The Denver North Star June 15 2021 Online Edition

Your Guide to Community, Politics, Ar ts and Culture in Nor th Denver DenverNor thStar.com

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Volume 2, Issue 9

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June 15, 2021 -July 14, 2021

The Class of 2021 is Virtually Out of This World

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ALWAYS FREE!

Housing Frenzy in North Denver Creates Cutthroat Environment for Home Buyers

By Jack Stern

W ARTS & CULTURE

Free Concerts Return to Park PAGE 2

PHOTO BY HARRY WARTERS

ARTS & CULTURE

The class of 2021 was shaped by events that defied imagination. The pandemic pulled the rug out from under these graduates' feet forcing them to live in a virtual world for most of their Junior and Senior years. In spite of it all, they used their true grit and Viking spirit to overcome obstacles and become captains of world change on their voyage into adulthood. Congrats!

Local Musicians Talk Post Pandemic Show

By Basha Cohen

PAGE 4

COMMUNITY Sloans Lake Update PAGE 7

COMMUNITY North Denver Has Pride PAGE 9

POLITICS DPS Elected Official Update PAGE 12

COMMUNITY A North Denver Journalist Looks Back PAGE 15

A

s the cloud of COVID slowly lifts, it has left the world changed. No student body in the planet’s history has ever experienced learning through a virtual vapor like the graduating class of 2021.

In January 2020 the world was filled with know-italls. By March no one really knew anything-at-all. Families, teachers, and students were forced to reimagine life as they knew it. Through the lockdown lives were lost, lessons were learned, and a new language of words and action appeared.

Zoom did not exist as a way of life in March 2020.

Yet, generationally, Zoomers are the next Boomers.

Virtual reality was an experience in game rooms. Virtual learning was a specialized lane for education. Who knew what asynchronous learning meant? A vaccine was something you took for the flu, not something to save your life. Systemic racism was given a voice when George Floyd’s murder woke the world up last May. Anti-Asian hate crimes and mass shootings were on the rise. Students rose in protest and solidarity to demand change and social justice for people of color. And, in the dawning of 2021, democracy ran amok in a tangled web of lies, insurrection, and threats of voter suppression.

Through it all, students, teachers, and community rose to the occasion to help reshape the world. Educators revised their curriculum to reflect and acknowledge the country’s deeply rooted inequities. At every North High School virtual meeting and student celebration Principal Scott Wolf launched with a land acknowledgment.

“We acknowledge the indigenous history of the Denver region and Colorado more broadly. Where we stand is the ancestral homeland of several tribal nations - the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Ute, and Sioux. The history of our country is deeply rooted in inequity. We wake up every morning and the first thing we do is put our feet on indigenous land. This is why we start our time together by grounding ourselves in recognition of those who have come before us and the actions we can all take for a more loving and inclusive future.”

Eight seniors showed leadership as the “Student Board of Education Team.” Reverend Brad Laurvick, North Denver’s Denver Board of Education representative, acknowledged them, “This team has worked to address social justice issues impacting North High School and the broader Denver community. This year they have worked to address diversity in Advanced Placement classes, inclusion of students in the MI center, and re-

mote learning.” Willa Polman received a Student Board of Education medallion for her leadership within this group as a representative of North at district gatherings.

During the last week of school, North’s Black Masque theatre brought the theatre stage streaming into people’s homes with the musical, “Working” in order to retain the importance of the arts. Class President, Shaina Walsh, was awarded the Black Masque Scholarship from the alumni foundation for her dedication to the craft. Fellow thespians and stagecraft designers, Bella Robison, Alexas Reyes, and Shane Wolf also received scholarships paving their way towards the future.

One of the most complex issues for the class of 2021 was the college application process. With limited access to visiting campuses, virtual meetings courted prospective graduates. North has a whopping 73% of the class moving on to higher education.

The North Side High School Alumni Scholarship Foundation (NSHSASF) has awarded over 250 Viking Scholarships since 2000. This year, $82,000 was granted to 39 seniors. The scholarships are based on academic, artistic, leadership, community service, and athletic prowess. Scholarship Chairperson, Elisa Cohen said, “We are so honored to help this very deserving group of North High students. We wish we had more scholarships to meet their needs. Our foundation is actively seeking donors who wish to join us in helping deserving students attain their academic dreams.” To learn more about sponsoring a scholarship for North High graduates, contact Joe DeRose at 720.878.4153 or Donna Lucero at 303.902.1744.

These were the forces that shaped the lives of 271 North High School and the North Engagement Center seniors who miraculously came together on May 27 at Infinity Park in Glendale to celebrate their true grit and Viking spirit as the class of 2021. Principal Wolf reflected, “Vikings, you all have risen to one of the greatest challenges to face our society and while this pandemic has truly been awful, from the ashes, you will all rise as leaders. Leaders who will stand up in the face of injustices for justice. Leaders who will reach out when someone is in need of a helping hand. Leaders who will push innovations while valuing cultures. Leaders who will embrace hard work, empathy, compassion and trust. Leaders who will represent the legacy of North since 1883.”

For more of the #Classof2021 celebrations see page 10

hen first time home buyers Andrew Wood and Nicky Dallek put down a bid on a North Denver house that was $100,000 over the asking price, they felt fairly confident their offer would be accepted. A few days later, Wood and Dallek learned they had lost out to another bidder, who put down an offer that was around $175,000 higher than the seller originally asked for.

“We absolutely loved the house,” Wood said. “I’m still mourning over losing it.”

The couple are both Colorado transplants who’ve settled into life in North Denver, enjoying a plethora of activities and becoming friendly with those in the community. Like many others, when looking to buy a house in the area, they've felt the impact of a cutthroat, uberly competitive, market.

Originally, they honed in on the Northwest Denver area. After struggling to secure a home, Wood and Dallek have casted a wider net, looking at nearby neighborhoods in South and East Denver.

The goal is still to buy a house in North Denver. However, following a grueling experience, they’ve decided to postpone their housing search until after their wedding in mid-June.

“It feels like you put in so much work and it’s a little draining,” Dallek said. “It’s like ‘how many offers do I have to put in?

How many houses do I have to see?”

Kathy McBane works as a real estate agent covering the North Denver region.

She says the perfect storm of the influx of millennials looking to buy in the area and historically low interest rates have created massive demand.

“We’ve been in a competitive market for the last few years,” McBane said. “The majority of properties have been selling in the first few three-to-seven days on the market, and have been selling for asking price - and in a lot of cases with competitive offers. But not like this.”

Although she’s seen many millennials, McBane’s noticed the demographic of buyers has ranged from native Coloradans who lived out-of-state and are pursuing a move back, to empty nesters seeking more convenient city living.

For those who sold a home in Denver to buy another one in the area, there was madness on both ends. Eric and Chona Miller are veteran nomads, having previously moved three times in as many years.

When searching for their next house in North Denver, they had the home buying experience from hell.

Many showings were restricted to 15 minutes, and the couple recalls overlap, where other potential buyers waiting for a tour mingled on the front porch creating a “house party” type setting. Despite the uninviting atmosphere and limited viewing window, the Miller’s felt obligated to act fast.

“It puts so much pressure on you because you know it’s so competitive,” Chona said. “We were pressured into thinking

See HOUSING, Page 17

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ARTS & C ULT U RE

After Complaints and Mediation, Jazz Returns to Sloan’s Lake

By Tameca L Coleman

D

enver native Rico Jones, a professional musician and composer, didn’t know that an informal musical gathering of friends on his porch would take him to mediation with the City Council of Denver. What began as a small affair became a weekly event featuring some of the most seasoned jazz musicians in town who played from Jones’ North Denver family home to a regular weekly audience made up of 100s of people from across Denver’ neighborhoods.

But not everyone was happy with the weekend jazz concerts, and the frequency and style of the music prompted one neighbor to file a noise complaint with the city when the concerts resumed after a winter hiatus. “We did one weekend,” Jones says, “and the neighbor posted a long comment on Nextdoor, reported us to the city, and to city health. But this wasn’t about COVID. Then there was the threat of legal action, so we just decided to cut it off so it didn’t escalate.”

Jones proceeded to contact Denver City Councilwomen Amanda P. Sandoval and Jamie Torres who helped Jones arrange mediation via Zoom between the city, the neighbor, and the musicians. Jones’ home and Sloan’s Lake straddle Sandoval and Torres’ districts. The process lasted a month, but the stress and pressure of it was enough to make Jones consider giving up.

“I was thinking whether or not it was worth it because it was really difficult, and the communication process was slow. The neighbors were not very willing to communicate,” Jones says. A write-up in Our Community Now, an online news outlet, upset the neighbors according to Jones and provoked demands for the musician to reach out to the articles’ writer to make changes to the article even though the article never mentioned the neighbor’s name.

Tensions increased and the neighbors had more reason to not talk with Jones in person despite attempts to come to an agreement in a personable way.

“At the end, the neighbors weren’t willing to talk to us face-to-face over Zoom, so it was a back-and-forth conversation.

We made some slight adjustments. We’re going to move the band to the other side of the lawn so it’s not facing their direction and we’re going to monitor the sound levels. We did some tests and found that we weren’t over the legal limit. At this point, we’re making adjustments so they can be happy and feel peace, and we can continue to play.”

Jones’ band played for the first time after their hiatus on Friday, June 4, and again on the following Saturday and Sunday with positive feedback and celebra-

PHOTO COURTESY OF RICO JONES

After mediation with a neighbor and the city, Rico Jones is starting free public concerts by Sloan's Lake again. tion of their return. The plan is for the band to continue concerts throughout the warm weather months.

“I hope we get to continue doing this at least for the rest of the summer. I love playing at different venues, but it’s a different vibe when you’re around alcohol and drugs or you have to hustle. There’s something cool about just playing for the community. Anybody can come sit down.

No one is monitoring who has a ticket and who doesn’t. That’s what I like about this.

It’s community oriented; it helps build the community; it brings people together.”

Rico Jones says he learned a lot from the process of mediation. It took a lot of time and patience and learning how to talk with a variety of people. He also learned that there are many avenues for outdoor performances requiring different permits, some of which can be a little challenging to obtain under certain circumstances, say if you do not have a mailing address and are busking (playing in a public area for donations). Another legal facet of music making in the city that musicians might have to look out for is sound ordinances, which differ depending on where you are in the city.

“I learned that a lot of musicians and festivals struggle with the sound ordinances because, in Denver, there are different laws for residential versus park versus city. Most of them are set so low that it’s literally impossible to play music. A lot of one day and weekend street festivals have to set aside a budget in case somebody complains and you are found to be over the limit and fined.

It’s for a good reason, to keep the peace so people can enjoy solitude and quiet, but it is difficult for music anywhere.”

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Rico Jones plays with musicians Eric Gunnison on piano, Brad Goode on trumpet, Paul Romaine on drums, Tony Golden on bass, Hunter Roberts on bass, Alex Heffron on guitar, Tom Amandon on guitar, Colin Stranahan on drums, and many more.

You can find information on upcoming shows on NextDoor, or follow Rico on Facebook or Instagram at @ricojonesmusic

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Jones would like to see a Denver that works to make it easier for artists in general to host community events by developing more formalized public spaces where free concerts and arts events can occur, unrelated to pubs and other monetarily interested parties. Making permits more accessible with lowered costs would also be beneficial for artists in all disciplines.

“Art should be more accessible overall,” Jones says.

“There’s a big association with alcohol consumption and drug use and night life which is cool but I think that deters a lot of people. And then with jazz, some people want to put a high brow vibe on it like it’s not music of now, like it has to be this throwback that you pay a lot of money for and sip wine to but that’s not what it's about.

It’s music for the people.”

Jones is happy that he gets to make music, and, ultimately, he wants to bring people joy and peace. His one regret is that he never got to speak with his neighbors face to face. “I keep saying I wish we were able to talk over Zoom or something just to put a human face to it. It’s way easier to empathize and reason with somebody – but when it’s so impersonal it’s easy to dehumanize and dissociate.”

