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  • Abraham Lincoln High School improves ratings amid immigration fears and other challenges

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    This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

    By Melanie Asmar/Chalkbeat

    Abraham Lincoln High School needed to track down 13 graduates.

    That’s how many it would take to boost the southwest Denver school’s rating to a middle-tier yellow grade after years at the bottom. If Lincoln could prove to the Colorado Department of Education that at least 13 more graduates were enrolled in college, career training, or the military, the school could earn enough rating points to take a step toward exiting the state’s watchlist for low performance — a feat it hadn’t accomplished in more than a decade.

    “It has always been a struggle for our school to (be) a place where the community is proud of, in terms of academic achievement,” said Principal Néstor Bravo. “I want to work really hard on making Lincoln a positive point of reference for the southwest.”

    Lincoln has been on Colorado’s watchlist for low performance longer than any school in Denver. Located in a largely Hispanic, working-class neighborhood, Lincoln has a vibrant history, display cases full of athletic trophies, and notable alumni including Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova and Denver school board President Xóchitl Gaytán.

    But enrollment has fallen from 1,900 students a decade and a half ago to about 830 students today. Lincoln has struggled academically for at least as long. And recent immigration enforcement actions by the Trump administration have made matters worse.

    In the four days after President Donald Trump was inaugurated last January, Lincoln lost 100 students, many of them new immigrants from Venezuela and other countries, Bravo said.

    “They disappeared,” Bravo said. “We couldn’t find a trace of them. They just didn’t show up.”

    And attendance is spotty for many of the students who remain. More than 6 in 10 Lincoln students were chronically absent last school year, meaning they missed 10% or more of their school days. Bravo said it doesn’t help that federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents regularly park their vehicles at the car wash across the street and at a strip mall where students walk to buy lunch, though he said he hasn’t seen them this month.

    As far as he knows, none of his students or their family members have been arrested by ICE, Bravo said. But as a Venezuelan immigrant himself who came to Denver to get a graduate degree and was hired to teach Advanced Placement Spanish classes at Lincoln before becoming a principal, Bravo said he understands the fear.

    “They are gambling with their future in a sense,” Bravo said. “If I stay in school, if I keep coming here, I might be captured or they’re going to take me, so what am I going to do?

    “The most important thing is to give kids a reason to be here and feel safe,” he said.

    How Abraham Lincoln H.S. improved academic growth

    Even under those difficult circumstances, Lincoln made academic progress. While the percentage of students meeting the state’s bar on PSAT and SAT tests remained low, Lincoln’s academic growth — a measure of how much students improved year over year — was the highest it’s been since before the pandemic.

    Bravo credits a series of changes he made when he became principal last school year. They include twice-weekly SAT prep classes using the online platform Khan Academy, which has an AI assistant that can chat with students in Spanish.

    He also prioritized improving the way teachers deliver their lessons, both by cutting administrators without that skillset and training teachers in a method meant to get students collaborating and talking in class, which he said can be intimidating for English learners.

    “As a second language learner myself, if I don’t have to talk, I won’t,” said Bravo, who said he spoke Spanish and Portuguese, but not as much English, when he took a teaching job at Lincoln more than 15 years ago.

    “We have a high percentage of multilingual learners,” he said. “We have kids who need to practice English, who need to speak in their native language, so let’s get them to talk.”

    Bravo is trying to improve the culture at Lincoln, too. A competitive athlete, Bravo warms up with the soccer team and shoots arrows with JROTC students at the school’s indoor range. He added big screen TVs to the main hallway to broadcast the students’ achievements, such as the boys baseball team winning the city league championship last spring. Posters advertising Lincoln’s upcoming school play, “Shrek the Musical,” hang near the TVs.

    Last Friday, the school celebrated its academic progress. Staff decorated the gymnasium with yellow streamers. Bravo gave a pep talk. Guitar students played a cover of Radiohead’s “Creep.” The robotics team, wearing matching sweatshirts, showed off a robot. And students who had earned all A’s and B’s in the first semester were called up to get awards.

    “I used to not really focus on my grades at all,” a senior named Gabe said, taking the microphone and addressing his fellow students sitting in the bleachers. “I used to try to just get past high school, you know? But that limited my opportunities.

    “I would say just try your hardest, even if you don’t know what you’re going to do after high school, just so you have opportunities,” Gabe said. “Just don’t close any doors.”

    Moving from orange to yellow

    The data shows that more Lincoln students are following that advice. When the Colorado Department of Education released its preliminary school ratings this fall, Lincoln had earned the second-lowest rating, signified by the color orange.

    But Bravo suspected he could get Lincoln’s score up to yellow. High schools are rated based on their PSAT and SAT scores, graduation rates, and how many of their students go on to college, the military, or a career training program.

    It was in that last category where Bravo knew Lincoln could move the needle. The state’s data seemed incomplete, he said. Lincoln staff and the advisers who work at the Denver Scholarship Foundation’s in-house college and career planning center at Lincoln knew anecdotally of more graduates who had continued their education.

    So the staff began contacting former students one by one to collect the proof they’d need, like a college class schedule, to show state officials that the graduates had matriculated. In some cases, it became a game of social media telephone: They could see that one graduate was connected with another who had gone to a small community college in the mountains. Could that graduate get in touch with their friend and tell them to call the staff at Lincoln?

    In the end, Lincoln staff found more than the 13 students they needed to bump up the school’s rating. And the state officially upgraded Lincoln’s rating to yellow in December.

    Now Bravo is focused on keeping it there, even in this challenging time.

    “I was very proud to see that last year, we were able to show that we can grow,” Bravo said. “It’s overwhelming for a public school with the limited resources we have, trying to address a societal friction, where people have strong opinions about what to do or what not to do with immigrants.

    “But we don’t back down.”

    Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at [email protected].

    Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

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  • Dr. Dre’s entrepreneurship and design program is coming to 2 Denver schools

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    Denver news

    Manual High School and Denver School of the Arts will each host an Iovine and Young Center for Innovation.

    Manual Middle School, part of Manual High School.

    Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

    This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

    By Melanie Asmar/Chalkbeat

    An education program founded by rapper Andre “Dr. Dre” Young and record executive Jimmy Iovine that’s focused on entrepreneurship, technology, and design is coming to two Denver schools next fall, the school district announced Thursday.

    “You know how Dre said ‘let me welcome everybody…’?” Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero said in a statement. “Well, this partnership welcomes our students into a whole new world of creativity, entrepreneurship, and future-ready learning.”

    Manual High School and Denver School of the Arts will each host an Iovine and Young Center for Innovation. Students at the two schools will be able to take classes that blend “design, technology, business, and the arts,” the district said.

    The programming will start with ninth graders in the fall of 2026, the district said. Denver School of the Arts will also pilot classes with middle school students. Melissa Boyd, an executive director of secondary schools with DPS, said the courses have names like Rapid Prototyping and Disruptive Innovation and are like nothing she’s ever seen.

    “We look forward to working with Denver Public Schools to unlock the superpowers of these students,” said Iovine in a statement. “Together, we’ll empower young people — especially those from underrepresented communities — to think differently, dream bigger, and lead the next wave of innovation.”

    Iovine and Young also cofounded the company that made Beats headphones.

