Life on Capitol Hill January 2023

Choice Market

A new Choice Market has opened near the University of Denver campus. Its grand opening celebration took place on Dec. 9.

Located at 1737 E. Evans Ave., this is the fourth Choice Market to open in Denver. e others are located at 939 Bannock St. in the Golden Triangle, 1770 N. Broadway in Uptown and 2200 E. Colfax Ave. in Cheesman Park.

Choice Market is a Colorado brand, and o ers locally-sourced groceries, vegan choices and freshly-prepared hot and cold meals.

To learn more, visit choicemarket.co.

Courtesy image via news release.

Teddy Cat Café

e Teddy Cat Café opened in December at 39 E. Florida Ave. in Denver’s Platt Park neighborhood.

e new business features handcrafted mercantile and playdates with adoptable cats. e goal is to alleviate pressure at the animal shel ter and nd more homes for adoptable cats, which wander the space at their leisure so people and potential adopters can interact with them.

Owner Sarah omas began volunteering at the Denver Animal Shelter in 2020 and eventually began fostering cats and kittens in her home. is prompted her to open Teddy Cat Café.

Playdates cost $13 per person for adults and $11 for children, older adults 60+, students and members of the military. Appointments are recommended but drop-ins are welcome.

To learn more or view the adoptable cats, visit teddycatcafe.com.

Tom Snyder for the Platt Park Post originally reported this story.

Image courtesy of Teddy Cat Café website.

Kum & Go Kum & Go’s two fuel-free stores in Denver closed in December. e convenience stores were located at 1250 E. 17th Ave. in City Park West and 1610 Little Raven St. in the Union Station neighborhood.

According to Convenience Store News online, Kum & Go opened its rst of fuelless stores in May 2020. e only walk-up location the company is keeping open is the Des Moines, Iowa, location.

Kum & Go got its start in Iowa in 1959 and is a fourth-generation, family-owned convenience store chain with more than 400 stores in 11 states, according to Convenience Store News.

Photo courtesy of Kum & Go Facebook page.

Open Open, a sandwich shop that operated out of the Goosetown Tavern, 3242 E. Colfax Ave., closed in mid-December.

Open featured high-end sandwiches inspired by some of Denver’s big-name chefs, such as the Lee sandwich — a slow roasted beef and provolone sandwich with Sichuan dipping broth — for Tommy Lee of Uncle, which has a location in the Highlands and in West Washington Park.

According to Westword, Open owner Jake Riederer and his wife, Cecelia Jones, plan to open a market with a deli counter in the Elyria-Swansea neighborhood.

Photo courtesy of Open website.

Pete’s Satire Lounge

Pete’s Satire Lounge, 1920 E. Colfax Ave. in Cheesman Park, celebrated its 60-year anniversary in December.

e Satire Lounge was the rst of the familyowned Pete’s Restaurants concepts that got started by the late Pete Contos. Next to come was Pete’s Kitchen, 1962 E. Colfax Ave., also in Cheesman Park, which opened December of 1988.

Pete’s University Park Café opened in 1996, and Pete’s Central One, 300 S. Pearl St. in West Washington Park, opened February of 1998.

To learn more about the restaurants, visit petesrestaurants.com.

Photo courtesy of Pete’s Satire Lounge Facebook.

Snowstang e Colorado Department of Transportation’s Snowstang launched for the season on Dec. 17.

Snowstang o ers roundtrip express service to the Colorado ski resorts of Arapahoe Basin, Copper Mountain, Loveland Ski Area, Steamboat Springs/ Howelsen Hill and Breckenridge.

Snowstang will operate every weekend — Saturday and Sunday — and Monday holidays through early May.

All routes board at Denver’s Union Station, the Denver Federal Center in Lakewood and the Wooly Mammoth Park-N-Ride in Golden.

Snowstang coaches carry 51 passengers, are climate controlled, have Wi-Fi, a restroom, USB and power outlets and plenty of room for winter gear.

Roundtrip tickets for all destinations except Steamboat Springs cost $25 for adults and $12.50 for children age 2-11 with a ticketed adult. Steamboat Springs cost $40 for adults and there is no price change for children.

To learn more, visit ridebustang.com/snowstangmountain-service.

Courtesy photo.

Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center

Ground has broken on the National Western Center’s Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center.

e building will be the National Western Center’s largest and will connect to the adjacent Legacy Building, the new headquarters of the National Western Stock Show. As well as hosting the annual stock show’s livestock-related events, the Livestock Center will host year-round events such as concerts, exhibitions, festivals, conventions, sporting events, trade shows and banquets, according to a news release.

e Livestock Center is will be the National Western Center’s largest at more than 350,000 square feet. It is expected that will have about 160,000 square feet for a multi-use arena to host the larger events, and about 200,000 square feet for an expo hall to host smaller events such as livestock auctions, lectures, performances, movies, educational displays and competitions.

Construction on the Livestock Center is expected to begin in February 2023 and is anticipated to be complete in 2025.

To learn more, visit nationalwesterncenter.com.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, the National Western Center Authority and partners break ground on the Livestock Center at the new National Western Center. Courtesy photo.

Namaste Solar/Energy Outreach Colorado

Namaste Solar’s community giving campaign called Keep the Lights on Colorado generated $100,000 to support Energy Outreach Colorado, a Denver-based not-for-pro t that raises funds to help low-income Coloradans a ord their home energy so they can remain safe and warm at home.

e $100,000 will help power the homes of 400 Colorado families this coming year, according to a news release.

To learn more about Namaste Solar, visit namastesolar.com. To learn more about Energy Outreach Colorado, visit energyoutreach.org.

Photo courtesy of Energy Outreach Colorado website.

OPENINGS

FROM

Ride Revolution

A new boutique cycling studio is opening in Platt Park.

Located at 1519 S. Pearl St., Ride Revolution is planning a grand opening in January, but memberships and passes are already available.

Ride Revolution is co-owned by Nicole Milstein and Jody Fidler. Fidler is owner of another South Pearl Street business, Wheelhouse Gifts, and Milstein has lived in the area since 1996. She has been a tness instructor for about seven years and has always wanted to open her own studio. Milstein’s daughter, Paige Milstein, will be an instructor at Ride Revolution and will lead the studio’s training program for new instructors.

Ride Revolution will feature rhythm-based and themed classes on stationary bikes, and is planning to o er fusion classes that entail on-and-o the bike workouts. e concept is to o er a cycle studio that is a place of inclusion where all levels of tness can be celebrated, Nicole Milstein said. “If you go into a big box gym, it’s

unlikely

name,” she said. “Here,

To learn more about Ride Revolution, visit goriderev.com.

Nicole Milstein, left, is the co-owner and founder of Ride Revolution. Her daughter, Paige Milstein, right, will lead the studio’s training program for new instructors. Courtesy photo.

