Washington Park Profile August 2021

WashParkProfile.com

AUGUST 2021

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PROVIDING A UNIQUE FOOD EXPERIENCE Cherry Creek North Food & Wine takes place Aug. 11-14

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A WINDOW TO WILDLIFE Denver Zoo has been connecting people to animals for 125 years

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CELEBRATING FIVE POINTS History Colorado exhibit pays tribute to historic Denver neighborhood

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FOCUSED ON ART Summer Art Market to highlight Art Students League of Denver

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2 Washington Park Profile

August 1, 2021

Business Matters Christy Steadman | csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Business Matters is a monthly column featuring business news in the Life on Capitol Hill and Washington Park Profile coverage areas, which is roughly central and central-south Denver.

If you are a local business that would like to announce any updates to your operations, email Christy Steadman at csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia. com.

NEW OPENINGS Heaven Creamery Heaven Creamery opened its second metro-area location in Cherry Creek North at 299 Milwaukee St. mid-May, and is expected to open a third location in Denver’s River North Art District this summer.

Heaven Creamery is an all-natural artisan creamery that serves a variety of ice cream, gelato, sorbet and fruit pops. Products have no artificial colors or flavors, zero processed sugar and are made with wholesome ingredients. Heaven Creamery is known for its unique, bizarre and extravagant flavors and offers an extensive selection of dairy free, vegan and gluten free options, states its website.

Heaven Creamery’s owner and CEO Martha Trillo got her start in the creamery business in Denver in 2008, but closed the doors to that business two years later to focus on a different profession. In 2015, Trillo opened KIWI International Delights in Avon. Because of its success, Trillo decided to expand to the Denver area with the same recipes, but with a rebranded name. Heaven Creamery opened its first location in the Streets at SouthGlenn in Centennial in early 2020.

To learn more about Heaven Creamery or to stay up-to-date on the opening of its RiNo location, visit https://heavencreamery.com.

Reverence Brewing Company A new brewery in Denver’s City Park West neighborhood opened in early July.

Reverence Brewing Company, 1604 E. 17th Ave., is “a neighborhood brewery for all ages, races, genders and lovers serving up all the styles in a vintage lounge,” states its Facebook page.

The brewery opened with offering three beers on tap: Sanguine, a hazy IPA; Sedora, an ale; and Sheltered In Cove, a Mexican lager.

To learn more about Reverence Brewing Company, visit www.reverencebrewing-

company.com.

Tikka and Grill Tikka and Grill, a new restaurant serving Nepali and Indian cuisines, opened mid-June at 1300 South Broadway in Denver’s Platt Park neighborhood.

The restaurant’s full menu offers a variety of items for lunch and dinner, including appetizers, deserts and nonalcoholic specialty Indian drinks.

To learn more about Tikka and Grill or to view the menu, visit www.thetikkaandgrill.com.

Yum Yums Ice Cream A new ice cream destination opened in late July on the property shared with Denver Beer Co.’s South Downing taproom at 2425 South Downing St. in the Rosedale neighborhood.

Yum Yums Ice Cream specializes in small-batch ice creams and sorbets with all ingredients locally sourced from Colorado dairy farms and fields.

The concept is the brainchild of Denver Beer Co.’s founders, Charlie Berger and Patrick Crawford. When the two purchased the South Downing Street property in January 2020 for Denver Beer Co.’s third taproom, they envisioned opening a creamery in the property’s smaller auxiliary building, said Diana Crawford, public relations director for the brewery.

Yum Yums serve flavors that flavors that pay homage to the creamery’s craft brewing roots — Lemon Drop Hop sorbet and Graham Cracker Porter Ice Cream, for example — fun flavors and kid favorites such as Rainbow Unicorn Fruity Pebble Treat, and old-school classics like chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.

“We can be quite nimble with our micro-creamery and we’ve had a ton of fun coming up with all the flavor combos,” said Patrick Crawford in a news release. “We envision folks enjoying beer and a scoop on our patio, there will be something for everyone, from craft beer floats to classic cones covered in sprinkles and a cherry on top.”

To learn more about Yum Yums, visit www.yumyums.co. To learn more about Denver Beer Co., visit https://denverbeerco.com.

CLOSINGS beast + bottle beast + bottle, 719 E. 17th Ave., which was a farm-to-table American restaurant in Denver’s Uptown neighborhood, closed

MILESTONES Three Cutters Three Cutters is celebrating the 20-year anniversary of its Washington Park location this summer.

Three Cutters is an Aveda concept salon that offers full-service scalp to soul experiences, including Aveda color, cut, style, skin care, waxing, body care and makeup services; as well as specialty services that vary by provider per location.

The Washington Park location, which is currently owned by Brad Van Dyke and Justin Williams, was Three Cutters’ first location. Since its opening in summer 2001, the salon has expanded to three locations in Denver. They are: Washington Park, 485 S. Pearl St.; Capitol Hill, 1021 E. Ninth Ave., which opened in September 2019; and Sunnyside, 4053 Tejon St., which opened in October 2017.

“Denver has such a unique community, and being nestled in these neighborhoods really gives us a sense of belonging,” said Sarah Riggs, Three Cutters’ general manager who has been with the salon since 2012. “We hear from our guests all the time that we have become a place to escape from the stresses of their everyday lives, and they feel truly renewed after leaving our salon and spa. Hearing that we make a difference is what makes our day.”

All Three Cutters locations boast a team of highly trained stylists and estheticians.

To learn more about the salon, including a meet-the-team for each location, or to book an appointment, visit www.threecutters.com.

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in early June after eight years of service.

However, it was recently announced that Paul and Aileen Reilly, the brotherand-sister duo behind the former beast + bottle, will be opening a new seasonal American fare restaurant called Apple Blossom inside the Hyatt Centric, 1776 Champa St., in downtown Denver. Apple Blossom is expected to open in the fall.

Coperta — the Reillys’ other restaurant concept located at 400 E. 20th Ave., which borders Uptown and the Five Points neighborhood — is currently open for dine-in and takeout. This restaurant specializes in the food and wine of Rome and southern Italy. It opened in 2016 with a third business partner, JP Taylor, Jr., who also opened beast + bottle with the Reillys.

To learn more about Coperta, visit www.copertadenver.com.

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Wheelhouse Gifts Wheelhouse Gifts celebrated the oneyear anniversary of opening its brick-andmortar location in July.

Wheelhouse Gifts, 1525 S. Pearl St., got its start a number of years ago as a mobile gift shop that made its way around the city in a 1972 converted Chevy step van.

The concept was to carry “something in everyone’s wheelhouse — women, men, children, babies and pets,” said owner Jody Fidler.

“Having a permanent location and getting to know my neighbors and their pets has brought me incredible joy,” Fidler said. “I truly feel part of this wonderful community.”

Wheelhouse Gifts boasts being an affordable gift boutique and carries a variety of items. Much of the items are women’s clothing and accessories, but Wheelhouse also carries curated gifts for babies and toddlers, men’s gifts and selections for teens; as well as jewelry, novelty items, artwork, Colorado ware, custom-made decorative license plates and wall art.

To learn more about Wheelhouse Gifts, visit www.wheelhousegifts.com.

MISCELLANEOUS Patrick Mangold-White Patrick Mangold-White, a well-known Denver restaurateur, died at age 53 on July 7 after being struck by a tree on a fishing trip in Montana, Westword reported in a July 9 article.

Mangold-White was the local owner of Kaos Pizzeria, 1439 S. Pearl St. in Denver’s Platt Park neighborhood; three Uno Mas Taqueria locations — 1585 S. Pearl St. in Platt Park, 730 E. Sixth Ave. in Denver’s Speer neighborhood, and a Fort Collins location; MAS KAOS Pizzeria + Taqueria, 4526 Tennyson St. in Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood; and Bird Restaurant, 1529 S. Pearl St. in Platt Park.

A bereavement fund has been set up for Mangold-White, as his family learned that his life insurance policy was in lapse at the time of the accident, according to the post on GoFundMe. If the GoFundMe goal amount is met, it will also include a college fund and education donations for his employees, which is something Mangold-White had always wanted to set up, states the post on GoFundMe. To donate to the Patrick MangoldWhite Bereavement Fund, visit www. gofundme.com/f/patrick-mangoldwhitebereavement-fund.

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Washington Park Profile 3

August 1, 2021

Veteran Colo. journalist Linda Shapley named publisher She’ll lead Colo. Community Media newspapers and websites, including this one

By Mark Harden mharden@coloradocommunitymedia.com

The new owners of Colorado Community Media have named Linda Shapley the news company’s publisher.

Shapley, a lifelong Coloradan, has been a senior news executive at The Denver Post and Colorado Politics magazine in a career in print and digital news and communication spanning more than 30 years.

She will lead CCM’s two-dozen Colorado newspapers and websites, including this one, as well as other publications as the company’s first publisher since the May announcement of its sale by Jerry and Ann Healey to The Colorado News Conservancy, a partnership of The Colorado Sun and the National Trust for Local News dedicated to fostering community journalism.

CCM newspapers service Adams, Arapahoe, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Jefferson and Weld counties.

“I am excited and honored to be assuming this role, especially during such a critical time in our industry,” Shapley said. “Anyone who knows me knows I am an ardent supporter of local news, and my main goal is to tirelessly work at building a team that strengthens the bond a community has with its newspaper.”

Shapley has been managing editor of Colorado Politics, affiliated with the Colorado Springs Gazette and Denver Gazette, since October 2019. Before that she was customer experience director at communications company Deke Digital and managing editor of The Denver Post, overseeing news operations and coverage.

‘Anyone who knows me knows I am an ardent supporter of local news, and my main goal is to tirelessly work at building a team that strengthens the bond a community has with its newspaper.’

Linda Shapley

Larry Ryckman, co-founder and editor of The Colorado Sun, said he was excited to be able to work with his former Post colleague again. Ryckman noted that Shapley “worked in many different roles and departments during her time at The Post and oversaw print production for news events large and small. She also led The Post’s community engagement initiative along with other operational duties.”

Prior to The Post, Shapley worked at The Kansas City Star, the Greeley Tribune and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She is a Colorado State University graduate and a former vice president of the Denver Press Club.

Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro, CEO of the National Trust for Local News and a Colorado News Conservancy board member, said CCM’s owners “conducted an extensive, thorough search, and a number of highly qualified applicants expressed interest in the position.

