Neighborhood Gazette – April 2016

Growers and Gardeners Unite

Book Nooks Springing Up in Edgewater

Special Treats for Mother’s Day

see page 5

see page 7

see page 14

Gazette NEIGHBORHOOD

WHEAT RIDGE | EDGEWATER | APPLEWOOD | MOUNTAIN VIEW | LAKESIDE

APRIL 19 - MAY 16, 2016

The 44th Avenue Rumble: Cruise and Poker Run

By Nancy Hahn

T

he U.S.A. has always been a country of road trip lovers. Maybe, for you, “road trip” conjures the image of a Corvette on Route 66 when gas was less than 50 cents a gallon. Or do you think of heading for the hills with a group of friends on motorcycles, a blond in a convertible singing “Holiday Road,” or just cruising down the highway to adventure?

Whatever you imagine, the 44th Avenue Rumble is the event to help you dream.

The annual Rumble will take place on May 7 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting from Anderson Park, 44th and Field Street. With over 30 possible categories of vehicles including hot rods and motorcycles, classic cars and muscle cars, trucks and new sports cars, there is something for everyone. Each year it continues to grow in popularity with participants, the public who comes to check out the vehicles, and for local businesses.

Troy Seyfer of Seyfer Specialties, an original sponsor of the event, highlights one reason for its popularity.

“First, it’s free. Everyone who spends a lot of time and effort on their cars, bikes, and trucks loves the chance to show them off. Being able to do that for free is perfect.”

Sponsored by many local businesses and the city of Wheat Ridge, participants pay no entrance fee. Registration is necessary, though, to be eligible for prizes.

Participation in the Poker Run is free, also.

Proceeds and donations from the event go back to the community through the Wheat Ridge Community Foundation. A large portion of the funds goes to Wheat Ridge High Schools STEM and STEAM programs.

For everyone who enjoys checking out old and new cars, motorcycles, and trucks, the endless variety is a real advantage to the Rumble. All possible kinds of motorized rides from 1900 to the present will be cruising 44th Avenue and taking part in the Poker Run. Last year there were approximately 300 participants. When you come, be ready with a camera, because photographs will be a must!

Many 44th Avenue businesses sponsor the Rumble. Dozens of businesses on or near 44th Avenue are auto-related; but apartments, technology businesses, this paper, and other local businesses sponsor the event, also. Eight businesses along the route will be stops for drivers taking part in the Poker Run. The Rumble is appreciated by 44th Avenue businesses, because it brings prospective customers to the area that may not have been aware of many of the businesses before.

Participants register starting at 8 in the morning at Wheat Ridge’s Anderson Park.

There will be food and music at the park, too. The Poker Run starts at 11 a.m. on 44th Avenue. In a Poker Run, drivers in the event will pick up a playing card at each of eight businesses along 44th Avenue. Choosing among those cards, drivers create their best poker hand, note it on their entry form, and turn it in. The best hand wins. Drivers return to Anderson Park for all judging and prizes at 2 p.m.

If the Rumble is rained out it will be held one week later on May 14, same time and place. Be there or be square!

For more information or to register online, check out www.44thrumble.com/ index.php.

Get Your Kicks At The Kite Flite Festival, April 30

K

ites of all kinds will again rule the air over Wheat Ridge’s Anderson Park, 4355 Field St., as the third annual Kite Flite Festival gathers together kite enthusiasts, kids and cops for a Saturday of fun, crafts and safety education, April 30.

Like last year, the event will feature a kite-flying competitions, child safety fair, bike rodeo, kite giveaways and – barring emergencies – a visit from the Flight for Life helicopter.

The festival will also offer face painting, a miniature fire truck and a free bicycle drawing. Parents can get free child ID kits, free bike and helmet inspections for the kids, and free child safety seat inspections and replacements.

Admission is free.

The fun begins at 11 a.m. when the midway opens and the littlest kids gather on the Compass Construction north field (near the pool) for the Toddler Kite Fly. Stop at the Welcome Booth for a ticket to win one of 15 kites, one given away every 30 minutes starting at 11:30 a.m., sponsored by the City of Wheat Ridge.

Provided it’s not called away to help save lives, the Flight for Life helicopter is expected to touch down on the baseball diamond sometime between noon and 2 p.m.

Kids 5 and older can check out Hula Hoop Tricks with Amy on the south field at 12:30 p.m. First Bank Wheat Ridge will award prizes to top adult kite flyers between 1 and 1:30 p.m.

Don’t know how to fly a kite? A 15-minute kite-flying lesson will be held on the Compass Construction north field at 2:30 p.m., giving everyone a chance to participate in the 3 p.m. mass kite ascent. A prize will be awarded to the children flying their kite the highest, thanks to Compass Construction.

A drawing for two bicycles provided by the Wheat Ridge Police Department takes place at 3:30 p.m. – you need not be present to win.

Throughout the day, kids can engage in crafts in the pavilion, sponsored by the city.

Continued on page 11

REDBUD IN BLOOM BEFORE THE SNOW by Amanda Mehra Breitenbach, a member of Wheat Ridge Gardeners. This photo was selected from submissions on the Wheat Ridge Gardeners Facebook page. Visit their page to see the other snowsurviving candidates.

It’s Wait-and-See For West End 38 Development

By Elisabeth Monaghan

A

s Wheat Ridge residents are aware, their city is gearing up for major improvements to the 38th Avenue Corridor.

The renderings for the planned urban renewal projects showcase a charming and vital city in what is now a blighted area. But for now, two of the city’s major revitalization projects are on hold.

To explain the current state of development in Wheat Ridge, it may be easiest to provide a brief overview of what has transpired over the past decade. In 2004, the City of Wheat Ridge unveiled the Wheat Ridge Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy. In response to this strategy, the organization Localworks, known at the time as Wheat Ridge 2020, was formed as a nonprofit to spread the word that Wheat Ridge was making a comeback.

“Part of our purpose was to showcase Wheat Ridge as a good investment,” said Localworks Executive Director Britta Fisher. “Since then, we have been working to retain residents and attract businesses and have talked with developers looking for new or infill projects to consider building in Wheat Ridge.”

In 2009, the Wheat Ridge City Council adopted a comprehensive plan for the city called the Envision Wheat Ridge Plan. Next came the introduction of the 38th Avenue Corridor Plan in 2010, and the community’s makeover was under way.

Those like Fisher, who wanted to see the community’s renewal, believed it would take a developer whose vision complemented that of Wheat Ridge city leaders to see that the city was a great candidate for redevelopment. One of the first developers to express interest in that vision and invest in Wheat Ridge was Denver-based Wazee Partners, owned by father and son team Chris and Tyler Downs.

Wazee Partners closed on its first Wheat Ridge Property in 2011 and used the land to build the Town Center Apartments, an 88-unit affordable apartment complex for seniors, which opened in 2012. The developer has just finished a second agerestricted apartment, Town Center North, which opened in early April of 2016, and is working on a third complex for seniors, Town Center West, which is in the planning and design phase. Each of these apartment complexes provides badly needed housing for seniors, who otherwise may not have a place to live, if they wished to remain in Wheat Ridge.

In 2014, Wazee Partners purchased the land on the northwest corner of 38th and Upham, which they plan to turn into West End 38, the city’s town center. This past October, the Wheat Ridge Urban Renewal Authority approved a tax-increment financing (TIF) agreement for that project.

Once it is completed, the West End 38 development will be the first truly integrated mixed-use project in Wheat Ridge to be built in decades.

Wazee Partners plans to demolish the existing buildings, replacing them with a mix of three- and four-story buildings. The first level will consist of approximately 13,800 square feet of retail space, and the second, third and fourth floors will feature between 125 and 150 apartment residences. There also will be parking spaces included with these properties. Tyler Downs with Wazee Partnership says the ground floor retail space is for smaller, main-street storefronts and that the proposed development does not include any big box retailers.

While many Wheat Ridge residents look forward to the completion of West End 38, the development cannot advance until the lawsuit is settled between Quadrant, the developer of Wheat Ridge Corners, Continued on page 5

2

NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE – APRIL 19, 2016 – MAY 16, 2016 – ngazette.com

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Family Ties “You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” » Desmond Tutu

By Tim Berland

I

have just returned from an extended weekend in Grand Junction celebrating a very bittersweet, but glorious event.

My dear sweet mother Mary Lee passed away this last November. She was the youngest child, and one of the last of two surviving siblings in a very large family of 14.

That isn’t a typo. 14 children.

God bless my grandparents for the gift of my mother.

We celebrated her life, along with that of my aunt, Helen Harrison (who also had passed while my family was planning this celebration), with a gathering of over 100 relatives from all over the United States.

An epic family event by all accounts.

So why is family so important?

Author Vignesh Rajshekar states, “For many, the main reason is blood ties. People trust their origins and will look after ‘one of their own.’ There is a traditional blueprint passed through generations that family ties are unbreakable.”

“Families maintain the growth of

children, install the morals and beliefs passed to the parents from their parents and so the pattern continues. Children develop obvious family identities from Grandpa to Aunty; they understand the structure from a young age and these people form the structure for their young lives.”

“It is not simply a human trait, from lions on the African plains to chimpanzees – our closest relatives – families are formed and often maintained through generations.

Even animal families have hierarchies and roles the same as humans.” he states.

“The definition of a family will continue to evolve as people do. It will always play an essential part in many people’s lives and define our children’s upbringing. Not all families have to be blood tied, but love and closeness is at the bottom of all good family groups.”

True words. But for me, the strongest revelations and insights I received about family from this gathering were simply put: I love my family.

I love the intimacy and interaction of my immediate family, but I also cherish the sometimes spoken (but many times not) love of my very extended family.

What a blessing. Happy Mother’s Day! Publisher Tim Berland can be reached at 303-995-2806, tberland@ngazette.com

Quadrant Asks Court to Strike TIF Law Without Trial

By J. Patrick O’Leary

T

he developer of Wheat Ridge Corners is asking the Jefferson County District Court to nullify part of Wheat Ridge Ballot Question 300 without a trial, two months into a lawsuit filed against the City of Wheat Ridge and Wheat Ridge Urban Renewal Authority.

