June 26, 2015 VO LUM E 1 4 | IS S U E 31 | FREE
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Graffiti leaves a mark
TURNIP THE BEET
Warm weather brings rise in vandalism at parks, trails By Taryn Walker
twalker@colorado communitymedia.com
Fourth-generation jam maker Diego Hernandez of Ant D’s Fine Foods of Denver informs customers of his best buys at the Centennial Artisans and Farmers Market on June 20. Hernandez sells eggs, jams, jelly, fresh produce and more. Photo by Taryn Walker The Centennial Artisan and Farmers Market kicked off for the summer June 20. The market features seasonal fresh produce, food trucks, live music and local artisans at Centennial Center Park. The next events are from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 18 and Aug. 15.
In less than 10 years, South Suburban Parks and Recreation District has seen more than 1,200 incidents of graffiti at its parks, trails and facilities, racking up $301,145 in damage. It’s a difficult problem to tackle and one that isn’t going away, said Dan Scheuerman, senior park ranger for South Suburban. “About 95 percent of this is just stupid stuff done by kids,” Scheuerman said. “I don’t know if it’s a cultural thing, but people have been doing this forever.” With summer’s warmer weather and longer days, incidents of graffiti are likely to rise, Scheuerman said. Highlands Ranch Metro District park ranger Kat Wentworth said she sees some sort of graffiti just about every other day. In the last year, she and her full-time staff of four have had to report at least 100 incidents to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Cleaning up
Jacob Baron, 4, left, shares a cupcake with his brother Tyler, 1, at the Centennial Artisans and Farmers Market at Centennial Center Park. The treat was from Sweet Little B’s. Photo by Chandra Baron
Technology key for local piano teacher
Centennial piano teacher Leila Viss is changing the way music is being taught by using tablet applications throughout her piano lessons with students. Courtesy photo
Centennial woman uses tablet applications to help students By Taryn Walker
twalker@colorado communitymedia.com Piano teacher Leila Viss isn’t only about Bach, Beethoveen and Chopin. For her, it’s also about easing her students into using the iPad application Piano Maestro. Viss, a piano performance and pedagogy graduate of University of Denver, first set up a studio in her home after she graduated in 1990. Ever since, she’s blossomed into a teacher who incorporates a different kind of approach in her lessons. It all began with her mentor, Elaine Emeigh, who’s a piano teacher in Littleton. “I wanted to continue her legacy, so I started having labs during my private lessons,” Viss said. The Centennial resident’s students are
Scheuerman has created a formula to determine the cost of graffiti removal, which sometimes has to be done on monument signs that cost $2,000. “It depends on the surface,” he said. “If it’s paintable, it’s 50 cents a square foot, if it’s worse, it can be up to $5 a square foot.” Often, a chemical application has to be used or a high-pressure power washer is needed, and with limited resources, it’s not easy, Scheuerman said. Metro district park rangers carry graffitiremoval packs in their trucks every day and have been trained to use a pressure washer, sandblaster and paint-removal chemicals, Wentworth said. “Our goal is to remove it immediately and not publicize it, because that’s what they want and we’re not going to let them win in the end,” she said. Playground equipment requires chemical use, and because of its porous texture, new paint won’t adhere. Eventually
Graffiti continues on Page 9
now urged to stay for an extra 30 minutes after each lesson to spend time doing something on the computer — whether it be reviewing concepts, studying piano history or reinforcing lessons, she said. “When I graduated, the Internet was just coming around. Now I have my own website, blog, and my whole idea of how I communicate has completely changed. It was a hassle over the years using technology; you were booting up the computer, putting in a CD-ROM, and then when the iPad came along, it made everything so much easier,” Viss said. Her book, “The iPad Piano Studios, Keys to Unlocking the Power of Apps,” came out in 2013 and reflects her appetite for using apps to practice note names, inspire creativity and compose with her students. Viss considers herself to be a writer and also contributes to the Clavier Companion, a nationally known premiere piano magazine. Piano continues on Page 9
Photo illustration/ Images by Metro Creative Graphics