Dark storm clouds stretched out from the Rocky Mountains, shrouding one side of Chatfield Reservoir. Yet to the left, the sun shone brightly through thick white clouds. The light created a rainbow that stretched across the water, making a path for the 40 or so sailboats that darted around.

It was a Wednesday night, which meant members of the Colorado Sail and Yacht Club were out in full force for an evening of racing. A pontoon boat sat anchored in the middle of what looked like organized chaos to a rookie sailor. On it sat the race commissioners.

“You have a Capri 22 coming up on your port side,” said Mike Sotir, who was working the fore deck of the Zulu, a J30 sailboat. “You see it?” Along with being a CSYC member, Sotir was a former student-now-instructor at the Victoria Sailing School based in Denver. And his sailing ventures have brought him all over the world from Colorado’s lakes to the Adriatic Sea.

“Yep, I see them,” said Trey Hegstrom, another instructor at the Victoria Sailing School and commodore of the CSYC. Hegstrom grew up in Minnesota, where he learned to sail dinghies — small, lightweight sailboats. Also aboard were fellow Victoria Sailing School instructors John Ingell, Bob Ratliff, and Tony Cochrane.

The pontoon sounded the first of four horns and flew the “class” flag to designate which boats were going to start (The race was split into three groups by sailboat type.).

“There’s the five-minute countdown,” said Sotir.

“Sailboat racing is the only sport where competitors get a running head start,” said Hegstrom with a smile as he continued to circle the other boats, some of which had already started their racing divisions. Others, like the Zulu crew, were waiting to begin.

Another horn sounded, and the preparation flag went up.

“Four minutes,” announced Sotir.

For the race, the boats had to hit different numbered buoys anchored throughout the lake. Ratliff marked the course on an 8.5 x 11-inch laminated map with a dry-erase marker.

Another horn sounded, and the preparation flag went down, signaling there was one minute left to start.

With less than a minute to go, Hegstrom pointed us to the starting line. The final horn sounded, and off we went.

This is sailing in Colorado.

Sailing in the desert

“There’s sailing in Colorado?”A question every sailing instructor in the landlocked state has been asked multiple times.

Bill Edwards, who joined CSYC back in 1997, is one of the original members, and he is also a volunteer for the club’s races. “I joke that I moved to the desert to learn to sail. But if there is a puddle, we will sail it.”

Melissa Gorchynsky, executive director of Community Sailing of Colorado, who teaches classes at Cherry Creek, Boulder Reservoir, and Standley Lake, expressed a similar sentiment. She sailed in Annapolis, Maryland, known as America’s sailing capital for a number of years. But after moving to Colorado, she thought she had “turned in my sailing gloves for climbing shoes.” Fortunately, that’s not exactly how things worked out. After moving here Gorchynsky reached out to the Denver Sailing Association to see if they needed any volunteers.

“The fleet captain was like ‘What are you doing Saturday?’” And she found herself sailing that same weekend. “It’s really interesting to move to a landlocked state, knowing that there are other people who are water starved.”

Where there is a lake, you are likely to find a club. There is Dillon Marina Sailing School in the high country, Union Sailing Club in northern Colorado, Lake Pueblo Sailing Club in the south, and many others. While the landlocked bodies of water give mariners a place to go, sailing on mountain lakes presents its own unique set of challenges.

Dillon Reservoir, for instance, might seem perfect for sailing along 26.8 miles of shoreline. At over 9,000 feet above sea level, according to the Denver Gazette, it’s “the world’s highest deep-water marina.” High-elevation pressure systems can lead to instant weather changes, with a lake being no exception.

“It’s insane to sail up here because the air is really thin,” said Gorchynsky. “It doesn’t feel like sailing at sea level at all. Whitecaps form on the water at sea level when the wind is blowing at about 13 knots. Whereas in the Front Range, it’s about 15 knots, and at Dillon Reservoir it’s about 18 knots.[15 miles per hour.] So you can look out at the water and think, ‘It’s not that windy,’ and then you get out there, and it’s a completely different story.” She goes on to explain that up at Lake Dillon, the wind can be especially erratic and seems to come at you from all different directions. “I have been on boats where the indicator flags on opposite sides are pointing at each other.”

Tim Geisler, founder and lead instructor of Nautilus Sailing based in Crested Butte, echoes this sentiment. “The changing conditions really keep sailors on their toes. So if you can sail the high mountain lakes, you can sail most places.”

Initially, when Nautilus opened in 2010, they sailed the Blue Mesa, the largest lake in Colorado. But the sailing season is pretty short there, especially when compared to other places, so the school’s focus shifted. They now bring students to different spots nationally and internationally. This aligns with Gorchynsky’s adage, “If you can sail here, you can sail anywhere.”

Getting out on the water in Colorado

For someone who is interested in giving the sport a try, there are ample clubs and schools throughout the state eager to get more prospective sailors out on the water.

Just be careful, though: “Sailing is addictive,” said Sotir.

