4TH STILL A BLAST Communities are getting creative with Independence Day events P10
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June 25, 2020
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Denver teachers, district reach agreement BY ERICA MELTZER CHALKBEAT COLORADO
nered to provide face shields to any local restaurant in need. “I love our restaurants, and I want to make sure they can open safely,” said Miguel Sosa, CEO and founder of Iconic. “Americans have a remarkable way of innovating their way out of a crisis when they come together and work together.” On June 11, Iconic brought 200 boxes filled with 100 face shields each to Sushi Den’s rooftop in Platt Park to donate to any independent restaurant that came by during the approximate three-hour distribution period.
The Denver teachers union and district officials reached an agreement June 18 that preserves some pay raises won in last year’s historic strike even as the district faces significant budget challenges. Over the course of 13 hours of virtual negotiations, the district agreed to keep raises that teachers earn based on longevity as well as offer a 0.5% cost-of-living increase, with that amount to be doubled if voters approve a tax increase in November. The district will also use federal relief money set aside for COVID response to cover certain training and planning days for teachers. While union negotiators offered for teachers to take a furlough day early in the bargaining session, the final agreement doesn’t include any unpaid days off for teachers. Denver Superintendent Susana Cordova earlier in the week asked the union to renegotiate the contract signed in February 2019 after a threeday strike. That contract secured substantial wage increases for teachers and special service providers like nurses and school psychologists. Denver Public Schools is facing a $65 million shortfall in state revenue due to widespread job losses and business closures related to efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus. That amounts to roughly 6% of the district’s $1.1 billion budget.
SEE FACE SHIELDS, P13
SEE TEACHERS, P15
Tarah Moya, right, picks up a box of 100 face shields from representatives of the Iconic Medical Group on June 11 for Vice Kitchen Wine Whiskey, a restaurant in Golden. CHRISTY STEADMAN
‘They are cheering for us to succeed’ Denver-based Iconic Medical Group donates face shields to local restaurants BY CHRISTY STEADMAN CSTEADMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Yasu Kizaki believes the survival of independent restaurants is critical. “Restaurants create a unique character of a city,” Kizaki said, who co-owns Sushi Den, Izakaya Den and Ototo Den with his brother. “People look forward to dining out (at local
restaurants) when they travel.” But not only do restaurants contribute to the tourism industry, many other industries rely on restaurants, Kizaki said. Namely, ranchers and farmers, and suppliers and distributers, he added. “If we go down, all that goes down with us,” Kizaki said. Surviving on a take-out only model was difficult, and the need to adhere to certain social distancing measures upon reopening further adds to the challenge, Kizaki said. So to help independent Denvermetro restaurants reopen with the proper protocols, Kizaki and Denverbased Iconic Medical Group part-
THE BOTTOM LINE PERIODICAL
“It shouldn’t take viral videos of police brutality or massive protests all over the country to jolt us into action.” Colorado House Speaker KC Becker on the Legislature’s police-reform bill | Page 9 INSIDE
VOICES: PAGE 8 | LIFE: PAGE 10 | SPORTS: PAGE 7 VOLUME 93 | ISSUE 33