Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Tours and Talks by Phil Goodstein

October 2014 through February 2015

Thursday, October 30: Ghost Walk, 6:00 pm–8:00 pm
Meet at the statute of the Indian on the east lawn of the Capitol along Grant Street between Colfax and 14th avenues. The cost is $20.00. A copy of this schedule and information about Goodstein’s books is at LeonardLeonard.com/neighborhoods /walkingtours.

Friday, October 31: Ghost Walk, 7:00 pm–9:00 pm
Meet at the statute of the Indian on the east lawn of the Capitol along Grant Street between Colfax and 14th avenues. The cost is $20.00.

Wednesday, November 5: Tall Tales of Park Hill, 6:30 pm–7:30 pm
This is a free lecture about the history of Park Hill featuring the usual and bizarre happenings in the neighborhood. It gathers at the Park Hill Library at the northeast corner of Montview Boulevard and Dexter Street.

Saturday, November 8: Curtis Park, Five Points, and Beyond, 3:00 pm–4:00 pm
Curtis Park, Five Points, and Beyond is Phil Goodstein’s latest book. This is a free talk about it at the Broadway Book Mall, the southeast corner of South Broadway and Cedar Avenue. (Cedar is one block north of Alameda Avenue.)

Monday, November 10: Five Points at Tattered Cover, 7:00 pm
The Colfax Tattered Cover, Colfax and Elizabeth Street (across from East High School, two blocks east of York Street), will host a talk and signing of Curtis Park, Five Points, and Beyond.

Wednesday, November 12: Clements/Benedict Fountain. 6:00 pm–7:00 pm
The Clements District, near 21st Street and Tremont Place, is among the areas featured in Curtis Park, Five Points, and Beyond. This is a free lecture about it at Ebert School, Park Avenue West and Tremont Place. Enter on the Tremont Place side.

Saturday, December 6: More on Curtis Park, 2:00 pm–3:30 pm
Find out more about Phil Goodstein’s books and Curtis Park in another free lecture. It is at the Book Bar, a combination wine bar/bookstore, at West 43rd Avenue and Tennyson Street.

Wednesday, January 14: Everything about Denver, 6:30 pm–9:00 pm
This is the first of a four-week set of lectures on Denver history. This session specifically focuses on the founding of the community during the Pikes Peak gold rush and the nature of the city’s street system. The cost is $10 per person. It gathers in a private home at 1330 Monroe Street.

Wednesday, January 21: Everything about Denver, 6:30 pm–9:00 pm
Denver was an instant city in the late 19th century. It was built on mining, railroads, cattle, and tuberculosis. Added will be sensational love scandal stories. The cost is $10 per person. It gathers in a private home at 1330 Monroe Street.

Wednesday, January 28: Everything about Denver, 6:30 pm–9:00 pm
In the early 20th century, Denver was the city beautiful. It was also plagued by political scoundrels and the Ku Klux Klan while a militant labor movement influenced the community. The cost is $10 per person. It gathers in a private home at 1330 Monroe Street.

Wednesday, February 4: Everything about Denver, 6:30 pm–9:00 pm
Since World War II, Denver has repeatedly remade itself. Mayors, newspapers, schemers, and dreamers have been central to its evolution. The cost is $10 per person. It gathers in a private home at 1330 Monroe Street.

Phil Goodstein (303) 333-1095

Monday, October 27, 2014

The Real Halloween Safety Tips



Congratulations to Teri Robnett for a great effort on Halloween safety tips. And extreme kudos for using a video format to do it. Very effective!

Friday, October 24, 2014

DPD Warns of Purse Snatching Perp


Denver, CO – Wednesday, October 22, 2014 – The Denver Police Department is warning the community about a male suspect who has approached three women in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in an attempt to steal their purses. The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 5’6”, medium build.      
Details of the three known purse snatching incidents:
· 10/10/2014 @ midnight – 1500 block of Logan
· 10/18/2014 @ 0155 hrs – 300 block of East 16th Avenue
· 10/20/2014 @ 2054 hrs – 1200 block of North Corona
Citizens carrying a purse or backpack should always be aware of their surroundings and try to avoid walking alone in dark areas. If possible, don’t carry a purse, but if necessary, try to hide it under a jacket or wear one that fits across the body. Put belongings in a pocket or carry as minimal as possible to avoid losing valuables.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Driving on methadone

