Life On Capitol Hill 0420

Life On LifeOnCapHill.com

April 2020

Founded in 1975

CAPITOL HILL JAZZIN’ IT UP

Local musicians help keep the music alive

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MANAGING ANXIETY Age-old tricks to help with unease amid COVID-19 pandemic

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STAY AT HOME Denver mayor issues new directive to help prevent coronavirus spread

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INVENTIVE KIDS Students find solutions to problems

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2 Life On Capitol Hill

April 2020

Business Matters Christy Steadman | csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com Editor’s Note: Business Matters is a monthly column featuring business news in Denver. The column for April is taking a different shape this month to reflect how local businesses are operating under mandates set by the state and city of Denver to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

For April, the column includes both the Life on Capitol Hill and Washington Park Profile coverage areas. But, it is by no means an exhaustive list. Colorado Community Media urges you to reach out to your favorite local businesses — follow them on social media, visit their websites or give them a phone call — to find out how you can help support them in these difficult times.

We are staying up-to-date on all COVID-19 announcements affecting the community, and the Business Matters column will return as usual once appropriate.

In the meantime, if you are a local business that would like readers to know what you’re doing during the disruption caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic, email Christy Steadman at csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com.

Cherry Creek North Small businesses are facing a particularly difficult time.

“But things are not shut down completely,” Nick LeMasters, president and CEO of Cherry Creek North, said of local businesses. “It’s important to continue to support them.”

Specifically, he said, “shop at them.”

While some shops are staying open, many are offering online shopping options, with

some waiving delivery fees. Others are limiting open hours and/or providing open hours by appointment.

If you’re heading to a specific small business destination, call ahead to check on their hours, LeMasters said.

Cherry Creek North consists of 16 walkable blocks, and is there for people to take a stroll, window shop and enjoy the setting, while still practicing social distancing, LeMasters said.

Another creative way to support local businesses is to purchase a gift card for use in the future, LeMasters added.

LeMasters is “hopeful this virus gets contained quickly,” he said, adding that he’s “certain the shops will re-open once they feel comfortable.”

Sushi Den www.sushiden.net Yasu Kizaki believes that independent restaurants have a unique personality and spirit.

“Small local businesses have an entire ecosystem in their orbit which sustains, empowers and benefits the community in ways seen, and unseen,” Kizaki said. “In addition, small businesses are the DNA of a community giving it unique character, spirit and vitality.”

Kizaki, along with his brother Toshi Kizaki, are co-owners of Sushi Den, Izakaya Den and OTOTO Den, all located at 1487 S. Pearl St. in Denver’s Platt Park neighborhood.

Not able to offer in-restaurant dining under the current emergency order, the sushi restaurants are offering a special Den Corner Curbside To-Go Menu.

STRONGER

TOGETHER At Bellco Credit Union, we’re here to support our members and our Colorado community during these uncertain times. Since 1936, Bellco has been a financially sound institution that was built for the sole purpose of serving our members — and that remains true today. As a local, not-for-profit credit union, we are here to provide individuals and small businesses with the financial tools to meet their unique needs.

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Toshi, left, and Yasu Kizaki own Suhi Den. COURTESY PHOTO

“As COVID-19 has begun to greatly affect the hospitality industry nationwide, the well-being of our staff and guests remains our absolute No.1 priority,” the Kizaki brothers said in a news release. “All of us at Sushi Den, Izakaya Den and OTOTO send our most heartfelt wishes to you, our guests, for your health and wellness during this difficult and uncertain time.”

Pet Wants Denver https://petwantsdenver.com/ While we’re doing everything we can for human health, said Jess Green, owner of Pet Wants Denver, “it’s also important to make sure our pets are taken care of.”

“We are less worried about pets contracting this disease,” Green said. Still, she added, “I think this is a good time to think about keeping your pets healthy year-round.”

Pet Wants Denver is a mobile pet supply store that offers small-batch, fresh pet food for dogs and cats; supplements; treats and chews; and homemade spa products.

It is a small business and dependent on the community, Green said. She added that a lot of the business’s income is generated from selling its products at various events, which because of COVID-19 have all been canceled.

“Right now, we’re dependent on online sales, which include free delivery,” Green said.

Pet Wants Denver services all of Denver’s neighborhoods and surrounding communities.

“We want to do everything we can to support our Denver pet community,” Green said.

“Our pets provide us with so much companionship. They’ll love always having you home during these times.”

SEE BUSINESS, P3

Life On Capitol Hill 3

April 2020

BUSINESS

the Feeding America donations. To find a list of participating restaurants, visit the Keep Calm and Carry Out website provided above.

“We hope to help bring a sense of calm during this trying time. Social distancing doesn’t mean you have to eat only non-perishable food or sit back without taking action,” the news release states. “Enjoy a satisfying meal, feed the family and eliminate stress while helping your community.”

FROM PAGE 2

Fox Run Café https://foxruncafe.com/ Though it’s a challenging time to open a restaurant, Lucien Reichert and his team decided to forge on and opened Fox Run Café on March 18, offering a limited menu pickup service.

“As someone who grew up in Denver, I’m excited to be creating a restaurant in my neighborhood for such a vibrant community,” Reichert said. “We’re rallying friends, family, neighbors and the community to support us through this unconventional beginning of the restaurant.”

Fox Run Café is located at 3350 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver’s Congress Park neighborhood.

It features a breakfast-and-lunch menu that “focuses on simplistic, high-quality and seasonal ingredients,” states a news release.

The Spot Denver www.thespotgym.com/denver The Spot, a bouldering gym in the Golden Triangle, celebrated obtaining a liquor license in February.

Not even a month later, to comply with state mandates to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the gym announced its closure through at least the end of March.

“This was the hardest decision we have faced in our 18 years of serving you,” states a note on the gym’s website.

The Spot opened its first location in Boulder in 2002, and The Spot Denver, 1235 Delaware St., opened in April 2019.

“We know that climbing is a very important part of your lives, we’ll all be sad that we need to close for this time,” the note states. “We look forward to reopening to climb and party

Fox Run Café.

COURTESY PHOTO

with you again. This too shall pass.”

Keep Calm and Carry Out https://keepcalmcarryout.com/ Sage Restaurant Concepts has launched its Keep Calm and Carry Out to help raise money to benefit local food banks amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’ve always been committed to our communities,” states a news release. “As we face the unprecedented challenge of COVID-19, we wanted to find a way to continue to contribute to our communities.”

How it works is for every carry-out order placed at any participating Sage Restaurant Concepts location and partnering restaurants, $1 will be donated to Feeding America, an organization helping local food banks respond to COVID-19.

In Denver, Food Bank of the Rockies, www. foodbankrockies.org, will be the recipient of

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Insomnia Cookies https://insomniacookies.com/ For those with a sweet tooth, Insomnia Cookies will continue baking and has recently launched contact-free delivery options, according to its Facebook page.

Customers who place an order for delivery can now choose to have their delivery left at the door.

Insomnia Cookies celebrated the grand opening of its second bakery in Denver in February. The new 78 S. Broadway location joins Insomnia Cookies’ other location at 2075 S. University Blvd.

As its name implies, the bakery specializes in cookies but also offers cookie cakes, ice cream cookiewiches and brownies.

