Life On Capitol Hill 1220

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December 2020

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Denver Preschool Program launches scholarship for 250 families

Colorado authors highlight landmarks around area in new books

Former Cathedral High School, Malo Gymnasium to be repurposed

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2 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2020

Business Matters Christy Steadman | csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com Editor’s note: Business Matters is a monthly column featuring business news in the Life on Capitol Hill and Washington Park Profile coverage areas, which is roughly centralnorth and south Denver.

At 5 p.m. Nov. 20, the city and county of Denver enacted an Adoption of Level Red-Severe Risk Public Health Order. This direction comes from the state of Colorado, “requiring Denver to adopt greater restrictions,” states the City of Denver’s website.

Level Red is the fifth of six levels on Colorado’s COVID-19 dial. Learn more at: https://covid19.colorado.gov/covid-19-dial.

“The state is expected to re-evaluate Denver’s metrics and status on the dial the week ending Dec. 18,” according to a fact sheet on the City of Denver’s website.

With this public health order, “public and private gatherings of people who are not members of a single household are prohibited except for limited purposes,” states the fact sheet.

The public health order also affects Denver businesses in a variety of ways, including: Temporary closure of indoor dining. Outdoor/open-air dining is permitted for tables with patrons from the same household. Last call for outdoor restaurant alcohol service is 8 p.m. and on-premises alcohol consumption at restaurants and bars must stop at 10 p.m.

Alcohol takeout and delivery closes by 10 p.m., including restaurants, bars and liquor stores.

Recreational marijuana retailers must close by 10 p.m.

Critical and non-critical retail, including indoor malls, are limited to 50% occupancy.

Increased curbside pickup and delivery is encouraged.

Gyms, fitness facilities and yoga studios are permitted to stay open with reservations required and occupancy limitations.

Salons and barber shops were not listed, but likely fall in the personal services category, which is limited to 25% capacity.

More information on how places of worship and sporting events are affected can be found on the City of Denver’s website: www. denvergov.org. Select COVID-19 Information from the homepage.

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 AND REOPENINGS Homie A real estate company called Homie began its expansion into Denver in November.

Actual move-in is pending COVID, but once opened, the offices will be located at 201 Milwaukee St., #200, in Cherry Creek. Offer-

ing a full suite of real estate services, including mortgage, title and insurance services, Homie will serve Denver, Arapahoe, Douglas, Jefferson, Adams, Broomfield, Boulder, Gilpin, Clear Creek and Weld counties.

Homie, which launched in Utah in 2015, was “founded with the belief that the use of modern technology, coupled with the expertise of dedicated, local agents is the way of real estate in the future, saving clients thousands on their real estate transactions while simplifying the process,” states a news release.

“Technology has changed just about every industry, except real estate,” said Melissa Millan, general manager of Homie Colorado, in the news release. “The outdated legacy real estate model comes at the expense of clients, in hidden commissions and real estate fees.”

According to the news release, Homie does not charge a percentage-based commission, and instead, offers sellers a $3,000 flat fee -- regardless of the home’s sale price -- to market and sell a home. Home buyers who use a Homie agent can receive up to a $5,000 rebate, and can use the Homie app to review listings and scheduling showings, states the news release.Homie’s app-based showing scheduler and one-stop real estate, mortgage, title, and insurance services make a normally complicated process streamlined and simplified.

“Denver is one of the hottest real estate markets in the country, with homes selling in a median of six days this past October,” said Philip Kranefuss, head of real estate for Homie Colorado, in the news release.

“Buying and selling a home in Denver has never been more competitive. Homie simplifies real estate with a one-stop-shop for our clients, making buying and selling a home easier, more affordable and accessible for all while putting thousands of dollars back in customer’s pockets.”

To learn more, visit www.homie.com/ colorado.

So Many Roads Museum and Brewery A new venue to enjoy all things Grateful Dead — and some other iconic musicians and bands — has opened in Denver’s Baker neighborhood.

So Many Roads Museum and Brewery, 918 W. First Ave., opened on Oct. 21.

Owner Tyler Bishop recruited Jay Bianchi — who is known for opening many local venues including Sancho’s Broken Arrow, Be on Key Psychedelic Ripple, Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom and Quixote’s True Blue, among others — to serve as So Many Roads’ curator. Adorning the walls is Bianchi’s collection of Grateful Dead posters, stickers and other memorabilia. People can also purchase various merchandise such as vintage-andreprint t-shirts and other collectables.

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Jay Bianchi was hired by Tyler Bishop, owner of So Many Roads Museum and Brewery, 918 W. First Ave., to serve as the new venue’s curator.

COURTESY PHOTO The venue itself boasts a kitchen and bar, and a brewery component is expected to open late December. Local musicians perform live music every Friday and Saturday, with varying hours to adhere to COVID-19 restrictions. Live music is not booked far in advance because of the ever-changing restrictions, Bianchi said, so the best way for people to learn about upcoming shows is to visit So Many Roads’ website, www.somanyroadsbrewery.com, or its Facebook page.

The space is open with an airy feel where people can hang out and celebrate the art of the Grateful Dead, while social distancing, Bianchi said.

The Grateful Dead is dedicated to its fans, Bianchi said, and the fans reciprocate.

And here in Denver, he added, “there is a dedicated fan base. There is a continued presence of celebrating the Grateful Dead’s music.”

Editor’s note: This blurb was written prior to the most recent shutdown. If you’re interested in visiting this venue, first visit its website or Facebook page to check on its business hours or operations.

CLOSINGS Bowman’s Vinyl and Lounge Bowman’s Vinyl and Lounge, a bar, record store and live music venue located at 1312 S. Broadway, announced on its Facebook page on Nov. 21 that the business would be closing.

According to the Facebook post, Bowman’s was in operation for about five years.

On Nov. 23, the venue posted a follow up on its Facebook page: “Much respect and much love to the entire Denver community, including all the bars, venues and restaurants.

To anyone who came through these doors and had a good time with us: We love you all and we will see you around. Stay strong and please support local business. It’s the life blood of our community.”

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Red Owl Apartments A California-based multifamily investment firm called DB Capital Management announced on Nov. 4 that it has closed on the acquisition of the Red Owl Apartments, 90 S.

Logan St., in Denver’s Speer neighborhood.

The acquisition is the firm’s entry into the Denver market.

“We are targeting extensive growth in this market with a goal to own 1,000 units in the Denver-metro area by the end of 2022,” said Brennen Degner in a news release. Degner is the co-founder and CEO of DB Capital Management, and the news release states he was born and raised in Denver. “Red Owl is an award-winning asset in an exceptional location that we were able to acquire below replacement cost. We have the ability to increase revenue through hands-on property management and a focused renovation plan.”

Red Owl Apartments was built in 2018 and consists of 46 units. The firm acquired the apartment building for $16.2 million.

DB Capital Management will rebrand it as Summit at Wash Park “and will immediately begin a renovation that will include common area improvements, as well as interior and exterior upgrades to the studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment homes as units roll,” states a news release.

BUSINESSES SUPPORTING NONPROFITS RoseBud Ice Cream and Food For Thought RoseBud Ice Cream, a Denver-based CBD Ice Cream company, will be donating 20% of the proceeds from all apparel sales to local nonprofit Food for Thought Denver.

Food for Thought Denver ”strives to eliminate weekend hunger for children in the Denver area” and serves 53 schools in the Denver-metro area, states its website.

RoseBud Ice Cream apparel available to purchase exclusively on RoseBud’s website includes hoodies, crewneck sweaters, long sleeves and tees. Visit www.rosebudicecream. com/merch to learn more.

“RoseBud was founded to improve lives, one bite, one pint and one person at a time.

Working with Food for Thought Denver to make sure kids in the community have enough to eat helps us accomplish that goal,” said Sam Rose, RoseBud Ice Cream founder and cream executive officer.