    Manual High is a district-run school open to all students. About 95% of students at Manual High are students of color. Denver School of the Arts is also district-run but admission is based on an audition. About 38% of students at Denver School of the Arts are students of color.

    The Iovine and Young programming started at the University of Southern California in 2013. It has since expanded to high schools, including a standalone school in Los Angeles and a program at Frederick Douglass High School in Atlanta.

    Denver’s programming will be paid for through philanthropy, the district said, with the Denver Public Schools Foundation taking the lead on fundraising.

    Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at [email protected].

    Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

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  • Denver’s big international event is going “hyper-local” because of US politics

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    Alfonso Morales, co-curator of “Under the Mexican Sky,” an exhibit on the work of cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa at the McNichols Building and part of the Biennial of the Americas. Sept. 12, 2017.

    Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

    The Biennial of the Americas is set to return to Denver in October. The event is supposed to be an international celebration of cultures across the Western Hemisphere — but this year’s event will be heavily hyper-local.

    The organizers have kept the focus on Colorado because they’re worried international visitors will be obstructed and endangered by the country’s political culture.

    “I think one of the reasons this year that we’re really doubling down on our local community and being able to showcase some of the amazing artists and collaborators here is because of the political climate and the danger it represents to bringing in artists and leaders from across the Americas to the U.S.,” said FloraJane DiRenzo, executive director of the nonprofit behind the event.

    “Certainly, obtaining visas has always been a challenge for collaborators like us who want to bring in amazing talent from across our borders, but this political climate feels even more challenging,” she added.

    The event debuted in Denver in 2010 under then-mayor John Hickenlooper and has run every two years. In some editions, it has drawn dozens of international artists and speakers from more than 25 countries.

    This year, it will be held at Writer Square in downtown from Oct. 15-26. The event is generally free of charge, but various panels and shows will require tickets.

    Writer Square, on 16th Street near Lawrence Street. Sept. 25, 2025.
    Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

    Parts of this year’s biennial are still coming together.

    Bobby LeFebre is putting together an interactive sensory exhibit in a former cigar bar in Writer Square. DiRenzo approached him about the opportunity just more than a month ago.

    “It’s been relatively new. We started brainstorming, planning, and then we decided to take a trip to Oaxaca, [Mexico] to go directly to the source. We brought back some art and some mezcal and some information from friends down there,” LeFebre said. “And now we’re in the middle of activating this space, which is an old abandoned cigar bar that needs a lot of love and attention. But that’s what artists do when they’re given the space, they take it and they run with it.”

    LeFebre is the former Colorado poet laureate. He and his team of four other artists show how the event is working around the political climate. The team went to Mexico, bringing back real mezcal, along with video of interviews with the drink’s distillers. Mezcal is a smoky liquor made from agave. 

    “We brought back some very rare, some of the finest, most revered mezcal in the world back from that trip that we’re going to use for our guided tastings. We also have engaged the mezcalero and his family to explain to us on camera what people will be drinking, why it’s important and sort of butting up against this idea of how popular mezcal has become,” LeFebre said. 

    Poet Bobby LeFebre stands in the heart of Five Points, where some of the venues that kicked off his career in words one stood. Nov. 1, 2023.
    Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

    He added: “The people who produce [mezcal] largely go unknown. So we’re centering the land, the lineage, and the labor of the people who make it as sort of an altar to the process and the sacred nature of the mezcal.”

    LeFebre said he’s been a fan of the event for a long time, adding that this year’s hyper-local attention makes sense. 

    “I think this festival traditionally has brought people from across the Americas here in the name of art and culture and creativity and communal gathering. And that fear that we are experiencing has impacted just about everything,” LeFebre said. “Folks that maybe wouldn’t have anything to worry about are worried just because of the ways that racist policies are playing out, and it’s really unfortunate. So being more place-based this year is great.” 

    Organizers hope they can still draw a large crowd.

    The 2023 Biennial had 15,000 attendees and over 100 artists and designers. DiRienzo said this year is expected to be similar in size.

    She has been the executive director of the Biennial since 2019, and said that each year they’ve had to shift to meet the political moment. 

    The 2021 Biennial was themed around COVID-19 and featured a tribute to people who died. In 2023, the festival brought 250 mayors to Denver to focus on diplomacy. 

    “Each festival for us has taken on to meet those times,(they) have taken on these new shapes and forms and I think it’s been really responsive to the current state.” 

    Denver artist Jonathan Saiz joined this year’s biennial effort recently. He’s bringing together 20 other local artists to create a “candy shop.” 

    “I’m hoping that this local-focused community actually helps us as creatives band together to utilize our talents in a less paralyzed and scared way and in a more joyful and creative way,” he said. 

    Jonathan Saiz poses for a portrait by his installation, “Study for Utopia,” on display at the Denver Art Museum, May 15, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

    The Candy Shop exhibit is a retail pop-up with art from local artists and a bright, colorful theme.

    “The interesting thing about a candy store is that candy has no nutritional value. It’s just sort of a cheap dopamine fix, and that’s good and healthy for humans in small doses, but it’s also the bread and circus model of keeping us all unhealthy and distracted,” Saiz said. “I’m just hoping that there’s a way through where art still has a purpose, because right now, personally, it feels rather silly. The awareness of the silliness is also super important.” 

    Saiz has been creating art in Denver for over 20 years, and he said the community is feeling the effects of the current political climate. 

    “I’ve found it interesting that everyone is feeling it, everyone is responding to it,” Saiz said. “There’s not a single artist that I’m working with that hasn’t directly expressed the same fear and frustration and anger, but honestly, mostly fear.”

    Meanwhile, the nonprofit Biennial of the Americas has faced behind-the-scenes funding challenges.

    “(There is) uncertainty in terms of funding and supporting arts and culture initiatives like this. And I think festivals in and of themselves are at danger,” DiRienzo said. “It does appear to be harder and harder to gain support and costs have gone up.” 

    However, DiRienzo said the community is responding to these challenges and said that this year’s shift is a moment to platform local artists who have an affinity to the Americas. 

    “Recognizing that bringing collaborators from across borders would be more challenging this year, it really was an opportunity to celebrate our 15th year of the Biennial by working with these amazing creatives who are here,” DiRienzo said. “So certainly it’s a challenge, but I think we are looking at it as an opportunity to celebrate our local community and to use our platform to showcase the amazing talent that we have here, and also continue to tell that story of its connectivity to the Americas.” 

    CPR’s Ryan Warner contributed to this article.

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  • Lego to open new store in Broomfield’s Flatiron Crossing mall

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    Lego is opening its third Denver metro area store on Friday at Broomfield’s Flatiron Crossing mall. 

    The new location is about 2,200 square feet and will open on the lower level of Flatiron Crossing, near the Apple store. 

    The Broomfield location is Lego’s third store in Colorado and its farthest north. The other two locations are at Lone Tree’s Park Meadows Mall and at Colorado Mills in Lakewood. 

    For the first nine days of the store’s opening, Lego will be giving away various promotional items to select customers. The promotions include:

    • Sept. 12-14: “I <3 LEGO Store Flatiron Crossing” tile giveaway to the first 750 customers daily, while supplies last. 
    • Sept. 12: Lego “new store opening” set for all loyalty program members with a purchase of $150 or more, while supplies last. 
    • Sept. 13: Lego Store set with all purchases of $120 or more, while supplies last. 
    • Sept. 14-21: Lego Store reusable tote with all purchases of $50 or more, while supplies last. 

