City plans refresh of kicko events with Summerfest
Arvada on Tap, Arvada Days combine for brand new fest
e Arvada Festivals Commission is shaking up its summer programming, as Arvada on Tap and Arvada Days have been discontinued and combined into a new event, Arvada Summerfest.
A free, all-ages event, Arvada Summerfest will take place at the Ralston Park Addition at 64th Avenue and Quail Street (just north of Arvada West High School) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 7. Summerfest will feature live music — including a headlining performance by Arvada-based country band e Barlow — a beer garden featuring local breweries, food trucks featuring local fare, a kids’ zone with in atables and a pet swimsuit contest.
Local breweries featured include SomePlace Else Brewing, Resolute Brewing and Stay Tuned Brewing. Community organizations Arvada Je erson Kiwanis Club, Arvada Sunrise Rotary and Arvada Vitality Alliance will be pouring beer, and the proceeds from the beer garden will go to them.
UNDEFEATED RALSTON VALLEY TAKES TITLE
Food drive collects 60K pounds of charity
ARVADA PRESS AMONG PAPERS GETTING A NEW OWNER P2
YOUNGSTERS EARN THEIR WATER WINGS P5
GOLDEN BASEBALL TAKES ITS FIFTH STRAIGHT TITLE P16
Annual Stamp Out Hunger event benefits
Community Table
RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Scores of Arvadans in need will have access to food this spring thanks to the 60,000 pounds of food collected by Community Table at this year’s National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger food drive on May 10. is year’s Stamp Out Hunger food drive met the total weight of food collected by Community Table in past years, but fell a bit short of the nonpro t’s goal of bringing in 75,000 pounds this year. e food was collected at Community Table’s location at 8555 W. 57th Ave. and will be distributed in a somewhat makeshift fashion, as the organization is in the process of moving to their new facility at 4600 W. 60th Ave. in Arvada. Community Table’s CEO Sandy Martin said the food collected will help keep the shelves full until around August. She added that the move is set to be complete soon, and folks will be able to shop at the nonpro t’s grocery store as soon as the new facility is online.
“Right now, we’re distributing food through boxes out of the parking lot because we didn’t want to be totally closed down, because people need food,” Martin said. “But we just couldn’t let them in to shop. at Stamp Out Hunger food will be sorted and put on the shelves in the new store and put on the shelves in the warehouse. So, we will use all of that food this summer.”
Thank you so much for all of the work, time, and effort you put into my property tax appeal. Not just me but for all of the people you have helped. Your success has been a blessing in my
My property tax refund and my lower mortgage payment came when I
it most. This gift is a small token of my appreciation. Thank you. - Lynn, Kimbrough
The Ralston Valley girls tennis team hoists the Class 5A state championship trophy after defeating Cherry Creek 4-2 on May 13. Get everything you need to know about this year’s girls tennis championships in Class 3A, 4A and 5A on Page 17.
CCM papers acquired in deal with Arizona group
National Trust for Local News announces partnership with Times Media Group
e National Trust for Local News on May 13 announced a restructuring of its Colorado operations — known as Colorado Community Media — that centers on a partnership with Times Media Group.
e National Trust will transfer ownership of 21 local publications concentrated in metro Denver to Times Media Group (TMG), a community news publisher based in Tempe, Arizona, whose owner has personal roots in Colorado.
e National Trust will retain ownership of seven publications stretching from Brighton to Idaho Springs, and will continue to grow and operate the Trust Press, a community printing press that serves the Front Range media ecosystem. e organizations will enter into a strategic partnership around shared services and print production.
“ rough this strategic partnership with Times Media Group, we can reduce our footprint in greater Denver without reducing local journalism there, all while positioning ourselves to grow in the parts of Colorado where the need for our unique model is greatest,” Will Nelligan, chief growth o cer at the National Trust for Local News, said in a statement. “While it wasn’t an easy decision, we think it’s a positive outcome from all perspectives that sets the stage for a more resilient, equitable, and vibrant media ecosystem in the state.”
e seven newspapers retained by the National Trust are the Brighton StandardBlade, Fort Lupton Press, Canyon Courier, Clear Creek Courant, Northglennornton Sentinel, Westminster Window and Golden Transcript. ese titles will become part of the Colorado Trust for Local News, a subsidiary of the National Trust dedicated to building an equitable, resilient, and vibrant future for local news across Colorado.
Times Media Group owns and operates more than 60 publications in Arizona and California — free weekly newspapers, magazines, specialty publications and robust digital platforms that reach hundreds of thousands of readers. e news brands shifting to Times Media Group include
“We couldn’t be more excited to serve the communities in Colorado.”
Steve Strickbine, president and founder of Times Media Group
newspapers like the Arvada Press, Littleton Independent and Parker Chronicle, as well as two shoppers.
e majority of Colorado Community Media’s employees were o ered positions with Times Media Group, while others will stay with the Colorado Trust for Local News.
“We couldn’t be more excited to serve the communities in Colorado. We know how much community news means in
this state, and we understand the terri c legacy created over the years by these publications and their teams,” said Steve Strickbine, president and founder of Times Media Group. “ is partnership is a good t for Times Media Group and the National Trust for Local News. I look forward to the great journalism ahead and the new ways we’ll create for our advertisers to reach their customers and clients.”
e National Trust for Local News ac-
quired Colorado Community Media in 2021 to ensure its nearly two dozen newspapers had a future and would not become news deserts. Leadership told employees that e Trust was approached by Times Media Group in recent months and discovered the company shared its mission of preserving and growing local news. Last fall, the National Trust opened the Trust Press in Denver, a community printing press designed to serve publishers across Colorado who are struggling with the rising costs of producing their journalism. e press has now taken on its rst seven printing partners. As part of the transaction, TMG will print with the Trust Press.
As another part of the transaction, TMG will provide shared services to the Colorado Trust for Local News, including page design, digital infrastructure, advertising sales, and circulation management. Other terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
State aims to have Summer EBT rolled out on time
Half a million students expect to receive food benefits this summer
BY ANN SCHIMKE CHALKBEAT
e families of about 450,000 Colorado students in preschool through 12th grade received extra grocery money from the state this month to cover the cost of food during summer break.
e $120 per child preloaded onto electronic bene ts cards is part of the Summer EBT program for children from low-income families. In addition to the families that have already received the bene ts,
state o cials expect to provide the grocery bene t, which is mostly funded by the federal government, to around 50,000 more students through the summer.
Last year, many families received their Summer EBT bene ts late, sometimes just as the new school year was starting. But this year is di erent, with most families getting the money on May 1.
Rolling out the Summer EBT program is among several steps Colorado leaders have taken in recent years to reduce the number of children who go hungry. In 2022, voters approved a ballot measure to provide free school meals to the state’s public school students regardless of family income. e program has been so popular, it’s cost more than state o cials anticipated. In an e ort to sustain the program amid
serious state budget troubles, lawmakers found the money to keep the program fully funded through December. ey’ll also send two ballot measures to voters in November that, if approved, would raise enough additional money to continue the program after December.
Colorado students in public school preK-12 are eligible for Summer EBT cards if their families receive public bene ts such as SNAP, Medicaid, or Colorado Works, or if they qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. (Although free school meals are now o ered to public school students regardless of family income, most schools still ask families to ll out free or reducedprice meal eligibility forms or similar forms that gauge family income.)
State o cials anticipate that more than 500,000 Colorado children in preschool
through 12th grade will receive Summer EBT bene ts this summer. Most received or will receive the money automatically. But some — including those who recently moved to Colorado or enrolled in a new school — may have to ll out an application on the Colorado Department of Human Services website.
Students who’ve misplaced their existing bene ts card should call the Summer EBT support center at 800-536-5298 to get a new card sent.
Children in families that receive Summer EBT cards can still take advantage of free summer meals at local schools or other sites.
Reprinted with permission from Chalkbeat, a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.
Leadership for Times Media Group, Director of Operations Nadine Johnson and founder and President Steve Strickbine, were in the Colorado Community Media o ces on May 13, 2025, to announce the deal. PHOTO BY COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA STAFF
Home Sharing Helps Single Seniors Deal With Finance and Loneliness,
Married seniors living in long-time family homes that are bigger than they need often call me and other Realtors about downsizing, and I have written many times about the options they face, including the option that Rita and I chose, which was to sell our home and move into a 55+ rental community.
Widowed seniors face a more pressing problem. The retirement income, including Social Security, which supported them and their late spouse is now reduced as much as by half, and maybe it’s not enough to support them in their beloved home.
That’s where a Denver non-profit called Sunshine Home Share Colorado comes in. Sunshine completes background and credit checks on all participants in the program. All applicants must have three verifiable references. Home seekers must provide proof of income. Sunshine also completes a 1-2 hour social work intake with each program participant, assessing for mental health, emotional health, physical health, and substance abuse.
Allowing Them to Age in Place
A senior homeowner with no mortgage or lots of equity may be able to do what we did — sell the home and live off the proceeds, plus his or her reduced retirement income, for the rest of their expected life. Another solution is to take out a reverse mortgage, even if he or she owns it free and clear, and live of that equity for the rest of their life.
But there’s another option which not only addresses finances but also that big killer of seniors — loneliness. You could consider taking in a roommate — or “boommate” — but how do you find and screen such a person so it doesn’t lead to something even worse than running out of money?
Home providers must be over 55 years old; home seekers only need to be over 18. The rent could be up to $1,000 per month, reduced by mutual agreement when the home seeker provides services such as snow shoveling, housekeeping, lawn care, taking out the trash, or providing transportation to the home provider for medical appointments, etc.
Home seekers do not provide any personal care such as showering, toileting, and assistance transferring between bed and chair. For that, the home provider would have to secure appropriate professional service providers.
