Saturday, February 28, 2015

GROPINGS IN CITY PARK

from KVDR
DENVER — A safety alert about a string of gropings in and near City Park. The suspect description is a little vague right now as is the number of women he’s groped.
Visitors to the park say they go there to walk, workout or enjoy the view. And now they have to closely watch their backs.
This place of natural beauty and calm is interrupted by the turbulence of a stranger sexually touching several women after approaching them from behind.
...continue reading here

COMMUNITY WORKSHOP - TAKING DOWN THE I-70 VIADUCT

Via INC
Denver and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) have proposed taking down the I-70 viaduct, rebuilding the highway below grade, and putting a “lid” over the lowered highway. What should be on the lid? Park, playground, playing fields? Come to a Community Workshop on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at Swansea Recreation Center, 4650 Columbine St. to share your thoughts and hear what your neighbors are thinking.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Stand Up, Stand In Against Fast Track for the TPP

When: Friday, Feb. 27

Time: 11:30-1 p.m.

Where: Congressman Jared Polis' office at 1644 Walnut in Boulder.

More info on Fast Track and TPP here and here .

May 5th Municipal Candidate Forums

February 25, 2014

Get Ready for the 
May 5th Municipal Elections!

Candidate Forums

 
Come to these live and lively events to learn more about the candidates before the May 5th Municipal Election. The Forums will start at 6:30 p.m. and each Forum will run from 30 to 90 minutes depending on the number of candidates involved.  Programs will be recorded by Denver 8 for TV and online viewing. 
Council District boundaries change with this election.  If you are unsure of your district, you can find maps on the Denver Elections website or under Voter Information at www.lwvdenver.org.
 
Date/TimeOfficeForum Location
Tuesday, March 24
6:30 p.m.
Council District 4Calvary Baptist Church
6500 E. Girard Ave.
 
Wednesday, March 25
6:30 p.m.
Council District 10
City Auditor
Denver Botanic Gardens - Mitchell Hall 
1007 York St.
 
Thursday, March 26
6:30 p.m.
Council District 9
Council At-Large
Colorado Miners Community Center
4809 Race Street
 
Tuesday, March 31
6:30 p.m.
Council District 11
Clerk and Recorder
Evie Dennis Campus
4800 Telluride St.
 
Wednesday, April 1
6:30 p.m.
Council District 1
City Auditor
The Oriental Theater
4335 W. 44th Ave.
 
Thursday, April 2
6:30 p.m.
Council District 2
Council At-Large
Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy
2250 S. Quitman St.
 
Tuesday, April 7
6:30 p.m.
Council District 7
Clerk and Recorder
Cameron United Methodist Church
1600 S. Pearl St
 
Saturday, April 11
9:00 a.m.
Council District 6
City Auditor
Council At-Large
University Park United Methodist Church
2180 S. University
 
    LOGO BUG 2011Small.jpg             
Denver Decides:  A Community Partnership for Accessible, Transparent Elections

Monday, February 23, 2015

Financial crisis looming; federal government deceives

Commentary by Dave Felice

The secretive Trans-Pacific Partnership is an impending disaster for the American economy.

With TPP, tens of thousands of American jobs will be sent overseas, even in greater numbers than previous failed so-called trade agreements. There are promises of benefits, but history shows none of these claims ever come true. The $500 billion trade deficit continues to grow daily.

The TPP has nothing that will benefit the average hard-work American. In fact, food, water quality standards, and environmental protections will be severely weakened. We will lose lower cost generic pharmaceuticals, Internet freedoms, and ability to have some control over our economic destiny.

The TPP isn't even really about trade. Only five of the 29 chapters just touch on traditional trade matters.

Sunday, February 22, 2015

NOTES FROM THE NEW DRUG WAR - Jessica LeRoux - Feb. 22, 2015

On Feb 20, 2015, at 8:24 PM, Irene Aguilar <ireneaguilar.md@gmail.com> wrote:
Please feel free to share with your contacts.
I am still asking for final feedback by 5 pm on Monday February 23.
Sincerely,

Senator Irene Aguilar
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello Senator,
I see a bunch of changes here that seem to not stem from our meeting last Tuesday. Where is the language about that 3rd computer protocol? Id like to delve further into that. 
I suppose that is now this language: 
  1. THE INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE STATE LICENSING
  2. 18  AUTHORITY PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION (8.5) SHALL NOT BE PROVIDED

Saturday, February 21, 2015

DENVER POLICE CHIEF WHITE'S POLICY OF RESTRAINT IS A GLIMMER OF HOPE FOR THE COMMUNITY

Opinion by Gerald Trumbule
Instead of wading in with batons cracking, the Denver police were apparently told to stand down while two protesters poured red paint on the slain officers memorial. Chief White has defended this policy which seems not only to have worked very well, (perps were arrested) but avoids all the side-effects of unnecessary force (expensive lawsuits). The wisdom of backing off as a strategy is evident.
Thank you Chief White.