ON THE COVER

Nick Millisor, CEO of Ullr’s Garden, inspects a head of Salanova red butter lettuce on Nov. 14 in Denver. Each of Ullr’s “vertical farms” in South Denver can grow the same amount of produce as 5 acres of farmland. Story on Page 7

FROM PAGE 2

High 5 Plumbing/various metro-area nonprofits

rough its High 5 Cares program, High 5 Plumbing recently donated $21,465 to nonpro ts throughout the Denver area.

e High 5 Cares program entails High 5 Plumbing spotlights different nonpro ts throughout the year and donates a set amount of $500. Additional funds come from High 5 Club membership, and the business’ technicians have the option to donate their bonus. is year’s nonpro t recipients are: Food for Hope in Adams County, the Denver Dream Center, Rooted 303, A Precious Child, Friends of Broom eld and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1 in Denver.

High 5 Plumbing is a family-owned and operated business co-owned by Levi and Cassi Torres. e small business serves customers across the greater metro area out of its main location in north Denver, 850 E. 73rd Ave. Unit 4, and its Littleton location at 8000 S. Lincoln St. Unit 3.

To learn more about High 5 Plumbing, visit high5plumbing.com.

Families boarded a decorated plane at DIA for the special flight — over Colorado Springs and back — before landing at United Airlines’ maintenance hangar, which was magically transformed into the North Pole. There, the families enjoyed games, treats and visits with Santa Claus and other holiday characters.

that somebody will know you’re

we’ll get to know you and care about you.”

Tim Brill, High 5 outreach coordinator with High 5 Plumbing, center, gives a double high ve to Jon Hardcastle, left, and Grant Harkness, right, with the Denver Dream Center. Courtesy photo.

United Airlines/Warren Village United Airlines provided a festive flight to the North Pole for Warren Village families on Dec. 17.

NONPROFIT

PHOTO BY OLIVIA SUN, THE COLORADO SUN VIA REPORT FOR AMERICA

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER THE COLORADO SUN

Hundreds of the nation’s most elite athletes in indoor rock climbing just had their version of the Super Bowl in Denver.

As the Olympic sport expands across the U.S. and Colorado, USA Climbing’s national championship last month was a sort of homecoming. e governing body in 2018 moved from its longtime home in Boulder to new headquarters in Salt Lake City.

“We de nitely wanted to have a presence back in Colorado. at’s where USA Climbing got its feet o the ground,” said Ben Lowe with USA Climbing.

Sold-out crowds at e Spot climbing gym in Denver and G1 Climbing in Broom eld cheered as climbers — a mix of past and potential Olympians — tested themselves in three disciplines: 50-foot sport-climbing routes, a speed competition and short, powerful boulder problems.

Athletes made it as far as they could on routes designed to test their strength, agility and coordination.

In the sport climbing nals, only one athlete, Sean Bailey, completed a route without falling. He reached the top to raucous applause after battling a series of angled, plastic blocks screwed into the wall. e route required him to lunge toward small plastic rock holds with the tips of his ngers, hook his heels to pull his body up and swing across the wall while hanging on by only a few ngers.

e competition marked the end of the indoor-climbing season, but also provided an opportunity for new and returning climbers to begin scoring points to qualify for next year’s national team.

Once on the national team, athletes travel the world, competing in the International Federation of Sport Climbing’s World Cups. ey also get the chance to try out for the team going to the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

A surge in popularity

Indoor climbing started as a way for climbers to train during the o season. Now, it’s blossomed into one of the fastest-growing Olympic sports. One that Coloradans are eating up.

In 2000, there were about 150 climbing gyms in the nation. Now, there are nearly 600, according to the Climbing Business Journal.

“It’s been a pretty massive surge in popularity, not just over the past two

or three years though, it’s been seeing massive growth over the past 10 years,” said Lowe, the communications director for USA Climbing.

e indoor climbing industry is rmly anchored in Colorado with dozens of gyms across the state and a host of indoor equipment manufacturers thriving along the Front Range.

“De nitely explosive (growth) here in Colorado,” said Dan Howley, founder of e Spot gyms in Boulder and Denver. e Spot has hosted several past national climbing competitions and was home to bouldering nationals at their Denver location this year.

While USA Climbing is working to grow the sport around its new Salt Lake City base, Colorado athletes and fans continue to be a big part of the sport.

“ ere’s always been a lot of really great athletes, especially young athletes, that have come out of Colorado. It’s got a long history in competitive rock climbing,” Lowe said. “Whenever somebody starts climbing the ranks and we hear they’re from Colorado, that’s de nitely no surprise.”

at’s in part because of Boulder’s enduring ties to the sport.

“In the last 20 years, the Boulder area is sort of the Hollywood of rock climbing,” said Jason Haas, founder of G1 Climbing, “and if you’ve wanted to make a name for yourself in rock climbing you’ve had to live here.”

Two athletes from Colorado, Brooke Raboutou, 21, of Boulder, and Colin Du y, 18, of Broom eld, already quali ed for the national team trials in March. Both participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but the next Olympic trials have not yet been scheduled.

Members and sta from both G1 and e Spot also competed in nationals, with at least one making nals.

While it may be a few years before USA Climbing comes back to Colorado for nationals, both gyms say they hope to continue hosting other regional and local competitions. e Spot hosts four bouldering competitions every year and G1 hosts another. ere are also USA Climbing youth, high school and collegiate competitions across the state.

Indoor versus outdoor climbing e burgeoning sport is still at a point where fans can easily interact with the top athletes. During nals the weekend of Nov. 12, climbers battled the problems and routes set

Ross Fulkerson attempts to climb a problem at the Spot Climbing Gym in Denver during finals of boulder portion of the National Championship Nov. 10.

COURTESY OF USA CLIMBING

for them while spectators casually rubbed elbows with Olympians and other legends of the sport.

Nathaniel Coleman, a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, was among the crowd along with Raboutou and Du y. Kyra Condie, another Olympian, at nationals won the bronze medal in lead climbing and was fth in bouldering.

“It’s like going to the World Series but the local community doesn’t get to meet the star athletes in the NBA playo s or the Super Bowl,” Haas said. “ ey don’t get to shake hands with Peyton Manning and have a conversation with him. But in climbing we’re still at that level where you can.”

Kyra Condie completes the rst boulder during nationals at e Spot in Denver. Condie, 26, won the bronze medal in lead climbing and was fth in bouldering. (Elliott Wenzler/ e Colorado Sun)

While the sport began with a strong connection with outdoor climbing, most agree the two have started to diverge.

“A lot of the routes that are set for these pros are now incorporating gymnastic, parkour-type movements,” Howley said, “physical movement that you’re not going to nd you’re able to do safely outside.”  Indoor climbing also o ers a new, unique option for people interested in overall tness, Lowe said.

“ ere’s a lot of people out there who have a hard time going into a typical gym to run on the treadmill

or lift weights for a few hours,” Lowe said. “ ey want something they can actually actively engage with and challenge themselves not only physically but also mentally.”

Howley calls himself a “hardcore evangelist” for the sport.

“Indoor climbing has made this sport accessible and visible and popular to a larger community that maybe otherwise wouldn’t have been exposed to it, and to me that’s nothing but good,” he said. “Climbing makes people better as humans, it does so much for you. … It’s really good for the individual, it’s good for your soul and it’s food for building communities that care about each other and support each other.”

Now, USA Climbing and gym owners are working to make the sport more accessible to everyone.