The Victoria Sailing School offers classes at Chatfield, Cherry Creek, and Carter Lake. “We have been growing each year,” said Tibor Van den Wildenbergh, who co-owns the school with his wife Erica Cook.His father-in-law started the Victoria Sailing School back in the 1980s, making it the oldest sailing school in the state. “We have around 450 kids in our summer programs, and our adult classes have been expanding. And much of our marketing is word of mouth. Our students become champions of the school.”

After completing beginner courses, students can then go on to take more advanced theory, sailboat maintenance, and navigation classes. Along with classes in Colorado, the Victoria Sailing School offers sessions in California and beyond.

“We can train somebody who has never sailed and get them to a place where they can buy a boat and go explore the world on their own,” said Wildenbergh. “We give people the opportunity to start their sailing journeys here and expand out to wherever they want to go.”

Similarly, Community Sailing of Colorado offers classes for both kids and adults. “It’s a great place to quote, unquote ‘get your feet wet,’” said Gorchynsky.

CSC’s camps start kids as young as five, where they learn important skills like water safety and sail on a boat with an instructor. Once they are seven, they can hit the water with their fellow campers with an instructor helping them from a motor boat.

“We have these teeny tiny 6 foot long by 3 foot wide boats that almost look like little floating bathtubs. They look awful,” said Gorchynsky with a laugh. “But the kids have so much fun tearing around the water with them. It looks like a mama duck motorboat being followed by a handful of little duckling sailboats. It’s too cute.”

Adult beginner classes are offered at both Boulder and Cherry Creeks, with two different sizes of boats depending on where you are sailing. The classes are three hours long and meet once a week for a month. Additionally, once students complete the starter course, they have the option to dip their toes in the water, so to speak, and explore racing.

“On Thursday nights, we race at Cherry Creek,” explained Gorchynsky. “It’s run by the Denver Sailing Association who has volunteer skippers such as myself. We invite graduates, so they can see if they want to take it to the next level or have any interest in racing. It’s a really fun social scene. Just show up. We will get you on the water. We have a strict ‘no person left on shore policy.’”

Additionally, CSC partners with different organizations to offer adaptive sailing programs that allow individuals with cognitive, developmental, and physical disabilities to experience the water for a day. CSC also offers low or no-cost spots at sailing camps for kids whose families would otherwise not be able to afford it. And they help promote Able to Sail, which offers programs specifically designed for LGBTQIA+ youth.

Finding community

At the end of the day, “It’s all about the people,” says Ingell. Cruising around Chatfield — when the instructors weren’t talking strategy or making comments about the fishermen who plopped their boats right in the middle of the action — the crew was eager to talk about their love of the sport and what makes sailing in the Centennial State so special.

According to Wildenbergh, just about every major lake and reservoir has a club.“Since everyone is spread out, the sailing community is a bit fragmented,” he said. “But each club’s community is so much bigger than you would expect. If you just show up on a race night and meet people, there are plenty of chances to get on the water.”

Gorchynsky explains that in places like Annapolis, people just assume you sail. When you go out to a bar, it’s not, “Where do you work?” she explained, but “Who do you sail with?”

Out here, maybe one has to work a bit harder to find the community, but once one finds it, they are golden.“I was driving the work van once, and someone started honking at me and asked me to roll down my window at a stop light,” said Gorchynsky. “They just yelled ‘Hi! I sail too!’ And it just speaks to the fact that we are all crazy enough to need to be on the water wherever we can. And we will support anybody who feels that kind of passion.”

The post Mountain Time Maritime appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Why go through the effort of thrifting?

The reasons to thrift have evolved with our planet and our people. In the 1800s thrifting culture began as a means of providing more affordable items to the poor. Today it is the way people from all economic backgrounds fill specific needs, not always centered around price tags.

According to Earth.org, 92 million tons of clothing end up in landfills every year, and by 2030 the fashion industry’s global emissions are on track to double from what they are today. This creates an additional, urgent drive for the eco-conscious to shop second-hand.

But it’s also cool to thrift. We all know it’s a vibe and a consistently good one, but why has the hip energy stuck? Why has thrifting remained cool even outside of serious ecological and economic concerns throughout time? What makes thrifted clothes more palpably special than new ones? Yellow Scene Magazine turned to ARC, one of Colorado’s largest and most popular thrift stores, and tuned into their second-hand-happy podcast, Get Thrifty, to find out.

What stuck out while listening to an array of folks discuss their thrifting habits and strategies on the “Get Thrifty Podcast” with host Maggie Scivicque is that thrifting is so much more than clothes shopping. Items you can find outside of clothing at quality second-hand stores include furniture, art, musical instruments, costumes, jewelry, hats, cowboy boots, sunglasses, scarves, holiday decorations, kitchen items, cast iron, dishware, and beyond.

Many of the guests on the podcasts cited the unique energy that used items bring to your home and your day. Old items are like old homes. When you step into an old house, you can feel its soul. The same holds true for thrifted items. Each piece of furniture, item of clothing, etc. has had a life elsewhere. A reupholstered, overstuffed chair where someone sat to cry, and have a conversation about what turn their life might take, cushions still humming with their own personal history of sitters. A dress worn by a young woman on her first date with a man who would become her husband of 40 years, set back into circulation by her daughter who cleaned out her mother’s closet after her death. There is an existing life infused into the item you’ve chosen to style into your own life. And that fact alone brings value.

