Your Guide to Community, Politics, Arts and Culture in North Denver DenverNorthStar.com
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Volume 3, Issue 8
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May 15, 2022-June 14, 2022
Next Steps
Berkeley Homeowners Affected By Water Main Break Assess Recovery
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ALWAYS FREE!
Totally Tennyson to Raise Funds for PawsCo, Denver Cat Company By Celeste Benzschawel
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TRANSPORTATION Scooter Season Arrives in North Denver PAGE 4
COMMUNITY Remembering Dennis Gallagher PAGES 10 & 11
PHOTO: ERIC HEINZ
The carpet and walls of the basement of Ken and Dennis Spinks had to be ripped out for cleaning and clearing out water after a main break in late April.
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By Eric Heinz
COMMUNITY El Chingon Location For Sale PAGE 12
EDUCATION Students Repair School Mural PAGE 18 Postal Customer
ater from a main pipeline break early April it is not legally responsible to cover damages caused by 24 morning caused the windows to burst main breaks because of Colorado’s Governmental Imin the basement of Dennis and Ken Spinks’ munity Act. “Denver Water … so far, they're paying for everyhome on the 4500 block of Raleigh Street. “I had gotten up not too early and heard some bang- thing,” Dennis said. “We do have to use their contracing on the front doors,” Ken said. “I came down, and it's tors, and kind of be on their schedule, which has been the fire department. They said, ‘You got water going in the frustrating issue. Otherwise we have to pay out of your window wells. You probably should go down and pocket and then get reimbursed, and we don’t have those move your speakers off the floor.’” kinds of resources.” Dennis said by the time Denver Water had shut off the Denver Water had not determined the cause of the valves connected to the main break, his basement and water main break as of May 4. other neighboring residences had about 7 feet of water “Pipe breaks can happen for an array of reasons, including pipe materials, corrosive nature of the soils, in their basements. “You could see really quickly, you weren't go- temperature changes, shifts in water pressures/flows and ing to be able to get stuff off the floor because age of the pipe,” Salas said. “We aren’t always able to pinthere was going to be way too much water,” point it, especially as we focus so heavily on rapidly adKen said. dressing the break, repairing the leak, and getting customers back on water service.” Dennis and Ken were staying at a hotel, paid for by the Salas said Denver Water has Jose Salas, a spokesman for city, since the water main numerous programs to proactively identify and minimize break, but on May 2 they said Denver Water, said about leaks, and upgrade and repair they intended to be back at 50 properties were affected its aging water system, which home within a week. by the main break, and the includes leak detection, pipe Dennis, who sells insurance, said he knew their house of utility has sent staff to provide replacement, pressure regulating valve maintenance/replacenearly 12 years was not covered estimates on restoration ment, and corrosion control. for a municipal water main Ken said they were fortunate break under their home’s policy. costs for uninsured the first floor of their house was Jose Salas, a spokesman for property damages. raised about three feet above Denver Water, said about 50 the ground, which kept it baproperties were affected by the main break, and the utility has sent staff to provide sically untouched by the unexpected deluge. But other estimates on restoration costs for uninsured property neighbors weren’t so lucky. Dennis said one house across the street had so damages. Denver Water offers payments of up to $8,000 to cov- much damage that some of its wood had buckled on er uninsured personal property damage. If a vehicle is the first floor. damaged and an insurance “This last week has been (about) getting the assessor for claim is made, Denver Water the city over to give us permission to throw away the inPRESORTED will also provide payment terior contents,” Ken said. “We've had to inventory everySTANDARD to cover the insurance poli- thing, take pictures of everything, and then haul it out.” U.S. POSTAGE cy deductible, up to $1,000, Salas said Denver Water’s most recent data from 2016 Salas said, adding the utility and 2020 shows there were 1,492 main breaks during Denver, CO has already received “about that time, and he said main breaks occur based on variPermit No. 2565 ous conditions such as the age of the pipe and surrounda dozen claims for vehicles.” EDDM The utility, however, states ing soil corrosiveness.
PAID
ads and styles come and go, but the 70s, 80s, and 90s are a state of mind. And North Denver’s annual bar crawl and costume contest Totally Tennyson is back again on June 4 to remind us of the glory days of bell bottoms, peace signs and hairspray … tons of it. The bar crawl will take place on Tennyson Street between 38th and 44th Avenues and will include stops at FlyteCo Brewing, Berkeley Inn, West End Tap House, Atomic Cowboy, and more. The night will end at The Oriental Theater with a performance by party rockers The Six Million Dollar Band. This year’s Tom Collins, Long Islands and cosmo drinks will raise money for PawsCo and Denver Cat Company, the latter of which is located right on Tennyson Street. “I’ve had many, many different dogs and cats in my life, all of which are amazing,” organizer Scott Happel said, “and so it’s just something that speaks to me more and something that I thought could also be part of the neighborhood.” Totally Tennyson has historically been a fundraiser put on by mothers in the area to raise money for local schools. In 2021, Happel, part-owner of The Oriental Theater, took leadership over the bar crawl.
Last year’s event was focused on raising money for the local bars, businesses, and theater involved in the crawl to give them extra business after COVID. And without children of his own, Happel felt it made more sense to show some love to the animals in his life. Plus, he’s gotten pets from PawsCo before, and his fiance Jennifer loves going to the Denver Cat Company’s cat cafe. There won’t be any major changes this year except, hopefully, attendance. Last year didn’t see the same turn out historically because of COVID, but Happel is optimistic that this year’s event will be a hit. “I’m excited to be able to work with PawsCo and the Denver Cat Company to be able to donate some money to some really good organizations that do wonderful work,” Happel said. “And I am excited and hopeful that we can see a return to a normal level of attendance and fun and excitement around the event.” Totally Tennyson Retro Pub Crawl will take place on June 4 from 8-11:45 p.m. All entries into the costume contest must register at The Oriental Theater by 7:30 p.m. on June 4 to participate. Find more information and a link to purchase tickets at bit.ly/3yeXqy3.
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The “Immortal Compass” mural, painted in 2015 by Anthony Garcia, will be replaced before the Federal Boulevard BID block party on June 11.
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en years ago, the Better Block Jefferson Park event took place on June 23, 2012. The event was part of the Better Block Project that focused on the improvement of pedestrian and public infrastructures on West 25th Avenue between Federal Boulevard and Eliot Street. Today, the Federal Boulevard Business Improvement District is partnering with Denver Street Partnership, a coalition of community organizers, to continue those efforts. While the Federal Boulevard District focuses on helping businesses in need, the Denver Street Partnership aims to connect residents and decision makers, ensuring the safety of our communities. Together, the two organizations will host a block party on June 11 highlighting the changes that will turn a portion of West 25th Avenue into a shared street for pedestrians and events. “We’re going to show where we were in 2012, and we’re going to show where we are
now, 10 years later in 2022,” said Leslie Twarogowski, the president of the Federal Boulevard Business Improvement District (BID). The department of transportation will be present to discuss new and exciting changes to West 25th Avenue. “It’s kind of a past, present, and future of this block,” Twarogowski said. The event will help advocate for Native business owners and feature local food trucks and venues, according to the Federal BID. Chicano band Lost Mocochetes will play their usual upbeat songs with a variety of instruments and socially empowered lyrics. Muralist Anthony Garcia, who previously painted the street mural “Immortal Compass” in 2015, is painting a new mural on West 25th and Eliot Street, which will serve as the dancefloor for Los Mocochetes and guests. Garcia is the founder and director of Birdseed Collective, a nonprofit organization that supports young artists.
/// PUBLISHER’S NOTE ///
You've Got Mail By David Sabados
720-248-7327 | P.O. Box 11584, Denver CO 80211 | DenverNorthStar.com PUBLISHER: David Sabados EDITOR: Eric Heinz ART DIRECTOR/ GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Melissa Levad-Feeney AD SALES MANAGER: Jill Carstens BUSINESS MANAGER: Nathalie Jautz-Bickel NEWS INQUIRIES: For news inquiries, email News@DenverNorthStar.com
Page 2 May 15, 2022-June 14, 2022
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: For advertising inquiries, email Ads@DenverNorthStar.com. GET INVOLVED! You can make a contribution, sign up to receive email updates and submit events for our community calendar at DenverNorthStar.com. DISTRIBUTION: The paper is printed and mailed on the 15th of each month. It is delivered to 34,000 homes and businesses in North Denver. LET’S BE SOCIAL @ D en v e rN or thSta r
Some of you may be receiving this paper for the first time, and nearly all of you probably noticed this month’s issue arrived in your mailbox instead of on your doorstep. This month, we made the change to start delivering The Denver North Star by mail. As North Denver becomes more dense, this change allows us to reach more apartments, accessory dwelling units, and other previously inaccessible homes. It also allows us to reach single family homes directly, instead of a paper sometimes landing on the lawn near your sprinkler (sorry). Additionally, it helps us be greener. Newspapers are already fully recyclable and used in some home composting and gardening. This change also lets us utilize the postal service instead of a private delivery service, reducing vehicle usage and stray papers. If you’re picking up this paper for the first
time, or are a monthly reader, we hope you enjoy this issue’s articles on everything from sex ed in schools, to profiles of candidates for office, to upcoming concerts and festivals in our community. If you read nothing else, though, I hope you take the time to read our lovingly written tribute to Dennis Gallagher who passed away a few weeks ago. I once asked Dennis if he could trim one of his columns to 500 words when we were tight on space. He responded simply, “David—I cannot say hello in fewer than 500 words.” Dennis, 5,000 words wouldn’t be enough to properly tell your story, but if you’re reading this paper from the great beyond (and we’re sure you brought books and newspapers), I hope it makes you smile. We miss you and Denver thanks you for your service to our community.
The Denver North Star
/ / / A R T S & C U LT U R E / / /
Denver Day of Rock Returns Fully ‘Amped ‘ Event to Feature Chris Isaak and Ingrid Andress By Celeste Benzschawel
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enver Day of Rock, a one-day, free music festival, will take place on May 28 in the LoDo District to benefit Amp the Cause, a charity that focuses on feeding children in need. The festival will feature about 20 musical acts including national headliners Chris Isaak and Ingrid Andress. Amp the Cause raises money for more than 55 nonprofits serving children and families through events, entertainment, and service projects. The organization states it has raised more than $10.6 million since its founding in 2004.
The event will have four stages, a beer garden, food trucks, and other family-friendly entertainment like the crowd-favorite Monster Mural, balloon artists, face painters, and more.
The event will have four stages, a beer garden, food trucks, and other family-friendly entertainment like the crowd-favorite Monster Mural, balloon artists, face painters, and more located throughout the area. VIP lounge passes are also available for $250, which gives you access to the VIP hosROGOWSKI pitality tents located at all stages with catere ing and open bars. The lineup will feature local, regional, and national entertainment. Simmons is excited to welcome back crowd favorites like
Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers and the Pimps of Joytime, but there are a lot of other returning and new acts this year to look forward to. “A little less than 50% of our bands are considered local, so we do have a very strong presence in that,” said Julia Simmons, Amp the Cause president. After having to cancel the event in 2020 and then downscaling it in 2021, Amp the Cause representatives said they are excited to bring the festival back this year in a new location. Traditionally, the event has taken place at Skyline Park off of the 16th Street Mall, but due to construction taking place this year, the festival is moving to LoDo with the main stage at McGregor Square. “We’re ready to come back in force this year,” Simmons said. Here are a few out of the bunch to look forward to. Visit ampthecause.org/ourevents/denver-day-of-rock to view the full lineup and to purchase VIP passes. CHRIS ISAAK Songwriter Chris Isaak began his music career in 1985 with the release of his first album “Silvertone.” Afterwards he released his self-titled album “Chris Isaak,” which features the hit single “Wicked Game.” INGRID ANDRESS Ingrid is a Grammy-nominated country music singer from Colorado. She released her debut album “Lady Like” in 2020 and has 3.5 million streams on Spotify. LOLA RISING
PHOTO COURTESY OF AMP THE CAUSE
Denver Day of Rock will return to its full lineup since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to their website bio, “Lola Rising is an Island Folk Rock band also known as ‘Jahawaiian’ that is ukulele driven with high energy melodic dance rhythms and soaring guitars.” PINE LEAF BOYS The Pine Leaf boys are an energetic Cajun band from Southern Louisiana who put their own spin on a range of music, from the
blues to waltzes.