Haas said it’s a pivotal time to make sure the sport grows and doesn’t turn into a fad that comes and goes. He said that growth lies in accessibility to the non-rock climber.

He hopes for a day when people understand climbing like they do basketball or football.

“I should be able to turn on the television and go: who’s winning?” he said. “We have this great opportunity to show the whole world this sport and they can share it whether they physically do it as well or just spectate.”

is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com.

e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

Sean Bailey, 26, heel hooks while clipping his rope into a metal safety clasp during USA Climbing National Championships in November. Bailey won gold in the sport climbing discipline at G1 Climbing + Fitness in Broomfield.

PHOTO COURTESY OF USA CLIMBING

Lunar New Year celebrations to take place in Denver

BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

Colorado State University doctoral student Xinyi “Katya” Zhou grew up celebrating Lunar New Year in her hometown of Beijing, China. Each year to celebrate, Zhou’s family would prepare an elaborate dinner on the eve of the Lunar New Year, full of potstickers, chilled braised beef, many prepared vegetables, chocolates, nuts and wine.

Potstickers, the most important part of Zhou’s family celebration, were made with yellow chives, eggs and napa cabbage with homemade Sichuan peppercorn oil to add avor.

“Years ago, when my grandparents were healthier, we’d make potstickers together. My mom would mix the llings and my grandpa — the chief in the family — was the quality control and would tell Mom if the potstickers need more salt or any adjustments,” said Zhou. “Grandma, my mom, and sometimes my aunt, would actually make the potstickers. I would help as well, especially as I got older. My uncle either helped with the potsticker making or would make the dough and roll it into thin pieces.”

Guests would come and go from Zhou’s house throughout the several days of the Lunar New Year celebrations, sometimes bringing gifts along with them such as food and potted plants. Guests were greeted by a decorated front door, adorned with the Chinese character that means luck.

Zhou’s family will be celebrating the Lunar New Year in Beijing, but because it falls in the middle of the spring semester, Zhou will be staying in Colorado and expects to spend most of the time dedicated to her studies — writing and working on her dissertation, she said.

“I do want to nd some time to make potstickers with my boyfriend and friends from the CSU anthropology department, if I have time,” Zhou added.

Lunar New Year celebrated in many places

China is a large, diverse country with varying cultural traditions. e majority of the population celebrates Lunar New Year and it is traditionally associated with the reunion of families, homemade food and time o work. Many people hold parties with food and dancing, and towns usually set o

reworks. In many areas of China, people receive seven days o of work, as preparations for the holiday start well in advance.

Lunar New Year is also celebrated outside of China in other East Asian countries such as Taiwan and Korea; in India in South Asia; in Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia in Southeast Asia; and in parts of the Middle East and North America.

e 2023 Chinese Lunar New Year marks the year of the rabbit. Each year’s animal classi cation is a part of the Chinese zodiac and is based on the lunar calendar. e Chinese zodiac repeats on a 12-year cycle. For 2023, the rabbit symbolizes compassion, creativity, con ict avoidance, friendship and family bonding. Many Chinese people use the zodiac symbolism to help de ne the coming year.

Parties for the incoming year of the rabbit and Lunar

The Nathan Yip Chinese New Year Celebration takes place from 5-10:30 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Grand Hyatt Denver. Tickets cost $295 general and $195 for young professionals. Proceeds benefit the Nathan Yip Foundation. To learn more, visit nathanyipfoundation.org.

There are many other family friendly Lunar New Year events taking place throughout the Denver area. Here are a couple suggestions:

19th annual Colorado Chinese New Year Celebration

Where: George Washington High School, 655 S. Monaco Parkway, Denver.

When: 10:30-3:30 p.m. Jan 21

For: Everyone

Cost: $25 (40% discount code: DCS40) tinyurl.com/FECLNY

Far East Center Lunar New Year 2023

Where: Far East Center, 333 S. Federal Blvd., Denver.

When: Multiple weekends beginning Jan. 14.

For: Everyone

Cost: Free entry with shopping and dining available tinyurl.com/yck23h7n

The Denver Public Library is o ering a variety of free and familyfriendly Lunar New Year events. Visit the library’s website to find out about Lunar New Year events at your local branch: denverlibrary.org/events/ upcoming.

Katya Zhou, a Chinese doctoral student at Colorado State University, with the CSU mascot.

Katya Zhou, now a doctoral student at Colorado State University, has fond memories of celebrating the Lunar New Year growing up in Beijing, China.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KATYA ZHOU

The 2023 Lunar New Year is the year of the rabbit. The rabbit symbolizes compassion, creativity, conflict avoidance, friendship and family bonding. COURTESY OF THE NATHAN YIP FOUNDATION

SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

How two brothers plan to save the world by packing a farm in shipping containers

“If anything isn’t running optimally, the farm will literally send me a text message,” Nick said, waving his iPhone over the transplanting tables. Sensors throughout the trailer are connected to wi- .

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

e lettuce is blooming nicely on the rollaway walls.

According to the farmer’s iPad, the calibrated nutrients are owing smoothly and accurately through the tubes.

It’s 30 degrees outside, but there’s a tantalizing garden of tangy, restaurant-ready produce inside this cozy, pristine shipping container.

Somewhere behind and among the pawn shops and the gas stations and the used tire traders and the body shops along South Broadway, on a former used car lot on Acoma Street, a couple of snazzy high-tech containers are parked to start an urban farming revolution.

Ullr’s Garden, launched a few months ago by a couple of brothers who want to save the world and sell some sustainable arugula, is growing the equivalent of a 10-acre farm on a dusty 7,500-square-foot lot. e lettuce and arugula and basil and romaine grow horizontally, while hanging from moveable walls packed inside the climate-controlled trailers. e farmers sit at a folding table in the nearby shed and plot their next expansion: stackable farm containers.

Nick Millisor, one of the brothers behind Ullr’s Garden, still can’t believe they’re doing what they’re doing.

“We are growing local produce, in the middle of Denver, on an old used car lot, the kind you used to roll your car windows up when you drove by,” Millisor laughs.

Vertical farms don’t stint on flavor

And their stu tastes great. e emerald green basil snaps with a hint of licorice. e arugula is laced

with a wild mustard avor. e butter lettuce, sold with root ball intact, has an earthy avor belying the fact the growing walls are purposefully insulated from any local dirt.

One trailer with 365 days of optimal growing conditions can produce the equivalent of a 5-acre seasonal farm, Nick and Luke Millisor say. Employing a closed loop for the water and nutrients, each trailer uses up only ve gallons a day from water bu aloes they ll o site.

“We don’t even have a water tap here yet,” Nick laughed.

And when the weather turns truly frigid, say 10 degrees from a recent overnight snow, a conscientious farmer can check on the baby bibb while sitting at home in bed with a laptop.

Urban farming and hydroponics a great mix, experts say Independent experts on vertical, hydroponic farming say they can’t predict the success of Ullr’s business model, but agree the revolution in welldesigned shipping containers could indeed preserve the environment and extend better nutrition to remote consumers.

