FREE
July 8, 2021
DENVER, COLORADO
A publication of
VOLUME 94 | ISSUE 33
Bag fee begins in city stores Implementation of law was delayed through 2020 BY REBECCA SPIESS DENVERITE
Alfredo Reyes, center showing a peace sign, meets with foundation directors, gallery executives and artists in Oaxaca, Mexico, in June. Reyes is the executive director of Denver’s Latino Cultural Arts Center and is a graduate of the Latino Leadership InstiCOURTESY OF ALFREDO REYES tute, which is a Denver-based nonprofit that recently announced it will be expanding its reach nationally.
Ready to fly, nationally Latino Leadership Institute becomes independent nonprofit BY CHRISTY STEADMAN CSTEADMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Something that Alfredo Reyes learned through the Latino Lead-
LEARN MORE To learn more about the Latino Leadership Institute, visit latinoslead.org ership Institute (LLI) is that he wants to be a leader who unites. Leadership is “not about what can I take, but what can I add,” Reyes said. “It’s important for us to talk about how we can unite
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 8 | LIFE: PAGE 10 | CALENDAR: PAGE 7
again.” Reyes is the executive director of the Latino Cultural Arts Center, which is a nonprofit organization in west Denver that exists to “advance and elevate the artistic and intellectual contributions of Latinos,” states its website. Reyes, 31, was born and raised in Denver’s Baker neighborhood SEE INSTITUTE, P15
Since July 1, Denverites have had three options at the grocery store: bring your own reused bag, go without one… or pay 10 cents for each one. According to the city, Denver uses over 100 million disposable bags every year, yet only 5% are ever recycled. The plastic bags are notoriously difficult to recycle and cannot be collected by the city in their purple recycling bins either. Paper bags are easier to recycle, but require a lot of resources to make. So where will you see the fee? All retail stores, including grocery stores, department stores, liquor stores and hardware stores. The exceptions include businesses where retail is not the main revenue generator, like beauty salons or restaurants. Temporary vendors, like farmers markets, won’t have to charge, either; and dispensaries are exempt because their little paper bags are too small to fall into this ordinance. Retail stores will list the number of bags and the resulting charge separately on their receipts. A few more details The law was passed in 2019, but SEE BAG FEE, P12
NEW HEIGHTS
Climbing added to Olympic sports
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