The Denver North Star July 15 2021 Online Edition

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

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Volume 2, Issue 10

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July 15, 2021 -August 14, 2021

Celebrating Community with a 4th of July Bang

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ALWAYS FREE!

Westsider Neal Walia Announces Campaign For Congress DeGette Faces 3rd Primary Challenger in 4 Elections

COMMUNITY

By David Sabados

N

45 years of fixing cars in North Denver PAGE 4

See story on page 10

COMMUNITY 5 Businesses to Get to Know PAGE 6

PHOTO BY BASHA COHEN

The Berkeley Gardens Fire Department has led the parade since 2014. The tradition continues in 2021

The Future of a 38th Ave Business No Longer an Enigma

By Tameca L Coleman

E COMMUNITY Youth Sports PAGE 11

COMMUNITY Therapy Pig PAGE 12

POLITICS Shaping Our Neighborhoods' Futures PAGE 15

nigma Bazaar is a hybrid performance and art the lot. But developers were not the only buyers ready space which includes a bar, lounge, patio, gal- to bid for the building. lery, rental room, and stage. The venue aims to Longtime friends and creatives Autumn Eggleton, be a community hub where artists, patrons, and staff Carly Howard, Chad Howard, and Christine Samar feel inspired through all their senses and by the spirit had discussed for years creating the kind of venue they of multi-disciplinary art and collaboration. That inspi- sensed was disappearing, and perhaps, that did not yet ration can range from simply feeling invigorated by a exist. They were inspired by immersive arts, New York sensual experience to feeling moved to create some- theatre, Denver venues like the Mercury Cafe, and thing new. The Enigma Bazaar co-founders, Autumn some that had already closed like Denver Syntax. They Eggleton, Carly Howard, Chad Howard, and Chris- had looked for a space for their ideas to land for quite tine Samar, intentionally some time. They wanted leave this part of their to find a building that had mission open. room enough to foster After three years of creative community, and planning and renovathe former home of Ziggies seemed just the place. tion, Enigma Bazaar will Chad Howard purhost its grand opening in September of 2021 with chased the building. Then performances by local artthe team of co-founders ists, and an inaugural art went to work, demoexhibit featuring 100 variing the space to create a ations of The Fool tarot clean slate so they could plan together. card created by local and international artists.

The grand opening of Enigma Bazaar comes The building that sits three years later than at 4923 West 38th Avenue originally planned. The has long been a Northwest Denver community building needed significant renovations, rewirhub. Since it was built in 1926, it has housed muling, and new plumbing, tiple restaurants and bars and the work took quite a bit of time. Then, the panwith names like Lou’s Club Tavern and Club 38. demic brought the world PHOTO FROM WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ENIGMABAZAAR In most recent memory, to a pause. Luckily, Chad 4923 W. 38th, most recently Ziggies, has Howard had purchased Ziggies, Denver’s oldest gotten a face lift and will be opening as the building, which blues bar, brought togethEnigma Bazaar in September. er a loyal community of meant that the Enigma neighbors, poets and music makers over the span of Bazaar team could take their time to further plan, renovate and beautify the building’s interior. fifty years.

The Enigma Bazaar team wanted to create a space In 2017, Ziggies venue owner Carla Jordan’s tenyear lease was up. She learned that the owners of the in which they wanted to spend time. All of them are building would try to sell it for $1 million. Carla and creatives with experience in theatre, visual and perneighbors were certain that developers would purchase the building, level it, and build a new development over See ENIGMA, Page 12

eal Walia interned for former Congressman Mark Udall and worked for (then) Governor Hickenlooper on addressing homelessness and in a community outreach position to the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community before working for the National Governors Association. Now he’s taking a run at public office himself, hoping to represent Denver in the U.S. House of Representatives. In order to get there, he’ll have to unseat a 24 year veteren of the office: Congresswoman Diana DeGette. To win the seat, he’ll be making his case to voters that the incumbent's seniority in the House isn’t as important as the vision for Denver and the country Walia is presenting.

Walia, a Democrat, filed for the office earlier this month, holding his campaign kickoff at the Pacific Ocean Marketplace on West Alameda, beginning with a performance of Taiko drumming. Tim Hernández, a North High School English teacher, Northsider, and Chicano activist, gave Walia an impassioned introduction. Hernández said the country that progressives like he and Walia believe in is “not a radical world, not an ideal one, but a necessary one,” adding that Walia is a “good progressive voice who understands we need progressive action.”

“I am running to bring a vision and a deep structural change to how we make decisions as a collective here,” he explained.

Walia sat down with The Denver North Star before his kickoff to talk about why he believes he should represent Denver in D.C. “I am running to bring a vision and a deep structural change to how we make decisions as a collective here,” he explained. “We know that people are really struggling... I want to break the wheel -- to give power back to the community.”

Walia is trying to position himself to the left of DeGette: this campaign website’s issue page leads with a Green New Deal, refers to Medicare for All as a “no-brainer,” and references policies championed by NY Congresswoman and Democratic-Socialist icon Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. During the interview, he repeatedly highlighted Denver-specific ideas, such as the Denver Day Works program that he believes should be replicated federally and noted his support for job guarantee programs.

See CONGRESS, Page 17

P O LI T I C S

A Question of Character: As Overlays Become More Common, Who Should Decide How a Community Should Look?

Creating Gallery Walls with Local Art CurateLocally.com

Join Us Aug. 6, 5-8pm, for our

FIRST FRIDAY EVENT

at RE/MAX Professionals, City Properties 4272 Lowell Blvd, Denver

Thank you No needy family should go hungry.

For more than 40 years, Bienvenidos Food Bank has provided Northwest Denver individuals and families with emergency food in a safe, welcoming place.

Each year, Bienvenidos:

to our generous Denver supporters Serves Saves 180,000 pounds of 10,000 Denver who have helped Bienvenidos Food wholesome food from grocery residents a year. stores – that would havebeen been Bank during COVID-19.

We have thrown away. one of 62 out of 106 food agencies in Gives away more than Denver that has been able to stay open 375,000 pounds Provides enough food of food valued nearly during theatpandemic.

We see new to make more than $600,000 300,000 meals. families weekly, who have suffered economically and physically this year.

For every $1 you give, we are able to provide $9 of food. bienvenidosfoodbank.org

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

www.bienvenidosfoodbank.org

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Page 2 | July 15, 2021-August 14, 2021

By David Sabados

I

s someone’s choice in home design a personal decision or is there an obligation to the community? Should a homeowner be able to build a home with features that are different from older styles or should newer builds resemble older ones? Is a turn-of-the-century 1900s brick bungalow more attractive than a taller home built with modern materials? Is the newer home with a roof deck and open floor design more practical for modern usage?

Should these questions impact what’s allowed?

These are a few of the questions being asked in numerous communities across Denver as the city continues to grow and change.

A new proposed set of regulations in North Denver is being brought to the community this month. While the most recent proposal only directly impacts the Sunnyside neighborhood, it is similar to a recent change to building regulations in the Harkness Heights community in Berkeley as well as the decades old creation of the Potter Highlands Historic District. If approved, it could also be replicated in other older neighborhoods in North Denver and across the city. While separate, the conversation also overlaps with the neighborhood planning initiatives happening across the city including in a half dozen North Denver neighborhoods.

Walk down most streets in Sunnyside and you'll see a fair amount of older brick homes, as well as a variety of other types. Increasingly, you’ll also see more modern styles, especially duplexes that stretch higher with roof decks above the 2nd story accessed by a partial 3rd story, sometimes called “wedding cake” homes because of their tiered design. That last style is the target of some community members and Councilwoman Amanda P. Sandoval, who are seeking to restrict new homes to older styles and ban some design aspects common in new builds. The overlay plans are in their initial stages and the community is invited to give feedback as it progresses.

The “Sunnyside Conservation Overlay” is the most recent in a series of zoning overlays.

While there are several different types, overlays mostly function the same: the zoning code dictates how many stories a building can be, how many units (single family, duplex, etc), and other fundamentals. An overlay is, as the name implies, additional regulations on top of that zoning and can dictate more specifics on form and style.

The overlay comprises several key points: the most impactful is a change to the bulk plane. Imagine an invisible box around a home -- that’s the bulk plane and that box sets the parameters for how much home can be built and in what shape. A proposed change to the bulk plane combined with a building height limit of 22’ for flat roofed buildings (pitched roofs can go to 30’) are the most impactful in terms of overall design. Other requirements being considered include a requirement for a covered front porch, a 3000 sq ft cap on home size (not including basement and garage), requiring the home be raised on a base of 1-3ft, and a requirement for homes to be built with brick.

The proposal now being forwarded to the community has been years in the making, originally started by former city planner and Sunnyside resident Katherine Cornwell during Councilman Espinoza’s tenure. Cornwell has worked as an architect for 30 years including 8 for the city and has lived in the neighborhood for 20. The proposal has since been modified by the Sunnyside registered neighborhood organization and is being sponsored by Councilwoman Sandoval. The Denver North Star interviewed several proponents of the measure.

We also sought responses from residents of “wedding cake” and similar home styles which would be banned (existing homes are not affected -- the overlay only affects new builds).

In an effort to include as many perspectives and as much information as possible, opinions from many interviews are summarized in the arguments below: Regarding the fundamental question of why

PHOTOS BY DAVID SABADOS

The homes on the left likely meet the proposed overlay requirements, while the homes on the right likely would not. restricting home designs is important, proponents had a variety of answers. For Cornwell, “the goal of the conservation overlay is not to restrict development potential but to attempt to ensure new construction is more visually harmonious with [the] prevailing patterns that make this original Denver neighborhood so attractive.” For her, the underlying question is whether there is a prevailing, measurable, identifiable character to the neighborhood and whether that character is something the community sees value in preserving. She believes there is such a character and it is worth it. Most of the neighborhood committee explained variations on character concerns, ranging from the overall height and loss of privacy (roof decks can see into neighbors yards), the overall size and “bulk” of new homes, which dwarfs some of the smaller, older homes in the area.

Bill Hare, head of the committee, summed it up as “The wedding cake duplexes are the instigating factor that got this going.” Hare says the committee looked at a number of options, including a potential historic district, but he feels that would have been too restrictive and that this proposal is a good middle ground.

Kevin Anderson, an architect who serves on the committee, explained that each proposed aspect can be considered independently and that each has its benefits but that the community could support or reject the different points, each of which has benefits in the eyes of the committee. Regarding porches, he noted “It's inviting. It's a place to meet your neighbors,” adding that some older Tutor style homes in the neighborhood were not built with them, but many owners have been adding them during renovations. He also says porches help “break [homes] down to a human scale,” creating a more inviting feel while serving the functional roles of keeping water off a front door and creating street access.

Councilwoman Sandoval’s office empha-

sized that while she may sponsor the overlay, the concept came from the community.

Asked why she felt this proposal warranted her sponsorship, she said: “I feel it is important I respond to the concerns we have heard for years regarding redevelopment within the Sunnyside community.

Zoning is one tool we have to create better outcomes and more predictability when infill homes and/or duplexes are built. Northwest Denver has some of Denver’s original neighborhoods, such as Sunnyside, and it is important for us to take cues from our built environment such as building homes with porches and allowing dormers to expand homes as families grow. The proposals which have come from residents help create predictability and the intent is to create a better quality of life for the next seven generations of Denverites.

