by Mark Smiley | Jul 23, 2021 | Travel
Princess And Pirate Themed Summer Activities
by Mark Smiley and Eleanore Smiley (10 years of age)
Lazy River: Relax on an inner tube as you float around the lazy river and the Colorado sun shines down on you. The lazy river features a rocky grotto, water jets, and bubblers to enhance the fun.
The Gaylord Rockies Resort is now fully open and operational and mask free for those that are vaccinated. The Gaylord always finds unique ways to incorporate fun themes for kids and adults of all ages. The Summer of More has programming to help guests celebrate the upcoming season with a wide variety of family-friendly events and activities including a scavenger hunt, Build-A-Bear Workshop, escape room, roasting s’mores, and an art studio.
“Princesses and Pirates is the theme this summer,” said Eleanore Smiley, 10 years old and recent guest. “10+ year olds might think princesses and pirates are kiddish but it isn’t. I (as a 10-year-old girl) had the best time. Personally, my favorite thing to do out of the theme was the Scavenger Hunt. You will be given a book with clues and during the scavenger hunt you will have to look at the clue very carefully. You will look for a pirate chest with different colored gems and once you find the chest circle the gem color that’s in the chest. Once you finish you will go to the ticket desk to claim your prize.”
Pirate and Princesses Academy is also a fun activity for the kids. It costs $12.99 per person and is a live entertainment show. You will step into a fantasy world and experience the story of the Sword Mistress, Pirates, and Princess Evergreen herself in this interactive show. Become an honorary pirate or princess for the day, take the official oath, and more.
The art studio is an activity that is a must do while at the resort. This fun, interactive family painting activity allows each participant to select a canvas with either a pirate ship or princess castle that they paint to take home and enjoy. Canvas, paint, brushes, and apron are provided. On-site artist available. The cost is $14.99.
Bar & Grill: Conveniently located just steps from the pool and lazy river, Arapahoe Springs Bar & Grill lets you grab a bite without having to leave the fun in the sun. Indulge in All-American favorites and refreshing beverages to quench your thirst during your day.
There are plenty of restaurants to choose from at the resort to make it a carefree stay for you and your family. Arapahoe Springs Bar & Grill, Mountain Pass Sports Bar, Vista Montagne, Old Hickory Steakhouse, and Monte Jade all offer a variety of cuisines conveniently located. In addition, The Cocoa Bean, Ski Village Cantina, and Rockies Marketplace offer a quick meal to go. Most of the restaurants accept orders through the Marriott Bonvoy app. Be sure to download the app before your stay to know when your room is ready and familiarize yourself with the resort.
Mountain Pass Sports Bar is a popular dining option inside the resort. They serve burgers, sandwiches, nachos, salads, and draft beer. The 75-foot flat-panel TV is the featured part of this sports bar. Arapahoe Springs Bar & Grill is located near the pools and a convenient way to order lunch while enjoying the pools and slides.
Outdoor Pool: The outdoor pool is heated and open year-round.
The pools are definitely the resort’s main attraction. There is an indoor and outdoor pool (which includes an infinity pool), an outdoor lazy river, and three water slides. This water park is spread out over 22,000 square-feet which allows for proper social distancing. The entire resort is situated on 85 acres of land, so it never feels crowded even under normal circumstances. Guests can reserve a cabana if they want their own dedicated space. Or they may snag a chair by the lazy river and relax.
The Gaylord Rockies Resort is located at 6700 North Gaylord Rockies Boulevard. For more information about the resort or to make a reservation, visit www.gaylordrockies.com.
by Luke Schmaltz | Jul 23, 2021 | Glendale City News
by Luke Schmaltz
Thus far in 2021, active shooter events have occurred over 150 times in the United States. People are going about their business — be it school, work or play — and in an ear-splitting instant, life turns from normalcy to chaos, confusion, and potential death. This is when the instinct to survive kicks in, and you have three options: Run, Hide, Fight (RHF).
However unfortunate, this patently American phenomenon could occur at any point. It is important for survival to understand the RHF protocol and why it presents an actionable methodology for dealing with danger.
Run For Your Life
When the shots ring out, the shock of gunfire could make you freeze — as panic temporarily seizes your ability to move. You must overcome crippling fear
Glendale Police Department offers sound advice for responding to an active shooter situation.
and use your ambulatory efficiency to create as much space as possible between you and the shooter. If you are outdoors, you have the advantage of square footage, and you are wise to get as far away as possible as quickly as you can. As you flee, even if you assume others have called 911, call anyway. Your coordinates and your perception of the events could give police responders crucial intel for handling the situation. Captain Michael Gross of the Glendale Police Department offers a bit of sound advice, “Don’t run blindly, pick a direction based on good knowledge, and encourage others to run with you.”