To learn more about Food for Thought Denver, visit https://foodforthoughtdenver. org/.

Life On Capitol Hill 3

December 2020

Uptown buildings to be repurposed Former Cathedral High School and Malo gym will become boutique hotel and restaurant

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Many people recognize the properties at 1840 Grant St. and 1835 Logan St. in Denver’s Uptown because of their architectural beauty.

“They’re anchors that orient people in the neighborhood,” said Annie Levinsky, executive director of Historic Denver, Inc. “These historic buildings give Denver a unique sense of identity.”

She added these structures also have rich ties to the community.

According to Levinsky, Cathedral High School, 1840 Grant St., and the Sisters of Charity Convent were built in 1921. The school’s Malo Gymnasium, 1835 Logan St., was built in 1928. The convent closed in the 1970s, but reopened in 1976, after a renovation, as the Seton House to serve as an intercommunity residence for Sisters traveling to Denver. The high school closed in 1982 because of declining enrollment.

In an email, Michael Henry, chair of the Neighbors for Greater Capitol Hill’s Historic Preservation Committee, wrote, “in 1989, Mother — now Saint — Teresa toured the former high school and convent and decided to have her order convert the convent to a hospice for terminally-ill AIDS patients. The hospice closed in 2002.”

Neighbors for Greater Capitol Hill is a registered neighborhood organization.

Currently, the buildings are vacant and

People recognize the buildings at 1840 Grant St. and 1835 Logan St. for their architectural beauty, but they also have deep ties to the community. The buildings were built in the 1920s, and have been home to a high school and convent, served as a residence for Sisters traveling to Denver and was at one time a hospice for terminally ill AIDS patients.

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rundown. But in the near future, they will be the products of an adaptive re-use project.

In late October, Denver City Council approved a tax increment financing (TIF) for the two structures. The redeveloper, GFI Development Co., which is a New York-based company that has experience with rehabilitating historic buildings, plans to re-purpose the buildings into a boutique hotel and restaurant, event space and perhaps some office space.

TIF is one of the Denver Urban Renewal

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Authority’s financial tools, said Jeff Bader, a redevelopment specialist with DURA. The way it works is GFI will get reimbursed for the gap of need for only the costs associated with the rehabilitation and adaptivereuse of the historic structures. In this case, it is $14.25 million. Reimbursement will happen annually as the completed project’s sales-and-increased property tax revenue is generated.

“We are hopeful that now … these fine, but dilapidated, historic buildings will be returned to productive use in our neigh-

borhood,” Henry said. “It is a success story of adaptive reuse of historic buildings.”

About a decade ago, however, the future was bleak for the properties.

“They were briefly threatened with demolition,” Levinsky said.

Cathedral Parish and the Archdiocese of Denver decided to sell the property, and in October 2011, the prospective buyers submitted an application for a Certificate of Non-Historic Status, which, “in effect, (is) a demolition application,” Levinsky added.

Plans were to build an apartment complex in their place, Henry said.

This triggered action by the community that eventually led to the buyers cancelling their purchase contract.

“I had the honor to research and file an application for Denver landmark designation for 1840 Grant and 1835 Logan on behalf of Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods,” Henry said. Others involved in the designation application were Historic Denver and Colorado Preservation, Inc. “In return for withdrawal of that application, the Parish and the Archdiocese allowed us and Historic Denver, Inc., to help show the properties to prospective developers or users interested in re-using the structures rather than demolishing them. Luckily, those efforts were successful.”

A local developer ended up purchasing the buildings, but in 2017, sold the property to GFI. Though they don’t have historic designation, GFI is committed to preserving the two buildings, Bader said.

“It broke peoples’ hearts how they (the buildings at 1840 Grant St. and 1835 Logan St.) fell into disrepair,” Bader said. “The community made it clear they’re a cherished asset. The community wanted to see them preserved, but also given new life.”

4 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2020

What does it take University of Denver professors use research to find the answer in recently published study

By Christina Steadman <csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com>

M

ichael Doherty believes he has a secret power — the ability to make people laugh.

As an actor, however, Doherty realizes there are many important messages delivered through various stage productions — raising awareness, providing insight, presenting an understanding or spreading compassion.

“Acting is about empathy to me,” Doherty said. “The best part,” he added, “is sharing that with an audience.”

Doherty, 31, is a professional actor who resides in Philadelphia and recently was on a research team, along with two University of Denver professors, to study the psychological characteristics of actors.

The two DU professors who conducted the study are Denis Dumas and Peter Organisciak.

Both hold Ph.Ds and both are assistant professors of research methods and statistics at DU’s Morgridge College of Education. Dumas is an educational psychologist, focusing on “understanding student learning, cognition and creativity,” and how to make education better, states a news release. Organisciak is an information scientist and his work “focuses on massive-scale text analysis, information retrieval and data issues in crowdsourcing,” states a news release.

Dumas is “fascinated by the human mind,” he said, adding that he believes “some of the best thinking comes from the creative arts.”

The peer-reviewed study identifies key psychologiDumas cal characteristics that set actors, both professional and student, apart from non-actors. It is expected that the study will help better education of the performing arts.

It was published in late October, and DU paid for the study to be open access, meaning anybody can access it for free,

to be an actor?

including the data and statistical files.

Dumas and Organisciak expect that actors and student actors will find it interesting, but they also hope performing arts educators and other scientists will find it valuable.

“It’s an interesting and impactful study,” Organisciak said. “We’re seeing a strong signal and we’re excited to share it.”

Doherty and Dumas became friends in high school in Pennsylvania. Fast forward to a few years ago when the two got together and were playing mini golf with the rest of that year’s cast of “A Christmas Carol.” In his line of work, Dumas had done studies on engineers and medical doctors, he said. But during that game of mini golf, he realized how interesting actors are, he said.

“Acting has a demand for the creative,” Dumas said.

Organisciak got involved — tasked with developing a Organisiack way of scoring creativity — and the study got underway in late 2017.

For the research, more than 20 psychological tests were administered to three different groups of participants — professional actors, undergraduate students majoring in acting and adults who are not actors — totaling nearly 300 participants.

The tests focused on creative thinking, personality and motivations.

The study states that the non-actors were recruited through a crowdsourcing platform; the student actors were recruited primarily via existing social media listservs, but some participating students also shared the participation opportunity with their classmates; and the professional actors were recruited via existing email and social media listservs that connect members of professional actor’s unions — Actors Equity, which focuses on the representation of stage actors; and SAGAFTRA, which focuses on the representation of screen actors.

The research sought to answer three main questions: 1) how do student-andprofessional actors differ from non-actors with their psychological attributes; 2) “can actors be effectively distinguished from non-actors based on their psychological attributes,” and 3) “can professional actors be effectively distinguished from undergraduate student actors,” states the study.

It was expected that actors would be different from non-actors to a degree,

Organisciak said. Dumas added the actors did stand out in a variety of ways when compared to non-actors, including their level of openness to new experiences, their extroverted assertiveness and their ability to elaborate their creative ideas.

Doherty also had some theories on the traits that would set actors apart, he said.

But something that particularly surprised him was learning that actors tend to take more risks than non-actors, even with ordinary, day-to-day tasks such as cooking.

There were a number of interesting finds when comparing professional actors to student actors, the DU professors said.

For example, professional actors are more volatile in their personality and they have more originality in their creative thinking than student actors. Additionally, professional actors spend much more time doing related literary activities such as reading and writing scripts, even though both groups were comparably doing roughly the same amount of acting.

Something to note about the acting profession, Dumas said, is that most student actors don’t become professional actors and/or leave the profession shortly after graduating. This makes the study particularly worthwhile, he added, especially concerning education of the performing arts, and for individuals considering pursuing a career in acting. The study can possibly help determine “who has what it takes to keep going” in a high-risk profession in which the prospect of achieving professional success is less secure than many other career fields, and additionally poses economic uncertainty and large temporal gaps in employment throughout the career, Dumas said.