I look forward to hearing from the residents of Sunnyside and gaining feedback from our neighbors.”

Some aspects, such as whether this could keep home prices lower, were in dispute from different committee members. Some argued the overlay will help keep prices down by making scrapes less appealing when renovations and expansions can meet the needs of residents who want more space than an 800 sq ft bungalow. Another said they know developers who are already working on designs that would meet the overlay and each side of a duplex will carry a 1.2 million price tag, especially after being built with brick, which is more expensive than other materials and that price isn’t a factor of the effort. It’s important to note that not every aspect of the overlay (such as the brick requirement or front porches) was agreed upon by all members, but all said they are glad it’s the community’s turn to weigh in, noting that they all shared similar overall con-

See OVERLAYS, Page 19 The Denver North Star

CO M M U N I TY

After a Year of Postponements and Virtual Micro Weddings, Nuptial Celebrations are ON

ORRY W E H T F O E M O S E K A T A“ OUT OF LIFE” POLICY.

By Kathryn White

W

eddings that were postponed due to COVID19 have blasted back onto the scene this summer, and local venues and businesses are working overtime to keep up with the pace.

Not only are last year’s p o s t p one d we d d i n g s back on the schedule, but venues and other wedding-related businesses are getting inquiries about receptions for friends and family to— at long last—celebrate elopements and micro weddings that took place in 2020 and early 2021.

A couple recently sat down to enjoy a sample ice cream sandwich at PHOTO BY BASHA COHEN a wedding expo hosted With more weddings scheduled and rescheduled,

by Little Man Ice Cream couples are checking out local wedding expos like one Factory. They became en- recently held at the Little Man Ice Cream Factory. gaged a few months into the pandemic and, now that they can get out dings (for catering and for venue rental of into the community more, are starting to the Little Man Factory), and that couples are explore wedding options. Their family mem- looking to host smaller gatherings. bers wonder just how long this engagement Outdoor venues are especially backed will be, but the couple is content to take their up with requests. In addition to weddings, time and get creative. Plus, venues seem to be popular venues managed by Denver Parks backed up, so that gives them extra time to and Recreation saw a spike in demand—beconsider all the details. ginning in April—from schools planning Hayley Hamilton, catering manager at outdoor proms and graduations. Kris Ryan, Little Man, reports she’s received double to triple the usual inquiries connected to wed- See WEDDINGS, Page 16

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

There Has Never Been a Better Time To Sell a House Than Right Now... Ever!

C OMMU NI TY

End of the Road: Daniel Santangelo to Retire

Longtime Phillips Automotive Mechanic Worked at Location 45 Years

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Page 4 | July 15, 2021-August 14, 2021

PHOTO BY ERIC HEINZ

Daniel Santangelo has worked at the Phillips Automotive shop off 43rd and Zuni for 45 years and has owned it since 2005. He said he plans to retire toward the end of July, and a sale of the building is nearly finalized.

D

aniel Santangelo started working at their cars, if they don’t have a ride,” he said. the Phillips Automotive off 43rd Av- “When their car gets done, I go pick them enue and Zuni right after high school and up. I’ve fixed their screen doors. I’ve fixed never looked in the rearview mirror. their medications for them. While I’m at The longtime mechanic and owner of the the house, (they sometimes ask), ‘Could you quaint automotive repair shop, which has look at this? Could you fix these pills.’ I don’t kept its same look since the building was know why, you know, just stuff like that.”

Where did Santangelo find the time for constructed in 1929, recently decided to retire—and the sale of the building is all but this altruism amid his busy schedule?

“You just do. You just make time,” he finalized as of press time.

Santangelo built and maintained a loyal said. “We don’t do anything in a hurry and clientele since joining the shop in 1976. He we get everything done the best we can to purchased the shop from the family who the best of our ability, always try to make owned it in 2005, only redoing the roof and sure the customers are safe. Got to protect keeping the same style and paint job during the car so you can protect the family, right? those years. He also added some checkered Very important."

“We’ve been fortunate that not anyone flag patterns as a nod to what automotive shops started doing once NASCAR was has ever been hurt or had any problems,” Santangelo added. “No customers have gotformed in the late 1940s.

Santangelo grew up just a few blocks from ten in an incident or accident because of our the shop on Wyandot Street. His brother failure. We strive to be responsible.”

In the decades Santangelo has been at the first worked at the shop and the younger Phillips automotive Santangelo followed shop, he said he has him there once he “Time to do something seen some interestwas old enough. ing events, mostly “I really like cars, while the health is still bickering between working on cars,” Santangelo said, good... and have some fun,” husbands and wives when he had to act adding his favorite he said. “My wife’s been as “a referee.” cars to work on are “Back in the day, classic American vereally, really patient with all (some customers) hicles. A 1964 Ford this and very helpful with came here after pickup truck was work and had a few parked outside the the books...” beers before they shop during the inwent home,” he terview. “I worked here all through high school and then start- said. “It was a good place for them to come and hide from the wife. There’s still a few of ed full time right out of high school.”

Santangelo’s office is decorated with all them that do it today, just retired guys come things cars, from small models to calendars by, hang out for an hour.”

In his retirement, Santangelo said he’s and miscellaneous novelties.

The Phillips Automotive shop Santangelo looking forward to traveling with his wife, has operated for multiple decades is set to Roberta, and between the two of them he close by the end of July, but he said the offi- said they have only taken six weeks of vacation in the last 39 years. cial closing date is not yet set in stone.

“Time to do something while the health The reviews have been overwhelmingly positive for Santangelo and his business. On is still good... and have some fun,” he said.

Yelp, people said they were pleased with his “My wife’s been really, really patient with work and his customer service, even people all this and very helpful with the books and being able to just do this every day and not who said that they never write reviews.

When asked about how he has kept a loy- put herself ahead of everything and help me al customer base, Santangelo said, “It just with business. It has kind of been a dream of boils down to being respectful and fair. mine, and she made it very possible.”

What Daniel Santangelo said he will That’s how we always treated our family, miss most about Phillips Automotive is the and I treat all my customers like family.”

In turn, he said some customers have day-to-day banter with his customers—or brought him lunch or cookies or other family, rather. “thank you” gifts. It may be because SantanEric Heinz is a freelance journalist based gelo has gone above and beyond normal car in Denver. He most recently covered Los Anrepair services for many of them.

“I take my seniors home before I repair geles City Hall for City News Service.

The Denver North Star

H E ALTH & W E L L NE S S

QUALITY FISH MARKET SINCE 1974

COMMUNITY WELLNESS INSTIGATOR

5 Things You Need to Know About Humans and Heat

Y

ou’ve probably noticed -- It’s hot.

And humid. According to Climate Central, Denver has warmed 2.3 degrees over the last 100 years. This ERIKA TAYLOR may not seem like a lot, but to the human body, a bit of extra heat can make a big difference.

Many of us associate summer with a sunshiny ‘good’ mood. Sunshine stimulates vitaPHOTO FROM SHUTTERSTOCK.COM min D production which plays an important role in mood regulation. But heat can wear us -- Drink water before you’re thirsty. Allow down over time. Hot weather, especially the yourself time to adapt to the heat. Many folks muggy kind, may also reduce our attention may not be able to work out as long or as hard and energy levels. One study, published in as usual. That is okay! Our bodies are built on The British Journal of Psychology, found that cycles, and for many, summer is a great time high humidity lowered concentration and in- to slow down. Maybe even smell the roses. creased sleepiness. Hot weather also hurts the Take it indoors: Embrace your inner ability to think critically. A 2018 study pub- mall walker. Check out one of the low cost lished in the journal Nature Climate Change gym options like Planet Fitness or one analyzed more than 600 million tweets and of Denver’s great rec centers. Pop on one found that people were more likely to express of the virtual workouts you downloaddepressive feelings as temperatures rose. ed during quarantine or email me and So while the longer days and warmer tem- I’ll send you one of my favorites. And if peratures provide more opportunities to get you are able, adjust your workout schedoutside and get active, and we humans need ule to early morning or late evening when that sunshine, it is more important than ever it’s cooler. to listen to your body and make sure that you Know the danger signs: Cramps, fatigue, and are doing things to mitigate the effects of in- thirst are signs of heat illness and might be creasing temperatures. mitigated with hydration. However, if you exHydrate: Don’t wait until you are thirsty! perience signs of heat exhaustion - -Headache, Staying hydrated all the time is the best dizziness or lightheadedness, weakness, cool way to be sure your or clammy skin, dark body has the water it urine and nausea or According to Climate needs when it needs vomiting -- Stop exit. Drink water first ercising right away.

Central, Denver has thing when you wake Sip water. Move to warmed 2.3 degrees over up daily and aim for the shade or indoors. at least a drink evthe last 100 years. This may Douse yourself with ery hour. If you are cold water. Apply not seem like a lot, but to going out, be sure a cold, wet cloth to you’ve planned for pulse points and get the human body, a bit of about 8oz for each medical attention person in your party if your condition extra heat can make a (including pets!) for doesn’t improve or big difference. each hour you’re out. gets worse.

And, NO! Coffee, Yes, it’s hot, and soda, and alcohol do not count. it makes a difference to us humans. So, as alDress well: Wear lightweight, light-colored, ways, give yourself grace. And remember that loose-fitting clothes. Protect yourself from one of the best things about living in Colorado the sun with sunglasses, a hat, and plenty of is the change of seasons. And one of the best sunscreen. One product we see advertised: things about being human is that our bodies cooling towels. According to Consumer Re- can thrive in each of those seasons with just a ports the least expensive available works just little help from our brains. as well as the most expensive and a plain old kitchen towel works as well as either.

Erika Taylor is a community wellness inUnless it's humid. In which case - head for stigator at Taylored Fitness. Taylored Fitair conditioning. ness believes that everyone can discover Listen to your body: If you are headed out- small changes in order to make themselves side; take frequent breaks in the shade, and - and their communities more vibrant. Vis-I know I'm repeating myself here but it's the it facebook.com/erika.taylor.303 or email biggest factor in hot weather activity success erika@tayloredfitness.com.

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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

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

COMMU NI TY

! u o Y k n a Th

B

5 North Denver Businesses You May Not Know (But Do Now!)

By David Sabados and Kathryn White

NACQUISTI Wine Company

Denver’s Urban Winery Serving the Northside for 15 Years

Open for tasting Wed-Fri 12-6p Sat-Sun 12-5p

PHOTO BY DAVID SABADOS

Connie's Antiques and Treasurers opened last year. With crowds returning to Tennyson St, more people are starting to find the new antique shop.

I

f you’ve lived in North Denver more than a few weeks you probably know about businesses like Linger, Feral, Parisi, and other North Denver icons. We wanted to highlight a few North Denver Businesses you might not have heard of yet though. Some are new; some predate all of their neighbors, but all are worth checking out. Find a new business to love today!

4640 Pecos St Unit I Denver 80211 BonacquistiWine.com 303-477-9463

BERKELEY INN: TENNYSON STREET’S LAST DIVE BAR A pool table with two 9 balls?

Patrons who actually choose George Thorogood on the jukebox?

A guy in a bowling shirt permanently stationed at the end of the bar?