The matching process typically takes eight weeks, which includes a 2-week trial period. The organization provides periodic check-ins later on to make sure that the fit still works.
Home in Golden’s Village at Mountain Ridge Listed by Jim Smith
OPEN May 24, 11am - 1pm
Homes in this late-’90s subdivision backing to the foothills come on the market rarely and sell quickly. This one at 165 Washington Street is especially sweet, with the most awesome chef’s kitchen you’ve likely ever seen. Beautiful hardwood floors grace the main floor, with newer berber carpeting upstairs and in the walk-out basement. The Table Mountain views from every level, but especially from the primary suite, will take your breath away. If you’re a soccer fan, the pix and awards in the main-floor study will leave you wishing for autographs! Sorry, the seller won’t be at the open house this Saturday from 11 to 1. A narrated video walk-through is posted at www.GRElistings.com
$1,495,000
4-Bedroom Tri-Level in Arvada Listed by Kathy Jonke
The housemate has to have an income to support their rent payments and is expected to be gone for employment purposes most days. Typical “service exchange” work can range from 5 to 20 hours per week. The more work is done, the less rent the home seeker is expected to pay, all negotiated up front.
All home shares are month-to-month, with the average home share lasting only a year, but they could last five years or longer. Having the third-party involvement of Sunshine makes it easy for either party at any point to say, “sorry, this isn’t working for me.”
One of the biggest problems faced by single or widowed seniors is loneliness. It’s a big reason that moving into a 55+ community makes sense, and I have seen that work in person from living in such a community — especially for the single residents. However, many seniors want to “age in place,” to stay in their long-time home as long as possible, and home sharing can make that possible not only financially but by providing some healthy companionship.
Sunshine Home Share operates throughout the Denver metro area. If you think this idea would work for someone in another state, check out the National Shared Housing Resource Center at nationalsharedhousing.org
This Column Now Appears Bi-Weekly “Real Estate Today” will be on this page every other week, so the next time you’ll see it will be June 5th. On those alternate weeks, you will find a half-page ad on a related topic. Next week it will be on a topic related to sustainability. One June 12th it will be about well-being.
The organization’s website provides stories of matches they have made and FAQs. Go to www.SunshineHomeShare.org. Their phone number is (720) 856-0161. Their office is in north Denver.
Our Attempt to Resurrect Our Free Box Truck Has Not Succeeded
You may recall that we launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to get our truck back on the road so that multiple non-profits, not just our clients, would have it to use for free. Well, we only raised $2,000. Rather than return that money, we are going to divide the proceeds among those nonprofits that used it the most, including BGoldN, Family Promise and the International Rescue Committee.
Here Are Some of My Previous Columns on Related Topics
Find and download each of them online at www.JimSmithColumns.com
Jan. 2, 2025 —Is a Reverse Mortgage Right for You?
Oct. 31, 2024 — Cooperative Living Presents an Attractive Alternative to Downsizing Oct. 17, 2024 —Understanding the Different Kinds of 55+ Retirement Communities (CCRCs)
Sept. 26, 2024 — Keeping Your Death from Becoming an Undue Burden on Your Heirs
Aug. 8, 2024 — Seniors Might Consider Downsizing into a Rental, Not a Smaller Home Also: Trusts as an Estate Planning Strategy
Feb. 8, 2024 — ‘Empty-Nest’ Baby Boomers Own Twice as Many Big Homes as Millennials with Children
Aug. 17, 2023 —Should You Consider a Reverse Mortgage as Part of Your Retirement Plan?
Mar. 16, 2023 — Here Are Some Ways to Make Your Home More Senior-Friendly
Dec. 29, 2022 — Have You Considered Cohousing — An Explanation and Some Examples July 28, 2022 — Aging in Place vs. Moving to a 55+ Community: Some Considerations
Townhome-Style Condo in Centennial Listed by Chris Sholts
$489,000
$575,000
This updated, 4-BR/2-bath tri-level at 6337 W. 68th Place is in a quiet, established neighborhood. Each level has been thoughtfully renovated. The vaulted main level has new luxury vinyl plank floors, and there’s new paint throughout. The galley kitchen has new cabinets, complemented by white appliances. The upper level has 3 bedrooms with new carpet and an updated full bathroom. The lower level has a spacious family room with a red brick fireplace and above-grade windows. There is a 4th bedroom, laundry, and updated 3/4 bathroom on this level. The windows and siding were replaced in 2018, and a new roof is being installed! A video tour is posted at www.GRElistings.com. Call Kathy at 303-990-7428 to request a showing.
This updated 2-story condo at 5555 E. Briarwood Ave. has a finished basement, offering the perfect blend of comfort, style, and convenience. Located in the heart of the Summerhill neighborhood, this home has thoughtful upgrades and a bright, open floorplan. The main level is ideal for entertaining with its inviting family room, complete with wood-burning fireplace. It flows into the formal dining area and opens to a private patio. The updated dine-in kitchen boasts stylish countertops and laminate wood flooring. All appliances are included. A stylish half bath with tile flooring rounds out the main floor. Upstairs, the vaulted primary suite has dual closets and a beautifully updated ensuite bath. The finished basement has a large recreation room, laundry area, and ample storage. A private patio is just steps from the neighborhood pool and hot tub. More information at www.GRElistings.com
Charter network brings all 12 schools together for a highenergy signing day that doubles as a vision for the future
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SUZIE@COTLN.ORG
e Denver Coliseum roared to life with the energy of a rock concert as more than 4,000 students, families and educators gathered for Rocky Mountain Prep’s Senior Signing Day. Lights pulsed, music boomed and students danced through the aisles to celebrate a milestone that was years in the making: 100% college acceptance across RMP’s graduating class.
e May 14 event marked the second time RMP has achieved universal college acceptance across its graduating class, re ecting the charter network’s broader commitment to long-term student success.
As part of the ceremony, each senior walked the stage and declared their next step after high school, whether college, military service or a career, while younger RMP students, including elementary and middle schoolers, watched from the stands.
“ is is not just a ceremony. is is a declaration… a movement,” said RMP CEO Tricia Noyola. “Our students are leading the way and we are right there with them.”
A milestone for the RMP network Rocky Mountain Prep operates 12 schools in the Denver metro area, includ-
ing early childhood, elementary, middle and high school campuses. Founded with a mission to combine academic rigor and a culture of love, the network serves a diverse student population with a strong emphasis on equity, joy and college readiness.
According to data from the Colorado Department of Education, 79% of students at RMP RISE High School qualify for free and reduced lunch, and 83% identify as Black or Hispanic. At RMP SMART, those gures climb to 92% and 95%, respectively, underscoring the signi cance of universal college acceptance among historically underserved students.
Noyola explained that the 100% college acceptance rate is part of a concerted effort that begins before students can even spell the word.
“You need an entire system built around the idea and the goal that every single child can and will do it,” Noyola said. “ at starts in pre-K and kindergarten with incredible instruction, and by ninth grade, every class and every day includes intentional time focused on how this is going to get them to where they want to go.”
With this year’s event, RMP celebrated not only its graduating seniors but the full scope of its pre-K through 12thgrade pipeline. Students from every RMP school attended the ceremony, holding up college pennants and waving homemade signs.
“Yes, it’s about the seniors,” Noyola said. “But this is a celebration of our movement at Rocky Mountain Prep. It’s culminating with our seniors, but it’s just as important that younger students are here. is becomes a touchstone for
them — they see it and say, ‘ at’s something I want to do.’”
Peak moments and proud speeches
For RMP seniors, the ceremony served as a high-energy celebration of achievement and a glimpse of the future. Many students were members of Peak+, RMP’s early college program that allows high schoolers to earn college credit while still in school.
Seniors took the stage one by one to announce their post-graduation plans, from local institutions like Metropolitan State University of Denver to schools across the country. e event also featured performances from the RISE cheer team, a student poetry reading and a musical number from RISE’s spring production of “ e Wiz.” Seniors had the chance to publicly thank the individuals who supported
them most throughout their educational journey, presenting roses to family members in a moment of gratitude.
“Today is about the celebration and decision of our choices for the future,” said student speaker Nadiah Spikes. “We’ve learned lessons both in and out of the classroom, formed lasting friendships and supported each other through challenges. While we may take di erent paths from here, the bonds we created in high school are like no other.”
Fellow student speaker Emily Gomez echoed the sentiment.
“Never believe anyone who says you cannot do it just because you’re di erent from them,” she said. “Live life embracing your di erences, your culture, your values. Find resources and centers that will help celebrate you, that will help recognize you, because you are a change maker. You are the movement.”
Youngsters get water wise with Dolphins
Preschoolers learn water safety through free program
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
With summer fast approaching, youngsters are clamoring for the chance to get back in the pool.
Some of the littlest swimmers will do so with a bit more water safety knowledge than they had last year, as Westministerbased Blue Dolphin Swim School has been making the rounds visiting preschools in Arvada, Westminster and Boulder to teach kiddos about water safety.
While Blue Dolphin’s been in business for 24 years, their community outreach team — comprised of Kat Fair and Becca Rehme — started doing these classroom lessons this spring.
“(We) began the program to serve the community, aiming to educate more children about water awareness and safety as summer draws near,” Rehme said. “Water safety and swimming are essential life skills!”
e classroom lessons have educated more than 400 preschoolers in the west metro area already this year. A recent water safety presentation at Sierra Elementary in Arvada included songs, pictures and make-believe scenarios.
e presentations center on teaching
youngsters not to enter a body of water without permission from an adult, the importance of life jackets and what to do in the event of an emergency.
“We taught about the di erent places water can be found outside — lakes, ponds, rivers, oceans, pools — and at home: bathtubs, hot tubs, play pools,” Rehme said.
“We also taught kids how to oat and call for help by laying on the oor and practicing the correct position: legs together, hands on thighs, belly and chip up.”