Effects on Driving: The drug manufacturer cautions that methadone may impair the mental and/or physical abilities required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks, and that the sedative effects of the drug may be enhanced by concurrent use of other CNS depressants, including alcohol. In healthy, non-methadone using volunteers, single doses of methadone will impair driving ability. Numerous European studies of long-term methadone maintenance patients have shown that appropriately administered methadone does not cause significant psychomotor or cognitive impairment when administered regularly and when the subject abstains from all other drugs. However, in the majority of cases, patients did not exhibit stable abstinence from drug use and had an increased occurrence of simultaneous psychiatric/neurotic disorders or personality disturbances which, by themselves, could be a reason to doubt their driving ability. In Germany, the Joint Advisory Council for Traffic Medicine at the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Housing and the Federal Ministry for Health issued the following recommendation: Heroin addicts treated with methadone are generally not fit to drive; however, these patients may be considered fit to drive if they show a period of methadone substitu­tion for more than a year; stable psychosocial integration; no evidence of the consumption of additional psy­chotropic substances; evidence of a subject’s readiness to feel responsible for himself/herself; therapy compliance; and no evidence of serious personality defects.
from http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/research/job185drugs/methadone.htm 

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Notes from the New Drug War by Jessica LeRoux - Oct.21, 2014

Hello Legislative Audit Board Members:

I am writing today to express my deep concern about the MIA status of the promised 2014 follow up Audits of the "F" grade given to Audits of both the MED (DOR) and the CDPHE in 2013. Under the leadership of now disgraced Audit Board president Steve King a vote was taken in 2013 that follow up audits MUST be provided to the legislature with enough time for the 2014 Legislative session to re-act respond and craft policy solutions to unresolved issues from these Audits (a deadline that is sadly 6 months past)… Its no secret I've always considered Steve King to be a moron with a Myopic agenda, and lately it looks like my opinion of his integrity turns out to have been optimistic! Lets hope with some new leadership we can get the audit train back on track and complete the promised audits that fell by the way side in 2014. My concerns center on activities at MED that are patently Illegal mainly the fact that the MED is actively encouraging Licensees who are under "investigation" to sell their licenses rather than face criminal charges, once the license has been sold the MED no longer has jurisdiction (nor obligation) to bring charges against the licensee… Furthermore the MED is accepting a paltry transfer fee of $2000 on each license sold in this manner & the change of name fees when they apply. Lowly though the amount seems in comparison to the crimes in question, it is enough cash under Federal law that it in and of itself constitutes a felonious act of participation in criminal behavior surrounding drug sales… If convicted of this felony MED employees would no longer be eligible to work in the Cannabis Industry (top name on the list of who ought to be ineligible is Lewis Koski) The crimes in question of one forced licensee's (treeline/nedicate/mountain bear) sales concern violations of the volumes submitted to the MED via the MITS system. (we need an audit of the MITS specifically since the MED has claimed ad nauseum that MITS was the only tool law enforcment needed, but many are openly violating & gaming the self reported system and not one lucrative MED funding penalty has been issued basedon MITS data in 2014)... This owner has Seven licenses currently for sale while he is now allowed to operate? I am happy to provide a long litany of violations committed by the owner in question who incidentally was a member (like myself) of the original DOR rules making panel with Matt Cook. WE are certain the litany of complaints has been provided 1st to Laura Harris, and then To Lewis Koski, but even a CORA open records search of these complaints in question comes up empty? Also the MED allowed sale of at least one of the embattled VIP properties in Denver to transfer to a new owner between october 2013 when they were federally raided, and february of 2014 but prior to follow up DEA raids in April of 2014 and the state nor the MED has never pressed charges in the multitude of cases tied to the Uribe/Lazlo Bagi/ DIaz/Furtado clan… Some serious skullduggery is going on at MED & it is my opinion that corruption is much worse than at the time of the 2013 Audit, not better now. Please respond with your timeline for attending to this very important matter, Also do not let my focus on the MED with today's email lessen the concern or need for the also promised follow up audit of the many problems at CDPHE with the marijuana registry mainly centering on failure to protect patient privacy.

Thanks for taking the time to read this email. I am happy to work with you on any investigation and or provide the proof we have that MED is breaking its one laws much less federal laws.
Jessica LeRoux - Former MED licensee who couldn't stand the corruption & cashed out!
sent to audit board members:
jerry.sonnenberg.house@state.co.us, lucia.guzman.senate@state.co.us, david.balmer.house@state.co.us, kevin.grantham.senate@state.co.us, daniel.nordberg.house@state.co.us, su.ryden.house@state.co.us, lois.tochtrop.senate@state.co.us, john.mckinley@state.co.us

Friday, October 17, 2014

Where is our Festival Park?