Welcome to Tennyson Street’s last dive bar.

While there’s no shortage of great places to go on Tennyson St, there’s nothing else quite like the Berkeley Inn, at least anymore. The Berkeley Inn is one of the oldest bars in Denver and certainly the oldest on Tennyson St -- it was established “in or around” 1934 according to the history on their website.

With affordably priced drinks, friendly staff, and an atmosphere you don’t find in newer bars, it’s well worth being included in a night out. With music bingo nights, karaoke nights, and a great crowd nearly every night, there’s no wrong time to stop in to the Berkeley Inn. The Berkeley Inn is located at 3834 Tennyson St.

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4401 Tennyson, Berkeley | (303) 561-0234 Page 6 | July 15, 2021-August 14, 2021

BONACQUISTI WINE COMPANY: FILL YOUR GROWLER WITH A GREAT SUMMER WINE Tucked into a strip mall off Pecos Street, north of West 46th Avenue, sits one of Denver’s first urban wineries. Paul Bonacquisti, owner and winemaker, opened the doors to Bonacquisti Wine Company in 2006 after wrapping up as a DJ at Jammin’ 92.5. He and fellow owner Judi Diaz Bonacquisti, EdD, have been bringing people in North Denver together over wine and music ever since.

Paul Bonacquisti leverages Palisade, CO, grapes and an earlier chapter of his life making wine alongside his father to produce 3 new small-production wines every quarter. Wine club members are guaranteed bottles, but anyone can stop by to refill a growler or see what’s available on tap or from the rack.

In 2019 the winery’s Cabernet Franc earned 90 points from Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

And Bonacquisti wines have scored well in the annual Colorado Governor’s Cup Winemaking Competition. The Tempranillo Franc has earned a Double Gold, ranking in the 12 highest-scoring wines of the competition.

A large garage door opens onto the parking lot for what local bands refer to as a “very easy load-in.” More than 20 local bands enjoy spots in the rotation. As you arrive, enjoy a glass of wine and the afternoon’s groove. Notice the artwork hanging behind the bar. Com-

missioned by Daniel Luna, it tells the family story. Linger for another taste or to smile at a baby in a stroller. Sounds from the band—or what’s spinning live on Denver Wine Radio— make their way around tall stainless-steel fermentation tanks.

You’ll enjoy the wine, yet your time at Bonacquisti is much more. Luna’s vibrant and colorful storytelling artwork surrounds you throughout the winery. Purchase a signature pot or run into Luna himself when he comes by to add pieces. With over 5,000 growlers out across Denver, it’s clear the winery is about community. Its unique blend of wine, music, and art brings friends and family together and helps forge new connections around what’s important to Northsiders.

And Bonacquisti’s popular Fridays Uncorked returns this summer! Catch New Orleans-style funk band Gumbo le Funque on July 23rd.

Stop in at 4640 Pecos St, Unit I, or check them out online at www.bonacquistiwine.com CONNIE’S ANTIQUES AND TREASURES: FINDING THAT UNIQUE ITEM FOR YOUR HOME A newly opened antiques store is almost a contradiction in terms. Most antique stores seem to be as old as many of the items they sell, but Connie’s Antiques and Treasurer’s recently reached their one year anniversary, opening Memorial Day weekend of 2020. Connie’s is owned and operated by Connie and Gil Rivera, who describe running the antiques shop as the “dream retirement job.” Gil has recently retired from his career in construction and Connie still works her day job but sees the shop as her full time job down the road. After being married for 45 years, they joked that they never thought they would work together but now can’t imagine doing anything different.

“It’s an adventure,” said Connie. “Every time I’m in here it’s an adventure.” Both love the location, describing Tennyson St as a vibrant community of merchants they’ve gotten to know.

The shop is filled with items you might not find anywhere else. The couple showed off an 1800’s whiskey dispenser that would be a striking feature of any home bar, a 1950s accordion, Soviet car figurines, and much more. There’s more modern vintage items as well, including a classic Pac Man arcade game (yes -- it works).

While some items are purely decorative, others are incredibly functional as well. There’s stunning black milk dishware that you can use every day. White milk is more common they explain, and they have that as well, but the black pieces are distinct. They display the uranium glassware underneath a black light so you can see the glow (yes -- it’s considered safe to use). Whether it’s just for display or brought

See BUSINESSES, Page 7 The Denver North Star

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Businesses Continued from Page 6

full time job.

Why convert your existing bike and not buy one of the dozens you see advertised on Facebook (or will soon if you’re reading this story online -- thanks creepy Google crawlers)? Guetterman explained that some of the new online-only companies use proprietary parts but the companies don’t stick around, meaning you can’t fix the bike later.

At the time of the interview, he had two in his shop he was having to redo because they were bought from online companies that ar-

You can find more information at eforcebikes.com or by calling 303-246-7495. His shop on Tennyson St is open by appointment.

PEOPLEPROUD: FOR WHEN YOU’RE PROUD OF YOUR PEOPLE PeopleProud founder Samantha Farley started PeopleProud in her LoHi apartment.

An employee appreciation gift box company, they create custom gift boxes employers can give to teams or individuals.

Farley sums up the business on her website: “I never felt like I was cared for by my company as a human-being.

This company was created to show that people DO matter. Our boxes are meant to feel like they’re coming from another human, not a corporate gift box company.”

Farley started the company in January of 2020 and it was only weeks later that the world started to shut down. “For the first six months we didn’t get any sales,” she explained in an interview. That timing, though, would prove to be E FORCE BIKES: WHEN YOUR advantageous. As people settled BIKE JUST NEEDS A LITTLE into their work-from-home lives, MORE FORCE businesses couldn't do many of PHOTO FROM WWW.PEOPLEPROUD.COM Bicycling is an affordable, conthe normal employee appreciation Want to send a gift box to your coworkers? Check out venient, environmentally friendactivities they were accustomed to PeopleProud ly, and fun way to get around, and by July the orders started to but anyone who has biked up Tejon St. from en’t around any longer. Shopping locally also roll in. “We’re on track to double our revenue the familydowntown knows why the area is called The means you can ride a bike and make sure it’s this year, if not more.” smile at aHighlands. comfortable for you.

Maybe you want a coffee gift box with cofband—or E Force Bikes, the brainchild of Eric GuetNot sure if an e-bike is right for you? E Force fee from a women-owned, sustainably sourced ne Radio—terman, is an electric bike conversion com- also has bikes to rent for only $50 for a half coffee company for the coworkers who always nless-steelpany. Have a bike you love and want it to day (5 hours) or $85 for the full day (10 hours). met at the coffee shop next to your office. Or have a little more oomph? Guetterman can Guetterman says his business is split between a cocktail and champagne kit gift box to celime at Bo-help. With a variety of motor and battery locals and some tourists looking to explore the ebrate landing a new client. Whatever the brant andoptions, conversion can run less than $1000 city. If you love it and want to convert a bike, reason, Farley and her team can help create ounds youor you can truly pimp your ride with all the you even get the rental cost as a credit towards custom boxes to make your gifts truly personalized for your employees. You can also start signatureelectronic bells and whistles. Guetterman your conversion. he comessays most customers are looking to spend Cycling has been his preferred mode of with a premade gift box from their website.

From their (home) office in LoHi, Peopleowlers out$1200 - $1500 on the conversion. transportation for years and he thinks it can y is about Guetterman did audio and lighting for be yours too. “Denver is a pretty easy city to get Proud now includes Denver companies like ne, music,large events, converting bikes as a side busi- around by bicycle,” he said. Adding that people Health Grades and national companies like gether andness. When the pandemic hit last year and sometimes ask if e-bikes are cheating. “What Buzzfeed as clients. You can find them at https://www.peopleproud.com nd what’sevents stopped, he dove into making it his -- at having fun?” out on Halloween, it’s eerie. Cast iron pans, a staple of many kitchens, are also a big seller.

One of Gil’s favorite’s is the collection of hardware for doors and light switches which would fit well in many older North Denver homes. Residents in more modern homes might find an antique trunk to be both functional and distinct, adding flair to a practical storage item.

During the interview, a couple from Illinois visiting their son in Denver came in and left with a metal plate of vintage John Deere machinery. “We’re from corn country,” they said as they bought it. Even people who aren’t big antiquers will be hard pressed to leave empty-handed. This writer didn’t.

Connie’s Antiques and Treasurers is located at 3832 Tennyson St.

NEWS SHO RTS

Deadly Algae Detected in Sloan’s Lake

By The Denver North Star Staff

CAUTION NO PETS ALLOWED IN WATER DO NOT DRINK WATER AVOID CONTACT WITH FLOATING ALGAE

T

Algae present can be toxic & cause skin rashes, eye irritation, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, or breathing problems. If you or your pets come in contact with water and experience these symptoms contact your doctor or veterinarian.

Visit denvergov.org/WaterQuality for more information.

he Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) and Denver ParksFISHING & Recreation arewellwarning residents ALLOWED– rinse & discard guts AVOIDdeadly ALGAE MATS about potentially blue-green algae at Sloan’s Lake. The cyanobacteria can poison not only dogs, cats, livestock, wildlife, birds, and fish, but also humans. It can cause neurologic problems and liver failure, leading to death.

The city has posted warning signs around the lake, advising park users not to let their pets in the water or drink it.

The risk comes from dogs drinking the toxic water or licking the toxins off their fur.

Water containing the toxic algal blooms look like pea-green paint or slime on the surface.

If your dog gets into a harmful bloom, rinse your pet off immediately with fresh, clean water. And, if you’ve been in contact with the bloom, immediately wash with soap and water.

If your pet has been poisoned by the algae, it’ll show symptoms anywhere from 15 minutes to several days, including diarrhea or vomiting, weakness or staggering, drooling, difficulty breathing and convulsions or seizures. Pets can die within hours of consuming the algae. People can get sick and experience symptoms including a headache, diarrhea, weakness, and liver damage.

DDPHE believes the algae blooms will remain in the lake for at least another month or until temperatures start to cool.

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The Denver North Star

July 15, 2021-August 14, 2021 | Page 7

ARTS & C U LT UR E

C OM M UN I T Y

CHECKING OUT

SHAPING OUR FUTURE BY REMEMBERING OUR PAST

Downplaying Our Declaration Reading

Checking Out: The Disordered Cosmos

W

e commonly think of the study of science and that of sociology or humanities as very different - we look at science as neutral and data-driven, while non-STEM fields are HANNAH EVANS frequently seen as reflective and thought-driven. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein’s new book, “The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, & Dreams Deferred” (2021, Bold Type Books), successfully argues that “studying the physical world requires confronting the social world,” however. By delving into her backgrounds in physics, astronomy, and black feminist thought, Prescod-Weinstein shows the deep interconnectedness of all that surrounds us.

“The Disordered Cosmos” opens with a dense but accessible section on physics, where Prescod-Weinstein gives solid explanations on spacetime, dark matter, and what exactly a quark is. Though a bit challenging to read if this isn’t a field you’ve studied, the writing is interesting and relatable while also containing the infectious passion of Prescod-Weinstein on (one of) her area(s) of expertise.