THE STONE FOXES This rock band is the work of two San Francisco brothers, Spence and Shannon. Their latest release includes single “Electric Stomp” in 2021, single “Patriots” from 2020, and EP “Gold” from 2020. For more details, visit https://www.ampthecause.org/our-events/denver-day-of-rock
, we hope les on evn schools, dates for concerts commuhing else, take the ngly writGallagher eks ago. I m one of were tight “David—I 0 words.” enough to u’re readyond (and d newspae miss you service to
The Denver North Star
May 15, 2022-June 14, 2022 | Page 3
/ / / T R A N S P O R TAT I O N / / /
Scooter Season Arrives In North Denver By Allen Cowgill
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ith warmer weather upon us, scooter riders have become a much more prevalent site on North Denver streets. Recently released data from the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure shows scooter riders have traveled over 9 million miles on Denver streets. In North Denver, the highest concentration of those scooter trips are taking place in the Highland neighborhood, especially on streets leading into downtown like 29th Avenue, 32nd Avenue, Tejon Street and Central Street. There are also concentrations of scooter trips happening around the new 23rd Avenue protected bike lane, Sloan’s Lake Park, and leading into commercial districts like 32nd Avenue and Lowell Boulevard as well as Tennyson Street. The scooters are primarily being used for shorter trips with the median distance for trips being just under a mile and a median duration of just under nine minutes. On an average day, there are over 6,200 scooter trips in Denver. The original Denver scooter pilot program that started in 2018 allowed for five companies, but the city changed that last year, allowing just two companies, Lyft and Lime, which can have up to 2,344 scooters each, according to DOTI. The city’s agreement with the companies requires them to deploy 30% of the scooters in equity areas, known as “opportunity zones.” In North Denver, those opportunity zones include portions of Chaffee Park, Sunnyside, West Colfax, and Jefferson Park. Riders starting their Lime scooter rides in these opportunity zones will also receive a discounted rate. David Sedbrook, a manager for Lime, said that ridership in Denver was up 150% in March compared to March of 2021. He cit-
ed rising gas prices as a potential factor and noted that Denver has had one of the biggest increases in scooter ridership across the entire country. He also noted that Denver is very much focused on making micromobility like scooters and bikes an intricate part of its transit system, and the city has also made major investments in bike/scooter lanes. Sedbrook also said the new “Gen 4” scooter model has played a role in the increase in ridership. Denver was one of the first cities in the world to receive the model, which has improved suspension, swept back handlebars, improved brakes and a lower baseboard that brings more stability to the scooter with a lower center of gravity.
On the environmental front, Sedbrook mentioned that since 2017, Lime alone has had more than 4 million riders and estimates are that it has replaced more than a million car trips and offset more than 49,000 gallons of gasoline. One of the more interesting changes to the scooter is that it is the first generation have a battery that can be swapped out and used in both Lime scooters and bikes. This will allow the company to change batteries on the scooters without having to take them off the street, which is what they had to do on previous models. The process is also more environmentally friendly than on their previous models. On the environmental front, Sedbrook mentioned that since 2017, Lime alone has had
A rider drives a scooter May 5 in downtown Denver. more than 4 million riders and estimates are that it has replaced more than a million car trips and offset more than 49,000 gallons of gasoline. Sedbrook said that Denverites should expect to hear about a program giving more people access to affordable micromobility the city plans to introduce through community partners in the coming months. With all the mobility that scooters offer, there are also some challenges with parking issues. Some scooter riders have parked them on sidewalks, creating mobility challenges for elders, people that use wheelchairs, as well as other community members needing to use the sidewalks. Sedbrook said residents can call 311 or re-
PHOTO: ERIC HEINZ
port parking issues on Denver’s pocketgov. com to have them removed. He also noted that sometimes scooter batteries die and the company can not track their location, so the department appreciates it when community members report their location so they can be retrieved. Sedbrook noted that Lime is partnering with DOTI to create parking hubs for the scooters. The company just recently created the first one by the Denver Convention Center. Eventually, hundreds of these parking hubs throughout the city will create spaces for the scooters to be parked in a more organized fashion, and Sedbrook said this may help with some of the parking issues that we are seeing today.
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HANNAH EV
Page 4 May 15, 2022-June 14, 2022
The Denver North Star
/// PERSPECTIVES ///
What Have We Learned About COVID-19?
FINE JEWELRY & ANTIQUES
By Ernest Gurulé
T
he challenges of COVID-19 taxed America and the world like few things in modern history. It was a virus that attacked with the ferocity of a superpower, forcing us into a 21st century bunker mentality while causing whole economies to shut down. It cast a shadow across every time zone in the world. This invisible adversary observed not a single rule of war. It simply waged an invisible, ruthless, and deadly campaign. Now, halfway through the third year of COVID, what have we learned about this modern day plague? Has our knowledge of this virus moved us closer to victory or are we simply in a lull and waiting for a new variant? Science assures us the new variants are out there. China and South Africa may be the virus’s latest test tube. Dr. Carrie Horn, chief medical officer at Denver’s National Jewish Hospital, said the battle against COVID had its victories and its setbacks. “For me, when I think of COVID, the highlights include the medical community,” Horn said. “It really came together to fight this thing.” She also cited private citizens who formed teams to make masks when they were most in need or delivered food and drink, while others went into their garages and basements “pulling N95 masks out to donate.” But perhaps the biggest achievement was the hyper-speed in delivering a vaccine to thwart the death toll. Pharmaceutical companies delivered the first vaccines within 10 months of the first U.S. COVID death. Normal timetables for new vaccines usually take around 10 years. But this one—actually three—couldn’t have come at a better time. “What amazes me the most is how quickly people pivoted and how quickly they got the genetic sequencing for the vaccine,” Horn said. “I can’t think of anything done that quickly.”
Nearly as impressive, she said, “is how quickly people built swabs for testing.” The death toll during the darkest days, weeks and months of the pandemic was very nearly surreal. In January 2021, across America, COVID killed slightly more than 95,000 people. People who were healthy just one month before were suddenly gone. But with a current U.S. COVID death toll that the CDC says is still averaging 350 to 400 a day, Horn and others are stopping well short of declaring victory. In a recent NPR Dallas interview, Scientific American senior editor Josh Fischman said it’s likely deaths actually exceed that number. The official cause of death appearing on documents may be more nuanced than listing COVID or not. “We know from epidemiological and community studies that a lot of people have died at home … not in hospitals. They could have as a cause of death pneumonia or heart attack so that’s one reason for an undercount.” They were in a COVID-caused weakened state of health before they died. It’s the difference between dying of COVID and dying with COVID, he said. The full impact of COVID won’t be known until researchers look carefully and examine all the variables of this viral equation. They will certainly study things that most of the COVID coverage over the last 30 months rarely or barely touched upon. It may take years for researchers to understand the impact on the untold numbers of children who were left without essential support. Many of these young children, he said, will deal with a significantly higher risk of mental health issues as well as physical, emotional, and sexual violence. Many of these children will also be more likely to suffer poverty, higher suicide risks, and chronic illnesses. Studying the stealth side of COVID will also mean deep-diving into another reality of the
virus. The CDC said that more than 250,000 COVID deaths occurred in the 18-64 age group, people who were still in the nation’s workforce. They were teachers, doctors, IT people, delivery persons; they were the everyday people we depend on to live our lives. The economic loss that will one day be associated with their deaths is as yet unknown. More immediately, researchers are focused on long haul COVID which the American Medical Association defines as “persistent symptoms that often include brain fog, fatigue, headaches, dizziness and shortness of breath.” It is also the condition Amalia, a 50-something retired educator and current yoga instructor from Northern New Mexico, is living with. She asked that only her first name be used. After receiving both COVID vaccines and a booster, she thought she’d be OK. It was just the opposite, she said. “It started out with dryness and a scratchiness in my throat,” she recalled. The symptoms lingered, followed by pain in her joints. She wasn’t sick but achy and fatigued. She thought she’d just wait it out before going back to the doctor. But things got worse, including headaches that she describes as feeling “like my brain was slamming into my skull. I could hardly get up to go to the bathroom.” “On a bad day, I’m in bed. I get up and eat or watch TV or read. I try and not do anything more than moving about,” Amalia said. Her doctors have set no timetable for her recovery. But after teaching a couple of yoga classes recently, she had a setback. “After the second class I felt like I had COVID again.” For now, she has found a way of handling her symptoms. Dealing with the mental side of long haul is another matter. “You just can’t get yourself back going. It just makes you depressed.” Unfortunately, as researchers along with long haulers have come to learn, depression is the fog that lingers with this condition.
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Checking Out: The Patron Saint of Second Chances S ignor Speranza’s tiny Italian village of 212 people, Prometto, is in serious trouble, and only this vacuum repairman and self-appointed mayor can save it. HANNAH EVANS In Christine Simon’s lighthearted new novel, “The Patron Saint of Second Chances” (2022, Atria Books), Signor Speranza loves his
sleepy town, despite its shrinking population and lack of excitement—and when he discovers that the village’s pipes are in need of a major repair or else the city’s water will be shut off, he takes it upon himself to find a solution. In an act of desperation, Signor Speranza starts a rumor that famed movie star Dante Rinaldi will be filming nearby, but the plan escalates quickly when the entire town gets wrapped up in participating in this exciting
but, unbeknownst to them, fictitious venture. Simon’s quirky characters, charming small town descriptions and well-placed humor create a memorable and heartwarming glimpse into a love for one’s community as well as the joy of creativity for the sake of it. Prometto is brought to life by their grassroots film project, despite its dubious beginnings. Signor Speranza simultaneously incites frustration over his harebrained schemes
and a desire to heartily cheer him and his cause on, regardless of the chaos it seems to bring. Check out “the Patron Saint of Second Chances” at your closest Denver Public Library location or as an ebook on denverlibrary.org. Hannah Evans is the senior librarian at the Smiley Branch of the Denver Public Library.
Participate in the Berkeley Regis Historic Preservation Month Children’s Art Exhibit May is Historic Preservation Month, and to celebrate, Historic Berkeley Regis and the Smiley Branch Library are hosting a children’s coloring contest and art exhibit. Pick up a coloring sheet and entry form at
Smiley, 4501 W. 46th Ave., and turn it in before May 31 to be included in the exhibit. Submissions will be entered in a chance to win a $25 gift card to High Point Creamery.
Be sure to attend the Children’s Art Exhibit reception at Smiley on Friday, June 3, 3-6 p.m. for light refreshments and a first look at the submissions. Artwork will be displayed at Smiley through the month of June.
Find more information on the Historic Berkeley Regis Facebook page facebook.com/historicberkeleyregis, Smiley Branch Library Facebook page facebook.com/smiley.dpl and at Smiley Branch Library.