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Please consider a donation to support this important work in 2021. For every $1 you give, we are able to provide $9 of food.

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ARTS & CU LTU R E

‘Building Denver’ Exhibit Invites You to be Part of Denver’s Future

By David Sabados

M

ayor Speer (yes, like the street) died during the pandemic of 1918, quite possibly of the Spanish flu. The Auraria campus area was once the home of a thriving Latino community who were pushed out by city officials. Highland was once it’s own city. Mayor Peña wore truly terrible looking eyeglasses larger than some LoHi apartments (though, in his defense, it was the 1980s). These are just a few of the things you can explore at History Colorado’s new exhibit “Building Denver: Visions of the Capital City.”

The exhibit, which you can get through in as little as half an hour or easily spend three times that amount of time exploring, starts with the familiar history many longtime residents are familiar with, but many aspects are presented in ways most of us weren’t taught in our elementary school history of Colorado classes. The exhibit doesn’t shy away from some of Denver’s less than stellar history, such as the exhibits on redlining, displacement at Auraria, and the Cheyenne and Ute people who lived in the area before Europeans came. At the same time, it also doesn’t present all growth as bad: the aforementioned section on Peña’s “imagine a great city” shows how Denver improved in many ways from redevelopment.

Instead of a heavy-handed approach, the exhibit invites museum-goers to be active participants in Denver’s future by learning about issues -- including recent changes in the city. Sections on I-70 expansion, including a collector’s item “Ditch the Ditch” poster, and the renaming of the community formerly known as Stapleton could as easily be in the newspaper as they are a museum, but their inclusion really highlights how the city is continuing to change and the importance of engagement, regardless of your views on

PHOTO COURTESY OF HISTORY COLORADO

A new exhibit reveals Denver's past and invites you to look to the future. development and growth.

One unique offering is the chance to sit and listen to local poets. Long gone are the days of having to share questionable headsets too (an especially nice feature as the pandemic winds down). The audio is crystal clear when you are sitting in the designated spot but, through the wonders of technology, can’t be heard elsewhere, leaving other viewers in peace.

One of the final areas includes a mesmerizing wall-sized map that shows all zoning in the city...and manages to present it in an aesthetically pleasing way that looks...well different and more interesting from any other zoning map.

Just after that is a chance to leave your own notes about the city on an interactive board.

Denver is your city. Stop by and learn the history and take part in shaping the future. We can continue to envision a great city together.

For more information, including hours and ticket prices, please visit https://www.historycolorado.org or call (303) 866-2394.

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June 15, 2021-July 14, 2021 | Page 3

CO M M U N I TY SHAPING OUR FUTURE

BY REMEMBERING OUR PAST

Lakeside, The Place to Shed the Coronavirus Blues

ARTS & CU LTU R E

Long-time North Denver Musician Strikes Upbeat Chord about Venues Re-opening

By Jon Amar

A

ll things considered, I believe after all the sequestering we have put ourselves through, distancing from each other, and DENNIS GALLAGHER all the non hugging, that Lakeside Amusement Park, right here in North Denver, is the place to step back into another time zone, drop all your cares, and even get over the Coronavirus blues.

For newcomers to the neighborhood, Lakeside nestles itself into the smallest town just west of Sheridan Boulevard beneath the European tower at West 46th Avenue.

Jefferson County got Lakeside in the early 1900's because Berkeley Township did not allow for establishments that sold beer and liquor. So the original owners of Lakeside, including some German beer-garden types, moved their beer park to the (almost) smallest town in the state, Lakeside. Originally called White City, Lakeside became a gemstone amusement park with an original fat lady laughing uproariously at the old funhouse, a perfect merry-go-round,

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY CALL # X-27436

Bumper cars at Lakeside

ever broke out at Lakeside, the Lakeside police would tell the fighters to finish their bruhahas across Sheridan at Berkeley Park.

The Lakeside police let the Denver Police handle the disturbance. Denver had bigger jails. Great intracity cooperation in keeping the peace in our neighborhood was in practice.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LAKESIDE AMUSEMENT PARK

and the ferocious Cyclone roller coaster.

Some of America's most famous band leaders brought their musicians to the El Patio Ballroom just below the old roller coaster.

My aunts and uncles reported that romance was always in the air at Lakeside because of the chance to learn the swell new dances at Lakeside. Alas, like many good things in our history, El Patio's shade hovers like Banquo's ghost just below the old roller coaster on the north side of the park.

Lakeside, population 8, is still a town, much to Wheat Ridge's jealousy. They boast a mayor, city council, a police department, and a small jail. In the old days, if a fight

My family has a long and continuous relationship with Lakeside. My dad's sister, Agnes Gallagher, worked in the ticket booth near the famous bumper cars. People lined up just to hear her crack jokes. Some said she should have gone into stand-up comedy. Her dad, my grandad, Bill Gallagher, a retired Rio Grande and Moffat railroad engineer, managed the big boiler at the large swimming pool, which is no longer there.

I wonder if I owe Lakeside for all the free swims my grandfather got for me by bringing me to work with him?

See LAKESIDE, Page 19

ark Dardano is a verifiable Denver Northsider with almost 100 years of community history to his family’s name.

In the early 1900s, his grandfather built a house on 38th & Kalamath Street where his father was later born and where only two blocks away his mother would grow up on 39th and Jason Street. Mark and his six siblings were raised in that Kalamath house, and it was there that he learned to play guitar in the sixth grade.

Since those middle school days, Dardano has been entertaining Denverites with live music for the past fifty years, most notably as a percussionist with his trio Fedora Nights.

Typically adorned with his signature goatee and fedora hat, Dardano and his trio have performed for years at storied Italian restaurant Gaetano's (3760 Tejon Street) and the urban winery Bonacquisti Wine Company (4640 N Pecos Street).

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Fedora Nights could be heard performing nearly every genre of music -- from oldies and jazz to salsa, pop, cumbia, and more. But like many local musicians in Denver, the past year-plus drastically changed everything.

“This past year has been hard for the entertainment business, as well as other businesses,” Dardano told The Denver North Star in a recent interview. “With that said, I believe if we continue to be smart about it, we are close to turning the tide and it's all going to come back stronger than ever.”

Live music has been hard to come by since March 16, 2020, when Denver’s music venues were essentially shut down from COVID-19 restrictions. Now, venues such as Mission Ballroom, Bluebird Theater, Levitt Pavilion, and Red Rocks have announced major upcoming performances from both local and national acts, but expect most

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PHOTO COURTESY OF MARK DARDANO

Mark Dardano's group Fedora Nights and other local musicians are beginning to hold live shows again.

venues to have reduced capacity and social distancing measures as the Denver music scene, along with musicians like Daradan, attempts a big comeback.

“We've all been practicing individually and downloading new music so when we start up again it won't sound like we've been slacking,” said Dardano. “We're looking to be exciting with a fresh new show.”

Fedora Nights played a Mother’s Day show at Bonacquisti's, who “did it right” according to Dardano. “It was [supposed] to be an outside event, but it was wet outside as you well know. [The owner] moved it inside but, within all the restraints, it proved to be magical.”

The trio have booked a number of private engagements from now through the end of summer and they will be back at Bonacquisti's Winery at the end of June (the official date will be announced on Fedora Night’s Facebook page). As for Gaetano's, Dardano said the owner is hopeful that live entertainment can resume at the restaurant as soon as July.

This summer holds many other magical opportunities to see musical and artistic performances: Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center’s grand reopening on June 10 with “War of the Flowers” (www.suteatro. org), Larimer Lounge has live performances booked through September (www.larimerlounge.com), and Mission Ballroom has a string of big performances starting next month /www.missionballroom.com).

When it comes to the successful reemergence of the music scene, Dardano places the onus squarely on the venues. “All I can say about the venues is: whoever is trying to open within the restraints and having safety first in mind are going to make the music scene come back quicker. The venues who just want to pack people in are going to prolong the comeback.”

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CO M M U N I TY

Denver Urban Gardens Reopens Reduced El Oasis

By Eric Heinz

S

ince staring down the possibility of closing in October, Denver Urban Gardens officials say they have been able to financially stabilize the organization with a land sale, and El Oasis in North Denver has reopened.

Two-thirds of the land at El Oasis that is located in the Highland neighborhood was sold to developers for $1.2 million last year.

They plan to build a housing complex there, and DUG is using the funds to pay off a $500,000 line of credit incurred when other funding sources dried up.

Now, Linda Appel Lipsius, executive director of DUG, who took on the role in early 2020, said the nonprofit organization is making efforts to ensure it never falls into dire financial straits again, and they will begin establishing equity protocols to make sure all of the organization’s 188 gardens remain sustainable.

“There’s definitely been a lot of reflection and definitely a pivot in what DUG is doing,” Appel Lipsius said. “Up until 2019, there was a lot of new gardens being built.

(Now), we are not building new gardens; we are instead focusing on the gardens and the network that we have.”

Gardeners who were in danger of losing their plot have been invited back to El Oasis, Appel Lipsius said. If there wasn’t space left at El Oasis, they were given first priority at Bryant Webster Community Garden about a block away.

Andy Karsian, who began a campaign to save the El Oasis garden once the sale was made public, said he is overall pleased with the way DUG has handled the transition to a smaller lot.

“What we’re doing … is working with local partners, companies to support the gardens to make sure that every garden has what it needs to be a productive garden and community space,” Appel Lipsius said.

Additionally, DUG is looking to hire seasonal staff to support garden leaders, such as helping with growing techniques and community events, and for every garden there are about one to three leaders, Appel Lipsius said. DUG has about 17,000 gardeners participating in its network.

“A lot of our gardeners don’t have access to the internet, don’t speak English,” Appel Lipsius said. “We’ve been doing in-person plot applications in Spanish, but if you don’t speak English and you’re not on the internet,” it can be hard to get a plot.

Appel Lipsius said DUG has been posting fliers near its community gardens in both

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Denver Urban Gardens Executive Director Linda Appel Lipius stands in the middle of the El Oasis community garden. The organization was in danger of having to close before selling off two-thirds of the garden’s land to developers in October.

English and Spanish.

Andy Karsian, who began a campaign to save the El Oasis garden once the sale was made public, said he is overall pleased with the way DUG has handled the transition to a smaller lot.

“It’s not bad right now because the construction on the duplex hasn’t begun, so we were able to take a bunch of flowers and transfer them,” Karsian said. “We got all the stuff we wanted to save into the new one.

DUG has done a nice job in developing the new garden and bringing in some new folks and a nice blend of new and returning gardens.”

Karsian said some things have changed and gardeners at El Oasis have had to make a few adjustments, such as getting access to nearby water.

“It’s going to be a transition year,” Karsian said. “As you know, it was unfortunate how (the sale) was brought about, and the outcome is resulting in a new community garden that reflects the kind of the changes of how Northside is changing.”

Karsian said about half of the gardeners have returned since El Oasis reopened.

“For those of us who did come back, it’s nice to build something from the ground up for the community, even if it is a smaller space,” he said.

Interested in getting involved with Denver Urban Gardens? Visit https://dug.org/ or call 303.292.9900 for more information!

Eric Heinz is a freelance journalist based in Denver, who most recently covered Los Angeles City Hall for City News Service.

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Elizabeth Clayton 303.506.3448 EClayton@NostalgicHomes.com The Denver North Star

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JeanSunn@NostalgicHomes.com June 15, 2021-July 14, 2021 | Page 5

K I D S & E D UCAT I ON LETTERS FROM MISS JILL

Raising a Civic-Minded Generation

D

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uring particular conversations, I frequently hear the response, “there’s nothing you can do about it,” regarding not only concerning naJILL CARSTENS tional political issues, but very often about deeply local issues. What bothers me when people say this is that there is something you can do about it!

Even though many would say that our democratic system is “broken,” it is still a democracy. And our democracy, by definition, is “by the people and for the people.” But it is also a living system that requires the people to participate in it. Most of us tend to be armchair participants in our politics, as situations appear impenetrable. But, like most anything, the intricacies of our political system can be learned and anyone can still get involved, but it does take intention and effort.

