FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Dec. 2, 2010
John Denver tribute artist joins Aurora Symphony for holiday concerts
AURORA, Colo. – World-renowned performer John Adams and his five-piece band, backed by the Aurora Symphony Orchestra, will perform some of John Denver’s most beloved holiday songs as well as some of his hit songs like “Rocky Mountain High” at the orchestra’s “A John Denver Christmas” holiday concerts in December.
The concerts are scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17 and 3 p.m. Dec. 19 at Simchat Torah Beit Midrash, located at 19697 E. Smoky Hill Road, just west of Himalaya, in Centennial.
Adams collaborated with Denver in the 1990s, and has a gift for storytelling about Denver’s music and life that make this a truly inspirational event. Designed for the whole family, the concert will feature songs that Denver performed on his Christmas specials in the 1980s.
“This concert is a great opportunity to hear the music of one of the world’s great songwriters, accompanied by the power and the majesty of a symphonic orchestra, performing works that are an inspiration to those who call Colorado home,” said Aurora Symphony Orchestra music director Richard Niezen.
Niezen, who studied and performed music worldwide before moving to Colorado in 2000, spent the last several months developing orchestral arrangements for the 20 songs that will be performed at the concert.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students/seniors. Tickets are available online at www.aurorasymphony.org, by phone at 303-873-6622 or at the door.
For more information on Adams and his band, visit www.johnadamsmusic.com.
About the Aurora Symphony Orchestra
The Aurora Symphony Orchestra is celebrating its 33rd season in 2010-11. Founded in 1978, the orchestra began with 15 volunteer musicians. Its first public performance occurred in 1979 at Bicentennial Park for the AurorArts Festival. The Aurora Symphony Orchestra, which received nonprofit status in 1996, has grown to become the premier provider of community symphonic music in the eastern metro area.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
John Denver tribute artist joins ASO for holidays
From Aurora PIO Julie Patterson:
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
PRESS RELEASE: Farnham leaving as FRA director
AURORA | Jill Sikora Farnham, Executive Director of the Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority since February 2004, announced she is resigning her position in January 2011.
Farnham is moving in a new career direction focused on her financial background. She is working on several options that have recently presented themselves.
“I am enormously proud of what we have accomplished at Fitzsimons and want to do everything I can to assure a smooth leadership transition,” said Farnham.
Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer, Chairman of the Authority’s board of directors said, “Jill has been a terrific leader for the FRA. The City and the bioscience industry are grateful for her service. She has led the FRA though a period of complex challenges and significant accomplishments. She will be missed.”
The Authority intends to initiate a search for a new executive director after completing an updated strategic planning process over the next several months.
Denise Brown, former Executive Director of the Colorado BioScience Association, will serve as interim Executive Director for the Authority beginning in February until a permanent executive director is selected.
Farnham is moving in a new career direction focused on her financial background. She is working on several options that have recently presented themselves.
“I am enormously proud of what we have accomplished at Fitzsimons and want to do everything I can to assure a smooth leadership transition,” said Farnham.
Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer, Chairman of the Authority’s board of directors said, “Jill has been a terrific leader for the FRA. The City and the bioscience industry are grateful for her service. She has led the FRA though a period of complex challenges and significant accomplishments. She will be missed.”
The Authority intends to initiate a search for a new executive director after completing an updated strategic planning process over the next several months.
Denise Brown, former Executive Director of the Colorado BioScience Association, will serve as interim Executive Director for the Authority beginning in February until a permanent executive director is selected.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Colorado Cuisine: The Out-of-Towner Top 5
Trying to decide where to eat around Aurora is a difficult task — at least for me.
Convenience is rarely a concern, but cuisine usually is. When my wife and I debate the options, I often curtail the never-ending list of places by forcing the list down to just five.
The task becomes even more difficult when you add out-of-towners to the equation — namely, family from out of state who haven’t been to Colorado in years.
When I travel, I try to seek out places that are unique, if not exclusive, to the area. Applying that same rule to Colorado eats isn’t easy.
I started (with the help of the wife) by trying to figure out what Colorado-specific cuisine is. My initial response: “Steak and Mexican food.”