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Specialists Since 1994! S O M E
4321 Tennyson St Unit# 4 4555 Osceola Street 2247 W 34th Avenue 3140 Umatilla Street 3922 Alcott Street 3631 Julian Street 2201 Newton Street 4154 Xavier Street 3473 W 37th Avenue 4180 Irving Street 3132 W 41st Avenue
O F
O U R
3144 W 26th Avenue 2904 W 40th Avenue 4329 Quitman Street 4211 Alcott Street 3223 Meade Street 3520 Newton Street 4200 Julian Street 3003 Stuart Street 4569 Wolff Street 4590 Grove Street 4265 Raleigh Street 4267 Raleigh Street 2351 Hooker Street 3521 W 40th Avenue 3657 Shoshone Street 4438 Bryant Street 3333 Meade Street
P A S T
S A L E S
4624 Clay Street 3125 W 45th Avenue 4223 Osceola Street 2615 W 40th Avenue 3615 Bryant Street 4511 Federal Boulevard 4161 Julian Street 4520 Julian Street 3122 Perry Street 3126 Perry Street 2539 W Caithness Place 4543 Meade Street 3641 Stuart Street 3121 W 45th Avenue 3716 Quivas Street 2241 W 34th Avenue 3894 Meade Street
T E L L
3424 Wyandot Street 3337 Shoshone Street 3820 Newton Street 3231 Julian Street 2435 Decatur Street 2632 Utica Street 2425 Decatur Street 2750 W 40th Avenue 2111 Eliot Street 3347 Meade Street 3317 Newton Street Address 1628 W 38th Avenue 3319 Newton Street 4715 Beach Court 3958 Mariposa Street 3378 W Clyde Place
Elizabeth Clayton 303.506.3448 EClayton@NostalgicHomes.com The Denver North Star
T H E
S T O R Y :
3921 Raleigh Street 2945 Yates Street 3705 Raleigh Street 3351 Newton 4201 Quivas Street 3705 Lowell Boulevard 3546 Stuart Street 3706 Newton Street 3360 Quivas Street 3156 W 20th Avenue 3738 Raleigh Street 5185 Raleigh Street 3736 Raleigh Street 3231 Julian Street 3315 Newton Street 3087 W Highland Park Pl 2611 Yates Street
Call or text if you're thinking about making a move!
Jean Sunn 970.313.3916
JeanSunn@NostalgicHomes.com May 15, 2022-June 14, 2022 | Page 5
/// COMMUNITY ///
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a member highly like sort of trau When we body goe good thing If someone self: arms c back, head it, bracing Once th person wa up, take a b Those two shaking, se PHOTOS: ERIC HEINZ erything is Daniel Morgan, left, cuts the ribbon to his business, Social Cannabis, on April 19 visible pro at 5068 Federal Blvd. to deflect t aniel Morgan knew he was in a pinch. more that are looking for license approval, ac-ones, like s Getting caught with cannabis, in Wy- cording to the Denver Department of Excise But som oming more than a decade ago no less, was and Licenses. threat of il Two of those license applications are in theeven if the going to cause problems for the future he had planned as a business student at the Universi- Northwest Denver area, one at 2005 Bryantceive (cons ty of Denver. St. in Jefferson Park and another at 2885 W.still there a “Applying for jobs while I was still (in 44th Ave. in Sunnyside. working to Social Cannabis opened April 16 and held When w school), it was definitely a large concern, having to disclose that to a bunch of employers,” a grand opening a few days later at its 5068Just as if I spired by t he said. “That's kind of what motivated me to Federal Blvd. location. “There's been a lot of buzz and people havemoments, kind of stick with the cannabis business. I’m just been waiting for usting go. An just feeling more comfortable with that conto open,” Morgan said.the way we Morgan said he wants his “The dispensary hasup after the viction.” Upon graduation, business to be part of the had great sales, so it's Just bec super exciting.” Morgan said the posdoesn’t me community. He said he’s session ticket he reUntil July 2027, onlyfear of ex ceived more than a decannabis businessesopening ba committed to donating cade ago prevented him that qualify for the so-automatica $10,000 annually to a cial equity program There's n from getting entry-level jobs. Although it was scholarship fund for North can apply for licenses totrauma tha not a felony offense, it open brick-and-mortarstored, un High School students. dispensaries, cultiva-simple as d was enough to deter tion sites, and hospital-acupunctu potential employers. Still, that fateful night became the rud- ity businesses. Transportation services are Cognitiv der that steered Morgan to his new career in also restricted to social equity applicants un-types of th cannabis, an industry he has worked in since til July 2024. therapy, bi his citation. The social equity program is designed byport group “I pretty much started off as, you know, state statute to give priority to applicants orcombinatio a budtender making $9 an hour, no tips,” their immediate family members who haveunresolved Morgan said, “and then I got a job at a (grow- either been arrested or cited for cannabis house) where I was washoffenses when the subing pots, transplanting, stance was illegal under cleaning … and over the Colorado law. It also provides avenues for peolast 12 years I’ve done ple who have lived in a probably everything in historically low-income the business, and owning area. my own dispensary has “I’ve been in a lot of always been my dream.” talks with people with Morgan said he wants transportation licenses his business to be part and things like that, but of the community. He I've just been so busy trysaid he’s committed to ing to just focus on the donating $10,000 annually to a scholarship store getting everything fund for North High open,” Morgan said. School students. “But, yeah, absolutely I He said he’s also develdefinitely want to partner oped a “social responsiwith somebody who has Daniel Morgan, owner of Social bility giveback program” one of those social equity Cannabis at 5068 Federal licenses in the future.” that would donate 25 Blvd., is the first person to open Social Cannabis is cents off each product to a cannabis retail dispensary in planning to have eight a charity, such as Anno. Denver under the city’s social employees initially, Mor“I have a lot of industry equity program. gan said, but there could experience. This whole process has been very difficult and complex be opportunities to hire more in the future. Morgan hasn’t opened his business without from finding a location to dealing with buildout to going through inspections,” Morgan some controversy, however. A lawsuit filed in said. “Something that I want to do is start a February in Denver County District Court acmentorship program to help other social eq- cuses Morgan of breaching his non-compete uity applicants.” clause from when he was working for a brand Although Social Cannabis was the first now owned by parent company Schwazze. Morgan declined to comment on the outsocial equity applicant for a retail marijuana store, and the first to open, there are at least 11 standing litigation.
D
The Denver North Star
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COMMUNITY WELLNESS INSTIGATOR
LETTERS FROM MISS JILL
Handling Trauma Can Teacher Burnout Started Take Different Techniques Way Before The Pandemic A A lthough the word “trauma” is often associated with war, accidents, or abuse, it can refer to less obvious experiences, too. Illness, injury, poverty—if you have been ERIKA TAYLOR a member of the human race long enough, it is highly likely that you have experienced some sort of trauma yourself. When we experience a traumatic event, our body goes into a heightened state. This is a good thing. It’s how our body protects itself. If someone throws a punch at me, I shield myself: arms crossed, shoulders curled in, rib cage back, head down. I’d suck in a breath and hold it, bracing for the impact. Once the threat is gone, say I realized the person was only swatting a fly, I’d open back up, take a big breath, shake it off, and move on. Those two things combined, breathing and shaking, send the signal to my brain that everything is okay and it can stop taking both the visible protective measures (my body moving to deflect the blow) and the internal, invisible ones, like stress hormone production. But sometimes, the threat persists, like the threat of illness has for the past two years. And even if the actual threat is gone, we may perceive (consciously or subconsciously) that it is still there and, whether we know it or not, keep working to protect ourselves. When we’re stressed, our muscles constrict. Just as if I held that tight, protected pose inspired by the fly swatter for more than a few moments, the body may have a hard time letting go. And it might hurt. It’s quite similar to the way we may feel about things opening back up after the isolation of the pandemic. Just because in-person events are back on, doesn’t mean we are automatically free from fear of exposure. Just because the world is opening back up, doesn’t mean your body will automatically follow. There's no single approach to healing from trauma that's right for everyone. Being freed of stored, unresolved trauma is certainly not as simple as doing a little breath work, booking an acupuncture session, or eating more kale. Cognitive behavioral therapy and other types of therapeutic medicine, meditation, art therapy, biofeedback, exercise, massage, support groups, and many more methods used in combination over time can heal the effects of unresolved trauma. The first step is to get help.
Your primary care doctor, spiritual practitioner, employer, or school should all be able to guide you to resources. You can also contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline which provides 24-hour free, confidential referrals in English and Spanish by calling 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visiting samhsa.gov/find-treatment. Since my expertise is in movement, I must note that the benefits of exercise in restoring balance to the nervous system are undeniable. Regular exercise can even teach your nervous system how to rebound from activation sooner. But, for many struggling with mental health challenges of all kinds, the thought of launching into an exercise program is daunting. In all cases, especially when addressing an acute situation, we must start small. For me and my clients, breath always comes first. Make no mistake, breathing is moving! If you need guidance on starting an effective practice you can refer to my May 2020 column, Your Wellness Secret Weapon. Once you’ve got that down, gentle mobility practices such as rocking, rolling, crawling, and head nods (again, let me know if you want to know more about using these movements, they are my favorite!), tai chi, and yoga are great ways to release stress. Gentle stretching, focused on your hips, necks, shoulder and spine comes next. Always warm up before stretching by moving for at least two minutes. Hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. Don't overdo or hold for too long. If it hurts, it's too much. Only stretch until you feel tension in the muscle, not to the point of pain, and don’t bounce. Remember, whatever exercise you choose to use to help you body open back up, it should feel good! Our goal in using movement here is to remind your brain that your body is safe. A bit of challenging, pleasant exertion is great but for now no pain is all the gain. If you have questions about your specific needs or are willing to share your experience with storing trauma in your body, I encourage you to reach out. If not to me, to another trusted health and wellness practitioner. That is what we are here for! Erika Taylor is a community wellness instigator at Taylored Fitness. Taylored Fitness believes that everyone can discover small changes in order to make themselves and their communities more vibrant. Visit facebook.com/erika. taylor.303 or email erika@tayloredfitness.com.
few weeks into the pandemic, March 2020, I had been teaching my last class of preschoolers before a planned retirement from the profession JILL CARSTENS at the end of that school year. I was the sole proprietor of my preschool and was doing everything I could think of during the stay-at-home order without any template for this disaster. I delivered boxes filled with activities to each child’s home. I finished and delivered their spring report cards and offered to do phone conferences. But rent became due and with only two months left on our calendar and no end in sight for the pandemic, I chose to close for the rest of the year. What evolved in the schools overall was a bit chaotic. The pandemic revealed a lot of what was already broken in our education systems. Colorado has the fourth worst teacher salaries in the nation, in a state where the cost of living is becoming prohibitive. I ran into professionals before the pandemic who shared a desire to become a teacher but were continuing in their corporate-type jobs until they could “save enough money” to afford to enter the profession. I’ll state that again—they didn’t have enough savings to enter the world of teaching children. It baffles me how such an important job is diminished in this way. Certainly the field attracts people idealistic enough that their passion for the job will outweigh the challenges initially. However, the “little things” add up over time. While working with preschoolers, for example, the simple endeavor of a teacher using the bathroom could prove to be an impossible task. Indeed, I entered the profession because I had somewhat of a calling. Becoming a teacher was a completely fulfilling aspiration that I tackled with steadfast intention. I worked above and beyond, doing research to enhance my curriculums. In addition to standard assessments, I developed my own insanely lengthy and individually curated reports that included each child’s portfolio of work samples. Although most times my work was appreciated, I weathered criticism periodically from parents or coworkers when I might not be following a traditional path. I fought the good fight and stood up for my students’ needs, which often meant straying from prescribed curriculums. The criticism, over time, made me a bet-
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ter teacher. I learned to preemptively head off questions about my methods with weekly letters to the parents that detailed everything we were doing and why, with copies of the research to back it up. I worked hard to justify teaching the best way I saw fit. What are we going to do, though, with a system that often belittles that hard work or simply continues to ask for more and more out of its already stretched teaching population? I have read about kindred spirit teachers who, whether they taught for five years or 25 years, worked themselves to the bone during this pandemic, yet they were still asked to do more, often with less resources. Many of them have transitioned out of teaching into similar professions where they realize, “Gosh, I can go to the bathroom when I need to or get a cup of coffee!” And, often, they are also making more income. But what a shame to lose those intentional and hard-working teachers. The system needs to be reworked, not only by addressing the pathetic pay, but by also providing adequate support staff and substitute teachers in order to allow critical time for planning and appropriately assessing students. A top-down method of managing schools is outdated. Teachers need to be heard and integrally involved in planning how to teach. I heard one school is changing their requirement for Friday afternoon meetings to allow teachers to catch up. Having time to catch up would be nice. I worked at a school that had half-day Fridays for students to make time for staff workshops. Do you know how burned out I was on Fridays? Like any other person who works hard all week, the last thing I wanted or was able to do on a Friday afternoon was go to a lengthy meeting or workshop. I simply did not have the bandwidth left. I loved teaching with all my heart and soul and worked hard because I was devoted to my classroom. After a couple of years’ distance from the profession, I realize, indeed, how hard I worked. I am tired. Let’s advocate to take better care of our teachers and in the meantime, keep in mind the broad scope of a teacher’s job. And remember, a “thank you” goes a long way.