Quadrant Wheat Ridge Corners, LLC, filed a “motion for summary judgment” on March 18. A motion for summary judgment is a request for the court to decide a specific claim in a lawsuit by applying existing law to facts that are not in dispute.

In the lawsuit, Quadrant is asking the court to declare unconstitutional part of Question 300 – passed by voters in the November 2015 election and to be enforced by the city – and prevent anyone from using the law to undo its $6.25 million tax-increment financing (TIF) agreement with the city and the authority, approved nearly nine months before the vote. It is not seeking monetary damages other than attorney fees and costs.

Question 300 requires voter approval for future redevelopment projects receiving more than $2.5 million in TIF from the city, but retroactive to March 1, 2015. It is the retroactive language that Quadrant has challenged under the Colorado Constitution, which prohibits governments from creating laws that interfere with existing contracts.

A $4.8-million TIF agreement between the city and Wazee Partners for the proposed West End 38 development – approved by city council Oct. 20, 2015, three weeks before the election – is also affected by the ballot initiative. Wazee Partners has not joined the Quadrant lawsuit, but is waiting for the court to decide the action before moving forward with its plans. (See West End, cover.)

The city and the authority responded to Quadrant’s motion on April 8. Quadrant has until April 22 to file a reply to the responses, after which the court may decide on the motion.

An individual claiming to represent Citizens for an Inclusive Wheat Ridge filed an “Amicus Curiae Brief” and two amendments (the last joined by Keep Wheat Ridge Local) between Feb. 8 and March 17. An Amicus Curiae brief – or

“Friend of the Court” – is allowed in appeals courts, but not district courts.

City records indicate both Citizens for Inclusive Wheat Ridge and Keep Wheat Ridge Local were registered as political issues committees until December, when both filed final campaign reports. Both groups campaigned for the ballot initiative last year.

The court, as well as the attorneys for Quadrant, the city, and authority, have not responded to its filings, and court records refer to them as “nonparty.” A clerk of the court told the Gazette that a nonparty would need to file a motion to intervene with the court, and the judge approve it, to join the lawsuit.

But on April 9, an attorney representing a Citizens for Inclusive Wheat Ridge, LLC – a Colorado limited liability company that recorded its Articles of Organization with the state just four days earlier – filed documents seeking to halt Quadrant’s motion for summary judgment. At press, the court records indicate they, too, are a nonparty.

In the city’s response to the lawsuit, it took no position on whether the state constitution invalidates the retroactive language of the initiative, but opposed Quadrant’s claim that the law does not apply to “administrative” actions – the authority’s entering into the development agreement and TIF with Quadrant.

In the authority’s response to the lawsuit, it agreed with Quadrant’s claims, and asked the court to rule in favor of the developer.

In the recent motion for summary judgment before the court, Quadrant has only asked for a decision on the retrospective claim – finding the March 1, 2015 retroactive date unconstitutional. In its response to the motion, the city has asked the court to limit its decision to Quadrant’s development agreement and TIF, and deny any award of costs or attorneys fees. The authority also objected to any award of costs or fees.

No trial date has been set, and at a March 10 case management conference, the court allowed Quadrant, the city and the authority to delay “discovery” – the formal process of gathering evidence – until after it rules on Quadrant’s motion. A follow-up case management conference has been set for June 17.

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NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE – APRIL 19, 2016 – MAY 16, 2016 – ngazette.com

WHEAT RIDGE MAYOR

Excavation Flatwork • Patios Driveways Structural Foundation Repair

Main Street: Investing In Our Hometown Appeal Our plans for the future must rely on wise development, given our limited space.

That’s why it is important that we move iving in a “hometown” is important to forward with the plans to build a main street me. I like running into neighbors at on 38th Avenue and build it right. That’s why the grocery store, seeing familiar faces at it is important to really take a prudent look local businesses and feeling welcome at at the coming train station area and attract our local restaurants. Wheat Ridge has a mix of developers that will make Wheat that hometown feel and this is what helped Ridge a destination not only for retail and distinguish Wheat Ridge from our neighbors restaurants and homes, but for decades ago. strong, high-growth employment As we look at our city’s opportunities. past, we see the depth of family

A strong local economy and neighbors, confident with does need healthy retail districts, tradition and pride. Those who but it also thrives because of are new to Wheat Ridge are strong commercial areas and attracted by this sense of place, solid transportation systems. one that offers a hometown A strong local economy in turn feel in the midst of a growing helps strengthen our schools, and booming urban area. The supports a police force we can challenge we face is how to hold count on and neighborhoods on to that hometown feel that where we still want to live. It lets we all love about Wheat Ridge.

Joyce Jay us improve our park spaces and The solution is to invest in recreation areas and make our city streets our city – invest in street improvements more walkable and safe. that make sense for our main too-busy That is the vision for Wheat Ridge. thoroughfares like Wadsworth and re-think And we can achieve it together. Let’s start our main street on 38th Avenue. Invest in by saying yes to our main street. Let's development that builds on our hometown build a 38th Avenue that is both walkable feel with mom-and-pop shops in walkable, and drivable, that has local stores and charming areas. Create employment restaurants run by familiar faces, and most centers that can be a regional draw. Invest of all, a safe, comfortable atmosphere that in our infrastructure that makes our offers a great transition from Denver's neighborhoods strong. rush.

My vision for Wheat Ridge is not for us Wheat Ridge is our hometown, our to become the next Highlands or Belmar or nook, our pride and comfort, and we can Tennyson. My vision for Wheat Ridge, one keep it that way with our investment in a that I think you share, is for Wheat Ridge common vision for the future. to be resilient, to maintain its hometown Contact Wheat Ridge Mayor Joyce Jay identity and to have our community at 303-420-8533 or jjay@ci.wheatridge. embrace the opportunities in front of us that co.us. will help achieve that vision.

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WHEAT RIDGE CITY COUNCIL Development – Some Food For Thought investors.

Stores, restaurants, housing options, and entertainment in our city are often driven by “A real estate development is a private our local residents and statistical estimates enterprise that is acted out on a very public of how they spend their money. Would stage.” –Peter H. Brown, architect and a Tiffany’s jewelry store be successful in urban planning consultant Wheat Ridge? Would 20 thrift stores? Local smaller businesses? A large office building? ome things to consider, on both sides of Big-box stores? Local coffee stores? Many the discussion, regarding development would agree that any city needs in Wheat Ridge: a mix of businesses and housing Property rights, whether by options for a variety of citizens. an individual citizen, business

On the other side, how will owner, or corporation, are an business owners and investors important part of development look at our city to ask themselves in our city. The property owner if the investment is worth the has the right, by law and by local risk? If a business is not willing zoning codes, to sell and develop to take a risk in our city, whose on their property. Each city has fault is it? Is it anyone’s fault? the right to set architectural Or is it an indication of our city standards and zoning codes for makeup, including size, location, various areas of the city. Once the standards are in place and Genevieve Wooden average income, average age and history of spending habits? the property owner follows local Do we want expensive boutiques, luxury guidelines, a real estate development can car dealerships? Do we want local flavor move forward and become a part of the city in groceries, art, and restaurants? Are landscape. those businesses willing and able to take The economic market will have a large the financial risk in Wheat Ridge? Are part in determining what businesses may we willing to respect the private property eventually be located in a city. Studies rights of homeowners, landowners and conducted by a developer will include traffic developers? counts, local density numbers, education Where is the middle ground? As we levels of citizens, and average income. These observe the changing demographics in studies are often conducted to determine the our city, how will we work for a balance of success of the development. A developer, development, business, personal property much like a homeowner, will hope to see a rights and city character? How do you return on their investment. see the future of Wheat Ridge? Food for “A real estate development is a business thought…. venture financed by private investors and Contact District IV City Council Reprelenders who take serious risks with the sentative Genevieve Wooden at 303-204objective of earning significant profits,” said 9504 or gwooden@ci.wheatridge.co.us.

Peter Brown when explaining the rights of

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ngazette.com – APRIL 19 – MAY 16, 2016 – NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE

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WHEAT RIDGE CITY NEWS

LOCALWORKS UPDATE Growers and Gardeners Unite With Localworks Harvest

By Colleen O’Brien

D

id you know that Wheat Ridge is known in the metro area for our regulatory friendliness toward urban agriculture?

Citizens are allowed to engage in activities like keeping bees, chickens and goats. You can even grow and sell your produce here. I love walking around the neighborhood and admiring the different flowers, veggies and animals. When I first moved here, I walked by a neighbor’s house five times before I realized they had three goats, not three dogs.

The culture of agriculture in Wheat Ridge is not only entertaining, it is contagious. My husband and I went from living in an apartment in Capitol Hill with some houseplants to having a full garden, two compost piles, three chickens, and a beehive in less than three years.

One of my favorite aspects of working for Localworks is being able to get involved with areas where I am passionate. Localworks Harvest is a program that engages me on a professional and personal level. It supports urban agriculture and home gardening while making it accessible to everyone in the community. As Localworks Harvest committee member Debra Brown said, “I joined the Localworks Harvest Committee to meet other folks in the community who share my passion for local food production and food justice. It has done that and more!”

She also enjoys the Food and Film series.

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“I really appreciate the learning element of the Harvest Film Series. The films shown have been incredibly educational and inspiring, and I absolutely love the potluck component of each event.

“Breaking bread with other event attendees has given me opportunity to meet folks I wouldn't otherwise cross paths with, and engage in conversations on topics I don't get to discuss anywhere else.”

This year we have an amazing Localworks Harvest Committee and a lineup of events that will keep you growing, cooking, and eating all year long. Some highlights include: • A Cheese Making Class at 5 Fridges Farm, taught by our committee member Amanda Weaver on May 25, from 6 to 8 p.m.

• A Compost Class and Plant Swap the weekend after Mother’s Day, May 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• A Bee Keeping Class during the Honey Festival, hosted by Four Seasons Farmers and Artisans Market, in September.

And if you are like me and you cannot wait to start gardening, come to our Seeds 101 Class, which includes a seed swap and potluck. This will be held April 27, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Four Seasons Farmers and Artisans Market, 7043 W. 38th Avenue.

For details about our events go to http:// wearelocalworks.org/events/ or contact me at Localworks at 720-259-1030.

