42 beer taps as well as eight Italian-style cocktails on tap. Alex Liberati, an Italian brewer, has his sights set on mastering beer made with grapes. But the technique is tricky, and little has been done to put such an acidic fruit in beer, Liberati said. “This has not yet been explored,” he said. The beers, called oeno, will be made using beer methods as well as some traditional wine-making methods. The restaurant will feature house-made pastas, breads, charcuterie and Italian gelato. Liberati said he is finishing up inspections with the city and plans to begin brewing as soon as he has a certificate of occupancy. From there it will take more than a month for the grape beers to brew and ferment. He is hoping to open Liberati around the Great American Beer Fest, which opens on Sept. 20. Rye Society The new Jewish deli honoring the roots of a longtime Denver family made its debut in River North at the end of July. Rye Society took over the Hutch and Spoon Café space at 3090 Larimer St. Jerrod Rosen, a fourth-generation Coloradan, wanted to open the restaurant to bring traditional New York deli food to the area. The restaurant uses recipes going back generations within his family. CLOSINGS Delhi Darbar Less than a year after opening at 100 E. 20th Ave., Delhi Darbar officially shut its doors in mid-August. The restaurant opened in January. The restaurant had a rocky start. In late December 2017, the space opened as Gumba’s Italian Kitchen. The restaurant was a brick-and-mortar location for a food truck of the same name. Westword reported in January that the main partner behind the Italian restaurant left the business and the remaining owners decided to convert to Indian food. The group had formerly opened a restaurant under the name Delhi Darbar at 1514 Blake St., which closed 10 years ago, according to Westword. Rebel Restaurant Rebel Restaurant, at 3763 Wynkoop St., closed in River North on Aug. 4. The restaurant was open for three years and was known for serving whole hog heads and pierogis. Noble Riot, a new wine bar, is set to open in its place this month.
CHANGES Hot Mamas Exercise Hot Mamas is moving from its home of more than 10 years in West Washington Park to a new studio at 2260 E. Colfax Ave. in the Cheesman Park neighborhood. The move was first reported by BusinessDen. Hot Mamas focuses on fitness classes for women. According to the website, founder Teddi Bryant started Hot Mamas after working on fitness routines with new moms. The studio offers classes that focus on a particular area, such as legs and waist, or full-body strength classes.
LaLas Wine Bar and Pizzeria will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in September. KAILYN LAMB LaLa’s Wine Bar LaLa’s will be celebrating its 10 year anniversary on Sept. 5. The bar will have happy hour all day, and there will be live music from 6 to 9 p.m. The restaurant will be donating 10 percent of the dinner sales to Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods. Jazzercise A three-decade-old exercise studio changed hands last month after Linda Viray took over Jazzercise on Capitol Hill. The studio is just north of City Park at 3435 E. 28th Ave. Kathy Zimmer sold the studio to Viray, who took over on Aug. 1. Zimmer said she wanted to see the business continue, but that she wanted to step back and spend more time with her three children. “We just couldn’t see it go away,” she said. Zimmer will continue teaching at the studio, which will remain at its East 28th Avenue location. Viray has been teaching Jazzercise for the past 14 years. She said she loves the community of people who come to classes regularly at this location. Zephyr Brewing A former River North brewery is closing after a year in north Denver. Zephyr Brewing first opened in RiNo in 2014, but after rising rent costs, closed up shop and moved to a new facility at 1609 E. 58th Ave. last summer. The business reopened as a taproom there earlier this year. Zephyr officially closed its doors on July 20. Owner Brian Wood sold the brewery and equipment to former assistant brewer Nick Crown, who will reopen the business as Blue Tile Brewing. The new brewery will open this fall.
8 Life On Capitol Hill
September 2018
Managing pests and disease in your fall vegetable garden
A
s fall approaches, most of us are enjoying the literal fruits of our labor as the tomato and squash family plants put on their biggest show. If you planned accordingly, you might GUEST also still be harvestCOLUMN ing greens and root Brien Darby crops. However, with the harvest often comes increased pest and disease pressure. Let’s talk about three of the most likely culprits: powdery mildew, spinach leaf miner and slugs. Unless you have had a very fortunate year, you’ve probably noticed powdery mildew on your squash family plants — summer and winter squash, cucumbers and melons — as well as some of your ornamentals, such as lilacs, roses and zinnias. Powdery mildew looks like a fine, white dust that coats the foliage of plants. In early infestations, the older leaves of plants are the most affected, but if left untreated, the entire plant can succumb to the fungus. Fortunately, while the treatment is the same, often the fungus causing the outbreak is different for each plant. This means that it is unlikely to jump from the lilacs, which are often infected early in the year, to the squash, which are infected later. The best treatment for powdery mildew is prevention. In the vegetable garden, the techniques for preventing an outbreak on squash family crops are: providing adequate space between plants, pruning older leaves frequently to increase airflow and, if possible, practicing
yearly crop rotation. Once an infection has occurred, one effective treatment is a foliar spray of potassium bicarbonate sold under various trade names including MilStop. The spray must contact the infected surfaces, and multiple applications are usually required. You may have noticed over the last few seasons that the leaves on your spinach, beets and Swiss chard have large dead patches and the plants show signs of wilt and under-performance. A small fly known as the spinach leaf miner is most likely the culprit. This fly lays small clusters of white eggs, 1-3 mm long, on the undersides of the leaves. As they hatch, the larvae tunnel into the leaves creating the telltale signs. Management of the fly is achievable but can be time-consuming. If you notice an outbreak occurring, the first step is to remove all affected leaves. Second, check the undersides of the leaves for eggs and remove by wiping with a cloth or your finger. Once all visible eggs have been removed, cover the crops with a light-weight row cover. It may be still necessary to check for eggs about once a week. Lastly, slugs and snails are a perennial problem in well-watered and/or poorly draining gardens. These pests can devour both the leaves and fruit of plants and they often work at night and very quickly. If you suspect slug or snail damage or you see the pests in your garden, try sprinkling the base of plants with a product called diatomaceous earth. Brien Darby is the manager of urban food programs at the Denver Botanic Gardens. He can be reached at horticulture@denverbotanicgardens.org.
Powdery mildew can affect the squash family of plants as well as ornamental plants. The fungus can be prevented through plant spacing and pruning. COURTESY OF DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS
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Life On Capitol Hill 9
September 2018
Changes must be made to the Denver City Charter
T
he Denver City Charter does not give city council the authority to independently contract for legal and other professional services. Two incidences in the past year have convinced me that the charter needs to be changed to clearly allow city council or its members to seek professional services to assist us as a body in addressing policy, reviewing complex contracts or on various projects where outside expertise is needed. You may remember the controversial Denver International Airport Great Hall contract. City council was being asked to approve a 34-year, $1.8 billion agreement to design, construct, finance, operate and maintain concessions on the fifth level at Denver International Airport. The first-of-a-kind agreement for DIA ran 157-pages and included 15,000 pages of addendums and attachments, excluding the financial documents. Over a period of months, the agreement had been negotiated by a city team that included special counsel to DIA with expertise in complicated public/private partnership agreements. City council was expected to review this complicated arrangement and cast our first votes in one weeks’ time. I, and four of my colleagues, sought and found outside legal counsel with public/private partnership experience to assist us in reviewing the documents in the short time frame provided. Their work was stopped mid-stream when we were informed by
the city attorney that we could not hire legal counsel under the charter, nor would she approve payment to the team we had engaged. I believed then and now that city council would better serve the people of Denver by having a thorough of the Deborah Ortega understanding finances, revenue and project delivery. Instead, we were expected to trust the team that negotiated the agreement (and had a vested interest in approval) and representatives of the company selected to carry out the project, Ferrovial, who joined airport staff in briefing council members. For city council members to do our due diligence in reviewing this and other complex multimillion dollar and multiyear contracts, it may be necessary to hire professional consultants to assist us with a thorough review of large projects. There were also a series of employeerelated cases and an incident involving the mayor’s inappropriate text messages to a member of his security detail. City council committed to “researching the historical data surrounding employment cases and settlements, as well as crafting a policy going forward that will ensure
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council has more information regarding these settlements.” I think it is imperative that we utilize outside legal expertise free from any potential conflict of interest to assist in crafting policy for these and other large settlements. I conclude that the Denver City Charter needs to be amended to clearly provide city council and its members the ability to hire legal and other professional services to assist in contract review, legal research and analysis and other activities as we work to fulfill our obligations to Denver’s citizens. Councilmember Paul Kashmann and I worked with our legislative counsel in the city attorney’s office to draft language to make this change in the charter, which would ultimately be taken to a vote of the people. This was presented to the Finance and Governance committee on Aug. 14. It became clear in talking to our colleagues
that there is interest in looking at the city council powers in the charter from a broader perspective. As a result, I have pulled my bill that would have brought the matter to the voters in November, and instead will allow more time for comprehensive review and recommendations in time for the May 2019 ballot. Kashmann and I will co-chair a committee to identify obsolete sections of the charter or to add in new sections clarifying how council meets its responsibilities to the voters. I ask that you stay tuned and communicate with us what your expectations are for city council with the above instances in mind. You can email ortegaatlarge@ denvergov.org with your thoughts on this subject. Deborah Ortega is a councilmember atlarge on the Denver City Council. At-large council members represent the city as a whole.
10 Life On Capitol Hill
A
LOCAL
September 2018
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community pulls together to advocate for pedestrian safety near a Cheesman Park street known for dangerous car wrecks. Local nonprofits fill a pantry with shelf-stable foods as well as fresh produce for food-insecure families at South High School. Volunteers retrofit a Castle Rock family’s home to help the 10-year-old son, paralyzed in an auto crash, maneuver more easily. A flash flood in Englewood kills one woman and devastates the lives of several families whose homes are effectively destroyed by the disaster. Two new projects break ground in Westminster, part of an ongoing redevelopment that is revitalizing the city’s economy. A centenarian in Arvada gives this advice on living longer: “Everybody should be kind to one another.” Week in and week out, in some communities for more than 100 years, Colorado Community Media’s 20 newspapers cover life — the joy, the sorrows, the successes and disappointments — and in so doing recognize the commonalities that bind us across backgrounds, perspectives and geographical boundaries. We keep an eye on government, reporting and scrutinizing its decisions at all levels — school boards, city councils, county commis-
OUR VIEW sions, the state Legislature and Congress — to ensure elected public officials are held accountable to their constituents, to disseminate the information needed to make good decisions and be better citizens. We tell the stories of people and issues in our communities with a passion for truth, respect and compassion for those we interview, and an ethical responsibility to report with fairness, accountability and transparency. Our country’s democracy depends on how well we do our job. We take that privilege seriously, and every day we go out and do that job knowing we are furthering the historic mission entrusted to us in the First Amendment of our nation’s Constitution. Many journalists lose their lives — in wars and disasters and, sometimes, in more ordinary circumstances — in pursuit of that cause. Does that sound like “an enemy of the people?” Are our stories “fake news?” Regardless of where one falls on the political spectrum, we should be alarmed by President Donald Trump’s constant rhetoric that denigrates the press and its commitment to serving the public with accurate reporting of facts. In recent weeks, those verbal attacks have
ratcheted up and incited public vulgarity and aggression toward journalists who were simply doing their jobs and did nothing to provoke such actions. This comes on the heels of a gunman’s attack on the Capital Gazette newspaper in Maryland that left five staff members dead in June. We should be alarmed. When did we forget that a democracy cannot survive without a free and independent press beholden only to the people of the communities it serves — not to the leaders and politicians who decry it when their actions are reported in a light they disapprove of? Thomas Jefferson understood that important truth: “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter,” he said. We should be alarmed. The role of newspapers — and journalism in all its forms — needs the support of communities. It is imperative for the public to understand the harm generated by rhetoric that attempts to undercut the importance of the work we do. We joined our voices Aug. 16 to those of hundreds of other news media publications
across the country, in response to The Boston Globe’s call to editorialize about the administration’s concerted campaign against the free press. We can assure you, in the communities we cover in the Denver metro area, that we do not publish “fake news.” We tell real news — your stories, all sides, without an agenda — every week, from Thornton to Denver to Castle Rock, from Golden to Elbert County. Not too long ago, we received this email from a reader: “A note of thanks to all of you who write/ publish the articles and produce the overall weekly newspaper that is delivered to our doorstep each Thursday/Friday . . . I find there is no better resource that gives our community that needed celebration of its members, whether it be individuals, groups or institutions. The writing is always balanced, detailing both our individual and collective challenges, sufferings and successes . . . Thanks again for doing what you do.” Thank you — we deeply appreciate knowing our work is valued. But even if it isn’t, despite challenges, we will continue, with passion and commitment, to report and write the stories that matter, that enlighten us, connect us and help preserve the foundation of this great democracy.