Hide Smart
If you are indoors during an active shooter event and you run, seek to escape the confines of the building immediately. If exit is not an option, you must use the building itself and its internal structure as defense. A room with a door which can be locked is an excellent option, turn off all lights and be as silent as possible. Close all blinds and, as you call 911, speak quietly and be sure to silence your phone — as a ring-back or text notification could alert the shooter to your whereabouts. Brick walls are preferable, as they can be impenetrable by some bullets, but the main idea is to put as much physical matter between you and the shooter. Stairwells, while seemingly protective, can also be a trap if you are in a high rise building and there are multiple shooters. Captain Gross offers actionable advice for this situation. “We have never had an active shooter breach a locked door.” He explains. “Getting behind a locked door is your best chance for survival. But don’t lock yourself in, someplace easy to get into and out of is best.”
Fight Like Hell
The RHF Protocol can save your life in the event of an active shooter.
If your hiding place is discovered, you may be in a position where fighting is your only option for survival. Your 911 call, while received, will take crucial minutes (anywhere from seven to 10) to be acted upon by the local law enforcement authorities. You must fight back with whatever tools are at your disposal. Captain Gross reinforces the notion of using the resources at hand to fight back, “Anything can be used,” he begins. “One of my personal favorites is the fire extinguisher. They are present in all buildings per the fire code, they make it difficult to see, difficult to breathe and really hurt when you get hit with one.”
Inside Reasons
Captain Gross also offers key insight into the backgrounds of many active shooters. “Active shooters are not trained; they have very little skill; the average person can succeed against them easily. Because they have no or little training they are not prepared for resistance. Dr. John Nicoletti [an expert in workplace and school violence based in Lakewood, Colorado] calls this the ‘thrill of the thought.’ When they plan out their act, they don’t plan for resistance, so they don’t know what to do when it comes. This is also one of the reasons why active shooters commit suicide in such high numbers.”
Captain Gross also presents important insight into the motivations of many active shooters, citing workplace discord as a catalyst. “70%-ish of active shooters come from inside the business (employees or recently fired).” He explains. “They exhibit behavior over time that, if you are sensitive to it, telegraphs their intentions and gives opportunity for intervention. 82% or so broadcast their intentions to others (usually through social media). Of the roughly 30% left, the vast majority of those are domestic violence attackers. Active shooters plan their assaults. They make these plans for very different reasons.”
Fire extinguishers are common throughout public buildings and can be used to distract or disable an assailant.
If you find yourself in the confines of an area which you cannot escape, attempting to reason with an active shooter will only give them a greater focus on your whereabouts. Also, whilst under duress, talking will only drain your energy from the mission at hand which is to subdue the shooter by any means possible. Any martial arts training you may have could serve you well here — as in most disciplines, self-defense is the directive.
Addendum To The Protocol
Since the RHF protocol was established in 2012, a fourth element is becoming an apparent addition to the mindset — hemorrhage control. This is the idea that every citizen — while understanding running, hiding and fighting — should also have fundamental knowledge on how to stop bleeding caused by a gunshot wound. This applies not only to yourself, but to those around you. Applying a tourniquet to a limb or direct pressure to a wound can buy a victim precious minutes while help arrives. Captain Gross explains, “Have an active shooter plan for your business, get training (both in active shooter response and basic hemorrhage control). Give good information, description and whereabouts. When police arrive, have NOTHING in your hand, don’t grab the officer, don’t pull the fire alarm.”
Hemorrhage Control
Knowing how to improvise and apply a tourniquet is a crucial part of hemorrhage control.
Injuries to the head or torso require direct pressure with some sort of dense, absorptive material. In the event of a wound to an arm or a leg, a tourniquet can be used to control the bleeding. In an active shooter scenario, you will have to improvise with whatever materials you have immediate access to. Begin by pinpointing the exact location of the wound and exposing the skin. Inform the victim that you will be applying a tourniquet, as their already severe level of pain will be temporarily increased. It is important that the tourniquet be applied between the extremity wound and the heart. The American Red Cross recommends placing the tourniquet two inches above the wound. Use a cloth, towel, scarf or strip of clothing to wrap around the limb and tie it with a regular square not. Then, you will need to apply what is known as a windlass, which is a stick or a ruler — anything strong enough to be used to twist the tourniquet tighter. Place the windlass on the square knot and use the loose ends of the tourniquet to secure it with another square knot. Then, twist the windlass to tighten the tourniquet until the bleeding stops. Once the bleeding has stopped, use another strip of material to tie the windlass to the victim’s limb so that it stays tight. First responders will take over once they arrive, yet be advised that no tourniquet should be left in place for more than two hours.