T

he final design for the Prospect Park remodel project got a unanimous vote of approval by city council. The next step in this process is to source it out to vendors and build a budget. Knowing that this project will take a few phases to be completed, grants from Jeffco and Colorado Open Space funding will be used to complete the remodel.

The goals of the remodel include creating a better and safer entrance to the park off 44th Avenue; building a more userfriendly shelter; eliminating blind spots

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TWELVE NEW POLICE VOLUNTEERS WERE SWORN IN at a Wheat Ridge Police Department appreciation ceremony on April 13. Veteran volunteers were honored for 4,700+ hours of service last year. (See story on page 10) PHOTO: MAUREEN HARPER.

38th Avenue

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Colleen and her husband grow their garden near Panorama Park in Wheat Ridge.

Prospect Park Remodel Design Approved

By Guy Nahmiach

Peter Damian Arguello

that endangered our cyclists, pedestrians and drivers along the pond; and building Pickleball courts as well as a football field that could be rented out to generate additional revenue.

Another goal is to create usage of space that will reduce the amount of asphalt in the park, use natural grasses and keep our trees healthy. Construction is likely to start in the fall. Stay tuned to the Gazette for updates.

Continued from page 1

and the city and the Wheat Ridge Urban Renewal Authority over the passage of 2015 Ballot Question 300. (Basically, the ballot initiative states the people must vote on any projects requiring more than $2.5 million in TIF, retroactively to March 1, 2015.)

Because Wazee Partners received approval on its TIF agreement for West End 38 from the Urban Renewal Authority on Oct. 20, 2015, which is after the initiative’s March 1, 2015 effective date, and because the amount of the TIF package is $4.8 million, the developer must wait to see how the judge rules on the Quadrant lawsuit. If the ruling is against Quadrant, both Wheat Ridge Corners and West End 38 would have to be voted on by the people in order to receive final TIF approvals. If the judge rules in favor of Quadrant, both that developer and Wazee Partners may proceed with their respective projects. With the West End 38 project requiring more than $2.5 million in TIF, Wazee Partners may have to find alternative financing for the amount above the $2.5 million limit.

Once Wazee Partners knows the judge’s decision, they will be able to determine its next move. The outcome of the lawsuit may

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further delay either Wheat Ridge Corners or West End 38, or it may mean the end of the road for either project. The ruling on the lawsuit may take place as early as next month.

The citizens of Wheat Ridge have managed to stay positive for more than a decade about the likelihood of a revitalization for their city. The hope is their patience will pay off soon, when the developers are able to get back to work. In the meantime, the community will have to remain optimistic that one day, they will wake up and discover the unsightly land in the 38th Avenue Corridor has been transformed into a bustling and beautifully designed Main Street.

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NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE – APRIL 19, 2016 – MAY 16, 2016 – ngazette.com

UNDER THE DOME Equal Pay For Equal Work used, they only go to businesses that treat their workers fairly. This bill passed out of the House, but unfortunately was defeated he Equal Pay Act of 1963 was the first on a party-line vote in a Senate committee. federal legislation to address the gap The second bill that I sponsored to between what women and men are paid promote equal pay for equal work is the for doing the same work. That was a good Pay Transparency Protection first step. But today in Colorado, Act (HB1156). This bill extends women are paid 80 cents for protection to all Colorado every dollar paid to their male employees who wish to discuss counterparts, and the pay gap wages with their coworkers, still exists across the country. without being punished or Inadequate solutions within fired for doing so. One way the federal law have allowed the for employees to determine if gap to persist, and it is closing they are being paid fairly is by so slowly that at the current rate talking to each other. This bill women won’t earn equal pay protects employees, upholds for equal work until 2057. That the right to free speech, and means a first-grader would be 51 by the time she can hope to earn Jessie Danielson improves employee morale. The Pay Transparency Protection Act her rightful paycheck. passed out of the House and is currently We can’t wait four decades. We can’t moving through the Senate. continue to tell our daughters they can be Equal pay for equal work means anything they want to be but they will have breaking down barriers to economic to work harder and longer hours than their opportunity and financial security. That’s brothers to earn the same income. how we grow the middle class. It’s good for That’s why I introduced two bills this all Coloradans and that’s why I will continue legislative session that would help bridge to tackle this problem head on. the wage gap. The Equal Pay in State Jessie Danielson is the State Representative Contracts Act (HB1001) is a plan requiring for Colorado House District 24, including the businesses that receive state contracts to Wheat Ridge, Edgewater and Golden comgive women equal pay as men, for the same munities. Contact her at 303-866-5522 or work. My Equal Pay in State Contracts Act visit www.jessiedanielson.com. ensured that when your taxpayer dollars are

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How Does Your Garden Grow? more than $160 – just one pumpkin seed.

My wife promised me that I would be sleeping in that pumpkin if I spent more y garden grows around giant than a few bucks on a packet of seeds. I have pumpkins. When I first started promised my wife to not go too crazy with growing them I had no idea the world of growing giant pumpkins. growing giant pumpkins existed. That world I have to be honest: growing giant is centered around a specific lineage of pumpkins is a real confidence pumpkins cultivated over many booster as a gardener. With the generations to focus on solely right seeds it’s nearly impossible on being gigantic. Commonly to screw up growing one. It’s known as an Atlantic Giant, hard to talk about them and not one seed without identifiable mention Wheat Ridge resident lineage is easily able to produce Joe Scherber, the current State pumpkins over 300 pounds. of Colorado Giant Pumpkin I have made a promise to record holder at 1,478 pounds. my wife to keep my hobby of

If you are interested growing giant pumpkins within in growing your own giant this lightweight class of giant pumpkin this year, give me a call pumpkins. On the other end of Zach Urban and we’ll get a group of amateur the spectrum, an Atlantic Giant giant pumpkin growers together pumpkin seed with identifiable to have the first annual Wheat Ridge genetic lineage is capable of producing Pumpkin-Growing Contest. pumpkins over 1,000 pounds.

If growing giant pumpkins isn’t your Mr. Beni Meier of Switzerland holds thing, or you simply don’t believe in the the current world record for an Atlantic Great Pumpkin, any one of our many local Giant: 2,323 pounds in October 2014. While garden centers can help you decide what to Meier’s feat is impressive, it boggles my grow. mind that one seed from his 2014 world Wheat Ridge is home to plenty of green record pumpkin was sold at auction for thumbs. If you are one, consider entering your garden in the annual Wheat Ridge Garden Tour. If yours isn’t quite ready for a tour, or you would rather glean gardening ideas from your fellow gardeners, consider attending this year’s Wheat Ridge Garden Tour to be held on Saturday, July 9.

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ngazette.com – APRIL 19 – MAY 16, 2016 – NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE

EDGEWATER MAYOR

EDGEWATER CITY NEWS Collective office, 5220 W. 25th Ave., to stock up on donated books that are being collected for this project. If you would like to drop off new and gently used children/young adult/ adult/Spanish books, we will gladly accept and distribute them.

Homelessness And The Smarter Cities Challenge one of its most sought-after leadership programs. Each year, the program deploys senior IBM experts to help cities around the s part of my job representing you as world address their most critical challenges. mayor, I have the honor of serving In each city, a team of five to six IBM senior on the Metro Mayors Caucus (MMC). The executives spends three weeks working MMC is a collaborative board of mayors that closely with key stakeholders to study an focuses on regional issues. A major issue issue, evaluate existing systems and deliver facing our entire region is homelessness and recommendations on how to make a city, or affordable housing. I see this issue every day in this case, our region smarter and more at work, and it is reported that more than effective in tackling a key challenge. half of persons experiencing homelessness We selected the regional challenge are families and children. Therefore, the of developing a Coordinated Housing MMC is working with many different Assessment and Placement partners to help alleviate the (CHAP) system. Implementation very human struggles that rapid of CHAP will help reduce growth and escalating housing duplication of efforts, allowing us prices have caused. to maximize scarce resources to One issue that faces the benefit of our most vulnerable every system is the lack of populations – those experiencing communication and coordinated or at-risk of homelessness. The efforts. A single entry point IBM team will conduct more program helps a system by than 60 stakeholder interviews streamlining communication, with service providers, technical coordination, and resources experts, appointed and elected that benefit those who are being Kris Teegardin officials and others who are served. Therefore, the MMC and engaged in prioritizing assets regional partners applied for or delivering services to inform their IBM’s Smarter Cities Challenge to create a recommendations. single entry point system to help agencies Please visit www.smartercitieschallenge. that serve our fellow citizens experiencing org to learn more about the successes this homelessness. grant has afforded across the globe. The More than 100 cities worldwide applied IBM team will begin their work next week. for this annual grant and only 16 were As part of this work, the MMC will be chosen. MMC, the Metro Denver Homeless conducting a Day of Service, handing out Initiative (MDHI), Denver’s Road Home everyday items to families living in motels and the City of Denver worked together to all along Colfax. If you would like to offer submit an application. Our grant was one of items or assistance, please give Wheat Ridge only four awarded in the U.S. and we were Mayor Joyce Jay or myself a holler! also the only application submitted by a Contact Edgewater Mayor Kris Teegarcollaborative on behalf of a region. din at 720-568-0461 or kteegardin@edge The Smarter Cities Challenge is both waterco.com.

IBM’s largest philanthropic initiative and

By Kris Teegardin

To learn more about this fun project, visit http://edgewatercollective.org/edgewater-book-nooks/.

A

EDGEWATER CITY COUNCIL Renters Rights And Rental Property Registration

By Laura V. Keegan

O

n Jan. 1, 2016, Ordinances 201508 and 2015-19, creating the Rental Property Registration Code and the Rental Property Maintenance Code (“Rental Code”), went into effect in Edgewater. By addressing the maintenance of Edgewater’s rental properties, we can look at improving the quality of life and the health and safety of our citizens in our city’s rental properties.

“The Rental Code establishes minimum standards for basic equipment and facilities; for occupancy; for plumbing, heating and electrical systems; for fire safety; for exits; for pest control; and for the safe and sanitary maintenance of residential properties.”

By having a rental maintenance program, we are giving a voice to those who may not have had a voice or an avenue for help if needed. This is a communitystrengthening program and gives protection to those who need help with rental dwelling issues as described in the ordinance.