I grew up knowing that I could actively engage in my community, helping to shape the decisions that affect it. This began when I was only about 4 years old and my mom, out of necessity, would bring me to her League of Women Voters meetings. From there, my brother and I would often end up walking around our neighborhood, going door to door with mom to encourage folks to learn about ballot initiatives or to help them to register to vote.

This was during the early 1970’s wave of women’s liberation, ala Gloria Steinem, when inspired housewives were encouraged to apply for government positions that would insert them in places of power. My mother ended up becoming the first woman school board president of Jefferson County. I “accidentally” learned about civic engagement simply by bearing witness to my mother’s activity.

As a 3:45 busyPMworking mom of my genera6/1/21 tion, civic participation has often taken place

through mothering and work. Each year my preschool class would have a “service project” that could engage the young children and their families in a meaningful, but appropriate way. We might create art that we would sell and donate all the proceeds to a

By connecting through Leon’s app, students, beginning at about age 12, can work with teachers and peers at their school to discover and participate in accessible local civic events and activities ranging from volunteering at the neighborhood library to campaigning for a local candidate. cause. We always collected non-perishable food for those in need and one year we gathered essential toiletries, the children creating their own assembly line to put them in Ziploc bags, and parents would hand them directly to homeless people. These activities established for the children the idea of supporting the greater good in our community.

If we care about raising the next generation to become informed members of their communities, the time to begin is immediately. I was reminded of how powerful this early learning is by a recent How I Built This podcast featuring former professional soccer player, Beverly Leon. She has developed Local Civics, https://www.localcivics.io/home an ed-tech start-up that helps young people develop strong civic leadership skills. Her

mission is to create a more inclusive democracy by initially teaching kids about their own power.

By connecting through Leon’s app, students, beginning at about age 12, can work with teachers and peers at their school to discover and participate in accessible local civic events and activities ranging from volunteering at the neighborhood library to campaigning for a local candidate. By starting small and participating with friends, these activities remove the overwhelming piece of local politics, providing an accessible “on-ramp” to local civics. As students progress, their involvement can deepen as their understanding of the infrastructure grows.

There are so many ways to introduce civic involvement to our children at many levels.

History Denver welcomes volunteers who are assigned “endangered buildings” around town whose histories require research to warrant preservation. Neighborhood organizations in our community (Berkeley Regis United Neighbors, West Colfax Association of Neighbors, and others) welcome community participation in the review of new zoning laws being proposed. A super easy place to start is this paper! We report on issues and events that are the epitome of civic and local. Now an award-winning paper, The Denver North Star can serve as a gateway to understanding reliable sources, as they are pretty much your neighbors.

Jill Carstens is a proud Denver native, a passionate mom and a teacher her entire adult life! She picked North Denver as her home base in 1997, and has run Milestones Preschool here since 2011. If you have ideas for an article or further questions for Miss Jill, you can email her at Jill@DenverNorthStar.com

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CO M M U N I TY

New Boating Rules this Summer and Car Free Streets in Sloan’s Lake Park

By Allen Cowgill

C

hanges seen in Sloan’s Lake Park that started with the pandemic in 2020, like a car-free Byron Place and Lakeshore Drive and a lake without power boats or sailboats, are evolving into more long term norms.

In the early days of the pandemic, Scott Gilmore, Deputy Executive Director with Denver Parks and Rec explained that “we just didn’t know how COVID was transmitting.”

So the city focused on trying to protect people by limiting crowds in regional parks across town by shutting down parking lots and opening up the park streets exclusively to walkers, runners, and people on bikes by closing access to cars to allow more space for social distancing. They also shut down Sloan’s Lake to power boating and sailboats to eliminate the potential for groups to gather on larger boats.

Since then, Denver has relaxed many of those restrictions and started to open up the parks again. But Parks and Rec started to get feedback that people enjoyed some of the carfree streets,” so Parks started our own public input process on what people like to see” while taking accessibility issues into account.

In the case of Byron Place and Lakeshore Drive, Gilmore said, “Sloan’s Lake has always had Lakeshore Drive. We’ve always discussed that the road just serves as a cut-through through the park. That road goes through the park, but it’s not like it takes you to a playground, it doesn’t take you to the tennis courts, it doesn’t take you anywhere. That was a clear example of one of the roads in our system they felt could stay closed in the future. If there are activities or festivals that need to utilize that road, we can still do that.” Gilmore said that it’s a learning process for Parks and Rec and they continue to listen to community feedback, but he has not received a negative email about the streets being car-free in Sloan’s Lake and has received numerous emails of people appreciating the closure. He indicated that they will be looking for ways to improve the closures with more permanent gates or bollards to continue

to allow maintenance and emergency access.

Yang Wang lives in Sloan’s Lake, and is one of those community members that has really been enjoying the closures. She appreciated them as a way to social distance in the early days of COVID, but more recently has enjoyed them for running with a stroller and also allowing them as a safe place for her toddler to learn how to bike. Wang ”really hopes Lakeshore Drive can be permanently car free; that would be wonderful.” She also finds the carfree street as a much safer and enjoyable way to commute into downtown for work than some of the neighborhood streets.

Gilmore has also indicated some new changes prohibiting powerboats and sailboats on Sloan’s Lake this year due to concerns around safety. “The lake is incredibly shallow, we all know that. Average depth is 3.5-4 ft., with some pockets of 6 feet. To be honest, it’s not deep enough for power boating.” Gilmore, an aquatic biologist, also noted that power boats were prohibited due to environmental concerns and they are doing a study this year on what the long term plan should be.

“From the research that consultants have told us, they actually say that motorboats could aggravate any situation of low oxygen, and heating the lake up would make a fish kill

The Denver North Star

PHOTOS BY ALLEN COWGILL

Hand-launched boats are currently allowed on the lake, but nothing larger.

(like the Black Croppy fish kill that occurred last year) even worse. What happens when the sun is out, it is heating up the sediment that is suspended in the water. When a motor boat goes around the lake, the motor spins, and from studies it's about 6 feet down it turns the water. The problem here is that the lake is not deep. So the boats skimming around the lake actually will turn up the sediments that are really close to the surface and will suspend those sediments in the water, which then the sun will heat up the sediments, which actually can heat up the lake even faster, which could create even worse fish die offs.” Parks and Rec is planning on putting floating Solarbee aeration devices on top of the water to have a more healthy circulation at the top of the lake that doesn’t stir up sediment and to help prevent toxic algae blooms.

Despite the powerboat and sailboat ban, Gilmore said Parks and Rec will allow handlaunched boats like canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards in the lake for free with no permits required. They will also allow the boats for the Dragon Boat Festival. Their website still says that, “a sound-producing device and at least one life jacket per person aboard is required to be on all vessels.”

Jonathan Kahn, owner of Confluence Kayaks in Jefferson Park, said that “they have sold many paddle boards to people looking to go up to Sloan’s Lake.” Last summer they ran out of inventory in July and he expects the same to happen this year. Khan also is planning to see an increased rental business for paddle boards on Sloan’s now that the city has relaxed the permit requirement.

Not everyone is happy about the boat closures. Sloan’s Lake was the only lake in Denver that allowed sailing and powerboats until last year. Given the lake has had a history of boating for over a hundred years, many of the people who enjoyed it for motor boating and sailing are disappointed with the recent changes, and felt power boats did some good to aerate the lake and keep the water from getting too stagnant. They also couldn’t recall any safety incidents on the lake.

Sam Edward has been sailing on Sloan’s Lake since 2013, spending 20-60 day per summer in his colorful 17 ft catamaran sailboat that was easily identified flying the jolly roger flag. Edward “lives a mile away so it made it really inconvenient. Now I’ve got to drive all the way out to Cherry Creek reservoir, which is 16 miles away”. He is disappointed at the decision to close the lake, and that the safety concerns are overblown, especially given that his catamaran only draws about 12 inches of water with small rudders that go down to 30 inches and he only goes “about 5-10 mph” with his sailboat. “It’s not dangerous.” He hopes the city will reconsider their decision.

He says of Sloans: “it’s my favorite lake” with amazing views of the Denver skyline and the mountains.

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C OM M UN I T Y

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North Denver Has Pride

Annual LGBTQ+ Celebrations to Take Place Virtually and In-Person This Year

for for food, food, drinks drinks & & fun! fun!

By Eric Heinz

A

s Pride Month continues, Denver is preparing for its celebration of people of all gender identities and sexual orientations.

North Denver has a few of its own Pride representatives who spoke about the importance of the month and the centerpiece parade.

“This year’s Pride month and parade are especially important as many of us look forward to not only honoring the activists and allies who came before us, but also taking the opportunity to celebrate the diversity that makes the LGBTQ community unique,” said Lauren Cikara, the chair of the Denver LGBTQ Commission. “Amidst the isolation and call for social justice over the past year, our hope is that the 2021 Pride celebrations will inspire individuals to live authentically, reunite our community and re-engage our overall commitment to ensuring equity for all.”

CHUCK ROZANSKI OF MILE HIGH COMICS, A.K.A. BETTIE PAGES Chuck Rozanski (he/she/they) is the founder of Mile High Comics who discovered they were genderfluid later in life. They said they have marched in various Pride parades throughout the nation and participated in the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City.

“What really makes Denver Pride unique is the fact that we have this enormous party in Civic Center Park that lasts for two days,” Rozanski told The Denver North Star about Pride parades that weren’t in the middle of a pandemic.

Rozanski, who is a member of the LGBT Imperial Court System of the Rockies, said the continuation of the Pride Parade and the month are important to the community to reinforce their identities and celebrate camaraderie.

“I think Pride provides all of us with the opportunity to share perspectives,” he said.

“Pride is for us to show children of our community that they don’t need to be afraid to be true to what’s in their heart.”

Rozanski performs in drag as Bettie Pages and has hosted the “Drag for All Ages” show for the last couple years, and in 2019 it drew protests from some people who were irked by having children invited to participate in drag.

Rozanski said there has been “a lot of hate preached” in recent years toward LGBTQ people, and when the pandemic hit it made it harder for younger people to discover who they truly are.

“Dealing with adolescents is hard enough, but being adolescent and transgender in any form, whether that’s someone who wants a full-on transition or someone like me who is dual-gender, … young people have to find

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Chuck Rozanski performs as Bettie Pages at one of the Drag for All Ages shows last year at Mile High Comics, which he founded. ways to rationalize that in their own minds,” Rozanski said. “They need role models, and Pride provides that opportunity.”

The Drag for All Ages show is slated to return once the pandemic subsides, Rozanski said.

YOU MATTER ZONE Puppets have long been a tool to teach children about the world, but only recently has the medium been used to discuss gender identity.

Rev. Brad Laurvick of the Highlands United Methodist Church started doing a “non-dogmatic” puppet show in his garage a few years ago, and recently he had one of his characters, Aspen the frog, identify as gender nonbinary.

“We knew we wanted a puppet who was nonbinary; we want the puppets to reflect the people of our community,” Laurvick said, adding that his puppets who are humanoid do not have fleshy skin tones, so that anyone can “see themselves” in the character.

On TikTok, the page @bradandthepuppets, which features characters from Laurvick’s creation the You Matter Zone, garnered a significant following.

One of the videos posted received nearly 550,000 views.

“The puppets are not a church thing, but they live out the beliefs of the church,” he said. “The congregation when I arrived was already a very welcoming space. God doesn’t play favorites. The pride we’re celebrating is the opposite of shame, no one should be ashamed of who they are.”

Laurvick said he hopes the message Pride celebrations provide to people is “That every single person would hear clearly that who they are is a gift to the world and who they are matters.”

Highlands UMC will have members of the LGBTQ community lead sermons and songs throughout the month of June.

FORMER STATE SEN. LUCÍA GUZMÁN As the first openly LGBTQ legislator to serve as Senate President Pro Tempore, Guzmán said Colorado has been at the forefront of gender and sexuality issues, as she and her colleagues worked to allow civil unions for all people. Guzmán, now retired, represented North and West Denver in the state senate and on the DPS school board.

