by Valley Gadfly | Oct 23, 2017 | Valley Gadfly
“It was a dark and stormy night, suddenly, a turkey rang out!” Those are Charlie Brown’s words after Lucy told him to write a Thanksgiving novel. It’s been 44 years since A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving made its way to our TV screens, but it still reminds us of the true meaning of Thanksgiving and the beginning of the holiday season.
Sure, turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie star on our gratefully plentiful holiday tables, but we all know it’s really our loved ones who make Thanksgiving special.
Here are our healthy and fresh choices for shopping, dining and entertainment to add more food, love, friends and generosity to your traditional November recipe:
3 Good grief, don’t miss out on the Denver Film Festival screening more than 200 titles including three red carpet galas at the Ellie, Nov. 1-12. Other events are at the Sie Film Center. Information: 720-381-0813.
3 Get in the holiday mood shopping the Colorado Country Gift Show with 450 booths in the Denver Mart, Nov. 3-5. Information: 800-521-7469.
3 Hip-hop over to the Buell Theatre for Breakin’ Convention, the big hip-hop dance festival with workshops, Nov. 4-5. Information: 303-893-4100.
3 Embrace the holiday spirit by attending the Lowry Fall Wine Tasting in Eisenhower Chapel Nov. 10, 6-8:30 p.m. Information: 303-344-0481.
3 Enjoy Thanksgiving without cooking by feasting on the annual classic roast turkey spread at the Monaco Inn Restaurant, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. A half-dozen other scrumptious choices also offered. Information: 303-320-1104.
3 Thanksgiving is the only holiday allowing a little shuteye mid-event. Hence, keep a happy-healthy home with better mattresses and better sleep from SleepNation with three Valley locations: Information: 720-443-4421.
3 Enjoy Epic Night with 12 bands, dancing, free food-drinks at Swallow Hill’s Tuft Theatre benefit Nov. 18, 7 p.m. Information: 303-777-1003.
3 Join the Mile High United Way Turkey Trot at Wash Park to make the big meal satisfying Nov. 23, 10:15 a.m.-2 p.m. Information: 303-433-8383.
3 Book your plans now for The Bookies Small Business Saturday in Glendale Nov. 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. After two days off they’re throwing open the doors for the Author Showcase. Hear authors speak throughout the day as you shop and enjoy entertainment. Furthermore it’s a day to celebrate independent bookstores and the usual store discounts apply. On day after Thanksgiving it’s fun shopping. Information: 303-759-1117.
Your Thanksgiving menu likely won’t include toast, popcorn and candy, as was the case for the Charlie Brown TV special based on Charles M. Schultz’s Peanuts comic strip. Nevertheless, today the Peanuts comic strip is as synonymous with Thanksgiving as turkey, pumpkin pie and awkward family conversations about politics and religion.
In that TV special Lucy enticed Charlie Brown to kick the football because it was a Thanksgiving tradition. Now the NFL has ostensibly pulled the same trick on us.
A parade, big meal and mind-numbing football games highlight Thanksgiving. So why is it more appetizing than others? For many of us it delivers four days off. How awesome is that? It’s also universal, inclusive and nap friendly. Plus thankfulness makes us happy. Share your good fortune with food banks or soup kitchens and bon appetite!
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
by Peter Boyles | Oct 23, 2017 | Blasting with Boyles
December 2016 I wrote here in the Chronicle a column titled “Brandon Marshall Stands Up, Brownstein-Farber Takes A Knee.” I talked about the overwhelming amount of lies Denver Broncos linebacker Brandon Marshall told about what happened to him in Miami a year ago last summer. How, if memory serves me well, five cops jumped him, a Taser placed on his chest, the handcuffs put on him, placed in the back of a police car, driven somewhere, brought back where he was finally told, “If you don’t say anything we won’t say anything.” And that dear reader was the reason why Brandon Marshall says he took a knee.
The Denver Post is celebrating 125 years of being in the newspaper business. I think it’s more like 115 because they’ve been mailing this baby in for the last 10.
A couple of weekends ago The Denver Post, as hard as it to imagine, literally outdid itself in attempting to scam the Mile High City. Nicki Jhabvala known on our 710 KNUS radio as Nicki “Jambalaya” did a piece along with other hard-hitting Denver media representatives, with above said Brandon Marshall as he explained why he continues to do the clenched fist and other versions of taking a knee. Only this time the Miami fight with the law never comes up. Fascinated? Not one of those hard-hitting media members dared ask Brandon, “Hey man, the last time you talked to us you told us the cops did stuff to you in Florida. Why has that reason disappeared?” Are they just afraid? Misinformed? Hells bells, Nicki did the original story a year ago about the adventures of Brandon Marshall in Florida. I guess like some New York mobster on trial these gatekeepers of the truth have conveniently forgotten.