Blue Dolphin also teaches in-water safety classes twice a year to students who take their swim lessons, which are o ered at their Westminster facility. e swim school teaches private, group and competitive swim lessons from infants, children, teenagers and adults.
A presentation on water safety at Sierra Elementary School in Arvada. COURTESY OF BECCA REHME
RMP seniors from the Class of 2025 take the stage at the Denver Coliseum to declare their postgraduation plans during Rocky Mountain Prep’s Signing Day celebration. PHOTO BY SUZIE GLASSMAN
Second Saturdays gets rolling (and rocking)
BY RYLEE DUNN
with aplomb, as Second Saturdays debuted this year with performances from local favorites Guerilla Fanfare, Jive Bomberz, May Be Fern and e Hip Snacks. is year’s festivities kicked o on May 10 with performances, artisan vendors, food trucks and a kids’ zone for little ones.
Olde Town Business Improvement District director of marketing and events Stephanie Paul said she was looking forward to the upcoming acts slated for this summer.
“Our May Second Saturday was truly so much fun to kick o the summer with some pretty talented local bands,” Paul said. is year, we are so excited to share some of the best local original bands on the front range, like e Elegant Plums, Hand Turkey, Eminence Ensemble, Boot Gun, e Copper Children and Altaphonic.”
Here is the schedule and lineup for this year’s Second Saturdays:
Chuck Sitero & Friends — Square Stage from 5-6
Hand Turkey — Square Stage from 7-8:30 p.m.
Eminence Ensemble — Bank Stage from 8:30-10 p.m.
July 12
School of Rock Broom eld — Square Stage from 5-6 p.m.
Natural Motives — Bank Stage from 6-7 p.m. e Copper Children — Square Stage from 7-8:30 p.m.
Eric Golden Band — Bank Stage from 8:30-10 p.m.
Aug. 9
Deeply Rooted Music School — Square Stage from 5-6 p.m.
Boot Gun — Bank Stage from 6-7 p.m.
Altaphonic — Square Stage from 7-8:30 p.m.
Matt Kirk and the Güeyfarers — Bank Stage from 8:30-10 p.m.
Second Saturdays will be held on the second weekend of the month through August.
Second Saturdays kicked o on May 10 with performances from local bands including May Be Fern. PHOTOS COURTESY OF STEPHANIE PAUL
Civic Center Eats restarts its engines
BY KEVIN BEATY DENVERITE
Warm weather and mobile food have returned to Denver’s most central park. Civic Center Eats kicked o its rst lunch session of the year on Wednesday, with 11 trucks serving everything from grilled cheese to crepes in Civic Center Park.
It will be open most Wednesdays and ursdays between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. for three stints — May 14 to June 26, July 9 to Aug. 28, and Sept. 10 to Oct. 16. Here’s who’s pulling up:
• AFC Wings (chicken and cat sh)
• Berliner Haus (European street food)
• Cazuelas (tacos and more)
• Cheese Love Grill (cheese, grilled and otherwise)
• DIRT on the Road (co ee)
• Fritay Haitian Cuisine (Haitian street food)
• Kary’s Creperie (crepes)
• Mile High Tikka Express (Indian street food)
• Ninja Ramen Mobile (ramen, gyoza and more)
• Peyote Mexican Food (tacos and more)
• Saucy Chops (hot barbecue)
• Super Smash Burgers CO (burgers)
• Sweet Action (ice cream)
• Uptown & Humboldt (burgers and gyros)
Marissa Forbes, development coordinator for the Civic Center Conservancy, said the event is about more than just food. “We want to make sure everyone comes down here to have a good time. It’s not just eating, it’s community,” she said.
She said Civic Center Eats has always been about “activating” the park, keeping a regular drumbeat of residents marching through the area to demonstrate that the place is safe and welcoming.
While the event has been going on for about a decade, this mission became especially important after Denver Parks and Recreation closed Civic Center in 2021. e pandemic saw a rise in visible homelessness in the area; o cials said they needed to clean out needles and a growing rodent population as a result.
Keeping the park active has remained relevant as downtown landlords have
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struggled to keep commercial and o ce spaces leased. Mayor Mike Johnston has been pushing companies to bring workers back to the city’s central corridor. Forbes said Civic Center Eats is meant to o er an “oasis” for people who do commute to work — and maybe for people who work at home and still want to go outside for a little snack. She said they see between 1,000 and 1,500 visitors
each week.
“It’s really important to make sure that we all work together and support each other on these initiatives,” she said, “so we de nitely support the idea of people coming back downtown.” is story is from Denverite, a Denver news site. Used by permission. For more, and to support Denverite, visit denverite. com.
Food truck operators prepare for the first Civic Center Eats of the season at Civic Center Park. May 14, 2025. PHOTO BY KEVIN J. BEATY / DENVERITE
FOOD DRIVE
e food drive was put on with the help of Republic Services, which recently awarded the nonpro t with a $250,000 grant to help with the relocation. Community Table’s move to their new facility is expected to be completed in the coming months, Martin said.
Martin added that she expects demand at Community Table to increase, as the new fa-
cility is located in the portion of Arvada that is in Adams County, which Martin posits will bring more people in looking for help.
“We anticipate that it’s possible our numbers are going to go up,” Martin said. “We’ll be serving all of Je erson County and Adams County.”
e Stamp Out Hunger food drive has been held annually since 1993.
Community Table is accepting donations for its capital campaign to help with the move to its new building. Donations can be made at Community Table’s website; cotable. org/campaign2025.
SUMMERFEST
Sean Star, Arvada’s Communications Manager for the Department of Vibrant Community and Neighborhoods, said that the impetus to establish Summerfest was due to feedback from residents asking the city to put on more free events. Arvada on Tap, which ran for nine years, was a 21-and-up ticketed event.
“While Arvada On Tap had its loyal following, it was a ticketed event geared toward adults only,” Star said. “We consistently hear from community members that they want free and family-friendly events, so we want to deliver on that.”
Additionally, Star said that Arvada Days — which ran for seven years — never found its audience within the city.
“Attendance at Arvada Days never really took o , and so the Arvada Festivals Commission saw an opportunity to reimagine our summer programming in a way that better serves a broader cross-section of the community,” Star said. “Arvada Summerfest builds on the spirit of both past events while introducing fresh elements designed to celebrate the season with all ages in mind.”
Additionally, Summerfest will mirror the Festivals Commission’s other seasonal kicko event, Winterfest.
“ e pet swimsuit competition and parade is something we brought over from Winterfest,” Star said. “But instead of sweaters, we went with a summer-attire theme, for obvious reasons. e pet swimsuit competition and parade will be from 11 a.m. to noon. No advance reservation is required to participate.”
He added that other community organizations will have booths letting people know about their summer festivities.
“Also, since the event is intended to be a summer kick-o celebration, we’ll have several of our community partners (such as Apex, Visit Arvada and Olde Town BID) there to let folks know everything else they can look forward to this summer in Arvada,” Star said.
MEET HONEY ROO!
Honey Roo (308863) is a 9-yearold female Chihuahua who takes her time learning to trust. Once she does, though, she is a loving, gentle pal! Honey Roo’s loves going on leisurely walks and slowly sniffing out the story of the day. She is available as the only dog to homes without kids or with kids aged 10 or older.
Columnists & Guest Commentaries Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Press. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone. Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com Deadline Tues. for the following week’s paper.
Arvada press A legal newspaper of general circulation in Je erson County, Colorado, the Arvada Press is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 3540 Evergreen Parkway, Evergreen, CO 80439.
POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Arvada Press, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110
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CORRECTIONS
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Logo for Arvada Summerfest, which is set for June COURTESY CITY OF ARVADA
Arvada-based band The Barlow will headline Summerfest.
Community Table CEO Sandy Martin addresses volunteers at the Stamp Out Hunger food drive. COURTESY
The Music of Johnny Cash Comes to Miners Alley
There aren’t a lot of things people can agree on these days, but I think one thing we all can share a love of is Johnny Cash. Over the years, I’ve seen the “God Bless Johnny Cash” bumper sticker on pretty much every kind of car there is.
With that in mind, who better to celebrate on stage than e Man in Black, which is just what Miners Alley Playhouse is doing with its latest production, “Ring of Fire: e Music of Johnny Cash.”
“We wanted to do a big show that appeals to a lot of people and few things bring people together like Johnny Cash,” said Len Matheo, director of storytelling and community engagement. “Everyone loves his music.”
“Ring of Fire: e Music of Johnny Cash” runs at Miners Alley, 1100 Miners Alley in Golden, through June 29. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. ursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Directed by Kate Gleason and featuring stage management by Christine Moore, the show was created by Richard Maltby, Jr. and conceived by William Meade. It’s a jukebox musical lled with some of Cash’s most iconic songs, including “I Walk the Line,” “Folsom Prison Blues” and “Ring of Fire.”
e show features the acting and musical chops of Mitch Jervis, Clark Destin Jones, Cooper Kaminsky, David Otto, Caitlin Secrest, Michael Phillips, Isabella
Insights and encouragement can show up in the most unexpected places.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
Duran, Sean Case and Keith Ewer. Each performer is a multi-instrumentalist and brings a huge amount of skill to the stage.
“ is show is not typical musical theater,” said Susan Draus, musical director of the show.
“ e stage is full of instruments that look so beautiful and we’ve made some changes to give the music a di erent feel.”
When she rst started working on the music for the show, Draus was worried that it would get repetitive, so she reorchestrated to start with a more earthy, simple sound and let it evolve as the show progresses.
“For me, the show is more like an outdoor festival than a concert,” she said. “ e atmosphere is really loose — it feels like one big family and party.”