Sure, throw in Rocky Ford peaches and it seems like you’ve covered the major bullet points — is that really all the Centennial State has to offer? (And let’s not even mention Rocky Mountain Oysters.)
I still can’t decide where best to impress my folks with local fare, but I have managed to come up with a list of five area favorites that I think bring a special flavor to the table that’s still agreeable for out-of-towners:
1. Dumitri’s Family Restaurant, 1911 S. Havana St., Aurora
I still haven’t quite grasped why so many restaurants successfully churn out authentic Greek and Mexican dishes out of one kitchen (See also: Sam’s No. 3, The Athenian), but this Havana mainstay is among the the top places for quality ethnic plates being served alongside standard American fare like burgers and fries.
2. Guadalajara, 1001 S. Abilene St., Aurora
This recommendation is as personal as it gets — I’ve likely spent more time eating at Guadalajara than I’ve spent at some of my previous jobs. My wife swears it’s as close to perfect as it gets, the gold standard being the 3 Margaritas in Longmont. The similarities are clear — big burritos of all kinds (with plenty of veg-friendly options available), bountiful sides, crispy chile rellenos and a bright, family atmosphere. Since we’re talking about local flavor, I must mention the Burrito Colorado — this is the best beef in a red sauce this side of the briskets in Kansas City.
3. Black-eyed Pea, various locations across Denver metro
Transplants from the West Coast and South can’t wait for new Jack in the Box franchises to pop up along the Front Range. More and more people are exposed to Chik-Fil-A and its breaded goodness each day here in Colorado. For Midwestern transplants like myself, knowing there’s a place for the simple chicken-fried steak and mashed potatoes drenched in cream gravy is almost as comforting as the aroma of the food itself — seeing as this is Colorado, get the jalapeño gravy to spice things up.
4. BeauJo’s, various locations
It’s unlikely we’ll live to see the day that “Colorado-style pizza” becomes as iconic as the way they make pies in New York, Chicago or California, but that doesn’t mean it’s not as delicious. The thick, bready pizzas at Beau Jo’s have to be among the best main dishes of all-time that can be dipped in honey, and the best setting for consuming it has to be in downtown Idaho Springs. So we’ll settle for fame on par with Cincinnati chili — that leaves more Canadian bacon, artichoke hearts and red onions for the rest of us.
5. Bender’s Brat Haus, 700 S. Buckley Road, Aurora
This is food worth fighting for — you just know there are untold amounts of mileage put on cars registered in Denver, Jefferson County and parts beyond just so that those drivers can make it out to Aurora for a double brat sandwich or a krautburger. Quality reigns supreme here on a minimalist menu — pick a burger or sandwich, pair it with some chips, coleslaw or potato salad, grab a beverage and you’re set. OK, there are plenty of toppings to choose from (I advocate for sauerkraut or horseradish, but never both), but that’s about it. Simple, delicious, reliable — and only in Aurora.
Convenience is rarely a concern, but cuisine usually is. When my wife and I debate the options, I often curtail the never-ending list of places by forcing the list down to just five.
The task becomes even more difficult when you add out-of-towners to the equation — namely, family from out of state who haven’t been to Colorado in years.
When I travel, I try to seek out places that are unique, if not exclusive, to the area. Applying that same rule to Colorado eats isn’t easy.
I started (with the help of the wife) by trying to figure out what Colorado-specific cuisine is. My initial response: “Steak and Mexican food.”
Sure, throw in Rocky Ford peaches and it seems like you’ve covered the major bullet points — is that really all the Centennial State has to offer? (And let’s not even mention Rocky Mountain Oysters.)
I still can’t decide where best to impress my folks with local fare, but I have managed to come up with a list of five area favorites that I think bring a special flavor to the table that’s still agreeable for out-of-towners:
1. Dumitri’s Family Restaurant, 1911 S. Havana St., Aurora
I still haven’t quite grasped why so many restaurants successfully churn out authentic Greek and Mexican dishes out of one kitchen (See also: Sam’s No. 3, The Athenian), but this Havana mainstay is among the the top places for quality ethnic plates being served alongside standard American fare like burgers and fries.