    Known for plastic bricks that are painful to step on, Lego is one of the most popular toys in the world. In addition to buildable sets for a variety of ages, Lego also has TV shows, theme parks and video games. 

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  • Things to do in Denver this weekend, Aug. 29-Sept. 1

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    By Cassidy Ritter, Special to Denverite

    From parades and hot air balloon shows to half marathons, 5Ks and fun runs, there are plenty of events taking place this Labor Day weekend.

    A few businesses are also hosting Oktoberfest celebrations, and the Colorado Buffaloes football team kicks off its first home game of the season on Friday. (If you can’t make the game, a watch party is taking place at Number Thirty Eight in Denver.) There’s something for everyone this weekend.

    Whatever you do, make it a great weekend!

    Notes: Events with an * are taking place virtually or outdoors.

    Worth the Trip

    Friday and Saturday: *Keystone’s Oktoberfest. River Run Village, 116 River Run Road, Keystone; Warren Station Center for the Arts, 164 Ida Belle Drive, Keystone; and Buffalo Lodge Courtyard, 150 Dercum Square, Keystone. 4-6 p.m. (Friday) and 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. (Saturday). Prices vary by event (several are free).

    Friday-Monday: *Colorado State Fair. Colorado State Fairgrounds, 1001 Beulah Ave., Pueblo. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Free (admission for children ages 4 and under, when accompanied by an adult), $7 (admission for children ages 5-12), $15 (admission for adults/general admission).

    Saturday and Sunday: Odell Oktoberfest. Odell Brewing – Fort Collins, 800 E. Lincoln Ave., Fort Collins. Starting at 11 a.m. No cover.

    Saturday-Monday: *Colorado Springs Labor Day Lift Off. Memorial Park, 1605 E. Pikes Peak Ave., Colorado Springs. 5:15-10 a.m. and 3:30-10 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday) and 5:15-10 a.m. (Monday). Free (attendance).

    Saturday-Monday: *Windsor Harvest Festival. Boardwalk Park, 100 N. 5th St., Windsor; Eastman Park, 7025 Eastman Park Drive, Windsor; and Main Park, 300 Locust St., Windsor. 6:30 a.m.-9:20 p.m. (Saturday) and 7 a.m.-5 p.m. (Sunday and Monday). No cover.

    Saturday-Monday: *Estes Park Labor Day Arts & Craft Show. Bond Park, 321 E. Elkhorn Ave., Estes Park. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday) and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (Monday). No cover.

    Friday, Aug. 29

    Just for fun

    Nan Desu Kan – Japanese Culture Convention. Gaylord Resort & Convention Center, 6700 N. Gaylord Rockies Blvd., Aurora. 9 a.m.-midnight. $40 (Friday only),$70 (weekend pass).

    The National Campaign of Financial Education. Aurora Public Library – Central Library, 14949 E. Alameda Parkway, Aurora. 11 a.m.-noon. Free.

    Denver Girls Club Event! Bead Soup Embroidery. Makeshift Crafts, 2751 W. 120th Ave., Suite 150, Westminster. 5:30-7 p.m. and 7-8:30 p.m. $35. Advanced registration required.

    *Bright Nights. Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest St. 7-11 p.m. $19-$48.

    Kids and family

    2theXtreme. Wings over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (children ages 3 and under), $12.95 (children ages 4-16), $15.95 (active military and veterans, guests ages 65 and older), $19.95 (guests ages 17-64). Ideal for all ages.

    In-Be-TWEEN: DIY Your School Supplies. Aurora Public Library – Central Library, 14949 E. Alameda Parkway, Aurora. 4-5 p.m. Free. Ideal for ages 9-12.

    *Movies Around Town: Moana 2. Clear Creek Valley Park, 5900 Tennyson St., Arvada. 6:30-9:30 p.m. Free. All ages.

    Comedy and theater

    Ms. Pat. Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village. 6:45 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. $35-$45.

    Alex Edelman. Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th St. 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. $25-$35. 

    Sweet & Lucky: Echo. DCPA Off-Center at Broadway Park, 407 S. Broadway. 7 p.m. $59. 

    Dixie’s Never Wear a Tube Top While Riding a Mechanical Bull. Garner Galleria Theatre, 1400 Curtis St. 7:30 p.m. $56.64.

    Thank You Sketch Show. Chaos Bloom Theater, 70 S. Broadway. 8-9 p.m. $10. 

    *Cinema in The Sky: Karate Kid (2010). Halcyon, 245 Columbine St. 8 p.m. $25.

    Art, culture, and media

    Titanic: An Immersive Voyage. Exhibition Hub Art Center, 3900 Elati St. 9:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. $22.90-$41.90. (Read more about this exhibit here.)

    Ms. Destiny. Center for Colorado Women’s History, 1310 Bannock St. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free (members and guests ages 18 and under), $8 (guests ages 60 and older), $10 (guests ages 19-59).

    Expedition 1776: The Journey of Domínguez & Escalante. History Colorado Center, 1200 Broadway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (children and members), $15 (adults).

    Ink & Thread. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members and children age 18 and younger), $22-$27 (students, teachers, active military members, veterans, seniors ages 65 and older), $25-$30 (adults). 

    Untethered. Walker Fine Art, 300 W. 11th Ave. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.

    Nepali Art Reception. Aurora Public Library – Central Library, 14949 E. Alameda Parkway, Aurora. 3-6 p.m. Free.

    Parallel Visions Opening Reception. D’art Gallery, 900 Santa Fe Drive. 4-9 p.m. Free.

    Lumonics Immersed. Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery, 800 E. 73rd Ave., Unit 11. 8-10 p.m. $15-$28.52.

    Eat and drink

    *Huerta Urbana Farmers Market. Focus Points Family Resource Center, 2501 E. 48th Ave. 2-5 p.m. No cover.

    Italian Regional Cooking: Piedmont. Cook Street, 43 W. 9th Ave. 6-9:30 p.m. $132. Advanced registration required.

    A Night in Barcelona. Stir to Cooking School, 3215 Zuni St. 6:30-9:30 p.m. $120. Advanced registration required.

    Music and nightlife

    *Music in the Gardens. 17th Street Community Gardens, 1945 17th St. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free.

    Live Music: Tony Medina. The Local Drive Hangar, 2501 Dallas St., Aurora. 5-8 pm. Free.

    *Alley Soundscapes: Bottlerocket Hurricane and Andy & Lara. Dairy Block, 1800 Wazee St. 5-7 p.m. (Bottlerocket Hurricane) and 6-8 p.m. (Andy & Lara) Free.

    *Little Big Town. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. 7 p.m. Prices vary.

    Uncle Lucius. Meow Wolf, 1338 First St. 8 p.m. $34.25.

    Want more live music? Check out the Indie 102.3 concert calendar.

    Sports and fitness

    Colorado Football Watch Party. Number Thirty Eight, 3560 Chestnut Place. 5 p.m. No cover.