Instead of a traditional biography, “Ring of Fire” uses Cash’s songs to trace his journey from the cotton elds of Arkansas to the Grand Ole Opry and beyond. And the aim is that the show provides audiences with an enjoyable night out while also creating new fans of the music.
“ is story goes a lot deeper than many bios do. It’s about breaking into the music world, about being on the road and all
Don’t forget that you can
the trials and tribulations that come with that,” Matheo said. “I hope people come away with a deep appreciation for Johnny Cash and June Carter’s role in the story.”
For more information, visit www.minersalley.com.
Go On a Creative Forage at Walker Fine Art Denver’s Walker Fine Art gallery, 300 West 11th Ave. No. A, welcomes summer with its newest exhibition, “Foragers,” which is on view through July 12. e show features six artists — Matt Christie, eresa Clowes, Kim Ferrer, Jamie Gray, Virginia Steck and Ben Strawn — who use a variety of mediums, including painting, mixed media, and installation, to explore the world through the kaleidoscope of experiences they’ve gathered. As a result, visitors are invited to interrogate the experiences they carry with them and how they shape their world.
Exhibition details are available at https://www.walker neart.com/.
Take a Meditative Retreat at Hudson Gardens
Register at www.hudsongardens.org/ event/womens-herbal-meditative-retreat/.
Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Leon Bridges at Red Rocks
In my book, Leon Bridges has yet to miss. In his decade as a professional musician, he’s explored di erent styles of soul and R&B music, always staying true to his Texas roots while constantly embracing new sounds. Last year’s album, “Leon,” was another extremely strong entry in his catalogue and one of the best albums of the year. Not only that, it’s perfect summertime music.
In support of the album, Bridges is coming to Red Rocks, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway in Morrison, at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 23. e opener for the evening is LA LOM Bridges’ music will sound amazing at Red Rocks, so seize the opportunity to see him live.
Tickets are available at www.axs.com.
Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.
As we head into the hot summer months, everyone could use a little self-care and relaxation. Hudson Gardens, 6115 S. Santa Fe Drive in Littleton, is o ering to help with that at the Spring Renewal Herbal Meditative Retreat e event begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 24 and is broken into four activities: the rst is guided by Kirsten Dehmlow and will teach attendees how to incorporate natural healing practices into their daily routine. Next, Judy urman will teach a session on Qigong Movement practices. In the afternoon there will be a hands-on herbal activity and the day will end with a sound bath.
change lanes
Just about a week ago, I was heading across town to run some errands and found myself stopped at a light. ere were three lanes going in my direction, and I sat in the middle lane, with cars to the right and left of me. Directly in front of my car was a rather large truck covered with ladders and other work items.
When the light turned green and we started to move forward, I was a bit frustrated because the truck, which I could not see around, was going a little bit under the speed limit. I sat behind that truck, frustrated that we were not going the speed limit. I was laser-focused on the back of the truck. I knew its license plate number, how many ladders were on the machine, and I even recited to myself the “How’s my driving” number on the bumper. I could not see around the truck, but I had plenty of time to memorize it. I stayed in that spot for several blocks, more than a mile, the whole time not angry but mildly frustrated by wanting to go a little faster. For whatever reason, I eventually took my eyes o the back of that vehicle and realized that there were open lanes on both sides of me. When I put on my blinker and moved one lane over to the right,
I found no other cars on the road with us.
I had been so focused on the truck right in front of me; I did not even notice the possibilities around me. Quite frankly, it was a bit embarrassing to recognize what I had been doing. And doing to myself! As I re ected on that embarrassing mile, it struck me how often, when faced with di culties, we actually do the same thing. We get focused on the hardship, the struggle, what we cannot seem to overcome, and we miss the paths that are open to us, the multitude of opportunities that are available, and the people ready to help.
I know whatever struggle you are facing is di cult; mine is as well. But on those days when things seem the most daunting, when your struggle seems
to be all that you can see in front of you, I would encourage you to take a moment and make sure that you have looked at the space around you. Do not miss the opportunity to change lanes. A deep breath and a look around will do wonders for your view.
You have got this.
Jim Roome lives in Arvada with his wife, Beth. He spent 34 years in public education. Lessons learned from the one two punch of being diagnosed with MS shortly before his best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer led him into a new pursuit as a freelance writer and speaker. He uses his life experiences and love of stories to inspire, educate and encourage local, national and international audiences. Contact him at jim.roome@gmail.com.
CORRECTION
Ytterberg white-collar jobs in the column “Ytterberg: Colorado, where have all the jobs gone?” in the May 15 edition of the Arvada Press, there was a typo. e term should have been white-collared jobs.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Let’s not celebrate animal abuse, even if it is cute I don’t love the glowing pro le piece the Arvada Press ran on Sam Johnson and his dog, Rigel, who he has trained (some might say “forced”) to ride on the back of his custom motorcycle. Motorcycles are not particularly safe for people, and even less so for dogs, who incidentally are unable to consent to such harrowing conditions.
I’ve seen this man riding around, and it sickens me that people nd this type of animal abuse to be “cute.” e Arvada Press article even highlights an incident in which the dog (who is not properly secured to the vehicle) was thrown o the bike. While Johnson may be the safest driver on the world (doubtful), other drivers are frequently a hazard to cyclists. He should’ve taken that near disaster as an opportunity to rethink his dangerous little hobby, and the local press should not be celebrating it.
Nathaniel Baltich, Arvada
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SHUTTERSTOCK
Jim Roome
Clarke Reader
SEconomy facing many challenges
pring is a time of renewed hope, with longer days, warmer weather, green grass and pretty owers blooming. But while nature ourishes, a dark cloud looms over the economy.
Five months into the new year, economic growth is slipping, and so far, 2025 does not appear to be the turnaround year of positive change. Instead, consumers, business owners and investors are struggling with in ation, declining economic growth and daily volatility in portfolios of all risk levels. Hope springs eternal, however, and there is still a chance we could get through this decline without going into recession.
Let’s take a closer look.
is month, the rst-quarter gross domestic product (GDP), the rate at which our economy is growing, was announced. ere was actually a contraction, or negative growth, of three-tenths of 1%. e news sent the markets into a heavy sell-o amid concerns of a recession. e technical de nition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative GDP. Since we have one quarter under our belt, all attention is focused on this second quarter and whether there will be slight growth or another contraction. Mariner’s chief economist, William Greiner, has been predicting for most of this year that our GDP will land somewhere between 1.5% and 2%. While that is considerably lower than last year, it would still be enough to keep us out of a recession. Greiner remains optimistic, putting the chance of recession this year at only 40% — more positive than the majority of economists, who are predicting a worse economic outlook for 2025.
Reasons for concern include¹:
• Changes in economic policies under President Trump
• Trade de cits and potential tari s
• Weakening consumer demand
• Pessimistic CFO outlook
FINANCIAL STRATEGIES
• Major nancial institutions estimate a 50% to 60% chance of recession this year
Reasons for optimism include:
• Strong job growth and low unemployment
• Public and private investments in infrastructure and technology
• e potential of articial intelligence to drive economic growth
Consumers still make up almost 70% of our GDP, so watching what we buy is key to understanding how the second quarter will unfold. Tari s have driven up the cost of many items, from dollar-store trinkets to automobiles. Now, consumers are more worried about egg prices and less concerned about buying discretionary items that can wait.
Investors, too, are playing the waiting game to gauge whether the economic impact of these changes will trigger a slowdown. At the same time, the stock market is repricing itself. e best performers of last year are coming down in value as the price-to-earnings ratios of high- ying tech stocks fall. e market is now focused on anticipating how consumer spending will shift next, bringing more undervalued stocks into the game. ese are all good reasons to have a strong, actively rebalanced portfolio strategy in place. Such an approach would have triggered a sale on US largecap growth stocks toward the end of last year, and the investment of the proceeds into underdog value stocks. is is the ultimate opportunity to see “buy low, sell high” at work in real time.
1. Bureau of Economic Analysis
Patricia Kummer is managing director for Mariner, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser.
Sports betting revenue keeps rising
things, most notably for water plan projects.
Coloradans love to gamble on sports. And the addition of new ways to wager, like parlays and live bets, have helped to boost industry revenues, despite the randomness of sporting events that can leave sportsbooks occasionally at a loss. Because at the end of the day, the house rarely loses for long.
Gambling companies, including DraftKings and FanDuel, brought in $475 million in gross gaming revenue in Colorado last year (wagers minus payouts), a 21% increase over 2023, according to data from the Colorado Department of Revenue. It’s almost double the rate of revenue growth in 2023, which was 11%.
e new data shows the industry has yet to fully mature, about ve years after Colorado allowed the rst legal sports wagers. e increased interest in sports betting means more tax revenue for Colorado.
Last year, Colorado collected $31.9 million from those bets. And Colorado will get to keep all that money thanks to the recent passage of Proposition JJ, which allows the state to keep tax revenues over the previous TABOR-mandated cap of $29 million. e money goes to a variety of
Parlay bets increased profits
It’s unclear if there are more people betting in Colorado or if the people betting are just wagering more. One of the biggest changes in the industry is the growth of parlay bets, where gamblers string together a series of things like: Nuggets to win, Nikola Jokić to record a 30-point game, and total points to go over 200 points. It’s a higher-risk, higher-reward bet that the apps heavily promote through incentives, like bigger payo s.
Parlays are a win-win for the industry.
“ ese parlays make the sportsbooks more money, but people also like to bet them; it’s more fun for the bettor,” said Ryan Butler, who covers the industry for Covers, a gambling website.
ere are many apps on o er in Colorado for sports bets, but DraftKings and FanDuel now control about 70 percent of the U.S. betting market, in part because they added enticing parlay options to their apps. “So DraftKings and FanDuel created that technology quicker than anyone else, that’s why they rose to the top,” said Butler.