After the in-depth science lesson as background, Prescod-Weinstein looks deeply into who can study science and what that means for all of us as curious individuals as well as for the scientific community, stating, “Access to a dark light sky - to see and be inspired by the universe as it really is - should be a human right, not a luxury for the chosen few.” The historic barriers to education and access to research based on race, class, gender, and sexual orientation have discouraged or prevented many people from pursuing scientific study, and too many of those barriers still exist or manifest in other ways today.

“The Disordered Cosmos” is all at once a scientific study, a historical account, a sociological analysis, and a highly personal narrative of first-hand experiences from a black and queer woman who holds an undeniably rare tenure-track position. Prescod-Weinstein asks, “what if you never give yourself permission to think about a problem?” As someone who was interested in chemistry but who gave up taking classes after being needlessly discouraged by a high school teacher, I personally see some of the answer to that question; Prescod-Weinstein admirably shares her story of continuing to pursue thinking about a problem, regardless of the institutional barriers and the multitude of challenges along the way.

Check out “The Disordered Cosmos” at your closest Denver Public Library location or through denverlibrary.com.

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

E

very year for about 30 years, Tom Noel, John Stewart, and I look forward to being invited to a wonderful annual civic event unique in the DENNIS GALLAGHER city and special to our civic memory. This year was no different from all others. We three were asked to volunteer to lead a live reading of the Declaration of Independence in the park. This year things were different.

In years past at the park, the prophetic words of Marshall McLuhan held sway as they did on Friday, July 2nd, just before the Glendale fireworks. Simply put, McLuhan surmised that if something is important enough in life, the medium of a microphone would be included in the reading. At 6 PM we three were invited to lead the people gathered for the only public reading of the Declaration, a document which helped break the bonds that tied us to King George III and Great Britain, her mean and selfish self. In "the medium is the message." In years past, the park always supplied a microphone available from the Denver Municipal Band. Alas,

they live in? Where did they get those funny mourning coats? Can't we just let them sleep off their dinners? Do we really have to listen to all the war stories?

"Will the citizens have a microphone and speakers to help read the Declaration this year?" I asked someone who looked in charge from the park. The answer back gave us the park's medium and message, "the microphone was reserved for the music this year.

We can read the Declaration as they did in 1776, with naturally roused and raised voices." The music was more important than the Declaration's reading. No, we can't interrupt the music for the 15 minute reading of Jefferson's masterful words encouraging our separation. The medium was the message. Heaven help us, we don't want people to leave. Isn't it a political document? Boring!

And let us be thankful to Ed Feulner, Regis College class of 1963, from the Heritage Foundation for sending copies of the Declaration. And special thanks to Ryan Pappas of Congressman Ed Perlmutter's Office for actually delivering copies of the Declaration and Constitution to the Four Mile House for this year's reading. Good to see such bi-par-

the band did not play this year. No mic.

This year we slowly trudged past the perky rock band with microphones and speakers, playing for hundreds of dusty citizens gathered at the park's fundraiser. Someone from the park directed us to the east side of the old farmhouse, a block or two away from the siren's call of easy listening music. I felt like the unwanted sleepy uncles in Dylan Thomas' A Child's Christmas in Wales. Did these quirky uncles actually show up again with copies of the Declaration to be read out loud at our annual event? Who are they? What century do

tisan cooperation working together for the Republic. If we can keep it.

Despite this major oversight by the overseers at Four Mile House, the few people gathered near food stall tables seemed pleased to be asked to join in on the readings. A group of students from Bradley School eagerly read with unfeigned outrage and conviction about the British forcing the colonists to house British soldiers in their homes. Why didn't we know about that? Another read of the King sending "hither a multitude of new officers to eat us out of our store." Shame on the King.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DENNIS GALLAGHER

Dennis Gallagher, Tom Noel, and John Stewart have a particular 4th of July tradition: reading the Declaration of Independence in the park.

Historic shouts of "Down with King George.

Up with the Republic," echoed in the warm summer air off the Four Mile House farmhouse near historic Cherry Creek. Thanks to John Stewart and Bernice Bertolli, administrative assistant to Orthodox Archbishop Alexander, for recruiting students and others to abandon their fear of public speaking and lead the citizens in the all too short reading.

No trial by jury? Down with King George.

We know the Declaration, nudged by Jefferson, is not a perfect document. It is, as MLK said of it, a promise to economic freedom and it comes up short on the bank account side.

My interpretation of his words. It's something we have to work at every day, like a more perfect union. Like Jesuits with AMDG, "Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam." Google it.

But at the annual reading at Four Mile, citizens had a brief chance to read and rededicate themselves to the lofty principles of all people being created equal and having certain unalienable rights from their creator, not from government. I hope people still believe these lofty goals. Do you think they still do?

Finally, one does not have to read the Declaration only on July 4th. Read the document any and every day of the year. Try it. It makes you feel better as we work toward a more perfect union.

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

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The Denver North Star

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

C O M M UN I T Y

By Basha Cohen

Celebrating Community with a 4th of July Bang

T

he annual Highland neighborhood Fourth of July Parade went into hibernation during the pandemic. With the return to “almost normal,” the coveted community parade and family affair returned this year to celebrate our country's birthday in a socially responsible way. Gone, was the 200-foot-long Little Man Ice Cream sundae that always culminated the celebration, but beloved traditions of a bike decorating pre-party hosted by Mama ‘Hood, balloon arches, festively clad red-white-and-blue locals marching behind the Berkeley Gardens antique fire truck, and the additional starpower of Senior Miss Colorado, Lorie Woltemath, the 96-years-young St. Elizabeth resident, brought heart and soul

back to the streets of the Lower Highlands.

The community spirit was palpable as 400 people gathered for opening remarks by Rebecca Williams, a neighborhood mom who jumped into action at the last minute to reignite the parade tradition that began in 2008.

Shaina Walsh, a recent North High graduate, expressed gratitude to the community, “I’ve been coming to this parade for as long as I can remember. It has always been my favorite memory of this neighborhood. I’m so grateful to see all of your smiling faces and that we can all be together again after our COVID hiatus last year.” The National Anthem was led by Makenna Sherry to a cheering crowd.

As the parade traveled down 32nd Avenue to

Tejon Street, Lorie Woltemath waved at the people lining the streets and porches from her decorated rickshaw. She beamed in her patriotic checked pants and Miss Senior Colorado banner proving that you’re never too old to love a parade. By far the most innovative decoration was a motorized mini truck replete with red, white, & blue fixings and a tail end filled with flying bubbles.

At Hirshorn Park families dropped their scooters and bikes and headed for the shade on the sweltering hot day. They were met by our hometown heroes, Denver Fire Department #7, who put on a spectacular waterworks display that had kids (and adults) squealing with joy in a hypersonic hose-

down that brought new meaning to “running through the sprinklers”.

After the splash-fest, folks headed to Little Man Ice Cream, which turned 13 on the 4th of July, for a kid-friendly “Happy Birthday Singalong” featuring local North Denver favorite, Hank Williams, Director of Awesomeness, from the Rocky Mountain Aardvarks.

Thanks to Rebecca Williams, Highland United Neighborhood Inc (HUNI) and dozens of local businesses, neighbors, and volunteers, The Highland 4th of July Parade ushered in a return to celebrating community and gathering together once again.

Well done!

Photos by Basha Cohen Top to bottom: Row 1: THE BEST DECORATED Motorized Vehicle; Lorie Woltemath, 96-year-young, Miss Senior Colorado leads the parade. She resides in Elizabeth Gardens; Gathering for the National Anthem; Denver Fire Department 7 Meet & Greet...and a sweet splashy treat in store; Denver Fire Department 7 Meet & Greet...puts on a splashy show for the ultimate run through the sprinklers; Denver Fire Department 7 puts on a splashy show for the ultimate run through the sprinklers-The field became a beach for the kiddos; Sisters at the bike decorating station; Doggone good looking patriotic pups; After the parade, Hank Williams of the Rocky Mountain Aardvarks leads a birthday singalong at Little Man Ice Cream to celebrate "The Can's" 13th birthday; Organizer Rebecca Williams and Family enjoys the 13th Birthday singalong at Little Man Ice Cream post-parade; Families gather for a Rocky Mountain Aardvarks singalong at Little Man Ice Cream after the parade; Ready to roll in patriotic red, white & blue; Families gather for a Rocky Mountain Aardvarks singalong at Little Man Ice Cream after the parade.

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

The Denver North Star

CO M M U N I TY

Youth Baseball Team Looks to Be High School Feeder

At 11 and Younger, North Denver Bambinos Prep for Future

By Eric Heinz

R

ain delayed practice for the North Denver Bambinos on July 1, one day before the team of 11-year-olds had a game.

It was yet another setback for them, and coach Nathan Aguilar said the bad weather has been “kind of the storyline this year.”

The Bambinos have seen a year much like other young athletes. The COVID-19 pandemic made for a dismal world of online school.

Activities were canceled, and young players lost a critical season in their development.

It rained so hard July 1 that the next day’s game against a team from Brighton had to be moved from Skinner Middle School to Lake Middle School just down the road.

During the beginning of the pandemic, Aguilar said he had to get permits in Westminster to book practices, as nearby public schools closed their facilities.

“I would say they (the players) are really committed,” Aguilar said. “Everybody has PHOTOS BY ERIC HEINZ family plans and travels. But, for the most Mauricio Lucero of the North Denver part, everybody has been really committed, going year-round with me. I think that’s Bambinos slides safely into home plate in a July 2 game against Brighton Youth what’s really helped them... develop.”

Currently, the Bambinos organization Baseball at Lake Middle School. fields teams of under 9 years old, under 10 Aguilar said Vikings coach Ernesto years old, and under 11 years old, with the latter being the oldest team, and they play in Marquez has been instrumental in helping the the Rocky Mountain Junior Baseball League. young players enhance their skills, but it will The rules for the league are arduous for take a coach who has enough time to dedicate a group of almost-middle-schoolers. For example, baserunners can steal whenever they please, unlike in Little League and similar youth baseball factions where a pitch must first cross home plate before a runner can try to advance. They play by the same rules as Major League Baseball, except the field is smaller.

The kind of focus it takes to play with those kinds of rules can make it even harder on some of the newer Bambinos, and a few of them started playing baseball just within the last year.

The Bambinos may look North Denver Bambinos’ player Ezekiel Maddux like an elite youth baseball throws a pitch July 2 in a game against Brighton Youth team, they work together Baseball Association at Lake Middle School. like one, but they can’t enjoy the same benefits that may be available to to weekly practices to grow the organization. other programs. The teams must chalk and “Nathan knows how important it is for maintain their own fields. any high school program to have kids that “At the high school level, you know, you feed into a program, who not only have have to do your own field (work),” Aguilar the ability but the knowledge of the game,” said. “It gives the kids some exposure and Marquez said. “I can’t thank him enough for some accountability and ownership. When starting that organization.” they play on the field, they rake it and they Marquez said he estimates 95% or more just respect it a little bit more.” of the Bambinos players will matriculate to Umpires were also missing from the July 2 NHS. The Vikings coach son plays for the game, and coaches had to fill those roles.

