by Mark Smiley | Jan 29, 2016 | Main Articles
by Mark Smiley
The lawsuits, both state and federal, filed by M.A.K. Investment Group LLC, owned by Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi, Mozafar Hemmati, Saeed Kholghy and Nasrin Kholghy, against the City of Glendale concerning the five acres of land the corporation owns on East Virginia Avenue appear to be going so poorly that the Iranian family has decided to resort to other methods to pressure the city to buy the corporation’s land for a price the city believes is clearly excessive or be allowed to build on the land in violation of the Glendale zoning laws and Master Plan.
“They appear to be going down and dirty,” declared former Glendale City Councilman R. Wayne King. “They appear to want to find dirt on anything or anyone to bring pressure on the City Council.”
The agent for digging up possible skeletons is Denver resident Jeanne Price who describes herself as a “freelance columnist.” She makes consistent and massive Public Information Requests to the City of Glendale, notwithstanding the fact that the city has provided to M.A.K.’s attorneys over 100,000 copies of city documents. She appears at virtually every City Council meeting sitting by Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi, the registered agent for M.A.K. At many meetings she addresses the City Council accusing them and the city of purported misdeeds and wrongful actions she claims she has discovered.
“It’s strange,” stated Glendale businessman Scott Brock who regularly attends Glendale City Council meetings, “you have a Denver resident with zero connection with Glendale who makes outrageous statements at every council meeting with little or no factual basis. But I guess it’s the way the Kholghys do business. They wonder why so many people in Glendale despise them and do not wish to have any connection with them. I hope Mohammad and the rest of them pay Ms. Price a lot of money to make a fool of herself on a monthly basis. It really is an embarrassment to any town to have someone like that around.”
At the City Council meeting on September 15 of this year she declared:
“Having read four or five years of your [Council] minutes that this Council spends more than half of its time in executive session. And that is a unique situation in my experience.”
At the following City Council meeting Mayor Mike Dunafon reported back to the Council that he had no idea where Ms. Price obtained her information. At the instruction of Mayor Dunafon, the City Clerk tabulated executive session frequency over the last five years. Her report indicated the City Council had not a single “executive session” in 2011, 2012, 2013, or 2014. In 2015 the only “executive sessions” held were those required to be provided legal advice from the City Attorney regarding lawsuits filed by her client M.A.K. which cannot be held publicly in order to preserve attorney client privilege.
“The woman is a disgrace,” stated Glendale resident Melissa Jauregui. “She almost never gets her facts right and her claims are wild and unsubstantiated. If she actually found something that the city did wrong she would have gone to the City Attorney, the County Attorney or the U.S. Attorney or to a court. But she doesn’t. She just tries to make herself as unpleasant a human being as possible at every City Council meeting. That is apparently her purpose as the agent for this group.”
Glendale resident Doug Stiff noted, “She is a technique used by Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi and the Kholghys. Make life as miserable as possible until people are so worn down that they are given their demands no matter how terrible it would be for the city. This must have worked for these people before, but they certainly know how to get a whole city to dislike them. They brought in the racist paramilitary group the Oath Keepers who intimidated minorities and others at a City Council meeting. When that didn’t work they flooded the city with lawsuits, and now Ms. Price. I believe no city, and I mean no city in the world, would want Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi and the Kholghys as part of their community.”
Ms. Price was contacted by the Chronicle regarding an accusation that she had followed Councilmember Jeff Allen after a public meeting, and was asked who was paying for her time and why she, as a Denver resident, speaks at Glendale City Council meetings. She responded, “This is ridiculous, I don’t think I have anything to say to you. It’s absurd.” She then hung up the phone. Calls to Mohammad Ali Kheirkhahi have not been returned.
by Mark Smiley | Dec 17, 2015 | Glendale City News
by Kurt Woock
Writer for and on behalf of the City of Glendale
GLENDALE, CO – NOVEMBER 15: Lady Raptors vs New York Rugby Club during the semi-finals at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado on November 15, 2015. (Photo by Seth McConnell)
If a successful season is defined as one in which a team improves from where they started, then the women of the Glendale Raptors didn’t disappoint. If it’s defined as one in which the team’s fan base continues to support the team and grow ever larger, then 2015 was a good year. If to have a successful season a team must bring home a championship trophy, well, the Glendale Raptors did that, too. 2015 was great. And so are the Raptors.
