After last month’s blast of wind — the strongest ever reported in Denver or in the U.S. — July is the month the sun doesn’t rise, it overflows. It is the Valley’s hottest month of the year, with an average high temperature of 88°F, while nights rarely fall below 50°F. The good news: July is actually a little less windy than most months.
Prior to the pandemic shutting down travel and hospitality, the Cherry Creek Valley was always a hot spot for vacationers since temperatures rarely top 100°F.
Here are our cool choices for shopping, dining and entertainment so a summer breeze and the sun’s rays let you shine and discover each day’s bright prospects:
3See fashions by designers, local boutiques during Denver Fashion Week at the McNichols Bldg. July 11-17, Information: denverfashionweek.com.
3View over 60 Treasures of British Art paintings on display at the Denver Art Museum, Level 2, through July 12. Information: 720-913-0130.
3If you’re considering selling your home in these uncertain times rely on the knowledge and experience of Denice and Stephanie. No none knows Denver like the RE/MAX Alliance pair. Information: 303-886.0000.
3For a dazzling selection of flowers, plants and trees go to Country Fair Garden Center. After 26 years on Colorado Blvd. they’re now located in South Lowry Square at 7150 Leetsdale Dr. Information: 303-757-4949.
3With so many events canceled this July, you won’t want to miss Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, the final completed symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven at Red Rocks Amphitheater, July 26, 7 p.m. Colorado Symphony Music Director Brett Mitchell is joined by four vocal soloists and a massive community chorus made up of the Symphony Chorus plus other choruses from around the state. Information: 303-623-7876.
It seems like many things most of us have taken for granted are canceled this year, just as Woodstock’s 50th Anniversary was canceled last July. It’s a reminder of Jimi Hendrix’s 1969 Star Spangled Banner performance at that iconic festival and the fact we again find ourselves and the country in the midst of uncertain, tentative times.
Hendrix’s rendition turned the lyrics “o’er the ramparts we watched” into a blazing protest reflecting the violence carried out under our flag and its national anthem.
Denver has more thunderstorms during July than any other month. About once every two years, an inch or more of rain drenches the city in one day during the month. Remember July 27th is Take Your Houseplants for a Walk Day. If storms develop, the lightning bolts play Rock & Roll music and your plants will be right as rain — all wet!
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
“What is so rare as a day in June?” asked Russell Lowell. “Then if ever come perfect days,” he proclaimed. To be sure we still have the coronavirus or June Bug jitters. But this is the perfect month to start living, to start reaching into the soul of every single moment and find the magic contained in it. Vulnerable yet invincible!
June is opening to jitterbug’s downbeat, but the upbeat second step is set to swing: Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do, corona, corona stay-away-from me and you!
Here are our bold choices for shopping, dining and entertainment to help you begin the devilishly divine dance steps to take you back to the Distancing future.
3 Register and participate in the country’s second largest ovarian cancer run-walk gone virtual. Race through the neighborhood, a park or on your treadmill to raise funds for Jodi’s Race Virtual Dash, June 1-30. Information: 720-971-9436.
3 Enjoy a cornucopia of arts and crafts plus food at the Denver Urban Market at Skyline Park June 6, 13-14 and 18, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Information: 720-272-7467.
3 Listen to the virtual talk by eating disorder expert Dr. Susan McClanahan hosted by the Lowry Speaker Series June 16, 7 p.m. Information: lowryfoundation.org.
3 Grab a cup of coffee and join the Habitat for Humanity Breakfast that’s changed to a virtual 30-minute program on June 24, 8 a.m. Information: 303-996-5468.
3 Make your move now to see the collection of 90 luxury condominiums opening at The Met at Boulevard One in Lowry. You’ll discover one-level living, dual master suites plus two acres of scenic open space. Information: 720-840-0484.
3 With a variety of restaurant choices for takeout, curbside pickup, drive-thru and delivery options, head to Aurora’s Havana Street. Dozens of top eateries are located between Dartmouth and 6th Ave. Information:onhavanastreet.com.
3 Let the piano keyboard repertoire of New Orleans pianist Jon Cleary help you forget the pandemic at Swallow Hill’s Daniels Hall June 26, 8 p.m. Information: 303-777-1003.
3 See artists Anna Charney, Koko Bayer overhaul alleyway at 11th Ave. Hostel with live music for Colorcon June 28, 6-9 p.m. Information:coloradocolorcon.com.