Streets Denver https://www.facebook.com/streetsdenver/ John Elliott, owner of Streets Denver, a live music venue and bar in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, has concerns about paying the establishment’s rent with zero revenue coming in, but is more concerned about his seven employees.

“They lose 100% of their income,” Elliott said.

They will remain on payroll so they can come in and be paid for cleaning and making updates to the bar, he said, but as people who rely on tips as primary income, it will likely

be hard for them to make ends meet. Elliott said he plans to find any way that he can help supplement their income — even if it means having them help with tasks that need to be done at his home.

Elliott spoke with other local bar owners, he said, and the conversation included a prediction that 20% to 30% of small businesses in the entertainment industry may not be able to reopen.

“But we hope we’re wrong,” Elliott said.

Streets Denver had to close down completely and cancel all shows until May 11. However, to help keep interest generated in Denver’s local music scene, Streets Denver is using Facebook to promote local bands, such as posting music videos.

“Our hearts go out to all the bands, venues, promoters, street team members, customers and everyone in our industry,” Streets Denver wrote in a Facebook post.

Grandma’s House https://www.grandmasbeer.co/ Like many breweries, Grandma’s House, 1710 S. Broadway, will continue producing beer and will offer their product to go.

“This is going to affect us all,” brewery owner Matt Fuerst said of the closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “But as difficult as this is on all of us, we understand the rationale.”

Along with finding a way to sustain itself, the brewery put thought into what it can do to help the community also facing hard times. What it came up with is implementing its Pay-WhatYou-Can To-Go Beer Menu.

“While we hope that our wonderful customers will do whatever you can to help us stay afloat for the foreseeable future, we would also love to provide a little relief to those with reduced financial means right now,” states a note on Grandma’s House’s website. “In times like these, we have to stick together more than ever.”

4 Life On Capitol Hill

April 2020

Denver issues stay-at-home order Residents can still buy food and go to doctor Staff report

Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock on March 16 addresses members of the media on updates to the city and county’s response to COVID-19. As of March 17, all restaurants and bars in Denver were closed to onsite service until May 11. Delivery, carry-out and drive-through services are permitted. The mayor issued a stay-at-home order on March 23, effective until April 10, to escalate social distancing measures to prevent further spread of the COVID-19 virus.

CHRISTY STEADMAN

Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock announced on March 23 that a new Public Health Order with an “explicit stay at home directive” has been issued for the city and county of Denver to escalate social distancing measures to prevent further spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The order will be in effect through April 10, but may be extended if necessary.

“This stay at home order responds to the public health advice we have received as well as ongoing conversations with the governor and metro mayors,” Hancock said in a news release. “People and businesses need to continue to take physical distancing seriously to make an impact on the spread of this virus. Frankly, voluntary ‘distancing’ is simply not enough.”

The state urged people to remain home except to buy food, obtain medication or health care service or collect supplies needed to work from home.

In a statement about Denver’s action, Gov. Jared Polis, who has stopped short of issuing such an order as of March 23, said: “Last week, San Miguel (County) issued a stay at home order for non-critical functions and additional isolation measures were also taken in Gunnison, Eagle, and Summit counties.

Today the city and county of Denver issued a similar order.

“I’m strongly in support of these local efforts, and it’s extremely important that just as our state is acting boldly and urgently, that our county health departments are also taking strong actions ... taking into account local factors like population density and concentration of coronavirus cases, to best contain the spread of the virus.

“Thank you to Mayor Hancock and other local leaders making strong moves to reduce the spread of the virus in communities across our state.”

The following are considered “critical” industries that are exempt from the order: • Health care • Infrastructure, including utilities, fuel, public water, telecommunications, transportation and food supply chain • Hotels • Businesses and organizations that provide for disadvantaged people, and those that provide necessities to the economically disadvantaged • Manufacturing, including food, beverages, chemicals, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, sanitary products • Agriculture • Retail, including grocery stores, liquor stores, farms, gas stations, restaurants and bars, hardware stores • Marijuana dispensaries (for medical or curbside delivery)

• Services, including trash and recycling, mail, shipping, laundromats, building cleaning and maintenance, auto supply and repair, funeral homes, crematoriums, cemeteries, and animal shelters and rescues • Warehouses and distribution • Child care • News media • Financial institutions • Construction • Defense • Public safety, including law enforcement, fire response, emergency medical technicians, security, disinfection, cleaning, building code enforcement and snow removal • Logistics, tech support or contractors with critical government services • Critical government functions

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Life On Capitol Hill 5

April 2020

Comment period for East Central Area Plan extended

The City of Denver has extended the comment period for the first draft of the East Central Area Plan until April 12. The East Central Area Plan includes the neighborhoods adjacent to Colfax Avenue between Broadway and Colorado Boulevard. These are Capitol Hill, North Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Congress Park, City Park and City Park West. To access the webpage for East Central Area Plan, copy and paste https://bit.ly/2xij6M7 into your web browser. The webpage provides information about the plan and a link to be able to comment directly on the document. For those who are in need of assistance to access the plan because of limited access to the internet, language barrier or a disability, contact Israel Cruz, associate city planner with the City of Denver, at 720-865-2801.

CHRISTY STEADMAN

IT’S AN

ToGoDenver.com helps restaurants in midst of closures More than 450 restaurants have joined to offer takeout/delivery service during mandated shutdown Staff report Statewide mandated dine-in closures, issued to curb the spread of the coronavirus, have left local restaurants scrambling to stay afloat and keep their staff employed.

Many now offer curbside delivery and takeout services, and a new resource created by Visit Denver, Boulder Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, Eat Denver and the Colorado Restaurant Association allows residents to find restaurants that remain open for takeout or delivery during the shut-down.

ToGoDenver.com offers local restaurants free registration to list their home or curbside delivery and takeout services available, and restaurant seekers can

search listings by restaurant name, by neighborhood or by cuisine.

“This crisis is creating immense hardship for our local hospitality community, but this new resource gives us all an opportunity to do our part in supporting our local restaurants that have made Denver and Boulder among the finest culinary scenes in the country,” Richard W. Scharf, president and CEO of Visit Denver, said in a news release. “Our hope is that ToGoDenver. com will help fill an urgent need to aid local restaurants as they struggle to remain in businesses through these difficult times.”

Visit Denver, which also hosts the annual Denver Restaurant Week, has created a portal for restaurants to upload their information. In addition, local media partners including The Denver Post and Westword are lending their support to the effort.

Learn more at https://www.denver. org/restaurants/restaurants-open-forcarryout-or-delivery-due-to-coronavirusmarch-2020. The hashtag #coloradocurbside on Instagram is also a helpful resource.

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6 Life On Capitol Hill

April 2020

Students scheduled to begin online classes April 7

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

The Stepelman family is using the extended spring break to connect online with out-of-state family members.

The family’s children, who attend Teller Elementary School, receive math lessons from their grandmother and virtual piano lessons from their grandfather.

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Denver Public Schools is transitioning to remote learning until at least April 20.

Online classes will begin on April 7, the first day of scheduled instruction following the extended spring break which began on March 16.

Plans to extend spring break were announced on March 12 as a response to COVID-19.