But The Denver Post gets worse. In their lead editorial October 13 of this year written by the entire Denver Post Editorial Board they go after Denver Police Corporal Zachery Phillips. Now here is the first sentence of that editorial and I quote… “Something is wrong when investigators can determine it is more likely than not that a Denver police officer paid a known prostitute for sex and lied about it and the officer keeps his job…”
Now substitute “Denver Mayor Michael Hancock.” If you all recall when Councilman/Mayor-Elect Hancock was visiting the working girls at Denver Players and Sugar, we had the call sheets. Some of the soiled doves ID’d his photo and The Denver Post and the Brownstein law firm offered him total protection.
Now they’re upset that Corporal Phillip paid for sex. Damn.
My next example of a great 115 years is George Lopez, booed off the stage after Trump jokes flop at a recent Denver gala. Now you would think that’s a huge deal, telling wealthy donors that they have white privilege and his opinion of old white men. Classy. But other than reading it in the New York papers it appeared six paragraphs in in the Post society column by Joanne Davidson.
Now flip it. George Lopez attacks Trump and gets a standing ovation. Sports fans that’s front page.
So why do you think nobody in the Denver media covered George Lopez? And as he has done many times Ed Greene Channel 4 Weatherman and KOA Radio anchor comes in for the save. I wonder if George cashed the check?
So there we have it folks. What do these three things have in common? Brandon Marshall, George Lopez and The Denver Post Editorial Board? Sex, lies and videotape. Or is there any way Norm and Steve can sleaze a dollar out of this deal?
by Mark Smiley | Sep 25, 2017 | Glendale City News
by John Arthur
Writer for and on behalf of the City of Glendale
Glendale’s Infinity Park, home to the city’s Raptors and Merlins rugby teams, has a longstanding history of positively engaging local communities. In the late-August days leading to Infinity Park’s annual RugbyTown Sevens tournament, that tradition of outreach was further strengthened. With organizational help from Infinity Park hosts, Armed Forces teams participating in the tournament paid visits to Children’s Hospital Colorado, putting smiles on faces young and old, and demonstrating the alignment of outreach and inclusion indicative of rugby’s values and those of military service.
Founded in 1908, Children’s Hospital Colorado has been providing outstanding pediatric care for over a century. The private, not-for-profit provider is affiliated with the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and is ranked as a best national children’s hospital by U.S. News & World Report. With both national and international Armed Forces teams visiting in the week leading up to the RugbyTown Sevens tournament, patients and their families experienced firsthand the compassion and character definitive of rugby athletes.
Dacoda Worth, a rookie playing for the Army Rugby 7s team, reflected on his first appearance at the tournament, and in participating in community outreach: “Through rugby, and the military in general, the best feeling is giving back. That’s what we’re doing every day through our service, and giving back here, visiting these kids, as a rugby player and a serviceman is really rewarding.”
RugbyTown Sevens, an annual Glendale tournament attracting teams from across the globe and producing competition at the highest level, served as backdrop for the visits to Children’s Hospital. Representatives from the U.S. Marines, Army, Navy, and Coast Guard teams, as well as from the British Royal Air Force participated in the visits.
Rob Bell, making his second appearance at
the RugbyTown tournament with the Royal Air Force team, quipped that the hospital visit was an important aspect of the experience, and that there was more to the tournament, and rugby, than just the competition: “If you look at rugby in America, it’s grown and grown. With the military teams all coming to the hospital and interacting with the kids, it sends a really positive message. We’re here to engage with the local community — not just to play. It’s very important.” Bell went on to note the similarities between the values inherent in rugby as a sport and those of military service: “Rugby aligns with military values: respect, integrity, service, friendship, ethics, and camaraderie. There’s a massive crossover with the values of rugby. Outreach like this helps us demonstrate that to the public in a way that’s meaningful.”
Rugby’s character-driven ethos, explained by Bell, assures there is more to the sport than competition. But in addition to the military team visits, the weekend did see a great deal of high-level Sevens play. Newcomers to the tournament, Fiji SAVU Water, also known as the Viti Barbarians, walked away overall tournament champions, winners of the RT7s Cup, and with the $10,000 tournament purse that title guaranteed. Members of the visiting Fijian team had previously participated on the gold-medal-winning Fiji national team at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Another fan favorite, the U.S. Army team won the military championship in decisive form, earning that distinction for the fifth year running. Competing for the first time under the new Merlins moniker, the hometown team struggled. Moving forward from the tournament, team focus shifted to the then upcoming 15s season, which kicked off the first weekend of September. Notably, the home opener underscored celebrations of Infinity Park’s 10th anniversary as a Glendale focal point.