An additional bonus with used, old items is that if you find something in good shape, it is likely better made and will last longer than a similar new item on the market. It’s also easier to express yourself through these thoughtfully constructed, old items because they’re not held hostage to the trends of the time and are unique. There aren’t 7,000 of them sitting in boxes in a warehouse ready to ship out all over the country or world. Instead, there are high-quality items that will last over a lifetime that are unique to you and only you. From this perspective, it’s wild that everyone isn’t shopping used.

Finally, before we get into why we thrift and why we should continue to, we wanted to touch on the upscale brand of the art of thrifting. The RealReal — whose goal is to “extend the life cycle of luxury items” — allows sellers and buyers to circulate brand-name, luxury second-hand items. Besides bringing the wealthy and high-fashion-conscious into the thrifting conversation, it allows those with less spending money to “binge” on a coveted brand name for a special event or just because. It’s a win-win, as it brings more art-driven designer brands to the doorsteps of the masses while giving a piece a second, third, or fourth life. There’s also a fair amount of inventory with the tags still on — an opportunity to save wearable art from a wasted life!

Where to thrift locally

There are so many modes of thrifting. From “the bins” — or properly, a Goodwill Outlet — to the upscale, online The RealReal, to Garage Sale Vintage with an in-house tequila bar, as well as Déjà Blue, Goodwill’s boutique for high-end, second-hand finds, we’ll sort through some of the diverse approaches to thrifting that have evolved out of demand for curated, or not, second-hand items over the years.

If you haven’t been to a Goodwill Outlet, Yellow Scene Magazine suggests you schedule a day trip to Englewood, Denver, or Colorado Springs to experience this unique brand of thrifting that lies somewhere between a garage sale and a sample sale. Goodwill Outlets — housed in big warehouses filled with rejected items from the standard Goodwill stores — are lined with bins on legs or folding tables to sift through mounds of second-hand goods. Employees roll out bins overflowing with used clothes and other items, which you can pull out and sort through on the plastic tables.

Be warned there are rules depending on the location. At some, you can’t start pulling clothes out of a bin until an employee has brought it over to the table and taken their hands off of it. Then the bin is fair game, and you can start peaceably sorting through or engage in tug-of-war with another thrifter depending on your style or mood. Some people recommend wearing gloves.

The grand beauty of this system is that beyond a unique and exciting shopping experience, the clothes are priced by the pound. Once you’re satisfied — or exhausted — you take your loot to the cashier to weigh it for your total. Pricing depends on the type of item. There are also bulk rates. If you’re serious about thrifting or just looking for a fun challenge, these are the second-hand destinations for you.

Garage Sale Vintage, born in Larimer Square in Denver, offers a more unique and leisurely way to thrift. Now with locations in Boulder, Denver, Nashville, and soon to open in New York City, Garage Sale brings a fresh twist to the vintage game. With eats and drinks at the bar in the front of the store including an astrology cocktail menu, you can take your time perusing through hand-picked, relevant second-hand items.

Boulder’s Pearl Street location is clean, cool, and homey. If you’re looking for a second-hand shop that’s hip with the vintage trends or just want to hang somewhere with good music and friendly company — or better yet a perfect marriage of the two — Garage Sale Vintage is the spot. And it is full of quality finds, even when you’re looking for something specific.

Another local option exists in Cherry Creek’s Déjà Blue. Goodwill funnels its donated high-end brands to Déjà Blue, located in Denver on University Blvd. The prices are a smidge steeper than at a traditional second-hand store, but you’ll still find huge savings in brand-name pieces when compared to new, full-priced twins. The store is organized and clean, invoking more of a boutique experience than that of a thrift store. This is a good shop to drop into regularly to peruse what’s new or snag the wide-legged pants you’ve been searching for but refuse to pay at full price.

Online also has some first-rate thrifting options. You can bid for items on Goodwill’s auction site or purchase from Noihsaf Bazaar — a second-hand online shop focused on used clothing made by independent designers, sustainable brands, and relevant vintage finds. You can also zip straight to the top and visit The RealReal’s website to shop gently used designer apparel for far less than what you would pay at a place like Bloomingdale’s. Like the brick and mortars, the online thrifting scene also has variety — an abundance of used goods for all shapes and styles.

Noihsaf Bazaar is a treasure trove of easy, online second-hand shopping. Because everything is filtered through employees, referred to as curators, looking for items that are current or vintage — and most often sustainable — little sifting is required. In fact, it’s the complete opposite of “the bins.” The clothes have been vetted, the aesthetically pleasing website is easy to use, and you can shop from the comfort of your desk or couch. You are also able to ask individual sellers specific questions about the items or if they’re willing to take a lower price. It’s an all-around pleasant shopping experience, with fair prices that allow you to feel like a clever little thief.

It’s also incredibly easy to sell your items on the Noihsaf site. You simply post a few photos, fill in the description and sizing fields, and wait for an employee/curator to approve them, which doesn’t take more than a couple of days. And items are rarely turned away. It seems the target audience that sells and shops Noihsaf has hit a sweet spot with similar tastes. Thrifting has come a long way.