In Linda we found an experienced leader with a com-

bination of strong newsroom chops, organizational skills and budgeting acumen. She’s a great listener, has boundless energy and is passionate about community news. On top of all that, she is a lifelong Coloradan with deep roots in Weld County.”

Shapley joins CCM on Aug. 23.

CCM publications include the Arvada Press, Brighton Standard Blade, Canyon Courier, Castle Pines News-Press, Castle Rock News-Press, Centennial Citizen, Clear Creek Courant, Commerce City Sentinel Express, Denver Herald-Dispatch, Douglas County News-Press, Elbert County News, Englewood Herald, Evergreen Lifestyles, Fort Lupton Press, Golden Transcript, Highlands Ranch Herald, Jeffco Transcript, Life on Capitol Hill, Littleton Independent, Lone Tree Voice, Northglenn/Thornton Sentinel, Parker Chronicle, South Platte Independent, Washington Park Profile and Westminster Window, plus two shoppers, AdCo Advertiser and 285 Hustler.

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4 Washington Park Profile

August 1, 2021

A ‘mini window into the wild’ Denver Zoo has been connecting people to animals for 125 years

By Christy Steadman

T

csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

he Denver Zoo’s president and CEO, Bert Vescolani, believes that animals have a way of making us humans feel special.

“We want to inspire communities to save wildlife for future generations,” Vescolani said, “and see a world where wildlife thrives.”

Denver Zoo by the Numbers

80 3,000 450 400 2 million

— The Denver Zoo has 80 acres of property that its visitors can explore

— More than 3,000 animals live at the Denver Zoo

— The Denver Zoo houses about 450 different species of animals

The Denver Zoo started out as a place where people could see and learn about the wildlife of the local region. Since then, technology for animal care has advanced, ideas and concepts for exhibits have developed, and efforts such as sustainability, conservation and public education have excelled. Today, the Denver Zoo can boast that it offers its visitors a glimpse into the diversity of wildlife found across the world.

“Most people won’t get to see these animals in the wild,” Vescolani said. “We’re here to help people understand the importance of these animals.”

Zoos serve as a connector to education and a “mini window into the wild,” said Jake Kubié, director of

IF YOU GO The Denver Zoo is a nonprofit organization located at 2900 E. 23rd Ave. in Denver’s City Park neighborhood. To learn more about the Denver Zoo — including its animals, exhibits and events — or to purchase tickets, visit https://denverzoo.org/. communications for the Denver Zoological Foundation.

Kubié added that the overarching mission of the Denver Zoo is, quite simply, to connect people to animals.

“We want them to love animals as much as we do.”

Did you know… … the Denver Zoo’s president and CEO, Bert Vescolani, is a former science teacher?

Vescolani is proud to say that the zoo puts on hundreds of programs for tens of thousands of students annually. Various educational programs are available for all ages and include virtual classrooms; camps; school field trips; student career resources, including shadowing a zookeeper; many volunteer opportunities; and even graduate degree programs.

These programs are not to mention the on-site education every zoo-goer can receive by simply viewing the animals and exhibits, and visiting the Denver Zoo’s new Schless-

man Family Foundation Visitor and Education Center where people can view the zoo’s veterinarians caring for the animals in real time inside the Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Animal Hospital. … the Denver Zoo spends about $2 million each year on conservation efforts?

The Denver Zoo’s Field Conservation Department has programs across the Front Range, working with bison and the American pika — which is a small mammal that is a member of the rabbit family — and mitigating the impacts of I-70 on wildlife.

Outside of the U.S., the zoo’s Field Conservation Department works with vultures, sheep, gazelle and falcons in Mongolia; frogs in Peru; and the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey in Vietnam. These programs are in addition to a small grants program for zoo staff, staff-nominated emergency conservation projects and ongoing staff projects, all of which take place across the globe.

— About 400 staff members help operate the Denver Zoo

— Roughly 2 million people visit the Denver Zoo each year

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE DENVER ZOO

Washington Park Profile 5

August 1, 2021

E H T T A Y A DA ER ZOO V N E D

The Bralishes are Denver natives, and they have been coming to the zoo for family time for more than 30 years. Pictured is three generations of zoo visitors, from left, Theresa Bralish, her daughter Christen, and Christen’s 1-year-old twins.

“I love that I could bring my daughter here when she was growing up, and now, my grandchildren.”

Theresa Bralish

The Denver Zoo has been hosting visitors for the past 125 years, making it a popular destination for tourists and locals alike. Colorado Community Media visited the Denver Zoo on July 21 to find out why people enjoy it so much. Here is what that day’s zoo visitors had to say: The Bryant family of Denver comes to the zoo regularly, at least several times a year.

Six-year-old Aalijah enjoys all the animals but was especially impressed with the porcupines during this visit.

“The zoo is awesome because I love seeing and learning about all the animals.” Aalijah, 6

Kelsey Eggers has worked at the Denver Zoo as a zookeeper for six years. She enjoys everything about her job — especially the animals.

“I love working with my teammates to brainstorm and come up with innovative ways to support great animal welfare.”

Kelsey Eggers.

The Trout Family has been to the Denver Zoo about five times in 8-year-old Kemah Trout’s lifetime. Her grandmother, pictured on the left, lives in Castle Rock, and the rest of the family were visiting her this summer from Tanzania, East Africa.

“I love that it’s (the Denver Zoo) a great place for people to come and see animals that they’ve never been able to see before.” Kemah Trout, 8

1 2 5 YE A RS 1896 — A bear cub was gifted to former Denver Mayor Thomas S. McMurry, who took the cub to City Park for public viewing. Thus began the Denver Zoo, which, in its beginnings showcased local wildlife — elk, birds of prey, coyotes, etc. — that Colorado residents captured or found injured.

1918 — Bear Mountain opened, making the Denver Zoo the first in the nation to use Carl Hagenbeck’s concept of naturalistic exhibitory, meaning people should see animals in natural habitats, not behind bars or in cages. Bear Mountain is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

1898 — The Denver Zoo’s first conservation project got its start, which was leading the national charge to save the American bison from extinction.

Six breeding bison were transported from Kansas City, and about 16 years later, two more were acquired from Yellowstone National Park. The buffalo herd in Genesee are descendants of these initial efforts.

OF THE

1959 — The Denver Zoo started charging admission for the first time as a source of sustainable revenue. Admission was 50 cents for adults and children were free. The zoo offered seven free days a year for those who could not afford admission, and this tradition of offering free days continues today.

1950 — The Denver Zoological Foundation formed, which helped the zoo get the resources it needed to become an attractive city amenity. One of the foundation’s first efforts was to purchase an elephant, and thus, Cookie came to live at the Denver Zoo.

1988 — Voters passed a sales tax that would provide one penny for every $10 to the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), which today boasts 300 scientific and arts-and-culture institutions — including the Denver Zoo — in the seven-county metro area.

1964 — The opening of the Feline House marked the Denver Zoo’s most dramatic exhibit since the opening of Bear Mountain.

DENVER ZOO 1996 — The Denver Zoo’s first immersive exhibit, Primate Panorama, opens.

1994 — The birth of two polar bear cubs, named Klondike and Snow, became icons for the progress of animal care in zoos, as these two cubs were abandoned by their mother and hand-raised by Denver Zookeepers.

2012 — Toyota Elephant Passage opened in 2012 with the same concept as Predator Ridge, except with elephants and rhinos.

2004 — Predator Ridge opens. This exhibit was one of the first of its kind, and allows for different species of animals to be rotated through multiple habitats.

Predator Ridge is home to lions, wild dogs and hyenas.

2020 — The new Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Animal Hospital opens at the Denver Zoo. The facility is state-of-the-art and boasts the most advanced technology in the industry.

6 Washington Park Profile

August 1, 2021

New Thinkers are changing the world Group offers safe space for tough conversations

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

D

enverite Keo Frazier has a goal.

It is to bring people with diverse backgrounds together to affect change.

“All of us contribute to our society,” Frazier said. “Diverse thought is how we get solutions that are helpful for all people.”

Frazier is a Colorado native and currently works as the director of communications and public affairs for Denver Housing Authority. Frazier has served on nearly 20 nonprofit boards, and is an alumna of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation’s Leadership Denver, Legacy Denver, Colorado Experience, Downtown Denver Leadership Program and the President’s Council for Cornell Women. She has been named a Top 40 Under 40 by the Denver Business Journal and was a Top 50 Minority Owned Business Owner in Colorado, to name a couple of her past recognitions.

A group called New Thinkers is Frazier’s passion project.

New Thinkers is a group “designed to bring people together who are creating great change and solving world problems,” states its website.

New Thinkers are people “who want to do something with the information” they are presented, Frazier said. “Not just absorb it, but act on it.”

Frazier is a fan of the Summit Series, which is an organization that fosters a global community through a series of invitation-

Keo Frazier, founder of New Thinkers, listens as Ben Cohen from Ben & Jerry’s Homemade ice cream discusses the importance of integrating social responsibility into business during a New Thinkers event in June.

The next New Thinkers event will take place in late September.

BECOME A NEW THINKER New Thinkers offers an annual membership at $137. The membership fee includes free access to all New Thinkers experiences, events and conversations through the year. To learn more, visit http://keosmarketing.com/newthinkers. only events. Frazier has attended many Summit Series events, during which she met like-minded people and had conversations on challenging topics, she said. Frazier realized the value of these conversations, but also realized not everyone had access to Summit Series events, as they are cost or travel prohibitive for some people, Frazier said.

Frazier wanted to ensure everyone had access to such conversations, and near the beginning of 2019, she founded New Thinkers.

“To effect change, we need everyone at the table,” Frazier said.

New Thinkers offers an annual membership, and current members reside in cities and towns across Colorado — with a few members living out-of-state.

“Members (of New Thinkers) are already doing amazing things,” Frazier said, adding they are the people already “creating change in their own world.”

For a few examples, New Thinkers members run the gamut of business owners, civic leaders, artists, activists and future politicians.

New Thinkers’ events bring all these people together and offer a safe and open venue — some events are in-person, some are virtual and some offer a hybrid experience — for discussion about a topical issue

COURTESY PHOTO

that incites action and change among the attendees. Conversation topics are varietal, but can include social justice, climate change, social biases, innovation, dismantling democracy, impact of culture on the world and interpersonal listening tools, states a news release.

