Everyone knows good nutrition is important. But with so much information out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and think that eating right is too complicated or just plain unappetizing. In celebration of National Nutrition Month in March, we’re sharing five easy, delicious strategies you can implement right away to boost your diet and improve wellness without disrupting your lifestyle or the things you enjoy.
Add fruits and vegetables. So many times, people skip fruits and vegetables because they feel too much pressure to get those “eight servings” a day. Whew! While that amount is optimal, it’s important to remember that every portion counts, and even in small amounts, fruits and vegetables boost health with vitamins, minerals and fiber. Try to add just one fruit or vegetable to every meal.
Reduce added sugars. Fruit contains natural sugar, which is good for you. But what you want to be aware of are added sugars found in foods and drinks. This is not limited to sweet treats and sodas. Sugar can be found in things you might not think of: ketchup, soy sauce, marinades, yogurts, and more. Check nutrition labels and keep track. The American Heart Association recommends limiting sugar to 37.5 grams a day for men and 25 grams a day for women.
Slow down at mealtime. A lot of times we eat the wrong things — or too much of them — because we’re distracted and not paying attention. Eating when we’re upset, rushing, or watching TV can cause us to overeat and/or not appreciate our food. Instead, practice “mindful eating,” which involves using all the senses to explore, savor, and taste, so that we choose food that is pleasing to the palate and nourishing to the body. It works on the premise that the less distracted we are during mealtimes, the better our overall health and well-being.
Try a meatless meal once a week. Perhaps you’ve heard of “Meatless Mondays?” This is a great way to introduce more fruits and vegetables to your life without committing to a strict vegetarian diet. Just once a week — it doesn’t have to be Mondays — substitute a typical meat dinner for a recipe with veggies, beans, lentils or tofu. This gives your digestive system a break from meat or poultry, and it gives you an opportunity to seek out plant-based nutrition, which can help lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, improve blood sugar, reduce the risk of cancer, and promote weight loss.
Make breakfast count. Despite controversy in recent years about the importance of breakfast, researchers continue to find that what we eat first thing can have profound effects on our health, well-being and cognitive performance. That said, breakfast is only as good for you as what you choose for breakfast. Skip the sugary cereals and donuts. Opt instead for proteins and complex carbs — try a parfait with low-fat plain Greek yogurt and fruit, or a quick egg scramble with sautéed vegetables.
For total wellness, good nutrition is essential. It can be the difference maker when it comes to meeting your fitness goals and feeling your best. And, it can be a lifesaver in promoting good health and preventing diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.
Cami is a nutritionist, DTR (Dietary Technician, Registered), and a Certified Health and Wellness Lifestyle Coach. She is involved in many YMCA programs, including Diabetes Prevention, Healthy Weight and Your Child, and Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring. Her passion is showing others how healthy habits are achievable and one of the greatest ways to feel your best.
Audit Reveals Potential To Alter Files, Payment Records; Jeopardizing Justice, More Than 4,000 Cases Closed In Error by Glen Richardson
Claiming it “is a separate branch of government,” Denver County Courts initially refused to grant Denver Auditor Timothy M. O’Brien authority to audit the County Court System. Despite hiring outside counsel to dispute the right to audit, the Denver City Attorney’s office ultimately granted permission. Now completed, the audit of court operations reveals weaknesses in the court’s management of case files, as well as other administrative problems, but the court is refusing to go along with the auditor’s plan to make improvements.
Keeping Courts Honest: Denver Auditor Timothy M. O’Brien goes to court to keep Denver City-County Courts honest and managed properly.
The audit, led by O’Brien, CPA, found more that 4,000 case files closed in error. Equally as disturbing, in the current system personnel can alter case file and payment records without detection. Court management responsibilities lie with Terrie Langham, Denver County Judicial District Administrator, and Theresa Spahn, Presiding Judge of the Denver District Court. Mayor Michael B. Hancock appointed both, Wood in July 2017 and Judge Spahn in January 2017.
Court management is also relying on erroneous performance measures to make decisions. Out of more than 200 metrics Denver County Court reported, the audit found more than 100 do not have an established standard or goal. Thus the court is wasting resources and time compiling data for metrics with no meaning for the organization. “Due to the misaligned and inaccurate performance metrics, Denver County Court management risks not making appropriate oversight decisions or having an accurate picture of its operations,” O’Brien warns.