3 Take the family on a recess from being shut-ins as Monday Movie Madness opens at Glendale’s Infinity Park June 29, 7:30 p.m. (gates open 6:30 p.m.). You’ll see the animated superhero film Spider Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It’s a raucous adventure with comics-inspired visuals. Park is following reopening procedures and there’s ample room for social distancing on the rugby-ready lawn. Free movies continue through Aug. 10. Information: infinityparkglendale.com.
It was the kooky Chicken Little that first warned us as kids, “The sky might fall.” Young Chicken Little threw his town into panic just as the coronavirus did for us. But despite the virus dance and the crowd of doubtin’ Thomases, we still need to gather, celebrate and brainstorm to help us unwind, even when it has to be at a distance.
The Chicken Little story is to have courage, even when it feels like the sky is falling. Today, we need courage to fit into a culture with a shifting, newfangled dance.
Jive, bop, boogie woogie and doo wop: Rather than the jitters, it’s time to get rhythm and dance, even when it’s hotter than noon in June with the flutes, trumpets and tubas out of tune. We can’t let life’s performance be cancelled by the corona June Bug. For those that tell you “it’s too hot to Handel,” merely reply: Don’t July to me!
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
Hoping For ‘May Day’ Virus Shift Despite Being Nation’s Ninth Most Aggressive Against Bug, The City-State’s Workforce Is Among Most Hurt By COVID-19
by Glen Richardson
After being hunkered down at home from late March through April due to the coronavirus, this is the month seedlings seek the sun, and birds call for mates. This month we humans may or may not be able to enjoy “May Day” celebrations. Instead, the French “Mayday” signal that we are in a life-threatening situation may remain in effect.
Masked Madness: An unprecedented unemployment surge followed city’s stay-at-home order. For the week of April 6 Colorado had the nation’s second highest number of unemployment claims.
March 23, the day Denver Mayor Michael Hancock implemented a stay-at-home order, its impacts — and that of weeks of social distancing — are continuing to cut unevenly among residents and businesses. Many hunkered down and begin working from home. For others, it was when they lost their livelihoods or saw their businesses shuttered. At the halfway point between the spring equinox and summer solstice, it remains uncertain when or whether we will be able to enjoy nature’s exuberance.
With concerts and sports event-seasons canceled, restaurants and shops shuttered, the coronavirus pandemic has pushed the tone of social media and news channel reports to a fever pitch. Valley residents have reacted to the bombardment of COVID-19 news with fearful anticipation, leading to panic buying and empty grocery store shelves.
Panic Purchasing
The “stay at home” order will run until at least May 10. Mandating the closure of all businesses in the city not deemed “essential,” the order sparked renewed lengthy grocery-liquor store lines. Within three hours the resulting panic purchasing caused the Mayor to update the order allowing liquor stores and recreational dispensaries to remain open with social distancing.
Market Freeze: It isn’t only the stock market that has turned cold. Freezer cases in many grocery stores also came close to bottoming out.
The Mayor, however, deems construction projects in the city as “essential.” Businesses that don’t comply are subject to a $999 fine per violation. Governor Jared Polis — who had resisted making the move — ordered a statewide stay-at-home-order effective March 26 through April 26.
With Denver the financial hub of Colorado, new data reveals the state’s workforce has been one of the most hurt by COVID-19. The state has seen a 4,222% increase in the number of unemployment claims (April 2020 vs. January 2020). There were 105,073 claims filed for the week of April 6, 2020, vs. just 2,431 the week of January 1, 2020, the second highest increase in the U.S. Data is according to a comparison made by financial website WalletHub based on increased unemployment claims in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Furthermore, for the month of April 2020 vs. April 2019, Colorado had the nation’s fourth highest increase, 105,073 for the week of April 6, 2020 vs. 2,037 the week of April 8, 2019. The state paid $92 million in unemployment benefits during the two week period ending April 14.
Business Borrowing
The Colorado Department of Labor & Employment is calling the surge of unemployment claims “unprecedented,” and worse than the Great Recession. Small businesses in the
Symbolic Symbol: Just as breadlines became a symbol of the great depression, grocery store social distancing lines such as this one at Trader Joe’s are symbolic of the 2020 pandemic.
state have received 28,469 loans totaling nearly $6 billion to keep their companies afloat during the pandemic.
Forecasters now project Colorado’s state revenues for the next fiscal year beginning July 1 will drop about $750 million
The state’s predicament is despite the fact Colorado has been the ninth most aggressive state versus the coronavirus, again according to WalletHub. The state ranked 17th nationally in tested cases of COVID-19 per capita. Colorado ranked even better, 12th for share of workers with access to paid sick leave and 15th for public hospital system quality. The state ranked 20th in public healthcare spending per capita and 23rd in state and local public health laboratories per capita. Only 62.1% of Colorado residents received a checkup in the past year, fifth-lowest in the U.S. Yet, Colorado has the second lowest percentage of residents reporting poor health in the U.S. (3.5%).