Stop supporting throw-away goods

Our culture has a massive consumption problem, and clothing is a huge piece of that nasty pie. We continue to make, we continue to purchase when there exists on this planet more than enough to meet the needs of everyone here — and everyone to come — for a very long time. Creation is intrinsic to who we are. It is, in fact, one of the most valuable qualities of humans: this need to produce art. However, the creation of cheap, synthetic items intended to be used for a short time before being thrown out and replaced by another is unsustainable and irresponsible.

Let’s hold gratitude for what we have already and save creation and production for the artists — or at least producers who are thinking through the entire process from the items’ beginnings to their ends. We have the opportunity to put on the brakes and stop demanding more from the corporate fashion industry. We have the responsibility to use and wear what we already have. If you want something new to you, consider purchasing something with a story. It will enrich your life, save an item from the landfill, and add one fewer tick to the chart of demand for more.

The post A Thrifting Mode for Every Vibe appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Longmont is about to experience a new callback to the kind of mid-century diners road trippers of the past loved. A new gathering space — part restaurant, part bar, part event space, and part time machine — is coming to Prospect in the next few weeks. Johnson’s Station is the reenvisioning of a 1950s-era service stop that fed hungry travelers mentioned by Jack Kerouac in “On the Road.” Chef Steve Queen is excited. With good reason.

The restaurant is housed in an intriguing building — a service station, which was moved from Longmont’s Main Street to the Prospect neighborhood. It sat for years behind fencing until it was financially redeveloped. Now, it’s been revitalized and Queen gets to lead the menu development and kitchen teams that will take diners back in time.

Queen plans to marry key parts of what’s important to him in cooking, with elevated versions of what 1950s travelers might have expected to be passed across a diner service window. Burgers. Hot dogs and hot chicken. Ice cream Cocktails. Smoked pork sandwiches. Classic Americana fare.

This kind of food feels fairly expected, but Queen has plans to elevate it. “I’ll never throw ingredients into something for the sake of throwing thirty things there. I’m very forward and when I describe something I’m cooking, you’re going to taste what I’m describing. An orange, a carrot, ginger sauce will taste like those things, in that order. It’s stripping away filler and distractions. I like things flavorful. Reduced down.” To further illustrate his point, he talked about how he makes hot chicken. Marinated in buttermilk and then made with both butter and lard, it’s spicy with a crust that’s present but not overwhelming. It is also about texture. It just also happens to be gluten-free.

Aspects of the Johnson’s Station environment play to Queen’s personality as well. The space calls back to some of his most formative years in high school, where he not only discovered he appreciated cooking through a class, he also discovered he liked photography and architecture. “The exposure to it is what makes the difference. There’s so much that you’re not exposed to in high school as far as careers. The things that stuck with me the most from those days are those things that were hands on and used in real life, long term.”

Of all the things he was fortunate to try in school, cooking ultimately stuck with him. He went to Johnson and Wales in Florida, then worked at a series of restaurants including in places owned by his parents. Like a lot of other people, he came to Colorado for the mountains. But, unlike a lot of people, he cooked in Cherry Creek. Then he worked for River and Woods owned by the same group, Working Title, that owns Johnsons Station.

Throughout his journey, there wasn’t one person that was his mentor but he said he felt that it was to his advantage. He focused on purely developing his own techniques based on his instinct. What was consistent was how he pushed himself to learn more. His philosophy about restaurants is that there’s always more to learn. Culinary professionals should be looking deep into techniques, ingredients, and how to do things better. There’s always something to know, or know more deeply.

And now it appears his next learning chapter is in Longmont, in an Americana-road trip fueled (pun intended) preserved service station.  One can only imagine the rabbit holes of learning and creation he has going forward into the future, to diners’ benefit.

The post Off Menu with Steve Queen of Johnson’s Station appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The Dark Horse Saloon that I know is probably not the one you know. I cannot tell you about frenzied Saturday nights, or the roaring crowds during a Buffs game.

My Dark Horse is one found on weekday afternoons. No, please, don’t run away just yet. In my Dark Horse, it’s quiet enough to hear the lyrics of the Blondie or Skynrd song on the PA. My companions are a Jiffy Burger, an unholy monster of protein and fats, and whatever Harlan Ellison book I happen to have with me that day. I don’t drink; my potion is a liter of Coke in a semi-opaque red cup. I have no illusions that it isn’t taking just as many years off my lifespan.

The Dark Horse is the bar you find on dead planets at the far edge of star systems. Its cousins are Mos Eisley on Tatooine, and Hangman’s Hollow, last stop of the Galaxy Express. The dark-stained wood beams are covered with the posters, street signs, and placards of generations past. There is a stone fireplace in the back. If one were to look up, their eyeline to the ceiling would be blocked by dozens of carriages, sleighs, carts, and wagons suspended by wires. It’s as if some mad race across the cosmos had ended with a crash through the roof.

My Dark Horse is a place to be alone amongst people. Now pay attention: there is a difference between being lonely and being alone. Sitting alone in the Dark Horse, scribbling on my legal pad, hearing order names called out through the fuzzy PA, I can feel my spiritual batteries recharging.