The district is offering breakfast and lunch meals as a grab-and-go service at eight locations: • Abraham Lincoln High School, 2285 S. Federal Blvd.

• Joe Shoemaker School, 3333 S Havana St. • Place Bridge Academy, 7125 Cherry Creek N. Drive • Denver Center for International Studies Baker, 574 Sixth Ave. • North High School, 2960 North Speer Blvd.

• Manual High School, 1700 E. 28th Ave. • The Montbello campus, 5000 Crown Blvd.

• The Evie Dennis campus, 4800 Telluride St. March 13 served as a transition day for the extended spring break. DPS buildings were open with limited staff on March 16 and 17 so families could pick up their child’s belongings needed for the extended spring break. All school buildings closed on March 18 for disinfecting.

To prepare for the transition to remote learning, DPS distributed thousands of laptop devices to students March 25-27.

The school district will post updates on its response to COVID-19 on its website: www.dpsk12.org.

An ‘unexpected new normal’ Parents working at home juggle family duties during extended spring break

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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ith children on an extended spring break and people working from home, parents everywhere are modifying daily routines and schedules to accommodate both child care and career success simultaneously.

“It’s a lot for everybody,” said Batya Stepelman, a parent of two children who attend Teller Elementary School in Denver’s Congress Park neighborhood. “But there is comfort in knowing that everybody is going through this.”

About three years ago, Stepelman launched a home business called Walltawk, which is a wallpaper boutique for which the showroom is in the family home. On March 13, Stepelman stopped hosting her in-person appointments and switched to her online business model that was in place for her out-of-state customers.

“For the most part, they (the children) have been pretty good, and understanding. There were definitely a few meltdowns with not getting to see people and having their playdates canceled.”

— Batya Stepelman

Normally, Stepelman was able to do most of the work her business required while her children were at school, and had some family time in the late afternoons and evenings. But now, preparing for an expected slowdown or cessation of the supply chain for her business, Stepelman is working 10- to 12-hour days.

And with the children on an extended spring break, Stepelman’s husband, Matt Ber-

man, has taken on the role of scheduling and overseeing the children’s daily activities.

“For the most part, they (the children) have been pretty good, and understanding,” Stepelman said, but added “there were definitely a few meltdowns with not getting to see people and having their playdates canceled.”

In addition to Berman taking the children out for bike rides and other types of outdoor

exercise, the family has developed a routine to keep Otis, 10, and Theo, 8, occupied. It includes reading time, a movie night and networking with other parents from the children’s classrooms to implement creative playdates such as virtual chess or Monopoly games and online Pokémon.

“We’re also traveling the world from our house,” Stepelman said.

As the room parent for Theo’s second grade class, Stepelman created Passport Thru Denver. Using Instagram, it is a way for students to learn about other countries by experiencing different cultures locally, such as ordering take-out from ethnic restaurants.

“I’m going to continue with this project and I’m sending it out to all the families,” Stepelman said. “It will be fun to see what people come up with in terms of projects, music, artwork, etc.”

The family is also connecting with out-ofstate family members. The children receive math lessons from their grandmother, who sends printable worksheets to complete, and virtual piano lessons from their grandfather.

“Social distancing doesn’t have to mean social isolation,” said Sara Reed, a parent of four children. “Teens and tweens need their SEE SCHOOL, P13

Life On Capitol Hill 7

April 2020

Kids invent solutions to practical problems Graland middle schoolers compete in innovation expo

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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artin Twarogowski believes he has the best job in the world.

“That’s how much fun it is,” he said.

Twarogowski is the Charles C. Gates Director of Innovative Learning at Graland Country Day School. Each year, for nearly the entire academic year, Twarogowski works with middle schoolers on their Gates Invention Expo projects.

He gets to “witness the evolution of their projects, along with the evolution of their learning,” Twarogowski said. “I’ve seen the value of what the (Gates) program means to the students.”

Graland, 55 Clermont St., is a private school located in Denver’s Hilltop neighborhood. It serves preschoolers through eighth grade and draws students from across the metro area.

The Charles C. Gates Invention and Innovation Program is an elective at Graland, offered to fifth- through eighth graders. The program got its start by an endowment from Charles C. Gates and was established in 1999.

This school year marks the 20th anniversary of the program’s Gates Invention Expo.

Working with a team of coaches comprised of Graland faculty, the program tasks students to solve a problem with a unique idea. The students then develop a prototype, which is then presented at the annual Gates Invention Expo, which took place this year on March 5, at Graland.

“Technology changes (and) people’s needs change,” Twarogowski said. “Our hope is that these kids find solutions for those needs.”

The Gates Program teaches students to solve problems for others, Twarogowski said,

and to do that, they use a number of different skill sets. However, the main skills learned through the program, Twarogowski said, are empathy, critical thinking, creative thinking, collaboration, grit and perseverance, and experimentation.

This year, about 140 students participated in the Gates Invention Expo — some worked individually on a project, and others worked as part of a team of two or three.

On March 5, six competition judges — community members and industry professionals unknown to the students — judged the projects on functionality, creativity, marketability and clarity of communication. The judges selected 10-15 projects as finalists, and those students provided a second presentation to the judges in the morning on March 6.

That afternoon, the judges made their selection for first, second and third-place winners for both a fifth-and-sixth-grade category and a seventh-and-eighth-grade category.

The judges also determine if any of the projects are patent-worthy, Twarogowski

said. In the past 20 years, 24 students participating in the Gates Program at Graland have received U.S. patents for their inventions.

On March 6, the event included a presentation of a patent certificate to two former Graland students, James Cobb and Alex Kechriotis, who in 2016 developed a magnetic zipper, which was inspired by Parkinson’s patients.

John Jordan’s son Jack is a fifth-grader at Graland, and participated for the first time in the Gates Program. Jack Jordan created a cleaning robot to be more efficient and effective than what is currently available in the market.

“He really enjoyed it,” John Jordan said of his son’s experience in the Gates Program, “and he learned a lot.”

For example, John Jordan said, Jack learned how to think about a problem, tackle it and how to overcome roadblocks and challenges.

All of those are life skills, John Jordan said, and “all will come up a lot in life.”

8 Life On Capitol Hill

LOCAL

April 2020

VOICES

Virtual sister time

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FROM THE EDITOR

Christy Steadman

onths ago, I had envisioned writing this column about Parkinson’s Awareness Month, which is in April.

My dad has Parkinson’s disease, so it is a topic that I am very much invested in. Not just in April, but every day of the year.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic began to dominate headlines worldwide.

And because people are needing to consume and absorb necessary information and news about this new COVID-19 virus, I decided to pen a column that is bit more lighthearted. And will hopefully bring some smiles to your faces — National Siblings Day. National Siblings Day is an unofficial holiday

observed each year on April 10 as a time to honor and value the bonds we have with our siblings.

My sister Julie and I are as close as two siblings can be. We look a lot alike, so much so that when we were young children, people would mistake us for twins — even when we were dressed in our Dr. Seuss t-shirts that explicitly labeled us as Thing One and Thing Two. But we have one year and three months age difference between us. I am Thing One, the older sister.

