Your Guide to Community, Politics, Arts and Culture in North Denver DenverNor thStar.com
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Volume 2, Issue 2
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November 15 - December 14, 2020
North Denver Adapts to Pandemic Holidays ARTS & CULTURE
And the Vote is in... PAGES 8-9
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BIENVENIDOS FOOD BANK
ENVIRONMENT Denver’s Climate Recommendations PAGE 11
COMMUNITY Cars vs Bicycles PAGE 12
COMMUNITY Teen Entrepreneur PAGE 13
POLITICS "Gentle Density" Rezoning PAGE 14
Bienvenidos Food Bank volunteers organize fresh produce to give to North Denver families. Food banks are under extra strain this year and asking for more help from the community. By Vicky Collins is the season to be jolly but this year COVID-19 is causing many people in North Denver to rethink how they holiday. Traditionally, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa are times when families and friends gather for meals and parties, but the pandemic has put a damper on festivities and has made people think extra hard about the risks of gathering. With higher COVID levels in Denver and across the country, the CDC warns to consider whether the gathering is inside or outside, the number of people invited, where friends and family are traveling from, and what they’ve been up to in the previous weeks. Wearing masks, social distancing, hand washing, and Zoom also contribute to a less risky season. In North Denver, people and organizations that support the community are trying to play it safe too.
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REINDEER GAMES CANCELLED This is not the holiday season Santa expected. “It’s really hard for Santa.” Dennis Brungardt has played the jolly old elf for 45 years in and around North Denver. But in 2020, like so many other things, Santa is sidelined. “I’ve gotten a few calls, but because of COVID-19 I really can’t have children sitting on my lap. People really love to have a picture of their little one with Santa and it’s hard to figure out how to do that distance-wise. I’m probably going to take a hiatus this year.” The 72 year old, says he is in the vulnerable zone and once caught a terrible case of the flu after being down on the ground with little kids. “Santa has to be safe this year.”
This holiday season many are trying to find ways to make the best of things. COVID has changed family and community traditions. People are scratching their heads, trying to figure out how to enjoy a festive Thanksgiving and Christmas during a pandemic. “I still have the spirit,” says Brungardt. “I’ve done this for years and years. I feed off the energy. I’m going to miss it for sure.” But Santa has a holiday message for children and adults. “Still keep believing in Santa and write your letters. Wear your mask and I’ll see you next year.” CELEBRATIONS ARE LIMITED, BUT FAITH IS NOT At the 122 year old, Holy Transfiguration of Christ Orthodox Cathedral in Globeville, Father David Thatcher is also struggling with how to pivot this holiday season. “Last year we instituted a Thanksgiving community meal. It was great. We normally have a blowout for Thanksgiving as well as community outreach but this year it’s a brown bag.” The church will still have services but it needs to restrict how many people can worship in the sanctuary. What’s new this year is a hallway with live streaming so people can come into the building and “sort of be together.” After the service, those who watched in the hallway can take communion. “It’s a difficult dance,” says Father Thatcher. “It’s what we are called to do before God. Be compassionate and save people’s lives.” Christmas will also be different at the church this year. There will be services but the Christmas Eve holy supper is cancelled.
See HOLIDAYS, Page 5
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ALWAYS FREE!
Few Content with DPS Remote Learning Situation, Enrollment Dips
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By David Sabados ver 100 parents protested outside the Denver Public Schools administration building in favor of reopening schools. Nearly 1500 have signed an online petition for the same goal, and social media is abuzz with parents sharing stories of their challenges helping their elementary school-aged kids try remote learning while holding down their jobs. At the same time, school officials are concerned and frustrated with COVID transmission levels in the city and say that remote learning isn’t their ideal situation either. They’re worried about students being forced to bounce back and forth from in-person to remote disrupting education. Possibly the only thing that district leadership, school leaders, the teachers’ union, parents, and students can agree on is that no one is happy with the current situation. While most DPS students have been remote all year, the district briefly returned 3rd-5th graders to the classroom, only to reverse the decision days later. DPS is the only district in the area that remained almost entirely remote, with most suburban districts offering some in-person options during the fall semester. In DPS, 2nd grade students and younger have continued to be in-person since the youngest students struggle the most with remote learning. Schools both in DPS and elsewhere that offer in-person learning send groups of students back home for remote learning when a student, faculty, or staff member they may have interacted with tests positive, usually from exposure believed to be outside of the school setting. In most cases, the return to remote learning is part of a 14 day quarantine. This has created a situation where students have been bouncing between in-person and remote learning. Some parents have been willing to accept the risk and pushed for older students to be allowed back in person as well, but DPS leadership believes that the frequent changes have been more disruptive to students and families than an all remote learning option. That concern both prompted the return of 3rd-5th graders to remote and has kept older students fully remote. “We’re not seeing big transmissions in our schools, but we are seeing the impact of frequent disruptions,”
PHOTOS BY DAVID SABADOS
Approximately 120 parents protested outside DPS' headquarters calling for schools to offer more in-person learning
See DPS, Page 15