National senior sports event returns to live competition
After two years of virtual participation at-home, approximately 500 Veterans from across the country are set to compete in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Veterans Golden Age Games, July 18-23, in South Dakota.
Military Veterans aged 55 and older will return to live competition and clinics at multiple venues throughout Sioux Falls.
Through its “Fitness for Life” motto, the National Veterans Golden Age Games motivates Veterans to commit to fitness through daily recreational movement and activity. The rehabilitation event demonstrates the essential value of sports and complements VA rehabilitation programs and year-round training offered to Veterans at VA facilities across the country.
“Inspiring and supporting Veterans to take part in activities they enjoy is crucial for not just their physical health, but also their mental health,” said VA Adaptive Sports and Arts Director Leif Nelson. “Rehabilitation programs like the National Veterans Golden Age Games use sports to motivate Veterans of all abilities as they serve as active and fit role models in their communities.”
During the six-day event, senior Veteran athletes will compete in 14 sports: air pistol, air rifle, badminton, blind disc golf, boccia, cornhole, horseshoes, nine ball, pickleball, powerwalk, shuffleboard, table tennis and track and field. Exhibitions this year include air rifle for those visually impaired and kickball as a team sport.
“The Golden Age Games saved my life,” said Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Air Force Veteran Linda Morgan. “Before the games, you know I was really going downhill. I was scared. The games motivate me to stay active and keep moving. My first year was in 2016 in Detroit. It got me moving and I haven’t missed one game since.”
VA presents the annual event with support from national sponsors, Veterans Canteen Service and other corporate and local sponsors that recognize the role fitness plays in lives of older Americans.
Since 2004, the National Veterans Golden Age Games have been a qualifier for the National Senior Games, a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee. Medalists of some National Veterans Golden Age Games events can compete further among America’s elite senior athletes.
Follow the events at #GoldenAgeGames for real-time stories on @Sports4Vets Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
C.J. Cron has made it to the All-Star game for the first time in his career. Cron, who came out of the minor leagues in 2021 and after a stellar year with the Rockies he was giving a two-year contract worth $14 million.
Cron the only Rockie to have made the All-Star team this year is having a $14 million season sitting in the top five league-wide for slugging percentages.
Currently, the Colorado Rockies are in last place in what many arguably call the toughest division in baseball. Colorado is 19 games behind the division-leading L.A. Dodgers a team they have only lost one series to this season.
Despite Colorado’s large deficit to the first-place Dodgers, they only sit one game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks and six games behind the San Francisco Giants.
The Rockies have lost three of their last six games since last Wednesday, with a series win over the Diamondbacks and a loss to the Dodgers and Padres. This week the Rockies are at home hosting the Padres after dropping game one on Monday (5-6, game two had not been played by the time of this writing).
Games three and four are scheduled for Wednesday at 6:40 p.m. and Thursday at 1:10 p.m.
In other sports, the Colorado Avalanche have made some moves to retain Valeri Nichushkin for 8 years from a deal worth $49 million. Additionally, Colorado goalie Darcy Keumper will not be returning to the Avalanche after the Avs inked New York Rangers goalie Alexander Georgiev to a three-year contract work $3.4 million per year.
One of Colorado’s most significant pieces to last season’s successful march to the cup included one Nazem Kadri who is currently a free agent with plenty of teams vying for a shot at landing the controversial center. Fortunately for Colorado, Kadri has expressed his desire to remain with the Avalanche however; money will be the top negotiating tool, and with the Avs trying to handle the plethora of upcoming free agents this off-season, money could be an issue.
The Denver Nuggets have given the two-time, back-to-back MVP, Nikola Jokic a contract extension worth $260 million over five years. Jokic will be with the Nuggets through the 2028 season where he will have a $60 million player option.
The Denver Broncos are just over a month away from the start of the pre-season. That’s right, Football is ALMOST here! While there hasn’t been any major news from Dove Valley, Broncos new owner Rob Walton announced that former secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has now joined the Denver Broncos, ownership group.
Walton made the announcement via the Denver Broncos social media accounts on behalf of the Walton-Penner Family ownership group.
The Broncos have until August 30th to slim down to the yearly 53-man roster.