The events and conversations are meant to inspire thought, and for attendees to be inspired by others.

“Maybe it’s a bold statement to make, but this world would be a better place if each city had a New Thinkers group,” said Conor Hall of Denver’s Athmar Park neighborhood. “I’ve deeply enjoyed every New Thinkers event I’ve been a part of. Each has challenged my assumptions and introduced me to not only new ideas, but a broad and engaged network of community-minded leaders who are excited to join forces in solving the many complex problems we face.”

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every quarter. In June, Ben Cohen, cofounder of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade ice cream, spoke virtually with New Thinkers about integrating social responsibility into the DNA of a business.

The next New Thinkers event is scheduled for Sept. 29, and its focus will be bridging the gap between the judicial system and public knowledge of the judicial system.

This event will take place virtually, and attendees can be anonymous so that they can ask tough questions to the panel of judges, Frazier said. This New Thinkers event will be open to the general public, but registration will be limited.

Frazier believes we were all changed in some way through the pandemic — but not all that change is negative. There was some evolution and awakenings, Frazier said.

New Thinkers can help “us continue that evolution as a city and as a nation, and propel us forward,” Frazier said. “I feel people are ready for that.”

Washington Park Profile 7

August 1, 2021

WINING AND DINING

Oscar Padilla, the executive chef at Toro Latin Kitchen & Lounge, pours achiote ponzu sauce over the restaurant’s salmon dish. Toro, a Richard Sandoval restaurant, is hosting a couple of events during the Cherry Creek North Food & Wine, including the Latin Wine Dinner on Aug. 11. During this special event, Padilla and Sandoval will cook side-by-side for the events dinner guests.

PHOTO BY CHRISTY STEADMAN

Cherry Creek North Food & Wine returns Aug. 11-14

By Christy Steadman

A

csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

fter about a year of providing the restaurant experience primarily through takeout, restaurateurs and chefs in Cherry Creek North are looking forward to reconnecting with their guests and local foodies again.

Providing the perfect opportunity to do so is the annual Cherry Creek North Food & Wine event, which has been expanded this year to include four days of festivities — all centered around the unique and diverse dining experiences that Cherry Creek North has to offer.

Attendees “will be able to choose their own experience,” said Jeannie McFarland Johnson, director of marketing and communications for Cherry Creek North. Because, she added, “there is a lot of diversity with the experiences.”

This year’s event takes place Aug. 11-14 at various locations throughout the Cherry Creek North neighborhood, which is roughly from First to Third avenues and University Boulevard to Steele Street.

The lineup of events range from intimate dining experiences and small bites to seminars and demos.

Attendees may choose to attend one or two events, or make an entire weekend of it.

“Food & Wine offers some neat experiences not offered on any normal day,” McFarland Johnson said.

One such event is the Dinner on the Plaza, which takes place Aug. 13. This event includes a multicourse dinner with wine pairing, live music and dancing, and a cocktail hour during which attendees can mingle and meet new friends.

The Dinner on the Plaza will be a “beautiful celebration of the community,” McFarland Johnson said.

Something else new to this year’s Food & Wine is this is the first year for the event to have a beneficiary. This year, a portion of the proceeds of every ticket sold to Food & Wine events will go to Food for Thought Denver, which is a local nonprofit that provides food to students across the city to guarantee

IF YOU GO To learn more about the Cherry Creek North Food & Wine event, or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.ccnfoodandwine.com/.

that no child goes hungry during the weekend.

Another not-to-miss Food & Wine event is the Grand Tasting, which is offered twice on Aug. 14.

Attendees will get to try small plates and bites from more than 20 restaurants, and sip more than 50 wines curated by experts at The Vineyard Wine Shop. The Grand Tasting also offers the unique opportunity to meet-and-greet with restaurant owners and chefs.

Sean Huggard, owner of Blue Island Oyster Bar & Seafood in Cherry Creek North, is looking forward to hosting the Chef and Shucking at Blue Island events.

“It’s our favorite event because it puts us front and center with our regular customers — the neighbors of the neighborhood, so it’s exciting to spend time with them,” Huggard said. “Secondly, it gives us the time to promote our brand to people that are coming to Cherry Creek from far away. And maybe it’s (Food & Wine event) the only time they come to Cherry Creek every year.”

Likewise, Oscar Padilla, executive chef at Toro Latin Kitchen & Lounge, is looking forward to sharing culture and tradition with Food & Wine attendees.

“Denver has a culture of friendly people,” Padilla said. “Toro has that connection with people. Sharing (culture and traditions) with people is like bringing the opportunity to every guest to feel like home, like family.”

Cherry Creek North is so happy to be able to bring the Food & Wine event back this year and promote community togetherness through it, McFarland Johnson said.

“It’s a tremendous way to help these businesses get back on their feet and gain solid ground,” she said, “and continue to thrive.”

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8 Washington Park Profile

August 1, 2021

Larkspur event is back after year lost to pandemic

By Thelma Grimes tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com

A

It was all good vibes at the 44th Renaissance Festival, which is back this year after being canceled last year.

PHOTOS BY THELMA GRIMES

fter a year off due to the pandemic, King Henry and the Colorado Renaissance Festival have returned to Douglas County for the 2021 season. Opening in early July, the festival, in its 44th year, continues over eight weekends through Aug. 22.

As in years past, visitors can experience a magical tour through time and legend. The village streets and pathways are filled with master revelers, artisans working hard to create original works of art, and let ye not forget the food and beverages.

The entertainment brings the show alive with live music, plus shows displaying a variety of talents from Cydeshow Cy swallowing real swords, to an angelic performer serves as a “live fountain.”

Food is also a popular draw. From the King’s Pantry, visitors can enjoy some steak on a stick, or the pork tails and turkey legs from Canterbury Kitchens.

Throughout the entire village, there is an abundance of beer options.

Part of the magic of the annual festival, held in Larkspur, is the abundance of visitors coming in full costume, engaging fully in the spirt of the past.

For tickets and information for the 2021 festival, visit the website at coloradorenaissance.com.

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There was plenty of entertainment throughout the Renaissance village, including CydeShow Cy who wowed the crowd by swallowing swords.

One of the crowd favorites of the festival is the jousting matches, with the winners taking a proud lap around the arena.

Washington Park Profile 9

August 1, 2021

Underground Music Showcase

is back on Broadway

Eldren, a psych-pop/alternative band, is one of the many bands that will be performing at the 2021 Underground Music Showcase, which takes place Aug. 27-29 along South Broadway in Denver.

PHOTO BY ANDREW RIOS

Annual three-day music festival to feature more than a hundred live bands

By Ryan Dunn and Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Claire Heywood expects she will be singing her heart out at this year’s Underground Music Showcase.

“Speaking for myself, playing a festival represents a needed chance to release some pent-up energy from 2020,” Heywood said.

“After so long without a space to play, I hope to sing my heart out and get a few things off my chest.”

Heywood, a singer/songwriter of Denver, will be performing at UMS this year with a full backing band comprised of other local musicians. UMS will be their first full-band show since March of 2020, and UMS-goers can anticipate hearing new material, including the song, “Crushed Lemons,” which won’t be released until Aug. 27.

The 2021 UMS will consist of more than a hundred live musical acts performing during the three-day music festival, which takes place Aug. 27-29 across more than 12 indoor-and-outdoor venues in an eightblock stretch of South Broadway between Alameda and Sixth avenues.

“I’m excited to see people who were distant or tangential friendly faces before the pandemic,” Heywood said, and “maybe people who I didn’t ever (get to) meet, but enjoyed seeing around locally at shows knowing they were supporting live music in Denver.”

This year’s UMS will be the second time for The Barlow, a Colorado country band from Arvada, to play the music festival.

“We’re excited to put on the best show we can,” said Shea Boynton, a singer and guitarist with The Barlow. “We’re bringing the twang and a bunch of new songs off our latest album, “Horseshoe Lounge.”

The Barlow has been out performing live recently, but The Barlow is particularly looking forward to UMS because “there’s always an unknown factor to festivals that make them exciting,” Boynton said.

Tyler Imbrogno, a vocalist who also plays keys and guitar in Englewood’s Eldren — a psych-pop/alternative band that formed in 2011 — is looking forward to reconnecting with old friends, meeting new fans and discovering new artists at this year’s UMS. “It means a lot to us to be back,” Imbrogno said, “because playing UMS has served as an introduction to tons of friends, artists and venues through the years.”

He added that this year will be the fourth or fifth UMS that Eldren has played.

Eldren recently released an album of cover songs titled “Separation Sessions,” which the band recorded remotely during quarantine.

“We had a blast doing it and were able to experiment with songs we loved, sometimes doing totally different versions,” Imbrogno said. “Who knows, we may even bust one of those out.”

Otherwise, UMS-goers who attend Eldren’s set can expect “some old familiar tunes, as well as a couple new ones and surprises,” Imbrogno said.

Eldren hasn’t performed live since February 2020, so the band is very much looking forward to performing UMS, Imbrogno said.

“I think everyone can expect an emotional and energetic show,” he added.

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IF YOU GO

Claire Heywood will be performing at this year’s Underground Music Showcase with a full backing band comprised of other local musicians. The live music festival takes place Aug. 27-29 COURTESY PHOTO along South Broadway in Denver.

The 2021 Underground Music Showcase takes place Aug. 27-29 between Alameda and Sixth avenues on South Broadway in Denver. To view a lineup of musical acts, including band bios, or to purchase tickets, visit www.undergroundmusicshowcase.com.

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10 Washington Park Profile

August 1, 2021

LOCAL

VOICES

Send me your vacation pics

O

FROM THE EDITOR

Christy Steadman

ne of the best things about being a reporter for a community-centric publication is being able to get readers involved with the newspaper.

And I have another opportunity for you to do so.

As summer will be coming to a close soon, I thought it would be fun to learn what the Washington Park Profile and Life on Capitol Hill readers did this summer. I am imagining a full page of reader-submitted vacation photos for the September edition.

Now, when I say vacation, I don’t mean that it has to be a vacation in the traditional sense. Maybe your summer vacation was a day trip to the mountains for a hike or picnic, or the annual weekend trip to your favorite camping spot. Maybe you had out-of-state visitors and you got to be their tour guide around Denver. Or, maybe you went to one of Denver’s many cultural and/or arts institutions for the first time.

