by Mark Smiley | May 26, 2017 | Glendale City News
by Kurt Woock
Writer for and on behalf of the City of Glendale
COMMERCE CITY, CO – JUNE 25: U10 Try Rugby Jamboree at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado on June 25, 2016. (Photo by Seth McConnell)
Health is not simply the absence of physical ailments. To be healthy means to be in a state of wellness, and it is not limited to physical well-being. Like physical wellness, financial health is a state in which everyone strives to be. The similarities run deep. Financial well-being is the result of a variety of factors, one of which is the sum of each person’s lifestyle decisions. Good financial health is often the result of years of work and patience. Poor financial health can’t be fixed overnight: It requires long-term commitment. The importance of personal financial wellness has led Westerra Credit Union to make financial outreach and education a cornerstone of its day-to-day operations throughout the Denver community. So, Westerra Credit Union’s partnership with the Glendale Raptors Rugby Academy was a natural pairing.
The Glendale Raptors Rugby Academy and Westerra share a commitment to the children in the community. It’s in their DNA. The GRRA provides a place where kids as young as 5 can develop physical fitness, as well as develop qualities such as teamwork, communication, and hard work. Westerra Credit Union began when eight school teachers in Denver public schools decided to pool their savings and start a credit union in order to provide loans to fellow educators. (Today, nine area branches service members and more than $1.4 billion.)
Dana Russell, manager for PR and Marketing at Westerra Credit Union, said that the sponsorship met their mission of being an education and community based credit union, “Infinity Park and the Raptors are a huge piece of the community. It’s really something that kids can look forward to and be part of. It’s a way we can invest back in the community.” She said that in addition to the programs run out of Infinity Park, the Rugby in the Schools program, which sends out Raptors coaches to teach rugby basics at physical education classes throughout the Denver area, emphasize the commitment to bringing the benefits of rugby to everyone. West
erra also goes into area classrooms in order to bring essential financial information to students.
The basics of personal finance are not difficult concepts to understand, and the concepts do not change much over time: Once you know them, you know it for life. Nevertheless, a recent Gallup Poll showed that only a third of Americans use a budget to track monthly income and expenses, and about the same number have a long-term financial plan. To raise the level of financial literacy and action, Westerra makes it a point to teach these skills to students before they earn their first paycheck.
When Russell goes into a classroom, she makes the power of compound interest clear with a simple story: Person A invests $2,000 each year, beginning at age 22, and then stops contributing completely at age 30. Assuming an annual return of 9 percent, he or she will have roughly $580,000 at age 65. If Person B waits until they are 30 to begin investing, it will take 35 years of $2,000 annual contributions to reach only $470,000.
Russell then goes on to demonstrate how most high school students really can start saving and investing for their future. First, it means taking stock of what you’re able to earn, and what goals you have. By laying out future expenses ahead of time, you’re able to build a budget. Russell said that a budget is a reflection of what you value and the decisions you make. Sometimes it involves a tradeoff: a nice car in exchange for a smaller apartment, or an apartment downtown and the decision to bike and use public transit. Westerra has online resources for students and parents to use to begin budgeting, tracking bank accounts, using a debit card responsibly, and more.
Back in the classroom, Russell explains how a credit score is similar to a report card: It’s a statement about your prior work. You can improve a poor score through diligence, and you can lose a good score by being careless. It’s a simple but long-term job to maintain a good credit score, and Russell’s classroom presentations are just an introduction. Parents play a crucial role in a child’s ongoing financial education. Russell said that parents are often hesitant to share details about family finances, particularly stumbles they might have had. It seems too personal, or like it demands a veil of privacy. But these are ideal times to share. If you’re going on a vacation, explain the various costs and how planning ahead makes splurges like a vacation possible. Parents should consider involving their children in the decision-making process of various trade-off scenarios (i.e. should we go out to dinner as a family and play games at home, or should we eat dinner at home and then go out to the movies?).
Russell said a fun exercise for parents is asking kids how much they think things cost and then revealing the true cost. Having these conversations can lay the foundation for decisions down the road, such as paying for a college education. Russell added that building a healthy mindset toward money is less about how much money a person has, and more about an understanding of what a person is responsible for and how choices they make affect their lives. Those are skills whose benefits extend far beyond money management.