Wishing the game of summer could stay a little longer
I LETTER TO THE EDITOR
The Denver City Council, led by Councilman Jolon Clark, has a measure on the November ballot which would generate $46 million a year for parks. This would entail raising the city sales tax from 3.65 percent to 3.90 percent, or 25 cents on every dollar. (Washington Park Profile, August 2018.) At first glance, a person might say “What is a measly 25 cents additional tax?” Until you look at the magnitude. To raise $46 million every year, forever, would require, in present value terms, a fund of $1,531,800,000 assuming a 3 percent rate of return, or $1,150,000,000, if one assumes a 4 percent rate of return. And, the council, like many political
Life On
CAPITOL HILL
A publication of
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bodies, has no plans for a sunset provision—i.e., the tax is “forever.” A sales tax is very regressive, falling disproportionately on lower-income citizens. Regardless of how much of the sales tax that non-Denver citizens pay, versus Denverites, it is still a massive growth of government, and will not contribute to the economic attractiveness of Denver for companies that wish to locate or do business in Denver. I urge the mayor and the council to modify this billion-dollar tax proposal. Fred Hammer Property owner in South Denver
t’s been a few years since I graduated from college. Gone are the days when I could ask someone: “What are your plans for summer break?” But I still get FROM THE nostalgic when summer comes to an end EDITOR because that also means the end of baseball season. I attended my first softball camp when I was 5. I felt awkward with my big glove. Before camp started, we had stuffed the glove under my Kailyn Lamb mattress, wrapped in a rubber band to break it in. I am a lefty, but for some reason it felt more comfortable to play righthanded. I remember standing in front of the coach. I felt miles away as she got ready to pitch the ball. It left her hand and —
SMACK — hit me right in the nose. “This is it,” my dad thought. “She’ll never play again.” But I played continuously until fifth grade. It was probably a good thing, too. My dad is a big baseball fan, and always wanted his kids to play. My dad moved to Colorado after graduating from the University of Illinois 1988. He was following his best friend who had moved here the year before. Their friendship is rooted in leather gloves and red stitching. To this day, they play on the same softball team, which they started playing on back in 1995 (the Isotopes), and have a long-running fantasy baseball league. Every April, my uncle flies in from Illinois as the fantasy league takes over the house. For weeks ahead of “The Draft,” my dad is nothing but RBIs and batting-average stats. On the phone, my dad will grill my grandpa, teasing him SEE EDITOR, P11
JERRY HEALEY President
ERIN ADDENBROOKE Major Account Executive
jhealey@coloradocommunitymedia.com
eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com
ANN MACARI HEALEY Executive Editor
AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager
We welcome letters to the editor. Please Include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.
abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Email letters to klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com
efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Deadline 5 p.m. on the 20th of each month for the following month’s paper.
ahealey@coloradocommunitymedia.com
KAILYN LAMB Editor klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com
ERIN FRANKS Production Manager
LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager
lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Columnists & Guest Commentaries Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of Life on Capitol Hill.
Life On Capitol Hill 11
September 2018
Communicating with the masses
T
his month is the September song: “School Daze,” a time for lessons. Here are a few recent story problems about communing with the common denominator, communication: • First, losin’ confusion! — HELPER HERE You are a tech person communicating to an un-tech, easilyAND NOW confused public. First have someone translate your remarks into everyday words. Tell Mr. or Ms. Q. Public this meeting is about, say, lowering the chance of flooding, and improving water that is being polluted by increased urbanization, and how this work must have benefits greater than the cost. Also say Diana Helper what it is not about: bikeways, dredging etc., which are city and urban drainage matters, which have no formal plan for this area. Now you might mention the fine points of structured versus non-structured, and of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The bike-dredge folks can depart — no longer in confusion — to email city, urban drainage or councilpersons. • Cell tower “communication?” — You are a hightech outfit that puts up cell towers, notifying a wary neighborhood. Also communicate the address of the intended right-of-way site for your cell tower. Not doing so keeps neighbors who were contacted wondering how the folks on site feel about it, before the Registered Neighborhood Organization, or RNO, comments. In this case, the solution worked out after a multiplication of emails, not many cell phones and a couple of truly algebrainiac conversations. All neighborhoods are getting pole-erized, it seems.
• Cash cachet, what’s in a name? — Years ago it was amusingly annoying when Realtors started identifying houses as being in a place where there are no houses. Its residents are birds, bunnies, squirrels. We asked the home-sellers to stop this foolishness, but it was selling! It’s a historic twoblock park, with its own name — not the surrounding RNO name. Then, large apartments in the neighborhood, four to eight blocks from the park, were using its name. At first we snickered, but then builders outside our RNO began to use it! Is it legal? As far as I’ve heard. Is it confusing? Well, yeah, if you live there and wonder why you can’t find it as your RNO. The squirrels are not organized. Do the Realtors explain this once the dotted line is signed? And why is the name Observatory so compelling — does each unit come with a telescope? Heh, heh. • You live in a small house. A one-half-blocklong, six-story building rises west behind you. The time, rate and distance of the sunset remain the same, but you cannot see it. If a sun sets in a forest of high-rises is it still beautiful? (I hope so.) Story problems to share? Let us know. The September song here is always “Happy birthday.” Mine and my husband’s mothers observed Labor Day weekend with additions back in the, um, ‘30s. I’m one day younger than my husband is. Will I ever catch up? They say with age comes wisdom, learning what you do or don’t know. But they also say “to stay young, keep learning!” If you stay young, when are you going to get that wisdom? Still calculating. Diana Helper has written for Life on Capitol Hill for 35 of the 63 years she and her husband have lived in Denver. She works on projects with the city, University of Denver, Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation, Open Space and Parks and Recreation.
EDITOR FROM PAGE 10
that the Chicago Cubs creamed the St. Louis Cardinals in the latest pre-season game. Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to check out several ballfields. As blasphemous as it is to say in the religion of baseball, Yankees Stadium is the worst. With just the tiniest bit of hometown bias, Coors Field is still my favorite place to see a game. You can’t beat a Colorado sunset, with the mountains along the horizon and the loud crack of a home run. My dad had commemorative framed tickets to the Rockies’ 1993 season — their first — hanging on the hallway wall. I have squished pennies with a pressed Dinger the dinosaur from a Father’s Day game in 1997. When I walk into the stadium, memories from more than two decades of going to Rockies games with my family swirl around me. After a brief hiatus from softball, I moved to Seattle for high school in the summer of 2005. My school was small, 700 students K-12. It meant if I wanted to join a softball team, I had to play for a different school. The team I was on didn’t really care how we played. I was a sophomore and competitive by nature. By the time our third loss rolled around, I was done. I didn’t want to play with people who had no drive to do well. I was so upset I thought I wouldn’t pick up a bat again. My senior year changed that. A good friend told me that my school was trying to pull together a baseball team. They were one player short of a regulation team. He knew I had played softball for years — would I be interested? So I played second base on the boy’s baseball team my senior year. I learned more about the sport in that short season than in all my years of playing softball. It brought me back to what baseball meant to me as a kid. It made me remember the feel of the bases at a ballpark in Broomfield as my small feet rounded third after my dad’s softball games. The hope of catching a fly ball at Coors Field. Baseball has always meant family to me, whether it was playing catch with my dad before a game or sitting in the dugout with his team. So, as summer wanes, my heart constricts just a bit at having to say farewell, for yet another year, to the game that will always feel like home.
12 Life On Capitol Hill
September 2018
Quidditch
takes off
at Cheesman Park
Band of muggles plays Harry Potter-inspired sport every Sunday By Kailyn Lamb klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com
A
mess of dodgeballs and volleyballs fly across a field of grass at Cheesman Park. Two teams of five-on-five run toward three standing goals — poles with circles taped to the top. Each runner holds a piece of pipe, around two feet in length, between their legs as if they are flying on a broom. And, in a sense, they are.
Denver native Devaughn Gamlin runs across the field at Cheesman Park during quidditch practice. Gamlin first started playing seven years ago while attending college at the University of Northern Colorado. KAILYN LAMB
The Mile High Quidditch Club (MHQC) is the Colorado-based team that plays the sport based on J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. The DO YOU WANT rules for real-life quidditch were first developed in 2005. Two years later, TO PLAY? the United States Quidditch Association was formed. One aspect Brandon Nhean loves about the sport is the diversity To learn more of people who come to play. Some of the original players were about the Mile drawn to quidditch because of their love of the books, but that’s High Quidditch not the case anymore. Club, visit the “You have people who were fans who started playing,” said Colorado QudNhean, who began playing quidditch six years ago, “and people who ditch Facebook played sports.” page: https:// In the decade since the game was founded in the “muggle” world www.facebook.com/ — which for non-Potter fans means humans — quidditch has become COquidditchpage/ more streamlined, and even has rule books like any other official sport, said Alex Bihlmeyer, head of the MHQC. The MHQC plays every The Colorado team’s goal is to get enough players to participate in Sunday at Cheesman regional tournaments, such as the upcoming Blue Jay Classic Quidditch Park. Dates and times for tournament in Omaha, Nebraska, in October. If teams compete in three quidditch pratices and tournaments, they can move on to playing in the U.S. Quidditch Cup, scrimmage events are which is held in Texas. The 2018 event was held in April in Round Rock. listed on the Facebook page. SEE QUIDDITCH, P13
HOW QUIDDITCH IS PLAYED As in the books, there are four positions: a keeper, three chasers, two beaters and a seeker. Keepers guard the goals. Chasers are on the offensive and try to score points by throwing the quaffle, or in this case a volleyball, through the hoops. Beaters throw dodgeballs, which act as bludgers from the books, to try and stop chasers from scoring. The seeker is in charge of finding the snitch — in the book the snitch is a small golden ball with wings that flies at incredibly fast speeds — which is worth 150 points. In real life, a person runs around with a tennis ball tied to their shorts to represent the snitch. While some players stick to position, others like Mile High Quidditch Club player Brantlee Cass try different positions before settling on one. Cass grew up in Colorado and started playing quidditch at Arizona State University. Knowing the positions helped him understand the game as a whole. “I feel like you understand the game a lot more once you understand all the positions,” he said.