The Raptors began 2015 as the defending Women’s Premier League (WPL) champions. The road to the championship in 2014 went through a game forfeited by the opposing team. Narratives in sports often fall outside the bounds of what teams are capable of controlling, and this was no different. However, teams don’t get to choose their challenges. They just need to overcome them. So, in 2015, the Raptors set out to show the country they’ve earned their spot at the top.
The 2015 regular season finished with the Raptors atop the Blue Conference. The Raptors brought a balanced attack, finishing the season second in the league in point differential. The only loss on their record came on the road at the hands of the Berkeley All Blues, who narrowly beat the Raptors in early October. But, in a moment that encapsulated the entire season, the Raptors rose to the challenge when, a few weeks later, they defeated the Blues in another close game.
The Raptors muscled their way into the championship with a few statement wins. Their opponent in the match was a familiar foe — the Blues. “Based on the last two times these are two pretty even teams,” coach Mark Bullock said before the game. “They’re a heavyweight and we’re a heavyweight.” Bullock said that, in order to win, his team needed to be “physical and relentless.” They were just that. Up 15-5 at the half, the Raptors never looked back, winning the game and the WPL trophy, 26-17. The Raptors were led by the outstanding defensive play of Joanna Kitlinski, who was named MVP.
The championship was the cap to a season that was successful in many respects. Total attendance approached 4,000 in Infinity Park, and the Raptors continued to attract huge crowds online, with more than 25,000 people from more than 90 countries tuning in. Between games, fans followed the t
GLENDALE, CO – NOVEMBER 15: Lady Raptors vs New York Rugby Club during the semi-finals at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado on November 15, 2015. (Photo by Seth McConnell)
eam, as the Raptors’ website saw over 72,000 views during the season.
As they continue to build a winning tradition in Glendale, the Raptors have shown they’re not afraid to set the bar high, and they have the dedication and passion needed to reach it. Their fans — and opponents — are taking notice. As the Glendale Raptors set their sights on 2016, eyes from around the world will be watching.
by Mark Smiley | Dec 17, 2015 | General Featured
by Phil Kummer
2015 has been called the year of the “unmanned aerial vehicle” better known as “drones.” One of President Obama’s primary weapons in the Middle East to fight jihadists is a veritable army of military drones. Delivery firms and retailers like Federal Express and Amazon are going through final tests to use commercial drones to make deliveries. Moreover, this Christmas and holiday season drones are one of the most sought after toys/recreation devices on the market.
A top FAA official said as many as one million small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) could be sold during the upcoming U.S. holiday season. “The talking point is that there will be a million drones under people’s Christmas trees this year,” FAA assistant administrator-policy, international affairs and 
environment Rich Swayze said, adding that he has heard the one-million figure “from several sources.”
The range of cost and sophistication of drones is amazing. For as little as $30 you can get a low-end drone, but don’t ask it to do much, or you can spend up to $3,000 or more for a top of the line recreational drone which will have an impressive array of capabilities.
One of the leading stores for recreational drones in metropolitan Denver is Colpar’s HobbyTown USA located at 1915 S. Havana St., Aurora, CO 80014, as well as 3355 S. Wadsworth Boulevard, Lakewood, CO 80227. The owner of Colpar’s, Fred Beardslee, recommends among the best of th
e beginner level drones is the Eothos QX130 which goes for about $100. It is fun to fly around and is a sturdy unit.
On the more sophisticated end Beardslee likes, among other units, the Blade Chroma which sells fully loaded for about $1,300. It will provide an HD quality camera platform and will even return to home base once it detects that its battery is low.
Accessories, which are purchased separately, include a winch, camera — both video and still, squirt gun, rocket and bubble machine — obviously an assortment that would keep both youngsters and oldsters busy for a long time.
Although drones have become more sophisticated and have much more capabilities than previously they are not just for the technoids or geeks any more. The vast majority of drones have very efficient electric motors and lightweight batteries, which make them very flight worthy.
