North Denver News

Decades of Progress Toward Liberation and Fair Treatment will be Celebrated During this Year’s Pride Month By Natalie Kerr, Special to The Denver North Star In 1976, Christi Layne, the stage name of renowned drag performer Christopher Sloane, stood with one of their best friends at the head of the very first Pride March in Denver, after having gone through some back-and-forth with the city and the state to get a permit.  They had... Read more...

Saturday, June 15,  2 p.m. to 11:30 p.mHistoric Elitch Theatre, 4600 W. 37th Ave. By Kathryn White This year’s North Denver Pride festivities include a free, all-ages festival at the Historic Elitch Theatre, a parade along Tennyson Street and an extended screening of the 1995 American comedy “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar” starring Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze and John Leguizamo. Read on for details. 2 to 6... Read more...

By Allen Cowgill Wes Marshall’s new book details transportation system failures that lead to deaths. Photo by Allen Cowgill University of Colorado Denver professor Dr. Wes Marshall started his career as a traffic engineer, but he quickly realized that safety rules in the profession were built on what he described as pillars of sand.  Marshall’s new book, “Killed by a Traffic Engineer,” details the myriad of systemic failures that... Read more...

By London Lyle Denver district attorney candidates John Walsh and Leora Joseph will face off in the June 25 Democratic primary election. With no Republican challengers, the winner will go on to run unopposed in November. Current DA Beth McCann, who has endorsed Walsh, will step down in January. This primary is crucial for voters as the DA significantly influences the legal system, especially in prosecuting crimes and protecting... Read more...

North Denver’s Lawmakers Reflect on Progress, Frustrations  By Cassis Tingley The Colorado Legislature adjourned May 8, wrapping up a 120-day session that saw gains in for-cause eviction, restrictions on the use of force by police and funding wins for DPS. However, it was also marred by conflict between and within parties, and ugly social media exchanges. The Denver North Star sat down with three of North Denver’s elected... Read more...

By Margaret Hunt Cynthia O’Lane, longtime music teacher at Edison Elementary, retired this month. Photo by Christine Loehr After a 39-year teaching career, including 10 years as Edison Elementary’s music teacher, Cynthia O’Lane retired at the end of the 2023-24 school year.  In her time at Edison, O’Lane became one of the most beloved teachers by students, parents and fellow teachers alike. She developed a robust music education... Read more...

By Rebecca A. Hunt Over the past three months, I have been writing about the contributions of Northside women in helping immigrants. Now, I am going to look at the backlash that followed. The U.S. saw rapid immigration growth in the 1890s through the 1920s. Denver drew large numbers of new arrivals, but many were not like the white, Anglo-Saxon Protestants who came before. Many working-class and middle-class white people feared what... Read more...

By Kathryn White Kathryn White, editor, The Denver North Star. Photo by Jan Pelton I was intrigued when emails and voicemails started to arrive about our May cover story, “Leash Laws: They’re No Walk in the Park.” Our story missed something, and you let us know. As I replied and returned phone calls, I learned just how much North Denver cares for and about neighborhood dogs. And I was reminded how much I appreciate hearing from... Read more...

Linda Shapley, publisher, Colorado Community Media I’m Linda Shapley, publisher of Colorado Community Media, and a longtime denizen of local journalism. Since we acquired The Denver North Star and G.E.S. Gazette last month, it’s been a whirlwind of activity – acquiring domain names, transferring emails and handling the business-side of news production. I’m hoping that with the behind-the-scenes whirlwind, you saw no disruption in your... Read more...

By Kathryn White Poet Ricardo LaFore turned the insult “What have your people ever done?” into a poem.  “My Ancestors Built the Pyramids” appears in a new anthology to be released this month by the Colorado Alliance of Latino Mentors and Authors (CALMA).  “Ramas y Raíces: The Best of CALMA,” edited by Mario Acevedo, contains essays, poetry and short stories by 24 writers who live or have spent significant time in Colorado. The... Read more...