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hen Lena Dattilo rolls into the community room at Dayspring Villa, fellow residents yell, “Bingo!” Soon enough— because she’s just that KATHRYN WHITE lucky—Dattilo is calling out “Bingo!” herself. She’s developed a reputation amongst her new neighbors. Dattilo moved to North Denver last year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the hardest thing about moving? Getting rid of things and deciding what would fit into her
and finished-off in towns across the Midwest, were flown by Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) to the coasts before deployment to Europe. In those days, Americans of all ages memorized the silhouettes of airplanes in order to distinguish between friendly and threatening aircraft. Dattilo carried on wherever she lived, leaning on the resourcefulness she learned from parents who had raised children during the Great Depression: homemade bread, egg soup, potato soup. Pietro worked for the streetcar in Grand
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Lena Dattilo and her son Tony Dattilo new studio residence. Dattilo’s son, Tony, created a to-scale drawing of her new space along with cutouts of the furniture she wanted to bring. “Here’s a puzzle for you, mom,” he said. The process was indeed mind-boggling (and Dattilo misses her couch), but she and Tony solved the puzzle beautifully. She fit a beloved curio cabinet filled with treasures, as well as the cedar chest her husband gave her as a gift in the early days of their life together. It holds her wedding dress, baby books, and other keepsakes that bring back memories or lead on to stories. How did this centenarian adjust to a move like this, into a small studio after 26 years in her former apartment? In much the same way she adjusted to moving from Michigan to Ohio after her marriage to Anthony “Red” Dattilo in 1940, and then to Utah in 1956 with her husband and two children, Barbara and Tony. And then again in 1957 when the four settled for the duration in Lakewood, Colorado. “Oh, you can learn to live with it,” she said, with a smile and a shrug. The Dattilos met, of all places, at a funeral. Red Dattilo had driven up from Columbus, Ohio, to Grand Rapids, Michigan, for the remembrance of an uncle. “Who else would we know?” Lena Dattilo quipped, “We were never allowed to go out.” She described a strict Catholic upbringing influenced by Italian old-country ways. In the few dates that were allowed, a chaperone was present. Arranged marriages were not uncommon in the generation before. Lena and Red commenced a long-distance courtship marked by handwritten letters and punctuated by occasional weekend visits. Red proposed to Lena by letter when he had a ring in-hand and wanted to know if he should bring it with him on his next visit. Dattilo is the youngest, and last surviving, of 11 children born to Sicilian immigrants Pietro and Carmella Geglio. She married and left her family behind in the Grand Rapids area to move to Columbus where she and Red started their family. Tony Dattilo, their firstborn, was a young boy as World War II escalated across Europe. He remembers laying in a field near their home, feeling the vibration in his body as planes flew overhead. Thousands of new airplanes, manufactured
PHOTO: JAN PELTON
Rapids until the day he was caught in the crossfire of a feud between neighboring families, costing him his sight in one eye and leaving his memory and speech curtailed. So, he took up selling veggies from a pushcart while Carmella made full use of every ingredient they could get their hands on. Dattilo laughed as she remembered a neighbor’s potato-whiskey operation, which her mom found ways to leverage. The kids pitched in, of course. A brother built streets through the New Deal’s Works Progress Administration (WPA). Red’s work in heavy construction meant Dattilo spent many days home with the children, keeping the household and school schedules running smoothly. She was involved with the church wherever the Dattilos lived, cooking meals for the nuns or helping in the altar society. Looking at Tony, Dattilo said, “He was a handful, I’ll tell you that. My husband would make a list for the children, lay down the rules.” Tony Dattilo broke in, “Remember those Big Chief tablets? There I was, writing ‘I talked back’ 10,000 times.” And then, with a chuckle, “Sometimes I held two pencils at a time.” He may have been a handful back then, but the two make a good pair today. They’ve supported each other through the losses of Red in 1980 and Tony’s younger sister, Barbara, in 2010. And they solved the puzzle presented by a massive mid-COVID-19 downsizing. All as Dattilo turns the corner from 101 toward 102. A few of Dattilo’s things remain in a storage unit. Some might one day make the trip to the studio for one last look, or a decision of some sort. Or just for a good story, like the autographs of astronauts Ronald Evans, Jack Swigart, Deke Slayton, and Wally Schirra Jr. The four regularly visited the Little King Ranch near Granby when the Dattilo’s were filling in to help keep the place going in between owners. Little King was a high-end resort at the time, hosting celebrities like Goldie Hawn. “Remember that one astronaut who had gone into space several times with no problem but would get lost on that ranch every year?” Tony said to his mom. We all laughed. And Dattilo’s advice for her new neighbors in North Denver? “I’d just say, enjoy life. But don’t overdo it.” Do you have story ideas for The Gray Zone? Email kathryn@denvernorthstar.com.
The Denver North Star
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Five Apply for Vacant District 5 DPS Board Seat
By Eric Heinz
F
ive applicants are hoping to be selected to fill the soon to be empty northwest district seat on the Denver Public Schools Board of Education. The applications were made public May 4, and a community engagement meeting with the applicants is scheduled for May 16. Finalists for the seat will be selected June 2, and the board is expected to appoint its selection by June 9. The replacement for board member Rev. Brad Laurvick, who recently announced his resignation because of a transfer within his church, will serve the remainder of his term, which ends in November 2023. The main topics The Denver North Star discussed with the applicants were their policy agendas as well as how they intend to address potential school consolidation that DPS is considering. The following is a summary of each of the applicants’ responses. JULIE BAÑUELOS
Bañuelos finished with 302 votes, or 1.1%, short of winning the District 5 Denver Public School Board of Education seat in the 2019 election. She said bringing as much transparency to the board as possible is her main goal, and she said she wants to see reform on school funding from the General Assembly. “We fund our schools by per-pupil funding. Why don't we change that at the state level, and make it equitable?” Bañuelos said. “Instead of per-pupil, we (pay) the school whatever it needs to function.” Keeping a sharp eye on the district’s budget is part of Bañuelos plan if she is selected for the seat in order to make resources more equitable among schools, which she said could help curtail any planned closures. “We have schools that don't have enough substitute teachers or they don't have a full-time nurse, or in the case of our high school students, don't have an athletic director,” Bañuelos said. Bañuelos highlighted her experience as a community member participant in the superintendent search and involvement in education advocacy groups as evidence of her commitment to the district even after not being elected in 2019. “We have asked our taxpayers for bond and mill levy money. We got to do it. It's gonna cost money to keep the lights on or whatever. But it means keeping our teachers employed.”
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Darnell is an assistant dean at the University of Colorado Denver’s College of Architecture and Planning, and he is the Colorado board chair of the ACE Mentorship Program. He said what makes him the best candidate is his experience working with students, and many of his pupils come from the DPS system. “I have a lot of educational, budgetary-process experience that affects staffing, facilities management resources, and I understand how that process goes and has a significant impact on academic achievement,” Darnell said. Darnell said he is committed to helping “underrepresented and marginalized” communities as well as supporting diversity within the student body, the faculty, and staff. Regarding declining enrollment, Darnell pointed to rising housing costs within the city and how that strains young families, who may be forced to move elsewhere. “Retention is a huge issue that does need to be addressed,” he said. “What we need to do is figure out ways to keep the students in school and successful and thriving but at the same time recognize that we are looking at projected decreases in enrollment.” Darnell also said he has concerns about the state of the school district’s budget. “I think that's a huge piece that has to be looked at, and it's a part that I'm very interested in getting into,” he said. “I understand where we are with the reserves and … what's required by the state. But I think that that's something, as we look at the projections that have been put out, is super important.” DAVID DIAZ
Diaz currently owns Fitness Together in Edgewater, but for years he was a math teacher at The Ultimate Business Martin Luther King Middle School and Networking Event Denver High Thursday, April North 21st 4-6pm School as well as a Bring your business cards baseball coach. For the last seven years, he has been a volunteer at Lake Middle School and a DPS Prep League coach for various sports. He said his children have been educated through DPS schools and his decades of involvement with the system make him uniquely qualified to fill the seat. “The social and emotional crisis that our students are going through, that's some-
thing I think we need to address collectively, not just in Northwest Denver and not just for students,” Diaz said. “That would be one thing that I like to push towards the top of the plate because there's too much misdirected anger.” Diaz said he has experience dealing with colocation policies at Lake Middle School as part of the Choose North Now Coalition, and he said that experience makes him prepared to tackle school consolidation efforts. “I think a lot of it should be done on a piece-by-piece basis,” he said. “It can become very ugly, very political and very divisive. I think this should be a time of bringing folks together. I feel like I can be that bridge between the two communities.”
ADEEL KHAN
Khan is the founding principal at Denver School of Science and Technology: Conservatory Green High School and held that position from 2017 until last year when he left to work for a company that he said coaches other principals. Khan also worked for Teach for America’s KIPP STRIVE Academy from 2012-2014 in Atlanta. “I'm someone who's worked in public schools my entire adult career,” he said. “I've worked in all kinds of public schools, I've
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North Denver Mourns The Honorable Dennis Gallagher Storyteller, Historian, Advocate, Friend By Kathryn White
T
ouches of green and orange danced in the pews as St. Dominic’s church filled to capacity on April 30, the day North Denver said goodbye to the Honorable Dennis Gallagher. A trio of fiddle, guitar, and uilleann pipes played “The March of the King of Laois.” There were hundreds from every walk of life, relationships Gallagher cultivated over 82 years, including current and former elected officials too many to name. Mourners hushed as the procession began. If the atmosphere in the church did not yet exude the spirit of Dennis Gallagher, it did when five priests and a deacon stepped into the center aisle to make their way to the altar. Gallagher knew each. And together they reflected his boundless Catholic faith: Holy Family, Regis University, St. Dominic’s and Transfiguration of our Lord. Before Dennis Gallagher donned the numerous titles that would draw so many to remember him, he was a young man growing up near a place called Tennyson Terrace. Gallagher’s brother Tim remembers the two walking along Tennyson Street, passing Eaker’s grocery store, the meat market, and candy shop. They’d stop into the record store to sit and listen to records in a little booth. Then, they’d walk to the bakery for
PHOTO COURTESY OF REGIS UNIVERSITY
a donut or an éclair and sit and watch the world go by. “It was a great time to grow up in North Denver,” Tim Gallagher said. He was a young boy as his older brother Dennis grew into the big personality he would become known for. The older Gallagher acted in
plays at Regis and Loretto Heights, as the young quieter Tim watched with curiosity as audiences applauded. “We were almost exact opposites,” Tim Gallagher recounted, “and far apart in age. He was nine years older, so it was a long time after my brother that I arrived at Holy Family High School. But the nuns still called me Dennis.” Gary Sulley, Gallagher’s long-time friend, said, “Dennis saw himself on a continuum of time, from his grandparents, through his parents, and on to him. And then, through to his children. He always saw himself as an inherent part of North Denver because that’s where his grandparents settled. He was born here. He was raised here. He would never have considered leaving here.” After studying English literature, Latin, and Greek at Regis College, Gallagher left Denver briefly to attend Catholic University in Washington, D.C. for an MA in speech, linguistics, and comparative philosophy. Gallagher returned to North Denver for a career of over 40 years teaching at Regis University. In 1970, Gallagher began a parallel endeavor: 45 years in local politics. He represented North Denver first in the Colorado State House of Representatives (1970-1974), then in the State Senate (1974-1995) and City Council (1995-2003) before going on to work as the Auditor for the City of Denver (2003-2015). Gallagher strove to live by the values of his faith and by values found in the Athenian Oath he often summarized and shared, especially the section that read, “The land of my ancestors I will leave to the next generations in a condition that is not diminished but instead greater and better than it had been before. And I will do so both by myself and together with everyone else.” Former Mayor Wellington Webb spoke, in his eulogy, of Gallagher’s early years in elected office, when the two worked together in the state legislature. “I learned a lot from Dennis. I knew what drove him was his faith, his belief in family, his pride in his Irish heritage. He was very proud of North Denver, very proud of Regis … And it is this spirit that I will always remember Dennis for: no matter what the opposition, his moral values always put him on a different plane, helping those who were less fortunate.” In Gallagher’s obituary, it is said, “Those of us who rarely, if ever, hear from or see our representatives can only envy the residents of Northwest and Central Denver. Dennis was ubiquitous … He always walked his districts meeting people one by one, passing
PHOTO COURTESY OF REGIS UNIVERSITY
Colorado State Senator Dennis Gallagher, circa 1985.