Both Doherty and his wife, Alex Keiper, are professional actors. Doherty has been involved in theater since he was 9. He decided to pursue acting as a career, rather than his original thought of becoming a teacher, when he was choosing colleges. He earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, but started working at localand-regional theater companies before he graduated. He eventually joined the Actors Equity union, which, Doherty guesstimated, has about 51,000 members nationwide.

Doherty has an interest in film-andtelevision acting, and has been in a couple of independent films, but especially enjoys theater because “you get to share so much more on stage and you get back so much more” from a live audience, he said.

Michael Doherty stars as Jason/Tyrone in “Hand to God” in 2017 at the Berkeley Repertory Theater in California.

PHOTO BY KEVIN BERNE

READ THE STUDY The study by Denis Dumas, Peter Organisciak and Michael Doherty is called The psychology of professional and student actors: Creativity, personality, and motivation. It is free to anyone who wishes to read it. It can be accessed with the following link: https://bit. ly/2UGQpkt.

However, theater is pivotal right now during COVID, with only some of the professional actors being able to stay working with virtual shows.

“As an actor in an industry that’s on pause right now,” Doherty said, the study is “moving and life-affirming.”

“The things that make actors, actors, isn’t whether you’re working right now,” Doherty said. “It’s more about the qualities that come from within us. (Acting) is just a part of us.”

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Life On Capitol Hill 5

December 2020

Denver Preschool Program launches scholarship The pilot program will cover 100% of tutition for 250 Denver preschoolers

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Zoe Fox wanted her 4-year-old son, Yair, to attend a preschool that provided an academic setting with education-based play, rather than a day care or play group where the activities were simply to keep the kids occupied.

“He is a very intelligent child, and I am not a teacher,” Fox said. “I wanted him to be in a setting where he could build on the skills that he innately had.”

But as a single mom who is a part-time college student and works part-time, Fox knew it would be a struggle to pay regular tuition for preschool, even with assistance from the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP).

Yair had attended a number of different day cares before Fox finally found BMH-BJ Preschool, 560 S. Monaco Parkway in Denver.

She knew it was the preschool for Yair for a variety of reasons — it is near her home, Fox is Jewish and BMH-BJ integrates Judaism and Jewish values into its educational program, and the preschool focuses on kindergarten readiness.

Still, she couldn’t afford the tuition on her own. But through BMH-BJ, she learned of the Denver Preschool Program, which provides tuition assistance for preschool to Denver families.

“Denver Preschool Program made it possible for me to send my son to a really good school,” Fox said. “It made a huge difference for us.”

Denver Preschool Program got its start in

LEARN MORE To learn more about Denver Preschool Program, visit https://dpp.org/ 2006. It is funded by a sales tax ballot initiative that Denver voters approved two years earlier. Every 10 years, it goes back to voters for re-approval, said Elsa Holguin, president and CEO of Denver Preschool Program.

Denver Preschool Program’s mission is to get children ready for kindergarten. It serves all Denver families — not just those who are low-income, Holguin said. There are many families who are not low-income, but still cannot afford to send their children to preschool, Holguin said.

For example, tuition at a quality preschool can cost about $1,300 a month, Holguin said.

“That can be about as much as a house payment,” she said, “so it’s critical for us to be able to come in and help.”

How it works is parents apply for the support, and funding is provided on a need-based sliding scale, Holguin said.

In August, Denver Preschool Program launched a pilot program for which 50 children received a scholarship to have 100% of their preschool tuition covered. In the beginning of November, Denver Preschool Program expanded the scholarship program to 250 students.

“We have to do more for these families, because it’s the working families struggling to afford preschool,” Holguin said. “Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, parents need a safe and high-quality preschool where their children can learn while they’re at work.”

As of mid-November, about 100 students have been approved for the scholarship, Holguin said. It will remain available until 250 students are approved.

Denver Preschool Program is valuable not only for parents with its tuition assistance, but

Yair Fox, 4, shows off some of the work he completed at BMH-BJ Preschool in Denver.

Fox’s mother, Zoe, is a recipient of Denver Preschool Program’s new scholarship, which covers 100% of tuition for Denver preschoolers and is available for up to 250 students.

COURTESY PHOTO

also to the preschools, said Lindsey LevinSalamon, preschool director at BMH-BJ. She added that Denver Preschool Program also provides resources for schools, such as coaching for teachers and staff, and materials that enhance classrooms.

“Denver Preschool Program always has the best interest of the schools, the teachers and the children in mind,” Levin-Salamon said.

That is especially valuable because early childhood education is so important, LevinSalamon said. Preschool is just as much about the social and emotional skills as it is about education, she added.

“Preschool is a place for children to build relationships,” Levin-Salamon said. “It sets them up with the skillsets they need so that they’re ready to learn and grow.”

Free December webinars by the Alzheimer’s Association Staff report It is expected that there will be additional challenges when caregiving for a loved one who has Alzheimer’s disease.

To help, the Alzheimer’s Association is offering a series of free webinars in December.

The webinars are offered at no charge, but registration is required. To register, call the Alzheimer’s Association Helpline at 800-2723900.

To learn more about Alzheimer’s Association programs and services, visit www.alz.org.

December webinars: The 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease Learn about the 10 common warning signs,

what to watch for in yourself and others, typical age-related changes, the benefits of a diagnosis, early detection and more.

9-10:30 a.m. Dec. 3, and 10-11 a.m. Dec. 15.

En espanol: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 11.

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Effective Communication Strategies This workshop teaches caregivers to decode verbal and behavioral communication from someone with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Develop strategies for having meaningful connection with people in differing stages of dementia.

10-11 a.m. Dec. 4, and 10-11 a.m. Dec. 17.

REMOVE all decorations, lights, and the tree stand from your tree.

SET YOUR TREE OUT for collection by 7 a.m. on one of your scheduled trash collection days between January 4 and 15.

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If you do not receive Denver Solid Waste Management services, please visit DenverGov.org/Treecycle for our list of drop-off sites.

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6 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2020

LO CAL BO O KS

Readers can learn secrets about Lakeside amusement park in “Secret Denver.”

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Miles of secrets for the Mile High City Peterson, Lewis take readers on fascinating journey into Denver and surrounding areas

By Clarke Reader Special to Colorado Community Media

M

ost people are familiar with Rocky Flats in northwest Jefferson County, and the role it played in creating nuclear weapons parts. But if one lives on the east side of Denver, it’s entirely possible there might be a former federal missile launch facility nearby that you don’t even know about.

There are 11 of these facilities on the plains east of Denver: six Titan I and five Atlas E sites. Both varieties were equipped to fire intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) with atomic payloads halfway around the planet beginning in the early 1960s. After the facilities were decommissioned, the government sold them to a variety of public and private owners. One has been converted into a park, others are being used for commercial purposes, and some are being converted into private residences.

That’s just one thing readers can learn from Denver resident Eric Peterson and Arapahoe County resident David Lewis’ new book, “Secret Denver: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure,” published

by Reedy Press. The book is part guidebook, party history, part Ripley’s Believe It or Not! “Some things are interesting conversation starters, others are things to think about, and still others are old stories that have been bulldozed over,” Peterson said.

“But then there’s places like the capitol that you can see but may not know everything about. We tried to keep it about 50-50 things people can see and things that can’t

The book cover for “Secret Denver” by Eric Peterson and David Lewis.

Ice cores in the National Science Foundation Ice Core Facility located in Lakewood’s Federal Center. Readers can learn more about the facility in “Secret Denver.”

be accessed.”

The pair have worked for various outlets in the metro area writing on a wide variety of topics, so when they got together in May of 2019 to begin working on the book, they had a few questions to settle, the most pressing of which was, what exactly constitutes a secret? They used their accumulated knowledge and a variety of library, in-person and online research methods to delve into the question.

