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HEALTH
Coloradans: It’s time to get your flu shot
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According to the Centers for Disease Control, everyone who is at least 6 months of age should get a flu vaccine. It is important to get vaccinated for people who have certain medical, pregnant women, young children and older adults.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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‘Passport to Paris’ a delightful romp through French art The Denver Art Museum’s latest blockbuster exhibition, Passport to Paris, takes a new look at French Art through a series of three related exhibitions that demonstrate the evolution of French art from the 1600s to the 1900s.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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‘American Mustang’ to premiere at Denver Film Festival American Mustang makes a charged critique of the federal governments management of wild horses. The 3D documentary premiers this week at the Starz Denver Film Festival.
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D I S P A T C H www.HDnewspaper.com
November 7, 2013
Vol. 92 No. 46
Mezcal celebrates El Día De Los Muertos to raise ezcal hosted a celebration for El Día De Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, which is was sponsored by Don Julio Tequila and benefitted Mi Casa’s Resource Center. The Day of the Dead is a holiday celebrated in Mexico, other Latin American countries and the U.S. Mezcal has been hosting and sponsoring El Día De Los Muertos Celebration for the last six years as a fundraising event to benefit organizations such as Mi Casa. Local artists, artisans and others donate their artistic talents and time in creating the traditional and colorful candy skulls to be sold in the silent auction. Dia de los Muertos is dedicated to celebrating the lives of those who have passed on. The Aztecs believed those who are alive now are in a sort of “dream life.” This dream life ends when we pass on. We then go to the actual living part of our lives, which some of us call the “After Life, Heaven, etc.” This holiday is similar to “All Saints Day,” which is celebrated in the U.S. by those of the Catholic and some other Christian faiths, celebrating the “martyrdom” of the Saints. People don Skull masks called Calacas and dance in the streets of their communities. The
funds for Mi Casa
Colorful creations ready to bid on with bid sheets on hand.
Calacas and actual skulls have been a part of this celebration for thousands of years. The skull is representative of those who have passed on. It is said many communities, and some families,
place skulls on alters as a celebratory display. Candy skulls are made out of sugar, which are eaten as part of the celebration, similar to Halloween. I keeping with this history of
Photo by Stefan Krusze
the celebration Mezcal recruited several artists to decorate skulls. The skulls were auctioned off at the celebration with the proceeds going towards Mi Casa. Mezcal also donated 10
percent of the food sales on Nov. 2 to Mi Casa to support their mission and the successful advancement of the Latino families they See Page serve.
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LEAP kicks off season to provide funds for heating bills
Colorado’s Low-income Energy Assistance Program, which provides financial assistance with home heating bills, began accepting applications Nov. 1 and will continue to do so until April 30, 2014. LEAP is a federally funded program that provides cash assistance to help families and individuals pay a portion of winter home heating costs. The program pays the highest benefits to those with the highest heating bills and lowest incomes by family size. Applicant income cannot exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty level, which equates to $2,944 per month for a family of four. “The government recently released a report that a majority of U.S. households will pay more to heat their homes this winter,” said Aggie Berens, LEAP manager. “After two years of flat or falling prices, natural gas costs
are expected to increase by 13 percent this winter. We want to make sure that all LEAP eligible Coloradans are aware of the assistance offered by LEAP so that they can receive some help in paying these rising costs.” According to Berens, the average LEAP benefit is estimated to be $425 per household. Last year, nearly 118,000 Coloradans applied for LEAP, and 96,009 households received an average benefit of $302. To qualify for LEAP, applicants must be responsible for paying heating costs directly to an energy provider, fuel dealer, or as part of their rent; be a permanent legal resident of the United States and Colorado, or have household members that are U.S. citizens. LEAP applicants must provide a copy of valid identification and a completed affidavit indicating that they are lawfully present in the
United States. Valid forms of identification include, but are not limited to: • Colorado Driver’s License or Colorado Identification card; or • United States Military Identification Card or Military Dependent’s Identification card; or • United States Coast Guard Merchant Mariner card; or • Native American Tribal document. As defined by the Colorado Department of Revenue, other forms of identification may be accepted as well. For more information on lawful presence requirements, contact the DOR or visit www.colorado.gov/ revenue. Completed LEAP applications can be faxed, mailed or delivered to the appropriate county office. Potential program applicants may obtain an application through the following:
• Call 1-866-HEAT-HELP (1-866-432-8435) to have an application mailed. • Visit any county department of social/human services across the state. To locate your county’s office, visit www.colorado.gov/ cdhs/leap. • Download and print an application from www.colorado.gov/ cdhs/leap. LEAP eligible households may also qualify for the Crisis Invention Program and Colorado’s Energy Office’s Weatherization Program. The CIP operates yearround and provides assistance with a home’s primary heating source such as a furnace or wood-burning stove. The Weatherization Program improves the energy efficiency in homes throughout Colorado, thereby permanently reducing heating costs.