Rising world population, scarce water amid climate change and urban neighborhoods neglected by fresh food stores, “these are the multifaceted reasons why we’re seeing this surge in interest,” said Josh Craver, an assistant professor in controlled environment horticulture at Colorado State Univer-

“It’s not hard to see pretty quickly that you can produce, per square foot, way more food in these containers than you can in the eld,” Craver said.  We are growing local produce, in the middle of Denver, on an old used car lot, the kind you used to roll your car windows up when you drove by.

e Ullr’s Garden name for their parking lot container farm honors the brothers’ time growing up skiing in Breckenridge, home to the Ullr Fest winter sports party. Nick Millisor comes at farming with all the technical skills of a self-described liberal arts eclectic and sci- nerd. He’d been toiling in real estate when the strange winds of COVID and climate change turned his 2021 upside down and he went in search of a meaningful project to better the world.

ere was a week where Germany ooded and the West was burning and a Canadian heat wave was cooking shell sh alive in the ocean.

“I didn’t want to deal with super-rich people’s problems with real estate anymore,” Nick Millisor said. “And so I convinced my brother to join me,

GARDENS, P9

Weekly

recycling is here for all Denver solid waste customers!

Weekly composting will roll out this summer. Denver is expanding services to make it easier for you to reduce what goes to the landfill and protect the environment. The city is charging existing customers based on the size of their trash cart, so go small and save more. Go online now to create and manage your account and learn how we can be Be er Together.

Questions?

Ullr’s Garden currently consists of two shipping containers of hydroponic farms in South Denver. Each “vertical farm” can grow the same amount of produce as 5 acres of farmland.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA SUN / THE COLORADO SUN VIA REPORT FOR AMERICA

Ullr’s Garden grows tangy artisanal arugula in climate-controlled trailers

SEE

VOICES

I want your story ideas for 2023

FROM THE EDITOR

It has been three years since I began my journey as editor of Life on Capitol Hill and the Washington Park Pro le. rough the months, I’ve worked with our team to make editorial and design improvements.

Perhaps the most noticeable are changes to our Business Matters column, which always runs on Page 2. e page, which celebrates local restaurants, shops and other

page designers relies on robust editorial content. I enjoy hearing from local business owners and the community about business happenings. Feel free to send me a tip about your favorite — particularly milestones, which lists anniversaries in ve-year increments.

A recurring annual feature is our High School Grads Package, which began in 2020. is celebrates the accomplishments of Denver’s best. If you have a loved one in the Class of 2023, be on the lookout for my

column this spring for how to get involved.

January is also a time to look forward to all the stories that will come in the new year. Again, that’s where you come in. While I have some stories already in the works for 2023, I am always on the lookout for your tips.

Everybody has a story — even you. Whatever your story may be, don’t hesitate to send it my way. I’m at csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com or 303-566-4107. Happy New Year!

‘An honor to represent the people of Denver’

2022 was a busy year for me at the Denver City Council. I served on multiple committees, including the Business, Arts, Workforce & Aviation Committee; Finance & Governance; and Budget & Policy. I also serve on the Opioid Abatement Council and the Crime Prevention and Control Commission.

system response resulted in no arrests, no injuries and no need for police response while serving 1,396 people during the rst year of the program.

Looking forward, there is still much work to be done.

Plant lore

Lore is de ned as the knowledge gained through tradition or anecdote passed down through the ages, generation to generation. e lore of plants has long been an integral part of humanity in uencing our religion, medicinal remedies, the food we eat and even our behaviors.

COLUMN Bridget Blomquist

Our relationship with plants is primal. Our pre-scienti c intuitions, suspicions, hopes, fears and desires involve plants as tools to ensure survival and good fortune.

Can you recall lore passed down to you by an older family member or trusted teacher like, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” or “knock on wood?” e rst referring to a good health practice, and the second to a superstition.

Speaking of wood, elderberry (Sambucus spp.) lore stories describe this woody plant as having properties of protection from witches. Early European stories describe cutting the wood of elderberry plants or crafting an infant’s crib made from its wood as unlucky. According to Brothers Grimm fairy tales, it is wise to keep a bouquet of elder owers picked in midsummer on hand in case a devil wanders by.

Denver City Council tackled gun violence early in the year with passage of an ordinance banning “ghost guns.” ere are privately made rearms with no serial number or markings. We also banned concealed-carry weapons in our city parks and leased buildings. Several measures were adopted throughout the year to address housing a ordability and to provide shelter and services to our unhoused population. e city funded numerous projects that will provide housing for people at a variety of income levels. We also adopted the Expanding Housing A ordability (EHA) ordinance requiring developers of rental properties to include a ordable units in their developments.

To increase safety in the community, I supported expanding the pilot Support Team Assisted Response (STAR) program to a citywide program. e goal is to help people in crisis related to mental health and homelessness by providing appropriate intervention and connecting them with resources such as water, food, clothing and basic living support. In turn, this frees up police and emergency medical providers to respond to 9-1-1 calls where their expertise is needed. 9-1-1 can now dispatch a team that includes behavioral health clinicians and emergency medical technicians to appropriate calls instead of police o cers. Shifting to a non-criminal justice

LINDSAY NICOLETTI

is is my last term as city council atlarge due to term limits. I have two major policy goals to accomplish before leaving o ce. Councilwoman Robin Kniech and I are currently working on a construction careers ordinance that establishes hiring and apprenticeship goals on city construction projects. is will provide Denver residents with a career path to good paying jobs.

I will also work for passage of an ordinance I introduced this year on railroad safety. e ordinance provides Community Planning and Development and other agencies the authority to mitigate risks from operations on railways. e goal is to require developers to consider safety issues for residents and properties as development and redevelopment occurs near freight corridors.

Signi cant progress has been made in addressing potential impacts caused by the transport of hazardous material across the freight corridors in our city. is year I contributed funding for a study and risk analysis of these corridors. e report will be presented in January. e ndings and the recommendations will be incorporated into the ordinance.

Overall, I am proud of our 2022 achievements and all we have accomplished as a city during my time serving as a councilmember at-large and as the District 9 councilperson.

It truly has been an honor to represent the people of Denver.

Deborah “Debbie” Ortega is an at-large member of Denver City Council. She can be reached at ortegaatlarge@denvergov.org or 720-337-7713.

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michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN ADDENBROOKE

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AUDREY BROOKS

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Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of Life in Cap Hill. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone. Email letters to csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Deadline 5 p.m. on the 20th of each month for the following month’s paper.

LINDA SHAPLEY

GUEST COLUMN

Councilmember Deborah Ortega

Elderberry

PHOTO COURTESY OF DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS

and then my cousin, and I was like, ‘You just want to do something crazy and start growing food in a container?’ And they said yes.”

Luke Millisor supplied the actual technical knowledge, from his experience managing a neuroscience lab at University of Colorado. Colorado’s increasing water challenges led them toward water-stingy hydroponic farming and to the equipment catalogs of storage container out tters.

“We’re not the only ones doing this you know. I would love to say that we’re the pioneers behind this, but a lot of smarter people have basically led us to this point where this technology is almost automatic,” Nick Millisor said. “It’s so easy. I mean, I have zero experience farming, other than growing some stu in my mom’s garden as a kid.”