“We need to take in this month and hopefully be a beacon to those families and parents who are struggling to love their children and support their children who are living diverse lives,” Guzmán said. “This month can be a beacon to those individuals who maybe feel like it’s not worth the battle and may not have been able to receive public support in some way, and they’re teetering on the edge, not feeling like they can be who they are.”

Guzmán said she is hopeful for the future of the LGBTQ community in North Denver, and she said “hope” is the main message she wants people to take from Pride celebrations.

“I think this is a great time in the North Denver area where we have an opportunity to be so proud of who we are,” she said. “I’m hoping that the North Denver people, those who are new and those who have been here a long time, (know) that this is the place where a lot of the changes and the struggles took place and continue to move forward with that hope.”

Eric Heinz is a freelance journalist based in Denver, who most recently covered Los Angeles City Hall for City News Service.

N E W S S H ORTS

Residents Move Into Regis Safe Outdoor Space

By David Sabados

L

ast month, we wrote about Regis University planning to host a temporary outdoor housing community for people experiencing homelessness. Earlier this month, residents began moving in. The shelters are constructed of ice fishing tents on top of raised wooden platforms. The Colorado Village Collaborative (CVC) has hosted two sites in the Capitol Hill neighborhood and is opening one in Park Hill soon as well in addition to the new Regis location.

Sanctioned sites include new tents and platforms, hygienic facilities, and communal shade areas. CVC, working with the Saint Francis Center, provides round the clock staffing. The proximity to Federal Blvd allows residents to take mass transit.

Most importantly, according to staff and

The Denver North Star

residents, the site provides a safe place for residents to stay at night and store their belongings. Sanctioned sites also allow staff to connect residents with health care, job placement, long term housing, and other wraparound services.

Mark Montes, who goes by Shorty, showed us his new home at the Regis site.

Montes takes the bus to work downtown.

A North High School graduate, he became homeless as rent prices increased. He’s working with the staff to find permanent housing, and, in the meantime, he’s glad to call the new site home. To read more about Montes, check out the May 18th story about him in Westword.

The site is expected to operate for six months.

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June 15, 2021-July 14, 2021 | Page 9

K I D S & E D UCAT I ON

By Basha Cohen

N

orth High School celebrated its Senior Class of 2021 with an exuberant graduation and prom on May 27 and 28. The in-person graduation was held at Infinity Park in Glendale leading Harvard-bound Valedictorian, Rico Givens-Padilla, to quip “We’re not in North Denver anymore.” An observation that wasn’t lost on the Northside families who wondered why it couldn’t have been held on North’s field or somewhere closer to home.

The graduation was an elegant and traditional affair filled with tear-jerking pomp and circumstance. The State Champion North High School Color Guard presented arms with the national anthem performed by Joanna Coronado and Olive Curcio. Student addresses were

Forever Vikings 2021! delivered by emcees, Allison Jones, Ashley Gurrolla, Valedictorian, Rico Givens-Padilla, Salutatorian, Samantha Wilkins, and Jennifer Garcia who represented the North Engagement Center. Principals Scott Wolf and Teresa Steele reflected on their achievements, and class Counselor Kathleen Hoffman, gave a sweet and heartfelt send-off to the class she has nurtured since 2017.

Wolf summed their words up as the tassels were turned, “Now, it is time for you to carry your Viking spirit with you wherever you go.

Remember the words of Samantha, that ‘You have a choice.’ The words of Kathy, not Ms. Hoffman, that ‘You have to make promises and keep promises to yourself.’ The words of

Jennnifer, that ‘This is a kickstart for your future.’ And the words of Rico that ‘You are ready for this world.’ Be you. Love yourself. And to spread love to others. Can you feel it in your veins? It’s time to graduate!”

Back on the Northside, the final Senior Prom shimmered proudly in the back courtyard of the school which was magically transformed into a glittery world called, “Under the City Lights.” With North’s billion dollar view of the Denver skyline as a backdrop, parent and teacher volunteers turned the space into a glam lounge with outdoor living rooms, fire pits, string lights, yard games and a wild arcade bus and food truck. The DJ rocked the dance floor under the glow of multi color lights and

jumping-for-joy grads. The cafeteria was transformed into a balloon ballroom replete with gambling, photo booth and dessert bars. Kids came decked out in fashions ranging from 20s elegance to come-as-you-are-casual. Undoubtedly, the most show stopping entrance goes to Olive Curcio who was wrapped in glittering lights that reflected the ambience of the night.

It was a bittersweet night for friends dancing away their last four years like stardust memories, and for parents of seniors….well, we can’t get into that;-( Congratulations, Class of 2021.

You’ve made us proud. Forever Vikings!

To read Rico Givens-Padilla’s powerful Valedictorian speech go online to www.denvernorthstar.com

Photos by Grad Images, unless otherwise indicated Top to bottom: Row 1: Graduates enter the sports arena. Rico Givens-Padilla (right) followed by Samantha Wilkins (right), Valedictorian and Salutatorian; NHS Principal Scott Wolf gives diploma to Saténa Maxx Charles-Luciani; North Engagement Center Principal, Teresa Steele with graduate Jose Barrita; Row 2: Andrew Delgado; Jaydy Gonzales-Guillen and Amya Younger; Rico GivensPadilla Valedictorian Address. Rico earned a full-ride scholarship to Harvard; Kathleen Hoffman, NHS Counselor, mentored these graduates with love since their freshman year in 2017; Row 4: National Anthem performed by Joanna Coronado and Olive Curcio; Honored Senior Address by Jennifer Garcia Row 5: ROTC presents arms; Mario Bonilla; The Class of 2021 await their diplomas in the bleachers; Row 6: Shaina Walsh and her "Mor Mor"Agnete Cohen; Live stream of graduation captured the spirit of the virtual world the class lived through (Photo Michele Walsh via UK); Samantha Wilkins delivers Salutatorian Speech

Page 10 | June 15, 2021-July 14, 2021

The Denver North Star

was transeplete with bars. Kids g from 20s . Undoubtnce goes to n glittering f the night. ds dancing ust memoll, we can’t ass of 2021. ngs! ns-Padilla’s online to

Photos by Basha Cohen, unless otherwise indicated Top to bottom: Row 1: Ticket to the prom; Best Dressed Entrance Maker-Olive Curcio, Beautiful fresh faces: Jade DeSandoval and Jo Coronado; Row 2: All dolled up for the prom: Shaina Walsh, Bella Robison, Torsey Koszalka and Jo Coronado; Asst Principal Kevin Bendjy and Principal Scott Wolf made magic happen to honor the students; Twinkle Tents...Top Scholars L to R, Samantha Wilkins, Ellen Clark, Nicolas Carrasco, Aidan Reidy, Rico Givens-Padilla, Alejandro Dimas, Saténa Maxx Charles-Luciani; Row 3: Masked Glam Girls, Marisa Bonacquisti and Tallulah Cluff; Beauty queens in the outdoor living room Wendy Paredes-Tovar, Miles Sanchez, Kapriel Donlan, Willow Salomone, Gigi Gordon; Lounging by the fire pit in style, Dyani Bautista, Uriel Olivas-Rodriguez; Row 4: All duded up for a PacMan Party, Jose Sandoval-Fierro, Harris Jackson and J Taylor; Dressed to the Nines in the Arcade Party Bus, Maggie Johnson, Ian Senft; Row 5: Under the City Lights...an outdoor living room, arcade, gambling & dance hall-(Photo by Rebecca Caldwell); Dancing Light Show

The Denver North Star

June 15, 2021-July 14, 2021 | Page 11

NE W S S HO RTS

Denver City Council Creates Public Defender Style Program for Renters Facing Evictions

By The Denver North Star Staff

L

ower income Denverites facing eviction may soon be able to receive help from an attorney thanks to a bill unanimously passed by council. Few renters are represented by attorneys, while the majority of landlords are.

One obvious reason is that tenants unable to pay rent are usually not in a position to hire an attorney. Denverites who earn 80% or less of the area median income (roughly $55,000/ year) will be able to access the program. At the time of publication, the bill was awaiting Mayor Hancock’s signature to become law.

Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca released this statement shortly after the vote: “Passage of this ordinance is a win for renters during a critical moment when pandemic protections are being lifted, and more tenants

than ever are vulnerable to evictions in our city. This will now move forward for the Mayor’s signature, after which it will take effect on September 1.

I thank Councilwoman Sawyer for co-sponsoring this legislation with me, and I thank my Council colleagues for passing it. Most especially, though, I thank the community: the tenants, landlords, and service providers who shared their stories with us in helping to draft a bill that meets their needs, as well as all the Denver residents who advocated for and wrote in support of the eviction defense right to counsel.

Much more will be needed to correct the power imbalance between landlords and renters in this state, but this is a first step in the right direction.”

NE W S S HO RTS

Meow Wolf Looks to Hire 150 Denver Hourly Workers

By The Denver North Star Staff

M

eow Wolf, the Sante Fe based arts and entertainment company is opening their Denver location soon, but first they need to hire more staff. The company is looking to hire 150 hourly workers including creative operators who welcome, interact, and encourage guest questions, retail and box office associates, security, restaurant staff, and maintenance staff.

Interested individuals are encouraged to apply online at https://recruiting.paylocity. com/Recruiting/Jobs/Details/585002 and Meow Wolf will hold a job fair from June 25-28th to assess candidates. Pay ranges

PHOTO COURTESY OF MEOW WOLF

from $17-$18.40/hr. for all positions with some benefits.

SINCE 1970

Environmentally Friendly Services

E L E C T ED OF FI CI AL U PDATE

An Update From DPS Board of Education Director Rev. Bradley Laurvick

O

ur students have navigated the last year and a half with strength and determination. The children across our city need intentional and dynamic REV. BRADLEY LAURVICK educational and emotional support as they move into the 2021-2022 school year. The educators and staff of our school district have shown themselves to be adaptive, creative, and capable. They, like our students, need to be given resources and a vision to create a better system of learning.

As we move from the crisis of a pandemic into a time of transition, we have the opportunity to address systemic problems and long-standing inequities in education. We cannot rush into a ‘new normal,’ or worse, allow things to return to what they were. We have an opportunity to do better for our students, educators, staff, and community. That is why I was excited to choose Dr. Alex Marrero as our new superintendent.

As a Board, we hosted more than 50 focus groups, bringing in hundreds of voices that represent the diversity of our student population and community. We gathered thousands of responses from surveys. We heard clearly that the community desired a leader who would build relationships and connect across the different experiences, cultures, current and historical contexts of Denver.

From his experiences as a student of color and an English-language learner, his time as a school counselor and building leader, and his executive leadership in our country’s largest city, Dr. Marrero is uniquely equipped to keep students at the center of our district’s long-term strategic vision and day-to-day efforts.

My questions of every candidate for the position focused on the needs of multilingual learners, specifics on raising our reading proficiency and graduation rates, and how to address declining enrollment due to gentrification. I eliminated from my consideration candidates who did not respond to the pandemic with a strong, science-based response. I also prioritized finding someone who was a unifier, who did not allow ideology to divide people. Dr. Marrero responded to these areas with strength and wisdom.

Dr. Marrero asks big questions and looks for answers in the lived experiences of students, staff, and community. He holds impeccable standards for himself and leads from a deep sense of calling.

Dr. Marrero asks big questions and looks for answers in the lived experiences of students, staff, and community. He holds impeccable standards for himself and leads from a deep sense of calling. He smoothly oscillates between the newest educational theories and the practicalities of the classroom. He has demonstrated his commitment to equity and put in the hard work to move institutions toward it. He also listens compassionately when students ask questions.

The task before him is immense. He, and the Board with him, recognize the work and results required to build trust. I am working with him to introduce him to the district I represent, through school visits, community meetings, and conversations with community leaders and elected officials. In the months to come, we will announce dates and locations for times to meet him as we gather in local parks. He will be available not only to answer your questions, but we are designing reverse town-halls where he can ask questions of you to listen to the hopes, fears, and realities of your family and students.