GET READY TO ROCK AND ROLL - MARATHON OCT. 19


REPORT FROM METHADONE ALLEY (16th and Gaylord, Denver)




Wednesday, Oct 15, 2014 was the opening day for the ARTS drug distribution Center at 1620 Gaylord St. in Denver. Thursday morning I noticed that people were occasionally wandering across the alley to sit on my retaining wall.
Jan, the director of the Center, was already outside telling people to not trespass on my property, and we had an opportunity to talk briefly. She mentioned that the Center had hired a security guard to be outside from 5:00 to 7:30am daily, to direct people and traffic. (A suggestion that was made at the community meeting.) Additionally, she said that they have installed a second dispensary window inside (at a cost of $5000) to handle peak traffic.
Aside from the woman who parked on my lot and left a small dog locked inside, who quickly came back and moved her car when I whistled and motioned for her to move it, there were no other incidents to report.
Friday morning (10/17) I was up early enough (6:00am) to see the security guard and the very small trickle of clients.


So far, so good, and thanks to Jan and the rest of the staff for listening and responding to our concerns.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Notes from the New Drug War by Jessica LeRoux - Oct. 15, 2014

Pabon is a lazy political panderer... We dont have a problem of caregivers who are using the registry, abusing the system to create a black market.
We have a black market of people who are just growing as many plants as they like completely outside of both the license & caregiver systems... and licensees who divert large quanitiies from unlicensed grows... and people who move here under the radar just to grow & ship home to an established market in another state... And private people who just sold one bag to a neighbor... and there is confusion at best on the part of law enforcement over who has jurisdiction over the so- called black market, so there has been very very little enforcement of the laws actually on the books... So we have a complex problem that will not disappear by jerking Pabon's Knee, like a jack booted thug, yet again, into the soft belly of sickly patients. Read more.

As a result of committee discussion and deliberation, the Use of Recreational Marijuana Sales Tax Revenues Interim Study Committee recommends the following two bills for consideration in the 2015 legislative session.
Bill A — Marijuana Issues Not Regulated by DOR. This bill makes several changes concerning medical marijuana and caregivers. The bill requires caregivers to register with the Department of Public Health and Environment in addition to the Department of Revenue, as required under current law. Caregivers who fail to register with either agency are prohibited from acting as a caregiver in the future and may be subject to prosecution under existing criminal offenses. The bill also requires the State Board of Medical Examiners to issue guidelines on medical marijuana recommendations by physicians for severe pain and informed consent for patients receiving marijuana from caregivers. The bill requires the Department of Revenue and the Department of Public Health and Environment to share the minimum amount of information necessary to ensure that a medical marijuana patient only has one caregiver and is not using both a caregiver and a medical marijuana center. Any costs under the bill will be paid from the Marijuana Tax Cash Fund.

whoa nelly: they are only targeting the MEDICAL registry for increased enforcement... not focused at all on people who dont participate in any form of licensing/caregiver registry... Fucks sake these people dont understand either the way revenue works or BLACK MARKETS!

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

DRUG PARAPHERNALIA ARRIVES AT 1620 GAYLORD ST, DENVER, COLORADO


Like the Federal government, we call anything associated with the sale or use of drugs "paraphernalia", including the chairs and desks now being unloaded at the newly relocated Methadone Dispensary run by ARTS. Drugs to be dispensed there include Methadone, Buprenorphine, Naltrexone, Vivitrol, and Antabuse. Read more here.

Monday, October 13, 2014

METHADONE DISPENSARY AT 1620 GAYLORD IS A "DONE DEAL"

Opinion by Gerald Trumbule



Full press coverage of a "done deal" like this one is probably a waste of your time and mine. I shot footage of the meeting, and it was interesting to meet more of my neighbors, but as Councilman Albus Brooks said on the way into the meeting "this one is a done deal". Later he mentioned that District 8 houses 80% of the City's social services, and that our housing stock is 30% Section 8. He said he had hopes that other Districts could begin to share the load, but he didn't seem optimistic.

ARTS (Addiction Research and Treatment Services), a University of Colorado funnel for US Government funding to provide methadone to heroin addicts, provided a handout at the meeting:



It's easy to see why the staff didn't think any community outreach was necessary. It's all about what constitutes a "neighborhood". From their point of view, they are moving "less than two blocks" from their old location. From our point of view, they are suddenly materializing in a residential neighborhood that had no idea they even existed in their former location.
Former location of Methadone Dispensary at 18th and Gaylord looking north.

New location of Methadone Dispensary two blocks south at 16th and Gaylord, looking south.