Perhaps you did travel this summer, so of course, if you have that perfect photo of an out-of-state or out-

of-country destination, send it my way! Anything that encompasses summer fun counts.

I will start: My boyfriend and I celebrated our fiveyear dating anniversary in July. As much as we both enjoy spending a night out on the town in Denver, we decided to do an extended weekend getaway in Manitou Springs. We explored the Manitou Cliff Dwellings, visited the Miramont Castle Museum, played some games at the penny arcade and wandered around the downtown area (aka shopping).

For your summer photo to be published, all I need is a jpeg image emailed to me at csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Cell phone pictures should be uncropped and in color. Please include everybody’s first and last names — and the ages of any youth in the picture — and where and when the photo was taken. A one-or-two sentence description to accompany the photo would also be nice, but not necessary.

Deadline is Aug. 25.

I am looking forward to seeing all your photos!

Unemployment in Colorado still high for those with disabilities

H

ere’s a challenge to all business owners and business leaders in Colorado: Seek opportunities to employ people who have disabilities.

In April, May and June of last GUEST year, Colorado’s COLUMN unemployment rate was well over 11%. Thankfully, as we have started to come out of the pandemic, that number has fallen considerably, down to 6.2% as of May. Soon, I hope, Lloyd Lewis we will return to pre-COVID numbers — between 2.5% and 3%.

However, there is a population in our state with unemployment figures that are not decreasing, and in fact, are on the rise.

Here is the sobering truth: Today, 80% of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are unemployed.

As president and CEO of Arc Thrift Stores — one of the state’s largest employers of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) — this is deeply troubling, but sadly nothing new.

Despite the advances put forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which prohibits discrimination based on a disability and affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil

A publication of

Mailing Address: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110 Phone: 303-566-4100 To subscribe call 303-566-4100 or visit www.washparkprofile.com/subscribe

Rights Act of 1964, there is much work to be done.

And it starts with a challenge I would like to propose to all business owners and business leaders in Colorado. It’s a simple one: Seek out opportunities to employ people in our community who have disabilities.

I know from over 15 years of advocating for the disability community — and as a proud father of a young man with Down syndrome soon to be entering the job world — that employing people with IDD is a smart business strategy with big time benefits.

At Arc Thrift Stores, we employ 350 people with IDD at our 31 stores across the state. These amazing individuals — some of whom have Down syndrome, autism, or other intellectual or physical or developmental disabilities — are our Ambassadors. They work in many different positions in the stores, including as donation coordinators, clothing hangers, and room attendants.

But more importantly, Arc Ambassadors serve as examples of the organization’s mission in action — to have people with intellectual and developmental disabilities gain self-respect, self-determination, and independence in their communities and professional workplace.

Perhaps you have been to one of our stores and met some of these remarkable people. Maybe you have met Seth at our JCRS Shopping Center store in Lakewood who is a wiz on the cash register. Or Beth at Green Mountain, who handles the production line like a pro and is always quick with a smile.

Or Myles at Central Park, who may be

singing R&B while he stocks shelves at our Central Park Store.

If you have, I am sure that you consider yourself lucky.

I know I do. As a CEO, I want a team of people working for me that is dedicated, loyal, and that bring their hearts to their job every day. I can say that about all Arc employees, but this is most true about our Ambassadors.

These are people who are dedicated to providing great service and willing to assist customers and co-workers with their whole hearts.

By employing people with IDD, we are giving these deserving and capable people purpose and encouraging a positive sense of self-worth. But the truth is, they give back so much more.

Frankly, it’s difficult to be frustrated at your job when the person working alongside you who happens to have Down syndrome wears a contagious smile and believes that this is the best job they have ever had.

Employment diversity, equity, and inclusion — in both the public and private sectors — means accommodations, connections, and awareness, and it means breaking down barriers.

As we begin to slowly return to the New Normal in this post-pandemic age, and as we begin to need to hire new employees, I am issuing a challenge to my fellow CEOs and business owners.

Take this leap of faith and seek out and employ a person — or two or more!

— with a disability. I promise that the rewards outweigh any downside.

Because the truth is, employing SEE LEWIS, P11

The Manitou Cliff Dwellings was one of the attractions I visited during my extended weekend getaway to Manitou Springs in July.

Upcoming events this summer and fall

H

appy summer Denverites!

After taking last year off, Denver Days is happening this year and runs through Aug. 8. Denver Days is a great way to reconnect with your neighbors by attending or hosting a GUEST block party, participating in a COLUMN service project or stopping by a picnic in the park. Check out all the fun events happening this week: www.denvergov. org/denverdays.

We are very excited to announce that our Broadway Halloween Parade is returning on Oct. 23. The parade will feature all the favorites Councilmember again, including local marchJolon Clark ing bands, historic hearse cars, spooky floats and more.

Stretching from Fifth Avenue down to Alameda, the parade is a family-friendly event and group costumes are very encouraged. The event is also a great way to support our Broadway small businesses after a difficult year and slow sales from the pandemic. Check www.LuckyDistrict7. org for parade details and how to get involved.

To jump start the economy, Denver will invest more than $700 million into our economic recovery by leveraging federal and local stimulus dollars. The city will ask voters on the November 2021 ballot to approve a $400 million bond program for infrastructure projects. Every $10 million spent on construction supports 130 jobs, so the bond program would serve thousands of workers and stimulate the local economy at a time when we need it most.

SEE CLARK, P11

JERRY HEALEY Board Member

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant

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

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We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Washington Park Profile 11

August 1, 2021

Incorporating penstemon into your landscape

R

ecently, my coworker exclaimed, “you can never have too many penstemons in your yard.”

I would agree.

Species of this genus display showy spikes GUEST of brightly-colored, COLUMN bilateral flowers high Jen Toews above basal clumps of leaves. This is a diverse genus, however. Species range from herbaceous perennials to semishrubs, from 1-inch-tall cushion plants to plants with 4-foot-tall inflorescences.

Leaves can be deciduous or evergreen.

The floral color palette ranges from pale pink to scarlet, electric blue to grape juice purple, and snow white to almost yellow, attracting pollinators such as bumblebees and hummingbirds.

The center of diversity for this genus, and likely where it originated, is Utah. In fact, there are over 100 species of penstemon native to the arid and rocky beehive state. Colorado, with 65 taxa, may be the state with the second highest number of penstemon species. This means penstemon are adapted to the harsh climate of our region and, as a result, have gained popularity in landscaping. Many straight species and cultivars are available in the nursery trade. What follows are a few of my favorites.

Desert penstemon (Penstemon pseu-

dospectabilis) is a long-lived species with spikes of pink flowers, which are a magnet for broad-tailed hummingbirds. Evergreen leaves provide winter interest.

Beardlip penstemon (P. barbatus) has brilliant reddish-orange, downwardpointing flowers, which are characteristics that attract hummingbirds. Deadhead this penstemon after its flowers fade, and you may be rewarded with a second bloom in the fall.

Rocky Mountain penstemon (P. strictus) is another long-lived, easy-to-grow penstemon that naturalizes with time.

Flowers are bluish-purple and attract bumblebees.

Palmer’s penstemon (Penstemon palmeri) has tall spikes of large, pale pink, rose-scented flowers and blue green, evergreen leaves. Flowers attract very large bumblebees.

Large-flowered beardtongue (P. grandiflorus) has pink, blue-lavender or pale blue flowers. Perhaps a more precise common name would be “the largest-flowered beardtongue ever,” as flowers are almost exaggerated in size. This species often behaves as an annual or biennial but will seed around if allowed.

Pineleaf penstemon (P. pinifolius) is a diminutive species with linear evergreen leaves and red-orange tubular flowers.

Mersea Yellow is a selection with yellow flowers and flowers of STEPPESUNS sun-

Clark

adjacent sidewalks, streets, alleys or street corners. If there are properties that need maintenance, you can report them to 311 or pocketgov.org. An inspector will visit the property, educate the owner and correct the violations.

Enjoy the rest of the summer and please continue to reach out with your questions, concerns and ideas.

FROM PAGE 10

Check out the projects submitted by the community and follow along the process at risetogetherdenver.org.

Please remember, as more people are outside and walking around, please trim your trees and bushes. City ordinance requires that property owners keep sidewalks clear at all times, which includes

Lewis

Jolon Clark represents District 7 on Denver City Council. He can be reached at jolon. clark@denvergov.org. beyond measure.

FROM PAGE 10

Lloyd Lewis is the president and CEO of Arc Thrift Stores.

people with IDD is smart strategy and only makes us all more successful. When employers create a culture of belonging, they gain competent, dependable employees and help workers with disabilities to stretch their limits.

The dividends that are paid back to a company - and to the community - are

This opinion column was originally published in The Colorado Sun, a journalistowned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com.

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

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS

Caring for our community by using sustainable

printing practices *See our website for details

ColoradoCommunityMedia.com

Heartland Academy Denver admits students of any race, color, national origin, and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

Penstemon grandiflorus growing in the eastern plains of Colorado.

set glow are a warm orange.

SILVERTON bluemat penstemon (P. linarioides ssp. coloradoensis `P014S’) of Plant Select is another easy-to-grow small penstemon with silvery, evergreen leaves and lavender-blue flowers.

Bridges’ penstemon (P. rostriflorus) is a late bloomer that provides a final burst of red blooms in late-July through August.

Tips for Growing Penstemon Select a sunny, open site with well-draining soils. If needed, amend your soil with expanded shale or squeegee to improve drainage. Penstemons thrive in disturbed sites.

Mulch with pea gravel instead of wood

PHOTO BY JEN TOEWS

chips.

Water deeply but infrequently.

Avoid synthetic fertilizers, or any fertilizer at all really.

Penstemons typically produce firecracker-like bursts of color from May through June and then are quiet for the rest of the season. To extend color and textural interest in your garden, select companion plants with similar water needs. My favorites include Artemisia, Agave, Hesperaloe, yarrow, blue flax, orange milkweed, chocolate flower, Colorado four o’clock and dwarf baby blue rabbitbrush.