Maintenance of rental properties helps ensure a stronger community through pride of residence, encouragement of owners to provide minimum living standards for tenants. These programs preserve and enhance the quality of life for residents living in and around rental units.

Nationwide, cities have implemented programs to address rental properties to ensure the rehabilitation or abatement of housing that does not comply with state and local building laws or with maintenance standards established by the city. These regulations are instrumental in protecting the right of the tenants to safe and decent housing when the owner does not take reasonable steps to inspect, repair or

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720.432.2672 | 5366 W. 25th Avenue www.tamarackcreative.com The Registration Code provides certain information to the city in order to ensure compliance with and facilitate enforcement by the city of the city’s Rental Code. There is no fee to register rental units. It is unlawful for any owner to lease for occupancy any rental dwelling or portion thereof without first registering the rental dwelling with the city.

Benefits of the Rental Inspection Program include increased property values and improved safety for tenants and landlords of properties. More time is spent on routine management and less on crisis control.

All rental units are subject to inspection in the event a complaint is filed with the city. In addition, property owners can request an inspection to ensure that they have compliant rentals. Complaints must be filed in writing. Tenants must contact the owner of the subject rental dwelling by letter requesting the owner to correct the condition that caused the alleged violation on a form provided by the city. No letter is required if the complaint from the tenant is about a condition that presents an imminent danger. Upon receipt of a written complaint, a building inspector will make an inspection of the property after written consent has been provided by the tenant for entry and inspection.

More details about the Rental Codes are available at the City of Edgewater, 2401 Sheridan Blvd., Edgewater 80214, 720-7633012, or on the City website edgewaterco. com under the tab “Living in Edgewater.”

Contact Edgewater Councilwoman Laura Keegan at 303-232-0745 or lkeegan@ edgewaterco.com.

7

Encouraging Solar Energy Options Book Nooks Springing Up in Edgewater

By Joel Newton

Book Nooks will be springing up in Edgewater and 6-year-old Dexter and his brother, Quinnton, couldn’t be more excited!

They discovered the first Book Nook when it was set up in mid-March. They were riding their bikes around the neighborhood and saw the Book Nook on 25th and Otis Court.

Dexter grabbed three books and transported them home in his mouth.

“Book Nooks are awesome!” said Dexter.

His favorite book so far is “There’s a Wocket in My Pocket” by Dr. Seuss. The family rule is that they have to exchange three books for every one they take. They have donated over 15 books so far.

“I like the concept of Book Nooks because it helps families who do not have books,” said Quinnton, 10. “It’s a nice way for people to read and it makes the community come together. I go to the Book Nook once a week or so.”

The Book Nooks are modeled after the Little Free Library movement. Visit littlefreelibrary.org for creative ideas and more information regarding building a Book Nook.

Book Nook hosts can visit the Edgewater

Through conversations at the Edgewater Farmer’s Market and other community events, Edgewater residents began to realize that there was momentum behind solar energy. So a group of residents who work for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Clean Energy Collective and Edgewater Collective came together to brainstorm ideas. Out of these conversations grew an initiative to encourage community solar in Edgewater called Solarize Edgewater.

You can follow the initiative at facebook. com/SolarizeEdgewater. There will be an information meeting for those interested in this initiative on Saturday, April 30 at 10 a.m. at Joyride Brewing Company.

Edgewater 5k Coming on May 21 Run through the beautiful small town of Edgewater and support the nonprofit work of Edgewater Collective. This 5k course runs by the small businesses on 25th Avenue and through neighborhoods as it winds through Edgewater. Proceeds from the event will go to further the mission of Edgewater Collective which is to cultivate partnerships for thriving Edgewater families, schools and community.

More information is available at edgewater5k.com.

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NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE – APRIL 19, 2016 – MAY 16, 2016 – ngazette.com

Focus on Wheat Ridge Business

Elixir Pilates & Wellness calls Ridge at 38 home

By Benjamin Hollenbeck In the fit state of Colorado, wellness business owners can find it hard to distinguish themselves from the competition. That’s not an issue for Elixir Pilates & Wellness, which continually strives to give clients safe, effective, challenging, and fun workouts with world-class instruction.

Owner and instructor Kathryn Shelton isn’t just a certified Pilates teacher, she has trained under some of the most well-known and respected Pilates masters in modern times. Originally an athlete, she graduated from the University of Michigan and soon thereafter began Pilates training.

Tell me about Elixir Pilates & Wellness I received my Pilates certification in 2001 with the long term goal of owning my own studio. Upon relocating to the Front Range, the opportunity to own Elixir presented itself. The previous owner of the studio and I worked together for a year so I could learn the business, get to know the clients and make sure that it was a good fit.

And after that time, the ownership was transitioned over to me. That was almost two years ago. Elixir will celebrate 10 years in business in 2017.

How has the move to Wheat Ridge from 32nd and Lowell impacted your business?

It’s been a really good fit! We’ve enjoyed being over here. Some clients walk here and most of the people who use the space live within a two mile radius of the studio, so we truly are serving the local residents. I’m hopeful that with what’s happening with Ridge at 38, we’ll be able to manage the good, positive changes without the congestion that the Highlands is experiencing. I’ve talked with people about how we can make those positive changes without squeezing out locals; I think we can do it.

Read the full interview at www.WeAreLocalworks.org.

Elixir Pilates & Wellness specializes in Pilates classes, private instruction, senior fitness, pre and postnatal instruction, and injury rehabilitation. You can maximize your health and wellness by also utilizing additional services they offer, like Aikido classes, massage therapy and workshops.

Elixir Pilates & Wellness can be found at 7047 W. 38th Ave., Wheat Ridge, CO 80033. They are located in the Ridge at 38, along 38th Avenue just east of High Court and available seven days a week, with classes beginning at various times between 7am to 6:30pm. Elixir wants to benefit your life, while being flexible and making it as comfortable as possible to achieve your goals.

Call 303.594.9508 or visit www.ElixirDenver.com to view and make appointments online.

COURTESY OF

WHAT’S HAPPENING Police Volunteers Recognized for Serving Wheat Ridge

Non-Fiction Book Club Looks at Middle East, April 20 & 23

arts are encouraged to apply.

Completed applications, along with two photographs of the studio and two images of the artist’s work, are due June 1. Artists will be selected and notified by June 15.

The Wheat Ridge Police Department honored 17 trained volunteers at an annual appreciation ceremony on April 13. They have provided 4,725 hours of service to the department and the Wheat Ridge community in 2015, according to Public Information Officer Maureen Harper.

Twelve new volunteers graduated from the Volunteer Academy at the event, including one new chaplain.

The number of volunteer hours in 2015 represents a 55 percent increase over hours served in 2014. The increase was due in part to the creation of the Police Chaplain program and expanded responsibilities for volunteers.

“Volunteers are a force multiplier for us here in Wheat Ridge,” said Police Chief Dan Brennan, who spoke at the ceremony.

“The tasks they take on and the jobs they do free up our police officers to be out in the community more. Their support is invaluable.”

Helen Daly, Rita Pilger and Ed Running were recognized for 10 years of service, and Mike Gallagher, Terry Jackson and John Marisco for 5 years.

The Volunteer Program was expanded in 2015 under the supervision of Sergeant Brian Wilkinson of the Crime Prevention Unit. Volunteer duties grew to include shuttling police cars to city mechanics shops – a task that required training approved by the Colorado Intergovernmental Risk Sharing Agency and freed up police officers’ time for more critical work.

WRPD Volunteers regularly help staff special events in Wheat Ridge, including the Carnation Festival, Dia de los Niños, Operation Blue Santa, the Criterium, city clean up days and various other programs.

Volunteers also were essential to Walk and Watch, a program that deploys volunteers to walk through parks, providing a visible presence in the community.

The Police Chaplain program launched last May with three chaplains, who are members of the Rocky Mountain Police Chaplains Association. Through the association, chaplains are able to arrange for a Class C recreational vehicle on the scene of lengthy incidents or SWAT callouts, providing shelter, food and rest for officers. Chaplains also provided three meals for on-duty officers on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. This year’s Volunteer Academy Graduates are: Bud Burleson, Courtney Allsopp, Jesse Ackerman, Jodi Dalton, John Corder, Kim Davia, Kimberly Cross,Lois Fentress, Mary Dalton, Mel Casper, Stephen Pflug and Joel Newton, Police Chaplain.

The Jeffco League of Women Voters Nonfiction Book Club will discuss Scott Anderson’s “Lawrence in Arabia” at its April meetings.

In this book, Anderson looks back to World War I to discover the origins of many of today’s most intractable problems in the Middle East.

Book club meetings will be Wednesday, April 20, 1 to 3 p.m., at a location to be announced, and Saturday, April 23, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., at Westland Meridian’s library, 10695 W. 17th Ave., Lakewood.

To receive an application or for more information contact Milly Nadler at 303319-0690 or millynadler@gmail.com.

For information about how to volunteer with the Wheat Ridge Police Department, visit: http://www.ci.wheatridge. co.us/477/Volunteer-Programs.

Last Cre8 Your 38 Open House April 27 Want to view the results of the community input process for Cre8 Your 38, the City of Wheat Ridge’s 38th Avenue streetscape design project? Come to a citysponsored open house at the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center, 4005 Kipling St., April 27 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Displays will recap the Cre8 Your 38 process and show the preferred streetscape design that emerged from the recent community-wide public outreach process.

Those attending the open house will have an opportunity to provide general feedback on the process and the community-created design. Those who cannot attend can view the recap online and provide feedback via an online survey. The survey will be available from 8 p.m. on April 27 through 5 p.m. on May 4.

For more information, visit www. ci.wheatridge.co.us/981/38th-Avenue.

For more information on the Nonfiction Book Club, call Lynne at 303-985-5128.

For more information on the Jeffco League of Women Voters, visit www.lwvjeffco.org

The Family Room Pampers Mothers, May 7 Mothers and female parental figures (think aunts, sitters, "friend" aunts, neighbors) are invited to celebrate Mothers Day (a day early) with Pamper and Play on May 7, at The Family Room, 6279 W. 38th Ave., #1, in Wheat Ridge, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Free supervised playtime for kids in a safe and fun environment will be provided while guests enjoy manicures/pedicures, massage, and free food, champagne and cupcakes.

