by Jeff Shultz | Nov 17, 2025 | General Featured
by Jeff Shultz
A south Denver health care charity is preparing for a pending health care crisis. The passing of HR-1 on July 4, 2025, threatens Affordable Care Act subsidies that made health care affordable for hundreds of thousands of Colorado residents, according to Doctors Care Development and Marketing Director Elizabeth Hockaday.
“A plan that used to have a $100 deductible and $1 monthly premium payments will soon become a $5,000 deductible and $1,200 monthly premium,” says Hockaday. “That’s highly unaffordable for those struggling financially.”
Doctors Care, a nonprofit medical clinic in South Metro Denver, is doing what they can to help reduce the financial barriers. “Doctors Care is an integrated primary care clinic. In addition to well and sick visits, the organization has behavioral and women’s health services onsite and provides programs to help address social determinants of health, and health insurance navigation and enrollment,” Hockaday said.
“Doctors Care is located in Littleton and mainly serves Arapahoe County,” says Hockaday, “but our reach is much larger, extending to Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson Counties to name a few.”
Doctors Care serves over 3,000 people annually through their integrated primary care clinic. “Our patients primarily consist of uninsured individuals and Medicaid-eligible working families who face significant challenges in accessing health care.”
Financially, 90% of DC’s clients are below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level, according to Hockaday. This means a family of four makes around $80,000 annually.
“Seventy percent of our clients are on Medicaid or Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), with 28 percent uninsured and the remaining two percent privately insured.”
Doctors Care’s financial strategy consists of earned income (copays and medical reimbursements from Medicaid and private insurance), volunteerism, and charitable giving. “In the past, the organization often showed a larger amount coming from earned income than donations, around a 60/40 split.
“With state and federal policy changes affecting reimbursement rates and health insurance availability to Doctors Care’s population shifting, the organization has seen that percentage flip.
“Charitable giving has become more crucial to the sustainability of the organization and its operations.”
According to Hockaday, changes looming from the federal spending bill is creating a “blast from the past” for Doctors Care’s financial landscape.“The bill is recreating a time when health insurance was less accessible due to cost and eligibility,” Hockaday explained.
According to The Kaiser Family Foundation, the federal bill creates a significant gap in healthcare access for hundreds of thousands of Coloradans.
“The foundation estimates the bill will cause approximately 130,000 Coloradans to become uninsured due to changes in the Medicaid program,” she said. “An additional 18,000 state residents will lose insurance to changes to Affordable Care Act (ACA) and around 6,000 from changes to Medicare and policy interactions.”
The foundation also estimates an additional 38,000 could lose their insurance because of the administration’s ACA Marketplace Integrity and Affordability rule finalized earlier this year. In total, Hockaday said 190,000 Coloradans’ coverage is and will be threatened.
“When you add the total impact to Doctors Care, the numbers are stark,” she added. “Since the Public Health Emergency’s Continuous Coverage Unwind that began in 2023, Doctors Care has watched its uninsured populations significantly grow from 8 percent to 23 percent. Doctors Care is expecting that number to rise again in 2026 to 30-40 percent.”
According to Hockaday, it costs DC $785 per visit to conduct uncompensated care for these populations.
“While that creates a significant financial loss for the organization, it is no match to the access barriers that uninsured individuals are now facing,” added Hockaday. “Cost continues to be a barrier for Coloradans when it comes to accessing the healthcare system.”
“The Colorado Health Institute’s Colorado Health Access Survey consistently reports that 1 in 5 Coloradans skip needed care due to cost. This leads to an increase in mortality rates, communities suffering from increased illness, and more.”
Hockaday has a solution to this new health care crisis for Coloradans. “Invest in your community,” she said.“Early giving for Colorado Gives Day began November 1 and continues through December 9.” Hockaday says giving to Doctors Care, or organizations that support food security or housing stability, helps people stay healthy.
“If cost is a barrier, then investing in nonprofits that help to alleviate said barriers will have an amazing impact on our communities.”
For more information on Doctors Care visit www.doctorscare.org.
by Editorial Board | Sep 29, 2025 | General Featured
Guest Editorial
Bianka Emerson
by Bianka Emerson
Bianka Emerson is President of Colorado Black Women for Political Action and is a gubernatorial appointee to the Environmental Justice Advisory Board for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
In America, turning on the kitchen faucet for a safe glass of water should be a given, not a gamble. Yet for far too many communities already burdened by environmental hazards, that simple act comes with fear and uncertainty
The tragedy of Flint, Michigan, is never far from mind, even here in Colorado. Every time I fill a glass, I want to trust that the water is safe. I want to trust that the taxes I pay, and the water bills I shoulder, are funding a system built to protect my health, not quietly threaten it. And I want my family, friends, neighbors, and people I fight for every day to share same trust.