Jen Toews is the plant recorder for the Denver Botanic Gardens

New Book Reveals Secrets To Keep Active And Free From Pain Pills

By Dr. Brooke Olsen, DPT - a published author & leading Denver PT

Are you living with back, knee, or neck pain? Or do you know someone that is fed up of always feeling stiff and achy? If your answer is yes, there’s never been a more important time to keep active and maintain healthy habits than right now as the summer allows more activity again… and to help, Dr. Brooke is giving away 5 free copies of her book Aging Happily Without Pain (worth $19.99 on Amazon).

If you’re 50 or over, and pain or stiffness affects your job, your ability to keep active, threatens to slow you down or hinders family leisure time… then it’s time to read this book.

There’s no promise that what Brooke reveals will work for you in the same way it has for thousands of her clients. However, reading this book has to be better than spending another day “resting”, “accepting” pain as normal and thinking “it’s just part of aging”, or worse yet, masking it with pain pills.

Inside the book, you’ll discover…

• Why your 50’s & 60’s is the age bracket when things can go wrong - and the single best thing to do about it.

• The biggest mistake women (and sometimes men) make when when it comes to having back pain while walking…

• The easiest way to help calm down your pain when a flare up happens.

• How to get unstuck and get your pain to improve again with just this simple 1 technique.

• And lots of useful health tips!

Amazon review: 5 out of 5 stars “The most important thing about this book is that it presents a new narrative around aging, but also around the type of care we too often receive from mainstream medicine, in particular around orthopedic medicine (which is GREATLY needed). I am a testament to the fact that this works. AND I am so grateful that I chose not to listen to the surgeon who after seeing me for 5 minutes and only a quick xray said I needed knee replacement surgery. This is not a one and done method. But now I can do all of the things I love and more! My hope is that this form of therapy can be given to EVERY person before reaching the age of 60!”

This week, Dr. Brooke is giving away 5 FREE copies of this fantastic book (worth $19.99).

To request your free copy of Aging Happily Without Pain, please call (720)-772-1133. You can leave a message 24 hrs.

12 Washington Park Profile

August 1, 2021

History Colorado unveils tribute to Five Points Cool jazz and warm family ties define historic neighborhood

By Kirsten Dahl Collins Special to Colorado Community Media

I

A collage of vintage photos in the show, “Five Points Plus,” honors Denver African Americans who made history. The achievers include renowned double bassist Charles Burrell, lower right, known as the “Jackie Robinson of classical music.” Burrell broke the color barrier PHOTOS BY TIM COLLINS in classical music in 1949 when he was hired by the Denver Symphony, now the Colorado Symphony.

Charlezine “Terry” Nelson serves as senior special collection and community resource manager for the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library in Five Points. BlairCaldwell supplied many of the historic photos on display in “Five Points Plus.”

n late June, the History Colorado museum opened a small but potent new show celebrating the Five Points neighborhood — Denver’s famous pre-war jazz mecca and center of Black middleclass life. Titled “Five Points Plus: Neighborhood Memory Project,” the exhibit brings Black history alive with a mural by local artist Adri Norris, vintage photos, historic memorabilia and recordings of community storytellers. As today’s explosive growth and rapid gentrification transform Denver, Five Points Plus reflects the museum’s effort to preserve and learn from the city’s past. The show is part of History Colorado’s “Building Denver,” an 18-month initiative that includes exhibits, walking tours and a podcast.

A design retrospective asks the question: Is this the city we had in mind? “The Museum of Memory” collection is stocked with recordings of oral history from long-term Five Points residents along with many other Colorado communities. These recordings can be accessed at http://soundcloud.com/ historycolorado. “Five Points Plus” was created with the help of Five Points community members, the Black American West Museum and Heritage Center and the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library. “Five Points Plus” runs until Nov. 1 at the History Colorado Center, 1200 N. Broadway in Denver.

Rev. Ronald Wooding shows off a display that honors Five Points barbecue restauranteur “Daddy” Bruce Randolph (1900-1994) at History Colorado. Every November Randolph gave away thousands of free Thanksgiving dinners to those in need, a tradition that continues today. Wooding produced the 2017 Rocky Mountain PBS documentary on Randolph titled, “Keep a Light in the Window.” He is currently working on a longer version of the documentary to be released as a feature film.

Artist Adri Norris stands alongside some notable women of Colorado history in the mural she created for History Colorado’s exhibit, “Five Points Plus: Neighborhood Memory Project.” The luminaries in Norris’ mural include, from left, “Aunt” Clara Brown, a gold rush pioneer and philanthropist; Dr. Justina Ford, Colorado’s first licensed black female doctor; and Dr. Joyce Davis, a vocalist, composer and Colorado’s first black high school choir director.

Spoken word artist Kenya “Mahogany” Fashaw performs an original poem at the “Five Points Plus” opening on June 24 at History Colorado. Fashaw is one of four local poets featured in the museum’s “Living Denver” podcast, which focuses on four Denver neighborhoods. To listen to the podcast, visit www. historycolorado.org/building-denver.

Washington Park Profile 13

August 1, 2021

5

things to know about

FIVE POINTS

By Kirsten Dahl Collins

Special to Colorado Community Media

Trolley conductors once called out, “Five Points!” as they neared the confluence of Washington Street, 27th Street, 26th Avenue and Welton Street. The name stuck and became synonymous with jazz.

During the 1920s to 1940s, Five Points’ vibrant jazz scene earned it the sobriquet, “Harlem of the West.” Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Dinah Washington and many other major artists played the nightclubs and cabarets lining Welton Street.

While Five Points is known as a historically African American neighborhood, it was actually quite diverse.

Many Japanese Americans and Mexican Americans also called the neighborhood home.

Built in 2003, Five Points’ handsome Blair-Caldwell branch of the Denver Public Library is one of only four African American research libraries in the entire country. This little-known Denver landmark at 2401 Welton St. features distinctive bas reliefs on the exterior.

Inside, murals and exhibits vividly depict Black history in Colorado.

The Five Points neighborhood, which is northeast of downtown Denver, was named for this complex intersection in front of the famed Rossonian Hotel, 2650 Welton St. From the late 1920s through the 1940s, the Rossonian garnered a reputation as one of the nation’s the top jazz clubs. The five “points” are formed by the corners of Welton Street, a through-street here; 27th Street; East 26th Avenue and North Washington Street.

Don’t call it RiNo! Longtime residents of Five Points take pride in the neighborhood’s rich history and do not want it subsumed by the neighboring River North art district.

PHOTO BY TIM COLLINS

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14 Washington Park Profile

August 1, 2021

Students share ideas on use of stimulus funds After stressful year, teens urge free meals, flexible schedules, more

By Erica Breunlin The Colorado Sun

Rowan Raetz has grand ideas for his high school, an aged building that could use a little sprucing up. He envisions an outdoor classroom or, at the very least, a relaxation space — one filled with plants, some comfy lounge chairs and perhaps even a water feature.

“I think that would really help us mentally learn better, and I feel like … it would make us feel more at home instead of (at) school,” said Rowan, 15, who will be a sophomore this fall at Liberty High School in Colorado Springs.

The concept was one of several offered during a virtual listening session on July 8 in which a dozen kids from across Colorado chimed in on how the Colorado Department of Education could best spend about $132 million in federal stimulus dollars to help schools recover from the pandemic.

The students, who spend so many of their waking hours listening to adults, took turns talking for nearly an hour over Zoom. This time, the adults listened as the students opened up about their experiences, struggles and moments of resilience over the past 16 months.

Even in the thick of their summer break, the kids are thinking about what the next school year will bring and what lessons they learned amid the pandemic that will help them thrive in later years.

Students want to see free breakfasts and lunches continue to be available at their schools. They’re eager for more outdoor learning spaces and investment in infrastructure that will support a reliable internet connection. They want their teachers to be trained to respond to student stress and trauma. They’re asking for more programs that prioritize after-school learning, more support when it comes to applying to college, and more flexible schedules that allow students to hold jobs and internships.

The student-driven discussion, which included students across a range of grades, was the latest in a series of community conversations organized by the Colorado Department of Education and the Keystone Policy Center.

Students deserve to have the loudest voices as the state explores how best to use federal stimulus dollars, said Berrick Abramson, senior policy director of the Keystone Policy Center, a Colorado-based

Harrison School District in Colorado Springs last summer made videos explaining what to expect when their students returned to inPHOTO BY MARK REIS/SPECIAL TO THE COLORADO SUN person learning.

nonprofit that helps leaders solve problems and policy conflicts in education and other community issues.

“I think student voices have to be the center of every conversation we ever have in education, and they were the ones most directly impacted and the ones that these funds are targeted primarily to support,” Abramson said. “So while parents and teachers can offer a perspective and offer what they experienced, there is nothing that replaces direct student voice on what they experienced, what they saw their peers experience and what would be helpful to them and their friends going forward.”

Devising plan by end of August CDE’s $132 million in federal funds comes from the two most recent stimulus packages Colorado received to support schools. Since March 2020, three rounds of federal stimulus have been distributed to school districts.

The first round of funding, granted under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund in March 2020, gave Colorado about $121 million.

The package included $11.5 million in discretionary spending. The state used part of the first package of funding to make sure districts had the technology and supplies needed for remote learning, said Jennifer Okes, CDE’s chief operating officer.

CDE received about $519 million from a second round of ESSER funding in December targeted toward helping schools reopen and keep in-person learning environments safe. That included about $49 million the

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department could decide how to allocate.

A third package of ESSER funding in March awarded the state about $1.2 billion, about $111 million of which the state has the power to spend as it wants. The third installment of funding has centered on supporting schools’ recovery efforts as they work to catch up students whose academics may have suffered during the pandemic.

The state has spent part of the $49 million in discretionary funding from the second federal package and has about $21.4 million left. That, combined with the $111 million from the third round of ESSER funding, adds up to the $132 million on the table for the state to figure out how to invest in education as schools prepare for another school year amid the pandemic.

There are federal Department of Education rules about how the $132 million must be spent. About $58.3 million must be used to address learning loss, such as programs to extend the school day or school year, as well as programs to give kids summer learning and enrichment opportunities and programs to bolster after-school learning.

Another $11.7 million must directly cover summer programming. A separate $11.7 million must fund after-school programming. And the remaining $50.5 million can be put toward a variety of expenses related to the COVID-19 response, such as purchasing additional technology for staff or students, investing in training or supplies, establishing more support for mental health, and improving air filtration or ventilation systems, Okes said.