They’ll be collecting gently used, new and like-new purses stuffed with toiletries to benefit women with children who are homeless due to leaving domestic violence situations.

Sign up at www.thefamilyroomdenver. com/pamper-and-play.

Bid Adieu to Future ADUs? Should Wheat Ridge allow Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in residential neighborhoods? The City of Wheat Ridge will hold the last of two public input meetings on a possible ordinance saying yes, May 10, 7 p.m., at City Hall, 7500 W. 29th Ave. An ADU, sometimes called a carriage house, or secondary unit, is a smaller, separate living unit on a property that has a single-family home. It is complete with its own kitchen, bathroom facilities a separate entrance. Currently, ADUs are not allowed in the city.

City staff will present an overview of the feedback received from the first, April 12 meeting and residents will be able to give additional feedback on the elements that could be included. The initial meeting sought input from the community after providing information on common ways ADUs are regulated, including architecture, parking, ownership, occupancy and other issues.

Staff will present the feedback from both meetings to city council, which will decide whether or not to pursue the topic further.

For more information, contact Lisa Ritchie at lritchie@ci.wheatridge.co.us or 303-235-2852.

Artists Sought for Wheat Ridge Studio Tour Fine artists with studios in Wheat Ridge are invited to apply for participation in the 2016 Wheat Ridge Studio Tour, slated for Saturday, Aug. 27. The success of last year's initial tour persuaded the Wheat Ridge Cultural Commission to continue affording residents a chance to experience the wide number and variety of artists in our city.

Interested artists must have a working studio in Wheat Ridge and be willing to open it to visitors from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the day of the tour. Artists engaged in painting, drawing, photography, pottery, jewelry making, sculpture and other fine

Volunteers Needed To Feed the Needy Dream Dinners Wheat Ridge is looking for volunteers to assist in the planning and execution of a meal-packaging event that will provide healthy, non-perishable meals for those in need.

Dream Dinners, along with its nonprofit, the Living the Dream Foundation, and Friends and Family Community Connection (FFCC), a nonprofit that brings awareness to the issue of hunger, will host the area’s first Fight Against Hunger event on July 30.

Held in Dream Dinners’ 4980 Kipling St. parking lot, store manager Jim Eddy said the goal is to package 150,000 meals that have been scientifically designed to reverse the effects of malnutrition and starvation. A third of the meals will be used locally, and the rest sent to Haiti, to help the more than 2.5 million people living in extreme poverty Volunteers are needed to pack meals and serve on the steering committee; cash donations are needed to purchase supplies.

For more information, contact Jim Eddy at 303-432-3110 or james.eddy@ dreamdinners.com; or visit www.livingthedreamfoundation.com.

Mark Your Calendar For Carvers Club Auction, June 12 The Annual Colorado Carvers Club Auction is set for June 12 at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, starting at 1 p.m. The free event is open to the public.

For more information visit www.coloradocarvers.org or call Hank Koehler at 303984-6233.

Ridge at 38 Criterium is June 12 The third Annual Ridge at 38 Criterium, a USA Cycling-sanctioned race in the Rocky Mountain Cup race series, will wheel through Wheat Ridge on June 12.

It takes place on 1.15-mile course in the heart of downtown Wheat Ridge on West 38th Avenue. In addition to elite and amateur races, the event includes a Brewfest, live entertainment, an expo area and a community fun ride. More than 5,000 spectators and 400 racers are expected to attend.

The inaugural Ridge at 38 Criterium was created through a collaboration between Ridge at 38, Localworks (then Wheat Ridge 2020), and The City of Wheat Ridge, as a way to celebrate the 30-year history of cycling in Wheat Ridge.

For more information visit http:// ridgeat38.com/calendar.

Tickets Available For Wheat Ridge Garden Tour, July 9 The Wheat Ridge Garden Tour will take place – rain or shine – on Saturday, July 9.

Tickets ($15) for the self-guided tour can be purchased online at wheatridgegardentour. com, and at Pietra’s Pizzeria and Twisted Smoothie in Wheat Ridge, as well as at the starting location on the day of the event.

Tickets include the catered Lunch Stop and Garden Party. Kids 11 and under are free. Proceeds benefit Jefferson Center for Mental Health and the Wheat Ridge Community Foundation.

For more information, contact Vicki Ottoson at wheatridgegardentour@outlook. com.

ngazette.com – APRIL 19 – MAY 16, 2016 – NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE

11

CAR TALK WITH TOM

FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY

Detailing More Than Wash & Wax

Double-Barrel Conservation

t is about that time of year when we start thinking about giving our car a bath. For some of us, we don’t have the time, so here are some thoughts on having it detailed.

Auto detailing goes beyond a wash and wax for your car. Its focus is on restoring your car to its original exterior and interior condition. It's a vital service when you're selling your vehicle or returning a leased vehicle.

The first step to detailing a car is to perform a thorough vacuuming of the full interior and upholstery, which may require removal of the front seats.

Next, the interior is fully cleaned to remove stains from the carpets, seats and upholstery.

The vinyl areas, like the dashboard and the car door panels, are then cleaned and treated.

The heater vents are cleaned of dust.

Next comes cleaning of the wheels and rims and treatment of the tire sidewalls.

Also, the windows are treated and engine is cleaned.

Tackling minor paint imperfections, especially for older vehicles, can significantly improve resale value.

Hiring a Professional Detailer By hiring an auto detailing company, you can largely avoid the possibility of damage to your vehicle as well as protect its appearance and value. One common misconception about auto detailing work — which can include washing, waxing and detailing the exterior and vacuuming, deep cleaning and detailing the interior — is that the service is prohibitively expensive.

But if you consider that a washing, waxing or detailing work performed by a professional will significantly extend the life and improve the appearance of your vehicle, along with the fact that over the long term it can help

Got a car care question? Email Tom Schmuke at tom@qualityautocare.com.

By Guy Nahmiach

A

ttention: It is now legal to collect the rainwater falling off your roof. Two barrels worth, in fact: not to exceed 100 gallons per household, up to 600 gallons per year.

The significance of this new state law is not found in your personal savings or the performance of your garden, but your habits as a water consumer: measuring, conserving and using only what you need.

Now imagine entire communities doing so, spread across a state where access to fresh water is becoming more and more of an issue.

So many great citizens worked together to finally bring all sides together. They overcame the objections of skeptics who were convinced that so many down the stream would suffer, or that homeowners would cheat the system and harvest much more than the allowed number of barrels.

Some were even convinced that the stored water would evaporate before it can be used and would be lost to all. Logic, science and, of course, perseverance prevailed and the bill finally passed.

Maintenance can be an issue, where standing water is great for mosquito larvae, mold and water born diseases. Take the time to educate yourself. Find a proper and barrel on Craigslist or a local garden store.

These can be sealed with an outbound spout that connects to a hose, making the watering process simple.

As for collecting the rain, you can connect one of your downspouts into the container.

Gardengatemagazine.com is a great resource for this system.

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Wheat Ridge Poultry & Meats has been located at the corner of 29th Avenue and Depew Street in Wheat Ridge since 1942.

What started as a simple chicken and egg farm has grown into a full service, custom cut retail meat and pantry shop.

• • • • •

More of your money stays in Wheat Ridge.

Your taxes are used to support infrastructure in Wheat Ridge.

Local businesses tend to support more local charities than big box stores.

We live in the same community as you do!

Small local businesses employee many of your friends and neighbors.

Kite Festival Continued from page 1

Seyfer Automotive will sponsor non-wind parachute kite relay races for ages 10 and up. Kids can play Hamster Balls at the south end of the midway – tickets are $5. Nonstop entertainment will be provided by clowns, a magician, face painter, balloon twister and chalk artists, with food vendors offering bites and beverages.

Can’t build a kite? The Kite Hospital will assemble any kite purchased at the festival, and repair any broken kite.

Parking will be limited, and participants are encouraged to park in nearby neighborhoods, or bike or walk to the park.

For more information, visit www.kiteflitefestival.com.

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panels; it's an amazing feeling watching my Xcel meter spin backwards. I've looked into harvesting the wind passing over my home, but residential regulations require a minimum of three-quarters of an acre with the ability to have a 40-foot-high tower.

Wind turbines are heavily regulated due to potential damage to neighboring properties and the decibel level created by their highpitch whine.

So while my allowed 100 gallons is literally a drop in that reservoir off 26th where our water comes from, I know that together with my neighbors, we can make a difference.

If you are building your own system, we would like to share your story with our readers. Send in your pictures and story about how you got started.

Plus Tax

2 lbs. Bacon 3 lbs. Pork Chops 3 lbs. Country Ribs 4 lbs. Round Steak 4 lbs. Sausage 4 lbs. Sirloin Steak 5 lbs. Beef Roast 5 lbs. Pork Roast 10 lbs. Chicken (Whole or Cut) 10 lbs. Ground Beef

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2 lbs. Bacon 2 lbs. Sausage 3 lbs. Beef Roast 3 lbs. Pork Roast 5 lbs. Ground Beef 10 lbs. Chicken (Whole or Cut) Meat sizes and/or roast sizes may vary.

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5 lbs. Pork Chops 5 lbs. Sausage 4 lbs. T-Bone Steaks 4 lbs. Sirloin Steaks 6 lbs. Beef Roast 12 lbs. Chicken (Whole or Cut) 12 lbs. Ground Beef Meat sizes and/or roast sizes may vary.

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5 lbs. Boneless Chicken Breast 5 lbs. Country Ribs 5 lbs. Extra Lean Ground Beef 4 lbs. Sirloin Steaks 4 lbs. T-Bone Steaks Meat sizes and/or roast sizes may vary.

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• • •

Plus Tax

2 lbs. Bacon 2 lbs. Beef Roast 3 lbs. Pork Chops 3 lbs. Pork Roast 2 lbs. Round Steak 2 lbs. Sausage 7 lbs. Ground Beef Meat sizes and/or roast sizes may vary.

No substitutions.

Meat sizes and/or roast sizes may vary.

No substitutions.

Meat sizes and/or roast sizes may vary.

No substitutions.

199.99

79.99

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retain the vehicle’s resale value, having the work done can prove to be a worthwhile investment.