For full obituary, see sweetwaternow.com
Patricia Kummer
BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
When Comedy Works owner Wende Curtis’ attorney rst took her to the future site of her second club in Greenwood Village’s Landmark complex, she was lost.
“My tiny world is downtown and Cherry Creek,” she said. “I had to follow him out there. I didn’t know where the hell I was.But I knew I wanted to expand in that direction. I needed to open another club; I felt like the city could handle it. And if I was going to go to a suburb, my gut instinct was that I’d go to where there was more money per household.”
Zip code scanners Curtis got for her downtown location in 2004 had already given her the data to back the decision up. It showed a lot of the downtown club’s customers were driving in from the suburbs. But she suspected there were potentially many more.
“We were very busy downtown, and I felt I was missing a part of the population
Comedy boom
Curtis and other metro-area comedy venues are riding a nationwide wave.
Stand-up comedy ticket sales have tripled over the last decade, and many credit the internet and social media — and speci cally Net ix — for transforming the industry.
According to Bloomberg, Net ix started funding new stand-up comedy in 2013, with specials from Mike Birbiglia, Iliza Shlesinger and Aziz Ansari.
“ e company saw stand-up as an underexploited genre, a low-cost way to get hours of programming and some famous names on the platform,” according to the Bloomberg article.
Net ix quickly scaled the business from a handful of specials annually to dozens, paying high dollars for big names like Jerry Seinfeld and Kevin Hart.
Competing services rst viewed Net ix’s investment in comedy as irrational, but comedians didn’t. And while other streaming services have since gotten on board, Net ix remains the king of comedy.
in the Denver metro area,” she said. “If you live in Castle Pines and you’re driving downtown ve days a week, are you going to drive down there again on Saturday?”
While the downtown Comedy Works is dark and intimate, Curtis designed the Greenwood Village site very di erently — with not only more seating capacity but more space overall. e nished 21,000-square-foot Comedy Works South that opened in October 2008 includes a restaurant and martini bar.
ese features are not available at the original site. Also unlike downtown, parking is free and easy to nd.
While those added amenities attract customers, they also re ect what Curtis felt suburban customers wanted.
“I knew when I built something in the suburbs I was going to have to make it roomier,” she said. “Downtown is tight. People move to the suburbs to have space, and I think they expect it.”
Comedy Works South is a Landmark anchor that’s stood the test of time, with numbers that consistently exceed Curtis’ expectations and reinforce her initial instincts that suburban residents would support a comedy venue.
e exposure it gave comedians brought their talents to a wider audience, and the appreciation for comedy spun into the real world. Ticket sales for live comedy shows topped $900 million in 2023.
Why is comedy so popular? It’s not just because it’s funny.
Comedians use humor to speak truth to power while giving audiences a bit of relief from the absurdities and emotions of everyday life.
“ eir craft allows them to push boundaries and provoke deeper thought through laughter, sparking joy, conversations and, sometimes, fresh perspectives,” according to an article in Medium.
It also has health bene ts. Laughter releases chemicals in our bodies and brains that instantly relieve stress and boost mood. And it helps bring people together, crossing political, cultural and societal barriers in a way few other things can.
For all those reasons, Comedy Works is just one comedy business venturing beyond the city limits.
Rotating Taps
Denver comedian Steve Vanderploeg is now a regular performer at Comedy Works. But a few years ago, that wasn’t the case. So he started his own suburban comedy business.
“Within a few years, it started winning local awards,” Vanderploeg said. “It turns out breweries are very good locations for comedy because they need entertainment just as much as other venues.”
He’s since expanded to breweries throughout the metro area, including Arvada, Brighton, Lakewood and Littleton. Most of the shows are free, as many brewery owners wanted to keep their regulars happy. But it also makes comedy fans happy. Many can’t a ord or don’t want to pay for tickets, food and drinks — a two-item food or beverage minimum is required at Comedy Works. And scattering shows at breweries in neighborhoods throughout the area makes seeing a show logistically easier.
“One thing that makes us di erent is we actually bring comedy to these deeper pockets of the ‘burbs,” Vanderploeg said. “A lot of times people don’t want to go downtown. Bringing the comedy to them has helped grow the love for comedy around Denver.”
“I thought Comedy Works was never going to pass me — which means you get paid to work on the weekends,” he said. “I thought I’d never get that opportunity, so I needed to build opportunities for myself.”
Vanderploeg suspected breweries could be good venues for stand-up comedy. Not everyone agreed.
“I had a couple comedians telling me breweries were terrible locations for comedy shows,” he said.
But like Curtis, Vanderploeg followed his instincts, launching Rotating Tap Comedy in spring 2019. He started at south metro Denver’s Chain Reaction Brewing — the owners were his childhood hockey buddies.
A Rotating Taps venue is also a good place for new comedians to test their stand-up chops. Vanderploeg typically books a mix of newer and more experienced comedians together. “ ese are mostly locals I work with — it’s a big network,” he said. “We like to give opportunities to those coming up because that’s why I started it — to give myself opportunities. But in order to keep it sustainable, we also have to bring in seasoned pros that
e newest metro-area entertainment venue is part comedy club, part variety show theater and part arcade. Husband-and-wife team Brandon Riks and Stacey Bell opened Gnarly’s in late December, taking over the former Miners Alley Playhouse site in down-
COMEDY
Riks and Bell believe their business lls a gap in the popular tourist town.
“ ere’s a lot of stu to do in Golden, but we feel it’s geared toward an older crowd,” Riks said. “ ey’ve got the playhouse, where you can catch an awesome musical or play, and the Bu alo Rose, plus lots of good places to eat and drink. But there’s not really a good hangout place for families or college kids, for comedy or some other type of adult-themed variety show.”
e couple has some history to back their theory up. While they’re new to comedy, Riks and Bell are experienced in business, running Lakewood’s Gnarly Toybox vintage toy store since 2018.
Riks and Bell carried that theme to Gnarly’s in Golden, including a vintage toy museum with everything from He-Man to Ninja Turtles to Garbage Pail Kids. Harkening back to simpler times, all Gnarly’s arcade games are set to free play.
“As long as you have a ticket to the show or a wrist band for the arcade, games are set on free play,” Riks said.
Because the theater only holds about 100 people, Riks and Bell shifted their plans from doing comedy full time.
“We know quite a few comics, and we’d always talked about how Golden would do really well with a comedy club because there’s nothing anywhere near,” Riks said. “But with 100 seats, our original thoughts of pulling famous comedians into the theater seemed a little bit unreachable. We’d have to charge too much for the tickets to pay them.
“So the plan is to become someplace cool enough and well known enough that when other comics are in town, they want to do a set at Gnarly’s,” he said. “And also to maximize the abilities of the space. We landed on making it a variety show theater on top of a comedy club.”
While most of Gnarly’s comedians will focus on adult content, the variety shows are designed to be family
friendly, featuring ventriloquists, magicians and jugglers. Riks plans to o er six-to-eight half-hour variety shows daily. Gnarly’s has a liquor license but for its day shows, it’ll accent an old-school soda bar and exotic snack bodega.
In Riks’ vision, it will o er something for everyone. “Dad can sit down and have a beer, let the kids run in the arcade and catch a quick juggling show,” he said.
Riks and Bell aim to o er three-to-four comedy shows a week and keep the price friendly, too. He expects it will generally be $20 a ticket.
What If Theatre
found it a little calculated. I was trying really hard to nd the points within my act to gauge what would get maximum laughter from the audience. With improv, you are feeling out the audience and your teammates for what works best with the people who are in this space, at this time. And it will never be repeated.”
Carletti sees a di erence in demographics in suburban audiences. People in their 20s and 30s tend to frequent downtown venues.
Well-rehearsed stand-up comedy is one way to get laughs. But in Lakewood, Joy Carletti and Colin Iago McCarthy are placing their bets on improv. e two opened What If eatre in October 2023, producing six inhouse shows a year and bringing in improv troupes from throughout the Front Range.
“I feel like our audiences skew both older and younger. I see people who live here coming to see the shows, and I’m very grateful for that,” she said. “I think the arts should be accessible to people – you should have art where you are. Asking people to come to the city is not for everyone. So let’s meet people where they are.”
e business taps into not only their love of improv, but for each other. e two met while doing improv in San Francisco, returning to McCarthy’s home town of Lakewood to eventually open the theater.
ey follow a form of improv called the Harold, a longform improvised format that emphasizes patterns, themes and group discoveries instead of a traditional plot or story. So while their shows are designed to be funny, they’re carefully constructed to include much more than just humor.
e house ensemble, for instance, goes by the name Streaky Bacon — inspired by a Charles Dickens quote.
“It basically says good plays should have comedy and drama in as equal layers as in good, streaky bacon,” Carletti said. “We believe yes, we’re creating comedy, but there should be some drama and vulnerability because that makes the comedy brighter.”
e shows typically revolve around familiar themes, including “Law and Order,” or a version of “Vacation.”
Another show featured a teenager who saves the world.
“A suburban audience that might not have seen an improv show doesn’t know what they’re going to get,” Carletti said. “We feel thematic or genre shows tend to hook a suburban audience more.”
Hooking suburbanites on improv is exactly what the couple hopes to do. She believes it o ers a very di erent experience than stand-up.
“I wanted a place where folks who were more of a theater audience could see improv and feel like it was accessible to them,” Carletti said. “Improv is collaborative. It is about listening and teamwork. It allows people to tell their own stories and it’s very human.”
While Carletti appreciates stand-up comedy, she sees improv as a di erent comedic art form — one that requires coordination with fellow actors and the audience.
“I’ve done stand-up. at’s one person alone on a stage. My own experience is it was a little isolating, and I
Evergreen also has an improv group. e Evergreen Players Improv Comedy troupe, known as EPiC, performs twice each year at the Center Stage eater. It also offers classes and ensemble groups for all experience levels and ages.