Page 10 May 15, 2022-June 14, 2022
“Honor Thy Elders” at Little Man Ice Cream, Sept 7, 2014. out literature door to door, distributing his famously numbered household for Gallagher yard signs, always making sure his mother's house received "number 01." “People did know him,” said Lisa Rogers, owner of the former Common Grounds Coffeehouse, “He got around and he took time with people.” Gallagher held court at
PHOTO: KATHRYN WHITE
Common Grounds, hosting meetings of all kinds and posting a handwritten sign in his trademark calligraphy when it was time for weekly office hours. He didn’t take over the place, Rogers remembers. He just found a table and settled in. When Gallagher retired from the Auditor’s office in 2015, he continued to advocate for the things that mattered to him, forever striving to leave the city a better place. His column for The Denver North Star was a reader favorite. “Shaping Our Future by Remembering Our Past” connected micro-history lessons with issues of today: civility, government accountability, threats to open space, and the hazards of prioritizing development over people (especially the poor and working class). His column wove disparate topics into a tapestry of ideas landing in a lesson. Like in April 2020, when he connected Francis Schlatter, a North Denver healer of the late 1800s, with railroad and farmworker history, Tom Noel’s “Denver Landmarks & Historic Districts,” Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and Dr. Anthony Fauci. Former North Denver Tribune editor
PHOTO: BASHA COHEN
(and North Star contributor) Basha Cohen reflected, “Throughout the last decade of chronicling all things Northside, for the North Denver Tribune, and at Little Man Ice Cream, at the epicenter of it all was my friend Dennis Gallagher. I feel enormously lucky to have stood in his towering light and to have captured his photos, laughter, quips, and motherlode of history. Since The Denver North Star began we occasionally landed on the same page with stories. That always made me smile, knowing his column was so coveted. He was a historian and wordsmith extraordinaire. He was someone I learned from constantly. In short, he was my hero.” Gallagher’s closing words in what turned out to be his final column for The Denver North Star were words he had shared countless times in his life, his distillation of the Athenian Oath, “Let us try to leave the world better off than we found it.” Gallagher leaves behind continuing involvements like the James Joyce Reading Society, which he co-founded in 1982 with Ned Burke and Bob Ross. The group would gather to read aloud and discuss the works of the Irish literary giant, sometimes going to a cemetery to add to the effect. They still get together on Tuesday evenings, cycling through Joyce’s major works. And in the last year, Gallagher's friend Clay Vigota began bringing Gallagher’s insights to YouTube through installments of “Gallagher’s World.” The video series, like Gallagher, delves into a range of topics, from the Ludlow Massacre to the role of the KKK in Colorado politics. And then, breaking from history and politics, is an installment on Gallagher’s lifelong love of calligraphy. In each episode, viewers are treated to important histories supplemented by opinionated or humorous asides and brief riffs into myriad topics. On a shelf behind Gallagher in a few “Gallagher’s World” episodes, one can see small wooden art pieces bearing touches of gold. Icons, they are called. Gary Sulley said, “Dennis has always had a fascination and a love for religion. About ten years ago, he got involved in an icon painting class conducted at St. Dominic’s church. Icons are an Eastern Orthodox Catholic form of prayer. Dennis has created, over the years, six or seven icons. They’re very extensive and they’re absolutely gorgeous. It fit Dennis. Part of the reason it takes up to a year is that it’s a process of praying, through art, and centering yourself on what’s on your mind at a given time.” At Gallagher’s funeral were classmates from Holy Family and Regis, colleagues from elected roles, people he met at a neighborhood association or who had attended
See NEXT PAGE The Denver North Star
one of his famed collaborations with his- with such authenticity. I appreciated that he torian and friend Tom Noel, such as the STAYED engaged even when he could have annual July 4 reading of the Declaration of just retreated and rested on his laurels.” Independence. A few pulled samples of GalSmall memorials to the life of Dennis lagher’s calligraphy out of a purse or pocket. Gallagher can be found across North DenGallagher even ver: a sign posted at made his own ink from West Side Books, cop“Denver is a duller town gallnuts found under ies of "Irish Denver" on neighborhood trees. bookshelves, calligratoday without Dennis. Sulley recalled, “And phy on an envelope. His life inspires us to one of them was across Bagpipes led Father the street from ComSheeran, his co-celecause more trouble.” mon Grounds’ last lobrants, and GallaghPatricia Calhoun – Westword cation up there on 44th. er’s friends and family editor and co-founder Every time I go by I out of the church into think ‘there’s the tree!’ a sunny afternoon on Dennis was famous for his calligraphy. But April 30. Sheeran’s message lingered, “And he didn’t do it because he was famous for it. a word to the public servants, and all the It was his identity.” citizens, especially those of the great North “Dennis would head to the calligraphy Denver who are here in this church. Whethsection,” said Lois Harvey of West Side er you look at your life through the secular Books. The bookstore became one of the eyes of the Athenian Oath, or through Denneighborhood places Gallagher frequented nis’ very Catholic eyes, remember that you and supported. “I appreciated that he came and I and all our fellow citizens are walking out to engage with people so consistently, the same path that Dennis has now walked to the end. One day we’ll each be in a church somewhere, in a box or in an urn. What will people say of us? Were we co-creators who made God’s good world a better place?” As did the words of Dennis’ son, Danny Gallagher, “This packed church represents a lifetime of service. And it is a testament to one man’s ability to create ripples in his city. It has been heartwarming to hear and share stories about my father these last few days. But there is something else we can do to remember the legacy of Dennis Gallagher. We can pay his love forward. Remember that each and every one of us has the power to change people’s lives for the better in both big and small ways. Let us all create our own ripples which can become waves and can wash away hate, leaving behind empathy, love and respect for one another.” The Gallagher family said people who want to make a contribution in memory of Dennis Gallagher may do so through the "Meaghan Gallagher Scholarship Fund" at Regis University. 3333 During his time as Auditor, Gallagher presented Regis Blvd, Denver, CO 80221 every new employee to the office with a handpenned version of the Athenian Oath he is known or www.givecampus.com/camfor encouraging all to live their lives by. paigns/21516/donations/new.
PHOTO: BASHA COHEN
PHOTO: BASHA COHEN
St Patrick’s Celebration, March 11, 2017, PPA Center on Decatur St
“Gallagher Ghost Stories,” at Little Man Ice Cream, Oct 16, 2016
PHOTO: BASHA COHEN
"I just would like to join my colleagues in giving love to a legendary leader. Dennis Gallagher was a friend and a mentor. We didn't always agree on everything, but Dennis was one of the most thoughtful people I've ever met—a historian and someone always willing to teach the next generation about his work, about the community that we're part of and about what's necessary moving forward, and so we will miss him dearly. He was a great champion of holding government accountable, and I truly will miss him as a friend." Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca PHOTO: BASHA COHEN
The Denver North Star
May 15, 2022-June 14, 2022 | Page 11
/// COMMUNITY ///
El Chingon’s Former Home on Tennyson Street For Sale
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The building that housed the former El Chingon restaurant at 4326 N. Tennyson St. is for sale for an undisclosed price after the Mexican eatery decided not to renew its lease in October.
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hange is coming to the 4300 block of North Tennyson Street. The black bungalow that housed El Chingon for eight years may have a new owner before the end of the month, according to a local real estate broker. Michael DePalma, vice president of Sullivan Hayes Brokerage, said the 3,550-squarefoot lot owned by Melanie Smith was under contract as of April 26. Lorenzo Nunez Jr.’s popular Mexican bistro, El Chingon, did not renew its lease on the property when it expired in October, Westword reported. The 2,818-square-foot cottage, erected in
1904, is restaurant ready with a hood and grease trap in place. In addition to a dining area on the main floor, there is a back patio and a covered front porch which was used for outdoor seating. The asking price for 4326 N. Tennyson St. is not listed, but it is available upon request. “For any particular user, we'd be happy to talk about it,” DePalma told The Denver North Star. “But we're not necessarily publishing a price.” The assessed value of the property is $244,180 and the actual value is recorded as $842,000, according to the Denver property taxation and assessment system.
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Page 12 May 15, 2022-June 14, 2022
The Denver North Star
/// DINING ///
New West Highland Restaurant Aims To ‘Glo’ In Debut
QUALITY FISH MARKET SINCE 1974
Glo Noodle House Has Been Making Its Mark In Its First Few Months By Eric Heinz
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new restaurant featuring Asian dishes in West Highland began its story at home. Chef Chris Teigland said it was his mother’s tutelage that drove him from a young age to become a professional chef. “I always kind of spent time in the kitchen with her, but whenever she didn't want to cook or it was, like, a late night, she would always take us out for Japanese food or different kinds of Asian cuisines,” Chris said. Newcomer Glo Noodle House at 4450 W 38th Ave., suite 130, opened in March and features a variety of dishes from various sources of Asian cuisine.
Growing up in Chicago, Chris said there was a plethora of Asian restaurants in his neighborhood. “It just kind of stuck with me, something I just really enjoyed and was a big part of my childhood,” he said, adding his mother would buy him sushi cookbooks and he also explored Chinese food. The name Glo House Noodles was inspired by Chris’ mother’s name, Gloria. The restaurant features various ramen dishes, small dishes with raw fish, and different skewers. But Chris’ wife, Ariana Teigland, said the “Deathwish Noodles” is what exemplifies the chef’s style. Deathwish Noodles are served with a chili-pork broth, confit bacon, onsen egg, narutomaki, green onion, bean sprouts, chili flakes, black garlic oil, chili oil, and crispy shallots, priced at $18. “I think at the end of the day, our biggest thing was just evERIC HEINZ erything you eat should be an nnyson explosion in your mouth … just ot to super aggressively flavored,” Chris said. hood and Chris said the location is o a diningGlo Noodle House owners Chris, right, and Ariana perfect for him, as he had been back patioTeigland, center, sit inside their new West Highland looking for a spot adjacent to was usedrestaurant, located at 4450 W. 38th Ave., suite 130. Tennyson Street.
