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POLITICS
Romanoff among Democrats targeted by ‘phony websites’
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A quick visit to www.andrew romanoff2014.com brings the immediate trappings of a selfcongratulatory website, until you take a closer look.
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AUTO NEYS
2014 Highlander Hybrid gets 28-mpg in a 3-row SUV
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The 2014 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is as popular as ever. The roomy SUV’s price starts around $29,000.
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ARTS
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All-Judaic & Israeli Art and Jewelry Festival The All-Judaic Art & Jewelry Festival will feature wall art, glass, textiles, fiber art, ceramics, precious metals and woods, and jewelry.
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50¢ S i n c e 19 2 6 February 20, 2014
D I S P A T C H www.HDnewspaper.com
Vol. 93 No. 09
A Taco House to Remember
Preserving the midcentury touchstones of Littleton Boulevard
By Peter Jones From a distance, Littleton’s Taco House may not look like much – and even up close, its 89-cent tacos and drive-up service are not exactly the promise of fine dining. But look at the quick-service eatery a little longer and you might see the lure of its old-school design, bright yellow coloring and distinctly kitschy charm. To longtime locals, the restaurant at 1390 W. Littleton Blvd., built in 1961, may be a staple of a family-run business and nofrills Mexican food. But to fans of aging architecture and retrocool, Littleton’s Taco House is the whole enchilada. “It took design elements from high-style buildings and put them down to a more pedestrian level,” said Rachel Parris, programs manager for the nonprofit Colorado Preservation Inc. “It’s really an example of what midcentury architecture can be.” Taco House is one of a number of Littleton buildings, constructed between 1949 and 1967, to recently catch the eye of Colorado Preservation and its annual “Endangered Places” list. Each year, the independent nongovernmental organization releases its survey of specific structures or groups of buildings in the state that the association deems worthy of cooperative conservation. In the case of Littleton, Colorado Preservation has created a Continued on page12
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Don and Dora D’Andrea, owners of Littleton’s Taco House, were as surprised as anyone by news that their quick-service restaurant had been marked for possible preservation. Photo by Peter Jones
Free tax assistance, health insurance enrollment available The Piton Foundation and Connect for Health Colorado are partnering to provide free tax assistance and health insurance enrollment assistance to lowerincome Coloradans at joint events across the state throughout February and early March. These events are happening at 21 tax sites across Colorado where 15 organizations called Assistance Sites will provide trained Health Coverage Guides to provide unbiased, in-person help to customers of Connect for Health Colorado. A partnership between The Piton Foundation and the Colorado Community College System, Tax Help Colorado provides free tax filing services to individuals with household incomes less than $50,000 in 2013. Tax Help Colorado operates free tax sites on community
college campuses across the state. At these free tax sites, IRScertified students prepare and e-file tax returns free of charge for individuals and families. Connect for Health Colorado is intensifying outreach activities to educate Coloradans about the open enrollment deadlines and financial help that are available, based on income, to reduce the cost of commercial health insurance. Many of the people who are eligible for free tax help are also eligible for Medicaid or premium tax credits through the Marketplace. Open enrollment ends March 31. “We are excited to partner with The Piton Foundation and Tax Help Colorado to provide Coloradans with more ways to learn about their health insurance options and apply for new financial help to reduce costs,”
said Patty Fontneau, CEO of Connect for Health Colorado. “Many Coloradans who are taking advantage of the free tax assistance sites are also eligible for tax credits that can make health insurance affordable for the first time. We know that many Coloradans also want personalized help with shopping for health insurance and these events are a great way to provide that support.” Diane DiGiacomo of The Piton Foundation said, “By offering free tax assistance, Tax Help Colorado helps alleviate the financial burden of commercial tax preparation on working families while linking them to valuable tax benefits like the Earned Income Tax Credit. We know that many of our tax site clients are living without health insurance, so partnering with
Connect for Health Colorado to provide enrollment assistance is a great fit.” The schedule includes Aurora, Denver, Commerce City, Lakewood and Westminster. The complete schedule is available at www.piton.org. Dates and locations are subject to change. Find all enrollment and outreach events for Connect for Health Colorado at http:// connectforhealthco.com/newsevents/events/. The free tax sites are at community colleges and other locations that are convenient to Coloradans. The partnership involves Assistance Sites who provide certified Health Coverage Guides to participate at the tax sites and help Coloradans with their insurance questions. Learn more at www.connect forhealthco.com.