Other points to be considered

1. The property at 1620 Gaylord was on the market for over two years. As I recall, it was listed at $550,000 during that time. I thought it was most likely going to be scraped, with a condo development to take its place. This was actually in progress until the property was declared "historic". I have no idea how that was accomplished, as it was apparently built in 1951 and seems to have no architectural value. I presume there is a transcript of the public hearing that accomplished this bit of magic. This historic designation blocked the condo developer from proceeding and the owner of the ARTS administration building, next door at 1648 Gaylord, Victor Kolouch of Kolouch Properties, LLC, proceeded to buy the building for $650,000.
Historic designation is often considered a burden for a new owner, as there are many rules about what may and may not be done to such a building. I can't recall an instance of a $100,000 increase after such a designation.
2. ARTS representative said they had a new lease on 1620 for 7 years. Since remodeling has already begun, I presume this will go forward. What became clear during the meeting was that the staff has absolutely no idea what goes on at this location when they are not there. For example, they were unaware that since remodeling began, homeless people have been sleeping on the property every night. Even more interesting is the fact that a crew I call the "miners" has been visiting the site every night to go through the roll-off to retrieve metal scrap.

A visit from the "miners" at 1620 Gaylord on Oct. 4.
3. Speaking of unaware, the ARTS staff said they believe that 1648 Gaylord has been broken into 7 times during their term there. This although no drugs were ever housed there.

4. For the immediate neighbors, 1648 Gaylord, the ARTS intake office, has been a constant problem. The problem has not come from their "clients", who are strictly guided by their rules, but from the people who drop the clients off. These folks have been a constant source of aggravation as they, a) park illegally in our parking lots, b) hang out on our property leaving trash behind and, in general, have a real attitude problem. Just two weeks ago I noticed two men hanging out behind 1648 Gaylord throwing rocks down the alley from a neighbor's parking lot. I calmly approached and asked them to stop, whereupon they began to curse and threaten me.
5. The ARTS staff mentioned that the drugs at 1620 Gaylord would be kept in a safe "so big that it has to be put in place with a fork lift". They also indicated that the building would have to be approved by the DEA before occupancy. I hope they check the roof.

I asked if the ARTS staff had planned for security at 1620 Gaylord. They said they planned to install outdoor security cameras, but could not afford an actual outdoor security guard during business hours. Our alley will require a full-time traffic director if the projected 150 clients/day show up to quaff their drugs.

One positive result from the meeting - a potential "Good Neighbor Agreement" such as is often done with bars and restaurants seeking neighborhood approval. We are working on that, and will report any progress here.

The Big Picture

Not mentioned at the meeting, but what struck me as really strange was the HUGE disparity between this government sponsored hard-drug dispensary and the recent acceptance of  privately-owned "medical marijuana" dispensaries. To mention a few - for methadone - no 1000 ft rule, no public hearing required, drug consumption on site (the staff mentioned that they open at 5:30 am so that clients can come in and get their drugs before they go to work.) Yikes, drugged at work.
By the way, methadone maintenance, as it's called can go on for years. If you want to educate yourself from the addicts point of view, go here:
Speaking as an individual addict, as a treatment professional, and as a former Methadone clinic client, Methadone used as a short term detoxification tool, may have some valuable use. There isn't an addict on the face of the planet, however, that would need to use Methadone for over 30 days in order to do that. Methadone Maintenance is a joke. Methadone is a highly addictive drug with debilitating long term health consequences. Ask any addict who has been on a Methadone Maintenance program and they will tell you how most clients in those programs continue to use in spite of the Methadone. Standing in line for your dose is a good place to cop. 


Saturday, October 11, 2014

One Sky One World Kite Fly for Peace in Denver

Thank you Jane

Image 
What:    29th One Sky One World Kite Fly for Peace in Denver 
Where:   Sloan's Lake Park and at Corner, 18th Avenue and Meade Street 
When:   Sunday, October 12, 2014, Noon to 4 p.m. 
Why:     World Kite Day” to promote peace and protect the planet  through the symbiotic     relationship between humans and nature.  