Taking care of your long-term mental and physical health is an important part of stress management. However, there isn’t always time to take a nap, hike a fourteener, or read a novel. Thus, here are 25 ways to reduce stress in five minutes or less. From eating chocolate to meditating, there is a quick stress-relieving tactic for everyone.
Breathe Slow, deep breaths can help lower blood pressure and heart rate. Try pranayama breathing, a yogic method that involves breathing through one nostril at a time to relieve anxiety. The technique is supposed to work the same way as acupuncture, balancing the mind and body.
Listen to Music No matter what the song is, sometimes belting out the lyrics to a favorite tune makes everything seem all right. If you’re in a public place, just listening to music can be a quick fix for a bad mood. Classical music can be especially relaxing right before bedtime.
Take a Quick Walk When you’re feeling overwhelmed or having trouble concentrating, go for a quick stroll around the block. You’ll get the benefits of alone time, physical activity, and a few minutes to gather your thoughts.
Find the Sun If it’s a sunny day, head outside for an easy way to lift your spirits. Bright light can be an effective treatment for people who suffer from depression, and can even cheer up otherwise healthy people.
Give Yourself a Hand Massage When there’s no professional masseuse in sight, try DIYing a hand massage for instant relaxation that calms a pounding heart. Hands in general can carry a lot of tension. Apply some lotion and start kneading the base of the muscle under the thumb to relieve stress in the shoulders, neck, and scalp.
Count Backward When worries are running rampant, try slowly counting to 10 and then back again to calm down. It’s harder to freak out about an upcoming exam or job interview when you’re busy remembering what number comes before seven.
Stretch Standing up for a quick stretch can relieve muscle tension and help you relax during a stressful workday. Try a shoulder roll-out or a chest-opening stretch right from the desk chair.
Rub Your Feet Over a Golf Ball You can get an impromptu, relaxing foot massage by rubbing your feet back and forth over a golf ball.
Close Your Eyes Take a quick break from a busy office or a chaotic household by just lowering your eyelids. It’s an easy way to regain calm and focus.
Squeeze a Stress Ball On days when you want to strangle a coworker, your roommate, or the driver in the next lane, squeeze a stress ball instead. It’s an easy, portable, and non-violent way to relieve tension.
Try Progressive Relaxation Anxious? Just squeeze, release, and repeat. Progressive relaxation involves tensing the muscles in one body part at a time to achieve a state of calm. The method (also used by actors) is a great way to help fall asleep.
Be Alone Five minutes of alone time can help you collect your thoughts and clear your head.
Get Organized Clutter could be contributing to your stress. Take a few minutes to reorganize your desk (or table, or wherever you are), leaving just what you need on top.
Do Some Yoga Put your feet up— against the wall, of course. The Vipariti Kirani yoga pose involves lying on the floor and resting the legs up against a wall. Not only does it give the body a good stretch, but it helps create peace of mind, too.
Eat Some Chocolate Just a square (about 1.4 ounces) of the sweet stuff can calm your nerves. Dark chocolate regulates levels of the stress hormone cortisol and stabilizes metabolism.
Meditate Five minutes of peace is all it takes to reap the benefits of meditation. There’s evidence that just two quick bouts of silent meditation per day can relieve stress and depression. Find a comfortable spot in a quiet place, focus on your breath, and feel those anxieties start to disappear.
Cuddle With a Pet After a rough day, snuggle up with a pet. Pets can boost self-esteem and even ease the sting of social rejection.
Chew Gum A stick of gum is a surprisingly quick and easy way to beat stress. No matter the flavor, just a few minutes of chewing can actually reduce anxiety and lower cortisol levels.
Sip Green Tea Green tea is a source of L-Theanine, a chemical that helps relieve anger. Boil the water, pour it out and take a soothing sip.
Laugh Laughter is one of the sillier ways to beat stress, but there’s science behind it. A fit of hysterics can increase blood flow and boost immunity. Check out a hilarious YouTube video (maybe a piano-playing pug?) for a quick pick-me-up.
Drip Cold Water On Your Wrists When stress hits, head for the bathroom and drop some cold water on your wrists and behind your earlobes. There are major arteries right underneath the skin, so cooling these areas can help calm the whole body.
Create a Zen Zone Make (or find) a space that’s completely free of stress where you can go to relax. Set up a comfortable chair or light some incense and disappear there for a few minutes until the tension dissipates.