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The Prime Rib Shoyu Ramen is one of many dishes chef Chris Teigland fixes at Glo Noodle House. “There's just always so many people walking up and down the street, but the honest truth is we looked for a spot for a year, and this was, like, the first one (where) we can actually see ourselves doing our restaurant,” he said. Glo Noodle House is open 4-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 4-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Happy hour is every day from 4-6 p.m.
Filipino/Mexican Food Truck Owner Opens Brick-and-Mortar on Federal
nnyson St. n request. be happy The Denver arily pub-
operty is corded asBy Lily O'Neill, BusinessDen r property ive years ago, Blaine Baggao swapped his motorcycle for a food truck. Now, he’s stationary. The owner of Adobo, a Filipino and Mexican food truck, opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant at 3109 Federal Blvd. in West Highland last month. “I realized that I was selling more than most food trucks, and I was a one-man team who had people come help me,” Baggao said. “And after coming to the conclusion that I’m not going to find another person like me who’s going to put in all this time and energy, I decided another food truck was not the route to go.” Baggao started Adobo in 2017, serving dishes inspired by his Filipino grandmother, such as chicken adobo and lumpia, along with things like tacos and green chili cheese fries. The restaurant on Federal has all that and more, including rice bowls, salads and burritos. Adobo also took over the kitchen for First Draft Taproom & Kitchen in RiNo in 2020 and is a local vendor at Meow Wolf. Baggao said Adobo did $156,000 in revenue in 2019, and $600,000 and $2.1 million, respectively, in 2020 and 2021. Baggao started out making 40 pounds of chicken adobo each week for his food truck, and said he now makes 350 pounds twice a week. That’s not counting the 5,000 pounds of chicken adobo he said he’s cooked for Meow Wolf in the last three months. Adobo’s food truck is only used for weddings and corporate events now. The concept was also featured on a Netflix episode of “Fresh, Fried & Crispy” last year. “I just outworked everyone else,” Baggao said. “I slept for 20 hours a week. I never slept on a Sunday, and just killed myself, even developing heart palpitations. There was no way I was going to fail because I made sure of it.” Baggao had an unusual start to his career in the food industry. Before this, he was working at Vanguard in
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Scottsdale, making even more money for high-net-worth individuals. But at 27 years old, he suffered from a bad brain injury as a result of a motorcycle accident. After that, he had a hard time communicating with people, and turned to food to express himself. “I used to be able to do standard deviation of portfolios in my head, but I couldn’t even remember a full sentence I just read,” Baggao said. “Instead, I PHOTO: LILY O’NEILL could make a taco or do a dish Blaine Baggao opened Adobo, his first brick-andand that would represent how mortar restaurant, in West Highland last month, five I felt.” years after starting his food truck business. Baggao got back into the finance industry after moving to which was sued by Attorney General Phil Denver in 2014 despite his motorcycle crash. Weiser in December last year, claiming the But he went through a messy divorce in 2016 company has sold food trucks without a dealand ended up losing custody of his now 6-year- er’s license since at least 2015. The case has since been dismissed. old daughter. “I cashed out my 401K, sold everything I “I was a very egotistical, numbers-driven kind of guy worried about how much money had, but then I still didn’t have enough, so one people make and what kind of car you drive,” of my hometown friends helped with the rest Baggao said. “But my ego was basically broken, of the investment,” Baggao said. “I didn’t have any other options.” and I had nothing left to be egotistical about.” Just like the food truck was an investment Baggao decided to leave his six-figure job and focus on what he loves, since he had al- in his future, the restaurant is an investment ready lost his daughter and his mother, who for his daughter, to whom he hopes to pass on passed away in 2004. his business. Baggao signed a five-year lease for He started Adobo as a tribute to his late his new 5,000-square-foot restaurant on Fedmother, who used to work long days as a cardi- eral in September, but he eventually plans to ologist and diagnostician, owned her own lab, buy the property. and still made it home to cook her kids dinner. “This corner is not going anywhere,” Baggao “She used to say she worked so hard her hair said. “Speer and Federal are only going to get hurt, but she would still come home and be the busier. I can’t get $3 million now, but I can get mom and the dad,” he said. “She’s the inspira- a lease with the first right of refusal to lease it tion behind my work ethic and why I wanted again or buy it, as long as I don’t mess this up. to start my own business.” You could imagine this whole corner being a Baggao bought Adobo’s food truck in 2017 high-rise, and someone would be willing to from Denver Restaurant Equipment Corp., pay a high price for it.”
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/// GUEST COLUMN ///
Colorado Law Blocks Sexual Misconduct Investigations Of Public Officials
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n exception to tions against Anderson were unsubColorado public stantiated—was a public record and records law has large- Anderson’s alleged misconduct was ly shielded investiga- a matter of public concern. This meant that the heavily tions into sexual misallegations redacted sections of the report stayed that RACHAEL JOHNSON conduct against public officials. That needs way, keeping secret the most salient and informative evidence of Anderson’s alto change. Last August, the state of New York re- leged conduct while serving as a board leased an independent report into the in- member of Never Again Colorado and as vestigation of whether former New York a DPS employee. The redactions blackout Gov. Andrew Cuomo had allegedly sex- virtually all of the report that eplored the ually harassed state employees. All of it “evidence that tends to support the allegawas made public—165 pages, and not a tion” of sexual impropriety and, even more overbroad, all portions of the “evidence single redaction. A month later, here in Colorado, Denver that tends not to support the allegations.” It did not help that Colorado case Public School officials released the findings of an independent investigation into the al- law interpreting the statute was sparse. leged sexual misconduct of DPS Board Di- Even the court noted in its order that rector Tay Anderson. Instead of making the “a specific statutory exemption for such entire report public, however, they redact- complaints and investigations is somewhat ed large portions of the investigative find- unusual, and other states resolve the question of whether such ings (at least 17 of the public records should 96 pages were redactAt minimum, the be made public by baled) and a district court ancing the privacy inin Denver ruled earlistatute should require terest of those involved er this year that those a public records officer with the public’s interredactions were lawful. est in the content of the If you’re asking yourto balance the privacy documents.” The court’s self why New Yorkers of the individuals analysis begs the quesbenefit from transpartion: Why doesn’t ency where Colorainvolved with the public Colorado resolve the dans don’t, the answer interest in knowing the disclosure of sexulies in an exemption to our state’s public information contained in al harassment complaints and invesrecords law that was requested records. tigations like other intended to prevent states do? the disclosure of reAt minimum, the statute should records of sexual harassment complaints and investigations “maintained pursuant quire a public records officer to balto any sexual harassment policy of the ance the privacy of the individuals involved with the public interest in general assembly.” But that exemption has evolved knowing the information contained in since it was enacted in 1994, becom- requested records. Applying the test would not prevent ing incredibly broad to now prohibit the disclosure of “any records” of sexu- courts from requiring redactions to the al harassment complaints and investiga- name and identity of victims to protect tions, members of the public and public their confidentiality. Colorado courts have been quite clear about the kinds of officials included. It’s an exemption that flies in the face of records that do not constitute public rethe spirit of the Colorado Open Records cords when privacy interests are at stake: Act, or CORA, which clearly declares that a public official’s personal diary, the perit is “the public policy of this state that all sonal cell phone billing records of a pubpublic records shall be open for inspec- lic official, and sexually explicit and rotion by any person at reasonable times” mantically exchanged emails that are except as provided by law. This strong pre- sent between two individuals, to name sumption in favor of disclosing govern- a few. Such a balancing test would help ment records also requires courts to narrowly construe any exception to CORA’s ensure that communities are able to better understand and hold public officials disclosure requirements. But what works in theory does not always accountable for their conduct. Courts have recognized that allegations of sexual harasswork in practice. In practice, this means that virtually no ment involve matters of public concern, and records of sexual harassment complaints that the unethical conduct by government and investigations can be disclosed to the officials is a matter of public interest. There is public despite the strong public interest also a strong public interest in assessing the in understanding the nature of poten- efficiency and fairness of investigations into tially illegal or unethical conduct by gov- alleged sexual misconduct. In theory, all public records should be ernment officials or private individuals, especially when it involves a matter of open for inspection by the public. But in practice, bit by bit, laws change, and the public concern. It was strong public interest that drove promise of transparency wanes. It’s time for reporters from The Denver Post and The Colorado lawmakers to ensure that promise Denver North Star last October to seek doesn’t disappear. unredacted versions of the independent Rachael Johnson is a Colorado-based report commissioned and paid for by the DPS Board to investigate the sexual mis- local legal initiative attorney with the Reconduct allegations against Anderson, porters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and file subsequent CORA requests to the which represents journalists and media in legal matters. Johnson has a decade of expeschool board. The Denver District Court ultimate- rience working in both the legal and media ly ruled that the redacted sections of fields, and represented The Denver North the report would not be released based Star and The Denver Post in a recent effort on the broad language of the CORA to release the ILG Report examining allestatute, even though it agreed that the gations regarding alleged sexual misconinvestigative report—which ultimate- duct by DPS Board of Education Director ly found that the most serious allega- Tay Anderson.
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hile rates of sexually transmitted infections are on the rise, Denver Public Schools lacks a requirement to offer comprehensive health curriculum, including sex education. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and estimated one in five Americans may have a sexually transmitted infection, with people ages 15 to 24 years old making up nearly half of the infections. The state remains one of only 12 in the nation to not require sex ed in schools, instead deferring what’s taught in classrooms to local districts and administrators. Data regarding which schools in DPS have opted-out of teaching sex ed curricula is hard to come by, though. A district spokesperson, in response to multiple attempts at a Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) request, responded, “The district is not in possession of a list of schools.” Regarding additional documents that might help shed more light on what schools within the district teach for sex education, the spokesperson quoted a rate of $450 to search 1000+ documents in DPS’s possession, citing, “The staff in this area are brand new to the district and have no historical knowledge of what documents may or may not exist.” The CORA request was submitted in response to prior reporting in The Colorado Sun where DPS staff acknowledged “inconsistencies and inequities in if and how sex education is being provided.” Two attempts to contact the State Board of Education initially led to denials of tracking anything related to sex ed curriculums, including within DPS. In a third inquiry to the board, Colorado
Department of Education Communications Director Jeremy Meyer responded that Colorado schools are not mandated to teach sex ed, but in districts that choose to implement the curriculum, charter schools are legally eligible to apply to the board of education for a waiver. According to Meyer, of the 58 charter schools in DPS, none are currently provided with a waiver for Colorado’s Comprehensive Human Sexuality Education statute. This is likely due to DPS not requiring sex ed curricula to date. Districts at large are not eligible for such waivers, but CDE also does not track nor enforce school participation, citing a lack of statutory requirement. The extent to which there are “inconsistencies and inequities” in sex ed within DPS is unclear. Multiple calls were made to school staff, counselors, and teachers—most of them asking to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation at work—who spoke to The Denver North Star about the current curriculum. Because DPS currently designates sex education as an elective, schools within the district appear to offer a range of instruction. One school employee at Prep Academy said no sex ed teacher or standardized curriculum was offered. A receptionist confirmed this stating, “We’re a different type of school. You should ask others. There may be a gym teacher that teaches some. Or a science teacher.” No follow-up calls to staff at Prep Academy were returned. A second alternative school, however, shared a very different perspective. Sex education specialist and science teacher Carlee Taga of AUL Denver (formerly the Academy of Urban Learning) said her school provides a six-week course that combines sex
ed with core principles in biology. “While learning about birth control, students also learn about osmosis and diffusion,” Taga said. “It’s fundamental to how it works.” Another way Taga incorporates sex education is through the creation of peer education groups. “I take a selected group of students who have shown leadership and maturity during the sex ed course and I give them extra training to talk about these topics more in depth,” she said. “Then they become educators on campus.” Taga said this allows students to ask more questions in a safe space with a fellow student. “It’s sometimes easier for them to talk to a peer than an adult,” she said. Taga has also spent time at two other traditional schools in DPS, and says that while those two schools had good teachers, it’s the strong administrative support at AUL that makes her success truly possible. “Right now, it comes down to if the specific school administration is supportive of inclusive, science-based sex ed,” she said. “If so, you’re fine. But if not, they (DPS) don’t make it a graduation requirement.” Acknowledging the lack of required curriculum, several spokespersons at DPS noted changes have been recommended for the 2023-24 school year, with a proposal to require all schools in DPS to offer comprehensive health education, which would include sex education. The spokespersons said the option to opt out individual students will always be up to a parent or guardian, per Colorado law. Per CDE, charter schools would also remain eligible to apply for a waiver to the board of education should DPS require sex education.