The cost for many detailing services such as basic washes or interior cleanings can start at less than $100. More comprehensive services like exterior or interior detailing can cost several hundred dollars, while more advanced processes like paint color correction or ding, dent or chip repairs may cost more.

Consider some of the benefits to having a professional provide detailing work for your car: Improved resale value, higher selling price. A vehicle that’s been maintained well will always demand a higher selling price, and this holds true for its appearance, too. An exterior that’s been cleaned and waxed regularly will show less wear and tear and the paint and clear coat will be more durable in the long run.

Convenience. Not only will you save yourself the time and hassle of washing, waxing and vacuuming your car by hiring a detailing professional, it can also be more convenient. Many auto-detailing shops offer pick-up and drop-off services as well as mobile detailing so your car never has to leave the driveway.

Faster sale turnaround. Everybody loves that “new car” look, feel and smell, even if they’re buying a used car. A car with a recent thorough detail will sell faster than one that hasn’t been cleaned by a professional.

Peace of mind. Spills happen. Getting a professional to help remove any spills, stains or other accidents using tried-andtrue methods not only saves you elbow grease, it also ensures the stain or spill has been removed or neutralized as effectively as possible.

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NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE – APRIL 19, 2016 – MAY 16, 2016 – ngazette.com

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DESK A Word From The Overtested Generation

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ducation is undoubtedly one of the biggest pillars in the foundation of our society. Everyone has been a student at least once in their lives. Whether we were good students or bad students, the experience is under the belts of all.

But from where my generation and I stand currently in public schools, we are over-tested. No generation before has ever been tested this much at this point of their educational paths. I have taken a variety of tests: CSAP, TCAP, Acuity, PSAT, ACT, Advanced Placement Exams, PARCC, every known acronym that represents an overcomplicated synonym for the word “test.”

One thing I want to get across early is that this isn’t a piece from a lazy high schooler’s perspective. I will be the first to admit the majority of high schoolers have their fair share of lazy episodes. But my focus is questioning the redundancy of tests in the public school system and also the lost purpose of testing itself. The testing purpose is fading from the usual “check your understandings.”

Growing up, my dad had always preached to me, “In school, you are taught to take a test, not learn in general.” Now I don’t believe my dad has lost faith in the educational system, but more that the direction of education has lost itself.

Standardized tests are used as a parameter for schools to grade their effectiveness. This effectiveness would be obviously tied to funding (makes sense – ineffective schools

don’t deserve the same amount of funding as effective schools). I think this is where the system lost its way: a school could focus only on the preparation for the test instead of the content and the importance of education.

Wheat Ridge High School has various classes that amplify necessary content. I can applaud my high school for requiring an economics credit for graduation. Currently I am taking an economics class, and I have to say the knowledge is intangibly important for the future. The things that I learned during this semester will go handin-hand when I decide political issues in this November election. Schools have an inventory of classes with real-world connections like journalism, construction, tech-ed, etc.

I think if we cut back the standard testing and focus on the content and how the students can use it in real life, we will redefine intelligence. Please do not think I am saying we get rid of testing, but instead refocus the purpose into something bigger.

Do not be mistaken by thinking this is the teachers’ fault either. Required standardized tests are passed through legislation.

Ultimately it would be nice for some type of action to be taken in terms of the testing.

I know it's too late for some students in the system to escape the shackles of testing, but action could lead to future liberation, and a refocus on true learning.

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’ve met with numerous people lately that say they are weary of starting a training program because they are concerned about being trained too aggressively. They want someone to listen to them and ensure they will be taken care of. They have goals to be outside doing summer time activities, but they are cautious about getting started in fitness.

It makes sense that someone who hasn’t been in a formal workout program would want to start easy and make sure they stay safe. It is vital to ensure the studio or gym you choose values your specific needs.

Whether you have an injury, limitation or just haven’t been in the fitness circuit for a while, it is important that you take your time getting started.

Here are some of my top tips when it comes to starting out again and how to stay consistent on a training program.

Check-In: Make sure that you check in with your body and understand what your current injuries are and what limitations they have. Check in with yourself prior to each workout, as you body changes daily.

Tracking: You will soon learn how your body handles each workout- such as how sore you get, when fatigue sets in and how hunger varies after workouts. Once you better understand patterns, you will be able to create sustainable habits to help you

maintain for a lifestyle.

Communication is key: Starting with a trainer should include time spent discussing your individual goals. Keep open lines of communication with your trainer about your progression is crucial. This is the time to tell your trainer what concerns you have about certain exercises so they know what to stay away from!

Pick the right time: You will find that certain day parts are better than others for your workouts. Depending on the season, this can change.

Listen to your body: When you have an injury or limitation, it is important to not push too hard so you do not worsen the situation. It is not a contest, and you rather be in it for the long haul. Honor your body when you feel it asking for a rest day.

Start Slow: While it’s tempting to want to work out every day when you first begin, it can create burn out which will produce a resistance to working out. Be thoughtful about planning your training sessions, your outdoor time and your active rest.

In the beginning, it is important to list the components that are most important to you. Write down on a piece of paper your top five values. Ensure the studio and trainers value your needs.

Brandy Martin is owner of Feed Your Soul Fitness; contact her at Brandy@ FeedYourSoulFitness.com or 303-9475631.

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PERSONAL TRAINING INDOOR CYCLING KETTLEBELLS TRX

SCHOOL CROSSING Bumps on the Wheat Ridge GT Pathway year and I am confident that the regional achievement director Karen Quanbeck will continue to monitor the situation at Stevens he label of “gifted & talented” has often closely. been accused of being elite and divisive.

Everitt Middle is the newest of Jeffco's It describes students with an advanced GT center schools, attracting advanced learning ability in some form. While your learners with really great programs that average classroom will dig a few inches into challenge our young learners, allowing hundreds of topics during a school year, families to stay in Wheat Ridge instead of a GT student will dig miles into a handful choicing into Creighton, Drake and even of those they adopt as their mission in life.

Bell. Teachers from the science and tech For a handful it also includes heightened ed classes at Everitt formed sensitivity to loud noises, tastes teams of students that will be and simple irritability to that competing at Elitch Gardens flicking label on the back of their this spring, designing a roller shirt. coaster and building a mini Parents of such students version that will be judged on have the task of supplementing a multi-criteria basis--truly a their daytime curriculum with successful program. added classes, and begging Wheat Ridge High is the teachers to challenge these third stop on this pathway: a GT students with elevated projects center for high school students, rather than more of the same. exposing advanced learners to These students often fail to turn the STEM and STEAM programs, in homework. Their self-doubt Guy Nahmiach the wonderful music department and constant strive for perfection and even the various sports teams. keep many due projects at the bottom of WRHS has always received district funding their school bags and lockers. for this unique program. In fact, this success is Dr. Blanche Kapushion has for many spurring another GT center program in south years been instrumental in leading and Jeffco. However the $152,000 showed up on developing the GT program in Jefferson the latest proposed Jeffco budget as a line item County. While we do have Center schools that would be funded one last time, then to be in the district, 80 percent of our Advanced taken over by the school the following years.

Learners sit in regular classrooms in our Well, imagine a neighborhood school being neighborhood schools. Just as the law saddled with such a bill and the likelihood of protects and funds special education for that program not coming back and having an those falling behind, the same applies for negative effect on the success of the STEM those advanced learners needing a more program. Thankfully, WRHS PTA president challenging curriculum.

Susan Miller and Accountability Chair Wheat Ridge is fortunate to have the Tom Coyne fought for the budget behind only defined GT pathway for our students. the scenes – both are parents that live in Stevens Elementary became a GT Genesee. Once again our education success center attracting families from even the and failures are dependent on people Highlands, though in mid 2015 they decided outside of our city. (without district approval) to halt their GT Upon retirement, Dr. Kapushion will curriculum in some of their classrooms. be replaced by Roger Dowd. He currently Parents who were never notified of this holds the position of Director of Advanced change, voiced their anger last November Academic and Gifted Services in Adams 1. I and registered their kids at other schools for was privileged to be on the hiring committee next year. Dr. Kapushion intervened and – two full days that resulted in a unanimous revised the program to include a form of vote of confidence for Dowd. I'll have more blending 1-2, 3-4 and 5-6 levels that would details in the next issue. ensure enrollment to restore the elevated As always, thanks for reading. curriculum. While we did lose those families Contact Guy Nahmiach at 303-999for next year, hopefully more will come.

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NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE – APRIL 19, 2016 – MAY 16, 2016 – ngazette.com

NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS BEAT Special Treats for Mother’s Day

“Outlaw Chicken Sliders,” a Classes for all ages offered at Closet by AlexOrganize 3-serving size dinner assembled Destination Dance at Dream Dinners

By Vicki Ottoson

I

n 2014 Mother’s Day turned 100. Over the course of its long history, Mother’s Day has morphed from work clubs to improve sanitary conditions and tend wounded Civil War soldiers, to Mother’s Friendship Day picnics held to unite Union and Confederate loyalists, to the first Mother’s Day observance being held in 1908 in a church that has since been renamed the International Mother’s Day Shrine.* Mother’s Day was officially declared a holiday by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914. Today, Mother’s Day is the most popular holiday of the year for dining out. It is the number-three holiday for card exchange following Christmas and Valentine’s Day. The National Retail Federation estimates Americans will spend $21 billion on Mother’s Day in 2016. Below are some women-owned Wheat Ridge and Edgewater businesses where you can buy Mother’s Day gifts locally.

Dream Dinners Speaking of moms, Carol Eddy’s mom was a great cook and Carol loved eating the food her mom cooked. However, once Carol moved out on her own, she discovered she didn’t like cooking great food like her mom did. She solved her problem by becoming a customer at Dream Dinners, a dinner-making franchise that opened a store in Denver in 2004. Two years later, Carol, a financial planner by trade, bought the franchise when it moved to Wheat Ridge. Two more years later, Carol met and married her husband, Jim Eddy. Carol returned to finance and Jim, previously a sales trainer, became the store manager of Dream Dinners.