Friday, February 20, 2015

LOCAL WATER SUPPLY DISRUPTION

via Albus Brooks on FB

City Park West neighbors please see the below message from Denver Waters upcoming project in CPW.
A water main replacement project is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, February 25 on High Street from East 20th Avenue to East 19th Avenue. The attached door hanger has been distributed to all residents in the project area. Crews will do their best to complete the project within three weeks. As the project progresses the notices will be distributed ahead of the project.
Crews will do their best to complete the project as scheduled; however, projects are occasionally delayed by unmarked underground utilities, weather and emergency water main breaks. Water service emergencies, such as a main break in other parts of Denver Water’s system may take precedence over this project. The crew may leave at a moment’s notice to work on those emergencies and may not return the following day.
As pipe replacement projects occur in your district, Denver Water will send your office a copy of the door hanger notice distributed to customers in the project area.
All permits and traffic plans have been approved by the city.
Denver Water crews install or replace an average of 60,000 feet of pipe a year. Additional information on pipe replacement projects can be found at www.denverwater.org/pipes

INCINERATOR IN CITY PARK? AT THE ZOO? FOR REAL?


Historic Denver Leads Exploration of Designation for City Park

from the newsletter of Councilman Albus Brooks

Camping out at City Park in the 1920s
On February 24 at 7:00 pm Historic Denver will host an informational meeting about the possibility of designating City Park as a local landmark district. The location is still pending. The meeting is an early opportunity for citizens to engage in the exploratory work done by a stakeholder group convened by Historic Denver, Inc. in July 2014, known as the City Park Historic Designation Exploration Committee.

Founded in 1882, City Park is one of the oldest parks in Denver. Historic Denver, a non-profit organization founded in 1970, agreed to facilitate this conversation due to a key suggestion in the 2001 City Park Master Plan, as well as recent controversies and requests from community members.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

DON'T USE THIS PHOTOGRAPH

If you do, the City of Denver will send you a cease and desist letter and then the photographer who shot it and sold it to the City of Denver may call you and, apologetically,


ask you to take it down.

NEXTDOOR.COM NOT WHAT IT SEEMS TO BE

Opinion by Gerald Trumbule
from here:

We started our Nextdoor group after the neighborhood's old Yahoo Groups moderator selectively censored posts to suppress opinions that did not serve her political purposes. I responded constructively by launching a neighborhood website and phpBB forum for free speech, but promoted ND instead due to the Nearby Neighborhoods feature and free email service. It's arguably still a great value for that. Unfortunately, I regret choosing ND now.
Leads are NOT overly powerful! We're basically just hosts that can sweep a few turds under the carpet. Also, ND treats us like we're obligated to uphold their fairly conservative social rules - never mind the diversity of our neighbors. ND favors some ideal model of civility over freedom of speech and folks being themselves. Sometimes, we'll write ND for help and receive a scolding instead. Folks at the bottom of this review page claim that Leads can read private messages; not so, at least not since Jan 2014.
Folks should realize discussion forum/email list mods usually have far more power than ND gives Leads. For instance, YG can hold public and private messages for approval by the mod, unlike ND. On ND, posts always go out by email and onto the web page/app before a Lead can stop them. Only the permanent record can be censored, afterwards, and the rules say only for abuse and SPAMing. Leads can't restrict, suspend or terminate members. ND shows anything but interest in providing the basic and standard mod tools we've long been asking for. ND has actually stripped Leads of useful activity statistics. There are no ads now, but they've told me that there will be some sort of accommodation for advertisers early this year. Overall, ND markets itself as being tailored for neighborhoods, but frankly, it's not. It's feature-poor in that respect. You might be better off with any of the available free web forums, a Yahoo Group, or *sigh*, even a Facebook page.