U11 team, and Aguilar was an assistant Aguilar started the Bambinos with a coach for the high school at one time. friend, who also had children the same age, “I have the confidence in Nathan to teach in 2016, beginning in the Develop Police kids how to play baseball,” Marquez said, Activities League. adding he tries to help when he’s not busy Aguilar said he wants the Bambinos with the Vikings, but he’s not a full-time to become a “feeder” team, a team that coach for the Bambinos. grooms young players for the high school Although the team has been through level, particularly for the local North High some uphill battles, there have been sucSchool Vikings. cesses. The Bambinos won their first tourThe Vikings won a regional tournament nament game last month in Granby, and the playoff game this season after claiming the U11 and U10 teams were slated to play in the top spot in the Denver Public Schools league USSAA baseball AA state tournament July regular season.

10-11. Results are expected to be posted to “I don’t have the staffing, the coaching usssa.com/baseball, which were unavailable support, to support some of those kids that as of press time. have wanted to come to play for us,” he said.

For more information on the team, check “And it’s really unfortunate because I can out www.bambinosbaseball.com only stack a roster so much. I can’t bring on additional kids. It’s hard finding coaches that Eric Heinz is a freelance journalist based are here to help groom and mentor them and in Denver. He most recently covered Los Andevelop them.” geles City Hall for City News Service.

The Denver North Star

N EWS SHO RTS

G.E.S. Activists, Councilwoman Cdebaca Call on City to Give National Western Land to Community

By The Denver North Star Staff

A

group of activists from the Globeville, Elyria, and Swansea neighborhoods are calling for a portion of the land near the National Western Complex to be given to the community after a public-private partnership (P3) concept fell through last year and the land hasn’t yet been repurposed.

The section of the land east of the National Western buildings is sometimes referred to as “the Triangle” due to its shape. It includes several homes and other buildings acquired by the city. One notable speaker at the rally in late June was David Torres, whose family has lost two homes to the city. One was taken for I-70 expansion and the 2nd is still standing but purchased by the city and currently sits empty.

While speakers at the rally highlighted a va-

riety of issues, the underlying message was a call for the city to give the land to the community, whether that’s in the form of a land trust or other arrangement. Residents of the area highlighted the need for more small businesses and grocers in the area and hope businesses catering to the residents, rather than visitors, can be encouraged to open in the area.

The rally’s most prominent speaker was Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca, who represents the area and has worked closely with community groups like the G.E.S. Coalition. CdeBaca spoke in favor of returning the land to community control.

The redevelopment of the National Western Complex is an ongoing, important issue and The Denver North Star will be covering it in a more comprehensive story as it goes forward.

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

C O M M UN I T Y

A Swinetastic New Addition to North Denver

Will Zon

By Allen Cowgill

W

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PORTER FAMILY

Velma the pig is not just bringing joy to her family, but is also being trained as a therapy pig to help others.

Enigma

Continued from Page 1 forming arts, music, film, design, fashion, arts administration, and more. They explain their focus as a collaborative one, community-centered, and as connecting the physical realms with the ethereal, creating artistic and sensory experiences that can move from a performance or gallery wall to a gif destined for an NFT. If that sounds too heady, let’s start with The Sun Room, where you will find spaciousness and warming colors greeting you from the door. On some nights, there might be standing room only concerts of varying genres. On others, dinner theatre or film. There is also room for surprises with pop-up events in the bar. The venue also has a cabaret license which means there will be dancing!

There is a horseshoe shaped bar with room enough on both sides for bartenders and clientele to promote openness and sociability.

An important feature of the Sun Room is that everything is made to shift: the modular stage, the curtains, a drop-down screen for films, and of course the tables and chairs. Carly talks about the multi-purpose possibilities of the house lights and film projector: “We have a drop down projector for movie screenings, and even just projecting on performers, the light can really change the walls when they’re projected on. It messes with the color in such an interesting way.”

Enigma Bazaar is a hybrid space where one can expect anything to happen, music and

hile many folks were getting pandemic puppies last year, Emma Porter was getting a pandemic pig. Last August she drove out to the eastern plains of Colorado to the Hog Haven Farm, a pig rescue in Deer Trail.

The nonprofit, founded in 2014, just 45 minutes east of town, has rescued over 300 pigs and focuses on finding them their “forever homes” as well as providing educational resources to prospective families who want to adopt these pot bellied pigs.

Emma can remember wanting to have a potbellied pig as a pet since she was five years old. “I definitely remember growing up and any book that had illustrations of pigs I really liked. I just was really drawn to pigs. I don’t know why, but I definitely liked Charlotte’s Web and Babe.” She learned about the pig rescue farm in early 2020 and began the research and application process to adopt a pig. Emma and her family went there to meet a few of the pigs that the owner of Hog Haven thought would be good fits for their living situation and that day they met their future addition to the family. “We really liked Velma, so we brought her home a couple weeks later.”

But Velma has not just brought joy to her home, kids in the neighborhood have loved meeting Velma. Neighborhood families have messaged Emma setting up playdates to come

over to see Velma and pet her.

Emma and significant other Brian McLeod even have plans to train her as a therapy pig.

“We just started the process of her becoming a therapy pig. There is basically a checklist of things she should be able to do in order to get her certified, and she has most of those items checked off the list. There are just a couple we’re still training her on.” Emma and Brian are hoping by the end of 2021 she’ll be a therapy pig.

That means the couple can take her into nursing homes or hospitals that allow it. “We can bring her in and people can be around her and give her treats and pet her.”

The process to get approval from the city was pretty lengthy and took a few months. The couple had to get approval from both the Director of the Denver Animal Shelter, and had to reach out to Denver Zoning. They posted the required signs at their house alerting neighbors to their application. Tom Brunn, Vice President of the Sloan’s Lake Citizens Group, saw the sign and invited the couple to come to one of the Registered Neighborhood Organization’s monthly meetings to talk about their planned adoption with other neighbors. The group was unanimously supportive about the new addition to the neighborhood and were excited to hear about their goal of bringing joy to others as a

therapy pig. “It was great to have the communi-By Kathry ty’s support,” Emma said.

Velma has two different outdoor homes in the couple's backyard that she loves: one looks similar to a dog house, and the second larger one is big enough to put lots of hay in it. Her typical routine is to wake up in the morning, get breakfast, and take a nap in the sun. She’ll sometimes graze in Emma and Brian’s front yard in the summer and enjoys cozying up next to their fireplace in the winter. Emma said that pigs need to be mentally stimulated throughout the day, “or else they’ll get bored or depressed, so I have a bunch of different toys for her that she can play with.” Pigs also love to root or dig, so they’ll take Velma down to a neighbors back yard that loves to let Velma dig in it so she can have some fun as well. Velma is really social, and they are thinking about getting a pet bunny to be friends with Velma since rabbits and pigs tend to be good friends. She has been the occasional prankster, grabbing compost bags off the top of tables and forcing Emma to chase her around the yard to get them back.

While Velma has not been a typical pet for North Denver, she certainly has made her mark and brought much happiness to her new home and all the new friends she has made since moving to town.

dance, for example, a circus performance by Rainbow Militia, experimental performances by Control Group Productions, or an act

by Denver Mentalists Anthem and Aria, who will be part of Enigma Bazaar’s grand opening in September.

An atmosphere of change and evolution is incorporated into Enigma’s structure so that the energy there never becomes stale. Art exhibits shift, designs in the space change. Even the menu items and cocktails change with rotating themes and experimentations based on whatever is happening at the venue. Plants, some of which are herbs for upcoming recipes, grow along the sills of the hallway and gallery windows.

Christine Samar explains that the building itself is based on a bird's eye view of the kabbalistic tree of life: “I picked the tree of life because there's a lot of archetypal references to the tarot, astrology, and people find many ways to connect to it. We took aspects from every part of the tree of life and translated it into the different segments of the building.”

The possibilities of the space don’t end with the experimentation and elements of its design.

Enigma Bazaar aims to be a place that not only entertains all of the senses of every patron who walks through its doors, but also inspires artists of all calibers to be nurtured and to create art as a result of their experiences with the venue.

Carly Howard explains that while the Enigma Bazaar team have collected quite the catalogue of performers and artists, they are excited to see what the community can imagine for Enigma Bazaar: “We wanted to design the

space with enough resources so that when it was ready to go we could almost give it to the community and see what people decided they wanted to put in here. We wanted to leave it pretty open, let it be a good avenue for people to get on stage. We’ve put a lot of time into it, and now we’re asking people ‘what can you do with it?’”

The Sun Room is but one experience a patron can choose during their time at Enigma Bazaar. If one looks beyond the bar, one sees a seeming portal which translates into a moon on the opposite wall. The Moon Room is a quieter, blue, otherworldly lounge in which one might sip drinks, have an intimate conversation, and enjoy artistically created menu items catered to the room by experimental Latin-fusion Xatrucho chef Edwin Sandoval Cruz.

Just behind the Moon Room is a hallway, which leads to the restroom facilities. The hallway also serves as a small gallery which currently features a glow-in-the-dark installation of one of local artist Annie Garcia’s Neon Lupita Altars. Proof to the point of the living nature of Enigma Bazaar: Denver hip-hop duo RAREBYRD$ & Neef recently shot a video in the Neon Lupita Altar hallway for their single “Patty Cake” which will be released to the public mid-July 2021.

There is a back patio with outdoor seating.

Another hallway transports patrons towards the main gallery which holds its own surprises: rotating art exhibits, for example, and classes like Swing Dancing and Tango Thursdays (no partner required). Anyone can call for more information on how to rent the space for

events and classes, as well.

“We’re a seedbank for multiple energies,” says Autumn. “We are saving something. Even before Covid there were gaps that needed to be filled as far as space for artists and I think now, even more so than ever.

Carly adds that “It’s the idea that a lot of artists even if they’re at the beginning of their career can come in and really be nurtured here, and start finding their place. It’s not just people who are established that we want to come in.”

“We saved this building,” Chad says. “I think the people we were bidding with were going to turn this into some sort of condos.”

“And other people we’ve talked to really appreciate that we’ve kept as much of the building as we can,” Christine says, “which is the original exterior, and that is a really beautiful part of the building.”

Enigma Bazaar opens with its first local and international art exhibit which will showcase 100 variations of The Fool tarot card in the west gallery and online, merging the physical world with the digital. Artists have the option to sell their work as NFTs. The Fool exhibit shows with Enigma Bazaar’s grand opening in September. For information on how to submit, visit: https://thefool.io/ For news and updates about what is happening at Enigma Bazaar, follow them on Twitter: @theenigmabazaar, Instagram: @enigmabazaar, and Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/enigmabazaar.

Also, be sure to check out Enigma Bazaar’s fantastic happy hour which will feature $5 cocktails that won’t be beat.

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P O L I TI CS

Will the Johnsons Get a Zoning Variance?

By Kathryn White

I

n May we told you about Shawn and Ben Johnson’s unsuccessful effort to obtain a zoning variance for 95 square feet of additional building footprint for an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) they want to build for Shawn’s mom, Catherine Johnson, who is disabled.

The Johnsons spoke at Denver City Council general public comment sessions and reached out to what they hoped would be relevant City departments, all in search of assistance responding to their disheartening experience with the Board of Adjustment for Zoning Appeals (BOA).

Readers reached out to the Johnsons with offers of support (legal and otherwise). And after our story was printed, the Johnsons’ case was further highlighted in the May 19th episode of the City Cast Denver podcast.