I hope you will join me in welcoming our new superintendent. Even more so, I hope you will join Dr. Marrero, our teachers and staff, the entire Board of Education, and me, in committing to the conversations and work that will offer our students the education they deserve.

Director Laurvick is the elected DPS Board of Education member representing District 5, which includes North and West Denver. He can be reached at Brad_Laurvick@dpsk12.org

N EWS SHO RTS

City Seeks Input:

Latino/Chicano Historic Context Study

By Kathryn White

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he City of Denver’s Landmark Pres- Latino/Chicano heritage through a video ervation department is conducting recording. She encourages people to get its first ever historic context study to focus involved, “The information that has been specifically on one ethnic, racial, or cultur- shared by community members thus far al group. The study aims to create an over- through the April 10 community meeting, view of Latino and Chicano communities in online survey, and community leader inDenver up to the 1990’s. It launched a few terviews has been deep and rich. It is promonths ago and will wrap-up in December. viding us so much more information than You can participate by filling out the what we have found through traditional online survey before June 30th or attend- archival research. We’re excited for the fiing an upcoming storytelling workshop. nal historic context report that will guide our understanding To learn more, visand preservation it www.denvergov.

A free storytelling workshop of Denver’s Latino/ org and type “hiswill take place downtown on Chicano heritage.” toric context study” Historic context into the search tool.

Saturday, June 26th, from studies identify A free storytelling 10am to 1pm. It is limited to themes surroundworkshop will take ing the history and place downtown the first 100 people development of a on Saturday, June who register. geographic area.

26th, from 10am to They are common 1pm. It is limited to in the historic preservation field. More the first 100 people who register.

Senior City Planner Jennifer Budden- recently, though, these studies have begun borg says to look for more information to document the specific histories of popsoon about their use of the online app ulations previously left out of historic and Storyvine where people can share their landmark preservation efforts.

The Denver North Star

KI DS & E DU CATI O N

Student Athletes Look Forward to 2021-2022 School Year

L A N D S C A P E A R C H I T E C T U R E

Open for Personal Training

By Jack Stern

T

he 2020-21 Colorado high school sports season was far from normal. While cross country, men’s golf, football, softball, and men’s tennis were played in the fall, the rest of the sports were pushed back to the springtime. With the end of a tumultuous school year, we’ve decided to look ahead and highlight three standout student-athletes at North High School who are heading into their senior year:

college athletes, which provided a routine and work ethic to emulate. Shary also decided to pick up pitching, utilizing a three-pitch arsenal, which includes both two and four seam fastballs, to go along with an off-speed slider.

“The different looks on the fastball can really play with a hitter because they both look very similar - they’re both a fastball - but they’re completely different pitches,” Shary said. “They both play off my slider really well because I feel like I can really locate my slider.”

CHLOE AVANT - WOMEN’S GOLF: This spring has been a balancing Heading into her freshman act for Sharry - among playing year at North High School, multiple sports, focusing Chloe Avant hadn’t played on school, and starting in a golf tournament. to create a list of potenGrowing up, she wasn’t tial colleges. Through into sports, focusing the hectic stretch, he’s much of her attention embracing the opon music and the arts. portunity to play the Avant hadn’t considrest of this season and ered herself an athlete, his senior year, while that was, until she started not taking a moment going to golf camps in midfor granted. dle school and took a liking to “Watching the seniors of the the sport.

2020 class lose their seaPHOTOS COURTESY OF While finding success son, I’m valuing getting KEVIN BENDJY, NORTH HIGH SCHOOL on the course, Avant to play ball and being a Chloe Avant has found profound has remained active in meaning and purpose, squaring up kid again,” Shary said. the golf community. drivers on the golf course.

She’s a member of the JAZMYNE COOK Ladies Professional Golf AssoWOMEN’S BASKETBALL ciation (LPGA) Generation For guard Jazmyne Cook, Z Council for Equality getting used to playing in Golf and has made during the pandemic friends from across Colwas a major adjustment. orado - and different The women’s basketstates - during her time ball team was required playing. While there’s to wear masks during still competition and practices and games. In frustrating aspects of a stamina driven sport, playing golf, she’s found she recalls many players enjoyment in the sport and a having difficulty breathing sense of belonging through the when running up and down people she’s met. the court.

As she enters her senior year, “I feel like I gravitated “It was hard, I feel Jazmyne Cook hopes to play college basketball. towards golf because of like a lot of us could’ve the community,” Avant performed better withsaid. “The girls I’ve played with out it,” Cook said. “Physically and met through tournait was very hard to breath, ments are some of my faand mentally, just knowvorite people ever. Finding you had the mask on, ing a young community was making you think of girls playing golf is ‘oh this is making it a really rare.” lot harder.”

Previously, Avant Compliance with feels she struggled the mask protocols also with the mental aspect determined whether of golf. Now, she’s or not those on the team gained better composure, could play. turning a weakness into “Our coaches would say a strength. ‘keep your mask on’ beGavin Shary fields a ground ball “This year, there was cause they didn’t want during warmups. a big improvement to any reason for the refs to where I wasn’t being as obsessive over certain take us out of the game,” Cook said. shots,” Avant said. “I was able to focus on the Unable to practice in the gym due to shot at hand and let go of the things behind COVID protocols, Cook spent a lot of time me. When I have that sense of peace when I’m training and practicing outside. To try and playing, it lets me focus more.” reach peak performance, the soon-to-be senior also placed an emphasis on conditioning GAVIN SHARY - SOCCER & BASEBALL: and making sure she was eating healthy. The A right backer in soccer, and shortstop, nutritious boost before practicing or working center fielder, and pitcher in baseball, Gavin out helped Cook improve her stamina over Shary feels playing both sports has made him the course of the season. a better overall athlete. As the senior enters While knocking down shots on the hardhis final year of high school, he’s learned and wood, Cook’s also excelled in the classroom, grown on-and-off the field. where she’s earned a 3.6 GPA. She credits bas“It’s taught me dedication, working hard, ketball for helping her stay motivated in school. how to communicate with people, and I’ve “It definitely kept me in check with my tried being a leader,” Shary said. “Sports help grades,” Cook said. “There was never a time people learn about themselves and grow into where I wanted to miss a game or sit out.” who they’ll be in the future.”

For Shary, the quick turnaround between Jack Stern is a Denver based freelance sports and a crowded schedule - playing base- multimedia journalist, reporting on all things ball even after finishing classes - has forced Colorado. Previously, he covered the Colorahim to stay focused. During the two-year hi- do Buffaloes football and basketball team for atus between games, he was able to train with SBNation and Rivals.com.

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Ben White lines up runners in 2013.

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here are few things brain tumor. Many of his friends had been parI’ve ever seen that ri- ticipating in the Mile High 5 with their families val the pure joy of a little from the start, so it seemed a natural fit to honor kid running. You’ve seen him with that event. Participants raised almost it: Their eyes lighted up, $9,000 which was donated to two organizations chest thrown forward, that Cooper and his family chose in honor of laughing, likely weaving their work with kids like him. While he wasn’t ERIKA TAYLOR all over the place, their able to attend the event, we knew that he could hands trailing their bodies as if they might hear the cowbell and his friends cheering on take off flying at any moment. If you close your the littles at the finish line rising up through eyes and picture it, you may even feel the flut- the neighborhood. Cooper died just a few days ter of the same butterlater. The next year, flies that running kid the Mile High 5 served in your mind feels. as a way for Cooper’s Those kids aren’t friends to channel running for a medal their grief into action or a finishing time, a as they raised another $9000 which they dopersonal best or even nated to the Morgan the finish line. They Adams Foundation are running because to support their work it feels great. in funding Pediatric It’s been a long Cancer Research. time since running This year and last, felt like that for me.

Team Mile High 5 has There have been petaken a break from riods of my life I have throwing their own enjoyed, but that exPHOTO BY ERIKA TAYLOR race to run the Moruberant love of every Crossing the finish line in 2017 gan Adams Foundastep was lost to me tion’s Petri Dish. Virtually in 2020, and this years ago. But Saturday -- it found me again.

Those of you that have lived in North past weekend in person back at the site of the Denver a while have likely heard of The Mile original Mile High 5, Sloan’s Lake Park. MayHigh 5. Started in 2011 by parents at Brown be you heard the cowbell???

And that is where it happened.

Elementary, it was created to bring the comWalking along the race route with a couple munity together, celebrate the joy of physical activity, and foster ties between the local ele- of other original Mile High 5ers, I spotted two mentary schools. It was wildly successful in all little girls running -- hair flying, faces beaming, of its aims. In schools whose students needed laughter echoing in the sunshiny summer day. shoes to run in, sponsorship by local business- And I could feel it. Overwhelming joy. And so es meant shoes could be purchased and dis- much gratitude for this community that has tributed. For kids who wanted to be in on the supported events like the Mile High 5 for so day but not run, there were t-shirt tie-dying many years. Not just for fundraising or medstations and hula hooping. If mom wanted to als or finishing lines, but to be reminded that get out for a pre-marathon training run, they whether we are walking, rolling, running, hopsigned up for the 5 miler, and I always had ping, crawling, skipping, jumping, or cheering plenty of company walking the 5K route. For the runners on, we are doing these things tothe littlest runners, there was an enthusiastic gether, and that is what community is all about. crew of bigger kids ready to be sure they knew Erika Taylor is a community wellness inwhat to do when the gun went off and to hang that plastic gold medal around their neck at stigator at Taylored Fitness. Taylored Fitthe finish line of the 5000 foot race. There was ness believes that everyone can discover laughter, friendly competition, team spirit and small changes in order to make themselves and their communities more vibrant. Vismost of all -- Community.

In 2017 one of the event's biggest fans, it facebook.com/erika.taylor.303 or email 12-year-old Cooper Demming, was battling a erika@tayloredfitness.com.

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Ben White, Deanna Bonnell, Kara Bovenzi came together in 2011 to start the community run.

Page 14 | June 15, 2021-July 14, 2021

The Denver North Star

C O M M UN I T Y THE GRAY ZONE: STORIES CONNECTED TO NORTH DENVER’S OLDER ADULTS

Barbara Tramutt: Shaped by History, Rooted in Community

T

he tap-tap-duntt a p -t a p -t hu n kD I N G - z z z z z z z z z of his mom’s typewriter reached Larry Tramutola’s ears from the KATHRYN WHITE basement of the red brick house on West 34th Avenue near Zenobia Street.

It was 1965. Paul and Barbara Tramutt’s children were in college or at the tail end of school years at Edison, Skinner, and North. Their childhoods were spent entirely in North Denver: the theatre on 44th and Tennyson, the barbershop around the corner, Elitch Gardens a block away, Smiley Library, Carbone’s on 38th. “We occasionally left the neighborhood to visit our uncle or to go to the YMCA,” recalls Tramutola, the youngest of the three, “but to us, North Denver was our world.” Over time mom encouraged them to go further—to get involved—and so off they went.

And as they did, Barbara Tramutt reprised a journalism career she had left behind in Okmulgee, Oklahoma when she married in 1944. It was a career she paused during her first two decades in Denver, before picking it back up again to write for the city's longest running daily newspaper. She brought an important voice and a sense— gained during WWII—of a community discovering itself to the changing North Denver that had become her home.

ZONE 3 In August 1965 Tramutt began filing stories—several a week—for The Denver Post.

She covered Zone 3, a large expanse of the metro area from North Denver to Lakewood to Golden. The paper printed Zone 3 news on Wednesdays, with Tramutt taking charge from August 1965 to June 1981.

Those years took Denver from a flood breaching the banks of the South Platte River to decades of change across North Denver schools and businesses, and countless development projects proposed and battled about.