Some districts have already covered those priorities with money from earlier waves of funding distributed by the state.

And districts have largely decided how they will spend most of those relief dollars.

CDE must report its spending plan to the federal Department of Education by the end of August. States were originally supposed to hand over their plans in early June, but Colorado needed more time to ask communities about where stimulus dollars should flow, Okes said.

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in education, and we wanted to get robust stakeholder input to make sure that we’re using the funds to make the most impact,” Okes said.

The state has taken a more formal approach to collecting feedback about how to spend the $132 million in its pocket. Earlier this month, the Keystone Policy Center arranged virtual meetings with teachers, parents and community organizations.

This week, it is to consult principals and administrators about the most effective ways to use the federal dollars.

Additionally, the Keystone Policy Center helped develop an online survey available to students, parents, teachers, administrators and community leaders that is accessible in both English and Spanish. So far, the survey, which asks participants about the innovations from the pandemic that should be carried forward, touches on students’ experiences and looks at what kind of support educators need, has garnered nearly 1,000 responses, Abramson said.

Funds to be spent by 2024 Okes made clear to students that the $132 million is made up of one-time funds, meaning that they won’t be renewed to continue funding academic programs, staff salaries and student resources. The state has until Sept. 30, 2024, to complete the spending, Okes said.

“Any costs after that time would need to be covered with normal base funding at the district and/or state level,” she wrote to students in the Zoom chat function.

But those leading the virtual meeting didn’t want that complication to stifle students as they shared ideas for how to make the most out of the federal money in future school years.

One idea that gained the most traction during the virtual meeting revolved around the continuation of free breakfasts and lunches that students emphasized were a huge help during such a turbulent school year.

Livi Christiansen, who will be a senior at Poudre High School in Fort Collins this fall, took advantage of free breakfasts and lunches and was especially grateful to have access to meals before exams. Muffins from her school lunch ladies were a go-to for her.

“Free food is a very important resource that I think schools should invest more in,” said Livi, 16.

Students like Livi will be in luck for the next school year as the U.S. Department of Agriculture has extended universal free meals through that period.

The rising senior also hit on the need to train teachers to effectively respond to trauma in the classroom.

“I found that the most effective teachers were the most empathetic ones,” Livi said. “What we’re still going through and what we went through for the past year and a half is national trauma, international trauma.”

Recognition from teachers, both in the way they taught and in the way they distributed the workload, was “incredibly SEE STIMULUS, P23

Washington Park Profile 15

August 1, 2021

City OKs first cannabis delivery service Strawberry Fields joins forces with Doobba to deliver vapes, flower, edibles

By Rebecca Spiess Denverite

Strawberry Fields is the first Denver dispensary approved to work with delivery companies to bring marijuana straight to customers’ doors. The business aims to team up with transporters to deliver vapes, flower and edibles.

Strawberry Fields was founded in Colorado 12 years ago by brothers Mike and Rich Kwesell. The two bought their Denver location at 3435 S. Yosemite St. in the Hampden neighborhood in March of this year.

Faline VanLandschoot, the chief of operations at Strawberry Fields, said the dispensary has plans to work with transporter Doobba LLC, the first social equity applicant to apply to deliver in Denver.

Social equity licenses are aimed towards business owners who have been negatively affected by the war on drugs, effects of which are still present in marijuana enforcement a decade later.

Social equity applicants for delivery will be given exclusive access for the next three years.

Doobba received final city approval for its license July 22, allowing them to start deliveries with Strawberry Fields.

According to the city, three other businesses have applied for delivery licenses, and Strawberry Fields said they would be open to working with them as well.

Marijuana at a Denver grow facility.

But transporters have fewer options for dispensaries to team up with. Strawberry Fields is the only applicant in Denver so far, turning in an application just days after the city started accepting them on June 23.

VanLandschoot explained that deliveries will be set up in a similar way to that of DoorDash or Uber Eats. Customers order directly from the dispensary, which will work with the transporter to deliver.

In 2020, Native Roots acquired a delivery

PHOTO BY KEVIN J. BEATY/DENVERITE

permit in the city of Boulder, where working with social equity businesses is not required.

According to their website, customers may place delivery orders of vapes, flower and edibles to homes in Boulder — but there’s a $100 minimum for every order. At the height of the pandemic, they supported a petition to allow marijuana delivery in Colorado.

Ethan Shean, the chief of retail operations for Strawberry Fields, said he was happy his business was getting involved in social

equity.

“There’s homebound patients. There’s patients and consumers who rely on public transportation,” Shean said. “We’ve always been monitoring delivery, and we were glad and ecstatic to be prepared enough to get it in as quickly as possible.”

This story is from Denverite, a nonprofit Denver news source affiliated with CPR News.

Used by permission. For more, and to support Denverite, visit denverite.com.

DiPrince to become History Colorado’s executive director Staff report History Colorado has announced that Dawn DiPrince will be the nonprofit’s next executive director.

DiPrince will assume the role of executive director on Sept. 1. She is taking over for Steve Turner, who is retiring after 13 years of serving as History Colorado’s executive director.

DiPrince “Both Dawn’s heart and her head are firmly rooted in exploring and fully telling the stories of Colorado history, making her an outstanding choice to lead this valued organization into the future,” said Tamra Ward in a news release. Ward chairs History Colorado’s board of directors. “At a time when history has never felt more relevant, her dynamism, passion, demonstrated skill in community collaboration, and business acumen made her the clear choice.”

History Colorado is a division of the Colorado Department of Higher Education and oversees nine museums throughout the state, including the fourstory History Colorado Center — which houses the Stephen H. Hart Research Center — located at 1200 N. Broadway which borders Denver’s Capitol Hill and Golden Triangle neighborhoods. History Colorado is one of six Smithsonian Affiliates in Colorado.

DiPrince has been with History Colo-

rado since 2012 and has held various positions throughout her tenure. She started her career with the organization as the assistant director of El Pueblo History Museum in Pueblo and eventually became director of that museum. She later assumed a senior management role for all of History Colorado’s community museums. DiPrince moved to Denver in 2019 to become the organization’s chief operating officer and has held that position since.

During her time with History Colorado, DiPrince has accomplished a number of achievements, including implementing educational and community-oriented programing and exhibitions and helping to transform a historic house museum into the Center for Colorado Women’s History — which is located at 1310 Bannock St. in Denver’s Golden Triangle.

DiPrince is the third woman to hold the executive director’s role since History Colorado’s beginning 142 years ago.

“I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to lead History Colorado into the future, serving both an organization and a state that I love so much,” said DiPrince in a news release. “We will continue to grow History Colorado’s service to communities across the state and expand how we think about the role of history in our lives and who it includes.

Every Coloradan should see themselves in our collections and stories.”

To learn more about History Colorado, visit HistoryColorado.org or call 303-HISTORY.

Enrollment open for 2021/22 Toddlers through Private Kindergarten Celebrating 58 Years

16 Washington Park Profile

August 1, 2021

Golf tournament benefits the Denver Santa Claus Shop Staff report Organizers with the Denver Santa Claus Shop recently announced that its annual Charity Golf Tournament is returning this year.

The Denver Santa Claus Shop Charity Golf Tournament takes place on Aug. 30 at the Fox Hollow Golf Course, 13410 Morrison Road in Lakewood. The shotgun start is at 8:30 a.m.

Cost is $200 per individual player or $750 per foursome. The price includes breakfast, cart, range balls, prizes, lunch and the opportunity to participate in a silent auction.

Sponsorships are available starting at $300.

The golf tournament benefits the Denver Santa Claus Shop, which is a volunteer-run nonprofit that offers Denver families in need the opportunity to shop, at no cost, for holiday gifts for their children — newborn to age 11 — in a temporary store

Denver Santa Claus Shop’s board of directors. “But we’re even more excited to have our normal, in-person toy giveaway again in December. Our volunteers are looking forward to interacting with shoppers again, helping them pick the perfect toys for their kids.”

To learn more about the Denver Santa Claus Shop, or to register for the golf tournament, visit https://denversantaclausshop. org.

located in Denver. In its more than 90-year history, the Denver Santa Claus Shop has provided toys to more than 1 million children.

Last year, the Denver Santa Claus Shop put on a drive-thru toy giveaway in lieu of its in-person shopping experience, and served about 13,000 children.

“We’re super-excited to hold the golf tourney again — it was COVID-cancelled last year,” said Scott Hamburg, president of

DASHING FOR DONORS

A group of people gather for a photo during the Donor Dash’s pre-race and packet pickup event on July 17 in Denver’s Washington Park. The Donor Dash is an annual event put on by the Donor Alliance, which is a nonprofit that “facilitates organ and tissue donation in Colorado and most of Wyoming; honors the lives of organ, eye and tissue donors; celebrates the lives of transplant recipients; and recognizes those still waiting on the gift of life,” states a news release. This year, the 22nd annual Donor Dash was a hybrid event, with a pre-race and packet pick-up event taking place on July 17, and the virtual 5K race taking place on July 18. To learn more about the Donor Alliance, visit www.donoralliance.org.

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Washington Park Profile 17

August 1, 2021

A SUMMER

STAPLE

Art Students League of Denver’s Summer Art Market returns Aug. 28-29

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

L

ocal artist Lauri Dunn has discovered a whole world of interesting insects through her art.

Her favorite is the praying mantis, m antis, she said. This is because of their “fun-looking heads,” Dunn added.

Dunn, of Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, is a photographer and digital artist who creates abstract art pieces by digitally editing photographs of insects.

She is one of nearly 100 artists participating in this year’s Summer Art Market — an event put on annually by the Art Students League of Denver.

“I’m looking forward to doing shows again,” Dunn said, adding that in normal years, 90% of her art income comes from selling her work at art fairs. This is the third year for Dunn to participate in the Summer Art Market. “It feels so good to be out and talking with people. I enjoy seeing the familiar faces and meeting new people.”

This is the 28th year for the Summer Art Market, which takes place on Aug. 28 and 29. It was canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are excited to bring back the Summer Art Market,” said Harry Utter, event chair, in a news release, “as it is an opportunity to highlight the work of artists and share the mission of the Art Students League of Denver.”

The ASLD is a nonprofit arts organization that got its start in 1987. Today, it annually serves about 14,000 students of all abilities and ages through its various community engagement programs, and its fine arts classes, workshops, teen studios and summer camps.