2. Guadalajara, 1001 S. Abilene St., Aurora
This recommendation is as personal as it gets — I’ve likely spent more time eating at Guadalajara than I’ve spent at some of my previous jobs. My wife swears it’s as close to perfect as it gets, the gold standard being the 3 Margaritas in Longmont. The similarities are clear — big burritos of all kinds (with plenty of veg-friendly options available), bountiful sides, crispy chile rellenos and a bright, family atmosphere. Since we’re talking about local flavor, I must mention the Burrito Colorado — this is the best beef in a red sauce this side of the briskets in Kansas City.
3. Black-eyed Pea, various locations across Denver metro
Transplants from the West Coast and South can’t wait for new Jack in the Box franchises to pop up along the Front Range. More and more people are exposed to Chik-Fil-A and its breaded goodness each day here in Colorado. For Midwestern transplants like myself, knowing there’s a place for the simple chicken-fried steak and mashed potatoes drenched in cream gravy is almost as comforting as the aroma of the food itself — seeing as this is Colorado, get the jalapeño gravy to spice things up.
4. BeauJo’s, various locations
It’s unlikely we’ll live to see the day that “Colorado-style pizza” becomes as iconic as the way they make pies in New York, Chicago or California, but that doesn’t mean it’s not as delicious. The thick, bready pizzas at Beau Jo’s have to be among the best main dishes of all-time that can be dipped in honey, and the best setting for consuming it has to be in downtown Idaho Springs. So we’ll settle for fame on par with Cincinnati chili — that leaves more Canadian bacon, artichoke hearts and red onions for the rest of us.
5. Bender’s Brat Haus, 700 S. Buckley Road, Aurora
This is food worth fighting for — you just know there are untold amounts of mileage put on cars registered in Denver, Jefferson County and parts beyond just so that those drivers can make it out to Aurora for a double brat sandwich or a krautburger. Quality reigns supreme here on a minimalist menu — pick a burger or sandwich, pair it with some chips, coleslaw or potato salad, grab a beverage and you’re set. OK, there are plenty of toppings to choose from (I advocate for sauerkraut or horseradish, but never both), but that’s about it. Simple, delicious, reliable — and only in Aurora.
Holiday Giving
Here's a bit of info passed along by the city's Julie Patterson on the annual Festival of Wreaths exhibit and how you can sponsor and decorate a wreath to benefit the Aurora History Museum:
Sponsor a wreath for Aurora History Museum’s annual Festival of Wreaths exhibit
AURORA, Colo. – Businesses, organizations and individuals get creative when it comes to decorating a wreath for the Aurora History Museum’s annual “Festival of Wreaths” exhibit, with tiny tandem bicycles, ambulances and Eiffel Towers joining the more traditional ribbon, ornaments and holiday glitz.
Sponsor and decorate a wreath by Oct. 29 in time for it to be displayed in the museum’s 11th annual Festival of Wreaths exhibit, which runs from Nov. 2 to Dec. 12. Sponsorship intent must be submitted by Oct. 22. For an application, call 303-739-6667 or visit www.auroramuseum.org.
All wreaths are for sale to the public through a silent auction, and all proceeds benefit the museum’s education programs and exhibits. Bids on wreaths will be accepted until noon Dec. 10, and may be made in person or online where photos of the wreaths will be available.
Wreath designs often reflect the business or organization’s products, services, activities or interests. Previous year’s themes ranged from Americana and Christmas to more unique concepts such as health care and travel.
The annual Festival of Wreaths has raised more than $15,000 for the Aurora History Museum since its inception. The Aurora History Museum, located at 15051 E. Alameda Parkway, is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call 303-739-6666 or visit www.auroramuseum.org.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Alameda to I-225 SB Ramp Closure Update
The latest from Mindy Crane at CDOT. Motorists, be prepared:
TRAFFIC ADVISORY REMINDER
RAMP FROM ALAMEDA AVENUE TO SOUTHBOUND I-225 STILL CLOSED FOR CONCRETE RECONSTRUCTION
AURORA— On Sunday, September 26th, the Colorado Department of Transportation began reconstructing the on-ramp from Alameda Avenue to southbound I-225 as part of the widening project on I-225 between Mississippi Avenue and 2nd Avenue. As a result, the on-ramp has been completely closed since Sunday and will remain closed until approximately 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 2nd.