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Students Rally Behind English Teacher After Contract Is Not Renewed By Eric Heinz
T
im Hernández was notified by Denver Public Schools in early May that his contract as an English teacher at North High School would not be renewed for the next school year, and since then a group of students and parents have rallied to keep him in the classroom. Hernández was hired in January 2021 as an English teacher, but he said his superiors told him that there wasn’t enough in the budget to keep him as a full-time employee, so NHS kept him on as an associate. But his contract was only for one year and he had to reapply for a position, which DPS officials say has already been filled. “I'm very outspoken when it comes to issues of anti-racism, equity inclusion, which is disruptive to people that are interested in maintaining their versions of anti racism, equity and inclusion,” Hernández told The Denver North Star. Hernández said NHS has mostly white teachers, and Latino teachers are still a minority, despite the school having mostly Latino students, according to a spreadsheet from DPS for the 2021-2022 school year. “I place a deep priority on student voice,” he said. “I tell my students that what they say matters. Students in my Latinx leadership class created an original book of photography and poems about gentrification on the Northside, about what it's like to be growing up right now in this neighborhood.” Hernández said the neighborhood around NHS is one of the most gentrified in the country, and he wanted students to document their experiences. The book has since been given to the Denver Public Library. DPS spokesman Scott Pribble said Hernán-
The Denver North Star
dez had to reapply for the position after his contract was up and that not every contract is guaranteed to be renewed. “Some contracts end and those teachers have to reapply, even if it's for the same position, PHOTO FROM TWITTER and during that process the selec- Tim Hernández tion committee chose a different applicant,” Pribble said. “We are aware the students may be planning some action, and DPS respects and supports students to be able to express their opinion in a peaceful manner.” Hernández said he also worked with community members to create a public refrigerator so students who were hungry could get snacks. “I think more than anything, my students know how deeply I (care) about this,” he said. “I think that's what galvanized this more than anything because to me, this isn't just a job that I work 40 hours a week. I still live here. I still live here as a Latino teacher.” A petition to keep Hernández on as a teacher at Change.org received more than 1,500 signatures in support of the cause as of May 11. The petition also has links to what Hernández says are his reviews from DPS as a teacher. A student walk-out was scheduled for Friday, May 13, at NHS, after this edition went to press. More information will be available at denvernorthstar.com and affiliated social media sites.
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May 15, 2022-June 14, 2022 | Page 15
/// COMMUNITY ///
Kum & Go Planned For Corner Of 51st And Federal By Eric Heinz
A
long the Federal Boulevard corridor, gas stations and fast food restaurants line the road situated off I-70. It’s a last stop for gasoline or snacks before heading to the coveted ski-land to the west. The lot at 5190 Federal Blvd. is 50,000 square feet, but the Kum & Go physical store planned for the space will be 4,000 square feet, according to Kum & Go spokesperson Taylor Boland. The rest of the lot will accommodate parking, pumps, underground tanks, and other materials. Boland said Kum & Go is still working on the details of what landscaping it will provide at the location. The gas station, if approved through the city’s Community Planning and Development Department, will have eight total fueling stations on four dispensers with diesel, mid-grade, unleaded, and premium gasoline as well as E-15 and E-85 fuel.
There will be an electric vehicle charging station at the location, which is required by the city. The Federal Boulevard location does not plan to include a car wash, Boland said. As far as plans for reaching out to residents living within about 500 feet of the location, Boland said, “This is still a work in process with city meetings.” Some residents are concerned about bringing in yet another gas station to the immediate area. At the south end of this stretch of Federal, a Phillip’s 66 is located just before I-70, and a Sinclair is located near the same block as the proposed Kum & Go. Fast food and convenience stores line the road in either direction for a mile. Elise Peterson, a 15-year resident of Chaffee Park and an affiliate Regis University faculty member, said her biggest concern is that nearby residents need a grocery store closer to them. “I think the biggest thing is we are in a food desert,” Peterson said. “It's not like it's going to be a family-owned, small gas station that's local. It's going to be a big conglomerate.” Peterson said her area near 51st and 52nd avenues along federal has been a hub for gas stations and fast food, but she said there could be room for other businesses. “What I find interesting is that I have friends on Federal and 44th, and 15 years ago they
NEW AT
pills, lead meth is ch the past. I is worseni Atlantic ar Vick, dire Kansas Ci even call i “Meth ove years, but opioid OD and die on Denverit sales tax PHOTOS: ERIC HEINZ nually), to The former Dollar Tree store at 5190 Federal Blvd. is poised to be a Kum & Go tal-health location in the near future. options an grams. S would not have bought (their homes) over and pedestrians are only an afterthought.” Colorado’s It’s unclear if Kum & Go owns the land atal commu there, and now they are,” she said. “I see a rejuvenation, like on the 46th and 44th Federal this time. Denver City Clerk and Recorderhealth cen corridor, but not on the 52nd and Federal cor- documents show the land had several liensto fill vaca ridor, and it's just disappointing.” against it and was owned by an LLC. Kum Colorad Jason Hornyak, the former president of the & Go representatives did not respond before1263 pass Chaffee Park Neighborhood Association, said press time as to whether they had acquiredThe penal he doesn’t blame the gas station businesses the land. sion of fo The Kum & Go website states the companyless of an for coming to the area, but he said he wished there hadn't been so many in one congested is “always looking” for new real estate devel-such as M area when he lived there. He has since moved opment opportunities. and fenta When The Denver North Star visited theclassified to Mayfair. “It’s a pretty simple, standard American location on May 2, the site was occupied bymeanor. C story of the interstate highway impacts that people who had broken in. At least two peo-seen a si have happened to our cities,” Hornyak said. ple had broken through a lower window on acrease in “It only functions as a car-serving business boarded up door. of and dea since that forcement streets for et is not s enter trea REGIS UNIVERSITY Departme ment betw volved de tributed t fatalities i has strain Penalties have been into treat to fentan staffed to and its im ground to replicate p Court, tha to sentenc CO Att
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R E G I S . E D U /O L L I The Denver North Star
/ / / E L E C T E D O F F I C I A L U P DAT E / / /
Fentanyl Must Be Curtailed W
hy must fentan- a national lawsuit for Colorado cities and yl possession be counties against Johnson & Johnson and treated differently than three of the largest drug distribution compaother substances? It, a nies that created the national opioid addicsynthetic opioid, is 60 tion crisis. In July 2021, Colorado, and other times more potent than states succeeded. The National Opioid SettleCOUNCILWOMAN morphine and 30 times ment Fund will contribute $385 Million for DEBBIE ORTEGA, stronger than heroin. It Colorado and $39 Million for Denver. JohnAT-LARGE is being laced into other son and Johnson funds will be paid over nine pills, leading to numerous deaths. Today’s years with a majority expected in the first meth is chemically different than the drug of three years. The drug distributors will pay the past. It causes severe mental illness that over 18 years. Denver’s Opioid Abatement is worsening our homeless crisis. A recent Council will determine how the dollars flow. Atlantic article by Sam Quinones quotes Ken I am committed to ensuring that the funds Vick, director of a drug treatment center in have a meaningful and lasting benefit to adKansas City, MO, “I don’t know that I would dicted individuals and to our community. even call it meth anymore.” Quinones found Fentanyl received a lot of attention since “Meth overdoses have risen rapidly in recent the beginning of the 2022 Legislative sesyears, but they are much less common than sion with the introduction of bill HB 22opioid ODs – you don’t typically overdose 1326. Public and private sector entities have and die on meth; you decay.” weighed in on solutions to save lives and imDenverites in 2018 voted to increase the prove the safety of our city. sales tax by .25 percent, ($45 million anTo create safer streets, eliminate homelessnually), to bolsters the city's existing men- ness, and improve overall mental wellness we tal-health and substance-abuse treatment must act differently on fentanyl. I applaud options and fund suicide prevention pro- Governor Polis efforts to provide treatment grams. Since Covid, facilities that focus Colorado’s 17 regionon rehabilitation for CO Senate and House al community mental addicted individuals. health centers struggle These individuals must are working on HB 22to fill vacancies. be choosing recovery 1326, with amendments Colorado HB 19support. Priority will be 1263 passed in 2019. given to those at higher to increase the penalties The penalty for possesrisk of homelessness, for possession of 1 gram sion of four grams or substance abuse, and less of an illegal drug who are frequently usor more. Homeless such as Meth, heroin, ing public systems. substance users can and fentanyl, was deCO Senate and receive the help they need House are working classified as a misdemeanor. Colorado has on HB 22-1326, with with a safe place to stay. seen a significant inamendments to increase in the presence crease the penalties for of and deaths by this highly lethal substance possession of 1 gram or more. Homeless subsince that time. This HB removed law en- stance users can receive the help they need forcement from arresting anyone on our with a safe place to stay. For community streets for possession. A misdemeanor tick- members who are unwilling to seek help, to et is not sufficient to motivate someone to recover from addiction, they may eventualenter treatment. According to the Denver ly receive services and access to resources Department of Public Health & Environ- through the justice system. ment between 2020 and 2021, fentanyl-inWithout the balanced efforts of HB 22volved deaths increased by 40%, and con- 1326, many people will be continue living tributed to almost 50% of accidental drug on the streets, struggle to obtain services fatalities in Denver. This lethal substance and assistance, because fentanyl laced prodhas strained local government resources. ucts will continue to kill and cause people Penalties for possessing a lethal amount, to decay. To begin to address this issue, we have been used to get addicted individuals must institute stronger penalties for fentaninto treatment to thwart their addiction yl distribution of lethal quantities and proto fentanyl. Providers aren’t adequately vide treatment services. Assisting addicted staffed to offset its presence on our streets neighbors with successful programs is the and its impact on community. A middle only road to break out of a cycle of addiction ground to the state legislation could be to and homelessness. replicate programs like Denver DA’s Drug Councilwoman Deborah Ortega is one Court, that works like a deferred program of two at-large members of the Denver City to sentencing. Council. She was elected to office in 2011 and CO Attorney General, Phil Wiser joined re-elected in 2015 and 2019.
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Continued from Page 9 worked in traditional public schools, I've worked in charter schools, that are also public schools.” Khan said he’s worked in nearly every role in children’s education, including as a special education teacher, a general education teacher, and administrative positions. As a principal, he said he constantly looked at data to show trends of equity, how certain students were performing compared to their peers by way of race or educational pathway. Khan said as a founding member of a school, he had to convince parents that his was the best choice for them and enrollment was a key topic among the administrators. “Let's do what we can to keep schools open and retain kids, and what that means is (getting) a real understanding of what the community wants,” Khan said. “I think that the better we understand what the community needs and what they want, the better
The Denver North Star
DINI Thai NG
Explosion
we're going to make those decisions.” CHARMAINE LINDSAY According to her application to the Board of Education, Lindsay has more than 15 years of experience in family law, particularly with family disputes. She said he has a proven ability to resolve legal matters and has experience in mitigation from 24 years working as a private practice attorney. The Denver North Star was unable to reach Lindsay for comment and a photo before the print deadline, but Christian Caldwell, the president of the nonprofit My Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper, wrote a letter of support on behalf of her. “Charmaine is committed to equity and leads in ways that amplify the needs of our community in ways that produce visible outcomes for youth,” Caldwell wrote. “Her legal work has allowed her to create deep relationships with students and families. Similarly, she has helped schools to become more inclusive and helped them to understand the underlying needs of the community.”