Ullr’s Garden sent itself to indoor farm training

e container out tters supplied a two-day boot camp on vertical farming.

e would-be farmers learned there’s almost zero water use in the latest designs, no contamination of runo with excess fertilizer or pesticides, precise control of nutrients, e cient LED lighting powered by clean electricity. ey have two electric vehicles to deliver produce within a 5-mile radius, boosting their e ort to become carbon neutral with the overall operation. Leaving the root ball on a head of lettuce helps it last on the shelf for a couple of weeks and reduces food waste.

PLANTS

FROM PAGE 8

Burdock (Saponaria o cinalis) — sometimes called soaproot — was a favorite herb of Venus and, therefore, useful in love matters. A love charm prescribes to pick a burr o a burdock plant and name it after the one you love or fancy. en, throw it against your clothing and if it sticks, the object of your a ection feels the same as you. If it does not stick, the person does not share

A fully out tted container, with 24,000 individual LED pinpoint lights and temperature controlled at 68 to 70 degrees, costs about $170,000, Nick Millisor said. Ullr’s Garden can grow 500 varieties of produce to meet the whims of the market, and tweak the grow lights for goals as esoteric as the optimal color of a red lettuce leaf.

Accelerating e ciencies in lighting and heating have powered the surge in hydroponic container farms, said CSU’s Craver. Old grow lamps built up too much heat, while improved LEDs produce precise photons that the plant can employ for photosynthesis.

“So we really are sitting on the shoulders of giants on this one,” Nick Millisor said.

Vertical and remote, but not out of touch

As the water drips down the wall channels and then recirculates, sensors constantly check pH and mineral levels, among other growth factors. Reserve tanks dribble in supplement adjustments to the mix at the touch of the iPad. Key in siting the containers is pouring concrete footings at a 2% tilt to guarantee the water ow.

Most varieties started from seeds are ready in six to seven weeks. Harvesting means clean scissors trimming the walls, or pulling whole heads with root balls.

Now, about that business model. Negotiating with individual restaurants may not be the full answer, though Ullr’s Garden is in talks with a few looking for local supply and input into the varieties. e next challenge for the Millisors, joined by cousin and chief nancial o cer Ian Randall, is to launch a farm share program.

Other farm share subscriptions are popular in summer and fall, with buyers picking up or getting delivered

your a ection.

Mullein (Verbascum spp.) is a commonly found plant in Denver that comes from the Greek word ego, meaning `set on re.’ Accounts of the plant describe it as used as a wick to put into lamps to burn for light — the leaves were rolled and dried and used as wicks for oil lamps and candles. Later Europeans would dip mullein stalks in beef fat and burn them to frighten o evil spirits, assigning a common name of Aaron’s Rod who used a long sta in the Book of Exodus to overcome Pharaoh’s evil sorcerers.

a box of outdoors-grown seasonal items ranging from lettuce to tomatoes to squash. But the outdoor shares run out by late fall, where Ullr’s Garden can deliver lettuce, herbs and other greens year-round. e company has 150 shares on sale now, to be delivered within the 5-mile radius.

A prime calculation in close-quarters farming, Craver said, is which plants draw top dollar for the space they take up. Corn is all brous scaffolding, producing a handful of kernels that sell for 25 cents an ear. Root ball lettuce is nearly 100% edible, and can retail for $5 or $6 a head.  ere are large hydroponic operations in metro Denver that appear to be thriving, Craver said, and smaller operations like Ullr’s Garden are busy guring out their costs and a workable scale.

“When you look at the business model, it de nitely does work,” Craver said.

I didn’t want to deal with super-rich people’s problems with real estate anymore … I was like, ‘You just want to do something crazy and start growing food in a container?’ And they said yes.

Of course, there’s a lucrative container model selling billions of dollars of product a year in Colorado — marijuana. e Millisors, though, are adamant they want to feed the world, not medicate it.

Denver’s zoning o ce is well organized to approve urban farming, Nick Millisor said, but they did have to address the elephant in the container.

“I was like, ‘I’m doing a hydroponic garden,’ and you could just see it in their eyes, oh no, there’s another one, and I was like, ‘Not marijuana! Not marijuana!’ And she’s like, okay, STAMP, get out of here.’ ”

Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) tales are those of prosperity. Tales of nding goldenrod in the wild is a sign that buried treasure lay beneath. If it were to grow by a house door, then the inhabitants could expect great fortune.

Artemisia species, or mugwort, have been used for its medicinal purposes through the centuries and all over the world. Herbalists claim that artemisia species were an excellent comfort for the brain. Crushing its leaves and inhaling its aromatic fragrance is said to have a calming e ect.

Container farms could be stackable e Ullr’s Garden trio plots their next move from underneath the modest shed looking out on the lot. If marketing picks up and the consumer-direct shares work out, there’s room for expansion with ground space for two or three more containers.

Plus, as anyone who’s seen a modern port city can tell you, they’re stackable. Ullr’s Garden anticipates going at least a second story of vertical, and perhaps more if the zoning folks are feeling frisky.

ey’re considering transforming the shed into an events and education space, knowing that schoolchildren would thrive on a cool hydroponics and LED lesson. As for the produce, they’re still considering winter decorative owers, edible owers that could draw top dollar, and radishes. One grower gured out how to do hops indoors, another grew berries, though that may not scale up to be useful.

One constant, besides the 68 degrees inside the trailers, is how welcoming and helpful everyone in vertical farming has been in sharing tips with Ullr’s Garden, Nick Millisor said.

“Everyone has the tool. Now everyone’s kind of guring out how best to use it,” he said. “And that’s what I think is most exciting for me.”

is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun. com. e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

One of my personal plant lore stories comes from growing up in Ohio exploring the woods with other children. I learned Queens Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) was picked to adorn the hair of women in the “olden days,” made popular by Queen Anne. Women also collected these owers on their wedding day to be sewed onto their dress for extra beauty and embellishment as lace.

Bridget Blomquist is the associate director of horticulture for the Denver Botanic Gardens.

Mile High Happenings is a new monthly column featuring community events throughout Denver, highlighting events that take place in the central and central-south neighborhoods covered by the Washington Park Pro le and Life on Capitol Hill newspapers.

Event submissions from community members and organizations are welcome. Submissions should include brief details about the event and a photo

or event logo.

Deadline is the 20th of each month for the event to be listed the following month. Cycle for the column’s listings will typically begin on the rst weekend of the month, depending on publication dates.

Submissions can be emailed to Christy Steadman at csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com.

Dec. 12-Feb. 28

Jan. 13-23

Jan. 14-Feb. 18

Y/OUR Denver photography exhibit

Time: Any.

Location: Virtual.

Cost: Free.

Doors Open Denver’s annual competition returned for the fth time this year. e exhibition featuring the competition’s top entries is available on the Denver Architecture Foundation’s website.

More information/reservations: denverarchitecture.org Ernie Leyba’s “Justice Center Dome” won Best in Show in the 2022 Doors Open Denver

“Indigo”

Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday or by appointment.

Location: PlatteForum Annex Gallery, 3575 Ringsby Court #103, Denver.

Cost: Free.

