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Denver Kids takes holistic approach to helping students thrive, plan future

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

Norman Mestas and Dat Bui have gotten to know each other over the past couple of years. They talk about what’s going on in school, life in general and, of course, sports. Specifically baseball, Norman’s favorite.The two were brought together through the program Denver Kids, a partnership between Denver Public Schools and the Rotary Club of Denver that works to keep students on track to graduation and possibly a post-secondary education.Norman, 14, is a freshman at Rocky Mountain Prep SMART and in his second year with Denver Kids. Bui is an educational and social, emotional and learning counselor who has regular meetings with Norman and is available at other times. They sometimes play catch at lunch time and in the summer.The Denver Post Season To Share is the annual holiday fundraising campaign for The Denver Post and The Denver Post Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Grants are awarded to local nonprofit agencies that provide life-changing program...

Can Mayor Mike Johnston keep his homelessness promise?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

Mayor Mike Johnston has just two months to find housing for 830 people if he is to keep his promise to move 1,000 of Denver’s homeless off the streets by the end of the year.“We feel a real sense of momentum and we do believe that it’s possible,” he said. “We think the pieces are in place to be able to help get 1,000 Denverites off the streets and we know a lot of these units will come on in November and December.”But roadblocks and a raft of questions remain with some homeless advocates and City Council members suggesting a slower approach might be more productive, allowing the city to focus on providing fewer people with better support to get into long-term housing.“The mayor may indeed reach his goal for “Housing” 1,000 but that’s within his defined parameters, which most advocates and providers, including myself, don’t agree with,” said Jess Wiederholt, a member of the homeless support and advocacy group Mut...

Colorado Coalition for the Homeless answers call to work toward solving homelessness in Denver

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

For nearly 40 years, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless employees have worked to prevent and solve homelessness by providing housing, health care and support services to tens of thousands of people every year.So the increased focus and fervor for homelessness and housing issues by city and state officials is appreciated, if a little delayed.“What I will say is, 25 or 30 years ago, this issue was very urgent to us,” said Cathy Alderman, chief communications and public policy officer for Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. “It’s our mission to provide lasting solutions for homelessness, and what we haven’t seen is the city, state and federal government really recognize the crisis that we were living with every single day.”The Denver Post Season To Share is the annual holiday fundraising campaign for The Denver Post and The Denver Post Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Grants are awarded to local nonprofit agencies that provide life-changing programs to help l...

Food Bank of the Rockies makes effort to serve immigrant and refugee communities

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

When Kenyan native Fato visits New Freedom Park at 13th Avenue and Xenia Street in Denver, she’s surrounded by reminders of others who have traveled thousands of miles to make Colorado their home — and not just because the two-acre space was designed by immigrants and refugees.The park is also the site of weekly food distribution tables set up by Kaizen Food Share, which offers brightly colored, “culturally responsive” produce that reflects the backgrounds of people who gather to receive it.“This helps a lot, especially if SNAP has run out for the month or you haven’t gotten your paycheck,” said Fato, whose last name has been withheld in the Food Bank of the Rockies campaign in which she’s featured. “Especially if you have kids — they always want to eat!”Kaizen is a Hunger Relief partner of Food Bank of the Rockies, one of the nonprofit recipients of financial support from The Denver Post Foundation’s Season to ...

Child Health Clinic in Aurora provides care for 13,000 low-income kids

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

Children’s Hospital Colorado, which began in 1897 as a summer tent camp in Denver’s City Park for sick babies, is refocusing on primary care at its Child Health Clinic in Aurora to help low-income kids and their families.This clinic, with 32 rooms, allowed doctors and nurses to provide primary care for more than 13,000 kids last year — 85% of them uninsured or from families unable to afford health care, relying on Medicaid, and often wrestling with hardships. Run by the Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation, the clinic is listed among the essential institutions for this year’s Season to Share charitable giving campaign.For many of the patients, just getting to the clinic is a challenge, said Dr. Daniel Nicklas, the medical director, pointing to broader labor and economic policy problems. “If the parents take time off work, they could lose their jobs.”The Denver Post Season To Share is the annual holiday fundraising campaign for The Denver Post and The Denve...