BUT WILL THE JOHNSONS GET A VARIANCE? Within an hour of the Johnsons’ May 10th repeat-appearance at city council general public comment, an email was sent by Division of Disability Rights Director Aisha Rousseau, PhD, CRC, to several city department leaders and council members. Rousseau alluded to a misstep in the BOA’s line of questioning in the hearings, and went on to describe an alternative planning and review process that is being made available to the Johnsons due to Ms. Johnson’s disability.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE JOHNSON FAMILY

A variance of 95 square feet including a straight staircase capable of supporting a chair stopped the Johnsons from building a home for Shawn’s mother Catherine Johnson.

“Thank you to the Johnsons, various community members, City Councilmembers, City Council Aides, the Denver Anti-Discrimination Office, and the Mayor’s Office of Social Equity and Innovation for highlighting the disability-related concerns with this matter.

“Division of Disability Rights (DDR) does not have jurisdiction with the Board of Adjustment. Subsequently, it is important to note that this alternate review is a separate process from the Board of Adjustment and is instead a request for an administrative adjustment related to a reasonable accommodation to be conducted by Community Planning and Development (CPD) staff. No additional information related to the details of Ms. Catherine Johnson’s disability will be required to process this request.”

Which is to say, the Johnsons will soon undergo one more attempt. The process will be similar yet apart from the BOA’s. Shawn Johnson reflects back and looks forward, “The subjective and biased adjudications from members of the BOA is a significant issue the City still needs to address. Detour-

The Denver North Star

GOOD TO KNOW Denver City Council’s general public comment sessions take place on Zoom every Monday from 5 to 5:30pm, immediately prior to city council meetings. You can sign up to address city council for a limit of 3 minutes on any matter of concern to the city. There are also several committee hearings and agendarelated public hearings one can participate in. ing from that inequitable pathway we are working with CPD on developing an alternative; and are hopeful it will help our family and others.”

WILL CITY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BE MADE MORE EQUITABLE, MORE RESIDENTFRIENDLY? Beyond the BOA’s handling of Ms. Johnson’s disability, the case revealed other concerning aspects that—to date— are receiving markedly less attention from the city. These are: the BOA’s racially homogenous composition, the Johnsons’ experience with bias, the city’s thin options for accountability of BOA members (the sole route to removal is a greater than 25% absence from meetings), and a subjective process where a hardship standard must be met but where the application of its defining line does not appear to be consistent from case to case.

The BOA is one of 130 city boards and commissions managed through the Mayor’s office. A majority of members are appointed by the Mayor’s office, with members of 43 going on to also require city council confirmation.

Additionally, City Council directly appoints over 50 people to 14 boards, committees, and review panels. Some of the 14 overlap with the 130 populated by mayoral appointments. The two domains are staffed and managed separately.

When it comes to the 14 boards, committees, and review panels, City Council appoints Denverites to, Legislative Policy Analyst Emily Lapel, who staffs the process, says that council revamped its appointment process in 2019 with an eye specifically toward being more equitable and transparent.

It made changes to the way it recruits for vacancies and vets candidates. And Lapel is currently “reviewing all mayoral appointments that require council approval to ensure there is documentation of that.”

Councilwoman Amanda P. Sandoval is “very supportive of any initiative the Mayor’s office takes to update the City’s boards and commissions and to incorporate best practices that further equity, especially for those bodies that have direct contact with the community. I will be having conversations with my colleagues about the role of Council and how we can support this process, provide oversight and work on changes to the current ordinances to deliver better outcomes for the residents of Denver. It is essential that every individual feel they are being heard and treated fairly when interacting with their city.”

Mayor Hancock's office did not respond to multiple requests to discuss mayoral appointments to boards and commissions such as the BOA. Kathryn has lived in North Denver since around the time the Mount Carmel High School building was razed and its lot at 3600 Zuni became Anna Marie Sandoval Elementary. She’s raised two children in the neighborhood, worked at several nonprofits, and volunteered with the Alzheimer’s Association Colorado Chapter.

Construction on 15-Story Jefferson Park Housing Complex Could Begin This Fall Property Sold in June for $32.1 Million

By Eric Heinz

A

ccording to Denver city plans, the area where the Mexican restaurant La Loma once operated will be the site of a new 15-story housing complex. Construction is anticipated to begin as early as this fall.

The anticipated project at 2601 N. Alcott St. was stated in a permit application filed in June for a fire sprinkler construction, after initial approval for the system had lapsed within the last year.

“The project consists of construction of a 15-story residential building that is fully sprinklered. This project was approved in 2019; however, the permit has expired due to over one year of inactivity. The project is anticipated to start construction in fall 2021,” the permit project description stated.

City records show an amended plan for the housing complex construction was approved in February. The plans include 189 studio units, 238 one-bedroom units, and 103 two-bedroom units, along with a parking lot with 568 spaces. There are also plans for an indoor pool.

A warranty deed for the property was executed June 23 by the seller L&L Developments LLC, which had originally anticipated to develop the property. L&L Developments purchased the property in 2015 for about $17.5 million.

City records show the purchaser to be GPAI Highlands LLC, which has the same address as Grand Peaks, a real estate in-

THE PLANS INCLUDE

189

STUDIO UNITS

238

ONE-BEDROOM UNITS

103

TWO-BEDROOM UNITS

568

PARKING SPACES vestment firm with several other Denver locations. Calls to Grand Peaks seeking comment on the project were not returned by press time.

According to its website, La Loma began as a family-owned Mexican restaurant and remained in the 26th Avenue block for more than 30 years. The restaurant moved downtown near the Brown Palace Hotel in 2016, when its original building was demolished.

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

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The Luchetta kids attended Webster (which became Bryant-Webster in a new building in 1931), Horace Mann, and North High School, with Adeline herself cutting her studies short to start work for tailor Louis Keller, downtown at 16th and Welton. Hand-stitching was a popular feature on suits, and Adeline learned how to do it well. Numerous viaducts and an elaborate streetcar system enabled people to

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Adeline Cic and her daughter Donna Cic-Miller “My next move will be to the cemetery,” Adeline Cic chuckles as she points over her shoulder to the west. She’s settled into a plush loveseat in her North Denver living room, surrounded by family, recounting stories from her 100 years.

“I’ve lived here my entire life,” she says.

Adeline’s father Carl Luchetta came to North Denver in 1911 from Calabria, Italy, the southernmost peninsular region just across the Strait of Messina from Sicily. He left as a result of poverty: Carl’s father pointed him toward better opportunities in America. The Denver that Carl Luchetta arrived in was indeed a city in economic growth-mode, teaming with immigrants from many countries. It was also an American city expressing the latest national racist hierarchy.

By the time Adeline Cic was born in March 1921, North Denver was known as “Little Italy,” a tightly knit community where neighbors knew and relied on one another for everything from the telephone party line to numerous small businesses, each meeting a specific need. The Luchetta home-base was the bustling neighborhood center at West 37th Avenue and Navajo Street. Carl Luchetta Sr. and Marie Luchetta nee Amicone raised Mike, Adeline, and Carl Jr. in their home on Navajo Street close to what is now West 38th Avenue. Luchetta Sr. drove a team of horses in the city’s growing transportation network.

Adeline remembers having everything they needed right there on the corner: grocery store, department store, creamery, gas station, liquor store, drug store, movie theater, shoe repair, and pool hall. Kids, nickel in hand, tortured clerks behind the penny candy counter with the eternity it took to make final selections.

Adeline’s family tended a big garden nearby where they were also able to keep a cow and chickens. Grandma and Grandpa Luchetta lived near 38th and Pecos, and grandpa walked to nearby Carbone’s every day for a loaf of bread. Adeline’s father made his own wine.

According to Ruth Wiberg’s Rediscovering Northwest Denver, Italians who were originally from winemaking regions came together every year to ship grapes from California.

Adeline says families played cards on Saturday nights, neighbors visited over coffee and donuts, and couples occasionally went dancing at the 39th Club or the Sons of Italy.

Especially worth noting: the large crowds and

PHOTO BY JAN PELTON

commute into downtown Denver. Early in life, Adeline learned to value family above all else. So, she’d often walk home along the 16th Street viaduct, saving her streetcar fare to buy a toy for her younger brother Carl who had rheumatic fever.

Adeline Luchetta married Anthony Cic, an Austrian fellow, at Mt. Carmel Italian Church in 1942. They raised three children—Donna, Anthony and Mike—just a few blocks away from Adeline’s childhood home on Navajo. The children followed the same trajectory through neighborhood schools: Bryant-Webster, Horace Mann, and then North H.S. By 1970 the family had moved to the home on Zuni Street where we all sat recently, listening to Adeline’s stories and marveling at the contrast between then and now. It’s been a long time since the man with the tamale cart came around in the neighborhood.

Adeline dusts off a photograph of her great granddaughter Krystal. Krystal always says, “Grandma will tell you what she thinks without hesitation.”

“You mean what do I think of North Denver now? It’s dead!” She pauses and smiles, “Well, you know what I mean.”

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

Do you have story ideas for The Gray Zone?

Email thegrayzone.denvernorthstar@gmail.com.

LEARNING ABOUT NORTH DENVER HISTORY Images of America: Northwest Denver, 2012, Mark A. Barnhouse North Side Story: Denver’s Most Intriguing Neighborhood, 2017, Phil Goodstein Rediscovering Northwest Denver: Its History, Its People, Its Landmarks, 1995, Ruth Eloise Wiberg

The Denver North Star

P O LI T I C S

City Planners Invite Residents to Shape Neighborhoods' Future

Chaffee Park, Sunnyside, Highland, Jefferson Park Are Part of Newest Plans

By David Sabados

I

f there are things about your neighborhood you love, or things you want to see improve, now is the time to tell the city what you want to see preserved or changed.

The city conducts planning at the large citywide level, resulting in plans like Blueprint. They also do plans around a single area, like a stadium district. Possibly one of the most important is the neighborhood planning initiatives (NPI) that focus on a few neighborhoods at once. Large enough in scope to have a meaningful impact on a community, but small enough to get into fine details, these plans can dramatically inf luence the future of a community.

The city focuses on a few areas at once.

In North Denver, The West Area Plan (including West Colfax) will likely wrap up towards the end of 2021, and the Near Northwest Area Plan is formally kicking off this month. The Near Northwest includes four neighborhoods: Chaffee Park, Sunnyside, Highland, and Jefferson Park.

Rather than just focusing on specific aspects like transportation, parks, zoning, etc, these plans are holistic views including nearly every aspect of city government, which Elizabeth Weigle, Senior City Planner for Community Planning and Development, describes as a “once in a generation opportunity” to have an impact on the four neighborhoods.

Planning a family and want to see sidewalk improvements to accommodate strollers? Your input can inf luence funding and policies for that. Do your furbabies not have enough space to play in North Denver’s sole dog park? Give your

input and help direct parks to spend more on dog parks. Looking for a place for your in-laws to retire and be close (but not too close)? New zoning such as allowing accessory dwelling units can come from input in this process too.

Decisions are made by those who show up. This is the opportunity to show up and decide what North Denverites want in their communities.