Restaurant Uncertainty
A survey by the Denver-based Colorado Restaurant Assn. shows that between March 1 and March 22, 2% of the state’s restaurants had permanently closed. However, those businesses said that over the next 30 days, another 14% anticipated doing the same. The association also estimates restaurants lost $465 million in sales during the first 22 days of March.
Signs Of Setback: Signage at Sam’s No. 3 in Glendale expresses the frustration and hopefulness as dine in closures impact metro’s restaurants and their customers.
Deli-bistro The Market on Larimer Street is among the first to announce it is shutting down permanently, in part due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The Larimer Square icon has been in business for 37 years. It closed its doors at the end of March and will move out of the space once Denver’s stay-at-home order is lifted.
Yet another Larimer Square eatery, Euclid Hall Kitchen & Bar — in business for 10 years — also closed its doors in March. Chef-owner Jennifer Jasinski who also owns four other Denver restaurants is worried about talk that restaurants will only be allowed to reopen gradually. “Are we going to have to seat every other table? There are so many questions up in the air, and we want to bring our staff back on,” she told Mile High home page BusinessDen.
Hints Of Hope
For those who are infected as well as those trying to avoid infection, these are trying times. But amid all the doom and gloom, there are some positive stories, messages and reasons to remain hopeful.
Observing the changing city skyline during the outbreak, one local resident responded on neighborhood hub Nextdoor, “Denver is now like it was almost 40 years ago: no traffic, no pollution, hardly any noise.”
A local violinist-vocalist who teaches at Denver-based music school Primavera Place, told online network Alignable, “I gathered a couple of my neighbors who are also musicians, and we put on a concert in the cul-de-sac for the neighborhood, with lawn chairs arranged six-ft. apart.” The school gives lessons online to 60 plus students and is planning a virtual concert sometime in May.
Hilarity Helps
There’s also been an outpouring of gags, memes, funny videos, and general silliness. We might be scared, but we seem determined to carry on laughing.
Families and their dogs have been among the most visible walking Valley streets on sunny days during the shutdown. One told us, “Dogs created the corona virus so that we have to stay home and can only interact with them.”
The requirement to stay at home and avoid in-person contact with others does seem wearing and irksome. That Cherry Creek Valley families and businesses flourish on community and doing things together makes it doubly difficult. To keep us centered, several social outlets sent this aide-mémoire: “Your grandparents were called to war. All you are asked to do is sit on the couch. You can do this!”
Where’s The Meat: Virus scare that initially emptied the paper aisle in grocery stores, soon also exhausted supplies in the meat section at many stores.
Humor Helps: Valley families are staying sane by laughing during the stay at home order. There has been a deluge of videos, internet memes and silliness to keep us giggling and amused.
(BPT) – The sounds of birds chirping, longer daylight hours, and budding trees and flowers are early signs that warmer weather and spring are on the way. That means more time outside to enjoy nature, but it’s also a sign it might be time for a little spring cleaning.
“Cold temperatures, snowfall and winter rains can have a big effect on houses and landscaping, so now’s the time to check for potential home repairs and maintenance,” said Christopher O’Rourke, Mercury Insurance vice president of property claims. “Spring cleaning isn’t just about getting rid of belongings you no longer want or need – it’s also a time to get your home in tip-top shape so you can enjoy it throughout the rest of the year.”
Here are four tips O’Rourke recommends to welcome the new season and save some money down the road.
Clean your gutters.
Gutters collect debris over time, especially when rain, snow and wind causes twigs, pine needles and leaves to settle on your roof and in your rain gutters. Accumulated debris can create blockages that direct water into the home or, in areas without much precipitation, can act as kindling in the event of a fire. Buildup also allows mildew and mold to develop, which can slowly decay a home’s exterior and roof.
“Preventable damage like mold or mildew that develops and rots a home’s exterior isn’t covered by homeowners insurance,” said O’Rourke. “It’s important to routinely clean out gutters – even if you have gutter guards installed, they don’t completely protect against debris building up eventually. An hour or two spent cleaning or checking your gutters is time well spent compared to the alternative.”
Trim branches and remove dangerous trees.