Cantankerous Court Audit: Audit of the Denver City-County Court System by the Denver Auditor’s Office is shown getting underway on Denver 8 TV. The Court System hired outside counsel to dispute Auditor’s authority but Denver City Attorney ultimately granted permission.
Cantankerous Court
County Court management, nevertheless, disagrees with many of the audit team’s recommendations regarding best practices for internal controls. O’Brien answers in response: “Court management states current policies, procedures and practices are sufficient; however, if that were the case, our audit team would not have found the problems reported in the audit.”
O’Brien initially had to seek a District Court ruling to grant him the authority to audit the County Courts. Previous auditors — who traditionally haven’t been CPAs — have conducted reviews of past court operations. The auditor’s office also made it clear that “it is unusual for the courts to have independent legal counsel rather than relying on the City Attorney’s Office to make a decision.” Nonetheless, City Attorney Kristin Bronson — in accordance with her charter duties — ultimately gave the go-ahead to conduct the audit. The County Courts, O’Brien’s office notes, had been aware of the pending audit since October 2016.
The Denver County Courts receive a $24 million appropriation in the city budget and generate $23 million in revenue. Denver laws require the auditor to conduct financial and performance audits and grant the auditor’s office access to city records, officers, employees and property in performance of those duties.
Case File Concerns
The audit found incomplete documentation in case files and more than 4,000 case files closed in error. Court management may also be using inaccurate information from performance metrics to make decisions. As a result, Denver County Court is at risk of not fulfilling its mission to administer justice in a fair, efficient and effective manner.
Keeping The Law: In accordance with her charter duties, Denver City Attorney Kristin Bronson gave the go-ahead to conduct the audit of City-County Courts.
Case files are at the core of court operations as they are where all records and documents supporting actions related to a case should reside. The audit found Denver County Court case files contained inconsistent and incomplete information, hindering the audit team’s ability to perform audit procedures.
“It’s disturbing to me that the County Court is not keeping the consistent records they need to support case files and track actions taken in court,” Auditor O’Brien says. “We found several case files with missing documentation of key courtroom actions including the suspension of fines and penalties, the cancellation and reinstatement of a protection order, and defendants’ acknowledgments of the terms of probation.”
Courtroom Troubles: Audit finds case files with missing courtroom action records including suspension of fines, cancellation and reinstatement of protection orders and terms of probation.
County Court has agreed to create specific rules to determine what records must be kept in case files. Court management plans to regularly review those case files, as well.
Altering Files, Payment
The audit work also found problems with how the court reviews closed case files.
“During the audit, we identified more than 4,000 improperly closed case files with outstanding fines.”
Seventy-seven percent of these errors happened when cases were either dismissed or transferred. The fees assigned to these cases should have been manually removed but were not, resulting in an approximate $24,000 overstatement of accounts receivable as of the end of 2017.
Corrupt Courts? Citizen concern grows as court management continues to ignore recommendations to improve operations and ensure justice for the people of Denver.
In addition, more than 300 cases were prematurely closed and should have been reopened. In other cases, the court had to issue refund checks for duplicative and overpaid fines.
Escaping Punishment
Court officials said they reviewed and addressed each of these errors; however, they did not share individual case-level information with the audit team for verification until after audit testing work had concluded.
“The court could be perceived as unfair if it closes cases inconsistently,” Auditor O’Brien believes. “Closing a case incorrectly could allow individuals to escape punishment, such as probation, community service, or payment of fines or compensation for victims.”
The audit also found a potential for misuse and errors in payment records. In the current system, personnel can alter case file and payment records without detection because the people who authorize transactions are also the custodians of the cash. The County Court’s cashiering staff is small, making segregation of duties difficult. However, the audit recommends a management review of audit logs and transactions to avoid possible abuse of the system.
Administering Justice
County Court also needs to update ordinances related to its operations. New national best
practices say fines and fees should not fund primary court operations including salaries and benefits. Although fees are currently being used in accordance with the current ordinance through two special revenue funds, the court should adopt the new principles, according to O’Brien. He says the County Court also needs to update outdated language in city ordinances governing the courts.
Further, court management chose not to prioritize certain IT-related controls. While there are many projects for the court’s information technology team, the audit identified significant areas of concern that should receive immediate attention. “We make these recommendations as a way to mitigate risks,” Auditor O’Brien explains. “If they aren’t addressed, these risks could potentially threaten the achievement of the court’s organizational goals.”