“Something we’re passionate about,” said Tessa Crisman, communications specialist with the ASLD, “is that art is real work, and artists should get paid for it.”

What is unique about the Summer Art Market is that it showcases all the mediums that people can a take a course on at the ASLD, Crisman said. These mediums are ceramics, fiber arts, mixed media/ book art, painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, jewelry and sculpture. All will be represented at the Summer Art Market, Crisman said.

Additionally, the Summer Art Market, which is a juried show, highlights the

FOR ART

LOVERS

IF YOU GO The Art Students League of Denver’s 2021 Summer Art Market takes place on Aug. 28 and 29.

The outdoor event will take place in the blocks near the ASLD, which is located at 200 Grant St. in Denver’s Washington Park West neighborhood. Artist booths will be set up between East First and East Fourth avenues, and between Logan and Sherman streets.

To ensure safe event practices, the ASLD is ticketing this year’s Summer Art Market. Tickets cost $5 per person and children age 12 and younger are free. Every ticket purchase goes toward supporting the ASLD and its programming.

Tickets can be purchased upon arrival, but the ASLD encourages people to purchase their tickets in advance through the ASLD website for a smooth entrance experience.

A list of participating artists and their media is also available on the website.

To learn more about ASLD or the Summer Art Market, visit https:// asld.org/.

ASLD community, Crisman said. Each participating artist has some sort of tie to the ASLD, whether they be a member, volunteer, faculty or student, she said.

“The Summer Art Market is a staple of so many peoples’ summer,” Crisman said.

“While the art market is different each year, it’s a touchstone that people always remember.”

Joe Higgins, a monotype artist and ASLD faculty member who lives in the Sloan Lake area, believes people in the Denver area like to decorate their homes with unique art.

But they especially enjoy being able to meet the local artist who created it, Higgins added.

The Summer Art Market has earned the reputation of being a good show to attend to buy art, Higgins said, and added there will be affordable price points for everyone.

Higgins has participated in at least 25 Summer Art Markets and he expects there will be a lot of positive energy at this year’s event.

“This show is focused on art,” Higgins said. “For us artists, it helps knowing that people who come (to it) are generally looking for art. It’s the type of show all artists want to do.”

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18 Washington Park Profile

August 1, 2021

Report shows link of income, COVID risk Disparate toll is similar to other studies of health and financial status

By John Ingold The Colorado Sun

Consider, for a moment, two neighborhoods in Denver: Platt Park and Westwood.

Both are in the southern half of the city, separated by a two-mile drive along Mississippi Avenue over the railroad tracks.

Both are home to lots of young families.

And both, of course, are 16 months into weathering the coronavirus pandemic.

But, according to a new report by a respected Colorado health policy think tank, the two neighborhoods have had dramatically different experiences with the virus.

Westwood, where 90% of residents identify as non-white and many are lowincome, has some of the highest rates of coronavirus cases of any neighborhood along the Front Range in the new study from the Colorado Health Institute. Platt Park — mostly white and relatively affluent — has some of the lowest.

The bracing disparity reinforces what researchers and public health authorities have seen throughout the pandemic: Coronavirus hasn’t hit everyone equally.

“People with the means to avoid risky situations and to work at home were more successful at avoiding COVID-19, while their less affluent neighbors — literally across the tracks in this case — suffered the brunt of the pandemic,” the

institute writes in its report.

Among all the information regularly published about the pandemic’s impacts in the state, the Colorado Health Institute report is unique in that it uses data from a system called the Colorado Health Observation Regional Data Service. This service allows researchers to examine data taken straight from patients’ medical records. The data is aggregated and deidentified, meaning it cannot be used to reveal personal medical information.

The service, known as CHORDS, mostly covers the Denver metro area, with some reporting from Larimer and Weld counties. Overall, it captures information from about a quarter of the population in the areas it covers — so the numbers in the Health Institute’s report should be thought of as a representative sample rather than as a comprehensive accounting, said Joe Hanel, a spokesperson for the Colorado Health Institute.

What’s more, because CHORDS has data only on people who sought treatment for COVID-19, the Health Institute report doesn’t track where all infections occurred, just the ones that resulted in the most serious illnesses.

But the new report aligns with what Denver officials have been reporting for months on their own COVID-19 data dashboard. And it captures persistent inequalities that show up in all kinds of measurements of health and opportunity in the city.

Tracing the `inverted L’ The Colorado Health Institute mapped the findings of its study, revealing a familiar pattern in Denver: One cluster of high coronavirus rates runs up Federal

BE AMAZING

Boulevard; another follows Interstate 70, with the exception of the Central Park neighborhood, formerly known as Stapleton.

This is the “inverted L,” and the neighborhoods that sit within it all tend to be lower-income and more diverse — and also to fare worse in various socioeconomic measures, as the news site Denverite has reported. For instance, the L shows up when looking at rates of education or tree cover.

Dr. Judy Shlay, a family physician and the associate director of Denver Public Health, said it would show up if you are looking at diabetes rates or other measures of health. It shows up in life expectancy.

“All sorts of different health outcomes tend to be worse in these areas,” Hanel said. “These are areas where COVID-19 was also a lot more pronounced.”

Westwood, which lies west of Federal Boulevard, is on the inverted L’s path.

Platt Park is not.

The Colorado Health Institute study found that people living in Westwood had coronavirus infection rates more than double the average of all the neighborhoods included in the study. Infection rates for residents of Platt Park were about a third of the average.

Similarly, data from Denver Public Health shows that residents of Westwood had one of the highest COVID-19 hospitalization rates in the city, while residents of Platt Park had one of the lowest. The rate in Westwood is 12.7 hospitalizations for every 1,000 residents — more than eight times the rate in Platt Park.

To Shlay, there are a number of reasons why coronavirus might have hit Westwood harder. Faced with an affordable housing crisis, multiple generations of families may live under one roof, creating the kind of high-density settings where coronavirus thrives. People in lower-income areas may be less able to work from home, putting them in the virus’ path out in public.

In communities with higher rates of people who don’t speak English, such as Westwood, language may pose a barrier to accessing health care or getting good information.

“If you don’t have resources in the community and there’s longstanding inequities, when a pandemic comes up, you’re going to see it,” Shlay said.

Hanel said these patterns of inequity don’t just show up in Denver. In the Colorado Health Institute’s analysis, they also were evident in parts of Adams and Weld counties.

Achieving vaccine equity Worryingly, the inverted L also shows up in Denver data on vaccination rates.

But here Shlay is optimistic.

Earlier this year, Denver showed a broad disparity between neighborhoods like Westwood and ones like Platt Park.

Today, that disparity still exists, but it is smaller.

According to Denver’s data, 63% of eligible people in Westwood have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

In Platt Park, it’s 88%, with several other wealthier Denver neighborhoods at 90% or above.

“While it’s not perfect, we are definitely better than where we were a month ago, two months ago,” Shaly said.

Denver also continues to show a big racial gap in vaccination rates. According to data from the Colorado Immunization Information System, 76% of eligible white Denver residents have received at least one vaccine dose, compared with about 40% of eligible Hispanic residents.

Shlay said part of that gap might actually be a data error — Hispanic residents being classified inaccurately in the immunization system or declining to state their ethnicity. But she acknowledged that there’s a lot more work to be done, even as she said she is proud of all the work the city and other groups have already done.

The biggest challenge, she said, may not be overcoming vaccine skepticism but rather addressing vaccine convenience.

People who work long hours with no opportunity to miss work or duck out during the day just may not have had time to get vaccinated, she said.

But, here, there is another challenge in neighborhoods on the inverted L. She described Denver Public Health’s efforts to set up a consistent vaccine clinic in the city’s East Colfax neighborhood, which sits on the city’s border with Aurora.

Normally, that would take place at a fire station or a police station, a recreation center or a library. East Colfax has none of those.

The pandemic, she said, has pointed out why that needs to change.

“We need to now use what happened in COVID,” she said, “to really dive in and address those inequities.”

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

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Washington Park Profile 19

August 1, 2021

Bill Cosby accuser now wants spotlight on needed changes ‘We need to talk about where we go from here’

By Thelma Grimes tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Despite a court ruling that freed Bill Cosby years after his sexual-assault conviction, a Douglas County resident says progress is being made to help victims come forward and find justice in cases of rape and sexual assault, but more needs to be done.

Heidi Thomas, who has testified in court that Cosby sexually assaulted her in the 1980s, said that when she read a news story announcing he would be released from prison, it was a “punch in the gut.”

“I had no idea this was coming,” said the Castle Rock resident and Littleton native. “It just came out of the blue.”

Cosby was released on July 1 after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his 2018 conviction. The actor and comedian had been sentenced to serve three to 10 years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting Andrea Constand.

On the date of his release, Cosby had served three years.

Before, during and after the trial, Cosby has vehemently denied allegations that he used drugs to sexually assault dozens of women.

In a 6-1 ruling, the Pennsylvania high court ruled that Cosby should not have faced charges after an agreement with a former prosecutor was made in 2005.

In 2015, charges were filed by District Attorney Kevin Steele, charging Cosby with the sexual assault. During the trial, Steele used statements made by Cosby in a civil deposition the actor made under the assumption he was immune from criminal charges.

Thomas said that in her opinion, Steele was trying to “right a wrong” made by former prosecutors not taking any action. Now, she fears what she sees as the precedent the ruling could set in future cases involving people accused of rape and sexual assault.

According to court records, during the 2018 trial, Thomas was the first to testify against Cosby. With more than 50 women accusing the actor of sexual assault and misconduct, five women were allowed to testify during his trial as “prior bad acts witnesses.”

In her trial testimony, Thomas accused Cosby of assaulting her in 1984 at his ranch when she was 24 years old and an aspriring actress. Thomas testified that she had gone to Cosby’s Pennsylvania home for acting lessons. She testified that after taking a drink of wine, she blacked out and only remembered the next four days in “snapshots,” suspecting the actor drugged her.

Now, Thomas said she does not want to focus on the incident, or on Cosby.

Rather, she said it is time to change laws to make sure victims do not face what she, Constand and dozens of others have dealt with in what she called the Cosby “fiasco.”