Regardless of whether you run, hide or fight — the life you save could be your own at the very least. In a best-case scenario, you could help those around you, and if they have the same mindset, perhaps they can help you.
by Mark Smiley | Jul 23, 2021 | Editorials
Multi-Sensory Art Experience In The Hangar Until Sept. 26
by Mark Smiley
Van Gogh Alive: Playing at The Hangar at Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace through September 26. Buy tickets at denvercenter.org.
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Stephen Lindsay & Brett Sirota and Andrew Kay Management in partnership with Grande Experiences present Van Gogh Alive, a large-scale, multi-sensory experience that is promoted as entertaining for the entire family. Van Gogh’s works have been displayed and enjoyed around the world for over a century. For a limited time only — through September 26 in The Hangar at Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace — audiences have an opportunity to experience Van Gogh’s artistry and venture into his world.
With a career that ran a little over a decade, he produced an astonishing amount of work: 1,000 drawings, 150 watercolors, 9 lithographs, an etching, and over 900 paintings. Van Gogh is today one of the most popular of the Post-Impressionist painters, although he was not widely appreciated during his lifetime. He is now famed for the great vitality of his works which are characterized by expressive and emotive use of brilliant color and energetic application of impastoed paint. The traumas of his life, documented in his letters, have tended to dominate and distort modern perceptions of his art. This experience walks you through the different paintings and the mood and year in which they were painted. Pay particular attention to the quotes from Van Gogh that appear throughout the exhibit during the show.
Created by Grande Experiences, Van Gogh Alive, a large-scale, COVID-Safe, multi-sensory digital art experience, gives visitors the unique opportunity to immerse themselves into Van Gogh’s artistry. Traditions of tiptoeing through silent galleries and viewing paintings from afar in quiet contemplation are forgotten as visitors find themselves interacting with art in ways they never imagined. From start to finish, visitors are surrounded by a vibrant symphony of light, color, sound and fragrance that has been called an “unforgettable” multi-sensory experience. Van Gogh’s masterpieces come to life, giving visitors the sensation of walking right into his paintings, a feeling that is simultaneously enchanting, entertaining and educational. Adults and children delight in the super-scale show, viewing artworks from new angles and discovering unique perspectives. But don’t just take their word for it: experience it for yourself!
Van Gogh Alive is a multi-sensory art experience that involves high-level cinema-quality sound, large scale moving images, theater level lighting and at times loud abrupt sounds. Individual visit times vary, but most visitors anticipate spending approximately 60 minutes in the experience. The main feature of the exhibition lasts around 45 minutes.
The Denver Center for the Performing Arts, denvercenter.org, is the only authorized ticket provider for this production. There is no minimum age requirement and all attendees need a ticket. The experience is open Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Follow this experience on social media: #VanGogh Alive and @DenverCenter.
by Mark Smiley | Jun 25, 2021 | General Featured
Denver Man Hopes Patriotic Art Project Sparks Unity
by Julie Hayden
Finding The Way: Johnston created an angel Sacagawea from the rubble to symbolize Americans finding their way to common values and principles.
At first glance, it looks like a vacant lot in the middle of what Denver Police records show to be an area with one of the highest crime rates in North Capitol Hill. But a closer look reveals an island of unity and patriotic art, thanks to the efforts of one man and the support of the diverse community that makes up this neighborhood. “This is for the people and to remind us we have something more important that just partisan politics,” exclaims patriotic art creator Roy Johnston.
Johnston is an author who had just written a book and was searching for inspiration for a cover photo. “The book was titled ‘Brick By Brick, The Dismantling Of America’ because of all the chaos going on for the last five years or more.” He explains the book is about “how America is in decline so you could see how the building blocks of America are crumbling so to speak and I was looking for brick walls crumbling.”
That’s when he came upon the lot in the 1500 block of Pearl Street. “I got to this place where there were bricks just strewn over the ground.” Johnston reveals his research showed there used to be two lovely brick homes here, built in the mid 1930s. The property had been bought and sold over the years and eventually demolished, leaving a gaping hole on the lot. “There were two houses here, 1930s vintage brick houses. Beautiful but had gone into ruin and were actually crack houses.”
An idea began to grow to create something intended to be unifying out of the rubble, a map of the United States. “I thought what a great metaphor to take something like a crack house and the human tragedy that occurs there and take the rubble from that and rebuild the country.”