Monday, February 16, 2015

CLAMPDOWN ON PARKS USE FOR CLASSES GENERATES $3000

Via email from INC (Background here.)


Our next meeting will be Feb 17 6:00 at Brookdale University Park (formerly called Heritage Club) 2020 S Monroe in the Activity Room.
At this meeting Katy Strascina, Executive Director of the Office of Special Events and Fred Weiss Director of Finance Denver Parks and Rec will be presenting information about this new Office.
Please bring your questions and plan on attending this discussion.

Overview
The Department is pleased with the results of the first year’s implementation of the POFA policy
which went into effect on January 31, 2014. A total of 14 POFA permits were issued resulting in
revenue of $3,000.




Saturday, February 14, 2015

BRIDGET WALSH RESIGNS FROM CPFAN BOARD

by Gerald Trumbule
Bridget Walsh at Denver Zoo incinerator site
You may have noticed Bridget Walsh's efforts to bring to our attention the incinerator proposed for City Park  (including our own video here). Her efforts have included a Facebook page devoted to the topic where she has posted information regarding the tons of pollution that will be released by burning animal waste at the Denver Zoo. (If you go to the FB page start at the beginning of timeline (bottom of page) where she explains her intent to use the site as a repository for the information she has gathered on the topic).
Strangely, her efforts have resulted in personal attacks on Facebook and YouTube by a small band of trolls who seem intent on attacking the messenger rather than refuting the message. For example, from "Nathan Parks" on YouTube we have this:
Please don't continue to allow this insane fear mongering on youtube. Aside from her concern for safety, she obviously has nothing better to do than spew her incorrect and inaccurate information about the zoo and gasification. Its not a looming, toxic, industrial, scary power plant. It is a facility that is catalyzing the process of sustainable energy. Yes it does have its draw backs and safety concerns but those are being researched and tested every single day that the zoo is open. She continues to focus on incorrect information and continue to produce it over and over and over again. In other words, SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU CRAZY BITCH

City Park Historic Designation Exploration Committee.

On February 24 at 6:00 pm Historic Denver will host an informational meeting about the possibility of designating City Park as a local landmark district. The meeting will be held at L2 Church at 1477 Columbine. It is an early opportunity for citizens to engage in the exploratory work done by a stakeholder group convened by Historic Denver, Inc. in July 2014, known as the City Park Historic Designation Exploration Committee.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

DENVER CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE ON GIVING INDEPENDENT MONITOR MORE TEETH

At the next City Council meeting in Denver (held on Tuesday the 17th, rather than Monday, at 5:30 p.m.), Council will vote on whether or not to give more teeth to the Office of the Independent Monitor. For more information, check out the article.

Law enforcement from the Denver Police Department are expected to pack the meeting in opposition to further oversight. Please help us to bring the voice of the people, who simply want law enforcement that works for them, not against and in spite of them, to Denver City Council. This is a rare opportunity to take a step in the right direction for police violence accountability. City Council is surely going to be told that we need to give the police more trust, not less, despite the fact that we have the 2nd deadliest police department in the country. Clearly their story is one of fiction, and we need a good dose of reality, in the form of independent oversight, within Denver's law enforcement community.

WALKABOUT - TREK TO THE PINNACLE - Feb. 9, 2015

If you've driven by City Park on 17th Ave, you've driven by The Pinnacle, the very tall twin condo towers. As I walked towards them from the west, I noted various juxtapositions with the landscape.

With East High


With East High shed




Behind East High playing field

With former-apartment-building-now offices just across the street
Town homes at the towers base

Looking south from 17th Ave on Filmore

Townhome front porch with fire hookup

Mandatory artwork at front entrance

Behind the towers - parking

No human activity in this space

More adjacent condos

On the back of the block

to be continued...

Monday, February 9, 2015

Sunday, February 8, 2015

2015 Schedule of Tours by Phil Goodstein

Saturday, March 14: West Quality Hill, 11:00 am–1:00 pm
Meet the Zang Mansion, 709 Clarkson Street. The cost is $10.00. A copy of this schedule and information about Goodstein’s books is at LeonardLeonard.com/neighborhoods/walkingtours.

Sunday, March 15: Ghosts of Cheesman Park, 11:00 am–1:00 pm
Meet at the gazebo near the equivalent of 12th Avenue and Gilpin Street. It is directly south of the RTD bus stop on the 12th Avenue loop in the park. Gilpin Street is the 1700 east block. Park in the park, east bound, on the 12th Avenue loop to the east of the RTD stop. The cost is $10.