Tramutt set down to The Denver Post job just two months after the devastating flood of 1965, an event Alan Prendergast chronicled in 2015 through “The 1965 Flood: How Denver’s Greatest Disaster Changed the City.” It was a weather event of rain, hail, and tornadoes that picked up steam over several days across Colorado culminating in 250,000 acres inundated. 21 people died, more than 1,700 buildings were destroyed or damaged, and countless livestock and all manner of debris swept into the river. Low lying areas adjacent to Denver’s stretch of the South Platte took the greatest hit.

North Denver felt the crisis of residents displaced and homes lost, to ripple effects lasting decades. According to Tramutt’s successor Beth Sagstetter, the flood “changed everybody and everything.” By the time Tramutt’s January 5, 1966 dispatch rolled off the presses, it was no surprise the headline read, “Next Year Should Be Better, Residents Agree in Survey.”

A stretch of the new Interstate Highway System began its creep through North Denver. The segment of I-70 continuing west from I-25 toward the mountains had finally been funded and an agreement with Utah inked. By December 1965, road construction between I-25 and Federal Boulevard was complete. In 1966 one could drive all the way to Sheridan. On November 17, 1965, Tramutt turned her attention to the highway’s impact on a neighborhood school.

The Remington School PTA had launched a petition protesting the hazards road construction had created for students coming and going from school at West 46th Avenue and Pecos Street.

Long before Next Door, The Denver North Star, and daily local podcasts, Zone 3 cov-

The Denver North Star

ered fundraising events and public talks. It announced awards, championships, homecomings. Tramutt’s stories unfolded over the decades—in parallel with The North Denver Tribune and alongside something called phone trees—getting the word out and tucking neighborhood news into regional and national storylines.

By the time Tramutt wrapped up her Zone 3 coverage for The Denver Post in 1981 she seemed drawn to loose ends. On June 3, 1981, she filed a story updating neighbors on a plot of Denver adjacent to North High School. “North Denver residents are asking what has become of plans for the park euphemistically referred to as ‘Gateway Park.’ For well over a year, they have watched the triangular land parcel on the east side of Federal Boulevard, between West 29th Avenue and Speer Boulevard, as homes and businesses were carted away or razed. So far, no park, and the area has become a rather tacky parking lot and pedestrian shortcut. A check with the city’s parks planning office reveals that the parcel has not been forgotten.”

Tramutt’s farewell column on June 24, 1981, reflected back to her first days in the world of “ink and newsprint,” going all the way back to the first chapter of her career in journalism during the 1930’s and 40’s. It began at age 15. She was Barbara Frevert back then and had just been invited to work on a special backto-school edition of the Okmulgee Daily Times in Okmulgee, Oklahoma.

THE ALL-FEMALE NEWSROOMS OF WORLD WAR II Tramutt began her journalism career in 1938 when she took a full-time job, after college, back at the Okmulgee Daily Times on the society desk. Years later she reflected, “As time went on, the roles changed from society editor to police reporter, to obituaries, to general assignment, to copy editor and then to managing editor for what the AP described as the state’s first “Powder Puff ” (all female) staff. It was an honor that resulted not so much from efficiency as from expediency, as the men went off to the armed forces.”

Tramutt’s tenure at the Daily Times overlapped with a period, from 1940 and 1945, when the percentage of females in the U.S. workforce grew from 27% to nearly 37%.

During WWII, in her column the Night Watch, Tramutt coached Okmulgeans through many facets of adjustment to wartime. The town of 16,000 hosted MASH Unit training grounds, a glider school and a hospital for injured soldiers. It was a small southern town with a clear sense that it was playing its part. The front page carried stories from Washington D.C., London and Allied headquarters in Algiers. In the Night Watch, Tramutt promoted war

bonds and cooperation with rationing efforts; she implored Okmulgeans to favor involvement over complacency; and, she revealed behind-the-scenes details of life in a wartime newsroom.

And she didn’t shy away from confronting backwards attitudes about women, including those she later admitted to harboring herself. On January 13, 1942 she took aim at the “well-meaning critic” who thought he was paying her a compliment when he said, “a certain Night Watch column was timely and well written; so good, in fact, that it was inconceivable that it was written by a society editor.”

She challenged the negative tone the term “working women” had taken, reminding readers that women were—capably and proudly—taking on work to benefit the entire country.

Occasionally injecting humor, Tramutt made an appeal to ban the workplace pantyhose requirement. “This Night Watch seems to be an ideal opportunity to dust the cobwebs out of the back pockets of our brain. Along the subject of reform, I wonder why feminine office workers can’t demand their rights when it comes to the subject of appropriate leg attire while on duty?” If employers couldn’t spare the “sandpaper and elbow grease” to smooth the edges of office furniture, why not just “go bare-legged or wear ankle socks?”

In January 1943, Tramutt foretold of the departure from the workforce she and other women were prepared to make when the war ended. She recounted droves of soldiers who struggled to regain employment upon return from WWI, and she calmed Okmulgeans’ fears that this latest generation of women would not remember that.

On January 8, 1944, Tramutt said goodbye to Daily Times readers. She also allowed herself one last opportunity “to let off some accumulated steam about ‘working women,’ as we are called by those who are jealous or disgusted. Frankly, I’m not sorry for leaving for I have just about the best reason for doing so. There are one or two lessons I’ve learned, however, which are yours. Take them for what they’re worth.

The main one is this: I have learned to work with women and appreciate them and never again will I be guilty of complaining that my own sex is narrow, stupid, or dull.”

A year later in 1945, WWII ended and her husband, Army Captain Paul Tramutt, was released from training Army MASH units. They moved with their first child to North Denver, where Paul Tramutt had been raised and where his parents settled after immigrating from Potenza, Italy.

NEVER LOST SENSE OF WHO SHE WAS The Tramutt family grew to five by 1948. Barbara Tramutt found her place in a city twenty times the size of Okmulgee.

She cherished the Italian community of her in-laws. “Mom adjusted to the times and to the culture without ever losing a sense of who she was,” Tramutola recounted, “She’s a strong woman, in a traditional sense. Our father was a tough Italian man,” he paused, and his voice lightened,

PHOTO BY DONNA FOUBERT

Barbara Tramutt led an all women newsroom during WWII, then reprised her career in the 1960’s to cover North Denver.

“She could stand up to him.”

During years when formal ties to journalism were set aside, Tramutt brought her editorial expertise to the kitchen table.

She taught her children that writing takes time. “Good writing is good editing,” Tramutola says. “It’s as much about eliminating words as it is about adding them. You have to struggle with it,” and then, “She had a passion for writing. She had a gift.”

By the time Tramutt picked journalism back up in 1965, she had become the North Denver of the day. She loved her adopted community: the people, the stories, the ins and outs of grappling with change.

And after 1981?

In 1984, grass and trees were finally planted on that triangular plot of Denver now Viking Park. Benches were eventually installed, though not without controversy.

Tramutt traveled, dug further into music she loved, and continued to make friends easily. At the assisted living facility where she’s been riding out the pandemic, she’s referred to as the “life of the place.”

Her three children have led to 8 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, who are frequent visitors.

Perennial lessons from early years in journalism might resonate with Tramutt today. On January 7, 1942, her Night Watch commented on lives put on hold during WWII. “We don’t mean to be morbid about the situation. What’s happening to us has happened before, and the human race is still going strong. Our worries aren’t new ones by a long shot—but that doesn’t make them any easier to swallow.

What we need now is assurance that this isn’t in vain. Putting our personal goals off a year or two more won’t make much difference—IF we know we’ll be given a whack at living our own lives when the time finally comes.”

Barbara Tramutt’s life now spans 101 years, expressing wisdom gained from The Great Depression and WWII on through to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Her life is—in important ways—a story of American women over a century.

And it is also the timeless story of who we are as human beings: continually adapting to our times and our surroundings, forming relationships that in turn shape us, challenging people to “dust the cobwebs out of the back pockets of our brain,” and finding our place amidst events that bear down on us.

Kathryn has lived in North Denver since around the time the Mount Carmel High School building was razed and its lot at 3600 Zuni became Anna Marie Sandoval Elementary. She’s raised two children in the neighborhood, worked at several nonprofits, and facilitates a Caregiver Support Group for the Alzheimer’s Association Colorado Chapter.

Do you have story ideas for The Gray Zone? Email Kathryn@ DenverNorthStar.com.

June 15, 2021-July 14, 2021 | Page 15

CO M M U N I TY

You’re Reading an Award Winning Newspaper!

By The Denver North Star Staff

COMMU NI TY

One Year Later: These Denverites Show Sustained Commitment to Racial Justice

By Kathryn White

L

I

n the first year we were eligible, The Denver North Star won four awards in The Colorado Press Association's 2020 contest, including sweeping Best Investigative Story Package by taking both 1st and 2nd place in our classification!

As a newspaper that’s less than two years old, we’re incredibly honored to be so recognized by our peers. While it's just the specific writers' names who appear on the awards, the newspaper wouldn't exist (and certainly wouldn't be in a position to win) without everyone who writes, edits, designs, delivers, handles the business side of the newspaper behind the scenes, and otherwise helps make The Denver North Star a true community paper.

That of course includes you, our readers. Many stories come from tips and questions you send in, asking us to look into topics ranging from zoning to parks to fenced off old businesses. Please keep the suggestions coming and help us write the pieces you all want to read!

Some months, like last month’s issue, the paper tilts to the more serious side of local news. Others, like this month, tilt towards the lighter.

Regardless, each month we try to bring you a mix of serious and light stories about our city and specifically our corner (the best area of the city as far as we’re concerned).

Thank you and congratulations to our team and community.

BRING YOUR OWN BAG AND KEEP YOUR CHANGE. Starting July 1, 2021, remember to bring your own bag when you shop.

All retail stores will charge $0.10 for each plastic or paper bag provided at checkout.

YOU CAN HELP: Reduce Waste Prevent Litter Protect Rivers and Streams

DenverGov.org/BringYourOwnBag 311 (720-913-1311) Page 16 | June 15, 2021-July 14, 2021

ast June The Denver North Star covered a march along Tennyson Street organized by a North High School student in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and in protest of the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota. Black Lives Matter signs appeared in hundreds of yards across North Denver neighborhoods. Smiley Branch Librarian Hannah Evans rePHOTO BY JULIE CIEZADLO viewed Ibram X. Kendi’s How The co-owners of Matter saw "unprecedented to Be an Antiracist.

A year later, we reached out surge of passion" from community last summer. to a handful of people to learn about what and Me,” “Dying of Whiteness,” “Me and their involvement during those times has led White Supremacy, Just Mercy, and Minor them to today. From envisioning broad sys- Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning.” tems change—and the mechanics of achiev- Those titles are joined more recently by ing it—to absorbing new ideas and ways of “Caste: The Origins of our Discontents” and being in the world from books and one an- “So you want to Talk About Race.” other, these Denverites give us a glimpse into Rick Griffith and Debra Johnson, Shop at how a passion for justice can be deepened MATTER co-owners, are here to take readand sustained. ers beyond the top five anti-racism books Jessica Caouette, now Bar Manager at (though they absolutely do carry them). A BookBar, was jobless at the beginning of the book-buying transaction can be impersonpandemic. She decided to volunteer more al. But these two want to engage every single and landed some data entry projects with person who walks in the door. In June and City Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca’s office. July 2020, they saw “an unprecedented surge It was energizing to be connected to CdeB- of passion,” as Debra describes it. By August, aca’s work. “Activism in the streets is pow- business had settled down and they were erful. It shows momentum,” Caouette says, starting to see new, sustained relationships. “and it makes other things possible.”

Speaking of the times we are in, Griffith reBy September, Caouette tuned into Face- flects, “What is happening now is people are book Live streaming from Denver’s new being seen. It’s really quite the beginning of Task Force to Reimagine Policing and Public the revolution that we seek.” And then, “We Safety. She volunteered to become an admin- want to be a fractal of the movement that istrative member of the task force, taking on we want to see come into focus… And we’re support roles like notetaking, Zoom admin, constantly working the kinks out of this in a and website set-up. The task force released way that helps people feel better heard, and its “Recommendations for Transforming feel better seen, and feel better felt. And that Public Safety in Denver” last month and is to me, again, it’s encouraging. Because peonow working on outreach to implement its ple are responding to it. Maybe it’s about a 112 recommendations. Caouette will be fa- book. Maybe it’s about reading a book. And cilitating a conversation on the report for maybe it’s not about reading a book.”