Jahna Rae Church is a multidisciplinary artist and emerging muralist in Denver. Specializing in portrait painting and abstraction, she explores topics of spirituality, diversity and identity, symbolism and selfdiscovery. An exhibition opening reception takes place from 6-8 p.m. Jan. 13.

More information/reservations: platteforum.org Courtesy photo.

“Alma”

Time: Varies.

Location: Curious Theatre Company, 1080 Acoma St. in Denver.

Cost: Varies.

Curious eatre Company is presenting the regional premier of “Alma,” a funny and poetic performance that tells the story of an immigrant single mom and the wishes she has for her teenaged daughter.

More information/reservations: curioustheatre.org/event/alma

Photo courtesy of Curious eatre Company website.

Jan. 10

Tribute

Jan. 15

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Boettcher Concert Hall at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, 1000 14th St.

Cost: Free, RSVP required.

Known as the most prominent spokesperson and leader in the American Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. remains one of the most inspirational gures in history for his pursuit of equal rights and his nonviolent approach to civil rights protests. e evening will feature special guest performances and will honor recipients of the 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Awards.

More information/reservations: coloradosymphony.org

Photo courtesy of Colorado Symphony website.

Stories on Stage: A Hall Pass to the Galaxy

Time: 2 p.m.

Location: Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center, 721 Santa Fe Dr., Denver.

Cost: $24. is performance includes mind-blowing tales from some of science ction’s best writers. A virtual performance will be available beginning at 7 p.m. Jan. 19.

More information/reservations: storiesonstage.org. Astronaut on foreign planet in front of spacetime portal light. Science ction universe exploration. 3D render.Photo from Getty Images/iStockphoto

Colorado Symphony: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

photography competition. Photo by Ernie Leyba.

History Colorado’s Tours and Treks: A German History of Denver by Bus

Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Location: History Colorado Center, 1200 N. Broadway, Denver.

Cost: $135 nonmembers, $115 for members Experience German Denver through the buildings, industries and immigrant stories, and enjoy a tasty German lunch along the way. Registration deadline is Jan. 10.

More information/reservations: historycolorado.org Logo courtesy of History Colorado website.

Capitol Hill Concerts: Megan Burtt

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: First Unitarian Society of Denver, 1400 N. Lafayette St.

Cost: $20-$25 general admission.

Megan Burtt is an international touring singer/songwriter performing Americana-Roots Originals. Capitol Hill Concerts has a mission to o er high-caliber, musically-diverse, family-friendly concerts, while also supporting local nonpro ts. A portion of the proceeds from this show will bene t e GrowHaus. e concerts will be livestreamed on YouTube for free but a donation is suggested.

More information/reservations:

Melanie Yazzie: “Peace Walking”

Time: Various.

Location: Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St.

Cost: Included with general admission.

Colorado-based Melanie Yazzie’s work is intended to convey wonder and peace while encouraging viewers to engage more deeply with complex Indigenous experiences. “Peace Walking” is a meditation on the Diné (Navajo) prayer, Walking in Beauty, which invites healing, balance and harmony with the natural world.

More information/reservations: Photo: “He is With Us” by Melanie Yazzie. Acrylic and mixed media, 2022.

Colorado Ballet: Lady of the Camellias

Time: Various.

Location:

ver

Cost: Varies.

Romance meets turbulence to tragic e ect in choreographer Val Caniparoli’s gripping

adaptation of Alexandre Dumas ( ls)’s classic novel La Dame aux Camélias. In its highly anticipated Denver debut, this Chopinscored tale of troubled courtesan Marguerite brings a rawness to the stage you won’t forget.

More information/reservations: coloradoballet.org

Photo courtesy of Colorado Ballet website.

LGBTQIA+ Shabbat

Time: 6-9 p.m.

Location: JCC Denver, 350 S. Dahlia St.

Cost: Sliding Scale Pricing: $12, $25, $36 is all-ages event includes a short Kabbalat Shabbat Service and Shabbat meal in a queercentered space. e meal will be kosher and vegetarian, with vegan options available.

More information/reservations: jccdenver.org

History Colorado’s Tours and Treks: Lost Cities of Denver by Bus

Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Location: History Colorado Center, 1200 N. Broadway, Denver.

Cost: $85 nonmembers, $65 members.

Many of Denver neighborhoods used to be cities on their own. is bus tour will include the cities that were, and those so small they often slip under our regional radar. Registration deadline is Feb. 1.

More information/reservations: historycolorado.org

capitolhillconcerts.com Photo courtesy of Capitol Hill Concerts website.

Ellie Caulkins Opera House at the Den-

Performing Arts Complex, 1385 Curtis St.

‘If the calendar was open, I always said yes’

CBS4’s

Jim Benemann reflects

on career, retirement

BY BRUCE GOLDBERG SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Back in May, longtime CBS Colorado — KCNC-TV, Channel 4 — news anchor Jim Benemann announced his retirement, bringing a close to his 44 years in TV news, including 36 years in the Denver market.

Denver’s Benemann has served as the face of CBS Colorado’s evening news since 2002, anchoring the program alongside Karen Leigh since 2008.

KCNC sports anchor Michael Spencer, who began working at CBS Colorado in June 2016, will replace Benemann as anchor of the CBS Colorado news at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.

In December, Gary Shapiro, who began anchoring 9NEWS Mornings in 1989, retired. He intends to stay on part-time, and will occasionally be seen on the air for some stories and specials, 9NEWS reported.

In his retirement, Benemann is looking forward to spending more time with his wife, Karen, their eight children and ve grandchildren, and also traveling at a more leisurely pace than reporting the news demands. With only about three months left before he retires, Colorado Community Media visited with Benemann to learn more about his career and retirement plans.

BY BRUCE GOLDBERG SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Michael Spencer said it has been tough containing his excitement for his new role. Come March, Spencer will be moving into the CBS Colorado’s news anchor spot being vacated by Jim Benemann.

“I’ve known for a long time and couldn’t say anything,” said Spencer, who has been serving as CBS Colorado’s sports anchor since June 2016. “I am very much looking forward to working with Karen Leigh and serving the community in a di erent role. It’s a fantastic opportunity.”

Spencer, 34, started his career at the University of Missouri and has worked for KMID-TV in Midland, Texas; KAMRTV in Amarillo, Texas and WATE-TV in Knoxville, Tennessee before joining CBS Colorado.

Spencer’s rst assignment in Denver was covering the Broncos’ win over the New England Patriots to advance to Super Bowl 50, which the Broncos also won.

Spencer said Benemann has been a great mentor and friend, and that assuming his role will “be some big shoes to ll.”

“I’m delighted Michael will be taking over the anchoring duties that I’ve been honored to have over the years,” Benemann said in a news release. “He’s smart, dedicated to getting things right and a great guy to be around. I know our viewers who’ve followed Michael’s sports reporting will enjoy watching him in his new role.”

A behind-the-scenes photo of Jim Benemann on air at this year’s Together 4 Colorado Toy Drive. Benemann is retiring from a 44-year career in television news this March. PHOTO COURTESY OF CBS COLORADO

Denver native advances to petty o cer first class

BY EDWARD JONES NAVY RECRUITING COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

A rise in rank is an honor and means a lot to service members who tirelessly perform their duties daily to protect and defend. In recognition of his Naval dedication, Electrician’s Mate Nuclear Petty O cer 2nd Class Andrew W. Pluss received authorization to assume the title of and wear the uniform of petty o cer rst class.