“I feel strongly that the storyline should no longer be about Mr. C,” she said. “He has been given this spotlight and we need to shut it down. We need to talk about where we go from here.”

Thomas said Colorado makes her proud as changes continue to be made to help victims of sexual assault and rape. Thomas, who describes herself as a victims’ advocate, said police departments are getting more training to be

Evidence of how Heidi Thomas has used music to heal can be seen throughout her music room at her Castle Rock home.

more sensitive in taking statements from women and men when they first come to report a sex crime.

“The big battle right now is getting victims to summon up the courage to come forward and report it,” Thomas said. “It takes a lot just to come forward.

Law enforcement is getting the training to handle these cases better than they have before.”

Thomas, 61, said she did not come forward when the alleged incident with Cosby happened to her. She said coming forward 30 years later was only to stand behind Constand.

Thomas said she has never filed a civil suit against the actor once known as “America’s Dad,” adding that coming forward and testifying has never been about his money.

“It was an honor to testify,” Thomas said. “It was the most empowering thing ever. It was about 15 minutes into my testimony before the reality of (Cosby) sitting there hit me. He was not saying anything because it was my turn.”

At the state level, Thomas calls herself a “quiet advocate” as she works with Colorado lawmakers to remove barriers created by statute of limitations laws.

Thomas said change takes time, but bills passing through the Colorado legislature have been a step in the right direction.

Bipartisan Senate Bill 73, recently signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis, allows survivors of sexual assault to bring a lawsuit against their abuser at any time.

The bill is aimed at child-sex victims.

Before Polis signed SB 73, victims only had six years after they turned 18 to file a civil suit.

“Sexual crimes create a level of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder),” Thomas said. “With that kind of trauma, no one can pick an arbitrary amount of time to say that’s when someone should be over it.”

In 2016, Thomas said she played a key role in getting House Bill 1072 signed into Colorado law. The law changed the statute of limitations for people to be charged with rape or sexual assault from 10 years to 20.

Thomas said she will continue to be an advocate for eliminating a statute of limitations on all sex crimes completely.

In her personal time, Thomas said, she works to help others through music.

She says music got her and other victims through her dark days. Now, as a music teacher, she works to help others use music to heal.

Thomas said she is currently working on a book, developing a podcast and participated in the documentary, “Erased,” focusing on how drugs are being used to get away with sex crimes in America.

Heidi Thomas, of Castle Rock, was the first alleged victim to testify in the 2018 Bill Cosby trial.

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Washington Park Profile 21

August 1, 2021

Colorado wildfires are year-round danger Hotter, drier climate influences how and when fires ignite

By Thelma Grimes tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com

State climate experts and local fire officials along the Front Range say wildfire season no longer has an end as heat, low moisture and other factors have created a year-round problem.

Russ Schumacher, the Colorado state climatologist, and director of the Colorado Climate Center, said 2020 was the worst year on record for wildfires, rewriting record books on what kind of fires can happen and when.

In the past, wildfire season was generally contained to the hottest part of summer in July and into August. Now, Inter-Canyon Fire Protection District Chief Daniel Hatlestad said, wildfires are a 12-month priority. The Inter-Canyon Fire District covers 52 square miles in Jefferson County.

“We are seeing these fires spread, and spread quickly every month of the year,” Hatlestad said. “The fuel load across the Front Range has created more intense, frequent and longer-burning fires. There is no longer a change of approach to prepare for wildfire season because there is no season.”

Schumacher said it is not just Colorado, Western states have had year-round fire problems since 2002 as average temperatures have crept up and annual precipitation levels have decreased.

Schumacher said the increased temperatures are here to stay and the impact on the atmosphere is real.

“In the mountains and western Colorado, the increasing temperatures puts more stress on vegetation and soil,” he said.

“When the air is hotter, it is thirstier for water. The atmosphere then wants to pull the moisture out of the soils and crops.

Even if you have a normal amount of precipitation, it does not go as far.”

Along the Front Range, Schumacher said, 2021 has been a good year for snowfall and precipitation, but the effects of 2020 carry over.

In years like 2020, Schumacher said, the exceedingly hot temperatures with a lowerthan-average level of snow and rainfall become the perfect setting for wildfires.

In 2020, an estimated 700,000 acres burned in the state as the Cameron Peak Fire, East Troublesome Fire and the Pine Gulch Fire blazed through Colorado lands.

So far in 2021, the incident information system, InciWeb, estimates more than 25,000 acres have burned in seven different

wildfires reported throughout the state.

Daniel Beveridge, a wildfire mitigation specialist for the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS), said climate change has created a new reality as officials manage state forest lands.

“With it being warmer and drier, it only intensifies fires, allowing them to burn faster,” he said. “The most important thing for people using public lands is to follow guidelines set by local jurisdictions. These warnings are not just created on a whim.

They are not taken lightly, and they are important.”

According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, about 90% of wildfires are human caused, with the other 10% coming from nature such as lightning strikes. It is important that people take responsibility and realize that an overheated car parked in dry weeds can spark a major fire, Beveridge said.

Evergreen Fire Rescue Chief Mike Weege said covering more than 120 square miles of land in parts of Jefferson, Park and Clear Creek counties presents a lot of challenges.

Besides climate issues, Weege said the current state of some of the state’s forest lands provides added fuel that allows a wildfire to get big fast. Dead, dry trees covering the forest floor have been a factor over the last few years, he said.

“We have continued to see this unhealthy overgrowth in forests,” he said.

“Add that to the increased heat we are dealing with, and you have more fires.”

Last year, Weege said, fire crews fought the Elephant Butte Fire in the middle of a populated area. While the fire was contained after 54 acres, Weege said it could have been a lot worse.

Einar Jensen, South Metro Fire Rescue risk reduction specialist, said the “wildfire season” label is creating a false sense of security. South Metro Fire provides fire protection for 300 square miles in parts of Jefferson, Arapahoe and Douglas counties.

“It does not matter if it is in the hotter, drier part of the summer or in the winter, if the fuel for the fire is ready to go, it’s ready to go,” Jensen said.

In Castle Rock, Fire Chief Norris Croom said preparedness is not about time of year, but about being ready all the time.

That includes coordinating with other fire departments to create a regional approach for the moment smoke is sighted.

In 2020, the Chatridge 2 Fire burned more than 460 acres near Highlands Ranch. Croom said if it were not for the coordinated effort between Castle Rock and South Metro Fire Rescue, more land and homes would have been destroyed.

In total, Castle Rock Fire and Rescue

A photo taken by firefighters on the scene of the Cameron Peak Fire near Fort Collins in COURTESY OF ARVADA FIRE 2020.

covers more than 66 square miles of land, including 34 square miles of the incorporated town, and 32 square miles of unincorporated land surrounding the town.

Hatlestad said when a report of smoke or fire sightings comes in, all departments along then entire Front Range are on edge.

“Fire sees no political boundaries,” he said. “A wildfire crosses town and county boundaries in minutes. All fires start small, but in today’s climate, they can become massive quickly.”

In 2020, the wind, heat and dry air created the perfect environment for the East Toublesome Fire to cover 100,000 acres in less than 24 hours, Hatlestad said.

Weege said Evergreen relies heavily on state assistance if a fire breaks out in the forest areas. Once a fire gets into the trees, Weege said it not only spreads quickly, but requires the state’s air assistance to fight it from above.

In the more suburban communities, Thornton Fire Lt. Perry Otero said the department does not have a lot of calls for wildfires, but they believe in a coordinated, cooperative approach for the good of the Front Range.

Otero said Thornton fire crews are trained to handle wildland fires and are able to send help to other counties and districts as needed.

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Washington Park Profile 23

August 1, 2021

Stimulus

empathize with students about how they’re feeling,” Livi said.

FROM PAGE 14

Internet connections, college applications Other students, including Blake Cass, found that the teachers who helped them learn most effectively during the pandemic were the ones proficient with technology.

“I thought what helped me learn the most through the pandemic were my teachers that are `tech-savvy,’” Blake, an incoming seventh-grader, wrote in the Zoom chat. “Teachers that are tech-savvy could communicate to (me) easier, in comparison to my non tech-savvy teachers. If you could spend some of your money helping teachers with technology, I think a lot of students would appreciate that.”

Technology posed a major barrier for many students who struggled with accessing a reliable internet connection while

useful,” she said, recommending that CDE invest in training for teachers to learn how to respond to the lasting emotional impacts school communities have faced.

“It’s very real for teachers and students because this is something so new and just groundbreaking I guess in not so good of ways,” Livi said.

The student said her English teacher was an empathetic person who would start most classes by checking in with students and adjusted class workloads on Jan. 6 amid the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol so that students could take time to recover and “find a way to be OK.” “Teachers being honest about how they’re feeling made it easier for them to

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Rowan, of Liberty High School in the Springs, said the Wi-Fi in his district, Academy School District 20, has not worked so well.

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“And it often takes me a long time to get onto my most-needed, school-affiliated websites.”

If schools need students to complete work online in the future, he wants those schools to have a better internet connection, possibly with funding support from federal stimulus dollars.

Rowan said more flexible class schedules are needed. During the most recent school year at Liberty High School, students had Wednesdays off to use as a work day, Rowan said. Extra study time helped his mental health, especially as he tried to stay

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on top of advanced placement and honors courses. The day off also gave teachers more time for planning.

“I think it really helped everybody by spacing the week out,” Rowan said.

Aimee Resnick, who will be a senior at Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village this fall, echoes the need for more flexible schedules. She noted that with a hybrid schedule and a day off, many peers were able to take on an internship or job alongside their classwork.

Students used that additional time “for opportunities that they otherwise couldn’t have” pursued, said Aimee, 16.

Other students, like Gianny Venegas, who graduated from Fountain-Fort Carson High School in Fountain this spring and who will attend the University of Colorado in the fall, hopes to see some of the federal funding go toward supporting students as they prepare for college and their careers.

Gianny said that earlier this year, as she and her classmates were virtually learning, it was stressful to apply to college.

“In a normal year, we would have our counselors come in, talk us through it and kind of guide us,” she said. “And it was so scary this year to apply to college.”

The student said she was “intimidated” to send emails seeking help.

“A bit of support in applying to college would be really helpful, especially if we’re online,” Gianny said. “I remember how complicated it seemed and I thought I was missing things, and I guess still even to this day I wish I had like my counselor with me.”

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

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