WANT TO LEARN MORE? For more information on the plan and to register for the July 27th kickoff meeting, visit www.denvergov.org/ nearnorthwestplan. If you’d like to set up a presentation or meeting, you can contact Elizabeth Weigel at elizabeth. weigle@denvergov.org. You can also connect by phone by calling 720-865-3266 (English or Spanish).

Weigle talked with The Denver North Star about a few specific things that came from community input in other NPIs. In the East Area Plan, displacement of immigrant and refugee communities along East

Colfax came up as a serious concern. The end result was more funding to programs to help residents and small businesses stay in the neighborhood. In Southwest Denver, a similar community planning effort determined the fate of the Loretto Heights campus. Residents highlighted the need for affordable housing and a love of the older buildings on campus. The solution was converting a former campus building into affordable housing, meeting the housing need and preserving the buildings.

The first step is a kickoff meeting on July 27th at 6 pm that’s open to all residents and will also have Spanish language translation for non English speakers.

That meeting will be virtual to maximize participation, but there will be plenty of in-person opportunities as well. The first meeting will explain the process and give the opportunity for community members to give input on what they like and what they dislike about the communities.

This will help to frame future conversations, including smaller workshops, on specific topics.

Weigel said her department also welcomes the opportunity to present to organizations across North Denver. Registered Neighborhood Organizations certainly, but also other groups with members in the area: school meetings, movies in the park, groups like Elks, churches -- anywhere that people are assembling.

Decisions are made by those who show up. This is the opportunity to show up and decide what North Denverites want in their communities.

We're Hiring!

The Denver North Star is seeking freelance writers to cover a variety of news topics ranging from education to local politics. Freelance writers can pitch original story ideas and/or accept stories assigned by the paper.

While compensation can vary, most stories are compensated between $100-$300 per piece.

We also welcome columnist proposals for both guest and recurring columns.

As a local community paper, column writing is a volunteer opportunity.

For more information, please email Kathryn@DenverNorthStar.com

DenverNorthStar.com

You’re Invited!

Ready to roll up your sleeves?

Help create a shared community vision for the Northwest Area Plan!

Virtual Kickoff

In-Person Events

Online Survey

CHAFFEE PARK

July 27 6 - 8 p.m.

Online

Look for us at events in your community this summer

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SUNNYSIDE HIGHLAND JEFFERSON PARK

DenverGov.org/nearnorthwestplan 720-865-3266 Para obtener información en español, visita la pagina web o llámanos. neighborhood PLANNING INITIATIVE

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Scan me July 15, 2021-August 14, 2021 | Page 15

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Page 16 | July 15, 2021-August 14, 2021

ost of us in Colorado families this winter, huddled together in are rejoicing in the free- one space, but I think the idea of “quality doms that vaccination has of- time” came to fruition. I remember hearing fered us after surviving a crazy many people share that their 2020 holidays year. The future is definitely were some of the best they’d had, experiJILL CARSTENS looking brighter, yet it is not as encing stress-free celebrations without if those challenges we experienced just dis- the obligation of travel, simplifying down appear without leaving some sort of scar in to our most immediate family. Also, that their wake. Without really realizing it, many threat of getting the virus urged a lot of us to finally appreciate what we have. of us may be experiencing a form of PTSD. Another mom I chatted with recently Adrienne Heinz, a research psychologist at the Stanford University School of Medi- expressed that her young kids were back cine, interviewed in a March 2021 Wired to weekend soccer and birthday parties, which take up most of the Magazine article, likened weekend. She was missing our recovery from the panI dare to suggest the regular bike rides her demic to the end of a war, family had taken up several “When you get that vaccine that we need a times a week during quarshot in your arm, it’s not like transition between antine. Things were slow some switch will flip and then, but now they seem your stress will melt away. the slower pace of really fast...

Neurobiologically, it doesn’t the pandemic and This is where I dare work like that. Just because the warp speed at to suggest that we need a war is over, doesn't mean a transition between the that what happened during which we seem to slower pace of the panthe war doesn't still activate be existing now. demic and the warp speed you, doesn't still haunt you at which we seem to be exin some ways. There's a healisting now. The world does not always proing that will need to take place.”

So we survived a year of fear, of un- vide us with transitions. I feel like lately all known consequences, and we coped by I have to do is walk outside my door where enacting new routines for ourselves and I literally hear a collective urgency buzzing our loved ones in the space of quarantine. all around in the effort to return to norSome of those new routines were rewarding, mal and make up for lost time. Was it all lost time? even transformational.

The idea of a transition is a healthy one, A dear friend of mine has always worked a 60-70 hour work-week, often travelling but we will have to provide it for ourselves.

What if you said no to some things? and then juggling the schedules of her teenWe can’t necessarily change how our agers and husband. During the pandemic she worked from home. Her teenage girls culture works, but we can take more conwere able to witness how hard their mom trol of our own lives and learn from what worked, developing a wonderful respect and did transform in positive ways during the understanding for the reality of their mom’s pandemic. What if that one mom tried to life. Mom, in-turn, learned the intricacies make at least one bike ride a week still hapand challenges of her teens’ social lives pen for her family? What if my friend asked and school work-load. Bolstered by “bonus her boss if she could work from home more time” without having to commute to school permanently instead of going back to comor work, this family came together more muting over an hour a day?

One way or the other, let’s do ourselves a often for dinners. The result being a family that really got to know each other better favor and take that breath, be ok with slowby witnessing each other’s challenges first ing down sometimes, cook a meal, invite your spouse on a walk, sit on the porch, and hand, within the home.

Some of you might remember an article I say hi to your neighbor again. wrote at the beginning of the stay-at-home Jill Carstens is a proud Denver native, order where I encouraged us all to try to embrace this time of slow, indulge our curiosi- a passionate mom and a teacher her entire ties and what-ifs, knowing this quieter time adult life! She has run Milestones Preschool might not last. I wondered and hoped if we here since 2011. If you have ideas for an article or further questions for Miss Jill, you can would learn from this time.

We might have gotten a little sick of our email her at jillcarstens2605@gmail.com.

Weddings Continued from Page 3

Parks Permit Administrator, took a quick break from the volume of inquiries to share details. Park sites are seeing 150% of normal use, while her department entered summer with 20% the usual staff. Requests increased dramatically a couple months ago and have held steady. She appreciates the patience the public has had with them. Ryan’s team is working with couples to help them understand the 100+ park picnic sites available to them. If they are looking for an outdoor option for an intimate wedding, they might just find a great option from that list.

Across the room back at the Little Man expo, a recent bride sits with a friend mapping out ideas for the celebration she wasn’t able to have after downsizing her wedding to a 10-person event outdoors at Rocky Mountain National Park last fall. She’s planning a traditional reception for next summer and is feeling rushed to secure a venue and nail down the catering plan. Yet she worries that uncertainties of the last year will persist into the next. She takes a deep breath and smiles, determined to forge on.

Rangefinder Magazine recently surveyed over 300 photographers to learn how they

adjusted to pandemic wedding trends and which strategies they planned to retain.

Photographers saw a dramatic rise in intimate weddings (20-50 guests), micro weddings (fewer than 20 guests) and elopements (just the couple and their officiant). Creative settings for proposals and pandemic weddings caused photographers to get equally creative around safety, lighting, and camera angles. They’re packaging their wedding services in new ways now, adjusting to the flexibility and creativity couples have found their way to over the last 18 months. As it turns out, couples like that societal pressure to have a large wedding has eased, and they’re looking for ways to save on costs.

The wedding industry has learned many lessons from the last year. And, after the current rush to meet demand is behind it will, no doubt, settle on more ways to support the post-COVID priorities of engaged couples.

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

The Denver North Star

Congress

NEWS SHO RTS

Community Celebrates Official Opening of La Raza Park

Continued from Page 1

Linking the problems of employer-based healthcare and homelessness, he also said one reason for home insecurity is medical gether in bankruptcies under our current system. f “quality While he didn’t invoke Senator Bernie er hearing Sanders as a reason for running, he did 0 holidays say Sanders’ policies are “values I carry d, experi- as well.” without Walia is the son of immigrants who ing down moved from India to Seattle, moving again Also, that to Colorado when he was 11. Walia credits a lot of us his parents, who worked in the service ine. dustry and then as educators, with giving h recently him the opportunities in life that have led were back him to teach English in Japan, to a career in y parties, politics, and now to his run for office. ost of the A student when the September 11, 2001, s missing attacks occurred, Walia said the following rides her weeks and months shaped his views of race up several relations in the U.S. Overnight, friends and ing quar- neighbors suddenly saw him and his famwere slow ily as people who “looked like a terrorist.” hey seem That drove him to become more involved with Indian and AAPI organizations, both e I dare for solace and to bridge racial divides, we need work that would eventually bring him to ween the Hickenlooper’s office. the pan- Once more rare, primaries are increasarp speed ingly common at both the state and fedto be ex- eral levels. Last election, Republican West ways pro- Slope Congressman Scott Tipton lost to e lately all insurgent candidate, now Congresswoman, oor where Lauren Boebert. In Democratic primaries y buzzing in Denver in recent years, former Repren to nor- sentative Rosenthal lost his seat to now Was it all Representative Emily Sirota and Denver’s State Board of Education member Dr. Val althy one, Flores lost a primary to now SBoE member ourselves. Dr. Lisa Escárcega. ings?

In recent years, Congresswoman Dehow our Gette has faced and defeated two other more con- primary challengers. In 2016, she defeated rom what geologist (not 90s TV actor) Chuck Norris CMD_summerjoy_9.625x7.75_a.pdf uring the 86.4% - 12.6%.

Two years later, she faced1 a m tried to better funded challenger in Saira Rao, who still hapend asked ome more k to com-

By The Denver North Star Staff

W

PHOTO BY DAVID SABADOS

Neal Walia, with family standing behind him, speaks at his campaign kickoff. mounted a full-fledged opposition campaign, but DeGette won the Democratic nomination 68.2% - 31.8%. Democrats and Unaffiliated Voters who choose a Democratic primary ballot will vote next June.

While the state is currently undergoing congressional redistricting, the 1st district, which comprises all of Denver and small pieces of Jefferson and Arapahoe Counties, is unlikely to change dramatically. A heavily Democratic district, this primary election will most likely determine Denver’s federal representation.

Congresswoman DeGette’s Campaign Manager Jennie Peek-Dunstone sent a statement in response to being asked about her most recent primary challenger: “Congresswoman DeGette is focused on doing the job that the people of CD 1 elect6/1/21 ed her 3:45 to do.PMJust since January she served as an impeachment manager; sponsored

key climate change legislation to control deadly methane gas emissions and stood next to President Biden when he signed the bill; as co-chair of the Pro-choice Caucus, ensured that for the first time in 45 years the abortion restrictions in the Hyde Amendment are stripped from the federal budget; passed the PAW act which protects over 3 million acres of federal land through the House; secured millions of dollars in the appropriations bills for funding for homelessness and housing in the Denver area; and has introduced several critical pieces of health care legislation. And there is more to do on health care, climate, the minimum wage and more. Right now Congresswoman DeGette is focused on getting things done for Denver and our country.”