The Mile High Quidditch Club prepares for a scrimmage at Cheesman Park in August. The team practices there every Sunday.
Life On Capitol Hill 13
September 2018
QUIDDITCH
QUIDDITCH AROUND THE WORLD
For more information on the U.S. Quidditch Cup, go to www.usquidditchcup.com. Official rules can be found in the About section.
FROM PAGE 12
“If people are willing to make that commute and that commitment, we can play on tournaments together,” Bihlmeyer said. The team practices on Sundays at Cheesman Park, but will start practicing twice a week if it can recruit 14 players, Bihlmeyer said. At a practice in early August, just four players showed up. At others, as many as 11 come. The MHQC is built on the foundation of the Denver Dementors, a team that started in 2011. Bihlmeyer, a former Dementor, said the team wanted a more inclusive name since players drive to the weekly practices at Cheesman Park from as far as Colorado Springs and Grand Junction. Denver natives Nhean and Devaughn Gamlin started playing together while attending the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. Gamlin said his dream is to eventually play in a World Cup event. Instead of playing tournaments on a local team, Gamlin turned to the Fighting Farmers, made up of quidditch players throughout the West who cannot find local teams. The team does not hold weekly practices since many of the players don’t live in the same area. Gamlin calls it the “pick-up all-star team,” but the drawback is players have not played together before, making strategy all but impossible. For Gamlin, strategy is one of the best parts of the game. “Games can get tactical,” he said. “You have to use your brain.” Because Colorado is such a large state, Gamlin said it can be difficult to reach out to players and build a team that’s interested in more than just pickup games every so often. But the work is worth it as Gamlin plays in a Sunday scrimmage, coaching other people on the finer points of the game. “Keeping numbers around is tough,” he said. “It’s been hard, but it’s been awesome.”
The tournament features collegiate and community teams. In the April 2018 event, 88 teams competed. It was the 11th U.S. Quidditch Cup. Players can also join international leagues for the World Cup. The 2018 World Cup was held in Florence, Italy, from June 27 to July 1. The World Cup is run by the International Quidditch Association. Learn more at www.iqasport.com. The first World Cup was held in 2008 with 12 teams. Ten years later, the event has expanded to 29 teams. The U.S. team took home the cup this year. It is the team’s third championship. The U.S. also won in 2012 and 2014.
Josh Kwazniewski tackles Alex Bihlmeyer during a drill at quidditch practice at Cheesman Park. Bihlmeyer is holding a quaffle, the ball used to score points.
Brentlee Cass acts as the referee for a scrimmage with the Mile High Quidditch Club at Cheesman Park. To better understand the game, Cass said he tried out multiple positions.
PHOTOS BY KAILYN LAMB
Brandon Nhean says he enjoys that both fans of the Harry Potter series and athletes can participate in in quidditch.
Tim Herron takes a quick break from a quidditch scrimmage in Cheesman Park. Herron moved to Colorado from Texas.
14 Life On Capitol Hill
September 2018
Denver native receives civil leadership award Judge Gary Jackson has served on the Denver County Court bench since 2013 Staff Report Judge Gary Jackson, of Denver County Court, received the Monte Pascoe Civil Leadership Award in August during the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce State of the City luncheon. The award honors the legacy of Monte Pascoe, who worked as a lawyer in Colorado until his death at the age of 71 in 2006. Gov. John Hickenlooper, then Denver’s mayor, established the award that year to honor Denver residents who are also civic leaders within the community. Hancock said the award is given annually to leaders within Denver who “work tirelessly” to improve the community, fight for justice and work as a mentor for others. After graduating high school in Denver, Jackson received a degree in political science from the University of Colorado in Boulder. He continued his schooling there at Colorado Law, graduating in 1970. Jackson began his career in the Denver district attorney’s office. In 1971, he helped to found the Sam Cary Bar Association, offering resources to African-American attorneys. He served as the association president and co-founded its endowment fund, which provides scholarships. “It was this association in 1971 that started me on what I call my leadership journey,” Jackson said.
Jackson then transitioned to the U.S. District Attorney’s office in Denver working the civil division in 1974. He started his own firm in 1976. He practiced law for more than 40 years before being appointed as a judge to the Denver County Court in 2013 by Hancock. He was the mayor’s first appointment to the bench. Pascoe graduated from East High School in the City Park neighborhood and attended Dartmouth College. He earned his law degree from Stanford University. Upon his return to Denver, he worked for the Ireland Stapleton Pryor & Pascoe law firm until his death. He was an education advocate and served as a board member for several entities including the Colorado School of Mines, the Colorado Open Lands Foundation, Colorado Water Conservation Board and more. Pascoe backed a case that went to the U.S. Supreme Court, calling for an end to policies that enabled segregation in Denver schools. The court ruled in favor of the families in 1973, allowing for desegregation. Jackson touched on this own history as a black student at George Washington High School. The school is in the Washington Virginia Vale neighborhood in southeast Denver. He said the efforts of Pascoe and education advocates such as Rachel Noel, the first black woman elected to the Denver Board of Education in 1965, were key in moving the city forward. “In 1963, in my class of 600 at George Washington, there were only two black students, one Latino and a few Asian-American students,” he said. “Now at George Washington, it is 30 percent white, 30 percent black and 30 percent Latino.”
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Life On Capitol Hill 15
September 2018
Reclaiming the Platte A new study aims to restore habitat space along the South Platte River
Sales, Rentals & Repairs New and Vintage
Guitars by CF Martin, Taylor, Collings, Guild, Waterloo and Breedlove
By Kailyn Lamb klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com
A restoration plan by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could add water depth to a section of the South Platte River flowing from 58th Avenue to 6th Avenue in Denver, giving it more variety and habitat space for animals, if the federal government approves an estimated $397 million in projects. Jeff Shoemaker, executive director of The Greenway Foundation, sees the restoration plan as the next iteration of cleaning up the South Platte. The Greenway Foundation was formed in 1974 by Shoemaker’s father, Joe, nine years after the city had witnessed one of the worst floods in its history in 1965. During the flood, the Platte brought a tidal wave to Denver that destroyed bridges and covered the city in mud and debris. For years before the flood, the city had used the Platte as its literal dumping grounds, Shoemaker said. Landfills lined the river bank, and property values close to the Platte dropped, compared to the surrounding area. The flood was a turning point for the city. Shoemaker said his father’s dream was to make the Platte the city’s economic driver and a place where people would flock to for recreation. SEE PLATTE, P27
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16 Life On Capitol Hill
Using the city as a canvas
September 2018
Artists, organizations find ‘unlikely’ canvases to transform Denver By Kailyn Lamb klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com Tommy Nahulu can still remember his first mural-style painting, a set of Masonite boards that depicted his classmates at East High School when he graduated in 1978. His art teacher handed him the boards and told him to paint. The mural ended up hanging in the main office at East for the next five years. “Art just felt like I was wired to do something there,” said Nahulu, who lives in Washington Park and has been painting in Denver for the past several decades. After he graduated from East, Nahulu began attending the Art Institute of Colorado. He would skateboard to the bars and restaurants where he worked. The owner of Rick’s Dragon 76 is a New York-based artist. He came to River North to participate in the 2017 Crush Walls event. PHOTOS BY KAILYN LAMB Café in Cherry Creek asked him to paint the ing tagging for Nahulu. He enjoys bringing inside of the bar, which Nahulu said was his something beautiful and new into the comfirst paycheck for a mural. (The restaurant munity. Weil agreed, saying that one factor closed in 1993 and is now Chopper’s Sports that makes the Crush festival so successful is Grill.) its ability to get people to spend more time in At the time, many murals were painted art-driven communities. inside buildings, Nahulu said. Kate Barton, vice president There were a lot of hoops to IF YOU GO of executive office and special jump through to even try projects with the Downtown and get permitting to do art Crush Walls will be held outside. But after reading about Sept. 3-9 in the River North Denver Partnership (DDP), said the organization also murals in school, Nahulu knew neighborhood. The event works to create art in the city it was what he wanted to do. is free. RiNo starts along hoping to bring more people Tracy Weil, co-founder and Broadway, and includes creative director of the RiNo Larimer, Walnut and Blake into unused spaces. The DDP is a nonprofit that promotes arts Art District, which runs the streets as well as parts of and culture in the city. annual Crush Walls event in Brighton Boulevard and “If you can help people the River North neighborhood, Lawrence Street. For more reimagine how you use a space said the festival’s goal was to information visit www. through art, it’s a really fun way bring art from inside buildcrushwalls.org for people to be able to come ings outside onto the streets. together as a community,” she said. The festival was started in 2010 and is now The DDP controls 14 alleys in the core area one of the largest street art events in the city. of downtown, some of which have murals This year’s event will be held from Sept. 3-9 painted in them. in RiNo. This street artist is painting an outline for his mural during the 2017 Crush Walls event. More recently, the DDP launched an instal- His piece was in one of the alleys in the River North neighborhood. Robin Munro, a street artist in Denver, lation project, Between Us: The Downtown started Crush Walls with a small group of local artists. Now, the festival draws artists from Denver Alleyways Project. The art pieces can be found in the alleys between Stout and all over the world. California streets, Champa and Stout streets, The event has helped to spark other street Curtis and Champa streets, Market and Larart festivals throughout the city, Weil said. “I imer streets as well as 14th and 15th streets. think Robin was onto something quite early.” Each artist has his or her own alley space and The art district has helped raise about includes Carlos Fresquez, Kelly Monico, Stu$600,000, half of which will go toward artist art Semple, Joel Swanson and Frankie Toan. stipends. It was important to the RiNo Art The project launched in conjunction with the District to make sure paying artists was part “Happy City Denver,” an art installation by of the plan, Weil said, because artists help to Semple, which started in May. The alleyway create the vibrant areas Denverites know and installations will be in place until next May. love. Artists should also be able to make a “That was rooted in trying to take back living doing what they love. control of those spaces, as really dissuading “It’s super important to value art,” he said. “We’re trying to change that paradigm: Artists negative behavior,” Barton said. “This next step of alley art really took it to the next level move in and make everything cool and then of trying to encourage people to find memothey can’t afford it anymore.” rable moments throughout the city in places that are traditionally underutilized.” Creating for the community The alleys project is part of an art strategy Nahulu’s work can be seen scattered throughout Capitol Hill, from a large butterfly the nonprofit has developed to beautify different areas of the city. In the past the DDP also painting he recently completed on the side of did an installation where an artist painted a liquor store at 600 E. Sixth Ave. to murals hundreds of trees in the Theatre District blue. of Jack Kerouac and Johnny Cash on Colfax The organization also painted a large parking Avenue. garage with a colorful mural on Lincoln Street Many building owners have started to have between East 18th and 19th avenues. murals painted on buildings to avoid being “That is really at the entry point for a lot of tagged by graffiti artists, Nahulu said. He people to downtown,” Barton said. “That’s anthinks street artists respect other artists work, other component, figuring out these unlikely and that’s why they won’t tag it. Tommy Nahulu, a mural artist based in Denver, paints a butterfly mural on Sixth Avenue But making art is about more than prevent- canvases to try and transform (them).” in Capitol Hill. He painted his first mural as a student at East High School.
