Athmar Park

AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Mar 02, 2005

NON-VIOLENCE WORKSHOP
5-10 Athmar Park residents are sought to particiapte in a Basic Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) workshop. AVP training is unique among conflict-management and related training programs in its extensive use of experiential learning. Its goal is to develop self-esteem and a sense of community while practicing communication skills in pairs and small groups. The training includes affirmation exercises, active listening, role-playing, community building, conflict-management exercises, and insights into the roots of violence. The workshop will be held between 9am-5pm on the weekend of Feb 26 and 27 at Sina Center, 470 S. Navajo. The fee will be $20 to cover the meals (normally charge $100 on a sliding scale). If anyone has questions or would like to sign up, please call Lucia Ishikawa, Program Co-coordinator, at 303-825-2562 or email them at nfnc@earthlink.net.

FREE RADON TESTING
The Denver Department of Environmental Health is offering free radon testing to Denver residents. Radon is a naturally occurring colorless, odorless gas present in many Colorado homes. Breathing radon gas may increase your chance of getting lung cancer. All homes should be tested to see how much radon gas is present. If your home has high levels of radon gas, there are steps that you can take to protect you and your family. If you are interested in having your home tested, please call Nicole Smith at 720-865-5459. This offer is valid while testing supplieslast.

GROCERY CART PICKUP
Have abandoned grocery carts in your alley? Larry?’s Shopping Carts will pick them up and return them to the right store at no charge?— the stores pay Larry a commission on each cart he returns. Call 303-919-9452.

HOMELESSNESS
Councilwoman MacKenzie has been working with NIS to remove seven camps of transients living along the river between W. Mississippi and W. Alameda. The City posted the property and sent in an abatement crew to clean out the structures. Aten-year plan to address Denver?’s homelessness problem has been drafted to deal with populations like these folks living along the river. Concerned residents have an opportunity to review and comment on the plan before it is finalized. The next two public meetings to discuss the plan are scheduled for March 29 (1625 S. University) and March 31 (23rd & Bryant) from 5-7pm. Call 720-944-2666 for details.

ANTI-CRUISING ORDINANCEUPDATE
The citizens?’ taskforce (made up of residents from several Denver neighborhoods) continues in their efforts to draft an anti-cruising ordinance. After reviewing ordinances from about a dozen cities across the country, the taskforce has chosen an ordinance to use as a model for a Denver ordinance. Taskforce members are collecting statistical information (amplified sound and related citations) from all around Denver and they've been collecting "before and after" statistics from 3 other cities that have implemented an anti-cruising ordinance. The statistics from these other cities show very positive and effective results preventing cruising and cruising-related activities. However, the taskforce needs your help. So what do we need help with? We need help getting specific information from businesses that have been negatively impacted by cruising and related activity (times/dates/$ amount of lost revenue or damages, etc.). We need help recruiting people who would be willing to speak at whichever City Council committee(s) evaluate a draft ordinance and/or a public hearing later this year (if we can get that far). Please contact Karen Cuthbertson (AthmarPark@ecentral.com or 303.936.9206) with/for more information.

STREET TREES
Trees reduce energy bills by providing cooling shade and invigorate the environment with crucial oxygen. Thanks to Denver Digs Trees, the greening of our city continues with the annual planting of inexpensive new street trees. These trees only cost $25 or tree scholarships are available. This year?’s tree request deadline has been extended until March 1, 2005. Call 303-722-6262 or download an application from www.theparkpeople.org. Street trees will be planted on Saturday, April 16th.

SHOPS AT TEJON
Advanced Auto Parts is open for business! The other shops to open by March 2005.

STREET CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
The construction projects for portions of Federal Boulevard move ahead. The construction project from Louisiana to Jewell will not include a raised median, as had been requested. Increased construction costs and concerns from emergency response personnel about access to residential streets ended the proposal. This project is slated to begin this year, with an end date of 2007.

VALLEY HIWAY PROJECT UPDATE
A public hearing to review the Enviornmental Impact Study (EIS) for the Valley Highway (Logan to 6th) Redesign will most likely be scheduled for mid-April 2005 at the earliest.

GRAFFITI
Carol Campbell and Bob Zaragoza attended the City?’s Graffiti task force meeting on February 7, 2005 to continue to advocate for a renewed effort to catch and punish graffiti vandals. We asked for tougher penalities so that the consequences for vandalism would be harsh enough to put an end to this destructive, demoralizing behavior that is negatively affecting our community. Surprisingly, DPD received only 465 graffiti offense reports in 2004. Charges were filed in 279 cases, 264 against juveniles and 15 against adults.

It?’s obvious to everyone that there is a huge under reporting of graffiti vandalism. It is extremly important that everyone call the police when your property is vandalized, file an offense report and request that the graffiti be photographed for Det. Ray Ruybal. Then, remove the graffiti immediately.

Councilwoman Rodriquez promised to ask Council to re-examine the graffiti ordinances. Partners Against Graffiti will work with our neighborhood on a new pilot program aimed at reducing graffiti vandalism. They?’ll be attending an upcoming neighborhood meeting. In the meantime, residents can continue to get help removing graffiti by calling 720-865-7867 or by visiting the Paint Bank at 1390 Decatur, call 303-865-6900 for more info.

AREA OF RESTRICTION
The Police have been working to stop drug and prostitution activity in the area around S. Raritan and W. Mississippi. The area between S. Shoshone to S. Pecos and from W. Arizona to W. Tennessee has been declared an Area of Restriction. Anyone re-arrested in the area will face additional charges.

PUFFERS
Police warn that in November, 60% of the 192 car thefts in District 4 were ?‘puffers?’?—unoccupied cars left idling to warm up. You?’ll get no sympathy from the police nor your insurance company if your unattended car is stolen- they advice us to stop the practice of idling unattended vehicles.