The Denver North Star will be following this election as we approach the primary next year.

hile the park has been officially called La Raza for a few months and unofficially for a few decades, the new sign proclaiming the name was met with celebration from the several hundred attendees at the June 20th dedication. In addition to the sign, the park has a new sculpture donated by Councilwoman Amanda P. Sandoval’s office. The ceremony included land blessings, dancers, and speeches from the councilwoman and other city leaders. The celebration marked the end of a decades-long fight in North Denver to change the name from Columbus Park. The new sign was accidentally installed in April, but then removed the same day by city officials who wanted to wait to host a celebration in conjunction with the installation.

For a comprehensive history of the park and the campaign to change the name, check out the July 2020 issue of The Denver North Star, still available online.

PHOTO BY DAVID SABADOS

Dancers were part of the festivities at the park's dedication

urselves a with sloweal, invite porch, and

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sandy toes kind of summer?

Make your reservation today! mychildsmuseum.org/safer-play The Denver North Star

July 15, 2021-August 14, 2021 | Page 17

WANT LESS SPEEDING AND MORE SAFETY? SHARED STREETS MAKE DENVER SAFER FOR ALL OF US. Denver is growing, which means there are more people and cars on our streets than ever before. Luckily, our new shared streets will help us keep up with these rapid changes by making room for those who are getting places in different ways. All while making the Mile High City safer, smarter and more connected. And now we’re calling on our neighbors to come along for the ride. Join us as we continue to bring even more safety to our streets.

Sign up to support safer streets

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

The Denver North Star

N EW S S H O RTS

Inspiration Point Park Upgrades Underway

By David Sabados

Denver Children’s Advocacy Center Raising Awareness for Child Abuse

By The Denver North Star Staff

N

IMAGE COURTESY OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER

Artist’s rendition of improvements to the park

I

nspiration Point Park, the most NW park in NW Denver, is getting some big updates.

Using funds from a 2017 voter-approved bond, the city is installing a playground and constructing a new wall along the western point. The city hopes to finish improvements by the end of the year. Inspiration Point Park is a more natural park than most of Denver’s urban parks, with naturally occurring grasses and plants. The playground is being designed with more wood and less plastic than others as well to keep with the less artificial feel. The park was originally created in 1910 as part of the national “City Beautiful” movement and the western point was actually one of the first ski jumps in Colorado, though that has been long since removed. City plan-

ners said there were no plans to install a new ski jump, despite this reporter’s suggestion.

The groundbreaking ceremony was led

by Mayor Michael Hancock with a slew of city VIPs including Parks Director Happy Haynes and Deputy Scott Gilmore, Councilwoman Amanda P. Sandoval, and neighborhood organization president Jerry Guida, who Hancock referred to as “Mayor of Inspiration Point.” The honorable Ken Salazar, possibly North Denver’s most prominent politician and an Inspiration Point resident, was also on hand for the festivities. Mayor Hancock joked that while all city parks have their advocates, he doesn’t believe any others have had Secretaries of the Interior advocating on their behalf.

orth Denver-based Denver Children’s Advocacy Center (DCAC) is holding their first ever “Save Jane” event, hoping to raise awareness of the prevalence of child abuse in the city. The organization is reading a list of names representing the 11,418 children who were reported as abused in Denver in 2020. Because they are minors and identities are protected, placeholder names such as “Jane Doe” are being read.

“DCAC hopes that through Save Jane, Denver will recognize the absolute magnitude and prevalence of child abuse in Denver county - it is everywhere you look,” said Gizane Indart, executive director of DCAC. The Save Jane event will be held on Friday, July 30 at the City Park Pavillions beginning at 9am. Reading over 11,000 names is expected to take over 11 hours. For more information on the organization, the event, and how to donate, please visit www.denvercac.org/ savejane or call (303) 825-3850.

First Friday is Back!

By The Denver North Star Staff

COM M U N I TY CA L E N DA R

To submit an event, visit us online at www.DenverNorthStar.com or call 720-248-7327.

Please provide as much notice as possible, especially to appear in the print edition. Most events are still virtual. Locations are listed for in-person events. As event details can change, we recommend contacting event hosts for updates. We also maintain a continually updated online calendar. More details for many events are available on our website.

THE DENVER THAT IS NO MORE FRI, JULY 23 – 7 PM TO 9 PM Nobody has more probed Denver’s essence more than native Phil Goodstein. This is an author event and book signing, not to be missed!

The author of more than 25 books on the Mile High City, he has sought to understand the metropolis while featuring its highlights and flaws. Among them is North Side Story, a volume focusing on North Denver.

Now Goodstein has crafted a love letter to the city, focusing on yesterday’s marvelous buildings, The Denver That Is No More. It focuses on the landmarks that have disappeared, observing the constantly changing face of the community. The book is a lively tour of a forgotten time and place of Denver of yore. Phil will be on hand to share stories from his book and sell and sign copies of it and other volumes. His speaking style is as distinctive as his writing.

The event is free, but reservations are necessary.

1401 W 47th Ave, Denver, CO 80211 www.eventbrite.com/e/the-denver-that-is-nomore-tickets-156980122773 WAKING UP THE SUMMER DANCE PARTY SERIES SATURDAY, JULY 31 – 6PM TO 8 PM

PHOTO MARTHA WIRTH PHOTOGRAPHY

Where do music and mindfulness combine? July 31st is an epic dance party experience: Bubbles and Bathrobes!

Block Party at Awake Denver 2240 North Clay Street, Denver CO More details at SecretDanceAddiction.com

The Denver North Star

REGIRAMA: HIDDEN FIGURES FRIDAY, AUG 6 – 6:30 PM (MOVIE BEGINS AT DUSK) Regis University will welcome the campus community and neighborhood to Boettcher Commons this summer for RegiRama, a free outdoor movie series.

Named for the University’s mascot, Regi, the series is a family-friendly event suitable for all ages. The event will feature food trucks, and participants are welcome to bring picnics. Regis encourages guests to bring their own blankets and chairs.

Alcohol is not allowed, and dogs must be leashed. The August 6 showing will be Hidden Figures, rated PG ART WALK NORTH DENVER FRIDAY, AUG 6 – EVENING Explore the neighborhood and enjoy North Denver artists! Curate Locally organizes an artwalk in the Regis/ Berkeley neighborhoods the first Friday of each month.

For a map of participating artists and other information, visit www.curate locally.com/ SMILEY BRANCH LIBRARY OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY, AUG 7 – 1 PM TO 3 PM Come celebrate the renovation and reopening of the Smiley Branch Library as part of Denver Days 2021!

Smiley Library 4501 W. 46th Ave HIGHLANDS STREET FAIR SATURDAY, AUG 28 Celebrate the summer and join us for the 38th annual Highlands Street Fair! Stroll along W. 32nd Avenue between Perry and Irving and enjoy live music, food from local restaurants, great shopping and more. Best of all, the event is free! Gather your friends or come with the whole-family for a day of community and fun in the sun. https://highlandsstreetfair.com/

PHOTOS BY JILL CARSTENS

(left to right), Annie Hammond, Maura Plavnick, and Syliva Plavnick raised over $250 by selling art and asking for donations for the ALS Association - Rocky Mountain Chapter to support people like their grandfather who live with the disease.

A

s Denver hits a 70% vaccination rate and restrictions have lifted, First Fridays are again hopping in North Denver. First Fridays began when Tennyson St had more art galleries than currently and was one of the two largest informal events along with the First Friday artwalk on Sante Fe. The First Friday of each month many businesses stay open later, many offer specials or snacks to lure in guests, and the street is packed with residents and visitors alike. As Tennyson St has changed, so have First Fridays. The remaining art galleries are still busy but more people can be found in the numerous bars and restaurants as well as in César Chávez Park.

Whether hanging pieces in galleries or on fences, artists use First Fridays to showcase their work Just North of the business district, a community art walk that started during the pandemic is still going strong too. Local musicians and artists highlight their work in front yards, on fences, and in garages. The community art walk is a volunteer effort and not tied to the business district, though many residents start their evening there before heading south.

For more information on the community art walk, including a map of locations, visit www.curatelocally.com

Overlays

Continued from Page 2 cerns and are glad to see ideas distilled down to the specific proposals.

Owners of “wedding cake” style homes gave a variety of reasons for their decisions to choose that style, though most related to a form they found met their families needs.

Mike Shuman purchased his modern style home because it prioritized an open floor layout more than multiple smaller rooms, which fit his family's lifestyle of having company over and entertaining. That includes using the roofdeck, though he also understands the critique on the loss of privacy from taller homes.

Andee-Dawn Roth purchased hers because of the “modern, clean lines” of the home and because many older bungalows moved master bedrooms to the basement, which didn’t work for her family who are around 6’ tall. She likes the variety of home styles in the neighborhood and thinks more homogenous styles like the Central Park neighborhood or some planned Denver suburbs are “kind of boring,” adding “I like seeing different styles of homes.

It brings more character.” Chris Leggee noted that “neighborhoods change, construction technology changes,” adding “why wouldn’t you want to have a full roofdeck to enjoy? It’s an oasis away from the cityscape.” Frank McDermott had possibly the strongest response to the overlay, saying “The proposal is willfully ignorant of the last 20 years of development in Sunnyside, neutering any of their claims to an ‘existing character’ that I recognize,” adding “I see no public benefit from these proposals. They do not advance safety, efficiency, durability, or value, only an anecdotal and inaccurate sense of style. I think it’s pretty abhorrent for a neighbor to try to impose these style guidelines on their other neighbors when I see the diversity of architecture as a benefit to Sunnyside.”

Several owners questioned why proponents were spending time on this rather than finding solutions to Denver’s home crisis, noting that even if this goes through, wealthier residents will still expand existing homes up to the 3000 sq ft limit or scrape and build something new of a different style than the wedding cake form (though it’s worth noting several proponents believe the overlay will have a beneficial impact on the housing crisis by reducing scrapes). Several modern home residents also questioned why another homeowner has the right to dictate a neighbor’s personal style preferences, especially when Denver doesn’t have the controlling HOAs of suburbs. A 30’ tall 3000 sq ft pitched roof Pepto Bismol pink home made of brick would meet the criteria, for example, while a 1200 square foot 23’ tall flat roofed red brick home wouldn’t. Few would find the pink home appealing, but it would still be someone’s right.

Hare, the head of the committee, emphasized his and the committee’s belief that a small group shouldn’t be making these decisions and that’s why the survey is now going out to Sunnyside residents. “The important thing is to come back to the community and make sure the vast majority of the community agrees,” he explained. Each proposed part of the overlay can be considered independently.

WANT TO LEARN MORE? More information on the proposal and the online survey can be found at https://mailchi.mp/mailchimp/ sunnysideoverlay. Sandoval and Sunnyside United Neighbors, the neighborhood organization, are hosting several events for the community to learn more and give feedback: Attend an in person meeting: Denver Bookbinding, 1401 W. 47th Ave. Saturday, July 31st, 10am-11:30am Thursday, August 12th, 6:30pm-8pm Attend a virtual meeting: Wednesday, July 28th, 6:30-8pm The same information will be presented at both in person meetings. The Denver North Star will follow this and other zoning proposals as they continue.

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

303.455.5535 | NostalgicHomes.com ACTIVE

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Primo-deluxe lot in Highlands Garden Village! Southern and western exposure on a corner lot with a private patio and private backyard.

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2266 S Columbine St

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

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

The Denver North Star