Julie and I weren’t necessarily troublesome children. But usually when we got in trouble, SEE STEADMAN, P9

My sister Julie, left, and me roasting marshmallows on a camping trip at Rocky Mountain National Forest circa mid-1980s.

COURTESY PHOTO

Perfect 10 office moving forward with plans, projects

S

The woody plants of Plant Select GUEST COLUMN Mike Bone

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oody plants are the framework for the garden. They provide structure, drama and help direct the traffic in a garden. Trees provide shade and habitat for birds, bugs and tree swings. Shrubs also provide habitat but are often used as screens or borders. There are so many important uses for woody plants in the landscape that it is often hard to choose. How does one know where to start? Let Plant Select help guide you.

SEE PLANTS, P9

Life On

CAPITOL HILL

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.lifeoncaphill.com/subscribe

even months into my first term as the District 10 representative on Denver City Council, the world is facing a pandemic. COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, has GUEST reached Denver. First COLUMN found in China, it has now crossed the world and is having an impact on global, national, statewide and local businesses, and people. In some ways, COVID-19 is like the flu: it’s a virus, and things we can do to avoid conCouncilmember tracting COVID-19 Chris Hinds are similar to what we can do to avoid getting the flu. Unlike the flu, which has been around for a long time, COVID-19 is new and unknown.

The virus itself isn’t the only unknown.

Businesses, schools, municipal and state governments are all grappling with how to appropriately balance protecting public health and progressing the important work we all do every day. I prefer to err on the side of caution. I believe we can protect the public and continue serving our constituencies with minor disruptions. Technology provides us relief, in the forms of telecommuting and video conference calls, when considering how to hold public meetings and interact with constituents and colleagues. District 10 is a thriving community with many projects and plans moving through different parts of the process.

District 10 is involved in many impor-

tant planning projects that are still moving forward. As the public comment period continues for the East Central Area Plan, the South Central Community Transportation Network stakeholder process is just ramping up. Both of these planning initiatives focus heavily on improving our transit infrastructure — my top priority in my first term.

The East Central Area Plan is a vision for the long-term future of the six neighborhoods involved in the plan: North Capitol Hill, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Congress Park, City Park West and City Park. Over the next 20 years, the plan will serve as a guide as decisions are made that affect land use, transit infrastructure and residents’ quality of life. In non-planner speak, that means: which streets will receive bike lanes and bus lanes? Where will future parks be located? And, what amount of housing density is acceptable in your neighborhood? The comment period for the East Central Area Plan is open through April 12.

Be sure to provide feedback, if you haven’t already, via denvergov.org/eastcentralplan.

The South Central Community Transportation Network plan will help improve how people get around town without increasing congestion on our streets. Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) wants to understand how people in our communities currently travel and how to effectively build healthier walking, biking and transit connections that get us to the places we want to go. The effort is part of DOTI’s commitment to install 125 miles of infrastructure in the city by the end of 2023. The first planned SEE HINDS, P9

JERRY HEALEY President

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant

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Life On Capitol Hill 9

April 2020

Plants FROM PAGE 8

Plant Select is a program that partners with Colorado State University, Denver Botanic Gardens and local growers to bring to the local marketplace plants that are tried, tested and great for the semi-arid steppes of Colorado’s front range and beyond.

Plant Select has been introducing and recommending plants since the program first launched. Many of those early plants are still staples of the landscape and are great plants to use. They continue to work with growers, breeders, collectors and other professionals to showcase and make more woody plants available. However, it does take a lot to make the program. Not just any plant will earn the Plant Select moniker. CSU has run and managed a multi-site woody plant trial at sites all around Colorado. These trials ensure that the plants are hardy, resilient and beautiful in a wide range of Colorado’s challenging conditions. Currently, Plant Select has 50 woody plants as a part of the program. One great way to get to know more about them is at plantselect. org.

A few classics are the Alleghany Viburnum, silverleaf butterfly bush and Cheyenne mock orange. These classic shrubs are adaptable and provide long seasons of bloom and

Hinds FROM PAGE 8

community meeting was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns, but will be rescheduled in the near future. For questions about the network or the plan, please email denvermoves@denvergov.org.

If you were hoping to read some feel-good news from the Perfect 10 office, I don’t want to disappoint. With the help of community members, my office is working to gather community input about creating an off-leash dog park at the underutilized and inactive

fragrant flowers. Being six to 10 feet tall, these shrubs fill the more classic size plants for yards.

Plant Select also has some great trees for the urban landscapes. One of the best is the Hot Wings Maple, Acer tataricum ‘GarAnn’. This is a great tree for smaller landscapes and really tolerates the high pH of our Colorado soils. This plant has interesting clusters of white flowers in the spring, but the real show isn’t until late summer into fall. All of those white clusters of flowers grow bright red samaras and cover the tree. It really is a spectacle.

One cannot leave out the broad-leaved evergreens when discussing woody plant material. In Colorado, Arctostaphylos are a favorite. The three hybrids that are in the program cover a wide range of habit from groundcover to shrub.

These wonderful plants bloom in very early spring and stay green all year round. They are also very important for small native bees just emerging from the winter slumber.

The woody plants we choose for our landscapes provide so much to our micro habitats. They are the framework for our gardens and the glue that holds the garden together through Colorado’s changing seasons. Since its inception, the folks at Plant Select have worked diligently to make sure that the choices for hardy, resilient and adapted woody plants find their way to our gardens.

Mike Bone is the curator of steppe collections at the Denver Botanic Gardens

Quality Hill Park, located at the corner of Pennsylvania Street and East 10th Avenue in Capitol Hill. Interested in providing feedback? Please email liz.zukowski@denvergov. org with your thoughts!

Chris Hinds was elected to serve as the Denver City Council representative for District 10 for the 2019-2023 term. District 10 neighborhoods include Capitol Hill, Uptown, Golden Triangle, Alamo Placita, Cheesman Park, Congress Park, Country Club, Cherry Creek and Belcaro. For more information from the District 10 office, sign up for the official newsletter, Hinds’ Sights, at bit.ly/denverperfect10.

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Steadman FROM PAGE 8

we both got punished. That’s because 99% of the time, it was something we got into together. Like the time when we were about 7 or 8 years old and we used some sort of red coloring — I can’t remember the substance — to draw stick figures all over the bathroom wall. I don’t know if that bright idea came from me, or if it was my sister’s, but I remember getting sent to our room for a few hours to sit and think about what we had done.

But probably to my parents’ dismay, the only way to really punish us for something was to separate us.

Otherwise, we’d just go into our shared room and play with our toys, albeit very quietly so not to get in even more trouble.

As adults, we still spend a lot of time together.

However, our activities together now largely revolve around the newest set of siblings in the family: Julie’s two daughters, Morgan, 16, and Cassie, 13.

This year, we may not be able to go out and do something like we normally would to celebrate National Siblings Day. But at least technology will allow us to have some virtual sister time this April 10.

Find Out More Reasons Why Back Pain Lasts Longer Than It Should…

- ATTENTION ACTIVE DENVER ADULTS!

Help is coming your way if you are experiencing back pain. Since being stuck inside, many people have been experiencing more pain recently and not having the ability to move or be as active as they usually would with gyms and Rec Centers closing for the time being.