To ensure justice for Denver City-County citizens, O’Brien concludes: “The court management should listen to our recommendations to help improve their operations and to ensure they can complete their goals to administer justice for the people of Denver.”
In the printed edition of the February, 2019 Chronicle, we incorrectly identified the Denver County Judicial District Administrator as Kristin Wood. It is Terrie Langham.
Jamie Giellis, candidate for Denver Mayor, has announced the All Together Now Neighborhood Tour keeping her promise of her commitment to neighborhoods and mixed-use districts. Over the next several months, Giellis will visit all 78 neighborhoods across Denver to meet residents, listen and learn about the issues and opportunities of each neighborhood and share her leadership vision for the City of Denver.
Bus Tour: Jamie Giellis, candidate for Denver Mayor, has announced the All Together Now Neighborhood Tour which will pay a visit to all 78 neighborhoods in Denver. Photo courtesy of Anna Phillips Photography
Giellis kicked of her tour at Denver’s National Western Stock Show Parade of longhorn steers and she will be adding event locations at coffee shops, breweries and local businesses across the metro area. Meet Giellis outside at Park Burger in Hilltop on February 2 from 1 to 2 p.m., and South High School in Cory Merrill from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Find the full schedule of events at jamiefordenver .com and her Facebook page @jamiefordenver.
“Denver’s government is moving to enact legislation to manage its growth at a glacial pace, while the city is growing at break-neck speed,” Giellis says. “Infrastructure and inclusivity are falling behind at an alarming rate, and the neighborhoods are suffering most,” said Jamie Giellis. “A city is its people. Its neighborhoods. Without a plan that focuses on and protects neighborhoods, the very best of what Denver offers will be lost.”
Denver City Council Votes Against Proposed 3-story Condominium Project On Holly Street by Mark Smiley
In a stunning turn of events, Hilltop residents, led by Lise Uhrich through an intricate petition process, were able to force the Denver City Council to require a super majority in order to approve a 3-story, 23 condominium project earmarked for Holly Street in between Alameda and Cedar in the Hilltop Neighborhood. On January 7, 2019, the project passed with an 8 to 5 vote, one vote shy of an approval.
One Vote Short: The site of proposed 3-story, 23-unit condominium project is immediately to the south of Park Burger and Novo Coffee on South Holly Street. On January 7, 2019, Denver City Council only carried 8 votes to pass the rezoning application, one vote short.
According to City of Denver, neighboring property owners who oppose the rezoning may file a protest petition with the City Council no later than seven days prior to the City Council public hearing to trigger a super-majority vote requirement (as opposed to a simple majority) at the public hearing. Protest petitions require signatures from owners of 20 percent of the total land area within 200 feet of the subject property.
The required number of signatures were collected by Uhrich and the neighbors and thus required the super majority of the City Council. Mary Beth Susman, who represents District 5 where this proposed project sits, voted in favor of the development.
In a Facebook post she has since removed, Susman stated: “Last night I voted to support a re-zoning proposal in my district that would have given the neighborhood more control on the scale and design of the project. However due to super majority requirements, even though it was supported 8-5, it failed. Now the area that has a use-by-right for denser housing can be built with no input required from neighborhood or council.”
Under Fire: Councilwoman Mary Beth Susman voted in favor of the development on South Holly Street in her district and has received blowback from her constituents.
Susman continues: “Providing a variety of housing opportunities so people of different incomes have access to all our neighborhoods is an important goal for 21st century communities. Inclusivity leads to a diversity of ideas and problem solving and a community knitted together by geography rather than separated by income.
“I also believe in neighborhoods having some say about scale and character. Now we’ve lost both by denying this re-zoning. But I have a renewed commitment to inclusive neighborhoods like we built at Lowry and Stapleton with the participation of all voices.”
Local relator Denice Reich, who has been vocal in her opposition, disagrees with Susman’s assessment: “. . .the development lost 15,630 sq. ft. of space when its zoning change was voted down,” said Reich. “The developer will now only build on 10,209 sq. ft. This allows the other 15,630 sq. ft. to remain single family and allows the area to maintain some of its green space and keeps another unnecessary concrete monstrosity from being built.”