Write It Down Putting our emotions on paper can make them seem less intimidating. Try journaling before a big exam to calm your nerves.
Slurp Some Honey Drown that stress in sweetness with a spoonful of honey. Besides being a natural skin moisturizer and antibiotic, honey also provides compounds that reduce inflammation in the brain, meaning it fights depression and anxiety.
Talk to a Friend When something’s really bothering you, it can help to share your feelings with a buddy. In fact, more talkative folks tend to be happier in general. So vent to a coworker, friend, or family member.
A food coalition’s food waste processing project in the San Luis Valley is getting significant help from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
At the beginning of the month, the EPA announced it has awarded $200,000 to the San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition’s Valley Roots Food Hub — a program that will use the funds to install a high-efficiency anaerobic digestion system in Mosca. The anaerobic digestion will be used to process food and organic waste and turn it into fuel.
The EPA defines anaerobic digestion as the natural process in which microorganisms break down organic materials. Those materials can include things like food scraps, manure, and sewage sludge. Anaerobic digestion occurs in closed spaces where there is no air or oxygen, the EPA says.
The anaerobic digestion system will be installed at the San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition’s Mosca campus. The system will be used for demonstration and educational purposes to show the benefits of anaerobic digestion and other forms of renewable energy. The EPA said in a release that the installation of the system will demonstrate the technological feasibility and cost-effectiveness of using anaerobic digestion to convert food and other organic waste into processing and cooking fuel.
“Keeping food waste out of landfills and converting it to fuel is a powerful tool for combatting the climate crisis. Projects like these can meet local needs and address global challenges,” said EPA Regional Administrator KC Becker in the release. “This project will be innovative for the San Luis Valley and will provide opportunities for demonstration, education, and expansion into other parts of the region.”
The EPA awarded 11 organizations, including the San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition, a total of around $2 million to divert food waste from landfills by expanding anaerobic digestion systems. For the funding, the EPA specifically sought out projects or recipients located in underserved communities.
Anaerobic digestion systems reduce landfill methane emissions and reduce the impacts of climate change. The EPA says methane traps 28 to 36 times more heat in the atmosphere over a 100-year span than carbon dioxide. Anaerobic digestion systems are a waste management strategy that is greener than landfilling and incineration because it reclaims valuable resources like digestate that can be used as a fertilizer for crops.
The anaerobic digestion process produces biogas, a renewable energy source that communities and businesses across the country can use for things like power engines, fuel boilers and furnaces, alternative-fuel vehicles, and more.
“The EPA’s visionary funding for diverting organics out of landfill streams and providing opportunity for carbonneutral renewable energy is a great catalyst for rural communities working on these issues,” said Valley Roots Food Hub General Manager Nick Chambers in the release.
Kenyan journalist, known as “godfather of print media” passes – Joe Kadhi, who served as the managing editor for the Daily Nation, Kenya’s largest newspaper, has passed away. Kadhi held a long career in media and served as a lecturer at the University of Nairobi, the University of Addis Ababa and the United States International University in Kenya. Many referred to Kadhi as the “godfather of print media.” Sudan military cuts off internet – As many people in Sudan prepared for nationwide protests last Thursday, the Sudan military cut off internet. Protesters had been using social media platforms to organize demonstrations. Netblocks, an internet monitoring organization, reported that internet access was disrupted across the country. At least 103 people have been killed because of a crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrations, according to a Sudanese doctors’ union.
Asia
Japan records worst heatwave ever Officials in Japan are warning of a possible power shortage as Japan reported its hottest day ever since records began in 1875. Japan residents are still being encouraged to use air conditioning to avoid heatstroke. Hospitals have reported a jump in cases of residents suffering from heat stroke. Temperatures in Japan have hit an average of 95 degrees. Philippines swears in new president – Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who won the Philippines’ presidential election in a landslide in May, was sworn into office. He took his oath in front of the country’s national museum. Marcos Jr promised to boost jobs and combat rising prices. He is taking over a country that is dealing with inflation and rising debt. Marcos Jr is the son of dictator Ferdinand Marcos who ruled the Philippines for 20 years.