Pluss was pinned by his wife, Marisol Rosado, in the presence of command members of the Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) San Antonio.

NTAG San Antonio’s commanding o cer, Cmdr. Stephanie Simoni, accompanied by Command Master Chief Samuel Bernal, wel-

comed and presented the sailor with the well-deserved honor.

Pluss graduated from the Denver Academy in the University Hills neighborhood. He joined the Navy in 2011 and dedicated his Naval achievement to his late friend and shipmate, Brandon Dewey. Additionally, Pluss thanked the command for the recognition along with those who have mentored and supported his Naval career.

Pluss also re ected on his Naval career and life.

“ e Navy has shown me a great interest in nuclear power and electrical systems,” said Pluss. “If I could go back in time, I would encourage myself to not give up and to keep learning because it would brighten my future.”

Salvador D. Aceves is Regis University’s first Latino president

STAFF REPORT

Salvador D. Aceves has assumed the role of president for Regis University, making him the school’s rst layperson and rst Latino to be in the role.

Aceves, who has a doctor-

ate in education, brings 37 years of experience in higher education as both an administrator and faculty member. He has served at other Jesuit universities, including Fordham University in New York City and the University of San Francisco, and has been in-

volved with Regis since 2014, serving as chief nancial ocer and senior vice president.

Aceves’ selection follows an eight-month national search conducted by a 16-member search committee comprised of the Regis University Board of Trustees, faculty, sta ,

alumni and students.

“I am extremely excited to welcome Dr. Aceves as our next president,” said Derek Scarth, chair of the Board of Trustees and Regis alumnus, in a news release. “Dr. Aceves understands and is committed to the importance of

a Jesuit-Catholic education and the servant responsibility that comes with his new role to our entire community. Because of the commitment and discernment of (the search committee), the path for Regis and our next phase of greatness is in good hands.”

In recognition of his Naval dedication, Electrician’s Mate Nuclear Petty O cer 2nd Class Andrew W. Pluss received authorization to assume the title of and wear the uniform of petty o cer first class. Pluss was pinned by his wife, Marisol Rosado in the presence of command members of the Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) San Antonio.

PHOTO BY EDWARD JONES

Small drop unlikely to reverse skyrocketing home prices

Sellers, buyers play waiting game

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Danielle and Stephan Storinsky “saw the writing on the wall.” It foretold how the housing market might change. So, earlier this year, the married couple sold their Arvada townhome.

ey timed it just right. ey capitalized before concerns about in ation took center stage. ey sold their home when the metro area was gripped by historically high housing prices.

ey bought their townhome about ve years ago for $285,000. ey sold for $521,000.

“ at part’s pretty nice because now we have a decent amount of money to put down on something,” Stephan Storinsky said.

But now, on the other side of cashing in, they nd themselves playing a waiting game. Even with the tidy pro t they hauled in, they are struggling to nd a home at a good value.

Houses on the market today “are just not worth the price that people are asking,” said Stephan Storinsky.

e couple are living with parents, constantly keeping their eyes open for a good deal.

e couple isn’t alone. While the number of avail-

able metro area houses shot upward in a year, so has the number of days those homes are sitting on the market until they sell, according to the latest report by the Colorado Association of Realtors.

One sign of the cooling real estate market are For Sale signs outside homes, an indication realtors are no longer overwhelmed by prospective clients.

e shift comes as mortgage rates — the amount of interest people pay on their home loans — ticked steadily upwards in recent months, making housing that’s been rising in price for the better part of a decade even costlier.

e only light at the end of the tunnel lately could be a slight drop in interest rates. But a drop in home prices might not be in the cards, one metro-area realtor says.

“I think it’ll be a small increase throughout the rst half of the year and then potentially a small decrease the last half of the year,” said Andrew Abrams, a real-estate broker in Denver who has rental properties in Je erson County.

But, overall, home prices are expected to keep going up, Abrams said.

As it is, the market is stagnating. Not only are there buyers like the Storinskys playing a waiting game, but many prospective sellers don’t want to leave behind the cheaper mortgage payments they clinched before, likely on mortgage loans with

FROM PAGE 12

What will retirement look like for you?

Like a full-time move up to the mountains. We have a little place in Eagle that we really enjoy. We’ll be spending a lot of time up there. But also, we have some kids here in Denver … we’ll be visiting.

We have not done an awful lot of travel. It’d be nice to go places where you can be free and easy.

One place we want to get to is New Zealand. You need three weeks to discover (everything there). And Slovenia is an undiscovered gem.

trusted with the information, and (when) they tuned in, got it straight down the middle. (Being) someone the audience could trust (to) get information fairly presented and professionally gathered.

What were some of your favorite assignments?

One of the most rewarding was the 40th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. My dad was a tank sergeant in World War II. He went into Normandy on June 8, led a tank crew all the way to Czechoslovakia. Many of the GIs who were there during the war returned (for the anniversary). A big contingent went to battle elds, cemeteries and the small towns they had fought their way to get to. Seeing how the locals had this tremendous love and admiration for what the GIs had done over there was really moving.

lower interest rates.

“Sellers are hesitant to sell at a lower price than their neighbors from last spring and leave their low interest rate behind, and buyers are afraid what the future will bring in terms of interest rates and home prices,” opined Kelly Moye, a Realtor in the Boulder and Broomeld area, in a statement.

A short break in price hikes

A deeper dive into the data shows that the median, or typical, price of a Denver area single-family home has seen a seven-month decline.

e price sat at $587,500 in November — still eye-catchingly high, but just a 1.3% increase from a year earlier, according to the Realtor association’s December report.

By contrast, in December 2021, the change in median home price was up a whopping 18.3% from a year earlier.

Something to keep in mind is that fall months typically see a slowdown in price growth and home sales each year. But the degree of the slowdown since March “has been more dramatic than normal seasonality, and I think that is dictated by interest rates,” Abrams said.

It’s a calculation that means big changes for families looking to buy homes. Take, for example, a $600,000 home with a 20% down payment.

If the mortgage interest rate sits at 6.5%, the family’s monthly mortgage payment

people.

And when I was at Channel 9, I covered the Sydney Olympics.

Let’s say you’d like to take a mulligan on something in your career. What would it be?

For my last week, the station probably has been saving up all the bloopers that they’ll roll out again.

What are some of the changes you’ve seen come to Denver? e explosive population growth and the issues it presents. When my wife and I rst moved here after college in 1980, it was so much sleepier than it is today. Denver’s gone from a big, manageable city to a really big metropolis with a lot of pressing issues.

What was rewarding about being involved with the community?

would be about $3,700, Abrams said. On the other hand, at the 3.5% rate locked in by buyers in years past, the mortgage monthly payment would be $2,800.