The excitement of world-class competition didn’t take away from the importance of the team visits to Children’s Hospital, however. Eric Geckas, playing for the U.S. Coast Guard team in his fourth appearance at the tournament, likened the feelings of military service and community outreach to rugby play: “Coast Guard boat crews and flight crews operate in a lot of the same ways the rugby team does on the field. We joined out of pride. To serve. Combining those feelings with sport, and then with our ability to improve the lives of people in a difficult situation — that’s what it’s all about.” Sentiments like Geckas’ were shared by all of the participating team members and coaches.
Head coach of the All-Navy 7s team, Koma Gandy Fischbein described the hospital visit as an emissary of the sport: “We recognize and embrace that we are both ambassadors of the U.S. Navy and the sport of rugby. We welcomed the opportuni
ty to inspire, and be inspired by, these brave children and their families. Outreach is an essential part of being a whole athlete; within the rugby community and especially the Armed Forces, giving back and making an impact is part of who we are. It’s a part of why we serve and why we play this sport.” As the compassion and character embodied by both rugby players and military service members was shown in August, it seems likely the sport has at least a few new young fans.
by Mark Smiley | Sep 25, 2017 | General Featured
by Julie Hayden
The little boy was just seven years old when he was brought to the Tennyson Center in Denver. It’s a refuge of last resort for children who have been abused, neglected or traumatized. Tennyson Center CEO Ned Breslin says this boy had been removed from the place he and his heroin-addicted mother had been staying. “His mother was bringing men to the apartment who paid her for sex and she then spent the money on heroin, not her son,” Breslin says. The boy was scared, significantly underweight and malnourished. Fortunately, teachers noticed he had “disappeared” from school and contacted authorities that stepped in. Breslin says the tragedy is, this boy’s story is becoming far too common in Colorado.
Like the rest of the nation, heroin and opioid abuse is skyrocketing in Colorado. Colorado Health Department statistics show 2016 saw a record number of opioid overdose deaths in Colorado — 912 people. That far surpasses the 600 people who died in traffic accidents.
There’s been a lot of talk and task forces focused on adults and the opioid crisis. But Breslin says children are the unseen and forgotten casualties of the opioid crisis. “The kids fall through the cracks.”
The Tennyson Center, founded in 1904, has a mission of empowering children who have experienced abuse, neglect and trauma to bravely and safely change their life’s story. It helps 200-300 local children and families each month. Breslin says, “We’re seeing a real disintegration of families. We’re seeing a real pressure from the opioid and drug epidemic that is ravishing our country and our state.”
The statistics are both staggering and heartbreaking. Breslin notes, “There’s been an 81% increase in the number of kids taken out of their homes over the last two years in Denver alone. And there’s been a 70% increase in abuse and neglect investigations in Denver.” Much of that is fueled by the opioid crisis. Breslin says, “The whole child welfare system is buckling under the pressure.”
Programs like the Tennyson Center are struggling to handle what he calls “the flood” of kids coming into the system. “We are seeing at Tennyson kids being taken from their homes who have been pimped out to pay for their parents’ drug habits. We are seeing kids who are 20-30 pounds underweight because their parents choose drugs over feeding their children. It’s a
real problem.”
Tennyson Center, like other similar organizations, is at capacity and searching for ways to fill the growing need. Breslin describes their developing “No Kid Waits” program. “When you have a family and children in crisis it just doesn’t work when you have to tell them you’ll put them on a week-long waiting list. The crisis just gets worse. We have to find ways to get immediate help to these kids.”
The need for help is obvious but how to help is not so clear. Breslin explains it’s difficult enough to work with the kids who have been abused and/or neglected by an opioid addicted parent. But he says you also have to deal with the separation issue. “Mom is going through detox, the legal situation, but at the same time the kids miss her and want to reunite. The path to get kids stabilized and then back with their families is not very clear or easy to navigate.”
“If we can sit back as a society and say what should we really invest in — kids who are in this situation, how can we invest so there are better outcomes. We don’t need more money, we need to move in different ways,” Breslin asserts.
“We just have to realize all the stuff you’re seeing on the surface of the drug abuse and parents in crisis is true and we have to do something about it because we can’t forget the kids.”