Europe
Russia withdraws troops from Sanke Island – Ukraine officials announced the country forced Russia off Sanke Island, land that belongs to the country. Ukraine called the military victory a “remarkable operation,” and analysists have noted that the operation represents a significant defeat for Russia. The Ukraine operation involved several explosions, and Russia no longer has a base in the northwest corner of the Black Sea. Fifteen arrested in France for alleged people-smuggling ring – French authorities have arrested 15 people who are accused of being part of a people-smuggling ring that left 27 people dead last November. At that time, a boat sank near Calais when it was traveling across the English Channel to reach the UK. Those arrested could face charges of involuntary manslaughter and people smuggling. French media say the smuggling-ring was designed to provide passage for Afghans fleeing the Taliban.
Latin America
Colombia prison riot kills 49 inmates Colombia’s national prison authority said inmates at a prison in south-west Colombia started a fire to mattresses in an effort to stop guards from breaking up a riot. The fire and riot killed 49 inmates and injured at least 30 other people. No prisoners escaped during the incident. Colombia’s jails are intended to hold about 80,000 people, but the country’s prison population exceeds 112,000. Medical staff set to face trial for death of soccer player Diego Maradona Eight medical personnel who are accused of criminal negligence for the death of Argentinian soccer player Diego Maradona will stand trial. A medical panel found Maradona’s treatment had “deficiencies and irregularities.” Maradona, who is considered a legendary soccer player, died in 2020 from a heart attack at the age of 60. The medical panel found that Maradona’s medical team acted in an “inappropriate, deficient and reckless manner.”
North America
R. Kelly sentenced to 30 years in jail Former R&B artist R. Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison for using his celebrity platform to sexually abuse children and women. R. Kelly, whose real name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, was convicted in New York last year for racketeering and sex trafficking crimes. A mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade – On Monday, in a wealthy section outside Chicago a shooter left seven people dead and several wounded, according to the city of Highland Park. The police have since apprehended the suspect, who reportedly used a high-powered rifle. Truck driver carrying migrants in Texas charged – Homero Zamorano, the suspected driver of a truck that held dozens of bodies of migrants, has been charged with migrant smuggling resulting in death. Zamorano posed as a migrant in a bush before being arrested by San Antonio police. At least 53 migrants died in the incident. Two other suspects linked to the incident have also been arrested on firearm offenses.
Growing up in La Paz, Bolivia, Rodrigo Fernandez has been surrounded by Bolivian culture throughout his life — particularly Bolivian folk dance. His mother, Gladys Fernandez, performs Bolivian folk dance and was one of the founders of the Sambos Caporales fraternity in Bolivia. Her love for Bolivian folklore was instilled in Fernandez and the rest of his family.
That’s why today, Fernandez serves as a coordinator for Sambos Illimani Colorado — a Bolivian folklore cultural dance group that is focused on promoting and performing Bolivian folklore dance. And chances are, you’ve seen them perform if you’ve attended major events in recent years like Denver’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade or the Parade of Lights that takes place each holiday season. Outside of parades, Sambos Illimani Colorado has also participated in Bolivian dance advocacy events like the World Caporales Event that took place in 2010.
“I want (people) to think hey, I got to see Bolivian folklore, I want to get involved. It may look harder than it is, but I’ve been doing it, and my family has been doing it for 40 plus years,” said Fernandez. “It’s just one of those things that’s here to stay.”
Fernandez said that when people watch Sambos Illimani Colorado perform, he hopes that they get to see something they’ve never seen before. “Not only because of the dances itself, but the concept and music too. Half the time, people don’t know where the dancing is from,” said Fernandez.
Fernandez compared Bolivian folklore dance to break dancing and said it has the same health benefits as other popular activities like Zumba. “It’s very healthy and can compete with any artistic style. Anybody can do it,” said Fernandez.
In Bolivia, many festivals are a form of religious celebration that expresses paganism and Catholicism. For each folkloric dance and piece of music, performers have unique costumes, instruments and rhythms. Some celebrations last from the morning to late at night.
Dances like the Caporales (the Dance of the Foremen), the folkloric dance La Morenada, and La Diablada (the Dance of Devils) are particularly popular in Bolivia. Those dances are part of large festivals like El Gran Poder, Carnival and Urkupina.
As of 2019, there were 93,442 Bolivian emigrants living in the United States. The highest number of Bolivians live in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, particularly in Virginia which is home to the largest Bolivian-born population in the country.