Johnson puts it another way: as process, Hearthstone Cohousing’s anti-racism group.

She encourages others to take a look at the as relationship, “You walk in the door and recommendations and share their thoughts you’re just loved. You’re acknowledged. How can we get you from the place you are right with the mayor.

And at BookBar, Caouette wondered now into a place you want to be? How can we about further growing equity efforts inside do that together?”

For this sampling of Denverites, much the business. She invited Ashtin Berry, nationally known hospitality activist, for an seems to revolve around relationships. And anti-racism discussion with fellow Book- conversations, listening. And committing Bar managers. The session brought un- our energy to creating more equitable patexpected learning opportunities and new terns and systems in how we see, hear and ways of thinking about their business and feel one another.

To learn more about Sarah Kreider’s projtheir industry. And it uncovered powerful process improvements that garnered im- ect with The Human Library, readers are inmediate results. vited to email her at saramon3@gmail.com.

Last summer’s dramatic increase in racial justice yard signs has, in many yards, given UPCOMING DENVER way to graduation kudos, sports team flags, PUBLIC LIBRARY zoning change notices, and the cautionary “20 is Plenty.”

EVENTS (ALL VIRTUAL): Sarah Kreider’s family has kept its Black Lives Matter sign in the front yard. She 6/17: Book Explorers: Kids views it as a reminder to her family and their Virtual Book Club Ages 5-8 - Kids neighbors that there is more work to be done. book club discussing and doing Last summer Kreider used Facebook to inactivities related to the book Child vite conversation about the impact racial inof the Civil Rights Movement equity is having on our community. When 6/17: Live Stream with Author 75 people responded, her family decided to Tamara Winfrey Harris discussing organize groups. 2 of the 6 groups are still her book Dear Black Girl meeting; one is focused on affordable hous6/22: Refugee 101 Information ing, the other on justice system reform.

Session - Learn about the refugee This summer Kreider hopes to start a new resettlement process and what you project, a local offshoot of The Human Lican do to help support refugees in brary®. The concept, according to its founders Colorado in Denmark, is “in the true sense of the word, 6/23: Radically Reimagining a library of people. We host events where readers can borrow human beings serving as open Healing for Racial Stress and books and have conversations they would not Trauma - Reimagine what healing normally have access to.” looks like for racialized people When it comes to physical books—of the using a variety of traditional and paper variety—librarians Hannah Evans indigenous practices and Monica Washenberger report over 900 6/23: Virtual Social Justice Book checkouts, across the city, for Denver Public Club discussing Bestiary by K-Ming Library’s most popular anti-racism books.

Chang Last summer those were “Between the World

The Denver North Star

Show

nted mmer.

Housing

ARTS & CU LTU R E CHECKING OUT

Checking Out: Great New Graphic Novels

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eaturing strong visual interest and captivating storytelling, graphic novels are a somewhat newer format to gain wide distribution HANNAH EVANS and popularity. Amazing new titles are being released all the time, so this month I wanted to share a few new graphic novels that came out this year. From a highly personal memoir, to a story about a septuagenarian demon hunter, to a helpful gardening guide, these titles cover a wide variety of interests.

Margaret Kimball’s “And Now I Spill the Family Secrets: An Illustrated Memoir” (2021, Harper Collins) is an in depth recounting of a family’s past and their struggles throughout generations with mental health. Kimball’s bold black and white illustrations focus heavily on empty rooms, establishing a strong sense of place while reflecting on photos, diary entries, interviews, and a variety of research to flesh out this family’s history. Emotional reflections on snippets from Kimball’s past are sometimes humorous, many times sad, and frequently relatable as she works through the complications of trying to gather answers about her family’s messy past.

On a lighter note, Hiromi Goto’s “Shadow Life” (2021, First Second), illustrated by Ann Xu, follows the seventy-six-year-old Kumiko, who has recently run away from an assisted living home and found her own apartment. Hiding out from her well-intentioned but overbearing daughters, Kumiko enjoys her independence, yet she faces one big problem – death’s shadow is currently residing in her closet, after she sucked it up in her vacuum cleaner to keep it at bay. Xu’s illustrations are highly charming with some creepy touches, while Goto’s sweet and humorous story celebrates individuality as well as community.

Finally, Joseph Tychonievich’s “The Comic Book Guide to Growing Food” (2021, Ten Speed Press), illustrated by Liz Anna Kozik, is both highly informative as well as fun to read. Neighbors Mia and George walk through the basics of starting Mia’s vegetable garden in a pleasant story that frames highly organized and well-presented steps to starting a garden of one’s own. The narrative form of this guide makes follow-

keep it sane,” Eric said.

Year after year, home prices in Northwest Denver continue to rise. According to Redfin. com, the median average price of a home in the area was $472,500 in March of 2017. Four years later, March of 2021 hit a record high of $700,000, dipping slightly to $625,500 for May of this year, with the overall trend continuing upwards.

“This year is something quite extraordinary merely by the fact that the pandemic played a certain role in this because we were limited on our inventory,” said Jenny Apel of Nostalgic Homes | Compass. “That created a headache and hassle for buyers.”

When approaching home buying in a tumultuous environment, it’s advised potential buyers have a distinct set of criteria in what they’re looking for.

Continued from Page 1 we got to make an offer because there’s nothing available.”

Ultimately, they fell in love with a house in the West Highlands, but closing the actual deal was equally as stressful as deciding how much to offer for each given place. They decided on their current house after touring it on a Friday, at which point the seller told them they’d be accepting bids until Monday. Hours later, the seller decided to cut off bidding that night.

Even after the Millers were verbally informed their bid had been accepted, the seller balked, demanding a better offer. They wound up paying $15,000 more than originally planned, and $100,000 over the initial

SUMMER OF ADVENTURE IS HERE! Denver Public Library’s Summer of Adventure program is now underway!

All youth from birth to 12th grade are welcome to sign up online at denverlibraryadventures.org or at any library location. Participants choose their own read, make, and explore path and complete 15 activities between now and August 21st to finish the program. Once completed, visit any Denver Public Library location to receive a free book after June 25.

Be sure to visit any DPL location to grab fun take and make kits throughout the summer and explore programming and challenges at the branch and online! ing along and digesting the steps easy and memorable, while the cheat sheets and tips are worth referencing time and time again.

Check out all three of these titles at your closest Denver Public Library location or put them on hold through denverlibrary. com. For even more graphic novel suggestions, visit Denver Public Library’s Core Collections at denverlibrary.org/core-collections – there you will find a curated list put together by librarians of graphic format memoirs and of standalone graphic novels worth checking out, as well as a number of other curated lists of different genres and formats.

Hannah Evans is the senior librarian at the Smiley Branch of the Denver Public Library.

IMAGE FROM REDFIN.COM

The spike in North Denver Housing Prices have shut out many potential buyers asking price.

“It goes past rational to emotional - you get this irrational bidding frenzy,” Eric said. “It was like a roller coaster for us, we were excited in the morning and by night we were like ‘oh my god,” Chona added.

When selling their old home, the Miller’s had 37 showings. In deciding who to sell to, they considered a variety of factors including offer price, number of contingencies, and type of payment - they preferred cash. Acting from experience, the couple also tried to be transparent with updates about where they were in the process.

“We were like ‘okay,’ let’s try not to do to these people what was done to us, let’s try to

“You have to come to it with a realistic attitude of what exactly are my needs,” said Apel “You have to have some good guidance and some good counsel in what you can achieve.”

Apel’s seen a particularly large uptick in demand in Northwest Denver and the surrounding suburbs. With a limited supply of homes for sale, it’s expected the competition to buy a home in the area will continue to get tougher.

Jack Stern is a Denver based freelance multimedia journalist, reporting on all things Colorado. Previously, he covered the Colorado Buffaloes football and basketball team for SBNation and Rivals.com.

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Your Guide to You r Guide toComm unity, Politi cs, Ar ts and Cultu Comm re in Nor th Denv unity, Politic er s, Arts and Den verN or com | Volume Culture in No 2, Issue thSt ar.co m | Volu me 6 | March 15, 2021 -April 14, 2021 | ALWAY rth Denver 1, Issu e 6 S FREE! | Feb. 15 - Marc h 14, Your Gu"Alm 2020 | Fee ide to ost ls ALW Nor AYS FREE Co Property Crim un , Politimal" Live Music ismm e in !

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and music venues PHOTO BY DAVID Hazel Miller SABADOS are Denver Mayo played at Monkey Barrel in beginning to open up more. The still prohibited and attendee Sunnyside r Micha s were el Hanc required seated atopeni ockto keep distance on March 6. Dancing was individua ng of l tables the West and masks were annouanced the from the stage. Groups were numerous still required when attendees said, the 35th Avenu one the concrete concert “almoste bikew ay near not eating or drinking, but as music in NorthofDenver, barriers desig feels normal” again. To read more cycling and check out nedon toPage about live promo walking byour new column te 8. calmi

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plants.

Address: Phone: Email: June 15, 2021-July 14, 2021 | Page 17

P OL I T I C S

Dueling Campaign Kickoffs for DPS At-Large Seat

By David Sabados

A

few miles apart from each other, two candidates for the Denver Public Schools Board of Education held overlapping kickoff events in early June, both hoping to earn an open seat on the board this November. Scott Esserman and Nicky Yollick are the first two candidates to be actively campaigning for the open at-large seat on the board, which is composed of five district representatives and two at-large members.

Both candidates already raised their seed money, secured high profile endorsements, hired core campaign staff, and are actively seeking your vote. Both also talked with The Denver North Star after their kickoffs to introduce themselves to North Denver voters.

SCOTT ESSERMAN Esserman touts his experience as an educator first and foremost: a former English teacher including at Northfield High School in Northeastern Denver, Esserman believes his combination of experience working in schools professionally and as an active parent makes him the best choice for the seat. Esserman has chaired DPS’ District Accountability Committee, served on the collaborative school committees for his children’s schools, and held leadership positions in community organizations like the Anti-Defamation League. “I bring a unique perspective,” said Esserman, adding that leadership experience is a “critical part of being a board member that's managing a billion dollar budget.” Esserman is currently a stay-at-home father which, he says, has afforded him the privilege of volunteer service. His older child graduated this year from Manual and his younger will be entering the 8th grade next fall.

Esserman talked at length about his goal of Denver schools incorporating more of a community school model, a concept that means schools can be the center of a DPS’ family’s life in more ways than just educational hours. Many DPS schools serve as food banks for families in need for instance.

He would have liked to see more schools open as COVID vaccine sites and hopes schools can fill similar roles in the future.

He also sees room for improvement in teaching children of color. “The DPS system fails Black and Hispanic students,” Esserman said during his interview, adding that one of the most crucial things the district needs to work on is closing the achievement gap. “I know white children are going to succeed just looking at the percentages.” Part of his solution is the community school model. For Esserman, it’s “foolish” to think the district can only address students' academic learning without also addressing issues like food and housing insecurity and he wants to see more “trauma informed support” for

Page 18 | June 15, 2021-July 14, 2021

Scott Esserman talks to supporters at his campaign kickoff at Fuller Park students and families both. For Esserman, schools should be “community led and DPS supported.”

Regarding the board’s decision on a new superintendent, Esserman said he “was incredibly impressed with the process this board implemented,” adding his praise for all three finalists and the process that resulted in three finalists instead of one (many community members were critical of the previous process that resulted in

now former superintendent Cordova being the only finalist last time). He believes the process had good representation from across the DPS community, including an “outstanding” interview conducted by DPS students.