Life On Capitol Hill 17
September 2018
Things to Do women with physically misshapen backs. Hine originally documented these figures to illustrate the damaging effects of textile manufacturing on the spine. 303-298-7554 The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver 1485 Delgany St. mcadenver.org/exhibitions/ lisaoppenheim
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: Monday, Sept. 16
ART Welded & Fabricated Poetry: The Artistic Life of Elizabeth Yanish Shwayder: Aug. 24 to Jan. 6 at Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art, 1201 Bannock St., Denver. Kirkland Museum is pleased to feature a retrospective of 50 highlights from Elizabeth Yanish Shwayder’s career. Admission to the exhibition is included in the price of Kirkland Museum’s general admission ticket, which is $10 for adults; $8 for seniors (age 65+), students, teachers and active military personnel with ID; and free for Kirkland Museum members. Age policy: Due to the fragile nature of the collections and the salon style in which they are displayed, Kirkland Museum limits all visitors during open hours and events to those age 13 and up The Annex at CORE New Art Space - Leslie Jorgensen: Runs through Sunday, Sept 9. Reception Aug. 24 6-10 p.m. CORE New Art Space, 900 Santa Fe Drive, Denver. Artist Leslie Jorgensen travels across the Rocky Mountains and the West skiing, hiking and biking along the way. She paints the landscapes she visits and our outdoor activities within it. Visit coreartspace.com. CORE New Art Space - Jude Barton: Runs through Sunday, Sept 9. Reception Aug. 24 7-10 p.m. CORE New Art Space, 900 Santa Fe Drive, Denver. Jude Barton’s work explores the form and function of line, shape and space; creating a certain uncluttered calm and freedom within her structuring of fragmented and blurred iconic images. Visit coreartspace.com. CORE New Art Space - Brian Haley: Runs through Sunday, Sept 9. Reception Aug. 24 7-10 p.m. CORE New Art Space, 900 Santa Fe Drive, Denver. Haley works to assimilate the disparities between century old hand salvaged mine wood and mid-century modern design characteristics to create one of a kind tables, chairs, and wall art. Visit coreartspace.com.
Stampede Public Tours Occurs every day through May 19, 2019, except Nov. 22, 2018 and Dec. 25, 2018. 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/ stampede-public-tours Derrick Adams: Transmission On view through Aug. 26 The sculptures, installations, and works on paper included in this exhibition illustrate American artist Derrick Adams’ ongoing study of racial identity as it is both filtered through popular culture and also reimagined for the future. Each body of work featured in this exhibition highlights a particular strain of Adams’ sharp yet unexpectedly playful representations of figures both real and imagined, from the past and the future. 303-298-7554 The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver 1485 Delgany St. mcadenver.org/exhibitions/ derrick-adams Kristen Hatgi Sink: Honey On view through Aug. 26 Honey is an exhibition of new work by Denver-based photographer Kristen Hatgi Sink.
Sink has created a series of videos featuring the exhibition’s eponymous sticky substance— dripping and pouring over composed objects and human subjects. In them, flowers, fruit, and a young woman remain nearly motionless as honey runs over their respective delicate forms. 303-298-7554 The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver 1485 Delgany St. mcadenver.org/exhibitions/ kristen-hatgi-sink Patrice Renee Washington: Charts, Parts, and Holders On view through Aug. 26 Washington uses modernist conventions, such as the grid and a monochromatic palette, visual indicators of abstraction and objectivity, to disrupt the conventional interpretation of her subjects’ racialized meaning. The works expose an inadequacy of formalism, which here fails to eliminate political meaning. 303-298-7554 The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver 1485 Delgany St. mcadenver.org/exhibitions/ patrice-renee-washington Lisa Oppenheim: Spine On view through Aug. 26 For the exhibition Spine, Lisa Oppenheim repurposed photographs from Lewis Hine, a photojournalist from the early 20th century. Hine’s images dwell on the conditions of immigrant and child labor in American mills and factories from that time. Oppenheim appropriated specific works by Hine from the Library of Congress’ photographic archive that depict adolescent textile workers—primarily young
Highlights from the Collection (Clyfford Still Museum) On View through Sept. 9 This special presentation features around 50 paintings and 30 works on paper by Clyfford Still, spanning the artist’s 60-year career. Clyfford Still Museum, 1250 Bannock St. clyffordstillmuseum.org/ exhibition/ highlightsfrom-thecollection/ New Territory: Landscape Photography Today Public Tours Occurs every day through Sept. 16 Guided public tours will look at contemporary landscape photography from around the world in New Territory. This exhibition of more than 80 photographs will show how artists stretch the boundaries of traditional landscape photography to reflect the environmental attitudes, perceptions and values of our time. Tours offered daily at 1:30 p.m., June 24 through Sept. 16, 2018. Meet in the first level elevator lobby of the Hamilton Building. Free with admission. Reservations are not required.720-865-5000 Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway denverartmuseum.org/calendar/ new-territory-public-tours Past the Tangled Present On view through Sept. 9 This interactive and immersive installation by Denver artist Jaime Molina was born of imagination and the joy of discovery. Step into a different world where the paintings on the wall flow into 3D objects that Molina created for the space. Sit on boxes painted with faces and play in a garden of fabricated cacti. Fun for kids and adults alike, Past the Tangled Present is included in general admission, free for members and kids age 18 and younger. 720-865-5000 Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway denverartmuseum.org/exhibitions/ past-tangled-present DaVinci X – The Machines &
You Exhibition Hours:Monday Closed for Groups and Private Events, Tuesday through Saturday – 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday – 12 Noon till 5:00 p.m. Guided Tour Times – (Subject to Docent Availability) 1:00 p.m. Weekdays 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 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
Culture Knows No Boundaries On View through Aug. 18 The Molly Brown House Museum is showcasing the art Mrs. Brown brought back from her travels to decorate her Denver home. Molly Brown House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania St., Denver mollybrown.org/exhibits/ 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
CLASSES, LECTURES, FORUMS Sunday Open Meditation 1st 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.-noon. Meditation instruction, 10:30 a.m., Padmasambhava Meditation Center, 1900 S. Cook St. padmasambhavameditationcenter. org SEE THINGS TO DO, P18
18 Life On Capitol Hill
Things to Do FROM PAGE 17
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 Alamo Placita Park, East 4th Avenue & Ogden Street wscc-denver.org 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
September 2018 commitment needed. 720-865-1706 ideaLAB in Community Technology Center of DPL Central library, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway meetup.com/learntocodedenver Belly Dancing Classes Classes held most Mondays, 7 p.m. beginners, 8 p.m. advanced. Classes $10 drop-in — Cafe not open 303-294-9258 Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St. mercurycafe.com Meditation at Noon Tuesdays, 12:00 p.m. Take 30 minutes to connect to your heart, cultivate inner peace and happiness, and clarify your intention for the day, free. 303-813-9551 KMC Colorado Capitol Hill, 1081 Marion St. meditationincolorado.org
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 St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 1280 Vine St. denverlaughs.com Learn to Code Meetup Mondays, 6:00 p.m. An open house/study group for anyone, at any level, with any interest in computer programming. No prior knowledge/future
Tuesday Night Blues Tuesdays 7 p.m. intermediate, 8 p.m. advanced. Classes $5, Dance 8:30 p.m., $8 ($10-12 with Live Band) 303-294-9258 Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St. mercurycafe.com UNNA Monthly Meeting Second Tuesday of the month Evanston Center for Spiritual Wholeness and Healing, 2122 S. Lafayette St. unna.shutterfly.com West Coast Swing Classes Wednesdays, 7 p.m. beginner/ intermediate, 8 p.m. advanced. Classes $8 303-294-9258 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 4:00 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
Argentine Tango, Practice and Lessons Every Tuesday 6:45 to 7:45 p.m. Tango Colorado hosts these low cost Tango lessons, followed by a practice session where dancers can polish the steps they learned, interact with other students and advanced dancers and improve their skills. 303-710-2250 Denver Turnverein Event Center, 1570 Clarkson St. tangocolorado.org/lessons
Denver Socrates Cafe Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m. Join a group that “seek truth by their own lights.” No regular attendance or preparation required. Speak your own mind, then take turns playing Socrates by asking questions.
Tech Help Appointments Tuesdays 1 p.m. Get personalized technology assistance and instruction on your own device or a public computer. Call your library for available times and schedule your own appointment. Tuesdays, we have 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. appointments. 720-865-0135 Ross-Broadway Branch Library, 33 E. Bayaud Ave. www.denverlibrary.org
303-861-1447 Trinity United Methodist Church, 1820 Broadway meetup.com/Denver-Socrates-Cafe
Words of Wisdom Tuesdays 2 p.m. One word can say it all. Join us as we explore a key word from each week’s parsha and discover inspiration and guidance for our life’s journey. 303-316-6412 The Jewish Experience Center, 399 S. Monaco Pkwy.