There is a weight in the walls of the Dark Horse. The names etched into the wood beams, the bizarre spinning gears of the north bar, the random remnants of report cards, rallies, and rock concerts, it all says “The world did not begin with you. There were people here before.” There were people in this shadowy saloon who told tales and cheered touchdowns and fell in love long before me. A piece of them lives on in the walls, in the scarred and worn hardwood floor, in a glint off the chrome finish of the payphone.

I sit in the Dark Horse, perhaps not so alone after all.

But not for long. The land has been bought up, and the saloon will be razed for apartments. One day this will all be gone. Like Jones Drug on The Hill, where I bought my first movie camera and learned enough about cinematography for it to count as its own class. Now…a Starbucks and a tanning salon. Like the second floor of Illegal Pete’s where I leaned back in my booth, listening to Paradise City blaring, and felt like life couldn’t get any better than this. Now…nothing. Like the Landmark Theater, where I had some of my happiest memories with a good friend who died ten years ago. Now…a Barnes & Noble.

Like the Tattered Cover across from Union Station, where I —

“You know, the Tattered Cover…”

I stop at this interruption from my shrink and look up.

“I remember the Tattered Cover,” they say, “back when it was on Cherry Creek. I had a very nice anniversay dinner with my spouse across the street from there, and afterward we crossed over and browsed the books. That was a good memory. Gosh, that location closed years ago.”

I sit back on the couch, thinking about their memory of a place I never knew. And my memories of a place others will never know.

You see, the shrink wants you to think through these things yourself. That’s what they call a “breakthrough moment.”

Perhaps I could count my blessings. Right now, there is a student at CU who never knew Jones Drug, or found a plastic knife blade in their bagel at Buchanan’s, or caught a flick at the Landmark. Ten years from now, that student will come back to The Hill, and find their old haunts gone. They never knew my Hill, and I never knew theirs. They will stand on the corner of College & 13th in 2034, and think to themselves, “It’s just not the same anymore,” because it never was.

Neil Peart passed away four years ago (I can tell you we’ll never see his likes around here again). Come to think of it, he was in that movie I saw at the Landmark with my late friend, and played the “Drum Solo of Life.” For the song “New World Man,” Peart wrote:

“He’s not concerned with yesterday,
He knows constant change is here today.”

I’m still working on the first part.

The post From My Corner Of Hangman’s Hollow: Memories Of The Dark Horse And Other Haunts appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

by Dave Perry at The Sentinel 

2nd racist video by Greenwood Village middle school students draws ire from parents, calls for Cherry Creek schools action

AURORA | Parents are demanding more action from Cherry Creek School District leaders as a second racist video made by students has circulated on social media.

“We will not tolerate hate in the Cherry Creek School District,” Superintendent Chris Smith said during a board of education meeting Monday evening. He added that parents, teachers and principals should hold themselves and students accountable for their actions.

At least half-dozen parents spoke about racism in the district and the changes they want to see.

“We are collectively concerned and deeply saddened by recent anti-Black racism,” Samantha Schacher, a district parent, said during public comment about a video involving students from Campus Middle School in Greenwood Village. “We know that this is a systemic issue within the district.”

Schacher said that she, like many other parents, found out about the racist videos through social media and was “shocked and disappointed” that the school district “was not addressing it transparently with the community.”

Jennifer Ann Miller, who spoke during public comment, also advocated for greater transparency from the district. She said there should be a policy that informs parents of serious incidents while balancing students’ privacy.

“This enables more constructive dialogue and reduces speculation, rumors and a proliferation of fear and anger stemming from lack of information,” Miller said.

UnSuk Zucker, a district parent, thanked Smith for speaking out against the videos but said that they were “just the tip of the iceberg” and that it’s a symptom of systemic racism.

Outcry Monday was in response to a second recent video of middle school students making videos of themselves expressing racist sentiments and posting them on social media.

The most recent video is 35 seconds long and depicts at least two girls repeatedly blurting out variations of the “n-word,” according to the Rocky Mountain NAACP. The two girls are apparently drinking alcoholic beverages,” NAACP officials said, “and are students at Campus Middle School.”

Another video that circulated in November on social media is of a boy saying a racial slur, and saying that Black people should “not be alive right now.” The child, a student at West Middle School, also in Greenwood Village, also said that he hates the color of their skin.

Smith did not state at the board meeting if the students involved in the second video were disciplined. But district spokesperson Lauren Snell confirmed later that the students were disciplined. When responding to the first video, the district said that the student faced “significant discipline”, but they cannot discuss specifics of discipline due to students’ privacy rights.

“This has gone too far. We are calling for the parents of these young people to come meet with Rocky Mountain NAACP. We will not tolerate this behavior and it is time for the parents to come forward to apologize by action and word,” the Rocky Mountain NAACP said in a press statement on Nov. 30. “We are requesting the parents and young people to volunteer with the Rocky Mountain NAACP to progress our fight towards equity.”

Rashad Younger, spokesperson for the Rocky Mountain NAACP said that as of Dec. 12, the organization is still trying to get in contact with the families and wants them to issue a public apology.