“Secrets are to be found all around the Denver area, especially since it has to be one of the supernatural centers of the known world. Ghosts are everywhere around here,” Lewis explained. “There are amazing places

that nobody knows, but they should.”

One such place is Lamb Spring Archaeological Preserve in Highlands Ranch, which just looks like any undeveloped patch of prairie. But the 35-acre preserve is actually a place where scientists discovered evidence that Paleo-humans lived and hunted in North America more than 8,000 years ago.

According to Peterson and Lewis’ research, it was a favorite drinking spot for animals like ground sloths, camels and Columbian mammoths. Which naturally drew human hunters to the spot.

“One thing we wanted to make sure we had was good images to go with the 85 vignettes in the book,” Peterson said. “The

images help tell the story of off-the-radar places for the general Denverite, even places that are well-known like Red Rocks and capitol that have their secrets.”

While both authors hope the book is illuminating and fascinating to readers, they also have the aim of getting people to explore the city and surrounding areas and appreciate all there is to discover.

“We wanted to put an emphasis on finding places that you can visit and places where people can relate to,” Lewis said.

“There’s all kinds of history and quirky stuff around here, and I hope people go on tours and visit these places to see some of the history.”

Life On Capitol Hill 7

December 2020

LO CAL BO O KS

The names behind the peaks New book tells history, stories of Colorado’s fourteeners

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

When fifth-generation Coloradan Jeri Norgren learned that the Denver Fortnightly Club was responsible for helping get Mount Evans’ name changed from Mount Rosalie, she started researching more of the history behind the names of Colorado’s iconic mountains.

“I was doing it for fun,” Norgren said.

But then she found that much of the full history of the peaks’ names has never been documented. “And I decided there needs to be a book.”

She continued her research, and eventually contacted Colorado photographer and outdoors enthusiast John Fielder to inquire about getting involved with the book.

The result of the collaborative effort is called “Colorado’s Highest: The History of Naming the 14,000-Foot Peaks.”

The book, which came out in September, contains Norgren’s essays on how the names were chosen for the 58 highest mountains in Colorado; Fielder’s photographs of the fourteeners, including many that have never before been published; color transparencies of Jefferson County’s Robert L. Wogrin’s oil paintings; and historical sketches made in the 1870s by the artists of the Hayden Survey.

“People who enjoy Colorado history will love this book,” Fielder said.

Fielder

Norgren In addition to the stories about who first climbed the fourteeners, there is information about the early days of mining, Colorado’s Native Americans and much more, states a news release.

“The more I researched, the more questions I had that I wanted to find the answers to,” Norgren said. She added the content in

the book is not a re-telling of the snippets of the history that you learn in school. “You learn about what life was like climbing these peaks in Colorado more than 150 years ago.”

Fielder enjoyed looking back at the photos he has taken of Colorado’s outdoors — some of which were taken about 30 years ago — because it brought back the sensuous experi-

ences of nature he felt at the time of being there and photographing the landscapes, he said.

“The best part of my life is being able to share the most remote and sublime mountain places with people far and wide,” Fielder said. “I love sharing how beautiful Colorado is.”

‘The prettiest city in the West’ ‘Discovering Denver’s Parks’ serves as a guide to the city’s great parks

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

According to Denver-based author Chris Englert, one of the greatest things about Denver’s park system is that it all started with a vision to make Denver the “prettiest city in the West.”

Before Denver had such great parks, Englert said, most of the townsfolks’ socializing took place in bars or saloons. Even children were permitted at such gatherings, she added.

But Robert Walter Speer, who served as Denver’s mayor from 1904-1912, through his travels to Europe and U.S. cities such as Chicago, saw how beautiful cities could be when they had parks. He started to ask people to donate land, and eventually, Denver’s parks system was developed, Englert said.

“Most people know of their neighborhood park,” the destination parks such as Washington Park and Cheesman Park and the mountain parks like Red Rocks, Englert said.

But her hope is that through her latest book, “Discovering Denver Parks: A Local’s Guide,” which came out in April, people will “branch out and discover other nearby parks,” Englert said.

Englert moved to Denver in 2013 and wanted to learn more about the city by walking all of Denver’s 78 neighborhoods. She put a post on a meet-up website and nine women decided to join her on the venture. When looking into places to meet, Englert discovered that the majority of Denver’s neighbor-

Englert

hoods have a beloved neighborhood park.

So, going alphabetically, from Athmar Park to Windsor, Englert eventually made her way around the entire city.

“Discovering Denver Parks” consists of detailed descriptions of 165 of Denver’s urbanand-mountain parks, organized regionally.

Some of the history of each park is included in the descriptions, as well as information on which parks are dog-friendly, what amenities each park has, how to get there by public transportation or driving, where to park and much more.

Denver has more than 300 parks in its system, Englert said. She narrowed the selection down to 165 by focusing on regional parks, parks that are connected by trails and the parks that have particularly interesting stories, Englert said.

Englert still visits Denver’s parks on a daily basis, she said. A person can learn so much about Denver and its history by visiting the parks, Englert added.

“You get an experiential perspective that you can only get by visiting a park,” Englert said.

“Parks let you discover Denver in an organic way that you can only do by getting out of your car and into a park.”

8 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2020

LOCAL

VOICES

Still plenty to do in Denver for the holidays

H

oliday gatherings will likely be quite different this year.

But looking into a few things, I found there are many events still happening, either virtually or in a space designed to allow for social distancing.

Here are a few I found particularly interesting.

FROM THE EDITOR

Christy Steadman

I

Santa It’s likely there won’t be any events where you can take children to sit on Santa’s lap this year.

Luckily, award-winning Denver photographer Ron Cooper spent more than a year traveling the U.S. seeking out all the Santas and photographing them.

His book, which was published Sept. 29, called “We Are Santa: Portraits and Profiles,” is a compilation of his photos and the Santas’ unique stories.

And the best part? Proceeds from book sales benefit Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Visit www.ron-cooper.com/We-Are-Santa to learn more.

Gallery MFC, 424 Broadway, has an exhibit of the photos that will be available through Dec. 31. Before going, however, give the gallery a call at 303-4462265 to verify open hours.

The Nutcracker When I was little, it was my family’s tradition to listen to the soundtrack of The Nutcracker every year while decorating our tree.

This year, families can experience not only the music, but also the performance from home.

Thanks to a partnership between Rocky Mountain PBS and the Colorado Ballet, The Nutcracker will be broadcast on television for free.

Presented by PNC Bank, it will be aired on TV on the following dates in December: 9 p.m Dec. 18, 1 a.m. Dec. 19, 7 p.m. Dec. 24, and midnight on Dec. 25 (the wee hours of Christmas morning).

For information about how to access the Rocky Mountain PBS channel in a specific area, visit http:// www.rmpbs.org/channels/. The production also may be streamed at no cost, any time throughout the holiday season, on the Rocky Mountain PBS app, downloadable at https://www.rmpbs.org/pbs-video-app/.

Granny Dances to a Holiday Drum Another virtual experience theater production to check out is Cleo Parker Robinson Dance’s Granny Dances to a Holiday Drum.

Tickets cost $25-$75 per household. A link will be

What do Safe Outdoor Spaces mean for District 10?

strongly believe that everyone living in our district deserves to be treated humanely and feel safe. As your elected representative, I hope we share these values of shared humanity.

The paradox of homelessness in District 10 I’ve quickly learned that many District 10 residents who want to see an end to homelessness also don’t want to see their GUEST neighborhood become more dense COLUMN or change in zoning. Unfortunately, that’s just not possible.

Density, zoning and housing are all inextricably linked to homelessness. Something has to give.

Safe Outdoor Space (SOS) sites are a temporary solution to a long-term problem that has been compounded by a global pandemic. They are a critical tool that we have to learn how to use effectively Councilmember in these unprecedented times. SOS Chris Hinds sites are not without opposition, and this update addresses the valid concerns that District 10 residents have brought to my attention.