Thursday Evening Meditation Thursdays 7 p.m. Free to the public - all are welcome. Dharma teachings on Buddhist principles by Tibetan meditation master Chhoje Rinpoche (live or video) followed by meditation instruction. Padmasambhava Meditation Center, 1900 S. Cook St. padmasambhavameditationcenter.org
Wednesday Nights Open Stage Wednesdays, 9 p.m. Open Stage for musicians, comics & magicians. Free, sign up with Host 303-294-9258 Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St. mercurycafe.com
Daybreak Toastmasters Fridays, 7:00 a.m. Cat got your tongue? Public speaking and more. Call Bob after 6p.m. Now meeting on the second floor of the building. 720-308-9090 State of Colorado Centennial Building, 1313 Sherman St. daybreaktoastmasters.org Hard Times Meditation Fridays, 2:30 p.m. Going through a tough time? Developing mindfulness can often help us find new resiliency. Join professional instructor Nancy Nielsen for a supportive mindfulness meditation class that’s free and open to all. 720-865-1111 Denver Public Library: Central branch, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway Happiness Hour Fridays 5:00 p.m. A short talk and guided relaxing meditation to help increase a peaceful good heart. It is an ideal way to unwind after work and recharge for a great evening ahead. Free. 303-813-9551 KMC Colorado Downtown, 1336 Glenarm Place meditationincolorado.org
KIDSTUFF All Ages Open Lab Sundays 1:00 p.m. Have a project you want to work on as a family? Want to learn more about Photoshop, 3D printing or anything else in the lab? Come on in! Family open lab is all ages, but no unaccompanied adults or kids under 10, please! 720-865-1706 ideaLAB in Community Technology Center of DPL Central library, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway denverlibrary.org Tattered Tales Storytime Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. Young children are invited for a half hour of stories and fun, with a different topic each week. Free. 303-322-1965, ext. 2731 Tattered Cover, 2526 E. Colfax Ave. tatteredcover.com Slime Club Tuesdays 4:00 p.m. Join us to make slime, have snacks and help us rename this weekly event that will happen every Tuesday. Ideal for ages 8-12. 720-865-0940 Virginia Village Branch Library, 1500 S. Dahlia St. www.denverlibrary.org/events SEE THINGS TO DO, P19
For FREE delivery call 303-871-9777
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Life On Capitol Hill 19
September 2018
Things to Do FROM PAGE 18
Toddler Storytime Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. In the Berger Children’s Pavilion, Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for toddlers ages 18-36 months and their parents or caregivers. Craft activity immediately follows the program. Free. 720-865-1111 Denver Public Library: Central branch, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway denverlibrary.org Art Works! Wednesdays 10:30 a.m. Preschool Art for ages 3 – 5. We’ll read a book or two and little artists will make a simple craft or experiment with different materials in openended art 720-865-0955 Ross-University Hills Branch Library, 4310 E. Amherst Ave. www.denverlibrary.org/events All Ages Storytime Wednesdays 10:30 a.m Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for children of all ages and their parents or caregivers. 720-865-0135 Ross-Broadway Branch Library, 33 E. Bayaud Ave. denverlibrary.org Girls Who Code Wednesdays 4 p.m. An afterschool program for girls in middle and high school to learn computer science in a collaborative, engaging and intensive manner, working with women who work in technology fields. Learn Python, build websites, create games and more, free. 720-865-1706 ideaLAB in Community Technology Center of DPL Central library, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway http://denverlibrary.org/idealab Eazy Gaming Wednesdays 4:00 p.m. Play great video games on a Wii, N64 and PS4. Ideal for ages 6-18. 720-865-0160 Byers Branch Library, 675 Santa Fe Dr. www.denverlibrary.org/events Toddler Play & Explore Thursdays 11:30 a.m. Enjoy unstructured play and social time for toddlers ages 18-36 months and their caregivers. Enjoy books, music, and a variety of developmentally appropriate toys in our warm and inviting play space. 720-865-1111 Denver Public Library: Central branch, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway denverlibrary.org Drop-In Snack and Craft! Thursdays 3 p.m. Join us for a fun craft and yummy snack every Thursday! All ages. No registration. While supplies last. 720-865-0220 Eugene Field Branch Library, 810 S. University Blvd. www.denverlibrary.org/events Imagination Station Thursdays, 3 p.m. Join us for a drop-in playtime on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 3-5:30 p.m. Children ages 6 months to 5 years are welcome. Caregivers must remain in the room with their children. 720-865-0220 Decker Branch Library, 1501 S. Logan St. www.denverlibrary.org
LifeRing Secular Recovery Meeting Wednesdays 6:00 p.m. A network of people who support one another in living free of alcohol and other nonmedically indicated addictive drugs. 303-875-5088 First Unitarian Church, 1400 Lafayette St. liferingcolorado.org
LEGO Time Thursdays 4:00 p.m. Kids, join us to hang out with other Lego® lovers for some free-building time. We supply the blocks; you supply the creativity. Ages 4 & up. And, no...you don’t get to take the Legos® home, but you may return to build on another day! 720-865-0955 Ross-University Hills Branch Library, 4310 E. Amherst Ave. www.denverlibrary.org/events Code Club Saturdays 1:00 p.m. Meet every Saturday to learn how to code! With a demonstration at 1 p.m. and then time to work on a project at 2 p.m., with new topics every month. Ages 10-19. 720-865-1706 ideaLAB in Community Technology Center of DPL Central library, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway teens.denverlibrary.org Teen Open Lab Interested in recording music or editing videos? Want to use the 3D printer or learn about Arduino? Want to learn how to make a video games? Ready to sew or paint a masterpiece? Just want to hang out and play games? Drop-in, for teens 12-19, free. 720-865-1706 ideaLAB in Community Technology Center of DPL Central library, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway teens.denverlibrary.org
OUTREACH Nicotine Anonymous Sundays 12:30 p.m. A fellowship of men and women helping each other to live our lives free of nicotine. Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 915 E. 9th Ave. http://nicotine-anonymous. Nar-Anon Sundays 6:45 p.m. A twelve step support group for families and friends of addicts to help themselves cope. First Unitarian Church, 1400 Lafayette St. nar-anon.org Grant Street Reach Mondays 8:00 a.m. Providing meals at no cost to its clients and it is sustained by committed and compassionate volunteers. 03-839-1432 St. Paul Lutheran and Roman Catholic Community of Faith, 1600 Grant St. grantstreetreach.org Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous Mondays 7:00 p.m. Through shared experience and mutual support, join a meeting to help each other to recover from the disease of food addiction. 303-775-8062 Trinity United Methodist Church, 1820 Broadway foodaddicts.org Home for the Heart AL-ANON Mondays - Group Al-Anon Adult Children of Alcoholics. Tuesday through Thursday - Group Al-Anon. Fridays - Group Al-Anon (Meditation the first 10 minutes). Room 114, In lower level. Trinity United Methodist Church, 1820 Broadway al-anon-co.org Historic Preservation Committee Meeting Mondays 7:00 p.m. This Historic Preservation Committee is responsible for numerous historic districts as well as individually designated homes and buildings. Join us each month to learn what is happening in your neighborhood and to add to your voice. Castle Marne, 1572 Race St.
Moderation Management Tuesdays 6:30 p.m. Weekly meetings for problem (vs. chronic) drinkers who want to reduce their intake of alcohol. Email: denver@moderation.org. First Unitarian Church, 1400 Lafayette St. moderation.org Joy AL-ANON Tuesdays 8:00 p.m. Al-Anon’s Purpose is to help friends and families of alcoholics recover from the effects of living with the problem drinking of a relative or friend. In the Roberts Building, Room 103. Saint John’s Cathedral, 1350 Washington St. al-anon-co.org
Marijuana Anonymous Wednesdays 6:30 p.m. A fellowship of people who share experience, strength and hope with each other that we may solve our common problem and help others to recover from marijuana addiction. Unity Church on the Hill, 1555 Race St. http://marijuana-anonymous.org FREE Support with Binge Eating Challenges Thursdays 6:00 p.m. This support group is ideal for individuals at least 18 years old who are struggling with a binge type eating disorder. All groups are free of charge. We hold confidential groups facilitated by specialists to allow you to gain the support you need. The Eating Disorder Foundation, 1901 E. 20th Ave. eatingdisorderfoundation.org SEE THINGS TO DO, P20
An estimated 40% of food in the United States goes to waste.
40%
part to prevent food waste » Doin youryourhome. Then, put the rest in your green compost cart. FOOD »
EAT IT
»
COOK IT
»
STORE IT
»
SHARE IT
»
COMPOST THE REST
SIGN UP TODAY! Visit DenverGov.org/GoGreen or call 311 (720-913-1311).
20 Life On Capitol Hill
September 2018
Things to Do
We have a festival every Sunday which begins with a Kirtan. After Kirtan, we have a presentation on Bhakti Yoga followed by an Kirtan & Arati, and a free vegetarian feast. Radha Krishna Temple, 1400 Cherry St. www.krishnadenver.com
FROM PAGE 19
RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY Catholic Mass Sundays 7:30 a.m. Also, Spanish Mass, 12:30p.m. (2nd and 4th Sundays) and African Mass, 1p.m. (3rd Sunday). 303-322-8042 St. Ignatius Loyola Catholic Church, 2301 York St. loyoladenver.org Episcopal Service Sunday, 7:45 a.m., 9:30 a.m. 303388-6469 St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 1280 Vine St. stbdenver.org Anglican Services Sundays 7:45 a.m. 303-831-7115 Saint John’s Cathedral, 1350 Washington St. sjcathedral.org Orthodox Low Mass Sundays 8 a.m. Church School at 9:10 am, Anglican Chant Matins at 9:45 am, Solemn High Mass at 10 am St. Mark’s Church, 1405 S. Vine St. Interdenominational Service Sundays 8:30 a.m. 303-800-8269 Denver United Church, 660 S. Broadway denverunited.com Catholic Mass Sundays 8:30 a.m. Also at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. 303-831-7010 Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, 1535 Logan St. denvercathedral.org Catholic Mass Sundays 9:00 a.m. 303-534-4014 St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Parish, 1060 St. Francis Way stelizabethdenver.org Acts 29 Christian Service Sundays 9:00 a.m. L2 Church, 1477 Columbine St. L2today.com Contemporary Services Sundays 9:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Service offered as well. 303-322-5733 Church in the City-Beth Abraham, 1580 Gaylord St. churchinthecity.org Sunday Progressive Service Sundays 9:30 a.m. Please join us in celebrating our next era of active, progressive service in the 21st century! We value, accept, appreciate and celebrate each person’s uniqueness, creativity, and talents as
expressions of God. ALL are welcome. 303-388-6469 St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 1280 Vine St. www.stbdenver.org Lutheran Worship Sundays 9:30 a.m. All are welcome to share in God’s grace. 303-831-7023 Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 915 E. 9th Ave. oslchurchdenver.org Presbyterian Services Sundays 9:30 a.m. Followed by fellowship at 10:30 a.m. and education for all ages at 11:00 a.m. 303-333-9366 Capitol Heights Presbyterian Church, 1100 Fillmore St. capitolheightspresbyterian.org Orthodox Mass Sundays 10:00 a.m. 303-698-2433 Saint Augustine Orthodox Church, 55 W. 3rd Ave. staugustinedenver.org Interfaith Devotions Sundays 10:00 a.m. 303-744-6456 Baha’i Center of Metro Denver, 225 E. Bayaud Ave. denverbahais.org Worship Service Sundays 10:00 a.m. With pre-worship coffee at 9:30 a.m. and post worship social time at 11:30 a.m. 303-860-1819 Metropolitan Community Church of the Rockies, 980 Clarkson St. lifelegacyphotography.com/mccr/ Progressive Protestant Services Sundays 10:00 a.m. An open and affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ that welcomes all people regardless of race, age, gender, sexual orientation, and disability. Sunday school offered and fellowship hour following each service. Come join our community! Sixth Avenue UCC, 3250 E. 6th Ave. sixthavenueucc.org Presbyterian Services Sundays 10:00 a.m. 720-316-1279
St. Patrick Presbyterian Church Denver, 1570 Clarkson St. saintpatrickdenver.org Christian Science Service Sundays 10:00 a.m. 303-839-1505 First Church of Christ, Scientist, 1415 Logan St. christiansciencecolorado.org Episcopal Services Sundays 10:00 a.m. 303-831-8963 Church of the Holy Redeemer, 2552 Williams St. Evangelical Lutheran Services Sundays 10 a.m. 303-722-5311 Epiphany Lutheran Church, 790 S. Corona St. www.epiphanylutheran.net Baptist Service Sundays 10:30 a.m. 303-861-2501 First Baptist Church of Denver, 1373 Grant Street fbcdenver.org Lutheran Worship Sundays 10:30 a.m. 303-839-1432 St. Paul Lutheran and Roman Catholic Community of Faith, 1600 Grant St. saintpauldenver.com Worship Services Sundays 9 a.m. Also offered at 10:30 am. 303-974-7489 Platt Park Church, 1601 S Clarkson Street /www.plattparkchurch.org/ Catholic Mass Sundays 11:00 a.m. Catholic Mass with Children’s education and nursery available. 303-333-9366 Ten Thirty Catholic Community, 1100 Fillmore St. 1030catholic.org Seventh Day Adventist Traditional Worship Sundays 11 a.m. 303-744-1271 Denver South Seventh Day Adventist Church, 2675 S Downing St. denversouthsda.org Sunday Festival Sundays 12:00 p.m.