They go further, higher, have more stability, use more technology such as GPS systems and can carry larger payloads than ever before. They have become much more durable than earlier versions but due to crashes and wear and tear chances are your drone will need either some parts replaced or be repaired over time. Having a store like Colpar’s HobbyTown to help out will be critical in keeping your drone flying.
Although drones can be flown both indoors and out, you might want to consider who is the pilot when indoors. They are restricted from some areas such as airports and high security areas. Just recently the FAA announced they now consider operators of drones weighing between .55 lbs and 55lbs to be aviators and therefore all drones that meet those specs need to be registered with the FAA starting December 21, 2015. Registration is mandatory for all aircraft. More information: www.faa.gov/uas.
As drones become more popular, both commercially and recreationally, it is inevitable that new regulations will play an important role in drone use. Colorado recently defeated a bill that would have restricted police use of drones because of privacy concerns. Privately owned drones equipped with advanced cameras could be a threat to everyone’s privacy if used by unscrupulous individuals or businesses. Privacy concerns will definitely be considered as drones are used more.
Safety is another concern that will cause regulations to proliferate as more drones take to the sky. Between June and November of 2015 air-traffic controllers and pilots reported at least 25 episodes in which drones interfered or came close to interfering with larger aircraft during takeoff and landings. If there is ever a major incident between a drone and a plane we can expect to have a thorough r
eview of drone use. If a drone were ever used in a terrorist attack and especially if that attack were successful, we could expect a lot more government rules and regulations as to how one can use a drone.
In the meantime, here are a few safety tips to follow: fly below 400 feet and remain clear of surrounding obstacles like telephone lines and poles; keep your drone in sight at all times; stay well clear of and do not interfere with manned aircraft operations; don’t fly near people or stadiums and don’t be careless or reckless. Remember you can be fined for endangering people or other aircraft. By following some basic common sense rules of the road, as it were, you and your family can have hours of fun and entertainment.
Colpar’s HobbyTown USA is located at 1915 S. Havana St., 303-341-0414, and 3355 S. Wadsworth Blvd., 303-988-5157.
If you have any interesting, creepy, scary, exciting drone stories you can email the Chronicle website at newspaper@glendale cherrycreek.com.
by Mark Smiley | Dec 17, 2015 | Travel
Residents Hate The Iconic Structure Designed To Gain Political Favor
With Bike Advocacy Groups
A pedestrian and bicycle bridge that crosses over I-25 at Colorado Blvd. linking the area to the light rail station opened 16 years and $8 million after Denver initially contemplated the project. Since opening in July 2015 many are asking if the bridge is a benefit or boondoggle to an area that grew up in the golden age of automobiles?
As the neighborhood and surrounding business community has matured many are unsure whether being retrofitted for pedestrians, bicycles and public transit is a blessing. Developed mostly during the 1950s and 1960s, this established neighborhood is an eclectic mix of single-family ranch homes, apartment buildings and townhomes, along with shopping centers and mid- to high-rise office buildings.
The initial reaction of many: They hate it! They are displeased and disturbed with the lack of parking spaces and believe the ramp is ugly. They are also unhappy with the increased noise and activity created by bicyclists and people going to and coming from work. Someone even wrote on the DownhomeDenver blog that there’s no reason for the bridge that was paid for with $4 million in City Capital Improvement Funds and $4 million in Federal Transportation Funds. Others, however, believe that the vast majority of residents other than the four or five buildings’ worth living at the base of the access ramp, approve of the bridge or have no opinion.
Taken For A Ride?
The north-south freeway previously separated inhabitants from the light rail link known as the Colorado Station. Now, however, the bridge connects the transit hub with Cherry St. and the Virginia Village neighborhood to the east. Access over I-25 is in the vicinity of Colorado Blvd. and East Evans Ave.
The bridge spans I-25, landing at Cherry St. to the north and RTD’s Colorado Station (light rail transit) to the south. The bridge was built to provide a safe way for bike riders and walkers to cross over I-25 without using Colorado Blvd., a street filled with rushing cars day and night. A biker named Bob stopped on the bridge by the Chronicle refused to give his last name but said he believes the bridge is worth every penny. He uses it fairly frequently now that he’s discovered it but can’t believe how few others do use it.