Proposed SOS sites in Uptown and Capitol Hill Two churches have proposed SOS sites on their properties. One proposed site is at First Baptist Church at 14th and Grant. The other is at Denver Community Church at 16th and Pearl. Both churches expect the sites to be up and running by early December.

I also want to set the record straight about an SOS site at 16th and Ogden. Unfortunately, many of you have received flyers with inaccurate information. To my knowledge, no SOS site is proposed at 16th and Ogden.

First Baptist Church will host up to 30 women. This includes women, people who identify as women, couples and their pets. Denver Community Church will host approximately 40 men, women, couples and pets.

The Harm Reduction Action Center will also be doing

Life On

CAPITOL HILL

A publication of

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weekly clean-ups and will provide safe needle disposal.

There is a proposed Good Neighbor Agreement on their website, and they are soliciting comments on the proposal. The GNA may provide additional commitments from the site organizers, and I would encourage you to review and comment on the proposed GNA if you have more suggestions.

Colorado Interfaith Alliance launched a website with more information. I hope you’ll get involved with this work at sos.konveio.com.

sent to all ticket holders and it will be viewable from Dec. 5 to Jan. 2. And you can watch it as many times as you like during that timeframe.

Learn more at https://cleoparkerdance.org/performance.

Lights and more lights The Mile High Tree, a 110-foot-tall immersive art installation, will be lit up until Jan. 2. It is located on the 16th Street Mall at Welton Street in downtown Denver.

A free festive light and music show will take place from 5-9:30 p.m. on most Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and from 5-8 p.m. on some Sundays. The program lasts about five minutes and will run approximately every 15 minutes.

While you’re in downtown Denver, make sure and check out city’s Grand Illumination. On Nov. 20, various buildings — Denver Union Station, the City and County Building, the 16th Street Mall, Skyline Park, the D&F Clock Tower, 14th Street, Larimer Square, and more — were lit up for strollers and shoppers in the downtown area.

SEE EDITOR, P9

Welcoming new members to our media family

I

What has the Colorado Interfaith Alliance proposed?

Colorado Interfaith Alliance has proposed an SOS plan that envisions sites quite different from the encampments we’ve all seen. The plan describes spaces that are staffed 24-7, addresses safety and hygiene concerns, and have fenced-in boundaries to respect housed neighbors. The SOS sites aim to better serve both housed and unhoused people. Proposed rules for behavior for the Denver Community Church site are at sos.konveio.com.

Why are the proposed sites only in Capitol Hill and Uptown?

For now, these are the only two private property owners who have offered space.

The city’s request for proposals process could result in sites in other parts of Denver, and I will certainly encourage locations outside District 10 to consider following our lead. Our housing crisis extends well beyond District 10. While I am proud that we are being a leader in creative housing solutions, we expect other areas in the city to share in the responsibility to address our housing crisis.

But, someone has to be the leader. Someone must demonstrate the success - or failure - of SOS in Denver.

I believe these organizations will recognize that they are the role models. And if they aren’t a good role model, these sites should be removed.

SEE HINDS, P9

n February 2012, my wife Ann and I acquired nine community newspapers from a Texas-based company, all in South Metro Denver and in two communities near Colorado Springs.

At that time, I had been recently brought in to manage several distressed community FROM THE newspapers in Jefferson and Adams counPUBLISHER ties. I immediately merged all these newspapers into a new company that we named Colorado Community Media. Over the past eight years we purchased the distressed newspapers and stabilized them. We sold the Colorado Springs newspapers, bought some Denver newspapers, modernized and won many media awards along the way.

This fall, I was contacted by a newspaper broker about possibly acquiring the remaining newspapers in Jefferson and Adams Jerry Healey counties that we did not already own.

Those are the Canyon Courier that serves Evergreen and Conifer, and in Adams County, the Brighton Standard-Blade and Commerce City Sentinel. Also available were the Clear Creek Courant, serving Idaho Springs, Empire and Georgetown, and the Fort Lupton Press, serving Fort Lupton and lower Weld County. In addition, two shoppers would be part of the package.

I am pleased to share that we recently became the owners of these publications. This brings Colorado Community Media to 22 weekly newspapers, two monthly newspapers and two shoppers, including the publication or website you are now reading.

It also brings into the group some dedicated and talented people who will surely contribute to the company as a whole. In addition, through this acquisition, we added six full-time journalists and several freelancers.

Colorado Community Media was already the largest locally SEE PUBLISHER, P9

JERRY HEALEY President

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

jhealey@coloradocommunitymedia.com

eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

CHRISTY STEADMAN Editor

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager

csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Email letters to csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager

ERIN FRANKS Production Manager

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

lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of Life in Cap Hill.

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

Life On Capitol Hill 9

December 2020

Diverse groups suggest new ways to help unhoused, weigh neighborhood concerns

R

egistered neighborhood organizations (RNO), business improvement districts (BID), and creative districts have received inquiries regarding the seeming surge of homeless encampments in Denver. To our disappointment and concern, some of the inquiries have turned into hostilities.

Where collaboration is paramount, we see shoulder-shrugging. Collectively, we are committed to offering our energy and support at this critical time.

We have initiated conversations with neighbors and community stakeholders to shape a path forward vis-à-vis encampments. In doing so, we have identified a number of immediate next steps where the city can support the unhoused with safe, immediate options; engage collaborative partners immediately on new ideas and implementation; and lay the groundwork for long-term, sustainable solutions.

RNOs, BIDs and creative districts have

Hinds FROM PAGE 8

Aren’t there indoor shelters for people to go to?

Yes. The city has invested more than $49 million in shelter services and supplies since the beginning of the pandemic. But, shelter space is limited and doesn’t serve everyone.

People who want to stay with their loved ones, two-or-four-legged, have limited options since shelters don’t serve couples or people with pets. Transgender people are at increased risk of violence in shelters. Most shelters aren’t wheelchair accessible, as I’ve experienced first-hand.

These limitations mean unhoused people resort to living outside. The proposed SOS sites have solutions for each of these limitations.

Between the camping ban and zoning codes, is this legal?

I’m not an attorney. I’ve reached out to multiple groups within the city for further clarification, and I will update you as I learn more. But my basic understanding is that the ban restricts camping in public right-of-ways, thus, the proposed SOS sites do not violate

Publisher FROM PAGE 8

family owned media company in the state.

Through this acquisition, we are now larger and stronger. We believe in providing thorough, objective, informative — and enjoyable — community news: Covering good people doing good things. And, when needed, being truth seekers even when it might be a difficult story for the community to endure. The readers of the newly acquired newspapers were already getting this. But, now, we hope to do even more for them by providing them with more modern systems, websites and access to our existing journalists serving nearby communities.

For local businesses, this is good news.

With one representative and one bill, businesses can now reach premium readers in these communities with an overall reach now of up to 22 communities throughout the metro area, foothills and lower Weld

an obligation to be thought partners with the city. It is important for us to span the divide between the homeless and housed, to connect neighbors with elected officials and to examine this mission in a comprehensive way.

We offer city leaders the following framework for consideration:

GUEST COLUMN

Initiate a “Bring Us Your Best Ideas” strategy.

Selecting state-owned and city-owned sites for large tent encampments may be at an impasse. Our research has revealed an insufficient level of engagement between the city with direct service providers, communities of faith and other nonprofit human-service organizations. We are aware of a number of organizations, both nonprofit and for-profit, who have the facilities, SEE UNHOUSED, P11

the camping ban because they are all on private property.

Existing on private property also limits the city’s influence and doesn’t require a city council vote. Per the city’s zoning administrator, there won’t be a formal requirement for informational notice or a community information meeting for this temporary, COVID-related use — just the requirement for a zoning permit. You can find more information at denvergov.org/zoning.