On Día de los Muertos, Denverites’ sacred altars help reunite the living and the dead

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

Each fall, Maruca Salazar prepares her home for visitors from another realm.The 71-year-old scatters the walkway to her house on Denver’s Northside with the rich, orange petals of the cempasúchil — marigold — flowers. The blossoms, grown by Salazar, are synonymous with the traditional Mexican holiday of Día de los Muertos as they are thought to be fragrant enough to attract the spirits of deceased loved ones to their family’s homes and altars.On Thursday, Day of the Dead, Salazar’s family will pack the matriarch’s home and gather around a sacred altar overflowing with photos of the dead and ofrendas — offerings — made up of the departed’s favorite earthly delights. The day serves as a reunion between the living and the dead when the veil between realms is considered thinnest.“It is really peaceful,” Salazar said. “I am happy to know that when you’re gone, there is a beyond, and that beyond is powerful. It ...

After universal preschool’s launch, how will Colorado resolve problems facing parents and schools?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

When Colorado’s universal preschool program was set to launch, Carly Sargent-Knudson looked forward to full days in the classroom for 4-year-old Rune, paid for entirely by the state.She qualifies for a specialized education plan to help with speech development, checking a box the state said would make Sargent-Knudson’s daughter eligible for 30 hours per week of free class time, double what’s guaranteed to all children. But facing a flood of demand, the state made a late-summer change that added household income limits at a middle-class level for the extra time, regardless of other qualifying factors.For Sargent-Knudson’s family, “free” ended up costing close to $800 a month to get the full 30 hours — an unforeseen expense that has resulted in the Boulder County family cutting back on groceries, changing cell phone carriers and otherwise scrimping. That’s what they say it’s taking to afford “the best educational foundation” ...

Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody’s “Year 3 Leap” can take Warriors to new heights

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

HOUSTON —  It may seem like the Warriors are leaning into their old age.The core that distinguishes them are all in their mid-30s, and where they lack in speed or athleticism they make up for by outsmarting their opponents. Teammates call 35-year-old Steph Curry a cheat code and 38-year-old Chris Paul a cheat sheet.The superstars may carry the load and set the standard, but it’s internally understood that the Warriors can reach new heights as title contenders if Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody take the “Year 3 Leap.” That not only means the third-year players making the “Non-Steph” parts of the game competitive, but challenging the regulars for crunch time minutes.That “Year 3 Leap” is the idea that players in their third NBA season can solidify themselves as rotation mainstays if they’ve pocketed enough game experience to pair with their youth and athleticism. The Warriors can right their bench woes from last year if Moody and Kuminga make that leap flanking the ...

How to report broken or hidden highway signs, maintenance issues across Bay Area: Roadshow

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

Q: Who do we call or inform when we see broken, torn down, or obscured highway signs?Diana T., San JoseA: If the problem is on a California highway, report it to Caltrans. Look on the Caltrans website for “Submit a Customer Service Request,” https://csr.dot.ca.gov/index.php/Msrsubmit.For a San Jose problem, go to “San Jose 311” on the city’s website, https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/customer-service/san-jos-311 or use their mobile app.For San Francisco, submit service requests on the 311 online services page of their website at https://sf.gov/topics/311-online-services, or on their mobile app, SF311.For Oakland, report an infrastructure emergency to OAK311 by calling (510) 615-5566. For non-emergencies, report the problem online at Oakland 311, https://www.oaklandca.gov/services/oak311.For Santa Clara County, fill out a service request on the County of Santa Clara Roads and Airports Department website page, https://countyroa...

Prep football roundup: Sobrato edges Leigh, keeps league title hopes alive

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:00 GMT

Noah Taylor has done it all for Sobrato this season as the Morgan Hill school kept pace near the top of the Blossom Valley Athletic League Santa Teresa-Valley Division standings.Saturday was no different.In a must-win game for his team against Leigh, the senior was his usual productive self on the ground, rushing for 250 yards and two touchdowns.But it was his defense as a middle linebacker that lifted the Bulldogs to a 13-6 victory on Sobrato’s senior day at Live Oak, which played host to the game because of field issues at Sobrato.Taylor finished with some 20 tackles as the Bulldogs held Leigh to 21 points below its scoring average in three previous league games.Sobrato took a 7-0 lead two minutes into the second quarter on Taylor’s 8-yard run.Leigh (6-3, 3-1) closed to within 7-6 at halftime when Shayan Shariat charged across the goal line from 1 yard out. The extra point was no good.Taylor’s 52-yard run with four minutes to go in the third quarter stretched the advantage to 13-6...