    *Colorado Buffaloes vs. Georgia Tech. Folsom Field, 2400 Colorado Ave., Boulder. Watch on ESPN. 6 p.m. Prices vary.

    *Colorado Rockies vs. Chicago Cubs. Coors Field, 2001 Blake St. Watch on Rockies.TV, Channel 20 or 9News, or listen at 850 AM. 6:40 p.m. Prices vary.

    Saturday, Aug. 30

    Just for fun

    Raku Pottery Workshop. Friend Assembly, 2501 Dallas St., Aurora. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (each class is one hour). $40.

    Nan Desu Kan – Japanese Culture Convention. Gaylord Resort & Convention Center, 6700 N. Gaylord Rockies Blvd., Aurora. 9 a.m.-midnight. $50 (Saturday only), $70 (weekend pass).

    Stay True – A Writing Workshop Series. Lighthouse Writers Workshop at Montbello Branch Library, 12955 Albrook Drive. 10 a.m.-noon. Free. 

    *Bright Nights. Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest St. 7-11 p.m. $19-$48.

    Kids and family

    2theXtreme. Wings over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (children ages 3 and under), $12.95 (children ages 4-16), $15.95 (active military and veterans, guests ages 65 and older), $19.95 (guests ages 17-64). Ideal for all ages.

    The Learning Lab: Camping. Ross-Broadway Branch Library, 33 E. Bayaud Ave. 10:30-11 a.m. Free. Ideal for ages 5 and under, when accompanied by an adult.

    Kids Create. Athmar Park Branch Library, 1055 S. Tejon St. 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Ideal for ages 5-12, when accompanied by an adult.

    Comedy and theater

    Sweet & Lucky: Echo. DCPA Off-Center at Broadway Park, 407 S. Broadway. 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Starting at $47.20 

    Dixie’s Never Wear a Tube Top While Riding a Mechanical Bull. Garner Galleria Theatre, 1400 Curtis St. 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. $56.64.

    Ms. Pat. Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village. 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. $35-$45.

    Afterschool Power Hour. Chaos Bloom Theater, 70 S. Broadway. 7-8 p.m. $5. 

    Alex Edelman. Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th St. 7 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. $25-$35.

    Art, culture, and media

    Titanic: An Immersive Voyage. Exhibition Hub Art Center, 3900 Elati St. 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. $29.90-$49.90. (Read more about this exhibit here.)

    Ms. Destiny. Center for Colorado Women’s History, 1310 Bannock St. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free (members and guests ages 18 and under), $8 (guests ages 60 and older), $10 (guests ages 19-59).

    Expedition 1776: The Journey of Domínguez & Escalante. History Colorado Center, 1200 Broadway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (children and members), $15 (adults).

    Ink & Thread. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members and children age 18 and younger), $22-$27 (students, teachers, active military members, veterans, seniors ages 65 and older), $25-$30 (adults). 

    The Future is Present, The Harbinger is Home. Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, 1485 Delgany St. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (visitors ages 18 and under), $11 (students), $14 (adults).

    Boulder Art Festival. Pearl Street Mall, Boulder. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. No cover.

    The Six: The Untold Story of the Titanic’s Chinese Survivors – Author and Panel Discussion. Molly Brown House Museum,1340 Pennsylvania St. 3 p.m. $10 (Historic Denver members), $15 (non-members), $35 (includes book).

    Lumonics Immersed. Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery, 800 E. 73rd Ave., Unit 11. 8-10 p.m. $15-$28.52.

    Eat and drink

    *City Park Farmers Market. City Park Esplanade, 2551 E. Colfax Ave. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.

    *Cherry Creek Fresh Market. East side of Cherry Creek Shopping Center, on Steele Street next to Macy’s. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. No cover.

    King Arthur Baking Pop-Up. 2800 Walnut St., Suite 100. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. No cover.

    DTMF Coffee & Mimosa Party. Number Thirty Eight, 3560 Chestnut Place. 11 a.m. $22.13.

    15th Annual Mediterranean Festival. St. Elias Church, 7580 Pierce St., Arvada. Noon-10 p.m. $5 (before 4 p.m.), $10 (after 4 p.m.).

    Oktoberfest. Odyssey Beerwerks, 5535 W. 56th Ave., Arvada. Starting at 1 p.m. No cover.

    Music and nightlife

    *Big Something. Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave. 6:30 p.m. Free (lawn seating), $52.57 (reserved section and one drink). Advanced registration recommended.

    Denver Municipal Band. The Savoy, 2700 Arapahoe St. 7 p.m. Free.

    *Chris Lake. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. 7 p.m. Prices vary.

    Mehro. Meow Wolf, 1338 First St. 8 p.m. $29.25.

    Want more live music? Check out the Indie 102.3 concert calendar.

    Sports and fitness

    Rainforest Yoga. Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster. 7:45 a.m. $15 (member), $18 (non-member). Advance registration required.

    *Bike Repair Clinic. Decker Branch Library, 1501 S. Logan St. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free.

    *Colorado Rockies vs. Chicago Cubs. Coors Field, 2001 Blake St., or watch on Rockies.TV or listen at 850 AM. 6:10 p.m. Prices vary.

    *Sporting Kansas City vs. Colorado Rapids. Watch on Apple TV. 6:30 p.m.

    Sunday, Aug. 31

    Just for fun 

    Nan Desu Kan – Japanese Culture Convention. Gaylord Resort & Convention Center, 6700 N. Gaylord Rockies Blvd., Aurora. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $45 (Sunday only), $70 (weekend pass).

    Bingo. BarBox at Aspen Grove, 7301 S. Santa Fe Drive, Suite 860, Littleton. 4-6 p.m. No cover.

    *Bright Nights. Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest St. 7-11 p.m. $19-$48.

    Kids and family

    Lazy Sunday Movie. Central Library, 10 W 14th Ave. 2:30-4:30 p.m. Free. Ideal for ages 13-18.

    Kids Create. Central Library, 10 W 14th Ave. 4-4:30 p.m. Free. Ideal for ages 13-18.

    Family Game Night. Dairy Block, 1800 Wazee St. 4-9 p.m. Free. All ages.

    Comedy and theater

    Sweet & Lucky: Echo. DCPA Off-Center at Broadway Park, 407 S. Broadway. 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Starting at $53.10. 

    Dixie’s Never Wear a Tube Top While Riding a Mechanical Bull. Garner Galleria Theatre, 1400 Curtis St. 2 p.m. $56.64.

    The Nasty Show. Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village. 7 p.m. $14.

    Interrogation: True Crime Stories. Comedy Works Downtown, 1226 15th St. 7 p.m. $14.

    Art, culture, and media

    Titanic: An Immersive Voyage. Exhibition Hub Art Center, 3900 Elati St. 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. $29.90-$49.90. (Read more about this exhibit here.)

    Ms. Destiny. Center for Colorado Women’s History, 1310 Bannock St. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free (members and guests ages 18 and under), $8 (guests ages 60 and older), $10 (guests ages 19-59).

    Ink & Thread. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members and children age 18 and younger), $22-$27 (students, teachers, active military members, veterans, seniors ages 65 and older), $25-$30 (adults). 

    Boulder Art Festival. Pearl Street Mall, Boulder. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. No cover.