Editor FROM PAGE 8

The 9NEWS Parade of Lights will take place as a multi-week event beginning on Nov. 27. All the floats will be displayed throughout downtown, and the free 9News Parade of Lights app, which is available for mobile devices, provides a map of all their locations.

Shopping In addition to the Cherry Creek Holiday Market, which is featured elsewhere in this paper, there is the Denver Christkindl Market, which opened on Nov. 20 and will continue through Dec. 23. This year, it takes place along the center promenade of Civic Center Park, 101 W. 14th Ave. in Denver.

This is the 20th annual year for the Denver Christkindl Market. It is put on by the German American Chamber of CommerceColorado Chapter.

The market is an outdoor, cultural experience that “offers guests an opportunity to stroll through a European village festively decorated for the holiday season - no passport required,” states a news release.

The Denver Christkindl Market is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Sunday through Wednesday. Beginning Dec. 16, the market will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the week until Dec. 23.

Hanukkah The Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center Denver, JEWISHColorado and Judaism Your Way are co-hosting a virtual family Hanukkah celebration called Latkes & Light.

The event takes place from 10-11:30 a.m. on Dec. 13.

During the event, the community will bless their Hanukkah Menorahs together, sing and dance, and do Hanukkah-themed activities.

Latkes & Light features educators from Jewish Explorers, Judaism Your Way, Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center and PJ Library. Keynote discussion will be on the importance of tzedakah, a Jewish value focused on the importance of charitable giving. ”How the Grinch Stole Christmas” OK, so this isn’t a local event. But it is a tradition in my family to watch “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” every Christmas Eve. It began when I was little — at least a couple of decades before Jim Carrey played the Grinch in the 2000 film, so we’ll just say it’s been about 40 years now. And now the tradition has been carried down to my two nieces, who both have well passed their 15th year of this tradition. It’s funny — there are now three generations in my family who know every word, every scene of the original Dr. Seuss cartoon version, which, I think Google said it came out in 1966.

I’m not sure of our plans yet this year. But one thing I know for sure, we’ll still eat fudge and drink eggnog, and watch The Grinch.

Even if we do it in our separate living rooms.

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Are SOS locations a long-term solution?

Absolutely not. First Baptist Church expects its site to exist for about six months.

Regardless, the rules allowing SOS sites will expire once the city’s emergency declaration order for the pandemic is over.

More questions?

Based on the number of questions my office gets about the issue, homelessness is by far the most important topic in District 10. To better address constituent concerns, my office will be publishing a comprehensive homelessness update each month. You can sign up for it at denverperfect10.com/signup.

If you have more questions about homelessness in District 10, I encourage you to reach out to my office at district10@denvergov.org.

County. Our reach is now about twice that of any other newspaper group in the state.

We believe in community news. Both in print and online. Research shows that having a community newspaper increases civic engagement and the number of political candidates, keeps government expenditures in check and helps boost the local economy.

But more important to me is keeping the communities connected and telling good stories about good people. It’s why I do what I do and why I am willing to invest in community newspapers. Purchasing these new publications makes all our newspapers stronger.

Thank you for being a reader of one of our newspapers or websites. We succeed because of loyal readers like you. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time with comments, questions or news tips.

Jerry Healey is the president and publisher of Colorado Community Media. He can be reached at jhealey@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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December 2020

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Life On Capitol Hill 11

December 2020

T SHOP PI N G GA LO R E

he Cherry Creek Holiday Market, an outdoor shopping experience part of Cherry Creek North’s Winter Wanderland festivities, opened on Nov. 19 and will run through Dec. 23. Location is on Fillmore Street between First and Second avenues. The market is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Entry is free, but reservations are encouraged as market capacity is limited. For more information, visit www.CherryCreekHolidayMarket.com.

Sandra and Edoardo Huaman stand with a display of their artisan items for sale at the Cherry Creek Holiday Market.

Locally based in Aurora, all the items are handmade by the Huamans’ family and community members of Huancayo, Peru. Shop online at wuaman.com.

Unhoused FROM PAGE 9

capacity, know-how and active interest in supporting the city’s efforts to address homelessness and mitigate the concerns brought on by encampments.

Action Item: Continue to gather, review and determine where immediate options are available to support the unhoused and reduce the number of encampments.

Reconsider a one-size-fits-all approach.

If homeless advocates and direct service providers are willing and able to provide temporary accommodations to those who are homeless, let us be solutions-oriented and open to new opportunities and innovative approaches. Our research has determined multiple barriers in the city’s current process. For example, we are aware of a former monastery/clergy house that has been suggested as a potential shelter but was turned down due to zoning restrictions. A church near the state capitol was approached by the city to house homeless individuals inside — the facility itself could not accommodate, but why not use the parking lot? Smaller sites located throughout the city, rather than the larger-scale sites being proposed, would be easier to establish and make clear that this is a Denver problem to solve, rather than one for only a few neighborhoods to address.

Action Item: If we can offer flexibility for outdoor dining or variances to support continued development, the city has a duty to adopt a similar, nimbler strategy — sitespecific, customized and one that engages the experts on the ground. Smaller sites with fewer occupants, while admittedly is less efficient, may likely be more palatable for neighborhoods to adopt in the near term.

Denver artist Isaac Liverpool paints “Happy Holidays” on the side of one of the vendor containers on Nov. 21 at the Cherry Creek Holiday Market. See Liverpool’s work at www.zuluzeekart.com. PHOTOS BY CHRISTY STEADMAN Carmen Richards of Denver paints one of the vendor containers at one of the entrances of the Cherry Creek Holiday Market on Nov. 21. Visit www. carmenrichards.com to see Richards’ work.

Provide comprehensive services at each site.

Those who offered their parking lots, vacant warehouses, etc. have encountered unnecessary bureaucratic challenges. This is unsatisfactory from our perspective. We have learned some homeless advocates have encountered roadblocks as they advocated for more wrap-around services at each proposed encampment site — National Western Complex, Denver Coliseum, Empower Field at Mile High, to name a few.

Action Item: Health care, mental health services, addiction recovery, sanitation support and other basic needs must be provided to each site. Perhaps a roaming support team would work better than offering services only at the proposed large sites.

Provide status reports for sites under consideration.

A progress or feasibility report for sites already suggested by city council, the mayor’s staff and others seems appropriate at this time. Not communicating this information is working against our shared objectives. In doing so, these actions have led to speculation and frustration and has complicated matters further. Our groups are often forced to say, “we don’t know,” or, “your council member may have more information” to those who inquire.

Action Item: Similar to zoning requests or a landmark designation, the city has a duty to report where matters stand.

Expand the list of potential temporary Safe Outdoor Spaces (SOS).

Homelessness is systemic in origin and requires community-wide solutions. A number of groups have suggested additional SOS sites, to little avail. We echo these concerns. We also feel that it is important for neighborhoods throughout Denver to share in our mission to address homelessness head on. Equally important, we must weigh neighbor concerns in this process and conduct appropriate, necessary outreach as

Ryan Anderson organizes candies for sale at the Cherry Creek Holiday Market.

The Denverbased, familyowned company makes traditional Scottish confections.

Visit House of Stewart at www. thehouseofstewart.com.

sites are considered and evaluated. Temporary SOS sites are not the only option, but they are a valuable tool in our toolbox of opportunities.

Action Item: Provide assurances that the city has a long-term plan in place to continue support of those experiencing homelessness after temporary SOS program is discontinued, and to provide permanent housing for as many as possible.

Don’t displace. Instead, thoughtfully relocate.

Given the complexity of this issue, we cannot lose sight of our humanity’s struggles and empathy for others. Telling people experiencing homelessness to move along is demeaning to them and unhelpful to all, as they, and out of necessity, must find another place to rest. The justified concerns of neighbors to having tents in public rights-of-way must also be taken into account. And, as one homeless advocate noted, “it’s OK to give public places the opportunity to rest.” Moving encampments to other locations can and should be done and with compassion and care.