Dream Dinners is not a subscription service. Dream Dinners is a 36-serving minimum, pay-as-you-go, food prep and freezing service. Each month, 17 recipes — kitchen-tested at headquarters for optimal freeze-ability — are offered. The Wheat Ridge Dream Dinners store buys the ingredients through a local distributor similar to what a nice restaurant might use, does all the chopping, measuring and precooking and then customers come in one time a month for an hour to an hour and a half to assemble the meals they have signed up for. The meals are taken home and can be frozen for up to four months. When the family wants a quick dinner, the prepackaged, freezer-bag meals are thawed and then cooked in an average of 30 minutes.

Each recipe is portioned to make either three or six servings. Each customer can assemble any combination of serving sizes to equal the 36-serving minimum, six to 15 meals on average. The average customer eats roughly three meals per week.

What types of meals are available?

How about BBQ Chicken Tenders with Almond Green Beans or Crispy Coconut Chicken with Oven-Roasted Broccoli.

Nutritional information is available in the store or online. The average calories per serving is 375. Dream Dinners is not a diet or vegan program, but a nutritious dinner offering centered around antibiotic-, hormone- and cage-free chicken, pork or beef. Protein servings are four-ounce, and sides, such as green beans, are three-ounce servings, following the American Dietary

Association’s recommendations. All cuisines are featured, from American to Mexican, Thai, Chinese and Italian. Dream Dinners espouses the belief that “dinner time is family time.” In keeping with this motto, children are welcome to share in the food preparation experience.

While the average monthly cost to use Dream Dinners for all dinnertime meals runs about $200 to $225 monthly, you can sign up and pay online for Mother’s Day using the Introductory Offer of $74.95 for 18 servings — half the minimum monthly servings. For this offer, 12 recipes are available. You can also pre-select your prep time from two to four time slots on one Monday and two Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays per month. You can also have meals assembled for mom for an extra $20.

Dream Dinners, 4890 Kipling St., Wheat Ridge, 303-432-3110, www.dreamdinners.com. By appointment only.

Destination Dance If your goal is to get mom out of the house to try something new, Destination Dance might be just the opportunity you are seeking. From toddlers as young as three to women who have danced together for 20 years, Destination Dance offers classes for all levels of expertise. If performing is your goal, join now to start training for the June performance and end-of-the-year holiday shows. The troupe also performs at summer shows, private fundraisers and Buffalo Bill Days. Wheat Ridge performances include the

Spring collection of scarves, purses, Tranquility Lane sets the tone for totes, clothing and jewelry at The customers arriving at The Pampering Place Day Spa Avenue Consignment Boutique

Carnation Festival Parade and RidgeFest.

Destination Dance offers classes in all genres of dance from jazz to tap to ballet and ballroom as well as fitness-oriented classes such as Zumba and Tumbling. All types of classes are offered from “Mom and Me” to “Dads and Daughters” to “Creative Movement,” “Dance Moms,” “Beginner Tap,” “Clog,” “Hip Hop,” and “Fitness at the Barre.” Mother’s Day Specials include four weeks of dance in a “Sampler Class” or a “Month of Dance” focused on a particular type of dance. At $15 per lesson, each package includes one free lesson for $45.

The “Month of Fitness” package is $8 per class and includes one week free for $24.

Dance and fitness class gift certificates also can be purchased in any dollar amount.

The Adult Jazz Class that meets on Thursdays from 7 to 8 p.m. is an ideal class for first-timers. This class is “a great group of women,” where moms will learn across-the-floor combinations. Another adult class is the Beginning Tap Class that meets on Fridays at 10:30 a.m. Clogging, Irish-style tap with a Western flair, meets on Mondays at 6:45 p.m. and Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. When newcomers join classes, the instructors will start with easier step combinations and provide off to the side walk-throughs.

After outgrowing several locations in the North Denver area, Wheat Ridge High School graduate and owner Collette Wagner’s dream was to open a studio where she could offer dancers multiple classes at the same time. Destination Dance is her

dream come true.

Destination Dance, 4550 Wadsworth Blvd., Wheat Ridge, 303-941-9554, destinationdance.com. Drop-in and scheduled classes available.

AlexOrganize More than all the other glamorous items one might purchase for mom on Mother’s Day, you know the mom in your house secretly covets perfectly organized closets.

With a full-time job, kids to chauffeur and meals to cook, this is one luxury that often finds its way to the bottom of the wish list.

Not any more! AlexOrganize to the rescue.

It’s only appropriate for Alex Kuisis to organize closets for moms for Mother’s Day since she got her start in the business as a child organizing her own mom’s closets. And she didn’t stop there: her sister recommended she start her own organizing business after Alex helped her organize the drawers in her kitchen. Maybe it’s not the closets that need attention in your house. Alex also organizes pantries, sheds, garages, greenhouses and bedrooms. With a degree in Early Childhood Education, one of Alex’ specialties is organizing children’s playrooms. Her forte is organizing your child’s environment for success.

AlexOrganize is a consultative service that starts with a holistic approach to organizing physical space. Appointments begin with a conversation about your goals, what you like and dislike about a particular space, and what you’d like to see or do differently with

LOCAL BUSINESS CALENDAR Construction Industry Job Fair, April 26

The Sugar Cube Now Open on Wadsworth

Join construction industry leaders and meet with people interested in working in construction occupations throughout the metro Denver area at the Construction Industry Job Fair, April 26, 9 a.m. to noon at the Jefferson County Fair Grounds, 15200 W. 6th Ave. Frontage Road, Golden.

It’s an opportunity for employers to demonstrate their craft to job seekers, as well as recruit and enhance the understanding of employment demands for a wide range of job seekers, career changers, new workers and experienced skilled trade workers from the industry. There is no charge to participate.

Owner Donna Stallman reports the opening of The Sugar Cube at 4313 Wadsworth Blvd. She purchased the drivethrough coffee shop in September, brought it up to code, and reopened Feb. 29.

“I was looking for a small business that needed some TLC and found it,” said Stallman. “I want this to be a one-of-a-kind shop with class and warmness with special care for each customer with a smile and special care.”

The Colorado native said her trademark is the hand-stamped cups with handwritten positive sayings on each, along with special cold coffee drinks and monthly flavors. She’s also stayed with all local small business vendors.

Interested businesses can visit http:// conta.cc/1SbO0n4 for more information.

Chamber After-Hours Event at Larson’s, April 26 The Wheat Ridge Chamber of Commerce will host an Open Business After Hours Event at Larson’s Ski & Sport, 4715 Kipling St., April 26, 5 to 7 p.m.

Guests can hear about the Chamber’s goals, vision and how it can partner with local organizations and help and support them.

RSVP by emailing Wheat Ridge Chamber President Dot Miller at dot@wheatridgechamber.org.

The Sugar Cube is open Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. Closed weekends.

hOMe Collective Opens May 19 hOMe Collective will open its doors with a ribbon-cutting and open house in May. Located at 6101 W. 38th Ave., Wheat Ridge, the integrated wellness center supports its clientele in health and wholeness, with practitioners specializing in Holistic Nutrition Therapy, Therapeutic Bodywork, Mental Health Therapy, and Yoga Therapy,

to name a few.

The Thursday afternoon ribbon-cutting takes place May 19 at 4 p.m., followed by an open house on Sunday, May 22, between 2 and 5 p.m. Activities begin with a welcome and Sound Meditation at 2 p.m., and free kid and adult yoga classes at 2:30 p.m.

From 3 until 5 p.m., visitors can meet the practitioners and enjoy face painting & henna, food, drink and crafts.

For more information on hOMe Collective, visit www.homecollective.org.

100 New Jobs Coming With Call Center?

Marketlink, Inc., announced the opening of its seventh U.S. call center here in Wheat Ridge in an April 13 press release.

The contact center provider expects the new site, at 7777 W. 38th St., Suite A-120, to bring in more than 100 new jobs.

“Over the past several years, we have experienced significant growth,” said Kourtney Keough, President/CEO. “We are excited to partner with the community and provide its residents with the opportunity to join our global family.”

To that end (apply for a job) or for more information visit www.marketlinkinc.com.

Submit items to the “Neighborhood Business” section at editor@ngazette.com

ngazette.com – APRIL 19 – MAY 16, 2016 – NEIGHBORHOOD GAZETTE

the space. Alex will tell you how she would go about accomplishing your goals and will work with you to modify her plan to fit your needs and style. The goal of the consultation is to uncover ideas you haven’t thought about yet.

From there you have the option to implement the plan yourself or hire Alex to do it. Another option is to work on the project together.

Organizing consultations cost $60 for one hour. Customized space/action plans run $75 an hour, as do hands-on organizing sessions, where a two-hour minimum is required. 24hour packages can be spread out over a full year. Hours can be scheduled in two-, four-, six- and eight-hour increments. How the time is allocated depends on the client’s schedule, the magnitude of the project and budget considerations.

Alex is tuned in to the emotional attachment that many stored items represent. If “it’s time to get rid of it,” Alex can help work through the sentimental stages of letting go. As a matter of fact, Alex will soon be launching a life coaching business to help people who are stuck in emotionally challenging life situations.

V1 Rates start at $50 for an hour-long Walk ‘n Talk.

Maybe your mom would rather have help putting on a smashing private event. As a seasoned gala coordinator, Alex can assist with decorations and entertainment such as securing balloon artists and dunk tanks, etc.; also for $75 per hour.

The Avenue Consignment Boutique

After retiring from school teaching, Becky Parry opened The Avenue Consignment Boutique on April 3, 2012.

A fourth-anniversary celebration will be held on Friday, April 29, from 4 to 7 p.m., complete with wine tasting, hors d'oeuvres and door prizes and games including Avenue Cash and Spin the Wheel.

For Mother’s Day, Avenue Boutique offers carefully selected, like-new women’s clothing, totes, purses, shoes, jewelry, sunglasses, reading glasses and scarves.

This spring’s collection includes a large selection of colorful Indian Pashmina silk scarves as well as a broad array of costume rings and statement necklaces featuring stunning turquoise, dramatic gems and semi-precious stones. Seasonal displays of colorful handmade cloth totes are available, as well as brand names K.P.C., Sandra Roberts, Fresh Produce, Vera Bradley and Bagolitas. Designer handbags are a best seller with four to five Coach bags always in stock as well as a limited selection of Michael Kors, Guess, Inzi, Tyler Rodan, Hobo International, Kenneth Cole, Big Buddha and Nine West.