Catholic Mass for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Sundays 5:00 p.m. A social follows Mass on most Sundays. 720-515-4528 Dignity Denver, 1100 Fillmore St. dignitydenver.org Partners in Torah Tuesdays 7p.m. At no cost to you, we’ll provide you with a hand-selected personal teacher. Together, you’ll study each week (for about an hour) in-person at one of our three Denver Metro Locations. 303-316-6412 The Jewish Experience Center, 399 S. Monaco Pkwy. www.theje.com Temple Sinai Lunch & Learn Thursdays 12:00 p.m. Bring your lunch! We will serve the text! This is an open forum of discussion to review and discuss ethical & moral issues in selected Jewish texts. Newcomers quickly and easily fit right in! 303-759-1827 Temple Sinai, 3509 S. Glencoe St. www.sinaidenver.org SMS: Schatz Morning Service Fridays 7 a.m. Morning Service followed by breakfast at The Jewish Experience Center. 303-316-6412 The Jewish Experience Center, 399 S. Monaco Pkwy. www.theje.com Temple Sinai Shabbat Morning Minyan Saturdays 9 a.m. This service is most often led by members who share their spirit and talent. At least one of our Rabbis attend this service, but their role is to support. 303-759-1827 Temple Sinai, 3509 S. Glencoe St. www.sinaidenver.org Saturday Messianic Shabbat Saturdays 10:00 a.m. 303-322-5733 Church in the City-Beth Abraham, 1580 Gaylord St. churchinthecity.org Catholic Mass Saturdays 5:00 p.m. 303-839-1432 St. Paul Lutheran and Roman Catholic Community of Faith, 1600 Grant St. saintpauldenver.com Music at Noon Free performances held on the second Tuesday of each month.
Generally 45 minutes to 60 minutes. Concert-goers are welcome to bring their lunch and eat their lunch before the concert. 303-831-7115 Saint John’s Cathedral, 1350 Washington St. sjcathedral.org
SENIORS Free Senior Strength & Balance Class Mondays 10:00 a.m. Hosted free of charge by Brookdale Parkplace Senior Independent Living community - enriching the lives of those we serve with compassion, respect, excellence and integrity. 720-485-4124 Brookdale Parkplace, 111 Emerson St. www.live2bhealthy.com Senior Lunch Tuesdays 12:00 p.m. One of WSCC’s biggest and most exciting programs! Including a wonderful home cooked meal, complete with dessert and a fun activity! 303-733-4643 Washington Street Community Center, 809 S. Washington St. wscc-denver.org Lawn Bowling Tuesdays 6:00 p.m. Free lessons every Tuesday. Come out and try a new sport, meet the club and make new friends. All equipment provided, just wear flat sole shoes. The lawn is located on the East side at E. Mississippi Ave. and S. Franklin St. 201-669-6007 Washington Park, 1200 E. Virginia Ave. www.washingtonparklawnbowlingclub.com Free Senior Strength & Balance Class Fridays 10 a.m. Hosted free of charge by Brookdale Parkplace Senior Independent Living community - enriching the lives of those we serve with compassion, respect, excellence and integrity. 720-485-4124 Brookdale Parkplace, 111 Emerson St. www.live2bhealthy.com Platt Park Chorus First and second Friday of the month Love to sing? Do you want to connect with other seniors in the Platt Park area? Drop-ins are always welcome! 720-865-0630 Platt Park Senior Center, 1500 S. Grant St. denvergov.org/recreation
Life On Capitol Hill 21
September 2018
FY5 + COURTNEY HARTMAN & TAYLOR ASHTON Sat 09.08 $22 advance
JON CLEARY Sat 09.15 $28 advance A member of the crowd cheers during a performance at Outside Lands in San Francisco in August. Superfly, which puts on the festival, will launch Grandoozy in Denver this year, its first event in Colorado. COURTESY OF SUPERFLY
Creating a musical empire
What to expect from the upcoming Grandoozy music festival By Kailyn Lamb klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Superfly, a New York-based festival producer, has had its eyes on Denver as the setting for its latest project for the past five years. This month, those dreams become reality when Grandoozy opens at the Overland Park Golf Course for the first of what the company hopes will be a longterm music festival. Superfly is the company behind Bonnaroo in Tennessee and Outside Lands in San Fransisco, two festivals have been around for 16 and 10 years, respectively. For David Erlich, executive producer of Grandoozy and executive director of the Denver Theatre District, the festival is more than just an opportunity to celebrate music — it’s a means to bring the community together. Superfly is “not looking to do something for a couple years, they’re looking to build an institution,” he said. “The community’s been an enormous ally and strength for us.” Grandoozy will be held at the Overland Park Golf Course at 1801 S. Huron St. from Sept. 14-16. In addition to the three music stages, the festival will have 30 food vendors, liquor samples, 18 breweries, an outdoor sports area and more. Headliners are Kendrick Lamar, Florence and the Machine and Stevie Wonder. AEG Presents helped with music booking. Each day is themed around the headliner, Erlich said. Single-day tickets start at $99, while tickets for the whole festival start at $259. “I think we got a little lucky because Kendrick Lamar is one of the most important artists in America today, Stevie Wonder is a legend and Florence and the Machine are one of the best festival bands you could possibly see,” he said. “As a first-year festival, and that kind of diversity as well, it just doesn’t happen that often.” Working with community Capacity for the festival is 80,000 each day, but Erlich estimated that in the first year Grandoozy will have between 15,000 and 20,000 people attend daily.
IF YOU GO WHAT: Grandoozy music festival WHERE: Overland Park Golf Course, 1801 S. Huron St., Denver WHEN: Sept. 14-16 COST: General admission tickets start at $99 for single day, $259.50 for the weekend; VIP tickets for $249 for single day and $674.50 for the weekend. INFORMATION: www.grandoozy.com Because of the large attendance, Erlich encourages people to find alternate means of getting to the festival. The festival will have a free bike valet. The golf course is close to the Evans and Broadway light-rail stations — the latter will have a free shuttle to the festival. People in Boulder, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs can also purchase tickets for a regional shuttle. Erlich and the Superfly team also are putting together a foundation that will give back to the community. Per Superfly’s contract with the city, $1 of every ticket sold will go into a community fund. Mara Owen, co-president of the Overland Park Neighborhood Accociation with Amy Razzaque, said Erlich came to several meetings in order to make sure concerns from residents were being addressed. The association decided to remain neutral on the festival, but Owen said several members of the neighborhood supported Grandoozy at council meetings. Superfly also made sure neighborhood members were present during parking committees and other groups as details of the festival were worked out. Owen said the organizers did not hold back details and made sure Overland Park knew there might be some kinks to work out in the first year. “We’ve had what I would consider an extensive amount of outreach,” she said. “They’ve been really honest and open.” For the past two years, Erlich has been working with city officials and nearby Registered Neighborhood Organizations (RNO) to build a festival that people can enjoy without disturbing surrounding residents. The process has been worth it for Erlich,
who lives near the Bonnie Brae neighborhood. Working with the community to find local restaurants, brewers and distillers has led him to businesses he did not know existed. “It’s comprehensive, and it’s not easy. It takes a lot of time,” he said, “but I will tell you, it’s been incredibly rewarding to get to know the community. (Overland is) a hidden gem in Denver.” Councilmember Jolon Clark of district seven, which includes Overland, said Superfly has also created an accounability committee which includes members of the golf community in Denver as well as neighborhood residents. This group started meeting more recently and will help make sure things continue to go well. Scouting for a venue Finding Overland Park was an adventure, Erlich said. When he first met Superfly founder Rick Farman five years ago, the pair spent two years searching for the perfect location for Grandoozy. What’s ideal about Overland Park is that it has history as the oldest golf course in Denver. It is also surrounded by an industrial area and Santa Fe Drive, which can both help diffuse noise from the shows. While Erlich said it is unlikely they will hit 50,000 attendees per day in the festival’s first year, the golf course is sizable enough that it can hold large groups of people as the event grows. Stages will face the industrial section of the neighborhood, away from the residential section along the southern border, Erlich said. Supefly has also worked with the city to ensure people won’t park in the neighborhood during the festival. Area residents will have hanging tags on their cars to show they live there. The company’s outreach within the community and dedication to answering questions has helped move the festival along, but Erlich said it also helped to build good will within the community. While he said the festival won’t be perfect the first year, they are going to keep working with the neighborhoods to improve Grandoozy in the years to come. “We focused very clearly on how to we protect that southern neighborhood from issues,” Erlich said. “If you start listening to people in the beginning, then they’ll give you some leeway that you’ll be able to deal with problems.”
TANNAHILL WEAVERS Sat 09.22 8pm $18 advance
LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III Sun 09.23 7pm $32 advance
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22 Life On Capitol Hill
September 2018
August events in north Denver As summertime draws to a close, Denverites squeezed in some final outdoor events. The last City Park Jazz event was held on Aug. 5, with Chris Daniels and the Kings taking the stage with Freddi Gowley. There was “human walking” at the downtown branch of the Denver Public Library, art fairs and street performances.