The post 2nd racist video by Greenwood Village middle School Students Draws Ire From Parents, Calls for Cherry Creek Schools Action appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

By Jason Gonzales, Chalkbeat Colorado (AP Storyshare)

Colorado would guarantee the right of Native American students to wear items such as eagle feathers and other traditional clothing at graduation ceremonies through a bill under consideration this year.

Federal law protects Native American religious and cultural rights. But students sometimes run into issues or find flat-out prohibition at schools when it comes to wearing regalia at ceremonies, advocates say. They say families must then fight to make districts aware of the importance of traditional clothing. Or students running into a lack of understanding might choose to skip graduation ceremonies altogether.

Senate Bill 202 would ensure K-12 schools, colleges, and universities create policies to protect Native American students so they don’t run into issues.

Sen. Jessie Danielson, a Wheat Ridge Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill, said she’s heard of school officials telling students they have to hide, remove, or even throw away regalia because of policies that maintain uniformity at graduations. She said some students have even reported school officials touched or confiscated students’ eagle feathers, a cultural and religious symbol.

“This bill clarifies for the school that you do not interfere with this,” Danielson said. “You cannot harass these students and prevent them from wearing their traditional regalia.”

Schools asking Native American students to remove or throw away items is like a school asking a student to get rid of a Jewish or Christian symbol, said Melvin Baker, Southern Ute Tribal Council chairman, during a Monday hearing.

He added that the United States has a history of trying to erase Native American culture, and the bill would ensure students get to honor their identity and their achievement.

“Tribal regalia plays a unique role for graduating native Native students,” Baker said. “These items are often gifted to students by parents or tribal elders in recognition of this achievement.”

The Native American Rights Fund receives many calls every spring from families across the country looking for support on how to ensure they can wear regalia at graduation ceremonies, said Matthew Campbell, the organization’s deputy director. It’s been a few years since he fielded a call from Colorado families, but he said families do sometimes run into trouble with schools.

“Usually, when we reach out to the schools and explain the importance of these items — once they understand — they usually will allow them to be worn,” Campbell said.

In recent years, some states have added teachings about Native American religion and culture. Other changes that try to create more respect toward Native American culture have happened, including a law Colorado passed last year that bans Native American mascots.

Colorado would join eight other states in ensuring Native American students can wear traditional regalia.

Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, a Longmont Democrat co-sponsoring the legislation, said the goal is to make sure that every Colorado district understands.

The bill defines qualifying students as members of a tribe, eligible tribal members, or those of Native American descent. The bill says that immediate family members would also be allowed to wear traditional Native American dress during their students’ graduation ceremony.

Speakers at a Senate Education Committee hearing said traditional dress might include clothing, bracelets, necklaces, or eagle feathers. The bill needs a final vote in the Senate before heading to the House.

The bill doesn’t say how schools will ensure students have the right to wear traditional items, Jaquez Lewis said.

“We leave the details up to the school districts and the schools but what we do in this bill is we set guardrails,” she said.

Some districts have started to create policies.

Cherry Creek School District has created a ceremony for Native American students and is working on graduation ceremony policies, said Aspen Rendon, a partner with the district’s department of equity, culture, and community engagement. The district also has an indigenous action committee working toward creating a more inclusive district, Rendon said.

Jeffrey Chavez, the district’s indigenous and native student community liaison, said it’s important to recognize native traditions, especially in urban districts like Cherry Creek. Ensuring students get to wear their regalia at ceremonies helps carry on traditions.

“That’s how we honor ourselves and our community and family with those traditions,” he said.

Indigenous action committee member Donna Chrisjohn said a principal didn’t allow her son in 2020 to wear Native American regalia at his graduation ceremony. Her son ended up not participating in the ceremony.

She is glad the district is changing and happy to have helped make lawmakers aware of the issue.

“This is so impactful for all families to know that someone will not push back when their child decides that they want to show up as who they really are,” Chrisjohn said. “That’s a huge step in the right direction.”

Jason Gonzales is a reporter covering higher education and the Colorado legislature. Chalkbeat Colorado partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Contact Jason at jgonzales@chalkbeat.org.

The post Native American students’ right to wear regalia at graduation protected by Colorado bill appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

By Ann Schimke, Chalkbeat Colorado (AP Storyshare)

Roxana Alvarado Martinéz, a high school sophomore, had told only close friends she was seeing a therapist to help her with anxiety and insomnia.

But that changed this month in the civics classroom where she serves as a teacher’s assistant. The teacher plucked slips of paper from the “Sol y Nubes” — sun and clouds — box, where students can anonymously share struggles or excitement.

That day, as the discussion touched on depression, bullying, and suicide, Roxana spoke up.

“There is no shame, absolutely no shame in you having a therapist or me having a therapist,” she told the class at Summit High School in Breckenridge. “I could help you get connected if that’s what you need.”

Roxana is part of a generation that has grappled with unprecedented mental health struggles over the last few years amid a pandemic that stoked stress, fear, and isolation for people young and old. She’s also one of thousands of Colorado youth taking advantage of a growing number of programs that aim to make mental health support more accessible and affordable for young people.

These programs include the state’s “I Matter” program, which provides six free telehealth or in-person counseling sessions to students in elementary through high school. So far, the program has served more than 5,600 students statewide.