Comedy in Denver metro
agree the
Whether it’s stand-up or improv, all four business owners agree that Denver and its suburbs are among the top places to see comedy — or to be a comedian.
Curtis believes decades of bringing top-notch comedians to the city has made metro-area residents a sophisticated comedy audience.
“Comedy Works is the Red Rocks of comedy in the country,” she said. “I have leverage even with the bigger acts because it’s Comedy Works. e reputation gives me clout.We’ve developed people that like stand-up comedy. e Denver crowds are smart. You give them smart comedy and they respond. It’s turned into a great place for comedy and comedians.”
Vanderploeg agreed, saying the many stages that offer chances for new and more seasoned comedians to practice their material has improved the quality of local comedy for everyone.
“Denver is one of the best comedy scenes in the country,” Vanderploeg said. “Denver has shows most nights of the week, so there are opportunities for comedians to get up and develop, practice. Just by sheer stage time, we blow pretty much every other city out of the water. It’s kind of in the culture here. ere’s something about Denver that loves standup.”
Beyond developing the comedy business, Carletti sees laughter as not an option, but a necessity for individuals and our modern world.
“It’s so important to have small theaters and small comedy venues, not just in Denver but everywhere,” Carletti said. “ ere’s something about being in a room with a lot of people laughing and experiencing it live, whether it’s improv, stand-up or whatever. Live theater is phenomenal. And the need to laugh right now is so
Comedian Steve Gillespie entertains the crowd at Stranahan’s Distillery as part of Rotating Taps Comedy. SPAWOLOGY PRODUCTIONS
Comedian George Lopez on stage at Comedy Works South in Greenwood Village.COURTESY OF COMEDY WORKS
FROM PAGE 10
Gnarly’s co-owner Brandon Riks stands in front of the bar at the comedy/variety show venue he and his wife Stacey Bell launched recently in downtown Golden.COURTESY OF GNARLY’S
Health o cials worry about Medicaid as budget bill advances
BY CAITLYN KIM AND JOHN DALEY CPR NEWS
Colorado’s two members on the House Energy and Commerce committee took di erent views and votes on the changes Republicans are proposing for Medicaid as the party looks for cuts to fund its budget reconciliation package.
Republican Rep. Gabe Evans voted with his party to advance the changes to the federal health insurance program for children and low-income people, while Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette voted against it. e measure passed Wednesday afternoon along straight party lines, 30-24, after a marathon 26-hour mark-up session.
According to a Congressional Budget O ce estimate, under the Republican changes, 10.3 million people will lose coverage over the rst decade it’s in effect. Millions more would lose coverage due to the A ordable Care Act changes approved by the committee.
“You can’t save $700 billion and not cut anybody o of Medicaid,” DeGette told CPR News. e CBO estimated the Medicaid changes would save $625 billion.“You’re going to have red tape and a whole bunch of people who are working fall o of Medicaid because they’ll get thrown o by the states.”
e Denver congresswoman argues that new work and documentation requirements under the proposal would make it harder for eligible people to access their bene ts.
“ ey can’t do the paperwork. And we saw that in two states,” DeGette said, pointing to Georgia and Arkansas. “ ey tried to do a work requirement. It ended up throwing a whole bunch of people o of Medicaid who were working and it ended up costing more money.”
Evans countered the bill will prevent waste, fraud and abuse, and that Democrats weren’t seeking to preserve coverage for eligible recipients.
“We’ve heard, what is it now, almost 24 hours of arguing to keep 1.4 million illegal immigrants on the rolls and 1.2 million people who aren’t eligible for Medicaid,” Evans told CPR News, citing what he said are CBO’s numbers.
e House provisions would require states to check eligibility for Medicaid patients every six months, versus yearly. And it would strengthen work requirements. People between the ages of 19 to
64 would have to work, go to school or volunteer at least 80 hours a month to receive Medicaid. ere are exemptions, including for pregnancy, people with dependent children or those with complex medical issues.
“You have somewhere around foursome-odd million folks of able-bodied workers who are choosing not to work,” Evans added. “And that work requirement is not just work, it’s community volunteering, it’s school, and there’s a whole host of exceptions to it.”
Upwards of 128,000 Coloradans could lose health coverage through the proposed work requirements, according to an analysis prepared by the liberal-leaning Urban Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, both national nonpro t organizations.
e group found nearly nine in 10 adults in the age group covered by the work requirement could satisfy the exemption criteria, suggesting that either the change would have minimal impacts on enrollment or result in people losing coverage simply because they fail to prove their extenuating circumstances.
Two provisions have state implications e two biggest provisions that would hit Colorado have to do with immigrants
and the so-called provider tax.
Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for federal Medicaid. However, some states have used their own dollars to provide a health insurance plan for some undocumented people. In Colorado, that coverage applies to children and mothers during pregnancy and up to a year after delivery. e Republican plan would punish states by dropping the federal matching rate (known as FMAP) for people under the Medicaid expansion from 90 percent to 80 percent unless they change their policies.
e bill would also prohibit states from establishing any new provider taxes — or increasing existing ones — to draw down extra Medicaid dollars. Colorado’s version of the tax is known as the Hospital Provider Fee.
e provider taxes paid by hospitals help cover the state’s Medicaid costs by increasing the federal government’s matching payments, with some of that extra money ultimately going back to the hospitals themselves.
It’s helped keep some hospitals a oat. It also made it possible for Colorado to expand Medicaid under the A ordable Care Act to cover 400,000 more low-income adults, sharply reducing the number of people who come to hospitals
without insurance.
“Federal cuts would threaten the health care of hundreds of thousands of Coloradans, and Governor Polis continues to urge Congress to avoid devastating federal cuts to health care that would hurt our economy and our health care system,” said Shelby Wieman, a spokesperson for Democratic Gov. Jared Polis.
She noted Colorado does not have the resources to replace reductions made by Congress.
“Colorado already only gets .90 cents back for every dollar we send to Washington, and Medicaid cuts would make it worse. Costs would go up for everyone’s insurance because of cost shifting from uncompensated care. e more than one million Coloradans who get their health care through Medicaid are watching, which is why the Governor has urged Congress to avoid deep cuts to Medicaid,” she said in an emailed statement.
Weiman said the governor’s o ce is reviewing how the changes will impact the state’s budget and, depending on the scope of any cuts, Polis may be forced to call a special session to ensure the state’s nances stay in balance.
DeGette echoed those concerns. If the federal government reduces payments to Colorado, she said, “I’m going to guarantee you Colorado doesn’t have the money to make up the di erence for any Medicaid recipients.”
But Evans challenged the idea that the state couldn’t nd savings to o set increased Medicaid costs.
“We’ve seen Colorado shovel tens of millions of dollars to illegal immigrants above and beyond actual Coloradans,” he said, adding, “[the department that oversees Medicaid] is the third-worst performing department in the state of Colorado … that’s per the 2024 statewide audit.”
e governor’s o ce pushed back on Evans’ characterizations as inaccurate, saying the state has been “very aggressive about preventing and pursuing fraud.”
A spokesman for the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, which administers the state’s Medicaid program under the name Health First Colorado, said the state doesn’t have any speci c details yet on the potential impact of the reconciliation bill in Colorado, because things are still very much in ux.
A hospital room at Denver Health. Jan. 1, 2025. PHOTO BY KEVIN J. BEATY / DENVERITE
Thu 5/22
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Moves to convert o ces to homes come to Downtown
BY ANDREA DUKAKIS CPR NEWS
Developers in U.S. cities have become bullish about the possibilities of what they call “adaptive reuse,” converting old o ce buildings into residential units. It’s an idea they are betting will solve the many problems a icting the nation’s cities: namely, post-pandemic vacancies in o ce buildings, empty city centers and a lack of a ordable housing.
Downtown Denver is no exception, where a third of o ce space is vacant and many buildings are seen as good prospects for conversion. Recently, e Luzzato Company bought two towers on 17th Street in downtown Denver for $3.2 million, a tiny fraction of the $112 million the two buildings sold for in 2008. e developers plan to have 700 residential units with retail space on the lower oors.
e architectural rm Gensler has worked to identify o ce buildings in downtown Denver that have the most potential for these conversions and has also created a tool for assessing which buildings are good prospects. Ryan Warner spoke with Gensler’s Josie Hyde. Here are takeaways from their conversation.
What are the economic conditions in Denver that make these conversions more than just a pipe dream?
“ ey’ve always been a challenge but they’re very doable. We’ve done plenty of them across the country, and really what it takes is nding the right buildings. And so even though the economics are somewhat challenging, one of these buildings just sold for a very good price, and so that one’s going to be much easier to convert. But if you start with the right buildings, the cost will be lower to start with.”
And the realities of downtown o ce space mean that there are deals to be had?
“ ere are. I think one of the factors… is we’ve got about 13 million square feet of o ce space downtown, and when we think of that square footage, [much of the vacant space] is these 1970s, 1980s buildings that actually trend in the right direction to be converted. So for us here in the city and county of Denver, [with] these ‘70s and 80s buildings, we have about 80 percent of the buildings that are suitable. Some of the things to look for are a great oor plate; so, how far the windows are
from the elevators is important because if they’re too far away, then you won’t be able to get light into the apartments. And also thinking of the oor to oor heights are always great for o ce buildings, so when we convert them to residential, they already have taller ceilings.”
The fundamental question of course is whether it makes more economic sense to just destroy a building and build something new or convert it?
“It is costly, but I would say in some cases it’s much better than replacing the entire building because we’ve got embodied carbon in the concrete that we want to preserve when possible from a sustainability perspective. And, you can save 50 percent of the construction time.”
Is it possible that only parts of these buildings will be converted to housing units?