    2theXtreme. Wings over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd. Noon-5 p.m. Free (children ages 3 and under), $12.95 (children ages 4-16), $15.95 (active military and veterans, guests ages 65 and older), $19.95 (guests ages 17-64).

    Eat and drink

    *People + Produce Farmers Market. Belleview Beer Garden, 6791 E. Chenango Ave. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.

    *South Pearl Farmers Market. 1400 and 1500 blocks of South Pearl Street between Iowa and Arkansas. 9 a.m.–1 p.m. No cover.

    *Lafayette Farmers Market. Downtown Lafayette, two blocks along Public Road between Cleveland and Geneseo streets. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. No cover.

    Secret Coffee Party. Dairy Block, 1800 Wazee St., Suite 100. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. $15.15-$20.22.

    Drag Queen Bingo Brunch. Dairy Block, 1800 Wazee St. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. No cover.

    15th Annual Mediterranean Festival. St. Elias Church, 7580 Pierce St., Arvada. Noon-8 p.m. $5 (before 4 p.m.), $10 (after 4 p.m.).

    American Regional Cooking: California. Cook Street, 43 W. 9th Ave. 6-9:30 p.m. $132. Advanced registration required.

    Music and nightlife

    *Dustbowl Revival with Heavy Diamond Ring. Levitt Pavilion, 1380 W. Florida Ave. 5 p.m. Free (lawn seating), $42.28 (reserved section and one drink). Advanced registration recommended.

    *Gregory Alan Isakov. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. 7 p.m. Prices vary.

    Want more live music? Check out the Indie 102.3 concert calendar.

    Sports and fitness

    Rainforest Yoga. Butterfly Pavilion, 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster. 7:45 a.m. $15 (member), $18 (non-member). Advance registration required.

    *Denver Broncos 7K. Empower Field at Mile High, 1701 Bryant St. Starting at 8 a.m. $34.09 (kids fun run), $60.83 (virtual 7K), $76.88 (7K)

    Introduction to Technique. Movement Golden, 700 Golden Ridge Road, Golden. 1-2:30 p.m. $60 (Movement member), $75 (nonmember). Advance registration required.

    *Colorado Rockies vs. Chicago Cubs. Coors Field, 2001 Blake St., or watch on Rockies.TV or listen at 850 AM. 1:10 p.m. Prices vary.

    Monday, Sept. 1

    Just for fun 

    *Labor Day Parade. Downtown Louisville, along Main Street between East Lafayette and Rex streets. Starting at 10 a.m. Free.

    Bowlero and Cars. Bowlero, 2530 E. County Line Road, Highlands Ranch. 5-7 p.m. Free.

    Kids and family

    Play and explore / juega y explora. Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales Branch Library, 1498 Irving St. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free. Ideal for ages 5 and under, when accompanied by an adult.

    Cuentacuentos para la familia. Westwood Branch Library, 1000 S. Lowell Blvd. 11:30-noon. Free. All ages, when accompanied by an adult.

    Art, culture, and media

    Titanic: An Immersive Voyage. Exhibition Hub Art Center, 3900 Elati St. 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. $26.90-$41.90. (Read more about this exhibit here.)

    Ms. Destiny. Center for Colorado Women’s History, 1310 Bannock St. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free (members and guests ages 18 and under), $8 (guests ages 60 and older), $10 (guests ages 19-59).

    2theXtreme. Wings over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (children ages 3 and under), $12.95 (children ages 4-16), $15.95 (active military and veterans, guests ages 65 and older), $19.95 (guests ages 17-64).

    Expedition 1776: The Journey of Domínguez & Escalante. History Colorado Center, 1200 Broadway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (children and members), $15 (adults).

    Ink & Thread. Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (members and children age 18 and younger), $22-$27 (students, teachers, active military members, veterans, seniors ages 65 and older), $25-$30 (adults).

    Music and nightlife

    *Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts. Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Greenwood Village. 7 p.m. Prices vary.

    *Gregory Alan Isakov. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. 7 p.m. Prices vary.

    Want more live music? Check out the Indie 102.3 concert calendar.

    Sports and fitness

    *Labor Day Half Marathon. Salisbury Park, 11920 N. Motsenbocker Road, Parker. Starting at 7 a.m. $36 (5K, in advance), $40 (5K, day of), $50 (10K, in advance), $55 (10K, day of), $80 (half marathon, in advance), $85 (half marathon, day of).

    *Colorado Rockies vs. San Francisco Giants. Coors Field, 2001 Blake St., or watch on Rockies.TV or listen at 850 AM. 2:10 p.m. Prices vary.

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  • A new tavern is moving into the Tivoli Student Union

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    Tivoli Student Union on Denver’s Auraria Campus, April 30, 2018.

    Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

    At Denver’s Auraria Campus, the age of Tivoli Brewing Company is over. The time of Quad Side Tavern has begun. 

    Quad Side Tavern will replace the spot at the Tivoli Student Union vacated by the brewing company in April after a decade-long run. Attempts by the Auraria Campus and Tivoli to renegotiate the brewer’s lease failed, which led to the taproom closing in December.

    The new tavern is set to open on Sept. 22, pending permitting and final inspections. It will be operated by Peak Beverage, a Colorado- and Texas-based catering company and liquor store. 

    An Auraria Campus press release said Quad Side Tavern will feature “themed seating areas such as a cozy scholar’s lounge, light-filled study zones, and intimate conversation nooks,” as well as programming like trivia nights and live music. 

    While the Tivoli Brewing Company will no longer be present on campus, the name of the Tivoli Student Union and the Tivoli Quad will stay the same. The two locations got their name from the original Tivoli Brewing Company, which first opened in the building that became the student union in 1864.

    Meanwhile, it appears the Tivoli brand is being phased out. Instead, the brewery is focusing its efforts on its Outlaw Lager, an attempt to break into a domestic light beer market dominated by major brands like Coors and Budweiser.

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  • Denver’s Star Wars Day offerings are upon us for May the 4th

    Denver’s Star Wars Day offerings are upon us for May the 4th

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    Father and son Chris (right) and Fin as Star Wars universe Mandalorians. Denver Comic Con 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

    Confession. While I consider myself a slight nerd (I enjoy Funko Pops, some anime and X-Men ‘97), I’ve only watched the Star Wars movies once and… I’ve never seen any of the shows.

    But on Star Wars Day, better known as May 4th, I’m always down to get nerdy! And fun fact: The first article I ever published had a Star Wars reference in it. If you’ve got a piece of random Star Wars lore, enlighten me.

    To chill with other Star Wars fans, here’s a list of May 4th events from flash tattoos to roller derby fun. It’s also Free Comic Book Day! Shop local and may the force be with you.

    An All Terrain Armored Transport walks the dunes. The Colorado Space Grant Consortium’s Robotics Challenge at Great Sand Dunes National Park, April 13, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

    Happy Star Wars Day!

    Rocky Mountain Roller Derby
    May 4; Doors open at: 4:30 p.m.; The Rollerdome, 2375 S Delaware St.
    The Sapphire Sirens and Amethyst Assassins are hitting the rink for a Star Wars-themed match. Local vendors will also be at the Dome selling goods. Tickets are $15 online and $18 at the door.