There are a variety of local programs, too. Roxana, 16, received a scholarship to cover the cost of therapy from Building Hope Summit County, a mental health nonprofit. The Aurora school district east of Denver began offering students six free counseling sessions a year ago and the neighboring Cherry Creek district began offering eight to 10 free sessions to middle and high schoolers in December. Both districts contract with Hazel Health, a telehealth company based in San Francisco.

It’s hard to know if Colorado youth are getting all the help they need. During the first nine months of 2022, mental health-related visits to emergency departments in the Children’s Hospital Colorado system were up 74% compared with the same period in 2019, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

That’s part of the reason why local and state leaders continue to push for easy-access mental health support for children and teens before a full-blown crisis hits.

Michelle Weinraub, Cherry Creek’s chief health officer, said the district’s free counseling program grew out of a mental health task force launched in early 2022. She recalled asking students at one meeting if they’d use free counseling sessions they could access on their phones after school or work.

A couple of them were so excited, they jumped out of their chairs, she said.

“They were like, ‘Yes, that’s what we want,’” she said. Then the students started talking: “We can’t get an appointment unless we’re in crisis … My friend tried to call and they’re on a waitlist for six months. My friend wanted to see this person that they knew somebody else was seeing, but it doesn’t accept insurance.”

Experts declare a mental health emergency

In May 2021, just over a year into the pandemic, leaders at Children’s Hospital Colorado sounded the alarm about the spike in serious mental health problems among children and teens, declaring a youth mental health “state of emergency.”

They pleaded for more funding as well as efforts to reduce bureaucratic constraints in the youth mental health system. Six months later the state launched I Matter.

The program isn’t meant to be the only “front door” to counseling, but rather to serve as one low-barrier option for any young person who needs someone to talk to, said Charlotte Whitney of the state’s Behavioral Health Administration, which runs I Matter. There’s no requirement to be extremely anxious or depressed.

Whitney said the model can help set kids up for improved mental health long term “because they know where to access services and they know the coping skills to get them through those really hard times.”

Students 12 and over can sign up for the therapy sessions by filling out a simple online form. Children under 12 can use the service, but need a parent to do so. Whitney said generally students can get telehealth appointments within days.

Occasionally, she said, students wait longer if they’re looking for something specific — for example an in-person appointment in a rural community or a therapist that specializes in transgender issues.

In Aurora, about 230 students have been referred for counseling through the free Hazel Health program since the start of the school year. In Cherry Creek, which launched its program Dec. 5, about 200 students have been referred for help, often by their parents. Officials in both districts say there are no waiting lists for appointments.

Puppy therapy helps students open up

Timothy Swanson, a social worker in Colorado Springs, is one of about 200 I Matter therapists statewide. He sees up to three students a week, mostly in person, through the program. Often, his clients open up first to his dog Smoke, a gentle pitbull mix who accompanies him to the office.

“They just love him. They just grab him and start talking to him,” said Swanson. “It really helps these kids because a lot of times they come in, they’re withdrawn, a little nervous, not sure what therapy’s about.”

Swanson, 63, said many young clients, whether they’ve come through I Matter or other avenues, struggle with anxiety, anger, or depression. Sometimes, it’s because of pandemic-related disruptions at school, the trickle-down effect of parent stress, or cruel behavior from classmates.

Some of his clients have been told by fellow students, “Well, if you feel that way, why don’t you just kill yourself?”

“It’s really damaging,” Swanson said. “I encourage them to talk to counselors, to me, to their parents, to teachers or whoever, to help them develop a support system … a healthy one where they can get good answers.”

As with other free therapy programs, I Matter aims to connect youth to continued counseling if they want or need it after the free sessions. Swanson said 30% to 40% of his I Matter clients continue seeing him after the first six sessions, paying through health insurance or other means.

Weinraub, of the Cherry Creek district, said if needed, Hazel Health therapists work with students and families to connect them to a local therapist after the free telehealth sessions end.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to student burnout

Even before Roxana moved to the United State from Mexico at age 7, she was a top student. Her parents expected good grades and she delivered.

But her classes got harder in middle school. Then, in seventh grade, the pandemic hit. Roxana, once surrounded by friends, found herself spending long days alone in her bedroom.

Her father would say, “You have to come out and at least eat something, drink some water,” Roxana said. “I started getting to the point where I was drowning myself in all my work.”

She felt claustrophobic, exhausted, and worried about her mother, who worked as a nurse in Mexico. Eventually, Roxana tried counseling but it didn’t go well. She said the therapist told her, “It’s only in your head. You’re just pretending.”

By the middle of her freshman year in high school, her struggles spiraled. She was skipping classes and nearly failing courses for the first time in her life. She ended up in the hospital.

Today, Roxana is doing better. She’s seeing a therapist she relates to — one who is Latina and a native Spanish-speaker like herself — and she’s let go of her drive for perfect grades. She’s also trying to tackle the stigma around seeking mental health help, something she’s felt as part of the Latino community.

“We have this big, big culture of what happens in our family stays in our family and you’re not going to tell our family business around,” she said.