And that’s what Johnston proceeded to do. He took the bricks and debris from the demolished homes and used them piece by piece to create a sculpture of a map of America.
“Everything here is from this site. I have Styrofoam that I painted to be the ocean. There’s tree roots that make the Mississippi River, there’s metal that makes the Great Lakes. The idea is that red, white and blue, the United States flag brings the country together. That’s the message here.”
Not About Politics
Patriotic Art: Artist Roy Johnston stands by a map of the United States created with the debris from a demolished building in North Capitol Hill.
As Johnston showed up to work regularly on his patriotic art, neighbors watched with curiosity. “People come by every day, They stop and they say what are you doing and I tell them and they love it.” He says people from the historic Denver Community Church across the street stopped by one Sunday to take a look.
It’s also across the street from one of Denver’s Safe Outdoor Spaces homeless encampments. Some of the people staying there help Johnston keep an eye on his artwork. “People stop by and take pictures and not a brick has been moved.”
Johnston is adamant this is not about politics. “This is about bringing the country together. I hate politics. This has nothing to do with Democrats, Republicans, or any fraction that is always saying ‘Me, me, me. Our way or the highway’. I’m saying let’s talk about us together as Americans.”
New Projects
Rebuilding From The Rubble: Johnston hopes his patriotic art encourages people to rebuild togetherness out of the rubble of partisan politics.
The art project continues to grow. Johnston says a friend suggested he create a sculpture of an eagle. So Johnston gathered the pieces of brick and concrete, figured out how to put them together in the shape of an eagle and painted it with red, white and blue. The next project was an angel Sacagawea. The Lemhi Shoshone woman was an interpreter and guide for the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the early 1800s. “You see her arms spread wide and facing the map of America. She is
praying for America. Without her guidance, Lewis and Clark would likely have not made it to the Pacific. Now she is praying America finds her way back to its founding principles and values. That’s the symbolism I was going for.”
Johnston acknowledges his work is unique. But that’s the point. “It’s just that if everybody had these crazy ideas like this we would be a great country again. We would come together, we would solve our problems, solve our differences and that’s how every everybody can make a difference. We don’t need to rely on Washington DC, we need to rely on ourselves.”
Johnston hopes this is just the first of many of what he calls “patriotic art for free.” “I’m going to keep doing the patriotic art, “ he says. “And the rest is in God’s hands. I hope it brings people together.”
Johnston can be contacted at johnstini.com.
by Mark Smiley | Jun 25, 2021 | Travel
by Mark Smiley and Eleanore Smiley (10 years old)
Wave Pool: Catch a wave and splash and play as the swells sweep in from the five-foot deep end to the zero-depth-entry shallows. Wave pools are a fun family vacation favorite for kids of all ages. The rollers flow in every five minutes to lift and transport you on the surge of the ocean’s tide.
Great Wolf Lodge in Colorado Springs, has reopened after being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The lodge, offers families a viable option for a “staycation.” The family vacation resort opened in January 2016, and features a 50,000-square foot indoor water park. The $100 million resort is situated North of Colorado Springs and is just over a one-hour drive from Denver making it a logistically simple getaway.
The check-in process was seamless with the exception of the room not being ready. However, there is plenty to do while one waits for their room. And, upon check in, all members of your party are given wristbands which serve as your room key.
The main attraction is the indoor water park which has slides and thrill rides for kids and adults of all ages as well as a wave pool. In addition, after checkout, guests can continue to enjoy the water park until it closes at 8 p.m. “In my opinion the water park is the best part of Great Wolf Lodge,” said Ellie Smiley, a 10-year-old guest of the hotel and this author’s daughter. “Once you walk in you will see Fort McKenzie which is fun for any age. There’s a bucket that fills up with water then dumps on your head.”
The surprising part for most guests is there is more to do beyond the water park. The resort features a climbing wall, ropes course, a digital scavenger hunt which electronically captures achievements of its participants with a tracked score, a Build-a- Bear workshop, mini golf, bowling, and an arcade.
In addition to the above offerings, the resort features dance parties and story time. It is an easy way to wind down while having the children in pajamas with a short elevator ride up to the guest room.
Wolf Tail: Once the floor drops out from under you on this adventure ride, you’re hurled into a nearly vertical, 20-foot free fall followed immediately by a 360-degree, high-speed loop.