Therefore, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Brooke Olsen is planning free, onehour virtual, online educational events called “How to End Your Lingering Back Pain to Live Your Most Active & Confident Life” right in the comfort of your home to help get you ready for the other side of all this when we are all back to normalcy again.

It is aimed at people who: • Suffer with back or leg pain when they stand or walk.

• Experience pain, numbness or tingling in their buttock or leg.

• Have pain when they sit for long periods of time.

• Experience their low back “giving out” or “acting up” frequently.

303-566-4100 ColoradoCommunityMedia.com

• Are afraid their pain will get worse if they don’t do anything about it…

Brooke said, “Back pain is one of the biggest issues that can completely ruin people’s life. It can have people needing to lean on the benches when they are walking through the park. It

can stop you from feeling comfortable when getting on & off the floor to play with your kids or force you to question if you can get out bed without aches or pains. It can simply drain your freedom and independence if not addressed.”

But help doesn’t have to involve pills or surgery. The virtual workshop will highlight the mistakes which keep people from healing, the 3 most common causes of back pain, the best treatments and how to pick the right one. To secure 1 of only 8 seats available contact Annie at (720)-7721133.

If you are an active adult with back aches or pain that just won’t go away, this virtual workshop is for you! Brooke will personally teach you how to help ease your pain naturally WITHOUT resorting to medications, surgeries or injections. This is a FREE online, virtual educational event.

There is no cost to attend - To keep it valuable, interactive, and fun, we’ve capped it to only 8 spots available.

Contact Annie at (720)-772-1133 or email her personally at Annie@ ThePhysioRevolution.Com to know when the next one will be held this April.  Struggling with Knee Pain? Get information about our next Free Knee Pain Workshops here:

www.ThePhysioRevolution.Com/Workshops/

10 Life On Capitol Hill

April 2020

Theater scene speaks amid COVID-19 closures

I

’ve written this column for more than two years, and I would be surprised if I went more than two entries during this tenure without mentioning some kind of theatrical production. There’s a good reason for that - the metro area’s theatrical scene is full of small, independent companies and stages that tell vital, transporting and completely human stories.

Like so many other industries, the theater COMING has been rocked ATTRACTIONS world by the spread of COVID-19, especially with the temporary shuttering of most stages and arts centers until the situation is safer for the health of everyone.

In the spirit of amplifying the voices of people working in the Clarke Reader creative fields whose jobs are gone for the foreseeable future, I’m turning the rest of my column over to local theater workers, so they can share how they’re feeling and how residents can help (messages have been edited for clarity and brevity): “My biggest concern is that some of the smaller theaters in town operate on really tight budgets. They need help from anyone who has the means to donate directly to the theater companies that operates on shoestring budgets.

I’m hoping that some of the ideas for on-

line performances can be pulled together.

If people would donate to support any of that content, that would help, too. I’d love to see that come together, as it would be good for both the performing artists and the audiences.”

-Erin Bell, cast member of “Ada and the Engine” at Denver’s Firehouse Theater Company “Now, more than ever, we need to commune. Anxiety and uncertainty meets hope and optimism. I work and create in a community where the primary currency is connection. And that currency is being severely challenged.

The Vintage Theatre’s production of `The Scottsboro Boys,’ was to have its triumphant closing last weekend. For the cast, creative and production teams to have been stripped of the final punctuation mark on what has been a wholly amazing journey, it is a loss that I’m still trying to comprehend.

And this is just the beginning.

It will hurt but we - as a community will persevere.”

-Abner Genece, assistant-director of “The Scottsboro Boys” “It is my belief that theater is going to need charitable donations to stay afloat.

Encouraging those that love and that can give to support their favorite local theater.

It is going to sting. Most of us lost most of our jobs. Sending support to the Denver Actor’s Fund would also help us all.”

-Geoffrey Kent, director and actor in Arvada Center’s 2020 Black Box Repertory Season

THE GREAT DENVER

CLEANUP

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“Since we sent our letter to patrons canceling the show (the production of `Moon Over Buffalo’), we have received nothing but supportive emails from patrons. At the writing of this message, more than 75 emails. And no one has asked for a refund.

What a wonderful supportive community.”

-Len Matheo, executive/artistic director at Golden’s Miners Alley Playhouse “Here I was doing what I loved in this most beautiful place, surrounded by the nicest, most talented artists from my acting partner to the prop designer. There was a feeling we were living on borrowed time. And sure enough, the day of our opening, we were told that the situation had worsened and that we were going to have to shut down. Transmission has to be stopped.

There are many out there whose souls are crushed because their shows have shut down. And then there are those whose very livelihood has been threatened. It’s horrible and necessary, and we just have to hope it will be short lived.”

-Emma Messenger, cast member of “The Roommate” at the Lake Dillon Theatre Company” “What an incredible outpouring of love I’ve seen amongst our community. People trying to employ other people to help subsidize their income, people whose shows have closed coming to see our final shows just to share their support. The beautiful things that are coming from this are extraordinary.

I’m trying to brainstorm the ways in

which I can create community support for the major actors’ funds so that those who depend on their theater salaries to pay all of their bills are able to pay them.”

-Emily Tuckman, actor and producer of Misfit Theater’s off-Broadway, all-female and non-binary production of “Macbeth” “My heart goes out to the freelance theatre folks with no other sources of income, and the theatre couples I know where both partners rely on piecing together as many freelance gigs as they can only to live paycheck to paycheck as it is. People can help by reaching out to their artist friends and offering to pay them for voice lessons or audition coaching - I’ve coached private voice and been coached very successfully via Skype and Zoom.

A donation of the cost of your ticket is a small and effective way to minimize (the potential impact) if budgets are tight. And the Denver Actor’s Fund will need a lot of help in the coming weeks as they begin to distribute funds to artist folks who are in need of medical help. And when all this blows over, we’re all going to need help bouncing back. The best thing individuals can do when the storm subsides is to get out there and see as much theatre and live performance as possible.”

-Emily Van Fleet, director and actor in Arvada Center’s 2020 Black Box Repertory Season Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.

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Life On Capitol Hill 11

April 2020

AND ALL THAT A JAZZ

Local musicians discuss importance of bringing jazz to rural U.S. areas

By Christy Steadman

csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Jazz pianist and educator Peter Stoltzman of Denver loves jazz for its history and because it’s a “fascinating and deeply meaningful type of music,” he said.

COURTESY OF JERRY SIMPSON

conversation about jazz music with Peter Stoltzman would include him describing it as a “fascinating and deeply meaningful type of music.”

“Jazz, unlike any other music, has improvisation at its core,” said Stoltzman of north Denver, a jazz pianist and educator. “It’s spontaneous and conversational, yet built on more than 100 years of history.”

But for the past 70 years or so, jazz has been becoming less and less popular in the U.S., said the 42-year-old who has been a professional musician since his late teens.

“It’s super important that jazz gets out to the entire U.S.,” Stoltzman said. “If jazz is going to thrive in the U.S., artists have to be able to bring their music to more than just the handful of small, urban clubs.”

To help bring jazz music to rural, isolated and underserved parts of the country, a Jazz Road Tour grant is being offered to emerging and midcareer jazz artists for tour expenses.