But Roxana knows there are other students like her at school, silently struggling with their painful realities. That’s why she decided to say something during the recent civics class, stuttering a bit as she shared her story.

“If I don’t speak out, other people won’t either,” she said.

Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat, covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.

Resources:
I Matter: Sign up for six free therapy sessions for Colorado youth.
Colorado Crisis Line: 1-844-493-8255 or text TALK to 38255.
National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988.

The post Colorado experts declared a youth mental health emergency. Here’s what happened next. appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

IN 1921, A FLOODED LAFAYETTE STAYED CONNECTED THANKS TO AN ALL- FEMALE CREW OF PHONE OPERATORS. Coal Creek travels over 30 miles, from Coal Creek canyon in the Front Range, down into the Boulder Valley. The towns of the Northern Coalfield, Marshall, Superior, Louisville, Lafayette, follow the river’s course. Adolph Waneka, one of the first settlers in the Lafayette area, spent his first winter, in 1860, living in a cave along Coal Creek.

Photo courtesy of Wilma Richert.

Denver lies at the confluence of the Cherry Creek and the South Platte River. The locations of stage stops, where covered wagon trains could rest and resupply, were dictated by rivers, providing water for horses to drink. On June 3rd, 1921, Coal Creek flooded. Three houses from Lafayette’s Standard Mine were washed away, while in Erie the raging waters carried away 30 more buildings. One grocery store was filled with six feet of water. Lafayette’s streets weren’t paved until 1960 which inevitably turned to mud during the rainfall. A severe flood turned the streets into rivers, and all of the roads out of town became impassable. The Jewel Theatre in Lafayette, where Odd 13 Brewing now stands, experienced a double-whammy of bad luck. A hailstorm the week before had destroyed the theatre’s roof, the torrential rain ruined everything else inside.

For reasons unknown, there were hundreds of motorists in Lafayette that afternoon, who became stranded in town. Lafayette was inundated with long-distance calls from people wishing to know if their friends and loved ones were okay. As the streets outside fl ooded with up to six feet of water, it was Lafayette’s small team of switchboard operators, all women, that kept the peace. Back then, phone calls were made by calling an operator in town, who physically connected an audio cable from one jack to another. A long-distance call required operators in two different towns to call each other. The operators in Lafayette spent hours routing calls into and out of Lafayette. It was not until late evening that they made their last calls. The Lafayette Telephone Exchange was eventually replaced by the Mountain Bell Telephone Company, which ran out of the old Union Hall in Old Town. It closed in 1974. Sources: Elizabeth Hutchison, Lafayette Leader

To learn more about this and other stories from local history, come visit the Miners Museum: 108 E. Simpson Street, Lafayette, CO Tuesdays 7-9 PM, Thursdays and Saturdays 2-4 PM. Open by Appointment (303) 665-7030.

The post Switchboard Saviors appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Take an artistic trip around the world in Denver, one of the most rapidly growing foodie towns in America.

Start with a stroll through the newly opened Clyfford Still Museum, devoted entirely to the work of its brilliant namesake, a painter who led the transition to abstract expressionism between 1938 and 1942. Sounds fancy and inaccessible, but Still was a pretty stinkin’ awesome artist. Venture next door to the Denver Art Museum for exhibits like Cities of Splendor: A Journey Through Renaissance Italy. Although we can’t know what’s on its way in 2012, skipping free first Saturdays at the DAM is a no no.

If it’s still a bit early for dinner, rent a bike from Denver’s Bike Share and explore Cherry Creek North’s galleries, shopping and bars. If not, dine on each continent at Linger with African peanut soup, Vietnamese “goibo,” seasonal ceviche…you get the idea. Skip dessert here and linger over a hot chocolate instead: Orange zest, pasilla pepper and vanilla will ensure you don’t regret the decision.

For dessert, the much-applauded cake and shake at D Bar is underwhelming compared to the bar’s caramelized banana split with chocolate, vanilla and a seasonal ice cream. Crüe fries must be your appetizer. Though mac sauce sounds like something in your college roommate’s bathroom, trust us, it’s this cheesy heaven that makes these the best fries you’ll ever eat. Of course, here, even dessert warrants an after-dinner drink. Espresso lovers will find solace in the vanilla carmel coffee, but spice seekers shouldn’t neglect the chai brulee’s sweet kick. Get one of each and share the delicious variety d Bar brings to the table.

Linger: 2030 W. 30th Ave., 303.993.3120

Tuesday–Saturday, 5:30pm-close dinner; Tuesday–Friday, 4pm-6:30pm; happy hour

Clyfford Still Museum: 1250 Bannock St., 720.354.4880

Closed Mondays; Tuesday–Thursday and Saturday and Sunday, 10am–5pm; Friday, 10am–8pm

Denver Art Museum: 100 W. 14th Avenue Pkwy., 720.865.5000

Closed Mondays; Tuesday–Thursday and Saturday and Sunday, 10am–5pm; Friday, 10am to 8pm

Dbar: 1475 E. 17th Ave., 303.861.4710

Sunday and Monday, 5pm–10pm; Tuesday–Thursday, 11am–10pm; Friday and Saturday, 11am–midnight

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