The bridge was theoretically built to increase connectivity to the Colorado Station, which boasted 5,600 arrivals and boarding per day prior to the bridge opening. That number hasn’t increased dramatically in the months since the opening. Only 2% of RTD’s ridership is by bike and at the Colorado Station that number hasn’t yet jumped appreciably. Most of those walking to the station don’t cross the bridge but are walking from the nearby parking lot.
Bicker With Bikers
For many the bridge also symbolizes the 
increasing squabble between motorists and bikers due to Denver’s policy of being hostile to automobile drivers and friendly to bikers. Denver drivers are constantly in a state of irritation due to the City’s implementing of Denver Moves Bicycles, a network plan of installing protected bike lanes, installing bicycle detection and signal upgrades that speed cyclists ahead while slowing down auto traffic.
Road Diets — a plan being advanced by Denver’s Planning Department — entails converting four-lane undivided roadways to two-lane roadways. Furthermore the plan provides for a two-way left turn lane by removing a travel lane in each direction. The remaining roadway width is converted to bike lanes. Staunch bicycle supporters argue that these road diets actually reduce overall traffic. Bicycling is growing beyond just being a part of Denver Public Work’s and Parks & Recreation programs. Denver added three full-time individuals to the bike program in 2014 to help implement bicycle projects and improvements.
Motorists complain that cyclists ride on their merry way oblivious to drivers, don’t obey traffic lights or anything or everyone else that get in their way. “They don’t look around, don’t care about their own safety or those of the people they are distracting,” says Cherry Creek resident Latasha Curry.
Engineering & Art
Work on the bridge began on March 17, 2014, with initial construction focusing on fabrication and installation of the steel pedestrian railing on the main span over I-25 and the approach spans on either side of I-25. The arch was successfully set into place on the night of Jan. 16, 2015. The installation of the railing on the main span started on the west side of the bridge and progressed to the east. Project lighting followed the progress of the steel railing.
The high point to completion of the bridge was construction of the concrete deck. The concrete was poured into a 309-foot long truss — a little longer than a football field — and weighed close to 200 tons. That’s equivalent to about 18,700 gallons of concrete and required 10 concrete trucks and two big “pumpers” to pour concrete into the truss. The work often required full overnight closure of I-25 from Colorado Blvd. to Evans Ave.
Artwork titled A Mindful Bridge by North Carolina artists Jim Hirschfield and Sonya Ishii was installed on the bridge during the week of Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 2015. They are an array of shimmering circular stainless steel disks attached to the interior of the bridge. The disks contain quotes about the experiences of people walking or cycling while crossing a bridge. A Denver ordinance enacted in 1991 directs that 1% of any capital improvement project over $1 million undertaken by the City be set aside for the inclusion of art in the design and construction of those projects.
Catalyst For Growth
Construction of the bridge has become a catalyst for new development within the area and more is anticipated. Lincoln Property Company and ASB Real Estate Investments are building a new mixed use development
, adding more than 450,000 square feet of commercial and residential space to the nearby Colorado Center.
Real estate professionals suggest that the site has the potential to become Denver’s largest transit oriented development (TOD). Their point: With the light rail station plus the pedestrian-bicycle bridge, access to the site is unprecedented, creating a community center for the surrounding neighborhoods and I-25 corridor.
At the intersection of I-25 and Colorado Blvd. the additions will add 210,000 square-feet of office buildings plus a residential tower containing 189 apartments and 80 loft-style units. A 40,000 square foot Main Street retail section is also planned. The Center already features three office buildings plus the Dave & Busters-United Artists complex. New office space will add eight stories over five levels of parking. Retail space will be located within the residential development. Construction of the office space is expected to be complete in Dec. 2016 and the residential portion in mid-2017.
by Mark Smiley | Dec 17, 2015 | Main Articles
City Of Glendale Takes Extraordinary Measures
by Mark Smiley
While 2016 is the Year of the Rat in the Chinese calendar, the City of Glendale is trying to ensure that 2016 becomes the Year of No Rats in Glendale. Construction up and down Leetsdale Drive the last few years has disturbed rat nests — in both Denver and Glendale. An infestation of rats has dominated portions along Leetsdale Drive including North Glendale and 
surrounding Denver neighborhoods. These demolitions, tear downs and new developments cause the rats to look for new havens. Rodents run to the nearby buildings, producing a deep howl of rage from the residents.