But too many of us can’t.
One reason is simple: we don’t even know how many lead pipes still exist in our drinking water system. That uncertainty is the shadow of Flint, a reminder that what we don’t know can harm us.
And lead isn’t the only danger.
Polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, is one of the materials commonly used for pipes in drinking water systems today. PVC is promoted by the industry as a quick fix, but that convenience comes at the expense of long-term public health. Especially because there is an ugly truth that gets buried in the sales pitch by the plastics industry: PVC contains toxic chemicals that can leach into our drinking water. And as with lead, the communities most likely to bear the risks are the same ones already overburdened by environmental hazards.
This is a clear case of environmental inequity, with the heaviest burdens falling on communities already overexposed to pollution and under-protected by infrastructure.
PVC is made from vinyl chloride, a known human carcinogen. Its production releases dioxins and other dangerous byproducts into the air, often in or near neighborhoods with limited resources and political influence. From manufacturing to disposal, PVC leaves a toxic footprint. And when used in drinking water systems, the danger doesn’t stop at the factory gates as chemical additives can migrate into the water itself, especially as the pipes age, degrade, or are exposed to high temperatures.
The push for PVC fits right into this inequitable pattern. When city councils and utility boards opt for PVC, they’re making long-term decisions. And when those pipes begin to degrade, as all plastic inevitably does, it won’t be the contractors or suppliers who suffer the consequences: it will be us who are drinking water laced with endocrine-disrupting chemicals; it will be elders with compromised immune systems; and it will be pregnant women, children just starting their lives, and babies, all of whom are uniquely vulnerable.
What’s worse, PVC production itself is an environmental justice disaster. Look at Cancer Alley in Louisiana, an 85-mile stretch of the Mississippi River lined with more than 150 petrochemical plants. Many of those plants, including PVC manufacturers, operate in communities where residents face some of the nation’s highest cancer rates due to chronic industrial pollution. Residents there suffer some of the highest cancer rates in the nation. The same corporations making the PVC pipes pitched as “safe” for our water are also polluting the air these communities breathe.
Drinking water utilities in Colorado should adopt a precautionary principle: if a material poses a plausible risk to human health, it doesn’t belong in our drinking water systems. Safer alternatives exist, and they don’t come with the same long-term health liabilities.
Second, communities must have a seat at the table in infrastructure decisions. Too often, these choices are made behind closed doors, with little public notice or opportunity for input. Residents deserve transparency about the materials being used in our water systems and the health risks they carry.
Finally, we need national standards that address the environmental justice dimensions of water infrastructure. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency should not only regulate chemicals leaching from drinking water pipes but also consider the life-cycle pollution of materials like PVC, especially in vulnerable communities. The EPA is already investigating the human health risks associated with vinyl chloride, which tells us just how dangerous that chemical is.
For generations, the health of marginalized communities has been the price of cheap infrastructure. PVC is just the latest chapter in that story. We have the knowledge, the resources, and the alternatives to write a different ending, and it’s one where safe water is a universal right, not a privilege reserved for some.
The pipes we choose today will carry water into our children’s bodies for generations. Let’s make sure those pipes carry life, not poison.
by Jeff Shultz | Sep 22, 2025 | General Featured
by Jeff Shultz
A volunteer at SECORCares works at restocking shelves at the food bank’s Free Food Market, located in Parker. The market serves approximately 450 families per week.
Depending on what side of the aisle you sit on, the bill known as “One Big Beautiful Bill” is either good for Colorado or will have a negative impact on the state. According to the House Ways and Means Office the bill will help families across the nation, including Colorado.
The typical family will get up to $10,900 in additional take-home pay and workers will see increased wages up to $7,200. According to the House and Ways Means Office, households earning less than $100,000 will benefit from a potential 12 percent tax cut.
However, rural Colorado families may not see all of the benefits of The BBB.
According to The Bell Policy Center, a non-profit group who monitors economic mobility in Colorado, the bill will have a devastating impact on Colorado’s rural communities.
According to BPC, rural areas in Colorado, especially those in southeast Colorado, are some of the poorest in Colorado.
“It’s important to recognize that income is not equally distributed across Colorado,” BPC said.
BPC reports that urban, suburban, and mountain resort communities have high concentrations of upper income families. To pay for the tax cuts in the BBB, according to Bell, the bill makes huge cuts to long-standing social safety net programs such as Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
SNAP is an important revenue source for one Douglas County area food bank.