    Star Wars Trivia
    May 4; Starts at 7 p.m.; Odell Brewing Sloan’s Lake Brewhouse & Pizzeria,
    1625 Perry Street
    Which episode number is the first Star Wars film? If you know that, you may know some of the answers at this Star Wars Trivia event and win a $75 gift card. Come in costume and be entered into a $50 gift card giveaway. Oh, and there’s Jawa Juice.

    More Trivia!
    May 4; Starts at 7 p.m.; Fiction Beer Company, 7101 East Colfax Ave.
    Fiction Beer is also hosting a trivia night. If your team gets first or second place, the tab is on the house.

    “May the Farce Be With You”
    May 3 and 4; Starting at 8 p.m.; Fiction Beer Company, 7101 East Colfax Ave.
    Fiction Beer is clearly a Star Wars stan. Audacious Theatre Company will be showing Space Conflicts! May the Farce Be With You, an original comedy and parody of the whole Star Wars series. Tickets are $20. If you miss the show this weekend, Audacious will be back again on May 10 at Fiction’s location in Parker.

    May Mackenzie stares up at a Princess Leia costume on exhibit at the Denver Art Museum. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

    ART WAR! Denver
    May 4; 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.; BRDG Project Gallery and Event Space, 3300 Tejon Street
    Put your cosplay outfits on and head to Tejon for over 40 different artists, a DJ and drinks for their “May the 4th Be With You” party.

    May the 4th Popup Market
    From 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Mile High Spirits, 2201 Lawrence St.
    Mile High will be hosting a free market and costume contest. Earn a free drink or gift card.

    Flash Tattoos
    A few artists around the city are hosting a flash day either for the weekend or solely on May 4.

    K. Jones, Nicole Kendrick and Little Goblin are hosting a flash day on May 4th at their private studio. Some artists at Phoenix Tattoo Company will also be hosting a flash day on the 4th. Artists at Creature Arcade in Lakewood will be starting on May 3rd. They are also hosting a market throughout the weekend and you’ll get 15% of on Friday and Saturday if you come in costume.

    Star Wars X DIA
    May 4; 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Jeppesen Terminal, Level 5.

    Denver International Airport is also getting in on the Star Wars action. Grab photos with some characters, even if you aren’t traveling.

    People in Star Wars cosumes walk in Denver’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in LoDo. March 11, 2023.
    Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

    X-Wing at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum
    7711 East Academy Blvd
    Head to the museum anytime to see a ¾-scale replica of the fighter Luke Skywalker uses. R2 is behind the wheel and will react to visitors. Tickets are $19.95.

    Free Comic Book Day at Denver Public Library
    May 4; 10 a.m. through 5 p.m.; Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library, 2401 Welton St.
    Blair-Caldwell is hosting an all day comic event with activities, presentations, and exhibits on comic book history and culture. They’ll be highlighting African American and Colorado connections.

    Here are some comic book shops participating in Free Comic Book Day:

    All in a Dream Comics; 3115 E. Colfax Avenue.
    All C’s Collectibles; 1250 S. Abilene Street
    Mile High Comics; 4600 Jason Street
    Monkey Paw Toys; 1555 S Havana Street, Unit G

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  • Denver outdoor swimming pools will open in June

    Denver outdoor swimming pools will open in June

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    Ely, 12, flips into the pool at the La Alma Recreation Center, July 11, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

    Summer swim season is just around the corner. Locals have been wondering whether the public park pools would stay drained as the city faces budget cuts. 

    Happily, pool parties are still on.

    Even so, the worry made sense. After all, earlier this year Mayor Mike Johnston slashed Denver’s rec center hours to pay for the city’s massive new immigration response, though hours will be restored by June 7.

    The department also cut its popular summer camp program, one of the few affordable ones in the metro area, though that can’t be blamed on the budget.

    “DPR has restructured summer activities to reach more recreation centers and more youth,” wrote Yolanda Quesada, a spokesperson for Denver Parks and Recreation. “There will be a variety of registered and drop-in youth programs Monday through Friday at various centers throughout the city. Registration for summer programs opens May 7 and will be viewable later this month. ” 

    So when can we swim under the sun?

    “Denver’s public outdoor pools are scheduled to open this summer from June 14 to August 11,” Quesada added. 

    That’s a week later than they opened in 2023, but on par with some previous years.  

    To open the pools, the city needs lifeguards. Hiring has begun.

    The lifeguards will have part-time, hourly jobs. Scheduling will be flexible. Employees won’t be allowed to work more than 39 hours a week so the city doesn’t have to pay benefits.

    The job will be to keep the public safe, clean the pool, teach swimming lessons, maintain pool equipment and more. 

    Pay is $18.29 an hour for new lifeguards, and employees can enroll in a city retirement plan. The highest a lifeguard can be paid is $25.06. 

    Other than that, there are no other benefits. 

    Applicants can be as young as 15. No educational experience is required. 

    Luke Howes patrols the Congress Park pool as it finally reopens. Aug. 2, 2022.
    Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

    They will have to be able to swim 300 yards continuously while maintaining breath control using either the front crawl or breaststroke; tread water for two minutes using legs alone; and finish a timed event, including pulling a 10-pound object from at least 7 feet of water in less than 1 minute and 40 seconds, according to the job description. 

    “This position requires a valid American Red Cross certification in Lifeguard Training,” Parks and Rec notes. “No certification? No problem! Applicants who do not possess current certification may participate in an American Red Cross Lifeguard Training certification course led by Denver Parks and Recreation prior to employment for FREE.”

    For more information, see the job description. 

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  • Where to celebrate 4/20 in Denver this weekend

    Where to celebrate 4/20 in Denver this weekend

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    Ashley Castillo and Jose Yitbos peruse glassware at Denver’s 2018 Mile High 420 Festival, April 20, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

    420; stoner; denver; denverite; colorado; kevinjbeaty;

    Denverites want the smoke. Although the first-round playoff series for both the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Avalanche will begin this Saturday, there will be one other big celebration of coinciding with the weekend: 4/20.

    This year’s celebration marks a decade of legal cannabis in Colorado and locals that indulge in the sport will no doubt get together to puff-puff-pass the time.

    However, celebrations may be stifled by April rain and snow showers.

    According to the National Weather Service (NWS), there’s a chance of rain and snow showers before 11 a.m. on Saturday, with some thunder possible.

    Popular outdoor events like the Mile High 420 Festival at Civic Center Park and 420 On The Rocks at Red Rocks Amphitheatre are rain or shine unless deemed unsafe.

    Here are 10 4/20 celebrations in Denver this weekend:

    Sensi Night Colorado 

    Date: Friday, April 19

    Time: 7:30 p.m.

    Location: 119 S. Broadway

    Peruse through over 30 activations from cannabis industry brands and enjoy giveaways, food trucks, canna buses and a retro dance party counting down to the 20th. Tickets to the 21+ event start at $4.20.

    4/20 Flash Tattoo Event 

    Date: Saturday, April 20

    Time: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

    Location: 3333 S. Tamarac Dr., Suite 120

    Get a snazzy 4/20-themed tattoo with artist Nicole Kendrick and two other participating artists. Choose a $42 flash design and book an appointment to reserve a slot.

    420 Puff and Paint Picnic 

    Date: Saturday, April 20

    Time: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

    Location: Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. & Beeler St.