Thomas Koenig, left, and Drew Webster hold Sadie the puppy at a “human walking” event hosted by the Downtown Denver Public Library and the Denver Animal Shelter on Aug. 8. People walked adoptable dogs around the library lawn at West 14th Avenue and Broadway. KAILYN LAMB
Snap Boogie, a street performer from Boston, wows the crowd with a handstand in front of Union Station during Buskerfest on Aug. 10. PHOTOS BY KAILYN LAMB
Darryl “Doody” Abrahamson performs with his band Chris Daniels and the Kings at City Park in Denver on Aug. 5. City Park Jazz produces 10 free concerts each summer that draw thousands of fans to City Park to enjoy a night of music, nature and community. GEOFF ZIEGLER
Tyler Beer plays piano during the 16th Street Fair on Aug. 10. Beer said he taught himself how to play piano. KAILYN LAMB
Reid Grossnickle, left, and Cameron Lewis at their booth during the Cheesman Arts Festival. The pair make snow globes out of found items. “Sometimes the objects inspire you,” Lewis said. KAILYN LAMB
A few concert-goers dance while thousands of others watch and listen to a performance by Chris Daniels and the Kings with Freddi Gowdy at City Park in Denver on Aug. 5. GEOFF ZIEGLER
Life On Capitol Hill 23
September 2018
Turning leftovers into meals for the hungry City officials announce plan to reduce food waste and trash
food donation. The plan is focused on reducing food waste and finding ways to get unused foods into the hands of food-insecure populations within the city. The city is aiming to lower the number of food-insecure households by 55 percent and cut food waste by 57 percent by 2030. By Kailyn Lamb Restaurant waste is one of the first areas the klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com city wanted to tackle. Tristan Sanders, the public health program In a large warehouse in north Denver, We manager with DDPHE, said the city created Don’t Waste has packed pallets of tomatoes, new pamphlets on food storage to help restauspicy peppers, cookies and more into its storrants safely store leftover food that could be age facility. Last year, the organization helped donated to organizations like We Don’t Waste. to provide about 30 million meals throughout “Many restaurants don’t donate food the Denver-metro area. because they think they’re going to get in The company has come a long way since trouble,” he said. 2009 when founder and executive director ArTo create the Food Action Plan, the city lan Preblud brought leftover food to nonprofits partnered with the National Resources out of his own car. Defense Council (NRDC) and Rockefeller “I only had the car, and after about three Foundation. Studies from the NRDC showed months knowing the volume of food that I that about 4.2 pounds of trash per person is was picking up I knew that the next step had thrown out in a week in Denver. Of that, more to be some other form of transportation,” he than three pounds is edible food. said. “One thing led to another, and that led While Sienicki said she’s glad the city is talkto something else, and pretty soon we needed ing about food waste, she thinks the plan is not a truck.” getting at the root of the problem. The nonprofit receives leftover food from Metro Caring was started 44 years ago as a professional sporting events and caterers or means to give Denver residents rejected food from grocery stores. food after a large sweep of layoffs We Don’t Waste then works DID YOU KNOW? throughout the city. It was built with more than 60 organizations to be something people used ocacross the Denver-metro area to In Denver: casionally. But now, Sienicki said provide food to other nonprofits, 1 in 6 adults are food it’s become part of people’s day-tochurches and schools, keeping insecure day budget. Many of the nonprofthose items out of landfills. 1 in 5 children are food it’s clients have two or three jobs insecure just to make ends meet. Supporting food-insecure “Hunger is not caused by a households Source: National shortage of food, it’s caused by an Metro Caring in Uptown, Resources Defense inability to pay for food,” she said. which serves more than 60,000 Council “We very much view our market people in the metro-Denver area, as a for now a Band-Aid, but it’s receives some food items from not where we want to be.” We Don’t Waste. The nonprofit also has a warehouse at 1100 E. 18th Ave. The organizaShifting services to help break poverty cycle tion does not restrict its services by zip code, Metro Caring has more than 70 garden beds and sometimes people drive from as far as throughout the city of Denver. Previously, Brighton to use the food bank, Metro Caring’s the organization used volunteers to grow and CEO Teva Sienicki said. harvest food for the nonprofit’s services. Now, The food bank runs on an honor code sysclients use the gardens to grow their own food. tem, Sienicki said. Customers use a shopping Each plot has been personalized to grow what cart to pick up toiletries, fresh fruits and even that person needs or wants. frozen meats from a deli counter, as much as Metro Caring is trying to shift its services to they think they need. be more community-oriented, Sienicki said. In “They basically shop the same way as they addition to gardening, Metro Caring will have would at a grocery store,” she said. a cooking club with different ethnic foods and We Don’t Waste moved into its warehouse classes on dietary needs like diabetes. The goal at 5971 Broadway in November last year. The is to provide solidarity rather than charity. warehouse has room for dozens of pallets of “One of the things that people really need food and has a refrigerated area for perishto break out of poverty is that social network,” able items. Before, the nonprofit had to take she said. donated food to its partner nonprofits immePerishable items make up a majority of what diately since it didn’t have storage space. The people throw away. nonprofit also has three trucks to deliver the Maddie Keating, Denver city lead with the food around the state. NRDC Food Matters Project, said a majority At the end of June, the city of Denver anof the items thrown out are perishable from nounced a new Food Action Plan to tackle people buying more than they need or can some of the food waste and insecurity issues consume from the grocery store. here. The city’s Department of Public Health “We’re not talking about bread and prodand Environment (DDPHE) worked with ucts that aren’t going to provide nutritional organizations like We Don’t Waste to help benefits. We want to make sure that proteins educate restaurants and other businesses on Metro Caring converted its garden space into individual plots to help teach people gardening skills. People using Metro Caring for food every week can sign up for a garden and grow whatever they want. KAILYN LAMB
and produce are being rescued,” she said. “We need to find ways to get these vast amounts of wasted food to our most vulnerable residents.” The organization helped to provide Denver with statistics and expertise that helped inform the action plan. The NRDC also found that one in six adults are food insecure in Denver. For children, the ratio is slightly higher at one in five. Population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau said the city of Denver had more than 700,000 people in July 2017. This means more than 110,000 adults don’t know where their next meal may be coming from. “It’s significant,” she said. “For people that might not be that invested in this issue, when
Whether OLD or NEW We can fix it! or
you draw the connection between how much good food is ending up in our landfills … and then you equate that to the fact that your neighbors might not know where their next meal is coming from, that’s pretty significant.”
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24 Life On Capitol Hill
September 2018
Tom Boasberg, superintedent of Denver Public Schools, gives a high five to a student on the first day of school at Escalante-Biggs Academy in north Denver. COURTESY OF DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
DPS opens meetings for superintendent search Tom Boasberg celebrates his last first day of school; house tour benefits Capitol Hill school
COMING SOON! S E P T E M B E R
O C TO B E R
Jake Shimabukuro In Concert
A Light in the Void
SEPT 7 FRI 7:30
OCT 5 FRI 7:30
Christopher Dragon, conductor
Austin Wintory, composer/conductor
HANSON String Theory, Live with your Colorado Symphony
Rodgers and Hammerstein Celebration
SEPT 8 SAT 7:30
Christopher Dragon, conductor
Staff Report
OCT 6 SAT 7:30
FREE COMMUNITY CONCERT
Bernstein 100 with the Colorado Symphony Brass and Percussion SEPT 9 SUN 6:00
An Evening with Leslie Odom, Jr. OCT 13 SAT 7:30 Brett Mitchell, conductor
Schubert Unfinished Symphony
Brian Buerkle, conductor tickets at: levittdenver.org
OCT 19-21 FRI-SAT 7:30 SUN 1:00 ■
Opening Weekend: Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2 Conducted by Brett Mitchell SEPT 14-16 FRI-SAT 7:30 SUN 1:00 ■
Carlos Kalmar, conductor
Disney in Concert: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas OCT 24-25 WED-THU 7:00
Brett Mitchell, conductor
Christopher Dragon, conductor
HalfNotes
FREE COMMUNITY CONCERT
MPAA RATING: PG Presentation licensed by Disney Music Publishing and Buena Vista Concerts, a division of ABC Inc. © All rights reserved.
SEPT 20 THU 7:00
Time Warp - The Music of The Rocky Horror Show
Latin Beats: Sonidos de las Américas Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra: Masters of American Song SEPT 22
OCT 26-27
FRI-SAT 7:30
Christopher Dragon, conductor
SAT 7:30
Christopher Dragon, conductor
Halloween Spooktacular!
Gershwin Concerto in F Conducted by Brett Mitchell
Presented by Macy’s, Inc.
OCT 28
SEPT 28-30 FRI-SAT 7:30 SUN 1:00
SUN 2:30
HalfNotes
HalfNotes Please join us for family-friendly
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activities 1 hour before the concert.
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DPS announces public meetings in search for new superintendent In July, Tom Boasberg announced that he would be stepping down as superintendent of DPS schools. The district has held several meetings with stakeholders to start their search for a replacement. Throughout the month of September, DPS has also announced several public meetings so members of the community can be engaged in the search as well. Regional meeting schedule: • Sept. 4 at Abraham Lincoln High School (2285 S. Federal Blvd.) • Sept. 5 at John F. Kennedy High School (2855 S. Lamar St.) • Sept. 11 at Denver School of the Arts (7111 Montview Blvd.) • Sept. 12 at George Washington High School (655 Monaco Parkway) • Sept. 13 at Thomas Jefferson High School (3950 S. Holly St.) • Sept. 18 at the Evie Dennis Campus (4800 Telluride St.) DPS will be adding more dates and locations. All scheduled meetings will be posted at supersearch.dpsk12.org. A survey is also being added to this site for people unable to attend meetings. The last first day Boasberg celebrated his last first day of school event this year at Escalante-Biggs Academy in north Denver at 5300 Crown Blvd. He greeted the school’s youngest students as they started on Aug. 20. Increasing stats DPS announced in a news release that students continue to show academic growth in the statewide standardized test. Results from
the Colorado Measures of Academic Progress (CMAS) were released in August. In 2005, Denver students were 25 points behind the Colorado average in literacy and 22 points behind in math. This year, the gasp went down to three and two points respectively. “In 2005, DPS was last among the state’s largest 12 districts in academic growth in English language arts and math,” Boasberg said in the release. “Through the focus of the Denver Plan and the incredibly hard work of our teachers, students and families, DPS has gone from last to first in academic growth.” DPS also announced that graduation numbers in the district continue to rise. The class of 2018 was the largest the school has had, with 400 more graduating students than the previous record. Home tour event to benefit Dora Moore School The PTSA will be hosting its 38th annual Dora Moore School House Tour on Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour will include eight houses, including Moore’s home, as part of a self-guided tour. The tour will also include historic architecture guides in the neighborhood at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The event will also include a book sale and signing by Colorado authors. Tickets are $25 for the house tour, and $45 for the historic tours, which includes admission for the self-guided home tours. Tickets are available online at https://bit.ly/2MsXHGV and will be sold day of at the Dora Moore School, located at 846 Corona St. Proceeds from the home tour will go toward RTD passes for students, teacher grants for classroom supplies, as well as the Denver Children’s Choir program at Dora Moore. Moore was a Colorado educator who first taught at the Dora Moore School, then named the Corona School in 1892. She became principal of the school the following year and served in that position for 35 years until she retired in 1929. The school was then renamed in her honor. The 2018-2019 school year has officially started. Have news you would like share with Life on Capitol Hill readers? Send it to klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com.
Life On Capitol Hill 25
September 2018
Spike in unpaid lunches leaves DPS with debt Policy was put in place last year to prevent ‘lunch shaming’ By Ann Schimke Chalkbeat.org
A year after Colorado’s largest school district instituted a policy guaranteeing all students a school lunch whether or not they have the money to pay, Denver district officials are planning new measures to prevent the unexpected debt that accrued last year. Those efforts include ensuring that parents fill out applications for free and reduced-price meals at the start of the year, clarifying how schools should communicate with families about unpaid debt and establishing new rules for charter schools that participate in the district’s school lunch program. After the new policy to prevent so-called “lunch shaming” took effect in August 2017, debt from unpaid lunches soared to $356,000, up from $13,000 the year before. It’s just a fraction of the district’s $44 mil-
lion food service budget, but the amount caught administrators by surprise and figured into their mid-year decision to add snacks students pay for, such as Doritos and Rice Krispies Treats, to elementary school cafeterias to recoup some of the loss. Denver Public Schools Chief Operating Officer David Suppes said more than one-third of the total debt last year came from charter schools that contract with the district to get school meals for their students. Omar D. Blair Charter School had the highest lunch debt among Denver schools last year at $11,500. Suppes also noted that the jump in lunch debt from 2016-17 to 2017-18 may not have been as large as it seemed. That’s because before the lunch-shaming policy, many district schools maintained separate accounts to cover meal costs for students who couldn’t pay. While the district didn’t track the total meal costs covered by those special accounts, it would have pushed the total debt above the $13,000 that was left districtwide at the end of the 2016-17 year. After the lunch-shaming policy took effect, most schools eliminated their
separate accounts to cover unpaid lunches, sending more meal debt to be covered at the district level than in years past. “Clearly there was growth, probably significant growth in unpaid debt, but it’s hard to tell how much” since all the separate school-based accounts that had paid it before didn’t exist anymore, said Suppes. Nearly one-third of the district’s lunch debt last year came from families who were eligible for free or reduced-price meals, but signed up part-way into the school year, after their children had already received free school lunches. The federal government covers lunch costs for students eligible for free lunches and part of the cost for students who qualify for reduced-price lunches. For elementary school students in Colorado (and starting this year for middle-schoolers), the state covers the remaining cost of reduced-price lunches. Another 68 percent of Denver families with unpaid meal debt don’t qualify for
free or reduced-price meals. Still, district officials said it’s impossible to determine how many of those families would qualify for subsidized lunches if they applied, how many struggle financially but just miss the cut-off for eligibility, and how many can afford to pay for school lunches but choose not to. Of the $356,000 in lunch debt from last year, district officials paid off $100,000 with a grant. Suppes said the remaining $256,000 will likely be paid with money from the district’s general fund and from part of its food service budget not associated with the federally subsidized National School Lunch Program. Suppes said the district is clarifying rules governing who is responsible for covering the cost of unpaid lunches — and may adjust the fees it charges charters that participate in its meal program. “Nobody’s blaming anybody,” he said, but prior to the lunch-shaming policy, schools operated differently.