Action Item: Relocate existing encampments to sanctioned, accessible sites and ensure sites are geographically accessible by foot or mass transit. Incentivize relocation with comprehensive levels of services awaiting the unhoused upon arrival (e.g., job readiness, access to meals, educational needs and so forth). Deliver sanitation, security, and other basic needs, and provide health care, mental health support and access to vaccinations. In order to demonstrate efficacy, ensure measurable outcomes and evaluate successes on an ongoing basis.

Designate a clear point of contact.

We applaud efforts to build affordable housing, provide sheltering and develop new revenue streams. Unfortunately, time is not friendly in this regard. Policy outcomes seem to be languishing. How do we share concerns with the city, and what do we communicate

with our own constituencies? It remains unclear how, and to what extent, neighborhood groups should raise concerns with the city. Who is our point of contact? What is the follow-through?

Action Item: The city should take sweeping action, appointing a chief strategist who will bring clarity, focus and a sense of cohesiveness to this undertaking.

Neighborhood organizations and districts can effectively connect city leadership with neighbors’ concerns.

While 311 may be sufficient under normal circumstances, it is not an adequate tool to address homeless encampments. Perhaps a stepby-step outreach guide makes the most sense.

We do not want neighbors to target those most in need, but we have asked the city for guidance as to how we remedy certain situations.

Action Item: Engage our groups to support your efforts in rolling out such plans — we can be your primary connection with neighbors, small business owners, school officials, et al. The time has come to reform these processes.

These are certainly unprecedented, challenging times. The status quo has provided only aggravation to both our housed and unhoused neighbors. We recognize and applaud the commitment and service personified by our city’s public workforce — whether the Denver Health employee on the front lines of the global pandemic or the decision-maker developing policies in the mayor’s office. We can find solutions to our community’s most vexing issues.

We can only do it together, and this is more essential than ever before.

This column was submitted by, and developed in partnership with, the leadership of Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods, Inc., Uptown on the Hill Registered Neighborhood Organization, Golden Triangle Creative District, City Park West Registered Neighborhood Association, Old San Rafael Neighborhood Organization, Santa Fe Drive Business Improvement District, and others.

12 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2020

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This has been the most interesting and demanding year in the history of the Life On Cap Hill. I am sure many of you feel the same about your life and career.

As I write this column for our annual voluntary pay drive, we are completing seven months of covering the impact of COVID-19 on your lives. Throughout this time, we never missed an issue. In fact, we have never been late. This is too important a story, and our team has faced it head on and kept journalism alive in the Capitol Hill area.

Jerry Healey

However, it has not been easy. Many of our advertisers canceled or delayed their spending with us in 2020. Add in that 60% of all advertising buys in Colorado are spent with Facebook or Google and you might be wondering how the Life On Cap Hill survives. It begins with our team of people here who are dedicated to bringing Life On Cap Hill to you. It is because loyal readers like you choose to voluntary pay each year. Finally, it is because you support our advertisers.

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Quality journalism is not free. The trend in the newspaper industry is toward what is called “reader-driven revenue.” That means readers are paying much more of the share of the cost, through subscriptions, contributions and memberships, to offset advertising declines.

So, annually, we ask you, our readers, to contribute to support the cost of reporters, staff and printing/delivery. We have named this year’s effort Support Reliable, Local News.

When you contribute to our voluntary pay program, you are supporting our journalists and the vital work they do to keep you informed about your community: news about your children’s and neighbors’ accomplishments and endeavors, how government decisions affect you — including local election information — fun things to do in your community and metro area. The Capitol Hill area has a great community newspaper because of your hometown journalists.

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a t h n

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As always, thank you for being a loyal reader, and we wish you well.

CAPITOL HILL

Jerry Healey Publisher, Life On Cap Hill

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Life On Capitol Hill 13

December 2020

Pets for vets

By Christina Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

T Michael H., who served in the Navy for six years, pets Kersey prior to adopting the cat during the Dumb Friends League’s waived fee special in honor of Veterans Day. PHOTOS COURTESY OF DUMB FRIENDS LEAGUE

wenty-two veterans and active duty military from all over the metro area added a furry friend to their family between Nov. 9 and 13. During that week, the Dumb Friends League waived adoption fees for veterans and active military in honor of Veterans Day. The waived fees were sponsored by the Petco Foundation.

Courtesy of Lockheed Martin, the Dumb Friends League offers a 50% adoption discount for veterans and active military year-round.

The Dumb Friends League has a mission to end pet homelessness and animal suffering. In addition to adoptions, it offers a variety of services to the community, including some veterinary care.

To learn more, visit www.ddfl.org.

Webinars

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FROM PAGE 5

Understanding and Responding to Dementia-related Behavior Behavior is a powerful form of communication and one of the primary ways that people with dementia communicate their needs and feelings as the ability to use language declines. But these behaviors can be challenging for caregivers. Join us to learn how to decode behavioral messages and learn strategies to intervene with some of the most common behavioral challenges.

11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 8, and 10-11 a.m. Dec. 16.

about important legal and financial issues to consider, how to put plans in place, and how to access legal and financial resources near you.

Noon to 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4.

Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia Learn about the impact of Alzheimer’s, the differences between Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, risk factors, current research, treatments to address some

Salley H., an Air Force and Marines veteran who served for 15 years, gets to know her new dog, Janet, before adopting the pit bull during the Dumb Friends League’s waived fee special in honor of Veterans Day.

Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body: Tips from the Latest Research We’ve always known that the health of the brain and body are linked, but now science is able to provide insights into how we can optimize our physical and cognitive health as we age. Learn about research in the areas of diet and nutrition, exercise, cognitive activity and social engagement, and use hands-on tools to help you incorporate these recommendations into a plan for healthy aging.

2-3 p.m. Dec. 8, and 1-2 p.m. Dec. 21.

Dementia Conversations Tips on how to have honest and caring

conversations with family members about going to the doctor, when to stop driving, and making legal/financial plans.

2-3 p.m. Dec. 10, and 6-7 p.m. Dec. 14.

Living with Alzheimer’s: for Caregivers Late Stage - Part 2 In the late stage of Alzheimer’s disease, caregiving typically involves new ways of connecting and interacting with the person with the disease. In this 2-part series, you’ll hear from caregivers and professionals about resources, monitoring care and providing meaningful connection for the person with late-stage Alzheimer’s and their families.

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14 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2020

Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods’ S.E.E.D. Awards take root Inaugural recipients able to grow creative ideas

E

arlier this year, Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods (CHUN) launched the S.E.E.D. Awards as a part of CHUN’s mission to enhance neighborhoods and improve quality of life.

GUEST Inaugural recipients COLUMN of the awards received up to $1,000 for projVickie Berkley ects that ranged from expanding access to the arts to addressing public health needs. In the program’s inaugural year, we were excited to receive such excellent proposals.

“The S.E.E.D. Awards were able to provide financial support with no more than a short application process and a promise to let us know how the projects went,” said Nichole Racelis, who co-chaired the S.E.E.D. Awards application review committee.

So how did the projects go? For the most part, projects were implemented as proposed. The Molly Brown House Museum installed a handrail to improve access.

The Denver Turnverein, a local nonprofit dance hall and education center, enhanced its neighborhood block by designing and planting environmentally appropriate landscaping. Spirit of the Sun used the funding for its Indigenous Youth Art & Culture Program, which strengthens cultural ties and provides an outlet for emotional expression to indigenous peoples living in the greater Capitol Hill community.

But some found, due to COVID-19, their original plans were not feasible. CHUN needed to be as flexible as the nonprofits were in finding ways to fulfill the purpose of their proposal.

Shannon Francis, executive director of Spirit of the Sun, center, stands with Travis Leiker, president of Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods’ board of directors, left, and CHUN board member Vickie Berkley, for a photo on Jan. 9.