Because of current social distancing measures in place across the country to prevent the spread of COVID-19, grant applications are now being accepted on a rolling status. Additionally, the original stipulated timeframe for the tour to take place has been waived.

“We want the program to be as flexible as possible to accommodate how artists work and build their tours,” said Ivan Schustak, director of communications and development for South Arts, a regional nonprofit arts organization.

South Arts is leading the national Jazz Road Tour grants program, but working in partnership with the five other U.S. Regional Arts Organizations, including the Western States Arts Federation of which Colorado is a member.

Colorado is home to some talented jazz musicians and Denver boasts some great venues such as Dazzle, Nocturne, El Chapultepec and many others, said jazz saxophonist Harry Drabkin of south Denver.

Drabkin added there are also quite a few smaller, local places that regularly host live jazz musicians, such as La Cour, a French bistro and jazz club in Washington Park where Drabkin has

ongoing gigs twice a month.

“Denver is big enough to have that caliber of jazz musicians and venues,” Drabkin said. “In every city you’ll find some jazz, but it can be relatively non-existent if you live in some rural areas in the U.S.” Drabkin, 71, started playing the trumpet as child, and was introduced to the saxophone through his childhood best friend’s brother. He studied music and performed live in college, but went on to pursue a career in research and medicine, specifically, oncology which lasted about 35 years. Though he retired about three years ago, Drabkin still participates in research at the University of Colorado-Boulder. About 14 years ago, Drabkin’s son Rob Drabkin, who pursued a career in music and is now a professional Denver-based acoustic rock musician, got him back into playing.

“Music appeals to people on an individual, emotional basis,” Drabkin said. He added that nowadays although people can experience jazz music by downloading or streaming, “it’s just not the same experience as live music, and seeing a musician play.”

Live jazz concerts give the audience an experience that happens once, and only once, said Hank Troy, 72, who has been playing piano since he was five and went professional after moving to Denver in 1971.

“People who go to see live jazz,” Troy said, “go because they enjoy the experience of watching music happen.”

Troy, of south Denver, currently performs solo, as well as with the Queen City Jazz Band. As a solo artist, he has accompanied singers and theater groups, and has played for silent movies.

The Queen City Jazz Band is an eightpiece band — seven instrumentalists and a singer — that performs at jazz festivals across the U.S. “Going on tour is very broadening for touring musicians,” Troy said.

“Every experience builds on the one before.”

Touring jazz musicians have the opportunity to introduce an audience to a music they love, as well as inspire and influence people in a positive way, Troy said.

“One of the things that makes jazz work is having an audience,” Troy said.

“What we say in jazz is, we tell our stories live.”

JAZZ ROAD TOUR GRANTS

The Queen City Jazz Band performed at Town Hall in Littleton in the 13th Annual Jazz Festival, a Western Welcome Week event. COURTESY PHOTO

Emerging and mid-career jazz artists can apply for a Jazz Road Tour grant for up to $15,000 to support a tour that brings jazz music to rural, isolated and underserved parts of the country.

Artists living anywhere in the U.S. may apply. Recipients will be able to use the funds to pay for necessary aspects of touring, including travel, lodging, meals and artist fees.

Due to COVID-19, the static deadline of April 21 has been changed to instead accept rolling applications. Additionally, the stipulation that tours must occur between Aug. 15, 2020, and Aug. 14, 2021, has been removed.

Led by South Arts, a regional nonprofit arts organization, the program is offered nationally in partnership with the five other U.S. Regional Arts Organizations — Western Arts Alliance/WESTAF, Arts Midwest, Mid-America Arts Alliance, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation and New England Foundation for the Arts.

Full guidelines on submitting an application and additional program information, can be found on www. jazzroad.org and www.southarts.org.

12 Life On Capitol Hill

April 2020

Law Offices celebrate anniversary with 15 Days of Giving Local nonprofits to benefit from firm’s effort of giving back

Dianne Sawaya opened Law Offices of Dianne Sawaya, LLC, on April 1, 2005. She is celebrating the firm’s 15th anniversary with a charitable event to benefit local nonprofits.

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

As a child growing up in Denver, Dianne Sawaya watched her father advocate for his customers at his truck repair shop.

“She saw her father go far beyond repairs, fighting with insurance companies to have necessary repairs approved so his trucking customers could return to work,” states a press release.

Later in life, Sawaya’s undergraduate studies in pre-medicine further helped her fully understand the many issues personal injury clients cope with.

Then, on April 1, 2005, Sawaya opened the doors of her law firm in Denver. Beginning operations out of her home, she started out with one paralegal on staff.

Now celebrating the 15th anniversary of the firm, Sawaya has a staff of 25 employees and has helped thousands of clients.

She is honored to continue her commitment to the community by practicing in her hometown.

And “instead of throwing a party” to celebrate the firm’s anniversary, Sawaya said, “I want to invite my would-be party guests to join us and help support others.”

Why did you decide to celebrate the firm’s anniversary by giving back to the community?

I became an attorney to help people. For

COURTESY OF SNOWY PEAK

over 30 years, that is what I have been doing.

People need my services when they have been injured in an accident. I put my heart into their claims, and help them get the treatment they need to heal from their injuries and obtain a financial recovery to get back on their feet.

This year, I want to celebrate my firm’s 15th anniversary by reaching out and helping more than just my clients and the organizations that my firm has traditionally supported and sponsored over the past 15 years.

I want to help individuals in various situations — from foster children, domestic violence victims, the elderly, homeless victims and many more. I want to help provide basic life necessities.

Why did you choose a variety of community

nonprofits?

I specifically chose a variety of community nonprofits to reach individuals who are not always remembered. I want to reach those in need in our local community, those who I grew up with as a native of Colorado. I want to help all types of victims — those who are scared to come forward, those embarrassed by what has happened to them and nonprofit groups that do not have the funds to advertise for support.

Foster children who cannot advocate for themselves or their needs, domestic violence victims who fear for their lives, elderly who may medically be unable to ask for what they need. This list goes on. There were so many groups to choose from. It was a difficult decision to narrow it down to 15.

HOW TO DONATE Examples of some of the gifts are 15 boxes of food for the Food Bank of the Rockies, 15 gas cards valued at $15 for veteran members of the Motorcycle Relief Project and 15 sleeping bags to the Denver Rescue Mission for people experiencing homelessness.

For a complete list of all gifts for 15 Days of Giving, visit www.dlslawfirm. com. Anybody is welcome to participate in 15 Days of Giving. To make a donation, call 303-758-4777 or send an email to ddunhill@dlslawfirm.com.

With the exception of donations that can be mailed, COVID-19 may delay the delivery of some of the gifts. However, an email from the firm stated that “we will get everything promised to the charities as soon as possible.”

l

Why is giving back to the community important to you? l Giving back to the community is important c to me because the community is who has supported me throughout my career. From the g chamber members who have helped me build e a successful business, to my clients who have s d trusted me to help them through a difficult time in their lives, to the medical professionals who educated me about the treatments they provide my clients to heal their injuries.

I have been very fortunate in my life and I want to share that with others who have not had the same opportunities and have faced struggles that I can’t even imagine trying to overcome.

