North Denver News

By Eric Heinz “Everyone deserves a full basketball court.” That adage led Michael Murphy to restore part of the one at Chaffee Park in the Sunnyside neighborhood. The old hoops had deteriorated and one of the backboards was completely gone. “I think that one was old, and this one was just non-existent for quite a while, at least a year,” Murphy said, referring to the hoops. “I’m in a position where I can help the community a little... Read more...

By Eric Heinz About a year after welcoming up to 60 people experiencing homelessness a night, Regis University will bid farewell to its sanctioned outdoor camping site, which is moving to Barnum by July. This particular Safe Outdoor Space is wrapping up its lease at the site, which was originally for six months to help shelter people from the effects of COVID-19. Since then, the spaces have become part of Denver’s strategy to address... Read more...

In the early days of planning North Denver streets, large square residential blocks— versus the rectangular ones of today—contained open interior lots. Considered public right-of-way space, these carriage turnaround lots provided a place for horse-drawn carriages to circle for a change in direction or for the horses who powered them to rest and graze. Potter-Highlands Historic District is one of the areas in North Denver to find these... Read more...

By The Denver North Star staff Northside Memory Project on June 25 History Colorado and the Northside Arts Collaborative want to preserve your stories of community and family. Denver’s Northside residents, past and present, are invited to participate in a memory recording workshop at 10 a.m.-12 p.m. on June 25 at North High School’s cafeteria, 2960 Speer Blvd.The event is free, as is parking. Breakfast burritos and coffee will be... Read more...

By Jill Carstens My son was a newborn when the Columbine shooting happened. I remember watching the news and saying to myself, “How will I ever become brave enough to send my son to school?” Jill Carstens Columbine was the first of many shootings to come, and what have we learned? According to news reports, the school in Uvalde, Texas, had prepared its own security plan including security staff, drills, metal detectors, security... Read more...

By Eric Heinz North Denver’s legislators said they were overall pleased with what they accomplished during this year’s General Assembly session, but there are always bills left on the cutting room floor.Gov. Jared Polis had until June 10 to sign any outstanding bills into law, which is 30 days after the year’s session is adjourned. The three members of the Legislature The Denver North Star spoke with are all Democrats, the controlling... Read more...

By Kathryn WhiteFrom June 1 to July 30, youth ages 8 to 18 can learn tennis—for free—at North High School’s tennis courts. Kathryn White Experienced players can up their game as well, because instructors for this program come with a lengthy list of tennis credentials and decades of experience with the sport. The hourand- a-half sessions will take place Mondays through Thursdays with no advanced registration required. Instruction... Read more...

By Erika Taylor Until we make our desire to stretch autonomic like it was when we were toddlers, where we crave it and would no sooner skip it than brushing our teeth, we may need to talk ourselves into it. Erika Taylor So, here’s some fodder for that talk. Just a few of the things we get when we create a daily stretching habit: 1. Better Posture Tight muscles make us want to scrunch down when we sit. Driving, cell phones,... Read more...

By Eric Heinz Surrounded by a group of children on May 26 at the crest of a panoramic view, Denver city leaders cut a ribbon to celebrate the completion of improvements to Inspiration Point Park.Improvements include a restored portion of the historic wall, western park overlook enhancements,a new playground, a new shaded picnic site, changes to the parking area, and a new traffic circle. City leaders including Mayor Michael Hancock,... Read more...

By Helen Driesen For the third year in a row, the Denver Fringe Festival will host about 40 different theatrical and acrobatic performances in the RiNo and Five Points neighborhoods. After an entirely virtual first festival, which took place during the first summer of the COVID-19 pandemic, this will be the first year that all performances will take place in person. The festival’s executive director, Ann Sabbah, estimates about half... Read more...