SECORCares is a food bank service that reaches approximately 3,000 families per week through its three free food programs in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Elbert counties.
“At our brick-and-mortar Free Food Market, we currently serve about 450 families each week,” according to Brie Dilley, Executive Director of SECORCares.
“Beyond the Market, we extend our reach through two additional programs: our Mobile Market, which brings food directly into neighborhoods, and Food for Thought, our backpack program providing school-aged children with nutritious food to take home for the weekend,” she said.
SECOR’s Mobile Market delivers food directly into neighborhoods. SECORCares is a food bank service that reaches approximately 3,000 families per week through its three free food programs in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Elbert counties.
The backpack program is a partnership with 35 schools in the three county region SECOR serves.
Dilley added the proposed changes to programs like SNAP may cause some families to push the panic button. “The greatest impact of these changes is felt by the people we serve. Reductions in social safety nets often push families from ‘barely scraping by’ into full-blown crisis.”
“Unfortunately, reducing and/or complicating SNAP benefits does not diminish food insecurity, it shifts the burden from the government to the nonprofit sector,” Dilley added.
Proposed changes to such programs are coming at a bad time for SECOR, as the demand for SECOR’s services has increased over the past three years.
Dilley said between 2022 and 2023 SECOR experienced a 200 percent increase in helping area families.
“We attribute this dramatic rise to the trifecta of inflation and economic instability, the Denver-area migrant crisis, and the end of COVID-19 emergency allotments,” she said
Dilley added that the demand has remained so high it has forced SECOR to place a cap on its services.
“While it’s difficult to project exactly how many more families we would serve if we expanded appointment slots, our best estimate is an increase to around 600 families each week in our Free Food Market — about 150 more than we currently serve,” she said.
Sadly, SECOR is seeing a troubling trend, Dilley added.
“We are also seeing a growing number of returning guests — families who had once relied on us, found stability for a few years, and are now back.”
Dilley said SECOR welcomes them back with “open arms” but their stories are heartbreaking.
“Many believed they had reached steady ground, only to find that stability wasn’t quite enough to withstand today’s economic challenges,” she said.
SECOR is primarily dependent on private donors and local grocers through SECOR’s grocery rescue program.
According to Dilley, both sources provided more than 1.2 million pounds of food for guests last year. “Sadly, we are now seeing a decline in both of these critical areas. Grocery rescue donations are down significantly, and we’re hearing from more and more donors who — because of the same economic pressures our guests face — must scale back their giving,” Dilley said.
“One of our favorite stories to share has always been about former guests becoming donors. Unfortunately, in this season, we are also seeing the reverse.”
For more information on SECOR visit www.secorcares.com.
Photos courtesy of SECORCares
by Valley Gadfly | Aug 22, 2025 | General Featured
Denver Ranked The Fourth Most Popular For Dogs; Wash Park’s Furry Scurry Is Nation’s Largest Dog Walk
by Glen Richardson
Wading Woopie: Dogs love to run and play at off-leash dog parks, especially those such as Cherry Creek State Park that involves water. Photo: Cris Dornbusch
Dogtown Denver: The nation’s fourth most popular city for dogs with a dog population of 158,000, there’s one dog for every four people.
Denverites really love dogs, and few leave Fido behind when they’re going out on the town. It’s not what the “D” in Denver stands for, but it might as well be. The nation’s 2025 fourth most popular city for dogs, canines are great buddies for the Mile High City’s active lifestyle.
With an affinity for big dogs, Labrador Retrievers are Denver’s most popular breed. Other favorites include German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Bulldogs, and Rottweilers. Denver’s total dog population is a whopping 158,000. Denver’s current people population is around 711,400, that’s at least one dog for every four people
Canines are celebrated here as loyal companions. Many local owners believe that dogs are a catalyst for a healthier, happier Denver. Besides, most pups, mutts, and pooches are incredibly cute. Moreover, it’s not uncommon for shoppers to be greeted at the door of retail stores by an excited dog. The city, of course, does have dog issues ranging from crowded animal shelters to attacks by off-leash dogs.
Holidays With Dogs
The holidays are even more special here because four-legged friends get to join in the fun. Many seasonal events and holiday light displays welcome dogs, making it easy to include them in your favorite traditions. From glowing gardens to festive parades, the city lights up with opportunities to celebrate together. Whether you’re exploring a walk-through display or strolling through a holiday market, you dog can be right at your side.