Guest rooms range in size from a standard room to suites including a separate den for the kids to offer privacy for the parents. They include a separate television with plenty of kids’ programming offered. They all offer mini fridges and microwaves. “In my opinion the best room there is the Wolf Den because it has a tiny built-in room called Wiley’s Den for your kids with bunk beds, a TV, and decorated walls with all the Great Wolf Lodge characters,” said Smiley. “There’s also a window which you will find the remote to the TV. Next to Wiley’s Den is the bed for the parents and a TV for them. The room also has a microwave, a mini fridge, and a coffee maker. Though the Wolf Den room costs more money, ages 13 and under will have the best time at Wiley’s Den!”
There are ample dining options inside the resort including pizza, quick appetizers, and a buffet geared mostly to the younger population. Ben and Jerry’s and Dunkin’ Donuts are guest favorites located on the way to the water park. They are convenient options to grab a cup of coffee or a cold treat.
While convenience is one of the selling points to the Great Wolf Lodge, some guests opt to visit nearby restaurants for lunch and dinner for a change of scenery. There are a number of restaurants and businesses nearby including The Summit, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Parry’s Pizzeria & Taphouse, and Jersey Mike’s.
The most notable attributes of the resort are the friendly staff members, clean suites, and an immaculate lobby that also has a big fireplace. Big windows give guests nice views of the Rockies as well.
If a family is looking for a quick getaway offering convenience, fun, and thrills, it is tough to beat the Great Wolf Lodge. For more information, visit www.greatwolf.com/colorado-springs. Follow them on Twitter @GreatWolfLodge and Facebook @GWLColoradoSprings.
by Charles Bonniwell | Jun 25, 2021 | Editorials
If you enjoy only getting your news about local stories from the innocuous, politically correct viewpoint of today’s Denver Post you will be glad to know that may soon be essentially the only point of view available. The Denver Post was not always bland and politically correct and, in fact, it was just the opposite when it was owned and operated by two hustlers named Harry Tannen and Frederic Bonfils in 1895. The coverage was not exactly fair and balanced under their tutelage, but it was certainly sensational. It was an absolute must-read seven days a week.
Of course, not everyone enjoyed the coverage. One lawyer went to their offices and repeatedly shot both men. He was never convicted but Tannen and Bonfils were found to have jury tampered in the third trial. Another lawyer went to their offices and horsewhipped both men. A wonderful book on the glory days of the Post is Bill Hosokawa’s Thunder in the Rockies.
The paper did not get to its present emaciated state overnight, but it is now owned by a New York hedge fund, Alden Global Capital, that could care less about the content of the paper, and only cutting costs and squeezing every penny of profit possible.
A group of laid off reporters and editors started the digital Colorado Sun which, of course, reflects the viewpoint of the paper where they learned their craft. Now the Colorado Sun has a partnership with a new local non-profit, National Trust for Local Trust, has acquired 24 Denver metro newspapers including the 153-year-old Golden Transcript, as well as such other well-known local papers as Life on Capitol Hill, Washington Park Profile, Littleton Independent, and Englewood Herald.
Larry Ryckman, a former Denver Post editor and now editor-in-chief of the Colorado Sun told NPR that the “Colorado Sun . . . will drive [all 24] newspapers editorially” in what he and the other former Denver Post employees deem “the public good.” Oh, boy! We can’t wait for all 24 newspapers to be exactly the same editorially as the Colorado Sun and The Denver Post.
But wait you say? What about Colorado Politics and the Denver Gazette owned through a corporation by billionaire and Republican donor Phil Anschutz? Well, it appears that Mr. Anschutz believes that the only way to make money in the media business in this area is to mimic The Denver Post. So those sites, editor-at-large, Vince Bzdek, is a former Denver Post editor and its new managing editor, Linda Shipley, was, you guessed it, the managing editor for The Denver Post. Most of its reporters like Joey Bunch are also former Denver Post reporters.
The content of the Colorado Politics and Denver Gazette is basically identical to The Denver Post except for an occasional bland conservative op-ed or a puff piece on some has-been establishment Republican like Bob “Both Ways” Beauprez.
The homogenization of the news was recently highlighted when the annual Western Conservative Summit came back to town. Local self-identified communists and anarchist groups decided to have some fun punching out blue haired ladies, verbally harassing old men, and blocking downtown traffic. The Denver Post and its many offspring reported nothing as they know men and women of the Left only protest peacefully.
In the Denver market only Westword covered the mayhem having not yet been purchased by the Colorado Sun and its financing partner. Another independent paper The Villager appears to have survived the attempt to shut it down when its April Fool’s Day story was apparently not politically correct enough.
Below is a picture of the Western Conservative Summit outdoor festivities courtesy of the out-of-town news site, the Washington Times. There may come a time in the not-too-distant future where controversial stories will be covered, if at all, by only out-of-state news organizations.