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this form along with a check to: Denver North Star P.O. Box 11584 Denver, CO 80211
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PHOTO BY DAVID
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May 15, 2022-June 14, 2022 | Page 17
/ / / E D U C AT I O N / / /
Rainbow Connection
/// POLITICS ///
Vacant CU Regents Seat Opens Primary By Eric Heinz
A
s John “Jack” Kroll wraps up his six-year term as the District 1 representative on the University of Colorado Board of Regents, he will leave the door open for two ambitious candidates in Wanda James and Johnnie Nguyen for the Democratic primary. James is the CEO of Simply Pure cannabis dispensary. She has political experience between Denver and Los Angeles, including working for Gov. Jared Polis’ transition team, and she is a former member of the CU Alumni Board of Directors.
PHOTOS: ERIC HEINZ
Students at Lake Middle School on May 6 restored a mural that had “Trans Lives Matter” stenciled on it after it had been defaced. The students also gave a fresh coat of paint to their school’s mural. Art teacher and student support liaison Karma Leigh said with the support of Councilwoman Jamie Torres, they were able to restore the mural after it was vandalized in March. “I wanted it to make sure that it was done well so that our students who felt hurt by what they created being destroyed and having hate speech on it,” Leigh said. “I really wanted them to feel valued and see something redone even bigger and better.” The original mural was completed in February and by March it had been vandalized.
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The nine-member Board of Regents’ responsibilities include policymaking, proposing tuition changes, and handling the annual budget, which reached $5.2 billion for this fiscal year throughout the statewide CU system. Nguyen is fresh out of law school and recently worked for the law firm Lewis Brisbois, but he said he put in his two weeks’ notice recently to focus on his campaign. During his time in college, he was the national chair of the American Bar Association’s Law Student Division, and eventually was on the ABA’s governing board. The nine-member Board of Regents’ responsibilities include policymaking, proposing tuition changes, and handling the annual budget, which reached $5.2 billion for this fiscal year throughout the statewide CU system. The one Republican who is currently running for the CU Board of Regents in District 1 is Amy Naes. The Denver North Star will reach out to her campaign for the general election. The primary election is June 28. WANDA JAMES
James said she believes the CU system is working optimally, as it has research facilities and climate change programs, but the college does have work to do when it comes to reaching more students in places where CU historically has not been able to recruit them. “The bigger issue that I think that CU has, quite frankly, is that the entire system has a marketing issue,” she said. “I think that we could do a better job of going into these communities and really offering insight into where these pots of money exist to … make college more affordable than what we think it is.” Based on her work with the Colorado Board of Tourism, James noticed marketing that didn’t feature a diverse group of people in its advertisements about three years ago. She said she’s able to spot deficiencies like these to help show CU’s diversity. James said CU also needs to explore the different ways students want to access education, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic forced people to work and go to school remotely. “One of the bigger issues that we have seen and talked about is how many students we bring in. The real number in my mind is how many students we graduate and what is happening at each stage as to why we lose student retention,” James said. “Is it affordability? Is it mental health? Is it feeling lost on a large campus or not getting the type of experience that you thought you were going to get?”
L
ongtim James said the board should focus on what will fa causes people to drop out of the college sys-as congres tem and at what point in their education, andWalia has t what they can do to fix that. DeGette “My career spans from military training toDenver’s C corporate executive to small business ownerton, D.C. s to consultant to political and government ex-to make a perience,” James said. “This board requirescause he se experience to be able to run a board of thisfinancially magnitude.” er factors. James has raised about $45,000 for her Since th campaign and has received endorsementsporting on from former Mayor Wellington Webb$703,000 f and Colorado District 2 Rep. Joe Neguseraised abou in addition to various CEO and military Both can endorsements. ver North S coming pri JOHNNIE NGUYEN A quest Nguyen wasDeGette an working for thep.m. May law firm LewisUnion of N Brisbois when he875 Elati St started his cam- Accordi paign, but he leftand Feder the firm in Aprilno Republi after nine monthsby April 25 to pursue the Board of RegentsDIANA DE position. He re- One of D ceived his bach-environme elor’s in political science and ethnic studentshoping to p from CU Denver, and his law degree in Boulder.vironment During his time in college, he said he held100 most p student leadership positions and sought dif-which wou ferent ways to fund higher education. He saidGlobeville. he also led protests on campus when students “This is thought the university’s leadership “wasn’twe hope th doing its best.” said. “I'm Nguyen said that as a first-generationregulate Su American college student, he is gratefulbecause it's for the programs at CU that helped him navigate college. “But I also recognize that not every student even knew how to get access to the programs, or there's still a lot of other barriers in place that would send back a lot of students who didn't either have financial backgrounds that weren't strong or have people guide them through higher education, like a lot of students who have multi-generations in Colorado,” Nguyen said. Nguyen said he would also like to see the CU system set up a program that would teach students about investing and retirement savings as well as other skills for after they immediately graduate. He also said that he thinks every public school student in Colorado should visit a college campus at least once because it had a profound effect on his life ventures. Nguyen said he wouldn’t want to make it a requirement that could burden local schools, but it should be emphasized. From his experiences with college organizations and the ABA, Nguyen said he is the candidate with the most recent experience in helping students. “I got to be that bridge between law students and the association that was running the credentials of American law schools, so that was really integral for me to understand …the people I represent and make sure their interests were being best advocated,” Nguyen said. Nguyen said his government experiences and his time at the university make him the best candidate to represent the 1st District. “I want to be that modern student voice for the current modern issues that students are facing,” Nguyen said. “But I also bring executive leadership skills that I think a lot of people don't know about. I kind of bring the best of both worlds. I think I'm a really good balance.” Nguyen has raised about $23,000 for his campaign and has received endorsements from various state representatives, Denver City Council members, as well as Colorado State Treasurer David Young and Colorado Speaker of the House Alec Garnett.
The Denver North Star
/// POLITICS ///
First U.S. House Dem Primary Candidates Candidates Want To Address Homelessness, Environmental Justice By Eric Heinz
L
ongtime Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette will face another challenger this election, as congressional candidate newcomer Neal Walia has thrown his hat into the ring. DeGette has been the representative for Denver’s Congressional District 1 in Washington, D.C. since 1997, but Walia said he wants to make a change in Congress at this time because he sees too many Americans struggling financially through student loan debt and other factors. Since the Federal Elections Commission reporting on March 31, DeGette has raised about $703,000 for her campaign while Walia has raised about $164,000 for his campaign. Both candidates recently spoke with The Denver North Star about their campaigns for the upcoming primary election, which will be June 28. A question-and-answer session with Diana DeGette and Neal Walia will take place 6-7:30 p.m. May 24 at the Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 720 hiring hall, 875 Elati St. According to the Colorado Secretary of State and Federal Elections Commission websites, no Republican had filed to enter the CD 1 race by April 25. DIANA DEGETTE One of DeGette’s biggest goals is to address environmental justice. She has a bill that she’s hoping to pass in the spring requiring the Environmental Protection Agency to identify the 100 most polluted communities in the country, which would address issues like air quality in Globeville. “This is a bill that has bipartisan support, so we hope that we can get this passed,” DeGette said. “I'm continuing to pressure the EPA to regulate Suncor in a much more robust way, because it's just spewing pollution across Com-
The Denver North Star
merce City into those same neighborhoods.” As The Denver North Star's sister publication The G.E.S. Gazette reported in last month’s issue, the Environmental Protection Agency formally objected to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s approval of Suncor’s operating permit recently. DeGette said she is also working on getting the Women’s Health Protection Act passed, which would codify the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade. “Just this year for the first time, we had a prochoice majority in the House,” she said. “My goal is to continue to advance that to make sure we get inroads in the Senate to pass it. When the Supreme Court comes up with a decision on the Mississippi case later this spring, I think this is going to galvanize the women of America, and also men who realized that a woman's right to choose really is in jeopardy.” Degette has also worked to get money for housing for people experiencing homelessness as well as funding for service providers such as Colorado Coalition for the Homeless and Urban Peak. The $13 million DeGette requested in appropriations was stalled for about a year in the Senate, however, and she said that it’s just now coming in. “Homelessness is a very complex nut to crack,” the congresswoman said. “The types of people who are homeless, it's not uniform. You have homeless families, you have individuals who just lost their job and could afford housing. You have to have job training issues. You have to have substance abuse remediation, all this stuff.” DeGette said she thinks throughout the year, cities will ask for more mental health services for people without homes. “We're continuing to work on mental health parity, to get money out to health care providers and to local governments because even
though we've passed a law that says mental health has parity, mental health services are still wildly underfunded,” she said. Although it can be a daunting task to unseat a longtime member of congress, DeGette said she still has a responsibility to appeal to her constituents to send her back for another two years in Washington. “I have had a primary the last few years. I welcome that discourse because I'm really proud of my record, and I think that I am able to accomplish a lot,” DeGette said. NEAL WALIA Walia said he is on a mission to reduce student loan debt, as it is a contributor to keeping people from taking financial steps in their lives. The son of Indian immigrants, Walia is the first in his family to be born in the United States. Walia’s experience includes working for former Gov. John Hickenlooper on homelessness and developing connections between the state government and the American Asian and Pacific Islander communities. However, despite his career, he said he is being “crushed by a lifetime” of student debt. He can’t afford to buy a home in Denver and the cost of childcare is too burdensome for him and his wife to begin a family–and that’s why he’s running. “I have lived the struggles of our constituents and I have to fix them as if their lives depended on it because my life does, and when you're looking at Denver and the 1st Congressional District, we have long been ready to be a leading voice in the movement for the Green New Deal, for housing as a human right, and for health care as a human right,” Walia said. As part of his health care agenda, Walia said he wants to advocate for “Medicare for All,”
which would provide more access to cheaper health care options than the existing provisions of the Affordable Care Act. “We need every single Democrat and every single person across this country who is elected to champion a vision that I have,” he said. “My obligation is not to just sign laws but to motivate and work within our cities, our state, and in our region to galvanize that momentum and to bring people forward who claim to care about health care.” Walia said that in addition to providing housing, his Medicare for All platform would include plans to address the unhoused population. “Many of our unhoused neighbors are facing trauma that we can only imagine,” he said. “Some of these folks are coming back from war. We are talking about some of the most challenging symptoms a human being can face, and that is why (I) wholeheartedly believe in Medicare for All.” As far as tackling environmental issues, Walia said he would not take money from oil and gas companies or lobbyists for his campaign, and he said he is a proponent of the Green New Deal. “My obligation when I'm elected into Congress is to challenge the oil and gas lobby that has a vice grip on not just the Republican Party but the Democratic Party in our state as a whole. There are so many Democrats, state, local and federally, who take that money, and we have to move forward from there.” Walia said he wants to focus on constituents and issues rather than partisan divides. “When you are a grassroots campaign, that means you are committed to putting people above everything else,” he said. “That means people over party. It means people over politics. It means people over profit.”
May 15, 2022-June 14, 2022 | Page 19
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Page 20 May 15, 2022-June 14,description. 2022 is made as to accuracy of any 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.
Jenny Apel
303.570.9690
The Denver North Star
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