Thunderstorm frequency picks up in summer months, and high winds can occur year round, so it’s best to get a jump on tree maintenance in early spring. Regularly trimming tree branches reduces their chance of breaking during a storm, which could cause power outages or property damage.
“Properly trimmed branches present a lower risk of falling onto your home, power lines or possibly injuring someone on your property,” said O’Rourke. “Also, in areas that are prone to wildfires, trimmed trees create a buffer zone to help lower the chances of flames easily jumping onto your roof.”
Consider having the trees on your property inspected by an arborist to determine their health and have diseased trees removed before they topple over unexpectedly. Removal costs vary depending on height and difficulty, but range from $100 to around $1,800. These preventative costs are not covered by your homeowners policy, but can be a wise investment that saves you time, money and anxiety.
Watch out for service lines.
Homeowners who want to plant gardens, trees or install additional landscape features to enhance their outdoor living space should be aware of potential underground utility lines. Most service lines – a network of exterior, underground utility lines or pipes that supply a home with electricity, gas, water and sewer functions – are only buried a few inches beneath the ground. Accidentally hitting one when digging can result in loss of service, expensive repairs or a serious injury.
If a break to a service line happens on a homeowner’s property, special machinery may be needed to excavate pipes from beneath the ground, which may require digging under your home, garden or driveway. The homeowner is responsible for repair or replacement costs, and this damage can be inconvenient, expensive and isn’t covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy.
“The average cost to repair a break to a service line is about $5,000 and most Americans wouldn’t welcome such a large surprise bill,” said O’Rourke. “Homeowners should definitely consider purchasing an endorsement to their insurance policy to protect against losses of this nature. Mercury offers this coverage as an addition to our home insurance policy and it costs as little as $8 a year, depending on the home’s age.”
To be safe, homeowners should call 811 before digging so the utility companies can send a locator to mark the approximate locations of underground service lines.
Service your air conditioning unit.
Regular maintenance of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems is essential to ensure the equipment is in proper working order, which can save money on energy bills, as well as protect against expensive repair and replacement costs.
“No one wants to unexpectedly find themselves living in a sauna during the dog days of summer, so the start of spring is a great time to have your air conditioner inspected,” said O’Rourke. “You should also change your air filter to make sure it’s operating at its highest efficiency, so when that heat wave hits you’ll be nice and cool inside your home.”
Have a professional inspect your HVAC unit to make sure its exterior condenser coil and compressor are clean and free from blockages – the average cost for an inspection is about $300.
Your home will bring you security and joy for many years to come. Taking the time to maintain it is well worth the investment.
After shivering through February’s cold and snow there’s finally signs of a Wee Bit O’ Green tint to those winter blues. As the calendar turns over to March we begin contemplating four leaf clovers, leprechauns and a fairytale spring. As we give a wink to St. Patrick’s Day our kinships and blood ostensibly retains an Irish green tint.
According to Irish myths and folklore, good
luck will pursue you morning and night, thus your pockets will be heavy and
your heart light by just pushing your luck.
Here are our lucky charm choices for
shopping, dining and entertainment to make sure flowers line your path and
sunshine lights your day as if on the Emerald Isle:
3 Open
your heart as you enjoy dinner and entertainment and have a ball at this year’s
black tie Denver Heart Ball fundraiser in the Hyatt Regency Convention Center
March 7, 6 p.m. Information: 303-801-4630.
3 Taste
food from 20 eateries with wine and cocktails at Great Chefs of the West at
EXDO March 12, 6 p.m. Information: 720-748-9991, ext. 451.
3 Take
your youngsters to see the updated version of The Velveteen Rabbit at the
Arvada Center through March 13. Information: 720-898-7200.
3 Get
in step for spring by attending the Denver St. Patrick’s Day Parade in LoDo
March 14 beginning from 19th and Wynkoop at 9:30 a.m. Information: dspdp.com.
3 For
slumbering spring-summer sleep, purchase one or more cozy eco-friendly
mattresses from SleepNation’s half-dozen Valley locations including at 1390
South Colorado Blvd. Information: 303-954-9435.
3 Enjoy
mounds of perfectly seasoned Irish corned beef and cabbage, boiled potatoes,
fresh carrots and celery at the Monaco Inn Restaurant for lunch and dinner on
St. Patrick’s Day March 17. Information: 303-320-1104.
3 Attend
Denver Jewish Day Schools annual dinner and biggest fundraiser at the Grand
Hyatt March 18, 5:30 p.m. Information: 303-369-0663.
3 Learn
impact of tree varieties, tilling practice at the Tree Diversity Confab at the
Botanic Gardens March 20, 8:30-4 p.m. Information: 720-865-3500.