To get in contact with Sambos Illimani Colorado and to learn more about upcoming performances or participation in Bolivian folkloric dance classes, you can visit their Facebook page at https://facebook.com/Sambosillimanicoloradousa or by calling or texting 303-946-5259.
One of life’s early wonders is looking up and seeing things flying across the sky. They could be birds, bugs or planes. It doesn’t matter; they fly. To a mind ready to absorb the world, flight fascinates. For Denver native, Everett Martinez, it was no different. But now, he’s planted himself at ground zero at one of the nation’s—the world’s—busiest transportation hubs where every single day, flight—once a fascination—is now simply a way of life—his life. Martinez is Denver International Airport’s new General Counsel.
Martinez might not have ever imagined himself punching the clock at DIA were it not for an unscheduled meeting he was asked to attend when he was a downtown Denver attorney doing public finance law. “I went there (DIA) with my boss,” he recalled. There, he met DIA’s then Assistant General Counsel, Dan Reimer, a fellow he apparently impressed both with his knowledge of public finance and his air of confidence. About a week later, said Martinez, he got a phone call. It was Reimer, with a job offer. Both Dan Reimer and then General Counsel, Xavier DuRán were instrumental in helping Martinez join DEN.
At the time, Martinez thought, “It seemed like a dangerous leap.” On one side of the scale was job security. He was comfortable with just about everything at his firm. He liked the people he worked with, they liked him. The other side of the scale was the unknown. What to do? After giving it a lot of thought, he made his decision. “I just said, ‘What the heck. I’ll take the jump.’”
Of course, every job has its moments and turbulence along with the unknown lurk around a lot of corners. But in the main—emphasis on ‘main’—it’s been what pilots call, CAVU; Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited. In just six years, Martinez has risen from Assistant City attorney, then assistant General Counsel to General Counsel/Executive Vice President of DIA. And one of the visionaries who ‘imagined a great airport,’ thinks he’s the right man at the right time for the challenge.
“Ev is an outstanding lawyer,” said former Denver Mayor and Presidential Cabinet Secretary, Federico Peña. “He already understands the challenges,” of running an airport. Indeed, Martinez and his team will be greeted daily with a buffet of contract negotiations, bond financing issues, litigating and defending legal claims, ensuring compliance with federal, state and local law and things not yet even imagined. DIA, after all, is the world’s third busiest airport!
But Peña has full confidence in Martinez, saying he’s up to the task. Also, said the former Denver chief executive and first Latino to hold the city’s top job, Martinez will be the only Latino in the country to serve as General Counsel for a major transportation hub.
While Martinez considers himself an organized person, he knows the job is not a one-person undertaking. “If I need to delegate any task, they’ll (his team) get it done. One man can’t do it all.” And certainly, with DIA’s role in the transportation industry growing by the day, the airport dealing with remodeling and reconfiguring, new airlines entering the picture with others leaving and the country nearly back to pre COVID levels, his role will become ever more crucial. “DIA was built to handle 50 million passengers,” he said. Today, that number has soared to 70 million annual passengers.
Martinez journey began in North Denver, where parents Everett and Mary both stressed education. His father was a pharmacist and his mother worked alongside him. His parents, coincidentally, were both high school valedictorians. He also has two older sisters, Barbara Casey and Yolanda Martinez, the former a CPA, the latter a financial executive. Martinez says that because of the age difference between his sisters and him, he often feels like he was raised by ‘three mothers.’
Martinez journey from north Denver to DIA was—by any definition—unplanned. After graduating from Denver’s Holy Family High School, he attended the University of Colorado thinking that political science or psychology would be his ticket. But the plan was diverted when a college professor at CU, Glen Morris, suggested he consider law school. Law school had not occurred to him but he decided to give a shot. “I applied to the top ten” that a magazine had rated the best. “I got into all of them.” But Harvard, he said, called back first and that was the choice. It could not have turned out better.
Asked how his family reacted to being accepted to Harvard Law, Martinez stated “My mom always says, ‘we expect great things from you so I never made a fuss about it.’ But the fulfillment of those expectations came directly from the drive I saw in her. She worked 6 days a week, for 12 hours a day most of my childhood. My mom is bulletproof and my bestfriend.”
He quickly got over the culture shock. But another shock—a completely different kind—soon hit. “My father passed away two weeks before finals the first semester,” said Martinez. It was tough but he knew he had to marshal on; his father and his family would have wanted him to. Eighteen months later, he had his law degree.