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26 Life On Capitol Hill
September 2018
Denver woman runs food pantry from her front yard By Casey Van Divier
F
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Special to Life on Capitol Hill
Every two weeks or so, Deidra Bates wakes up to the same gift: several boxes of unperishable food stacked in front of her fence. “I’m not sure who does it, because I’ve never seen them,” the Denver resident said. “They do it at night, in fact.” This anonymous gift is just one of many donations Bates receives for the food box stationed in front of her house. The box, which Bates set up last September at her home on West Exposition Avenue in the Westwood neighborhood, serves as a miniature food pantry to provide for those in need. “It’s a place where people can bring food they aren’t going to use, and other people that might be able to use it can pick it up,” Bates said. “There’s no fees involved, and it’s totally anonymous.” The food box is one way the mother of five gives back to a community in which many people struggle to afford the necessities, including food and shelter. Since 2017, Denver County has seen an increase in its homeless population, according to data from the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative. There are 3,445 individuals in a homeless living situation in Denver County, according to the report. That number is up from 3,336 the previous year. Of that total, 991 are chronically homeless — they have been homeless for more than a year, or have been homeless on four separate occasions during the past three years, and also have a disability. In 2017, there were 701 chronically homeless people in Denver County. These increases are likely linked to the rise in Denver home prices, said Cathy Alderman, vice president of communications and public policy at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. “The cost of living in the Denver metro area is out of reach for so many people,” Alderman said. “People cannot find places to live that they can afford, and some are getting pushed out of the homes they’ve been
P
h v e c t t C t
l e
Art on the side of the pantry created by Deidra Bates’ daughter, Hayley. People drop food off anonymously to fill the pantry. CASEY VAN DIVIER in for years because rents are increasing so substantially.” This increase in both rent and property taxes is especially problematic for those who are living on fixed income and are unable to budget more for housing, she said. As a result, many of these people turn to shelters. Others continue to pay for housing but sacrifice transportation, health care or food in its place—which, Alderman said, may cause its own set of problems. “One of the biggest concerns we’re seeing is how undernourished so many children are,” she said, “and how difficult that is for them in terms of educational attainment, social development and emotional development.” According to the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, households with one or more children account for 710 of the people experiencing homelessness in 2018. To address this issue, Bates set up the food box in her yard, which she advertises through word of mouth. Further, she volunteers as assistant director at Joy’s Kitchen, a Denver food pantry that often sets up shop at Westwoods Community Church, 7700 W. Woodard Drive in Lakewood. The pantry also hands out food at different Denver locations, posted on
its website, www.joyskitchen.org. Between these and its regular location, the pantry distributes approximately 45,000 pounds of food per week, according to Bates. To complete such a large task, the pantry is “constantly looking for volunteers,” she said, encouraging those interested to get involved. Likewise, anyone can contribute to the cause by setting up his or her own food box, said Bates, who set up her box with the help of her family. “My dad and stepfather built the box, and we put it in the cement ourselves,” she said. “Then my daughter did a painting of Pikachu on it.” Shortly after, Bates’ father set up a food box at his home in Wheat Ridge, located off of West 38th Avenue and Jay Street. Today, the food boxes practically run on their own. Bates doesn’t have to do much more than check that the donated food is usable, which she estimated takes her less than half an hour per week. Even so, with people stopping by the pantry every day, this initiative and others like it can make all the difference, Alderman said. “Having those partners on the ground is really important,” she said. “It really does take a community to address the issues of homelessness and hunger.”
Deidra Bates stands with her food pantry box outside of her southwest Denver home, near South Federal Boulevard and West Exposition Avenue. Bates put up the box — stocked with non-perishable food items and basic necessities — to help fill a need in her community. COURTESY PHOTO
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Life On Capitol Hill 27
September 2018
Platte FROM PAGE 15
“It’s important to remember, when I was just 10 years old, this river was a flowing sewer,” Shoemaker said. “Everybody thought (my dad) was crazy.” But after more than 40 years, the dream has been realized, Shoemaker said. Property values along the river are up, and Confluence Park, the foundation’s first project, completed in 1975, is one of the most used in the city. Confluence Park sits on the banks of the water where the South Platte River meets Cherry Creek. The park has a network of trails as well as kayaking. In 2008, The Greenway Foundation lobbied Adams County leaders to try and expand the opportunity for a study by the
from the Corps’ restoration study. The $397 million pricetag is an estimate based on the full scope of the study. The final report may recommend certain projects over others, Shoemaker said. During the design phase, the federal government will cover 75 percent of costs and in the construction phase it will cover 65 percent. That means The Greenway Foundation will be looking for funding for the remainder, Shoemaker said. In all, Shoemaker estimated it will be about 10 years before projects from the study see completion. He calls it a “marathon effort.” But continued work on the river is just the next phase for the foundation: For Shoemaker, the work is never done. “It’s really become something that I never envisioned it would be,” he said. “This foundation has accelerated the rebirth of our city’s greatest natural resource.”
Army Corps on the portion of the Platte in that county. The study then expanded to include a larger section, as well as two tributaries, the Weir and Harvard gulches. The study on the river has been divided into six sections, in which the Corps looked at the river’s depth, flooding issues, recreation access and the ecosystem as a whole. While the study has some flood mitigation benefits, it primarily looked at habitat restoration. In August, the Corps took public comments as the final part of the study. The study will now cycle through the chain of command before being included in a final report, which will go to Congress for approval. The Corps is hoping to have this process done in time for the projects to be included in the Water Resources Development Act of 2020. Denver has contracted with The Greenway Foundation to help implement projects
MORE INFORMATION South Platte River Study For more information on the South Platte study, visit https://bit.ly/2Ns4flG. The city website includes links to the presentation by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as well as information on the study’s timeline. Greenway Foundation The Greenway Foundation is working on several park projects throughout Denver, such as the River North Park. The organization has also put together a recommendation plan for the Cherry Creek trail between University and Colorado boulevards. Through the Chatfield Reallocation Project, the foundation has partnered with Denver Water to add more storage in the Chatfield Reservoir in Littleton. The added water will become an environmental pool that will release water into the river throughout the year to benefit its ecosystem. Go to http://www.thegreenwayfoundation. org/ for more information.
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28 Life On Capitol Hill
September 2018
All-female team leads theater into new season By Katie Parkins Special to Life on Capitol Hill
The managers of Cherry Creek Theatre (CCT) have made an unprecedented move in the company’s history — some say in the history of all of Denver’s theater community: They have hired an all-female team of directors for the upcoming 2019 season. Since the curtain rose on the CCT’s first production in 2011, the company has only had three female directors out of 24 total. The company’s 2019 season includes three shows that will be performed at the Pluss Theatre of the Mizel Arts and Cultural Center at 350 S. Dahlia St. in the Virginia Vale neighborhood. Denver theaters have hired female directors in the past. Susie Snodgrass, the first female artistic producer at CCT, said the difference here is she and CCT managers have consciously made the decision to hire an all-female team for the entire season. “We have incredible male talent in Denver,” Snodgrass said. “I don’t ever want to speak against that. But right now, I have chosen to help women along.” Both Sheila Ivy Traister and Billie McBride found the Denver theater community difficult to break into when they first started working here as actresses and directors. McBride, who will be directing CCT’s “Tuesdays with Morrie” in the fall, said 20 years ago, there were not nearly as many options when it came to theater. Traister, who will direct “Other Desert Cities,” CCT’s spring production, said many
theaters could be doing more to be inclusive. “Opportunities for women and people of color have certainly improved in recent years, and the concept of inclusion and diversity is on the lips of most of the prominent companies in town,” Traister said. “There is still a gap in practice, and there needs to be a willingness on the part of existing establishments to go Traister outside their comfort zone, to seek new and different stories — and new and different faces to tell those stories — to become truly inclusive.” The culture now is supportive of female directors, according Kelly Van Oosbree, who is a director and choreographer. She will be directing CCT’s 2019 season opener, Stephen McBride Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music.” “I have often been recommended by other female directors/choreographers for projects, and I have done the same in turn,” she said. “I think Colorado theater companies want the best person for the job and, luckily, our community Oosbree is blessed with some really fantastic women who can get things done.” When it comes to staffing, Snodgrass said she’s not going to hire a woman just because of
WOMEN DIRECTORS AT CHERRY CREEK THEATRE • Billie McBride, “Vigil,” 2013
• Billie McBride, “A Picasso,” 2018
• Haley Johnson, assistant director in “12 Angry Men,” 2014
• Kelly Van Oosbree, “A Little Night Music,” 2019
• Piper Lindsay Arpan, “Red, Hot & Cole,” 2017
• Sheila Ivy Traister, “Other Desert Cities,” 2019
• Shannan Steele, “Respect: A Musical Journey of Women,” 2018
• Billie McBride, “Tuesdays With Morrie,” 2019
her gender. “She has to be good,” she said. “I seek those people out.” Talent is only half the battle, she said, noting she also asked her directors to take the job because they’re passionate about the shows. “If you don’t like what you’re doing, it will show on stage,” Snodgrass said. “If you’re excited to put it on stage, your actors are going to get that and your staff are going to get that.” The 2019 season opens on Jan. 24 and includes Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music,” “Tuesdays with Morrie” and “Other Desert Cities.” According to Van Oosbree, “A Little Night Music” has not been produced in the Denver area in at least 15 years. Both Van Oosbree and Traci Kern, the musical director, are thrilled to start working on Sondheim’s challenging material and find skilled actors and musicians who are up to the task. The characters of “Other Desert Cities” are scripted with an explicitly white family demographic, Traister said, inhibiting her from choosing a diverse group of actors like she
would prefer. However, she is excited to dive into the complex issues this play addresses such as race, class distinction and politics, among many others. McBride is looking for the perfect duo to cast in leading male roles in “Tuesdays with Morrie’s.” McBride plans to have a loose idea of what she wants to do with the show before casting and then craft the rest of the story with her actors during rehearsal. She said she thinks it will be interesting to see what she brings to the production as a woman directing two men. Snodgrass, Kern and McBride all agree women are different from men in the way they think and the emotional perspective they bring to their work. They bring a side to artistry that’s different, Snodgrass said. Kern added that she hopes more theaters will take steps to add diversity. “It has been fantastic to be on a team with talented women,” Kern said, “to be celebrated for that and, hopefully, be the start of that becoming more the normal, not a novelty.”
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