A C A S T F O R T H E A R M, C O M PA S S I O N F O R T H E S P I R I T. Find care at centura.org Your closest Centura Health facility is Porter Adventist Hospital.

Centura Health does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, religion, creed, ancestry, sexual orientation, and marital status in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services and activities, or in employment. For further information about this policy contact Centura Health’s Office of the General Counsel at 1-303-673-8166 (TTY: 711). Copyright © Centura Health, 2020. ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-303-673-8166 (TTY: 711). CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 1-303-673-8166 (TTY: 711).

Life On Capitol Hill 13

April 2020

‘The unknown creates a lot of unease’ Mental health professionals provide tips to manage anxiety

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

It is natural for the unknown to create a lot of distress.

“Accept anxiety as an integral part of human experience,” said Vincent Atchity, president and CEO of Mental Health Colorado. But “the key is not to let anxiety get the better of us.”

There are “age-old tricks” people can do to support their mental health and Atchity “ease the anxiety you and your friends and loved ones likely feel” in the midst of this public health crisis, Atchity said.

He suggests to stay in the moment and go about your ordinary, daily tasks. For example, take care of the routine chores such as washing the laundry or cleaning the dishes.

“By focusing on the small things,” Atchity

MORE INFORMATION

WARNING SIGNS

To learn more about resources to help manage your mental health, contact: Mental Health Center of Denver: https://mhcd.org/ Mental Health Colorado: https://www.mentalhealthcolorado.org/

Heightened stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic is a normal, human reaction to the crisis, said mental health experts in the Denver metro area. But it can also escalate into an unhealthy state of mind.

Losing interest in activities

said, “we can re-instate normality.”

Being physically active can also help, Atchity said.

“One of the best things that people can do for their mental health is get outside and enjoy the sunshine,” Atchity said. “The sounds and sights of the natural world, and the sunshine, can help put the drama of our human world in a healthier perspective.”

Also, avoid consuming “toxic amounts of information about things over which you have no control,” Atchity said.

One way to do this, Atchity said, is to choose a time of day “when you feel strong” enough to absorb 20-30 minutes of the local and global updates on the crisis from a reliable source.

Some of us may also begin to experience feelings of loneliness and isolation, Atchity said. This is a time when we’re presented with an opportunity to make ourselves most

HELP AVAILABLE someone typically enjoys, being unable to eat or eating too much, being unable to sleep and increased substance use are all signs someone may need to seek professional help to manage his or her mental health during the outbreak.

— Jessica Gibbs

valuable to others, he said.

“The vast majority of us as human beings require each other,” he said. “People end up cheering each other up. We can bring out our better selves in the face of a crisis.”

Even if it means “companionship from a distance,” Atchity said, such as going for a walk with your neighbor while on opposite sides of the street or making a call a longtime friend.

“With isolation, we have to be mindful of people who struggle with anxiety” and depression, said Zaneta Evans Evans, program manager of Healthy Living at the Mental Health Center of Denver. “Keep in mind that we’re all in this together.”

Outreach can become a cycle of giving and receiving, she added.

Those experiencing serous concerns about mental health issues — either of their own or someone close — can call the Colorado Crisis Services at 1-844493-8255 or text “TALK” to 38255.

“People are accustomed to sending a quick text,” Evans said. And while that’s good for some, she added, “others may need to hear your voice.”

Phone calls and video chats are great, but Evans points out that we have not always had — and some people don’t have access to — this modern-day technology to keep in touch.

“Be creative and think outside of the box,” Evans said.

One idea, she said, is to send a postcard or letter through the mail.

Something to remember is that overall wellness is a holistic approach that includes both mental and physical health.

“The unknown creates a lot of unease,” Evans said. “And people will have varying ways to handle this. It’s important to understand and accept everyone’s different way of coping.”

PBS offers resources for remote learning Rocky Mountain Public Media partners with school district to offer complementary curriculum Staff report Rocky Mountain PBS is partnering with Denver Public Schools, and hopes to work with other districts statewide, to provide free resources for on-air programs, including lesson plans and teaching guides from accredited teachers.

SCHOOL FROM PAGE 6

social time, and we’re fortunate that many have personal phones and iPads so they can connect socially with their friends.”

However, it is also important to place limits on the time that teens and tweens are spending on their personal devices so that the extended spring break does not become a “24-hour screen time vacation,” Reed said.

The Reed children — Eli, 17, and Georgia, 16, who attend Littleton High School; and India, 13, and Henry, 11, who attend Slavens Middle School in Denver’s Wellshire neighborhood — are old enough to not need constant parental supervision, but still must find ways to keep themselves occupied.

Normally, the family has a busy

The resources will be available online at rmpbs.org and on the free PBS Video app.

“With nearly 1 million K-12 students in the state of Colorado, our hope is to reach as many educators, students and caregivers as possible to support remote learning, keeping young minds active. We know many households don’t have access to broadband or cable, but RMPBS’s over-the-air broadcasts are free and available to everyone in the state,” Amanda Mountain, president and CEO of Rocky Mountain Public Media, said in a news release. “Partnering with Denver Public Schools is the beginning of similar collaborations with school districts throughout Colorado, and we hope this initiative can serve as a model for public media organizations and districts around the country.”

daily schedule — all four children are involved with a couple of different sports each, are taking advanced placement and honors courses, and are involved with additional extracurricular activities such as student council and tutoring others.

“It has been an adjustment with them having to keep in touch with their friends virtually,” Reed said. “But they’re spending more time together as siblings.”

Together, the family has been baking, doing puzzles and walking the dogs, as well as doing chores around the house and yardwork.

“We are working toward a more organized schedule that will include some academic, athletic and family time each day, but we’re still evolving that schedule,” Reed said, adding some of the activities already planned include virtual museum tours, phone calls with grandparents, watching

In addition, Rocky Mountain PBS also is now providing educational resources for children across the state. Students can access free educational resources on-air and online, regardless of their broadband access, through Rocky Mountain PBS stations and rmpbs.org.

RMPBS is offering STEAM-focused content on-air from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for ages 6 and up. These programs include History Detectives, NOVA, Nature and other quality PBS programs and documentaries focused on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

For children ages 2 and up, RMPBS is offering programs such as Wild Kratts, Peg + Cat and SciGirls between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m.

The entertaining and educational PBS KIDS programming will continue to be available

documentaries and a spring break book report.

Reed works part-time as audiologist, and as of March 19, is still commuting to her workplace. Her husband Emile is a CFO of a banking organization and is currently working from home.

“The challenges for him have been keeping the kids quiet when he’s on the many, many conference calls required to keep his staff, the regulators and auditors moving forward,” Reed said.

This “unexpected new normal” can cause fear and anxiety of the unknown, Reed said.

“It’s important to be both honest with your children about what’s going on, and a source of calm for them,” Reed said. “Taking time to enjoy this forced family time creates lifelong memories and in these overly busy times we live in, it can be a real gift to slow down and reconnect as a family.”

all day on the 24/7 PBS KIDS subchannel or the free PBS KIDS Video or Games apps. For information about how to access channels based on location, visit http://www.rmpbs. org/channels.

“We are incredibly grateful for this partnership. Rocky Mountain PBS quickly reached out to us after announcing school closures and offered to help increase students’ access to educational resources,” Winna MacLaren, media relations manager, Denver Public Schools, said in the release.