While not every night is open to dogs, The Denver Zoo’s annual Zoo Lights hosts special nights for pups and their parents. Those evenings include access to the dazzling displays, photo-ops, and festive treats for both owners and their dogs. Keep an eye on the zoo’s event calendar to get tickets, since these nights tend to sell out fact.
The annual Winter Wonderland in Cherry Creek North offers a festive atmosphere with music, lights, and dog-friendly outdoor spaces. The area is decorated with glowing trees and art installations that make a great backdrop for holiday photos with your dog. You’ll enjoy the crisp winter air with your dog by your side.
Many of Denver’s holid
Halycon Hound: Dogs and their owners are given first-class treatment, and a host of amenities at the Halycon Hotel in Cherry Creek North.
ay markets and pop-up events are dog-friendly, especially those held outdoors. The Christkindl Market at Civic Center Park allows leashed dogs and offers a lively European-style holiday experience. Your pup can enjoy the sights and smells, while you browse artisan gifts, try seasonal treats, and enjoy live music. Markets are usually busiest in the evenings and on weekends, so plan accordingly if your dog prefers a quieter crowd. It’s wise to bring along water, treats, and waste bags.
Dog Friendly Places
Holiday Time: During the holidays dog owners are encouraged to give the gift of time and attentiveness to their dog(s).
The city has a selection of places where your best friend can go with you. Denver’s home to numerous locally crafted beers and most of the breweries have dog-friendly patios. Pizzerias, coffee shops, and sites serving some of Denver’s best hot dogs and burgers also welcome dogs, sometimes with special treats.
Shoppers are encouraged to explore stores and have a good time at many events and retail stores in Glendale and Cherry Creek. Dogs, for example, are invited to bring their owners along to Denver’s doggy social event of the year, Pets on the Plaza in Cherry Creek North. The event is a fundraiser for the Denver Dumb Friends League.
Bird Dog, a dog-friendly rooftop happy hour is held on the last Wednesday of each month at the Halcyon Hotel in Cherry Creek. Neighboring Glendale has five dog-friendly hotels. PetSmart’s Glendale location offers dog training. Classes can help your young pup or older dog learn to behave at home or on the go.
Dogs Versus Kids
How many of your friends have dogs versus kids?
Across the metro area, the number of “dog parents” is steadily climbing. Approximately 50% of Mile High’s residents own one or more dogs versus only 20% of metro homes with children under the age of 18.
In Glendale-Cherry Creek neighborhoods and across metro Denver, there are more people living with pups than human children. Simply stated, more and more people are choosing to raise pups instead of kids.
Furry Scurry
Furry Scurry in Wash Park is the nation’s single largest dog walk. The event raises money to help the Dumb Friends League care for 20,000 homeless dogs and other pets.
Held in May this year, dog lovers and
Shopping Spree Sidekick: Dogs are pampered in Cherry Creek, and many stores offer bowls of water or delectable treats. There are 11 dog-friendly shopping areas in Denver.
their four-legged friends enjoy a two-mile walk around beautiful Wash Park.
Dog demonstrations, contests, refreshments, plus food trucks attract dog owners to support Dumb Friends League’s mission of ending pet homelessness and animal suffering.
Dog Shows
Every year the Colorado Kennel Club — the club meets monthly on the first Tuesday of the month at Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Hospital, 7:30 p.m. — hosts one of the largest conformation shows in the country. The show offers both agility and obedience performance trials, as well as barn hunt and dock diving.
Another premier dog event is Denver Dog Days held in September or October at Sloan’s Lake Park. MaxFund animal shelter is the 2025 beneficiary. It’s a fun dog show with a live DJ plus puppies available to adopt. The mid-season challenge for dog athletes features a 5K and 10K event, plus a half mile marathon. Courses wind northeast along the scenic Big Dry Creek Trail.
A new Dog Days of Summer was launched this year on Larimer Square featuring live music, splash pads, adorable dog adoptions, plus free goodies for dogs. Whether you’re a proud dog parent or just love being around happy dogs, it’s another way to spend a summer day full of smiles, splashes, and good vibes.
by Mark Smiley | Aug 4, 2025 | General Featured
By Mark Smiley
Following the success of Glow Party, Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live is coming to Denver this Saturday with its new theme for 2025: Glow-N-Fire. This exciting new experience will feature the same level of fun and excitement that fans have come to expect, but with an added fiery twist. Get ready for more heat and action as they continue to bring the ultimate monster truck show to fans.
See all your favorite Hot Wheels trucks in person. Including: Skelesaurus, HW 5-Alarm, Gunkster, MegaWrex, Bone Shaker™, Tiger Shark, and Bigfoot® (celebrating its 50th birthday). To commemorate the original monster truck that started it all, Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live will honor the iconic Bigfoot through in-show activations and crowd engagements throughout each performance.