Raising healthy kids takes a village. Westerra and the Raptors are making sure that the village is ready for that challenge by offering programs that encourage healthy lifestyles.
by Valley Gadfly | May 26, 2017 | Valley Gadfly
“Good morning, sunshine,” said the morning moon as she opened the window to greet the day. After our late May snowstorm we’re truly ready to start feeling like winter is over and done for another year. The beginning of this month is the breezeway to summer and you can feel the sun’s rays as you slowly begin decompressing.
June 21 of course begins summer solstice, marking the longest day of the year. We can all enjoy early dawns and long days with late sunsets and shorter nights.
Here are our warmhearted choices for shopping, dining and entertainment so that every window opens to great possibilities and you can romp, splash and seize summer:
3 Begin the month at the first of 10 free Sunday City Park Jazz events June 4, 6 p.m. The soul-funk-do-wop mix of The Other Black featuring Wesley Watkins opens at City Park Pavilion. Information: cityparkjazz.org.
3 Chill out with family and friends at the kid-friendly Lowry Beer Garden Anniversary Party fundraiser June 8, 4-9 p.m. Information: 303-366-0114.
3 Enjoy food and music as you view great art at the Art Students League Summer Art Market on Grant St, June 10-11. Information: 303-778-6990.
3 Seize summer as you have a savory time at the Denver Greek Festival on the Greek Cathedral campus June 16-18. Information: 303-388-0314.
3 Looking for a cool summer eatery with a bar, large covered patio plus children’s play area? Try The Goods Restaurant directly connected to the Tattered Cover Bookstore on Colfax. Information: 303-355-5445.
3 Spruce up for summer with new fabrics for your drapery, upholstery, cushions and pillows from Boris’s Upholstery. Enjoy cool deals of 20-50% off fabrics to fit your style and budget. Information: 303-751-2921.
3 June’s hottest deal is the Art of Brunch, a free Santa Fe Art District art crawl at 30 galleries June 25, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Information: 303-953-1789.
3 Swing-sway into summer to disco, Motown and jazz at Tunisia Concert on Havana Street’s Rose Garden Plaza June 27. Information: 303-360-7505.
3 This summer is sure to be a hot one, so be sure to reserve a shady spot on Wednesday nights at Four Mile Park’s Shady Grove Concert Series, 6:30 p.m. The series kicks off June 14 as the Tallgrass trio cools the air with songs of happiness. Favorites like Perpetual Motion and Rocky Mountain Jewgrass are returning. New faces include The Deltas and The River Arkansas. Bring the family and a picnic. Information: 303-777-1003.
Heat from the sun begins to intensify this month due to the angle of sunlight plus added day length. However, the land and oceans are still relatively cool, so the maximum heating effect is not felt just yet. The Valley’s hottest temperatures won’t begin to appear until late July and August, or even later as the stored heat is finally released.
The hallmark of June is the return of color. The skies seem bluer, the grass begins to grow again, and the flowers bloom, bursting open with color and fresh life.
The sun’s rays reach the ground here during 70 percent of daylight hours. Typically on 10 days this month the sky is clear, with maybe 30 percent cloud cover. Fences begin to sway and the porches swing as the sky begins to rumble. June is one of the most active months for thunderstorms. This is also the month when showers come wrapped in rainbows.
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
by Peter Boyles | May 26, 2017 | Blasting with Boyles
The Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle and the morning shows on 710 KNUS seem to be the only two media outlets where the truth can be told about the corrupt Bush administration and the offices of the Governor of Colorado, the Mayor of Colorado Springs and now seemingly a lot of current Republican and Democrat office holders who supported John Suthers to be head of the FBI.
In spite of enormous outcry from a number of political hacks, we will continue writing about the corruption the Saudi Arabians have visited on the state of Colorado, media outlets, major law firms and influence peddlers. (See the Miller Hudson Letter in this month’s “We Get Letters…”)
Once more let me take you back in time. John Suthers was the Attorney General for the State of Colorado when Republican then-Governor and Bush supporter Bill Owens sent him to Saudi Arabia. That was in 2006. There he visited King Abdullah, Crown Prince Sultan and the Homaidan Al Turki family (terrorist sex criminal) in an attempt to clear up misconceptions about the U.S. criminal system and ease their minds on whether their boy had been treated fairly. An Arapahoe County jury convicted Al-Turki after he was accused of keeping a foreign woman as a sex slave in his basement. John Suthers went there, we now know, in spite of Bill Owens’ phone call to me claiming he sent Suthers on his own… that it was actually at the request of the U.S. Ambassador in Saudi Arabia who apparently had the State Department contact Governor Owens.