Avenue Consignment Boutique attracts women clients aged 20 to 90, women in the Arguello market for skirts, jackets, slacks, really Peter Damian Arguello 303.463.5335 Peter Damian 303.463.5335 AlexOrganize, alexorganize@gmail. cute summer dresses, who like to shop 7220 38th Avenue · Wheat Ridge, 7220Colorado West 38th80033 Avenue · Wheat Ridge, Colorado 80033 com,West alexkuisis.com/alexorganize-llc.html. for major brands including Ann Taylor, By appointment only. peter@peterdamianjewelry.com peter@peterdamianjewelry.com www.peterdamianjewelry.comwww.peterdamianjewelry.com

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When people work together, Awesome happens!

Voice of Wheat Ridge business community

WHEATRIDGEBIZ.COM 7220 West 38th Avenue

West 38th Avenue ge, Colorado 80033

amian Arguello 3.463.5335

terdamianjewelry.com

SAVE THE DATE

The Avenue Consignment Boutique, 7777 W. 38th Ave., Wheat Ridge, 303-4849425, avenueconsignment.com. Open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

The Pampering Place Day Spa & Gift Boutique If you want to give the mom in your family more than just a manicure, pedicure or massage, The Pampering Place Day Spa is an ideal place to spend your hard-earned money. A Wheat Ridge “hidden treasure,” in 2014 and 2015, loyal customers from Wheat Ridge, Arvada, Golden, Westminster and Lakewood voted Pampering Place the “Best of the Best” Aesthetician, Massage Company and Day Spa along with additional recognition in the categories of Customer Service, Gift Boutique, Waxing Facility and Nails.

Expertise combined with customer service is a key characteristic associated with The Pampering Place Day Spa. A licensed professional, Work carries up to 15 skin-care items with specific training in the Lira, Image, Sanitas and Young Blood lines.

She is also trained in three nail-care lines

and carries several additional professional products. Terri is knowledgeable about addressing beauty problems “from the top of the head to the tip of the toes,” having done extensive research on products for thinning hair, dry skin, skin rejuvenation, nutrition and pigmentation. Skin and body care is definitely her specialty along with massage techniques and training to address relaxation, muscle pain and joint support.

The Pampering Place is also a gift boutique. Work picks out new items in her $20 target price range at the annual Denver Merchandise Mart Gift Show, where she has built special relationships with over 45 manufacturers that allow her as an independent spa to offer exclusive products, such as goat’s milk soaps and lotions manufactured locally in Littleton. Perfect for moms, The Pampering Place carries a selection of quality sunglasses that offer many high-end options, including select Colorado-based Inferno models, featuring 100 percent polarized lenses in wraparound styles suitable for sports enthusiasts from bicyclists to aviators. Other items for sale include purses, scarves, rings and many varieties of general spa and beauty gifts. Visit the website below to conveniently purchase printable gift certificates for specific dollar amounts or services ($25 minimum).

Pampering Place Day Spa & Gift Boutique, 3250 Otis St., Wheat Ridge, 303324-6078, www.thepamperingplacedayspa.com. By appointment only. *Brian Handwerk, National Geographic, May, 2014

MAY MEMBERSHIP BREAKFAST

If you’re left holding the bag,

FEBRUARY MEMBERSHIP BREAKFAST*** DATE: TIME: LOCATION:

SPEAKER: TOPIC:

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Upcoming WRBA Membership Breakfasts

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Tuesday, February 9, 2016 7:00 - 9:00 am PLEASE NOTE THE LOCATION HAS CHANGED FOR THIS DATE ONLY TO THE Lutheran Medical Center, Learning Center # 1 (2nd floor), 8300 West 38th Avenue, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 (SEE MAP BELOW)*** Lieutenant Governor Joe Garcia TBD

Date: Tuesday, MAY 10, 2016 Time: 7:00-9:00am

Location: Wheat Ridge Recreation Center – 4005 Kipling St., Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Be glad it’s ours!™

MARCH MEMBERSHIP BREAKFAST DATE: TIME: LOCATION:

7:00 - 9:00 am

Wheat Ridge Recreation Center – Speaker: Margie Seyfer – Speaker, author, coach 4005 Kipling St., Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

Richard J. Bryan - Speaker & Consultant Topic: Winning Customers Being Frank - Leadership StrategiesWomen To Transform Your Organization Thursday, May 5 is the deadline to register.

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Tuesday, April 12, 2016 7:00 - 9:00 am

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Tuesday, June 14, 2016 City Manager Patrick Goff State of the City John Bandimere, Jr. – Bandimere Speedway

Custom Jewelry Designers

Anthony M’s Visions in Gold

6789 W. 44th Ave. (Corner of 44th Ave. & Pierce St.) Wheat Ridge • 303-424-1881

visionsingold.com | gems@visionsingold.com 2015 Wheat Ridge Business of the Year

Lutheran Medical Center campus map

www.PeterDamianJewelry.com www.PeterDamianJewelry.com ***LUTHERAN MEDICAL CENTER CAMPUS MAP FOR FEBRUARY BREAKFAST LOCATION Wheat Ridge, Colorado 80033

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Banana Republic, Chico’s, Liz Claiborne and Coldwater Creek. There’s “something for everyone” at Avenue Consignment Boutique. Decorative gift certificates are available in any amounts. Consignors earn 40 percent on items sold.

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

Direction help – volunteers are available at the information desk or use the Information kiosk

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B & F TIRE CO. Mike Stites • 303-421-2063 6915 W. 38th Ave.

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7756 W 38th Ave. 303-424-9449 Visit our color and eyelash specialists!

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MEDICALLY SPEAKING Sleep Apnea - More Common With Age untreated sleep apnea may have daytime sleepiness, concentration and memory noring. Yawning. The overpowering problems, trouble with certain tasks (like need for an afternoon nap. These are all driving) and even score lower on IQ tests. things many older adults may have accepted Over a period of time, low oxygen levels long ago as just a part of life, but often they can lead to other medical issues far more are tell-tale symptoms of a more serious serious than sleepiness. Platelets in your problem: sleep apnea. blood get sticky, so there's a Despite getting eight higher incidence of heart attack hours of shut-eye, people with and stroke. If you have bad sleep sleep apnea aren't getting a apnea, your risk for stroke or good night's sleep. While they heart attack is the same as if you slumber, they experience sleep were to smoke a pack a day. disturbances that can leave them

The good news is that tired during the day and lead to sleep apnea is treatable. health problems if left untreated.

To reverse these adverse According to the National health effects, your physician Sleep Foundation (https:// can prescribe a sleep study. sleepfoundation.org/sleepPeople with existing lung or Phil Emrie, MD disorders-problems/sleepheart conditions may need an apnea), more than 18 million American in-laboratory study. For healthy individuals, adults have sleep apnea. In general, men the study can be completed at home. Such have it more often than women, but studies track sleep and oxygen levels during women catch up around menopause. Being the night and can document how often overweight is a big risk factor. someone stops breathing.

People with sleep apnea typically look Depending on the severity of sleep like they're trying to breathe, but they're apnea, doctors may recommend weight not. When a person sleeps, the muscles relax loss in patients who are overweight, or an and the tongue falls to the back of the throat. oral appliance that moves the jaw forward, In some cases, the tongue can partially or perhaps a CPAP machine (Continuous block the airway and cause snoring. If the Positive Airway Pressure) that acts as a obstruction is bad enough, it can interrupt splint to keep the airway open. airflow into the lungs. What a spouse may If you or someone you love suspects dismiss as a harmless case of loud snoring sleep apnea, see your doctor. may actually be interruptions in breathing.

Eventually the body says, “You have Dr. Phil Emrie is a pulmonologist with Luto wake up and breathe.” This sometimes theran Medical Center and Rocky Mounhappens every minute and isn't conducive tain Pulmonary and Critical Care Medito restorative sleep. As a result, people with cine.

By Phil Emrie, MD

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FAMILY HEALTH When Spring Doesn’t Bring Sunshine

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pring has (sort of) sprung here in Colorado. And although spring is typically associated with flowers, butterflies and bunnies, many don’t realize that it is actually a time when depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts are at the highest for some individuals.

It’s overwhelming to suffer from anxiety or depression, but it can also feel overwhelming when we don’t know how to help a loved one who is suffering. You may feel confused and frustrated yourself.

Perhaps you feel like you’re walking on eggshells because you’re afraid of upsetting them even more. Or maybe you’ve tried giving advice or avoiding the situation, but neither of those seems to be helping either.

So what can do you do to help someone who’s going through more than “just the blues”? Here are four things to consider when supporting a loved suffering from depression and anxiety: Be There This is truly the best thing you can do.

Talk to them about how they’re feeling, hold their hand when they cry, just sit in silence with them. If you’re not sure what they need, simply come out and say, “Tell me what I can do to help.” They will appreciate your willingness to help immensely.

Remember Little Things Talking about feelings not your forte?

Not a problem; there are many non-verbal ways to show support. Grab a cup of coffee with them, send a good morning text, watch a funny video on the Internet with them, send a card, cook a meal and bring it over – the possibilities are endless.

Stop Judging It’s difficult when you don’t understand where this person is coming from, but it’s important not to judge. Avoid saying things such as: “I think this is really all just in your head. If you got up out of bed and moved around, you’d see things better.” This can make the person feel like they have chosen to be depressed and to feel miserable. (I assure you, no one makes this choice freely.)

Be Patient This can be the most difficult thing to remember; however, patience is a pivotal part of supporting your loved one. And this patience has a powerful result. I recently read a quote that said: “With patience, comes hope.” And hope is vital when dealing with mental health disorders.

Ready to have a conversation, but now sure where to start? Here are some ways to start: • I’ve been concerned about how you’re doing lately.

• I’ve noticed you’re acting a little “off” and just want to see how you’re doing.

• Hey – you seem pretty down lately, what’s going on?

Spring is a season of fresh starts, but for some struggling with anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts, it can be one of the most difficult times of year. Keep these things in mind when supporting a loved one. Your willingness to help, love and support can help them through these difficult times.

Shannon Gwash is the marketing and public relations manager for Jefferson Center for Mental Health. She is also a Certified Mayo Clinic Wellness Coach and can be reached at shannong@jcmh.org.

Have a news tip or story idea? Send it to editor@ngazette.com