Esserman held his kickoff at Fuller Park, with an introduction and endorsement from Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. In addition to Weiser, notable supporters in attendance included State Board of Education member Dr. Lisa Escárcega and DPS Board of Education Director Tay Anderson. He’s also secured an early endorsement from Colorado Working Families Party as well elected officials including RTD Director Shontel Lewis and Former State Representative Joe Salazar. As of June 1, his campaign has raised $14,541.70. The largest contribution to date is $1,000 from Robert Davis, who Esserman explained is a lifelong friend, officiant for his wedding, and rabbi who hired him as a teenager to work in a Colorado summer camp, which made him fall in love with the state.

NICKY YOLLICK Yollick describes himself as a “consistent, aggressive, progressive voice in DPS politics.”

He believes his activism, at times in the public eye and at other times behind the scenes, makes him the best choice for the open seat.

Yollick has worked with organizations ranging from Colorado Latinos Rise, where they engaged 80,000 households in communities of color, to the local and state Democratic party, where he’s served in various capacities and advocated for more pro public education policy stances. At a time of big personalities in local politics, Yollick wants people to know that he’s equally as comfortable leading the charge as he is quietly working with stakeholders on issues where he isn’t the frontman. His goal is to get “as much people power in this movement as we can.”

Yollick says his biggest two policy priorities are achieving equity and community-based decision making, adding that he’s a champion for neighborhood schools. He highlighted the consent decree as one place the district has fallen short in terms of equity. In 2012, a federal judge ordered DPS to provide English Language Acquisition programming for students with low English proficiency. The district has repeatedly failed to meet the mandate.

For Yollick, that discrepancy carries over to problems he sees with DPS’ school choice model. “Charter schools can be wonderful on a small scale -- when they’re being truly innovative...my concern is how charters are being used in the DPS system,” said Yollick.

He believes the current system is “lifting up a few hundred students while pushing down a few thousand.” He noted that last year many charters could get forgivable loans since they are somewhat outside the public system but most schools couldn’t. He’d like their leadership to be more transparent and to alter the funding structure to be less reliant on philanthropic gifts that benefit wealthy neighborhoods. At the same time, Yollick notes, “Folks are getting very tired of this binary conversation” between charters vs neighborhood schools and he hopes to work with advocates for both. Issues of racial discrepancy in schools are personal for Yollick. His partner, who is finishing a nursing program at Regis University, is Black. While he’s white, his children will be people of color.

Regarding the incoming superintendent, Yollick noted the board has made a decision and the community should both support the choice and hold them accountable. “Alex Marrero deserves every chance to succeed,” explained Yollick. He added he’s glad to see that the district selected a superintendent who was himself an English language learner in school. He’s hopeful for more “authentic community engagement” in the future and said he hopes the new superintendent puts more power in the hands of the community.

Yollick held his kickoff at the home of Anna DeWitt, a teacher at North High

PHOTOS BY DAVID SABADOS

Nicky Yollick talks to supporters at the home of NHS Teacher Anna DeWitt

School. He was joined by prominent Democratic leaders including Dr. Radhika Nath, a member of the Democratic National Committee, Pilar Chapa, the former Executive Director for the Colorado Democratic Party, and former elected officials Dr. Val Flores and Senator Daniel Kagan. He’s also secured support from Denver’s CU Regent Jack Kroll, former legislator and labor leader Mike Cerbo, and former Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff appears on his donor list. As of June 1, he’s raised $20,455.95 with his largest contribution, a total of $2,000, coming from Denver resident Chris Lee, who Yollick described as a DPS parent and education activist who serves on the district accountability committee and has been active in the schools.

OTHER CANDIDATES While Esserman and Yollick are the first two candidates actively campaigning, it’s unlikely to be a two man race. Open seats generally draw a variety of candidates and several other people are in various stages of formality. Two others have filed formal committees with the Colorado Secretary of State. Jorge Hernandez has an active committee but announced in March he was withdrawing. Joseph Camp also has an active committee but has reported no fundraising or spending and did not respond to an inquiry about his candidacy. Two others, Marla Benavides and Jane Shirley, have submitted their statements of intent to the district and Denver Elections, but haven’t filed formal committees with the Secretary of State. The Denver North Star will continue to profile candidates as they file and begin to campaign and we will be following the race through the November election.

The Denver North Star

OP I N I O N

Tejon Street Bike Lanes Critical to a Safer, Greener Denver

By Philip Taylor

D

enver city planners have an opportunity to make the city’s North Side cleaner and more equitable by installing protected bike lanes on Tejon Street. Bike lanes on Tejon Street from 32th to 46th avenues would provide a critical north-south corridor for Denver bicyclists -- offering a safe, efficient and pollution-free transportation alternative for Highland, Sunnyside and Chaffee Park neighbors.

But this opportunity is at risk of slipping away. Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, the agency in charge of the city’s bikeways, recently announced it is putting the brakes on the proposal due to pushback from local businesses and homeowners. The department over the summer plans to evaluate alternative routes on Shoshone and Quivas streets for a “neighborhood bikeway,” which would fall short of making Denver a truly bikeable city.

Protected bike lanes are designed to provide space to each user to minimize conflicts. Thus, these bike lanes would improve the quality of the ride for everyone who uses the road.

Since moving to Sunnyside in 2015, I have biked Tejon Street nearly every day to school at the University of Colorado Denver and my job downtown. To cut costs in an expensive city, my wife and I share one car. For our family, having a safe, efficient and affordable bike route to school and work has been an economic lifeline.

It is hard to overstate the importance of Tejon Street bike lanes to Denver bicyclists.

In Sunnyside, there is currently not a single north-south bike lane. Bicyclists do have an off-street bike path on Inca Street on the neighborhood’s far east side. DOTI will soon install a bike lane on a short segment of Zuni Street north of 46th Avenue, and will designate Clay Street as a neighborhood bikeway, enhancing bicyclist safety by reducing vehicle speeds. While these are important first

Lakeside

Continued from Page 4 The website for Lakeside announces that they are patiently waiting for a safe opening time for 2021. The website includes a link for an alert as to when the grand dame of amusement parks will open up. I have already signed up because I can't wait to go.

And Lakeside is looking for lots of neighborhood teenagers seeking a first job. Many of my friends got their first jobs in North Denver at the very same park. You can apply on the website and questions about work are encouraged. Call 303-477-1621.

I hope you will make a point of visiting and enjoying Lakeside this summer.

The only rides I do now at the North High Alumni Dinner night, even though I went to Holy Family, are the faithful merry-goround and the trusty train. I bounce along in the old rail cars around beautiful Lake Rhoda, named by her father for Rhoda Krasner, his beautiful daughter and owner of Lakeside. The third generation of North Denver owners and managers now help out in running the park. Brenda Fishman, Rhoda's wonderful daughter, helps her mom out in operating this historic business.

I vividly remember feeding popcorn to the multitudes of carp in Lake Rhoda. Enterprising kids in the neighborhood caught the carp and brought them to local restaurants convincing restaurateurs that the fish were actually catfish. Would never happen today at any of the upscale eateries in LoHi and

The Denver North Star

steps, bike lanes on Tejon Street would help fill a critical safety gap. Tejon Street offers the most direct route for bicyclists to access the 16th Street Highland Pedestrian Bridge, which is one of the few safe ways for North Side pedestrians, bicyclists and scooter riders to cross I-25 into downtown.

Currently, 73 percent of Denver commuters travel alone. Mayor Michael Hancock in 2017 announced a city-wide goal to reduce single-occupancy vehicle commutes to 50 percent by 2030. This goal is grounded in science and concerns for our air quality.

Statewide, transportation became Colorado’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in 2020, according to the state’s Department of Public Health & Environment. On the Front Range, transportation is the top source of nitrogen oxides and the third largest source of volatile organic compounds, each of which are responsible for ground-level ozone pollution (the primary ingredient in “smog”). For Denver to achieve its air-quality goals, we need more people to car-pool, use mass transit, walk, ride scooters or bike to work. Getting more people on bikes would be a small, but meaningful, step towards making Denver a cleaner and healthier city.

For more people to use bikes, Denver needs to provide safe and convenient places to ride. Tejon Street is currently designated as a “sharrow,” which means bicyclists and motorists share one lane. This forces bicyclists to ride dangerously close to parked cars, risking injury or death if someone opens a door.

When drivers encounter a bicyclist on Tejon, they must slow down and wait for an opportunity to pass. This is a stressful situation for drivers and bicyclists alike. Protected bike lanes are designed to provide space to each user to minimize conflicts. Thus, these bike lanes would improve the quality of the ride for everyone who uses the road.

Opposition to Tejon Street bike lanes from businesses and homeowners is not without merit. The city’s original proposal would require the removal of most parking on Tejon from 34th to 46th avenues, while preserving disability parking spots as well as RTD bus stops. I sympathize with those who are concerned over the removal of parking, as all around.

Perhaps the most memorable quality about Lakeside is not its affordable price to get in the gates, not the middle class price for a coveted wrist-tag which let you ride all the rides. The famous media ecologist Marshall McLuhan stated that the medium is the message and that is true of Lakeside, over 100 years old. What sets Lakeside apart from all other amusement parks in the nation is the "Welcome Home" attitude to guests and patrons. If you come to Lakeside with your picnic lunch with the kids, find a choice table on the grassy park near the merry-go-round, enjoy yourselves, bring a blanket, have your delicious homemade lunch, ride the exciting rides. No one will come along and rush you on your way. “Stay as long as you are enjoying this beautiful park” is the message of Lakeside after these 100 years. My kids’ fondest memories recall our fabulous picnics at Lakeside.

Support this wonderful historic gemstone in our neighborhood. Tell your friends and neighbors. Recommend someone to work there. Who knows, as you pull out of the cocoon of the pandemic you might find romance as you ride the old train through the tunnel on the east side of the lake. Who knows you might even get a kiss.

The Honorable Dennis Gallagher is a former city auditor, city councilman, state senator and state representative. He’ll be sharing thoughts and stories from North Denver’s past and future in his reoccuring column in The Denver North Star.

IMAGE COURTESY OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER

A proposed bike route on Tejon St has been met with mixed response from the community. this can be a difficult transition for small and family-owned businesses whose customers expect convenient access to these establishments. Patrons of these businesses do have off-street and side-street parking options, and most residents along Tejon Street have off-street parking alternatives.

Reducing Denver’s dependency on cars will require some sacrifices. On balance, protected bike lanes on Tejon Street will bring more good than harm to the broader North Side community.

The good news is that the Tejon Street bike lane proposal is “definitely not off the

table,” city transportation officials told Sunnyside residents at a neighborhood meeting last month. Now is the time for North Side residents to contact city leaders to show their support for a bikeable Tejon Street.

More information on the Tejon Street bike lanes and other Northwest Denver bike projects can be found here: https://www. denvergov.org/Government/Departments/ Depar tment-of-Transpor tation-and-Infrastructure/Programs-Services/Bicycles/ Networks#section-3 Philip Taylor is a Sunnyside resident

N EWS SHO RTS

Denver Recreation Centers Phased Reopening Continues

By The Denver North Star Staff

Aztlan Pool

N

orth Denverites looking for a place to swim won’t have to sneak into Rocky Mountain Lake much longer (no really -don’t do that. It’s not sanitary or safe). Denver Parks and Recreation announced that more recreation centers continue to open, including several outdoor pools. Berkeley Pool at Scheitler Rec center and Aztlan Pool are now both open. Highland Rec Center and Rude Rec Center are also both open for workouts in limited capacities.

Additional recreation center sites, indoor

PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK.COM/DPRAZTLAN

pools, and other activities will continue to open throughout the rest of the year. Prices vary based on activity and many are free for MY Denver, MY Denver Prime, and SilverSneakers members. Full operations will continue to be impacted by staffing restraints as most recreation employees are seasonal and on-call which will require recruiting, hiring and re-training. Available positions in DPR are posted on the city job website at denvergov.org/Government/Departments/ Job-Center.

June 15, 2021-July 14, 2021 | Page 19

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Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage.

Page 20 | June 15, 2021-July 14, 2021

The Denver North Star