For 29th Year, Kites to Fly for Peace for the  
One Sky One Worlds International Kite Fly   

One Sky One World International Kite Fly for Peace was inspired by Jane Parker-Ambrose, a Colorado native and Denver kite-maker who, in 1985, during a trip to the Soviet Union, presented an original "Peace Comet" kite to the Soviet Woman's Peace Committee in Moscow.  This people-to-people gesture has inspired hundreds of thousands of people in more than 40 countries to participate every 2nd Sunday of every October.   
Also known as World Kite Day, people around the world fly kites for peace and the environment.  The 29th Annual OSOW will take place tomorrow, Sunday, October 12 at Sloan's Lake Park at the  corner of 18th Avenue and Meade Street, from Noon to 4 p.m. 
There will be a kite making workshop, instruction on how to fly a kite including proper launching technique and retrieving line without tangling.  Open free kite flying will take place on the east side of  Sloan's Lake Park just across from 18th and Meade Street.   For more information about One Sky One World in Denver and 2013 locations please visit  http://subvision.net/sky/osow andwww.oneskyoneworld.org  , email LDA@earthnet.net or call 720-490-1991. 
### 

Friday, October 10, 2014

I-70 Reroute Committee Report, October 8, 2014


There were 24 people at the meeting. Several of them were first time attendees. The meeting began with a report on recent events. There was a very well written article on the Dennis Gallagher event in the North Denver Tribune. There were two excellent Letters to the Editor in the Denver Post, one written by Liz. The Post also had a very balanced story on the I-70 issue which quoted Steve extensively. Everyone felt the Town Hall meeting went exceptionally well. Mike K. did a great job as MC, the presenters were very informative and there was a good crowd. Thad, Joe E. and Bob Y. had an excellent meeting with Tricia in Congressperson Diana DeGette’s Office. Joe was eloquent in articulating the position of people in the community and Bob presented many of the deficiencies in the Draft Supplemental EIS. Tricia stated that at the present time Congressperson DeGette is neutral on the issue but is considering all of the information we are sending her.

Back Road Driveabout - Glen Haven, Colorado

Ed: Here at the office we've decided to reinstate our old practice of taking a mid-week day off. Yep, Wednesdays we get out for a drive about. This time we went to Estes Park the back way, through Glen Haven, (aka Devil's Gulch Road) and got to see the progress of the repairs to both road and stream bed since the last flood.




It's so tempting to build on the river.

Hwy 43 still dirt/gravel in places

The stream bed had that newly rearranged look.




Just in time to get to the lake and watch the ladies wading. 

Thursday, October 9, 2014

JONATHAN KOZOL (and me)

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Jeannie Kaplan

Jonathon Kozol, my first education hero, was coming to Regis Jesuit University in Denver for a three day event, and I had been asked to be a participant on a panel with him. For a public education wonk like me, it really doesn't get much better than that.  Jonathan Kozol and me!
Capturing the essence of Jonathan Kozol, his beliefs and his continuing fight for educational equity has been more difficult that I would have imagined. The reason is this: the United States is seeing growing educational inequities for children in poverty. This gap is larger than when Mr. Kozol first started exposing it in the mid-1960’s, and today’s policy makers are unwilling to make the changes necessary to reduce it, or as “reformers” like to say, “Eliminate the achievement gap.”

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Notes from the New Drug War by Jessica LeRoux - Oct. 7, 2014


From: Brittany Wirth <brittany.wirth@state.co.us>
Subject: Re: audit info?
Date: September 18, 2014 4:24:06 PM MDT

Hi Skyler,

I did some research, and there are no "promised follow up 2014 audits" that have a "legislative mandate". Often during the Legislative Audit Committee hearings, legislators will request the Department to provide an update on or before a certain date, perhaps that is where the confusion may be coming from.

There were the two medical marijuana audits in 2013, and each had a status report in January 2014. Status reports for both of the audits were combined in this one document, see attached.
Thanks, 
Brittany M. Wirth
Office of the State Auditor
1525 Sherman Street, 7th Floor
Denver, CO 80203-2211
Direct 303.869.2804
Jessica says:
I know I keep talking & talking to a deaf audience about the missing follow up Audits of MED & CDPHE, But It still bothers me that im being given the run around... the latest dodge is the member of the State audit board dismissing my inquiries by saying that there was no mandated follow up audit for either entity (Bitch I was sitting in the 2013 audit audience when the 2014 re-audit was mandated by now resigned corrupt LEO Steve King!) And the CO audit board sent me a PDF document as proof... but the document they sent me was Generated by Barbara Brohl of the DOR, not by anybody at the audit board, and the document they sent me is a january 2014 checklist from Brohl about the things they are kinda resolving at MED which they got dinged on in that 2013 audit (lets recall Ms Brohl has NO authority over the CDPHE) this document does NOT answer my questions, in fact it prompts investigation of a whole new set of potential problems.
the DOR is not the deciding agency for these missing audits, They continue to harbor a sub-agency which fails to meet agreed upon changes to proceedure, and they are the subject of a failed audit... MED & CDPHE are due for a review audit simply because that is a state law concerning agencies which fail to do their mandated work efficiently.