Feeling priced out

And so the Storinskys’ strategy to cash out while the market was at a high has come with a down side.

ey were “originally looking at around $650,000, but interest rates the way they are, we’re probably down into the max $600,000. But probably, more realistically, $550,000 to $575,000 is where we’ll end up,” Stephan Storinsky said.

e Storinskys are scouring the north and west metro area for a home – Lakewood, Arvada, Wheat Ridge and part of Westminster.

Danielle Storinsky, 31, a legal assistant, and Stephan Storinsky, 35, a utilities technician, said they’ve been more fortunate than many people in the market.

But the homes he and his wife have seen don’t seem worth it. e listed pictures of a place may “look great,” but in person leave something to be desired, he said.

“I’ve lived here my whole life, and I’ve seen what houses have sold for,” Stephan Storinsky said. “So for me, it’s just not worth it.”

“It’s hard to compete with people from out of state who come from California” and bring large sums of cash, he

NEW YEAR

FROM PAGE 6

New Year celebration will be held across the world, including one in Denver hosted by the Nathan Yip Foundation. e Nathan Yip Chinese New Year Celebration is Denver’s largest and, according to the foundation, the most authentic Lunar New Year Party. It will take place on Feb. 4.

“ e event is going to be amazing,” said Nathan Yip Foundation Executive Director Jill Shenkel Henwood. is year’s event will have a Chino-Latino theme, and the Colorado Mambo Orchestra will provide musical entertainment.

added. “Seems like you’re pricing the locals out of market.”

e Colorado Association of Realtors de nes the sevencounty Denver metro area as Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broom eld, Denver, Douglas and Je erson counties. e association’s latest report is based on November data.

Long-term price drop unlikely, Realtor says

Abrams takes issue with predictions that raise the specter of a housing market crash.

“I disagree pretty strongly, and I think the practices that were done before the Great Recession are dramatically di erent than the market today,” Abrams said, adding that “the lending practices back then were just not nearly as strong.”

Before the Great Recession, banks were giving loans to people they knew couldn’t keep up with them, Abrams said.

Another di erence: Fewer houses are on the market today, Abrams said.

In metro Denver, there were about 7,300 homes on the market as of Nov. 1, but in 2006, there were about 3 1/2 times more homes available, Abrams said.

ough it’s tough to predict the market amid concerns over in ation and interest rates, the metro Denver housing market could behave in a more stabilized way in 2023.

traditional Chinese “prosperity” salad toss called yusheng e tradition involves the mixing of traditional Chinese ingredients — all of which symbolize positive things such as money, luck, long life and prosperity in business. Ingredients are added to the salad one at a time and are accompanied by recited greetings of good luck.

e Nathan Yip Foundation has a rich history of improving education quality and access in remote areas of China. Now, they’ve turned their attention to Colorado, supporting teachers and students in rural school districts.

I would say the No. 1 accomplishment was working hard enough — and (being) dedicated enough — so people in Colorado trusted what I was reporting on and felt I had journalistic integrity. Someone who could be

When I was covering Washington, D.C., I was only 26 (or) 27, and sitting down with people like Sen. Gary Hart. I was working for all the Gannett-owned stations. We had some clout. What a tremendous opportunity to meet some of these

“We have a large Hispanic population, so it’s tting to re ect the diversity of the city and the rest of the state,” Henwood said. “We really want to celebrate the mixing of cultures with this event.”

In addition to the musical entertainment, the event will include a silent and live auction, a cocktail hour, lion dancers, a main presentation, family style dining and a post-dinner night market. e dinner will include a

e Lunar New Year Celebration is the foundation’s biggest fundraising event of the year, and proceeds from the event will help support its mission.

“After spending years working to help schools in rural China, the Nathan Yip Foundation Board decided to look at the struggles in our own backyard and those of students in rural Colorado,” said Henwood. “We’re working to address the equity and opportunity gap that exists between education in the city compared to rural Colorado schools.”

Q&A with Jim Benemann

What are you most proud of as you review your television career?

A HISTORY LESSON IN A FILM

“The Five States of Colorado” premieres on April 6 at the Denver Botanic Gardens’ Sturm Family Auditorium, 1085 York St. Start date for ticket sales has not been announced yet.

Colorado Humanities will distribute the new documentary to schools and libraries throughout the state after the premiere. The organization will also take it on tour, o ering screenings and conducting panel discussions about critical issues with regional figures as well as community conversations available for the general public.

To learn more, visit fivestatesfilm.com.

BY BRUCE GOLDBERG SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

e creators of a new lm that will premiere this spring hope it will help the state’s residents and leaders better understand what the state needs

Set to premiere on April 6, “ e Five States of Colorado” is a production of Denverbased HaveyPro Cinema and Colorado Humanities, a nonpro t dedicated to promoting humanities education through community-

It’s a follow-up to Jim Havey’s 1989 lm that was the original “Five States,” which was Havey Productions’ rst historical documentary production. e new version will be his last, as Havey plans to retire. e lm focuses on Colorado’s history, how it came to be and where it’s going.

“We could probably make a lm just about what happened between 1990 and today,” said Nathan Church, partner in HaveyPro Cinema who also serves as its art director and editor. “But we’re trying to look at the whole history of Colorado. ere’s a lot to cram in there. We can’t cover everything, but we hope to get a good overview.” e U.S. Congress set Colorado’s boundaries in 1861, from four di erent territories.

“ ese straight lines represent no river, no mountain range, no tribe or language group - yet within the state are many divides both geographic and human,” Colorado Humanities said in a news release.

e organization points out that the “ ve states” model reveals Colorado’s regions and each has its own history, geography and economy. According to Colorado Humanities, “each region engenders a certain loyalty

from its citizens and has some common ideas how things should be done.”

“ e ve-state model is based on the idea that Colorado’s borders are a square. It was drawn arbitrarily,” Church added. “It was closed within one square that way to protect the gold-bearing regions for the Union, as this was right around the Civil War.”

A partial look at the regions entails: Southern Colorado includes Pueblo and the San Luis Valley; Western Colorado covers mountain ranges, including North, Middle and South Park; the Eastern Plains include the Front Range north of the Arkansas River; the Front Range includes a dense population from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs; and Metropolitan Denver has its own region because of its in uence in politics and the economy.

“Some of the issues we face today are things we’ve been dealing with in Colorado in time immemorial, all the way back to the ancestral Puebloans,” Church said. “ ere was a major drought in the 1200s, and evidence shows the Puebloans moved out likely because of that. e entire Southwest is now in a mega-drought that has been going on for the better part of a decade.”

e state’s recent rapid growth in population is another topic of concern.

“ at connects with climate change, which is changing the water picture throughout the state,” Church said. “ ese topics touch all the regions.”

Colorado Humanities recruited 26 scholars and community leaders to ensure that the new version of “Five States” ensures accuracy, inclusiveness and relevance in the lm.

“One thing that gives us comfort is (they’re) advising us about topics to cover,” Church said. “ ey’ll review the script and the lm. We’re counting on those scholars to guide the development of this lm. “We really hope it will both educate people about the history of the state and inform them about current issues with that historical perspective.”

A still from “The Five States of Colorado,” a documentary that will premiere this spring.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HAVEY PRODUCTIONS

‘The Five States of Colorado’ to premiere this spring