    A $30 ticket includes a canvas, paint, brushes, food and drink.

    Brunch N’ Blunts Pop Up 

    Date: Saturday, April 20

    Time: 11:20-4:20 p.m.

    Location: Shared after ticket purchase

    Enjoy food trucks, drinks, vendors, giveaways and music in the company of other cannabis enthusiasts. The ticketed event is 21+.

    Chronic Carnival: A 420 Market, Metal & Burlesque Celebration 

    Date: Saturday, April 20

    Time: Noon – 10 p.m.

    Location: 1974 S. Acoma St.

    Stop by a free vendor market with a mix of 420 and horror in mind, followed by a stage of three local metal bands. After the music there will be a Sinister & Smoke Cabaret put on by the Consensual Circus production group.

    Mile High 4/20 Festival 

    Date: Saturday, April 20, 1 p.m. 

    Location: Civic Center Park, 101 14th Ave. 

    This year’s festival will be headlined by rapper Gucci Mane, Ohgeesy, Afroman, Big Boss Vette and more. The free, 21+ event is one of Denver’s largest 420 celebrations, featuring vendors and main stage acts into the night. VIP tickets are $175.

    “Rolling Papers” Documentary Screening 

    Date: Saturday, April 20

    Time: 3:45 p.m.

    Location: Sie FilmCenter, 2510 E. Colfax Ave.

    Check out a special 9th-anniversary screening of a documentary following the world of cannabis legalization through the lens of marijuana editor Ricardo Baca and his team at The Denver Post’s outlet, The Cannabist. There will be a pre-film discussion with director Mitch Dickman and Ricardo Baca.

    420 On The Rocks 

    Date: Saturday, April 20, 6 p.m.

    Location: Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Pkwy.

    Rappers Wiz Khalifa and Flatbush Zombies will headline, accompanied by Earthgang, Chevy Woods and DJ Bonics. General admission tickets start at $125.

    Blaze N Bingo: 420 Edition 

    Date: Saturday, April 20

    Time: 6-11 p.m.

    Location: 7667 Washington St.

    Join Minor Misdemeanor and Juiccy Misdemeanor for a special edition drag bingo. General admission tickets are $30 and include four bingo games, a goodie bag, swag, performances and more. 

    $4.20 Cheba Hut Sandwiches 

    Date: Saturday, April 20

    Stop by any of the cannabis-themed toasted sub shops in Colorado on 4/20 for a 4’ sandwich priced at $4.20 all day long. Visitors will also receive a free Cheba Hut-branded frisbee while supplies last.

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  • New phone scam: Claiming to be Denver Sheriff, they ask for Bitcoin

    New phone scam: Claiming to be Denver Sheriff, they ask for Bitcoin

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    A Denver Sheriff Department vehicle. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

    If someone calls claiming to be the Denver Sheriff Department — and that they have a warrant out for your arrest and you need to send them Bitcoin ASAP — they’re probably not from the Denver Sheriff Department.

    The Sheriff Department is warning Denverites about a new phone fraud approach involving scammers calling people impersonating a Denver Sheriff Deputy. The scammers call with a number similar to those on the Department’s website, give out a fake badge number and sometimes transfer potential victims to a “higher-ranking official.”

    According to the Sheriff Department, scammers then tell the victim there is a warrant out for their arrest and instruct the person to pay them in Bitcoin to avoid going to jail.

    “A DSD deputy or a higher-ranking official will never request payment for failing to appear in court,” wrote Daria Serna, a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Department. “A DSD deputy will never make contact by phone or suggest meeting on the street or at a facility for a cash payment and will never ask to wire money or utilize a Bitcoin machine.”

    The scam comes as scammers and phone fraud become increasingly sophisticated. 

    Scammers will often impersonate loved ones or use the threat of jail time or caution a security breach that must be fixed by sending money to the scammer.

    If people receive calls from groups like their bank or a local police department, experts recommend hanging up and calling the group or company directly.

    In 2023, Colaradans lost more than $187 million to scammers, according to an FBI report released Monday. Colorado had the seventh highest number of fraud complaints per capita.
    The Denver Sheriff’s Department is urging people who receive suspicious calls from someone claiming to be a Sheriff’s Deputy to report the information to police and report the call to the State Attorney General’s fraud line.

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  • Southwest engine cover mishap forces flight to return to Denver

    Southwest engine cover mishap forces flight to return to Denver

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    Denver news

    The Southwest flight, originally bound for Houston, returned safely to Denver after damage to the jet’s engine area.

    Denver International Airport, July 19, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

    A Southwest Airlines jet returned to Denver Sunday morning after the engine cover fell off and struck the wing flap during takeoff, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

    The Boeing 737 landed safely, and the passengers headed to Houston were being put onto another aircraft, Southwest Airlines said in a statement.

    “We apologize for the inconvenience of their delay, but place our highest priority on ultimate Safety for our Customers and Employees. Our Maintenance teams are reviewing the aircraft,” the statement reads.

    It’s the second mishap this week for the airline, with a flight from Texas canceled Thursday after a report of an engine fire. The Lubbock, Texas, fire department confirmed online a fire in one of the two engines that needed extinguishing.

    The FAA is investigating both incidents.

    Both planes were Boeing 737-800s, an older model than the 737 Max.

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  • Why can’t you take public transit to Red Rocks? Because it doesn’t go there.

    Why can’t you take public transit to Red Rocks? Because it doesn’t go there.

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    Imagine a race to a Red Rocks concert between drivers, bikers and public transit users. 

    The drivers would make it, though traffic would be bad, parking would be a pain and departing would be horrifically slow. 

    The bikers might get to the show, if their lungs hold up. But cycling down the winding roads from Red Rocks, the bikers would be in danger, trying not to get hit by drunk drivers.

    Don Strasburg, co-president of AEG Presents: Rocky Mountains, the entertainment corporation that books most of the concerts at the venue, generally supports alternative transportation to his concerts.

    But biking to a concert at Red Rocks?

    “I would actually encourage you to not,” he said. “You have a lot of cars traveling down that road. It’s dark. Look, the roads are for everybody, but I don’t want you to get hurt.” 

    As for the transit user trying to get there?

    That person would be out of luck and forced to stay home after looking up directions and realizing there was no way to get to Red Rocks by bus or train. 

    In a city that spends more than $40 million annually to cut carbon emissions by funding alternatives to cars, it’s surprising: The region’s public transit system has no way to get to the region’s most iconic public venue at concerts that brought in more than 1.4 million people last year.

    A decade ago, environmental activist Ean Thomas Tafoya, then a City Council candidate, discovered this for himself.

    He and his friends bought tickets to see Gramatik at Red Rocks. When it came to getting there, he looked for a public option, but there was nothing to be found. 

    So they booked a pricy bus to take them to the show. As so often happens at Red Rocks, the weather turned cold, sleety and snowy. It was so bad the show was dubbed Blizzmatic.

    “There were people who were stuck there because there weren’t transportation options,” Tafoya said. 

    The guy driving the party bus down the hill warned them he had recently moved to Colorado from Florida and had no clue how to drive in the snow. Tafoya was baffled, and he started thinking: It’s time there’s a safe, reliable public transportation option for Red Rocks. 