CHRISTY STEADMAN For example, the Blue Bench, metro Denver’s only comprehensive sexual assault prevention and survivor support center, was originally going to use the award to present their Safe Bars program to bars and other alcohol-serving establishments in Capitol Hill. Instead of providing this in-person curriculum during April, which is recognized as sexual assault awareness month, the staff presented a virtual webinar series focused on changing the conversations the community has around sexual violence. The series included two sessions for parents/ guardians on best practices when talking

with youth about consent.

“Unfortunately, due to distance learning, students in Denver may have missed out on content related to consent and healthy relationships,” said David Proper, director of communications at The Blue Bench.

“Our goal in providing this webinar was to help fill this gap. One of the most important things we can do to end sexual violence is to talk. We hope to inspire parents and guardians to take the extra time at home to engage in these vital conversations.”

In addition to the webinars related to consent, the group also presented virtual

seminars on the effects of trauma on the brain, responding to and supporting survivors of sexual violence, and combatting victim blaming.

Krista Kilgus, executive director of Urban Servant Corps, also needed to alter plans, which were to engage older adults as volunteers for local nonprofits. The health risks to older adults exposed to COVID-19 resulted in putting the plan on the shelf for now. Instead, Kilgus was able to welcome a new group of young volunteers with face masks, hand sanitizer and training on staying safe, using the S.E.E.D. funding she received.

“Our young volunteers come from different parts of the country and provide really important work for nonprofits,” Kilgus said. “The work that our volunteers provide helps in a time when nonprofit budgets are tricky.”

A new round of S.E.E.D. Award recipients will be announced in the coming weeks.

S.E.E.D. is an acronym for Smart development, Enrichment, Environmental sustainability, and Diversity.

The 2020-2021 year’s awards cycle are funded through a generous grant from Verizon Foundation, CHUN’s growing membership program and through the generosity of other benefactors supporting the registered neighborhood organization.

“This generous support has made it possible for CHUN to expand our civic engagement, develop new partnerships and have a positive impact throughout the greater Capitol Hill community,” said Travis Leiker, president of CHUN. To learn more about how you can join CHUN or support critical neighborhood programs like these, visit chundenver.org.

Vickie Berkley is the vice president of community engagement for Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods

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Life On Capitol Hill 15

December 2020

Bringing people together through the arts Neustadt Jewish Arts, Authors, Movies and Music Festival offers opportunities to engage and learn

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

A

ccording to Denverite Kathy Neustadt, the 13th annual Neustadt Jewish Arts, Authors, Movies and Music Festival features a varietal menu with a little something for everyone.

“I love the fact that we’re programming such a variety,” said Neustadt, who is the title sponsor of the event. “That’s what makes it JAAMM.” JAAMM is a program of the JCC Mizel Arts and Culture Center, which is located inside the Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., in Denver.

This year, JAAMM is presented as a multi-month virtual festival. Live-streamed events began in October, and new events will continue to be offered through midJune.

Programming this year focuses on social justice, said Amy Weiner Weiss, director of festivals at the JCC Mizel Arts and Culture Center, and amplifies “diversity, equity and inclusion.”

“Many of our events will touch on topical issues to help facilitate important dialogues that we, as a community, should be having,” Weiner Weiss said.

Additionally, the programming is so diverse that people of all backgrounds will enjoy it, she said.

For example, events range from a political roundtable to an Israeli home cooking class

Interactive lecture on March 24 with Michael Twitty, an African-American Jewish writer, culinary historian, educator and recipient of the James Beard Award, is a headliner event for the 13th annual Neustadt Jewish Arts, Authors, Movies and Music (JAAMM) Festival. COURTESY PHOTO

Celebrity chef, cookbook author and restaurateur Einat Admony will lead a springtime cook-along featuring a three-course meal of Israeli home cooking. The live-streamed event takes place on April 9, and is part of the 13th annual Neustadt Jewish Arts, Authors, Movies and Music (JAAMM) Festival.

COURTESY PHOTO to a Canadian sketch comedy show; film documentaries; and many author discussions whose books range in topic from Holocaust remembrance to transgender acceptance.

“The festival provides people with an engaging means to engage with the Jewish culture,” Weiner Weiss said. “The arts are something that can bring us all together.”

2020 has been a tumultuous year — the Black Lives Matter movement, a country divided politically, the COVID-19 pandemic, Neustadt said.

“It’s valuable to be able to look at all this through the arts,” Neustadt said. Topics presented in the JAAMM festival “are all very

Whether OLD or NEW We can fix it! or

IF YOU GO The 13th annual Neustadt Jewish Arts, Authors, Movies and Music (JAAMM) Festival started in October and will continue through June 2021.

This year’s festival is presented entirely in a virtual format. Event descriptions are available on JCC Denver’s JAAMM event page.

To learn more about the events or to register for any of them, visit www.jccdenver.org/ arts-culture/festivals/jaamm-festival. timely and help people access information in an entertaining way. That’s what JAAMM does.”

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16 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2020

Colorado Symphony dedicated to education, community Virtual Stage will give audiences to access exclusive content, allow symphony to #PlayOn

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

The Colorado Symphony is committed to #PlayOn, and the latest way it will be doing so is through the Colorado Symphony Association’s new Virtual Stage.

Virtual Stage is an on-demand digital video and audio content portal available through the Colorado Symphony’s website.

Virtual Stage will feature new, exclusive and never-before-seen high-quality video content performed by the Colorado Symphony, including archived performances and content filmed inside the Boettcher Concert Hall at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. The Colorado Symphony Association worked closely with top health officials and city-and-state officials to establish health and safety protocols that meet “satisfactory guidelines to support limited operations in Boettcher Concert Hall that will allow the Colorado Symphony to rehearse, perform and record content to support 2020/21 educational curriculum, as well as new performances, to be released through Virtual Stage,” states a news release.

The first Virtual Stage concert, which became available on Dec. 1, is a full-length video of the Colorado Symphony’s performance of Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” at Red Rocks from earlier this summer. This concert was one of about two dozen that the Colorado Symphony performed live in a socially-distanced setting with a limited amount of tickets available.

The first Virtual Stage concert, which became available on Dec. 1, is a full-length video of the Colorado Symphony’s performance of Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” at Red Rocks.

COURTESY PHOTO BY AMANDA TIPTON More content on Virtual Stage will be available in the coming months. There is no subscription to access Virtual Stage — content will be available for a nominal pay-per-concert fee.

The COVID-19 pandemic, and moreover, the restrictions on gatherings, has affected the operations of the Colorado Symphony. As of November, the symphony had to cancel about 100 concerts since the pandemic began. Additionally, more than 25 performances, originally scheduled to take place between January and May, have been cancelled.

In a news release, Jerome Kern, CEO and board chair of the Colorado Symphony Association, stated that about half of the symphony’s budget comes from ticket sales, and the other half comes from donations.

“We remain in good financial health for

the time being, but without being able to perform for large audiences,” he said, “our immediate needs must be met while we are restricted to limited audiences.”

Some of these needs include compensation for the musicians, and the healthcare expenses of musicians, staff and stagehands throughout the health crisis. The Colorado Symphony Association will be relying on its recently unveiled Play On Recovery Fund, which supports continued operations through the end of 2020, states a news release.

The Colorado Symphony is dedicated to fulfilling its commitment to community and education. This summer, the Colorado Symphony shared more than 75 free online performance shorts, created more than 12 weeks of free distributed long-form audio performances and worked with various

MORE INFORMATION To learn more about the Colorado Symphony Association’s Play On Recovery Fund, or to view a concert through Virtual Stage, visit https://coloradosymphony.org. organizations to raise nearly $20,000 for community charities, states a news release.

“We know, now more than ever, the importance of music and the arts for our community. The need to support our educators and Colorado’s youth during this unique time is our immediate priority,” said Tony Pierce, chief artistic officer, in a news release. “With our community’s help, we will continue to bring symphonic music to Coloradans in whatever way we are able, and we remain persistent in our commitment to play on.”

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