3 Let
the spirit of the spring season dance into your world by attending Colorado
Ballet’s Tour De Force at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House March 6-8. The program
includes the world premiere of an all-new work by Julia Adams, and closes with
Celts, by choreographer Lila York. The finale is an astonishing array of dance
images of Ireland that is both insightful and electrifying. Information:
303-837-8888, ext. 2.
The Irish would unquestionably say March is
“raithe an gheimhridh” or winter-time from glen to glen and down the mountain
side here in Colorado. The days, however, do start to warm rapidly. Denver
averages a daily top temperature for the month that’s between 50-58 degrees
Fahrenheit, warming-up another 8°F by the month’s end.
If it’s cold outside at night even if
there’s a clear sky, every single Irish person tells their nearest and dearest
to watch out and be careful on the morning roads.
Sure and begorrah: The astronomical first
day of spring begins this year on March 19, 6:50 p.m. Denver time. That
hopefully means increasing sunlight, warming temperatures and the rebirth of
plants and flowers. A time for sun and a bit o’ cheer and may a guardian angel
always be near. But alas, don’t delight in too much green beer.
—
Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at
newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
This month is one of those rare times when there are 29 days in February instead of 28. A leap in time when the calendar is adjusted to make up for extra seconds accrued over the preceding three years due to the rotation of the earth. Given it’s also Valentine’s month, we have to ask: Will you or won’t you? Should you or shouldn’t you?
According to an old Irish legend, St.
Brigid struck a deal with St. Patrick to allow women to propose to men — and
not just the other way around — every four years.
To help you make the leap— be it love or
business — here are our choices for shopping, dining and entertainment to make
you feel all warm and lovey-dovey:
3 Leap
at the chance to see some of the 43 films at the Jewish Film Festival playing
at the JCC’s Wolf Theatre, Feb. 5-19. Featured films include 16 Denver and six
Colorado premieres. Information: 303-316-6360.
3 You’ll
love the Colorado Ballet Auxiliary gala with dinner and an excerpt from Peter
Pan at The Ellie Feb. 6, 5-11 p.m. Information: 303-339-1640.
3 Celebrate
Valentine’s Day at Denver Botanic Gardens’ annual Love Potions from the Vine
tour Feb. 7-9 & 13-15. Information: 720-865-3500.
3 Just
for laughs, take your love to see stand-up comedian Phil Hanley perform at
Comedy Works Feb. 13-16. Information: 303-595-3637.
3 Experience
a leap in time at Mad Peaches Med Spa. Their skin care treatment solutions can
help reverse the effects of stress, genetics and lifestyle choices. For a
complimentary consultation: 303-474-4436.
3 No
matter how you slice-dice it, food and love are inseparably tied. Enjoy
Valentine’s Day at Glendale’s Jax Fish House Feb. 14, starting at 3 p.m. Happy
hour to 6 p.m., raw bar menu all night. Information: 303-756-6449.
3 Jazz
up leap year to jazz group Halo-Halo fronted by soprano Caitlin Gilmore at the
Tuft Theater Feb. 22, 8 p.m. Information: 303-777-1003.
3 Launch
your leap year garden at the Colorado Garden & Home Show at the Convention
Center Feb. 22-March 1. Information: 303-932-8100.
3 The
epic and poetic nature of music and lyrics always seems to conjure up feelings
of romantic emotion. The Colorado Symphony plays the most romantic music in the
orchestral repertoire at Boettcher Concert Hall, Feb. 14, 7:30 p.m. Titled A
Symphonic Valentine, the evening features soprano Laquita Mitchell who brings
her rich, expressive vocal to works from Schicchi and Tchaikovsky’s ballets.
Information: 303-623-7876.
Every four years, thanks to a quirk of the
earth’s orbit and the combined efforts of Roman Emperor Julius Caesar and
16th-century Pope Gregory XIII of Gregorian Calendar fame, we must add an extra
day at the end of February to create a leap year. Without the extra day every
four years, we would lose almost six hours every year.
Use the extra day to do something daring,
extraordinary and dissimilar from what you usually do. Take a chance and shape
an adventurous, distinctively different day.
A German proverb predicts that leap years
will be cold. This month between two and nine-inches of snow falls in Denver in
half the years. The Old Farmer’s Almanac sums it up thusly: “New snow and blue
toes. Fine and dandy for Valentine candy. Snow spittin’; if you’re not
mitten-smitten, you’ll be frostbitten! By jing-y feels spring-y.”
—
Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at
newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