Saturday, March 21: South of the Country Club, 11:00 am–1:00 pm
Meet in front of Steele School on the east side of the South Marion Street Parkway between Alameda Avenue and Dakota Avenue. (Marion Street is one block east of Downing Street.) The cost is $10.00

Friday, February 6, 2015

COUNTERFEIT BILLS BEING PASSED ON COLFAX

from John Elliot, City Park West, via NextDoor
FYI to business owners, residents and business managers alike. There are several people now who have passed counterfeit $20, $50 and $100 bills in the Bluebird District and at businesses along Colfax and on 17th Avenue. These are *terrible* quality fakes, but if your employees aren't paying attention...as apparently a few of mine were not...they will end up in your register.

Report ANY counterfeit currency to DPD immediately. It is a federal crime, and contacts I have in District 6 and District 3 indicate they are aware of the issue. They will collect the bill and contact federal authorities.
Finally, should any of the actual counterfeiters or people knowingly passing counterfeit bills be reading, please keep ow that I hope you die of throat cancer :-)

HANCOCK COPS OUT

Reposted from here

Activists Storm LGBTQ Conference in Wake of Queer Latina Killing in Denver

Following the demonstration, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock told organizers that he would not speak at this year's Creating Change conference as planned.

BY 

 



The mayor of Denver has canceled his planned address at the National LGBTQ Task Force's annual Creating Change event after a group of nearly 100 trans people and allies stormed the stage, demanding solidarity from LGBQ advocates.
Task Force deputy executive director Russell Roybal and Creating Change director Sue Hyde welcomed thousands of attendees at this year's conference in Denver Thursday evening, and both showed emotion as they remarked pon the death of queer Latina Jessie Hernandez. Last week, Hernandez was fatally shot by police fire in Denver in a car authorities report was stolen.

SCHOOL IN A FLOODPLAIN

Brief Filed With Colorado Court of Appeals on February 4, 2015
Posted on February 5, 2015

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your continuing support of Friends of Denver Parks and efforts to protect open space in Denver.

Attached is a copy of the brief that Evans Case LLP filed for plaintiffs-appellants in the Colorado Court of Appeals on February 4, 2015. We are asking the court to reverse the decision of Judge Stern so that, in accordance with Charter Section 2.4.5, the people of Denver may vote on the issue of whether 11 acres of park land should be traded to DPS for use as a school. We filed a lis pendens on the property in 2013 before the City conveyed it to DPS, so our interests are protected until all appeals are exhausted.

If we are successful, there are a number of possibilities that may come into play. One, there could be a vote of the people. Two, could be an agreement reached between the plaintiffs and the city and DPS to eventually restore the 11 acres to its original protected park-natural area status after the useful life of the school expires – say in 15 years, or even forty years, as the original contract between the city and DPS contemplated.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Historic Denver Leads Exploration of Designation for City Park

On February 24 at 7:00 pm Historic Denver will host an informational meeting about the possibility of designating City Park as a local landmark district. The location is still pending. The meeting is an early opportunity for citizens to engage in the exploratory work done by a stakeholder group convened by Historic Denver, Inc. in July 2014, known as the City Park Historic Designation Exploration Committee.

Founded in 1882, City Park is one of the oldest parks in Denver. Historic Denver, a non-profit organization founded in 1970, agreed to facilitate this conversation due to a key suggestion in the 2001 City Park Master Plan, as well as recent controversies and requests from community members.

Training Available on How to Operate a Home Food Business


The spring growing season is just around the corner, and gardeners can now sell their homegrown produce and cottage foods directly to neighbors after a June 2014 update to Denver’s Zoning Code. To help prepare gardeners to run a successful home food business, Colorado State University is offering a training on general food safety and hygiene, permissible foods for sale under Colorado’s Cottage Food Act, and requirements for compliance with the state law for food preparation, storage, transport, and sale. The next training will be held on Tuesday, March 17 from 9am-12pm in Golden, CO. Registration is $30 per participant, and details and registration information can be found here.

Editor's note: Councilwoman Robin Kniech gets my vote for the Best Newsletter From a Denver City Councilperson. It is chocked full of actual useful information. Kudos to Kniech!