“They are helping many of our 93,000 students continue their education with remote learning.”

For an overview of current programming, resources and initiatives, please visit http:// www.rmpbs.org/covid19.

The Reed family normally has a busy daily routine, with all four children — who range in age from 11 to 17 — involved in sports and extracurricular activities. During the extended spring break, the children are using their personal electronic devices to keep in touch with their friends, but are also spending more time together as siblings.

COURTESY PHOTO

14 Life On Capitol Hill

April 2020

Bill Elfenbein recently named Road Scholar ambassador Program educates seniors about world travel

By Bruce Goldberg Special to Colorado Community Media

A

movie festival in Santa Barbara, California. A bike trip in Florida’s Everglades.

Bill Elfenbein would love to tell you about his travels with Road Scholar. And recruit people, age 50 and up, to join the organization and see the world.

Formerly called Elderhostel,

Here is a sampling of trips that Bill Elfenbein, a Road Scholar ambassador, has taken with the program.

Bill Elfenbein, a newly appointed Road Scholar ambassador, encourages adult groups to learn more about the organization and its programs.

You can invite him to make a free presentation about Road Scholar by calling him at 303-246-8139 or emailing him at elfs411@ gmail.com. the Road Scholar program is a not-for-profit organization that conducts educational learning adventures for people 50 and up.

“It’s for active people that want to be educated,” said Elfenbein, 83, a Denver resident who has traveled with the organization for years.

The program offers more than 5,500 programs in 48 states and 150 countries each year. Road Scholar lines up instructors and specialists for its destinations to teach travelers about life in those areas.

Road Scholar recently named him an ambassador: “someone like myself that has taken trips with them, likes to go out in the community and let (others) know it’s available,” he said.

You may recognize Elfenbein’s name from his work in mass transit.

He was on the Regional Transportation District board from 1991 to 2009, including two stints as board chair. Now back serving on the board, he also

Bicycle trip on Missouri’s Katy Trail “We would stop in these little towns along the Missouri River, and they’d lecture us for 45 minutes while we stopped and had lunch,” Elfenbein said. “What happened in that area, why is there a little town there, what it’s like growing grapes for making wine in the middle of Missouri.”

remains active with Transportation Solutions, a transportation management association.

In his work life, Elfenbein was part of United Distributing Co., a wholesale distributing business for convenience store products, until 1994.

As a Road Scholar ambassador, Elfenbein is available to give a 20-to-30-minute presentation about Road Scholar’s trips, in the hope of getting more people to travel with the organization once they’re ready to travel.

But as much as Elfenbein hopes he’ll inspire people to travel, he sounds a caution: “With the coronavirus now, no one should be traveling. When it’s over, then look at traveling.”

Berlin and Potsdam in Germany At the Reichstag, Elfenbein chatted for about 45 minutes with an assistant to the head of Germany’s agriculture industry, he said.

“I learned a heck of a lot about what they do or want to do,” he said. “They (Road Scholar) get experts in particular subjects and that’s what they want to hone in on.”

Pasadena Rose Bowl Parade in California “The day before the parade, on Jan. 1, we ended up volunteering to put flowers on the floats — you learn how these things are done,” Elfenbein said.

Bill Elfenbein.

COURTESY PHOTO

England His group talked about world problems as part of spending nine days living in a dormitory at England’s famed Oxford University. It was in the summer, so there were few students around, Elfenbein said.

“We studied in their study halls, heard lectures in their study halls, ate in their cafeterias,” he said. “It’s the consummate college town with wonderful old buildings throughout. This was a great trip.”

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Life On Capitol Hill 15

April 2020

Mo’Print shares the love

T

he Month of Printmaking, also known as Mo’Print, kicked off its fourth biennial celebration this year.

Mo’Print celebrates of the art of making original, fine-art prints. Throughout Colorado, participating artists, galleries and other partners host exhibits, workshops, demonstrations and events to inspire, educate and promote awareness of printmaking.

Though some exhibits throughout the Denver-metro area went up in January and February, Mo’ Print’s main events take place in March, which is the official month of celebration. Learn more about the Month of Printmaking online: www.moprint.org.

Because of social distancing measures taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, many of the Mo’ Print events in March were canceled.

However, some of the events scheduled for the earlier part of the month took place as usual.

Here is a collection of photos from a printmaking demonstration on March 8 that was part of the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art’s Process and Print exhibition.

PHOTOS BY RYAN BORTHICK

Emily Moyer prepares to roll ink onto her print plate during a printmaking demonstration part of the Month of Printmaking.

Brady Smith scoops out some oil to lubricate his print press during a printmaking demonstration at the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art on March 8.

Brady Smith explains the function of his print press to attendees at the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art on March 8. Smith has been printmaking since 2009 and studied etching at Brigham Young University-Idaho.

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16 Life On Capitol Hill

April 2020

Law protects natural hair Polis signs CROWN Act into law

T

by Christy Steadman he Cleo Parker Robinson Dance theater in Denver hosted a gathering of people on March 6 to witness Gov. Jared Polis signing a new bill into law that will further prohibit discrimination.

“The CROWN Act will right a decadeslong wrong: forcing people across the ethnic spectrum to make their hair look and feel a certain way to succeed … It’s time we state clearly, that in Colorado, people who choose to express their culture and heritage through their hairstyle will be embraced, not subjected to discrimination.”

— Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver.

5

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE CROWN ACT:

“It’s long overdue that we ban discrimination based on cultural and ethnic hairstyles … Our voices have been heard and our stories have had such a positive and powerful effect.

Today we stand together to say that hair discrimination has no place in businesses, schools or our society at large.”

— Rep. Janet Buckner, D-Aurora

“Our potential is not based on our hairstyle and it’s not limited by our appearance. The CROWN Act gives us the power to claim our own beauty regardless of what society says is acceptable.”

— Sen. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora

Argonaut Has It!

The CROWN Act is the common term that refers to House Bill 20-1048. CROWN stands for Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. It prohibits discrimination based on a person’s natural hair associated with race.

What the CROWN Act does is protect people from discrimination in education, employment, housing, public accommodations and advertising because of their “hair texture, hair type or a protective hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race, such as braids, locs, twists, tight coils or curls, cornrows, Bantu knots, Afros and headwraps,” states the bill’s language.

The bill’s prime sponsors were Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver, whose district includes Capitol Hill; Rep. Janet Buckner, D-Aurora; and Sen. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora.

Along with many Denver-area residents and community members, CROWN Act supporters included the CROWN Coalition, which was co-founded by Unilever’s Dove brand of beauty products in partnership with the National Urban League, Color Of Change and the Western Center on Law.

Colorado is the fifth state to pass a CROWN Act. It follows California, New York, New Jersey and Virginia.

In Colorado, it passed the House with a 42-21 vote on Feb. 12 and the Senate with a 23-11 vote on Feb. 28. Polis signed it into law on March 6.

A news release states that the CROWN Coalition found that “a black woman is 80% more likely to change her natural hair to meet social norms or expectations at work, and 50% more likely to be sent home or know of a black woman (who was) sent home from the workplace because of her hair.”

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