“When you have larger buildings, if you’re looking at buildings that might
have more than three to 400 units planned, it might be bene cial to convert only half the building or a portion of the building. We’ve talked to so many local building owners, developers…and they’re all just waiting for the right time. But there is a sense of urgency of being able to convert, and I think there’s an understanding that it’s possible.
What is the most successful conversion project you could point to?
“We’ve done quite a few buildings. I think of the Franklin Tower [in Philadelphia], which was done right at the beginning of the pandemic. [ e developers] were looking at just converting the top half of the building, and as it was getting constructed, it was so popular and got leased so quickly that they lled out the rest of the building before they completed construction, and that one was a lot of glass on the building. ey added balconies to the building by moving some of
the walls in a little bit on the exterior. So it’s been an incredible project that was done years ago.”
I suppose there’s also an assumption that we’re never fully coming back to work like we did pre-pandemic. You’re sort of locking in a long-term reality here for a downtown, right?
“You’re right. I think what’s most important to focus on is that we’re really looking at more of a lifestyle in terms of our downtowns in lieu of just an o ce building centric area. So I think if we think of it more as mixed use and really make it a live, work, play [environment] for both residents and o ce workers, I think you can have that balance much easier than what we’ve done in the past.” is story is from CPR News, a nonprofit public broadcaster serving Colorado. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr. org.
These two o ce towers on 17th Street in Denver have been bought by developers who plan to convert the space to 700 residential units with retail space on the lower floors. PHOTO BY HART VAN DENBURG CPR NEWS
Looks like a bike, rides like a scooter
Lime rolls a new Glider onto Denver streets
BY ANDREW KENNEY DENVERITE
What do you call something that looks like a bike but rides like a scooter? A scicycle? A booter?
Whatever you want to call it, its o cial name is the LimeGlider, and it’s the latest rentable micromobility vehicle to hit Denver’s streets.
Lime, the dockless vehicle giant, deployed about 250 of its newest wheeled contraptions on May 14. e LimeGlider looks like a bike, with two spoked wheels and a seat.
But instead of pedals, it has a throttle, and it’s smaller than the company’s ebikes.
“It sort of behaves like a seated scooter, but I think for use cases, it’s more similar to a bicycle, right?” said Zach Williams, senior director of government relations for Lime in Colorado.
An ‘inclusive vehicle’ e company is positioning them as its “most inclusive vehicle to date.” Its wheels are signi cantly larger than a scooter’s, which makes it better able to handle curbs and obstacles. At the same time, its lower pro le could make it easier to mount and less intimidating than the company’s e-bikes, Williams said. e Glider was in development for several years, with the design process focused in large part on women and older riders, who may nd it uncomfortable to
swing their legs onto a taller bike, Williams said.
“It’s a lower vehicle with a much lower center of gravity. Your feet on the running boards are pretty close to the ground, and so it feels really stable, really easy to plant your feet on the ground. I think it’ll be really attractive for more novice riders, many of whom gravitate to standing
scooters,” Williams said. e vehicle is designed for longer trips across town, while a scooter is most useful for traveling a mile or so, Williams said. Lime deployed the vehicles in small tests last year. One early reviewer called them a “sit-down scooter,” which is, sadly, probably better than “booter.” (Ed. note: Could not disagree more.) e city
will classify the new vehicle as a bike, but it will track it as a distinct category.
A writer for Wired said they “felt nimbler and easier to maneuver” compared to Lime’s bikes. Another reviewer was impressed “by the feeling of stability.”
e Gliders also have a sizable basket, a seat cushion and a place to mount a phone. Lime currently operates about 5,000 vehicles around the city, of which 4,500 are scooters and the remainder are bikes, according to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.
e Gliders made their full debut in Seattle several days ago, with Denver’s eet close behind. ey’ll show up rst in the central city, but riders can take them anywhere in the local service area.
e vehicles will soon appear in the Lime app as a third option alongside e-bikes
e rollout comes as city leaders are considering new regulations for the city’s dockless mobility eets, which are run by
“I wouldn’t say the political situation necessarily [was a motivating factor], but I do think it is a signal of how committed we are to Denver,” Williams said.
He added that Lime chose Denver for the early deployment because it is one of the company’s strongest markets.
e Glider was developed by Lime and is fairly distinct from the rest of the scooter market, though it does resemble some seated cooters like the Veo Cosmo. is story is from Denverite, a Denver news site. Used by permission. For more, and to support Denverite, visit denverite. com.
A woman rides a LimeGlider. COURTESY OF LIME
Golden baseball polishes up 5th straight title
Demons baseball runs
conference table
BY DENNIS PLEUSS
JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Golden baseball proved it again: the Demons are the champions of the Class 4A Je co League, and everyone else was just contenders.
Golden (20-3, 9-0 in 4A Je co) o cially clinched its fth consecutive conference title with a 9-8 road victory over Green Mountain on Friday. Less than 24 hours later, the Demons nished the complete sweep in league play with a 9-0 shutout victory against Dakota Ridge.
“I think we did a good job of keeping the momentum rolling into today,” Golden senior Jaydon Stroup said of the two league wins over Green Mountain and Dakota Ridge to close out the regular season.
On Senior Day at Golden High School, the Demon seniors led the way. Stroup had a ve-RBI game that included a three-run home run in Golden’s six-run fourth inning. Senior Luca Casali went 3-for-4 at the plate with a pair of RBIs. Senior pitcher Sawyer Brinkman went six strong shutout innings on the hill, giving up just two hits.
“I’m sure you can imagine it feels pretty good. Doing it with this group of guys is really special,” Brinkman said. “We (seniors) have been working hard for four
years now. To see it pay o and keep the legacy going, winning ve in a row feels pretty good.” Golden has a 48-3 conference record during its run to ve straight league titles.
e only other Je co team to achieve the feat of the ve-peat was Arvada West from 1992 to 1996.
“Going back three to four years, those teams started setting it back then,” Gold-
en Coach Jackie McBroom said of the ve-peat. “Now the expectation is the same every single season … Don’t lose a game in league. It feels good to go undefeated again.”
e Demons will take a 15-game winning streak into the postseason. Golden is currently No. 4 in the 4A baseball CHSAA Selection & Seeding Index. e top eight seeds host regional tournaments next weekend.
“I’m feeling really good,” Brinkman said after his two-hit shutout performance. “I have my hopes up for the playo s. I think we can make an impact.” Brinkman has an 8-0 record on the mound with a 1.02 ERA. He has given up just one earned run in his last four starts. Golden’s o ense has picked it up after its last loss back on April 1 against Denver North. e Demons only mustered up two runs in that 3-2 loss. Since then, Golden has scored at least ve runs in its last 15 games.
“We’ve had ashes of it here and there of being really good,” Stroup said of the Demons’ o ense. “I think we can still be better, but I think the o ense is going pretty good. I like what I see from all the guys.”
Golden will attempt to qualify for the 4A state tournament for the fourth straight year. e Demons have come close, but haven’t been able to capture a state title since McBroom took over the baseball program a decade ago.
Arvada West players celebrate a solo home run by senior Tate Deal (25) on Friday, May 9, at Arvada West High School. The Wildcats won 11-1 to clinched the Class 5A Je co League title.
Arvada West won its first Je co League baseball title since 2014 by sweeping conference play with a 12-0 league record. PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS
Girls tennis teams shine at 3A, 4A, 5A championships
BY PETER STOLTZ
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
e 2025 girls high school tennis season concluded on May 13 with the team championships in 3A, 4A and 5A. History was made. rough upsets, repeats and undefeated seasons, below is everything you need to know about this year’s girls tennis nale.
5A
No. 1 seed Ralston Valley punctuated an undefeated season with a 4-2 win over rival Cherry Creek (the nal match was suspended after Ralston Valley clinched the necessary four wins). It was the Mustangs’ second consecutive team title.
“ is season was always about focusing on what we could control,” said Ralston Valley Head Coach Kim Greason. “We knew defending would be a challenge, as there are a number of strong teams in 5A. Cherry Creek is well-coached and they and their players made some great adjustments following individual state. We had to tweak a few things in certain matches, but also knew if we trusted our game plan, played within the nets and blocked out the chaos, we could nd a way to stay a step ahead and dig for four wins.”
Despite the loss, Cherry Creek enjoyed another strong season.
“Congratulations to Ralston Valley, they played very well,” said Cherry Creek Head Coach Andy Zurcher. “I couldn’t be prouder of our girls. ey played their hearts out, and they carried themselves with class. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to coach such a quality group of student athletes, with an all-star cast of coaches by my side.” is is the second title in a row and second overall for Ralston Valley, and the loss leaves Cherry Creek still searching for that elusive 40th team title.
4A
No. 2-seeded Cheyenne Mountain toppled the No. 1 seed and defending champion Kent Denver 4-2, sweeping the top four lines.
In the most dramatic match of the day, No. 1 singles player Alyssa Sadri of Cheyenne Mountain came from behind to defeat three-time individual state champion Lila Moldenhauer 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. Cheyenne Mountain captures its 26th overall team title.
3A
In the closest match of the day, topseeded Peak to Peak defeated a talented Prospect Ridge team 4-3.
“I’m super proud of the girls,” said Peak to Peak Head Coach Mike Crotty. “In my mind, we were the number one team all season long. I feel it’s well deserved to be the state champion.”
e deciding match was at No. 2 dou-
bles, where Peak to Peak seniors El Allen-Bonney and Lhadze Olsen defeated Prospect Ridge freshman duo Stephanie Miller and Kate Nelson 1-6, 7-6, 6-2.
“It got a lot closer than I hoped. I knew Prospect Ridge was a really, really good team, “ said Crotty. “ eir depth at doubles was really impressive. But I was condent with the last match at No. 2 doubles. Our team was the individual state champions and two seniors who are super mentally tough.”