The exciting Pre-Show Party sponsored by Metro by T-Mobile will be held 2-1/2 hours before every performance. The unique experience provides fans access to the competition floor to see the outrageous designs and epic size of the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks, plus meet the drivers and get their autographs. Tickets start at just $7.50
The new Exclusive VIP Backstage Experience is an exclusive tour guided by the hosts of Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live. Experience what happens behind the scenes before all the smashing and crashing goes down. See the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks up close and personal, get your VIP Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Official Souvenir Merchandise Bundle and receive access into the Pre-Show Party. VIP passes are limited and available to purchase while supplies last.
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live is at the Ball Arena Saturday, August 9 at 12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, August 10 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are affordable for the entire family and kids Tickets up to 50% off.
Visit www.hotwheelsmonstertruckslive.com for more information.
by Jessica Hughes | Mar 28, 2025 | General Featured
by Jessica Hughes
A packed house of players at the Denver Metro Bridge Studio.
Weekly bridge games are played at the Denver Metro Bridge Studio.
The tight-knit community of bridge players at the Denver Metro Bridge Studio in the greater Glendale area (Leetsdale Drive and Forest Street) works to rebuild five years after the COVID pandemic while preserving a game that offers far more than just entertainment.
Five years after a bridge tournament in Colorado Springs, turned into a COVID superspreader claiming the lives of six players, the Denver bridge community is still working to recover its momentum. “It became difficult after COVID. Bridge clubs closed and were going away,” explains Kathy McMahon, a dedicated member and player at the Denver Metro Bridge Studio. Like many social institutions, bridge clubs faced an existential threat during the pandemic.
For the game to survive, it had to pivot quickly. “We had to play online,” McMahon recounts. The American Contract Bridge League (ACBL), which governs competitive bridge in North America, developed online platforms where players could continue earning masterpoints — the currency of achievement in bridge competitions.
Despite these efforts, the pandemic created significant gaps in the community. The club lost many instructors and an entire generation of potential new players. “We missed the opportunity to train new people during COVID.
With the average age of bridge players in their late 60s or older, recruiting new enthusiasts has become vital for the game’s future. While the game is played by people of all ages, the benefits for seniors are particularly compelling: mental exercise, social con-
nection, and continuous learning. Bridge demands strategy, memory, and problem-solving skills — a true mental workout that research suggests may help delay cognitive decline. The game also provides crucial social connections, particularly important for seniors vulnerable to isolation.
“For seniors, playing bridge keeps them social and happy. It keeps brains healthy and keeps your brain going,” McMahon explains. These benefits extend beyond the individual to create vibrant communities centered around the game.
The Denver Metro Bridge Studio serves multiple roles — it’s both a competitive venue and a teaching center. The club offers lessons for beginners, mentorship programs, and games for various skill levels throughout the week. “We want bridge clubs to continue to be the social networks that they are,” says McMahon. “Playing in person brings this
Denver Metro Bridge Studio Club Owner, Elly Larson.
social aspect, which is so important.”
A typical sanctioned game at the club takes about three hours, with players rotating to play the same hands against different opponents. While competitive games allow players to earn points toward rankings like Life Master (requiring 500 master points) or the prestigious Grand Life Master (requiring 10,000 master points), the club also hosts more casual social games for those who aren’t concerned with earning points.
The community is diverse in age and gender, with its oldest member turning 100 this year. McMahon herself didn’t begin playing until near retirement, proving it’s never too late to start. She now plays approximately three times per week with various partners.
“We are in the post-pandemic r
Denver Metro Bridge Studio meets at 5250 Leetsdale Dr. in Denver.
ebound, so there’s been much more of a need to advertise these clubs,” McMahon notes. The Denver Metro Bridge Studio has invested in outreach efforts aimed at attracting both seniors and younger players.
For newcomers interested in learning, the club offers beginner classes and assistance with finding partners. They provide food and drinks during games and maintain a welcoming atmosphere for players of all levels — though McMahon says that depending on when you play, beginners might find themselves facing off against the club’s “sharks,” their most accomplished players.
As online bridge helped save the game during pandemic lockdowns, the Denver Metro Bridge Studio is working to preserve what makes in-person play special: the bonds formed across the card table, the shared excitement of a well-played hand, and the community that grows around a common passion.
For those looking to exercise their minds, expand their social circles, or simply find a fulfilling hobby, visit www.bridgewebs.com/denvermetro.
Photos provided by Kathy McMahon