To the best of my knowledge, in spite of Suthers saying Abdullah wanted to pay for the trip, American taxpayers sponsored and paid for that trip through the United States State Department.
It’s been years since that occurred. But powerful emotions in Saudi Arabia remain. (See picture above from Saudi Arabia demanding Al Turki’s release — this continues to be an extremely hot button issue in the Saudi world.)
I found on March 26, 2009, Bush appointee Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, urged Americans to review the topic. According to a public statement Skeletor said “The Saudi people sympathize with Homaidan Al Turki and they closely follow this case.” It appears again that everybody in the Republican Party seems to go in the tank with these people.
So as I was saying, in doing research the Saudi Ambassador at the time was Robert W. Jordan. What makes Ambassador Jordan interesting is he appears to be like the other operatives in this case. I believe he made the request to the State Department and on to Bill Owens. You would want to know who Jordan is.
In the words of Gomer Pyle, “Surprise, Surprise!” He’s a lawyer in the law firm of Jim Baker who was George H.W. Bush’s Chief of Staff. Baker brought in Jordan, and dig this: In the early 1990s Jordan represented George W. Bush in an investigation by the SEC into possible inside trading and Timmy Smothers’ sale of stock in Harken Energy. In 2001 Bush becomes president, and he sends Jordan to Saudi Arabia as the U.S. Ambassador.
Does anything shock you people anymore?
Now here comes the fun stuff. Guess who gets propped up to replace Comey-dog, the fired head of the FBI? That’s right. Headline in The Denver Post reads “Colorado’s John Suthers makes Donald Trump’s list of possible James Comey replacements.” According to The Denver Post (soon moving to Adams County) apparently Suthers was on a list of 11 names to replace Comey — damn.
What’s even more laughable is the support he has received. According to Channel 7 News and The Denver Post it was Sen. Cory Gardner who made the recommendation to the White House. Cory, Cory, Cory. What part of this don’t you understand? Whoops? Maybe you totally do.
But all I can tell you according to Colorado politics, Suthers also received endorsements from former governor Owens, and Hickenlooper and current AG Cynthia Coffman. Moreover, Phil Anschutz’s newspaper the Colorado Springs Gazette wrote an editorial titled “John Suthers would be a good choice for the FBI.” They lead it with “it’s simultaneously exciting and troubling to learn about Colorado Springs Mayor on Donald Trump’s short list to replace James Comey who was fired by the FBI.” What??
I don’t know about you guys but in our last column, Norm of Arabia Part One, we had over 5,000 views and nasty letters and even phone calls from people in the Democratic Party.
I’m a huge believer in the saying of Freddie Nietzsche, “You’re not known by your friends, you are known by your enemies. Tell me who doesn’t like you, I will tell you who you are.” Bring it on.
— Peter Boyles
by Mark Smiley | May 3, 2017 | Feature Story Bottom Left
Signing 5-year Extension with Shopping Center
By Charles C. Bonniwell
Tim Schmidt the managing partner of Elway’s Restaurant has indicated to the Chronicle that the restaurant has decided to sign a five-year extension for its space on the western portion of the Cherry Creek Shopping Center on top of the two years left on its present lease. Elway’s has been in the Shopping Center for 13 years.
Schmidt stated that: “In our opinion the Cherry Creek Shopping Center is the best shopping center in Colorado if not the entire rocky Mountain region. We like to associate ourselves with the best brands as we believe we also have one of the best brands in Colorado.” In addition to the Cherry Creek location there are Elway’s Restaurants in downtown Denver, Vail and at Denver International Airport.
Schmidt acknowledged that the restaurant had previously been exploring whether to expand to the empty Cool River Café location in Greenwood Village as reported in the April issue of the Chronicle, but not in lieu of the Cherry Creek space.
Schmidt acknowledged that the Shopping Center is going through a period of transition and the Shopping Center may redevelopment the western portion of the project with Bed Bath & Beyond leaving this fall. Elway’s would adjust it space to fit any redevelopment. The parking fees charged at the mall are less of a concern to Elway’s as it validates for parking.
Schmidt has had extensive discussions with his partner football great John Elway and the Shopping Center’s manager Nick LeMasters about the real estate risk concerning the Cherry Creek area with all the recent and expected development. He however, remains extremely optimistic about the Cherry Creek and the Cherry Creek Shopping Center. He notes that the thousands of expected new apartment dwellers, condominium owners and hotel patrons will be wanting to dine somewhere and he expects Elway’s will garner its share of that new market demographic.