At Harvard, the ‘snootiness’ that he expected to find, never really materialized. “Harvard Law School has the nicest, down to earth people,” he said. But orienting himself took a bit of work. Denver and Cambridge are different worlds, he admits. Though each has their charm.
But besides a prestigious degree from perhaps the world’s premier law school, he also made lifelong friends and associates. “The Dean of Students was Elena Kagan,” Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan. Other friends include a variety of high ranking state and federal officials. “My classmates have done amazing things.”
Martinez’ curiosity about a life in the political arena was satisfied after a stint in then Ken Salazar’s Senate office. It was interesting but it wasn’t for him, and he settled down back in Denver and began his legal career. “I’ll do the law firm thing for a few years,” he thought. But the challenges of public finance law fit his makeup and he’d found his calling. It all paid off.
The north Denver kid still lives in the city. He enjoys working on a few properties he owns, enjoys the remodeling. In his free time, Martinez also admits he’s a long standing fan of The Beatles, so much so that he’s made a number of trips to London and, yes, taken the same walk that George, Paul, Ringo and John took for the iconic cover of the classic ‘Abbey Road’ album.
Martinez officially begins his job the second week of July. But first, he said, is to take his first business card and visit his father’s gravesite. There, he’ll have a private chat and thank him for everything, most especially the strong and solid foundation that brought him to this moment in time.
While it took the Avalanche 27 years to win three Stanley Cups they have now tied the Denver Broncos for Championship wins. And while the Broncos still hold a good majority of space in Colorado fans’ hearts, the Avalanche are making a case for Colorado’s top team.
The Denver Broncos joined the American Football Conference (AFC) West (and NFL) in 1970 and have been a staple in many family households around Colorado and the country since 1959 when they joined the American Football League (AFL). Since joining the AFC West the Broncos have chalked up 3 Super Bowl championships, 8 conference championships and 15 divisional titles and appeared in 8 Super Bowl games.
The Colorado Avalanche on the other hand, have appeared in three championship games winning all championship games along with 11 division championship titles.
One clear indicator that has many believing that Colorado fans have accepted the Avalanche as one of the states most dominating professional sports teams was the parade that took place in downtown Denver last week where 500,000 fans showed up to support their team.
While the Denver Broncos had about double that turnout during their Super Bowl parade in 2015 it’s clear there is a shift, taking place.
Since 2015, the country has navigated a pandemic and is currently facing astronomical inflation with gas prices taking center stage. Despite all the fears many Americans face that tend to keep them at home out of fear of contracting COVID or just trying to save on gas, support for the Colorado Avalanche was apparent at last week’s parade.
Colorado Avalanche owner, Stan Kroenke became the first professional team owner to win two different championships in the same year after his L.A. Rams won Super Bowl LVI with the help of former Denver Bronco Von Miller. Kroenke now the sole owner to hold such a significant accomplishment can only mean good things for Denver Nuggets fans.
Fans gathered along the parade routes, which begin at Union Station where thousands of fans gathered to kick off the acquisition of Sir Stanley Cup. If you traversed the parade route you likely came across a sea of Avalanche jersey’s vintage and new, with names like MacKinnon, Makar, Forsberg, and even Roy.
As the parade kicked off, fans begin chants of, “we won the cup,” and Blink-182’s lyrics to ‘All the Small Things,’ sang in unison as their three-time Stanley Cup Avalanche trekked the streets of downtown at a snail’s pace.
The atmosphere was most certainly electric with fans bringing the same intensity of whistling and cheers they’d bring to game one of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals. Although the Avalanche’s following is still far from its brother organization, the Denver Broncos, it’s clear that fans are excited for yet another Championship caliber team bringing the excitement back to the City of Denver. Denver Nuggets, Denver Broncos, Colorado Rockies, Colorado Rapids, you now have a bar to reach. The fans are ready for this championship city to take off!
Join Movies at McGregor for the 2022 season of Movies at McGregor Square. Enjoy concessions and bar selections from the bar as you sit back and watch on our 66 foot LED screen. Come early and grab a prime spot right in front. You won’t experience anything else quite like it. July showings include: Rewind Series • July 7 – The Karate Kid Sing-A-Long Series • July 14 – Mamma Mia! Visit https://www.mcgregorsquare.com/ for a complete list of this summer’s showings.