Peak to Peak wraps up a near-perfect season, losing only once, to 4A powerhouse Kent Denver.
“I credit a lot of our success to our schedule when we played a lot of really good teams,” said Crotty. “It’s really impressive for the Metro League that our league placed the three top seeds in the tournament.”
Prospect Ridge, the number two seed, defeated the defending 3A team champion, Colorado Academy, in the seminals. Both schools are Metro League schools, along with Peak to Peak. It is the third team title for Peak to Peak.
Notable facts
e loss for Moldenhauer is the nal match in a remarkable high school career. She is the rst girl to win three individual state titles at No. 1 singles since Nicole Leimbach of Pine Creek won four consecutive titles from 2000 to 2004.
day and Saturday, May 16 and 17.
Dakota Ridge (11-12, 6-3) is on the bubble to make regionals.
e loss by Cherry Creek marks the rst time since the 1987-88 season that Cherry Creek has failed to win the team title two years in a row.
And Ralston Valley’s win sends Greason out on top as she steps down from her top role.
“It’s been an amazing ride,” Greason said. “As the head coach, I have done my best to lead with integrity. It hasn’t been easy and I haven’t always been perfect. I have learned from those challenges and
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“I think the thing about this group, which is good, is that we don’t have one, two or three superstars that are carrying us to where we are,” McBroom said. “We have a good group of guys who play baseball the right way, and we win as a team. We have some really good baseball players, and everyone contributes.”
CHSAA is scheduled to release the regional brackets on Wednesday, May 14. Regional tournaments will be played Fri-
e Eagles are currently sitting at No. 32, with the 32 teams making the postseason. Longtime coach Je Legault, who is stepping down as Dakota Ridge’s baseball coach to take over the role of athletic director at Dakota Ridge next year, might have one last postseason run of the Eagles can sneak into the playo s.
Dennis Pleuss is the Sports Information Director for Je co Public Schools. For more Je co coverage, go to ColoradoPreps.com and CHSAANow.com
imperfections, and to try to do the right thing even if it’s the hard thing. Growth comes from challenges and the hard times bring the shine out of the diamond.”
Greason says, ideally, she’s not entirely done with coaching and with the Ralston Valley team.
“I am hopeful whomever steps in will allow me to stay on in an advisory/assistant role.”
For more results and complete scores, visit CHSAAnow.com.
Holy Closure Celebration St. Andrew Lutheran Church 6774 W. 66th Ave., Arvada Pentecost Sunday, June 8 10:30 Worship Fellowship Time Following
To advertise your place of worship in this section, call Erin at 303-566-4074 or email eaddenbrooke@ColoradoCommunityMedia.com Join us in person: 1st & 3rd Sundays 7401 W. 59 Ave, Arvada Other Sundays on Zoom 10:30 am Live Music Livingwaterunity.org Livingwaterspiritualcommunity@gmail.com 720-576-9193 All Are Welcome Green Mountain Presbyterian Church 12900 W Alameda Pkwy Lakewood, CO 80228 303-985-8733 www.gmpc.net Sunday Worship 10:00AM
Ralston Valley girls tennis poses for a photo showing their undefeated Class 5A bracket. The Mustangs finished the season undefeated to repeat as 5A champions from last year. COURTESY OF @DIDYAGETTHATPHOTO
CROWSSUPDRO ELZZ
1. ACRONYMS: What phrase does the acronym URL stand for?
2. MOVIES: What is the name of the ghost that haunts the girls’ bathroom at Hogwarts (“Harry Potter” series)?
3. HISTORY: Which decisive battle ended the Revolutionary War?
4. LITERATURE: What is the pseudonym of the author Eric Arthur Blair?
5. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which of the national parks is the most visited in the United States?
6. TELEVISION: Which medical series is based at Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital?
7. GEOGRAPHY: What is the capital of Denmark?
8. U.S. STATES: In which state is Glacier National Park located?
9. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who was the rst vice president to die in o ce?
TrIVIa
10. SCIENCE: What are elements like neon, helium and radon called?
Answers
1. Uniform resource locator.
2. Moaning Myrtle.
3. e Battle of Yorktown.
4. George Orwell.
5. Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
6. “House, M.D.”
7. Copenhagen.
8. Montana.
9. George Clinton.
10. Noble gases.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
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SPORTS BETTING
He said younger bettors in particular prefer parlay bets. “ ey just like the lottery ticket aspect of it.”
e vast majority of sports gamblers will not develop an addiction, the national rate is estimated at up to 3 percent. But there’s concern that addiction rates are higher among young men, who are growing up with unlimited sports gambling on their phone.
Colorado has granted millions to behavioral health providers and educational campaigns. e Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission announced $2.9 million in grants in February, up from $2 million the year before.
Beyond parlays
e sportsbook has long been a relatively small part of casino pro ts, so the app developers are looking ahead to a more lucrative business: fully online casinos, things like poker and blackjack, not just sports.
“Everything is based o of that goal,” said Butler.
Only a handful of states allow online casino games, but they are hugely pro table. In the rst quarter of this year, DraftKings reported $881 million in sports betting revenue across 25 states and Washington
MEDICAID
“Congress is in the early stages of their reconciliation process. We are currently reviewing the language released Monday to understand what the impacts may be to our Medicaid and CHP+ programs and the Coloradans who are covered by them,” said public information o cer Marc Williams, in an emailed statement. “We expect the language to evolve as Congress considers the proposals, and we will be updating our estimates as we learn more on our website.”
Concern from hospitals and patient advocates
e state’s hospitals, which are trying to protect access and preserve Medicaid, are watching the situation carefully as well and expressed relief that Republicans aren’t pursuing deeper cuts.
“ e original Congressional Medicaid cut concepts oated earlier this year would have devastated the health care safety net,” said the Colorado Hospital As-
DC, and $423 million revenue in the just ve states that allow it to operate casino games online.
Any such plan would face a lot of hurdles in Colorado. e handful of physical casinos operating in the state, which are mandated by law to be located in three historic mining towns, would likely ght any proposal to expand online gambling to phone apps.
Sports are unpredictable
While last year saw large growth in sports bets and revenue, there are periods when the house loses. In Colorado, sports gaming revenues dropped 20 percent in March, compared to March of last year.
Sportsbooks said that’s because more favorites won than anticipated in the recent March Madness men’s basketball tournament. DraftKings reported that more than 80 percent of favorites won, the most in more than 40 years. And bettors tend to put their money on the favorites.
at’s just the nature of sports.
“ at’s why people watch sports and want to bet on sports, it’s part of what makes the customer experience great,” said Jason Robins, CEO of DraftKings, on a Friday investor conference call. “So there are periods where you’re gonna have quarters two, three in a row sometimes with bad outcomes.”
Colorado bettors are the best?
Butler has data on hold percentage by
sociation in an emailed statement. “CHA is deeply grateful to the entire Colorado Congressional Delegation for their leadership and for helping ensure that several of the most damaging Medicaid proposals were excluded from the Energy and Commerce package.”
e statement noted that CHA representatives were in Washington, D.C. earlier this month to advocate against those provisions. e group said it appreciates what it sees as progress re ected in the current draft.
But it noted that as the reconciliation process goes on, the association “remains concerned about provisions that could still pose serious risks and reduce state exibility and funding, potentially leading to coverage losses, patients seeking more costly emergency instead of preventive care, and service line or hospital closures.”
Donna Lynne, CEO of the state’s agship safety net hospital, said nearly half of Denver Health’s patients are enrolled in Medicaid, and it already is inadequately funded for providing that care. She said Republicans’ changes will make that situation more di cult.
“Some of the provisions like adding
state, and Colorado has the lowest hold percentage in the U.S. Hold percentage is the money that sportsbooks keep for every dollar wagered.
“So one can extrapolate that Colorado has the best bettors,” said Butler. “It makes sense: higher education level, really loyal
work requirements (and) requiring more frequent eligibility checks will have the same impact” as direct cuts, Lynne said. “I think our concern is that the net e ect of the bill will be, there’ll be more uninsured patients, and we don’t get reimbursed for any of them.”
“I think there are multiple ways that this bill passes costs onto the state and Colorado simply can’t a ord it,” said Adam Fox, deputy director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, a group that advocates for health access. “It will cost us tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars to administer work requirements that are proposed, that just add administrative barriers when people need care.”
Fox spoke from D.C., where he and other Colorado advocates have been making the rounds, visiting members of the state’s delegation. He said he’s telling members and their sta that “work requirements add administrative burden for every Medicaid enrollee. Even if they are given an exemption, they have to prove that exemption.”
But that argument didn’t persuade Evans, who, in a statement after the vote, said, “ is bill follows through on our
fans, pretty a uent demographic.” So when it comes to sports betting, Colorado is winning in more ways than one. is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t public broadcaster serving Colorado. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.
promises to cut waste, fraud, and abuse while simultaneously protecting coverage for Colorado’s most vulnerable populations.”
A loss of coverage for a large number of Coloradans covered by Medicaid would impact the bottom line of hospitals, community health centers and clinics that rely on Medicaid reimbursements to keep the doors open.
“I think what we’ve really tried to underscore that aspect that these proposals will still end up stripping coverage from thousands of Coloradans. It will take millions if not billions of dollars out of our healthcare system and our healthcare providers can’t take that hit,” Fox said, who cited a national estimate that with work requirements, hospitals could see over a 20% reduction in Medicaid reimbursement. “ ere are many rural hospitals and clinics and providers that will either have to reduce services or close their doors altogether. at means everybody in those communities loses access to healthcare.” is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t public broadcaster serving Colorado. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.
A football betting board shows the odds of weekends-worth of games. Betting companies continue to post record revenues from sports betting in Colorado. SHUTTERSTOCK