Denver City Council District 5 candidate Amanda Sawyer, who is opposing incumbent Mary Beth Susman in the May election, also sided with the Hilltop neighbors: “Community members expressed their concerns that the development would have towered over the single-family homes and one-story businesses on the block, and that it would have been out of character for the neighborhood,” said Sawyer. “Not to mention the safety and traffic issues at one of the main entrances to the Hilltop and Crestmoor neighborhoods. Because of community involvement, now what will be built on that property is 15-20 smaller condos that will provide housing opportunities for the ‘missing middle’ price point but add less density and — hopefully — fit better with neighborhood character.”
Other critics say this kind of project does not belong in the neighborhood, especially along Holly Street where 20,000 cars pass by each day according to a 2014 study. This study was done before the building that contains Park Burger was built.
So, a plan that was hatched early last year and moved through the process through most of 2018 is now off the board. Jason Lewinston, the developer for the project, will have his resilience put to the test. Currently, it does not appear he has enough support from the neighbors or the City Council to propose another project.
Investigative couple, Denver City Councilman Kevin Flynn and his wife, uncovered evidence that put the brakes on Denver’s plans to install more controversial red-light cameras at city intersections. “We’re such a fun couple,” he quips about their recent “investigative date night.”
Councilman Investigates: Denver City Councilman Kevin Flynn is a former Rocky Mountain News reporter who used his investigative skills to turn up new evidence raising questions about plans to expand the red light camera program.
Last month, the Denver City Council was poised to spend $1.2 million on a plan to expand its red-light camera program. It first launched in 2008 and the city sends tickets to drivers who go through a red light or stop in the crosswalk at those intersections. Currently there are red-light cameras at four Denver intersections: West 8th Avenue and Speer Blvd, Quebec Street and East 36th Avenue, 6th Avenue and Kalamath and East 6th Avenue and Lincoln Street. The new proposal would have moved the 6th and Lincoln camera to Alameda Avenue and Santa Fe and added two new red-light cameras at 13th Avenue and Lincoln and 18th Avenue and Lincoln.
Flynn is an award-winning former reporter with the Rocky Mountain News and was the transportation reporter when Denver first installed the red-light cameras more than a decade ago.
He and his wife armed with a stopwatch app and phone camera discovered that the timing of the yellow lights at two of the intersections in question is so short it’s virtually impossible to get through them before the light switches to red. He says. “The laws of traffic cannot trump the laws of physics. It takes a certain amount of time to stop a moving vehicle, so you always have to take into account the real-world situation.” Flynn found the yellow light at 13th and Lincoln is just three seconds long, the minimum allowed by federal law and the 18th and Lincoln yellow light is 3.5 seconds long. Flynn points out, “That’s just trapping people.”
With the support of Denver Police and City traffic engineers, Flynn wrote a memo to other Councilmembers proposing they postpone the contract adding red-light cameras and try lengthening the timing of the yellow lights.
Traffic Laws Can’t Trump Physics: Councilman Flynn discovers yellow lights at some Denver intersections are so short it’s virtually impossible to get through before the light turns red.
While some argue red-light cameras improve safety, many feel red-light cameras are just cash cows for cities like Denver. The City raked in more than a million dollars in 2017 from the thousands of tickets generated by the red-light cameras. The money goes into the City’s General Fund. In November 2018, Aurora residents overwhelmingly voted to get rid of red-light cameras at 10 intersections in that city. Data from Aurora showed that accidents had actually increased at the red-light camera intersections. A 2011 audit by then Denver City Auditor Dennis Gallagher concluded Denver’s photo radar system did little to show it had any other purpose other than bringing in revenues.
Councilman Flynn says lengthening the yellow light times should address the safety issues without unfairly ticketing drivers. “We don’t need the 75 bucks per driver that badly that you have to induce violations that don’t have to occur, “Flynn says noting the Denver City budget is in fine shape. “The point is, you have to specifically engineer the traffic at each intersection on its own. There can’t be a blanket rule.”
Flynn points out that lengthening yellow light times has worked elsewhere. In Loma Linda, California, Flynn says an intersection with a red-light camera was averaging 249 tickets a month. They added 7-tenths of a second to the red-light camera and now hand out only one ticket every five days. “That’s the kind of safety I want to bring to Denver, “Flynn says.
City Council members voted unanimously to put off adding red-light cameras while City staff tries out longer yellow lights. That process could take up to nine months.
One other problem with the proposed new red-light camera contract, it listed the wrong intersections, so Flynn says they were going to have to postpone it anyway.