Cortesía: McGregorsquare.com
Join The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities for Anthoy Garcia Sr.: Pigment. This solo exhibition features recent studio work from Denver artist Anthony Garcia Sr. Born and raised in the Denver neighborhood of Globeville, Garcia is an influential figure in the region both as an artist and activist.
Best known for his large-scale murals throughout the state and beyond, Pigment showcases recent studio work that highlights Garcia’s astute exploration of color, scale, and perception while paying homage to his geographical, cultural, and historical upbringing as a Chicano artist. Visit https://bit.ly/3bRW4jF for more information.
It has become a seasonal issue in Pueblo when local parks are inundated with lions, tigers and bears. But these packs are nothing to fear since they’re simply mascots of the various teams that the city’s parks and recreation department oversees each summer. But this menagerie is just the tip of the iceberg for the city. It also coordinates a number of other seasonal programs designed to keep thousands of young people engaged each summer.
The summer programs, said Chris Hopes, are for both city and county residents. They “start in June and end in mid-August, right before school starts,” he said. Hopes, Recreational Sport Coordinator for the city’s summer programs, said the city has created programs for every age group, including families.
The 16-year city parks veteran and Pueblo native said there are both team and individual sports ranging from tee-ball—the Little Sluggers league—for the youngest participants to track and field which ends each summer with a statewide competition at Lakewood’s Jeffco Stadium.
Track and field, said Hopes, is “pretty even” in terms of boys and girls participation. The events included in both local and the end of summer statewide competition. Events includer sprints, long distance events, running long jump and shot putt. For younger participants there are softball and baseball throws.
All of the city’s summer activities are staffed by scores of young people hired on as seasonal help. Many work under the supervision of adults, including people like Dan Radiff, a legendary Pueblo sports figure and retired educator.
Radiff helps out with the city’s swimming program. He has worked with the city’s summer swimming program for a number of years. Now retired, he also works as a substitute teacher at Pueblo County High School.
Radiff’s resume is platinum in Pueblo sports circles. The Pueblo native earned a dozen letters in high school; played college football for Adams State; owns several national age group records in swimming and track and field; and once missed making the U.S. Olympic team by less than a half a second.
Nonetheless he accompanied the team as an alternate. Not surprisingly, he is a member of the Greater Pueblo Sports Hall of Fame. The focus, said Hopes is not to churn out star athletes and competitors, but rather concentrate on the fundamentals. If a young person decides to take what they’ve learned to a higher level, that is strictly up to them. But in some cases, what they’ve learned has been worth the time and investment, said Hopes, pointing to a group of young people who began in the Pueblo Parks and Recreation flag football program as youngsters.
In high school, he said, many of them were members of the Pueblo East football program that won three consecutive state high school football titles. “They began in the second and third grades,” he said. Much of their later success, he believes, came from “building the chemistry” learned in the parks and recreation program. A number of other athletes who’ve participated in the summer programs, he said, have gone on to both Division I and II programs in both team and individual sports.
Eric Santoyo, who doubles as a high school swimming coach, coordinates the summer aquatics program which partners with the city’s YMCA. There, he said, “lessons are provided” under a mutual agreement between the city and the ‘Y.’ He also makes sure everything runs smoothly at the city’s nearly always crowded public pools.
Pueblo Parks and Recreation also runs a baseball program. And while baseball may not be the national pastime it once was, it remains a popular option, said Hopes. In addition to “coach/pitch” baseball for a younger set, there are also “three baseball tournaments” that are played near the end of the summer season.
One of the most popular offering from Parks and Recreation is the three-on-three basketball competition played at what locals know as ‘the Slab,’ a basketball playground set on an island/greenbelt separating the city’s busy 29th Street.
There is also something for those who prefer to spend their time out of the sun and not in a competitive arena. The “Books in the Park,” is a partnership with the citycounty library district. Ray Aguilera and Fairmount Park are the sites for checking out books or working with arts and crafts. There is also a free lunch for those under age 18 provided by the Pueblo School District 60.
Participants in the city’s summer program pay a $55 fee to enroll but Hopes says there is a scholarship option based on income. For those participants, the fee covers the cost of a ‘uniform,’ for the baseball program that includes a hat and jersey.