    He connected with now City Councilmember Darrell Watson, and the two of them, along with former City Councilmember now Parks and Rec head Jolon Clark, started talking about getting transit to Red Rocks.

    Mayoral candidate Ean Thomas Tafoya walks in Denver’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Marade. Jan. 16, 2023.
    Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

    In the years since, Tafoya’s championed the idea, as he’s served on the parks board, run for Denver City Council, and then for mayor.

    He’s held signature drives pushing transit to Red Rocks. He’s testified before RTD’s board and City Council. And he’s even made promotional videos on the subject.

    For a park that sees millions of visitors a year, it’s just plain logical, he said. Transit would be good for the climate and create equitable access for people who can’t afford car ownership but can pay for a bus ticket.

    A public option could also be good for concertgoers who snarl traffic and often drive intoxicated to and from shows, risking their own lives and those of others. 

    Nearly a decade since Tafoya first started working on the issue, first-time District 9 City Councilmember Watson has started lobbying for a regional solution for people looking to enjoy the venue. 

    “We know that the great majority of those — over 90% — are driving, often in single occupancy cars, impacting our environment, impacting their health and their safety,” said Watson. “That many cars going through narrow roads through Morrison and Golden isn’t safe. So what we do know is that there needs to be an alternative.” 

    Watson moved from his home in the Virgin Islands to Denver when he was 17, in part after watching a video of U2 playing Red Rocks and thinking the venue looked like Mars. Two weeks after he moved, he begged for a ride to the venue “so I could see Mars.”

    He would prefer to have been able to take the bus.

    City Councul member Darrell Watson prepares to speak at a groundbreaking for Denargo Market, a new housing complex just off Brighton Boulevard. Sept. 28, 2023.
    Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

    Watson, Tafoya and Jefferson County Commissioner Andy Kerr have started organizing to create some sort of shuttle from the W Line to the venue that would bring riders to and from the broader RTD transit system.

    Watson said the shuttle could be created by local governments rather than RTD, but he would welcome collaboration from the agency. 

    What’s the concrete plan? Who are the partners?  What are the funds? 

    All that’s in the works, and the organizers’ last meeting was snowed out. But they’re prepared to figure it out in the coming months, raise funds over the summer and try to have something in place by 2025.

    Tafoya even hopes that during RTD’s Zero Fair for Better Air month that there might be a pilot project in the works for concertgoers, Red Rocks staff and other people who want to use the mountain parks. 

    “This discussion of public transportation to Red Rocks has been bogged down in ‘Where do you get the money from?’” Watson said. “What we wanted first and foremost was to hear: What are the unique ideas that you have to meet the need of a million folks driving to Red Rocks?”

    Grease plays on the 47-foot-wide LED screen as the debut film screening of the 21st annual Film on the Rocks, drive-in edition at Red Rocks Park on Aug. 13, 2020.
    Eli Imadali for Denverite

    Once those ideas are amassed, each county will look at its budget and decide where the money will come from, he explained. 

    Denver, as he sees it, should not be driving the process. 

    “Often times, when Denver’s doing regional approaches with other counties, we come in with big ideas, and we tell folks what to do,” Watson said. “This process has been very different. We have been listening.”

    Though Watson has been helping to facilitate the meetings, City of Denver representatives have been outnumbered in discussions by decision-makers from Jefferson County. 

    RTD, itself, has largely been kept of the project.

    Board members were troubled when stories about public transit coming to Red Rocks made the news and they didn’t know about the idea.  They discussed media reports about the project and their confusion with Watson’s comments to Channel 9 news at a March 21 meeting. 

    Members wondered why the district would consider adding services to Red Rocks when projects in their individual communities had been put on hold. 

    “I, nor our planning department, nor our service planning division have had any discussions relative to this,” RTD Executive Director Debra Johnson told them.

    This vehicle is “NOT IN SERVICE” at RTD’s main bus repair depot, June 25, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

    She had a recent meeting with Watson about connecting the L Line to the A Line, and she said the Red Rocks proposal didn’t come up at all. 

    In fact, the board RTD slashed W line hours from 4:30 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday, and between 5 a.m. and 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday, creating an additional barrier for creating public transportation between the W Line and the venue.

    Strasburg of AEG has been following the issue in the media, though the organizers have not reached out to his company.

    The demand for alternative ways of getting to Red Rocks, he says, is high. The private sector has met the need for years through expensive rideshares, private shuttles and party busses.

    Even so, he’d like to see more options available. 

    RTD would need to keep the trains running late enough. Trains and shuttles would need to be on schedule. And the coordination would need to be strong. Is that possible? He doesn’t know.

    “If it provided another safe way for people to get to an event,” he said, “then that’s a massive winner.” 

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  • Capitol Hill’s Esquire Theatre is closing this summer, four years short of 100 | Denverite

    Capitol Hill’s Esquire Theatre is closing this summer, four years short of 100 | Denverite

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    Avoiding demolition, owners plan to repurpose the existing building for “upscale office, restaurant and retail uses.”

    The Landmark Esquire on Downing Street. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)

    Capitol Hill’s Esquire Theatre at 590 Downing Street is closing its doors for good this summer, just four years short of its 100th birthday.

    The movie theater’s owners plan to repurpose the existing building for upscale office, restaurant and retail use.

    “We’ve received great support from the Esquire Theatre ownership team, however, as we evaluate this market and our long-term business strategy, we have decided to close the Landmark Esquire Theatre,” said Kevin Holloway, President of Landmark Theatres in a news release.

    Landmark’s Mayan Theatre, Chez Artiste, and The Landmark at Greenwood Village will remain open. 

    Owners submitted plans to redevelop the property in late 2023. The theatre will close in July 2024. 

    The building remodel will go through the Adaptive Reuse program, offered by the City and County of Denver, intended to encourage the reuse of older and historic buildings. A tree canopy, landscape island planters for pedestrian safety, and new eight-foot sidewalks will be built in order to help create a “walkable amenity for surrounding neighborhoods.”

    Adaptive reuse plans were approved by Denver’s Landmark Preservation Commission.

    “The plans we have seen for the adaptive reuse of the Esquire Theatre are terrific,” said Steven Simard, President of the Alamo Placita Neighbors Association in the statement. “The building’s owners and their design teams have proven that creativity can allow an old building to serve a new purpose in a historic neighborhood.” 

    This will also prevent the demolition of the old building on the corner of 6th and Downing, a topic of interest for those following this week’s news that Monfort Companies plans to demolish El Chapultepec, a legendary jazz club in the Ballpark neighborhood.

    “We have entertained the possibility of leasing to another theater tenant,” said Sam Leger of ownership group Franklin 10 LLC in the release. “Unfortunately, we’ve been unable to find a partner for this opportunity. We have been and will continue to work with neighborhood groups as well as the city to create a desirable addition to the neighborhood.” 

    Denver-based architecture firm Neo Studio will be focused on the rework of the 9,175 square-foot building, and the iconic Esquire signs will be “refurbished and prominently featured” in the new designs.

    “As we move forward with our work on the Esquire Theatre site, we’ll continue to work closely with our neighbors and on guidelines set out by the city,” Leger said. “We’re honored to be one the first projects in Denver to work in conjunction with this program.”

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