In a small city like Glendale a problem doesn’t take long to move up the food chain to the mayor of the city, Mike Dunafon. “Residents from complexes in North Glendale would approach me and call me informing me of the rat problem,” said Dunafon. “I realized we needed to take immediate action along with the Glendale Police Department. I even got calls from various complexes that are in Denver, but I had to refer those over to the appropriate persons in Denver.”
The reason the problem cannot be ignored or overlooked is because rats are dangerous. Besides being simply unpleasant, they are frequent carriers of many diseases. Dr. Matt Perzanowski, a professor at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, whose research is focused on understanding the exposures that lead to allergy and asthma, said that rats and mice have special protein that could be a culprit in allergic reactions and, though it is less studied, probably to asthma as well.
Rats like to live where people live. They quickly adjust to the neighborhood. Rats can thrive on just an ounce of food and water daily, so when they enter a neighborhood and gain access to meat, fish, vegetables and grains, they will stay. Rats prefer to feed in and around homes, restaurants and businesses. But they will settle for scraps from trash bags and cans, private yards and what they find at the community refuse disposal and transfer station. Rats get the shelter they need from tall weeds and grass, fences and walls, rubbish piles and abandoned appliances.
Rats move freely in and out of buildings in the neighborhood, so any steps that neighbors take to control rats will encourage them to move into a nearby building. A community effort works best, where everyone in the neighborhood takes steps at the same time to prevent rats from entering the buildings and to remove their food and shelter.
Managing rats comes down to three things: food, water and shelter. Eliminating these three goes a long way to solving 
a rat problem. The City of Glendale’s goal is to make the necessary changes to remove food and eliminate harborage that is attracting rats to sites around Glendale and surrounding Denver neighborhoods.
Currently, the City of Glendale has contracted with Checkmate Pest Control and its owner Russell Carter. “The rats are most likely coming from Cherry Creek and they are able to move freely up and down the creek,” said Carter. “They are very good climbers, jumpers, runners, and hiders. They multiply faster than rabbits so you have to be proactive like Glendale.”
Mayor Dunafon has worked with city officials including Josh Bertrand, Director of Public Works, to help North Glendale residents feel safe again. Their efforts over the last couple of months have paid off. Glendale Public Works and Checkmate Pest Control regularly monitor city parks and sites with trash p
roblems, potential nesting areas, and adjacent problem areas in order to prevent the rat population from becoming out of control.
“We have seen a significant decrease in the amount of rats,” said Dunafon. “We are removing them and residents are once again feeling like there is progress. I am proud of how Josh [Bertrand] has helped manage this problem.”
“The mayor and Officer [Korbie] Perkins were helpful in limiting the rat situation in the best matters that were within guidelines of the city,” said Ali Langworthy, Assistant Manager of Urban Phenix. “They are still working with us diligently to continue to help us to eliminate these little creatures as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
Cities such as New York hav
e been dealing with rats for hundreds of years. Fast forwarding to 2014, YouTube videos of rats on subway tracks and in a subway car in New York City went viral, as did videos of rats in a Dunkin’ Donuts in Manhattan. In June 2014, residents at adjacent Upper West Side buildings demanded an end to the rat problem they said had reached epidemic proportions, and started a rent strike.
In 2015, another YouTube video of a rat carrying a slice of pizza in the subway went viral. Within 15 hours of the YouTube upload, the video was trending worldwide on Twitter and Facebook, and within two days, the video garnered five million views.
The City of Glendale is actively taking steps to make sure they do not end up the subject of a youtube video. The key to success is to preserve public safety and kill the disease carrying rats. Rodenticides are being used in this case and have been properly applied into the burrow systems so they cannot be reached by children and animals. The battle continues along Cherry Creek but the City of Glendale is taking strides to hopefully eliminate the problem completely.