“The concrete replacement work is very extensive as it requires us to excavate the sub-grade, bring it up to grade, pave and provide sufficient time for the concrete to cure,” said CDOT Project Engineer Mark Myers. “Since the ramp is narrow and on a curve, it is safer for motorists and our workers to completely close the ramp. Rather than close the ramp for multiple weekends, we have opted to complete the work under a full week closure, which will ultimately reduce the impacts to traffic.”
During the closure, motorists can take Sable Boulevard south to Mississippi Avenue. Once on Mississippi Avenue, go west to I-225. Delays are expected and alternate routes are strongly advised.
CDOT would like to remind motorists to obey all construction signs and flaggers and to “Slow for the Cone Zone.” Fines for most infractions that occur in the work zone will be doubled.
In all, this project widens I-225 between 2nd Avenue and Mississippi Avenue to accommodate three lanes in each direction with an additional auxiliary lane. In addition to the widening, I-225 from north of Colfax Avenue to 2nd Avenue will be restriped to also accommodate three lanes in each direction and an additional auxiliary lane. A new 8-10 foot noise wall will be constructed near Mississippi Avenue to replace the deteriorating wooden fence and a second noise wall will be constructed near Potomac Circle.
Interstate Highway Construction is the contractor of this $20.3 million project scheduled to be complete by the end of August 2011.
To receive e-mail updates about the project, visit www.coloradodot.info and click on the icon in the upper right-hand corner. The link will take you to a list of items you can subscribe to including the I-225 Widening project listed under “Projects.” You can also visit the project website at http://www.coloradodot.info/projects/i-225-widening.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
A new way to pay from E-470
The following from Jo Snell at the E-470 Highway Authority:
License Plate Toll (LPT) customers, who are billed for their E-470 tolls via photos of their license plates, can now establish an online account to view and pay their tolls without waiting for their monthly statements to arrive in the mail.
The new tool, “Online Account Manager,” offers LPT customers more accessible account information, convenience and control. “This makes using E-470 more attractive for our LPT customers,” said E-470 Public Information Officer Jo Snell. “Our customers now have several methods to pay their tolls, and they have the ability to manage their account information online.”
LPT customers may register and update their account information online, choose to receive monthly LPT statements via email instead of postal mail, deposit pre-paid tolls of any amount to their account, or pay for individual tolls incurred prior to a statement being generated. The customer can also leave credit card information on file for the convenience of making payments at any time or instruct E-470 to debit the card for the amount owed when the monthly statement is due.
LPT customers can open their accounts online at www.expresstoll.com and click on “Open Account” on the left side of the screen. They have the option of establishing an online account for License Plate Toll or opening an EXpressToll account to receive a 10 percent discount on E-470 tolls and take advantage of the EXpressToll Rewards program. EXpressToll is a transponder-based account that, in addition to the toll discount, provides automatic, continuous payment features and replenishment of the account.
E-470 is a tollway that runs along the eastern perimeter of the Denver metropolitan area. The 70-mph highway extends 47 miles from State Highway C-470 at I-25 in Douglas County, ending at I-25 just south of 160th Ave., in Thornton.
Monday, February 22, 2010
What's Wiki-able?
From time to time I like to keep tabs on how users of the Internet (especially those in positions of power in the non-virtual world) interact with and manage content on Wikipedia. Obviously a popular site relied upon by many for public knowledge is intriguing enough, lest we forget that anyone with web access can edit it as they see fit.
I noticed today that someone by the alias 'Aurorapio' had gone through and done a substantial amount of editing on the Wikipedia entry for the city of Aurora, Colorado. They were good edits that provided a wider understanding of the city, its neighborhoods, its history and much more. [EDIT: I had a nice chat with Julie Patterson at the city, who confirmed she spent the time adding to the city's page. I'll tell you what I told her: Having a photo of Buckley AFB is probably a better representation of Aurora than the decades-old photo of Fitzsimons that previously inhabited that space.]
It was some good housekeeping on what is usually one of the top three search-engine results that pop up when people search for information on Aurora. In fact, it's good to think someone on the municipal payroll thinks about the city's online presence beyond the official website. Visitors of the Wiki page will be better off for those edits.
But then there's the other side of that coin: What's fair game regarding less-than-flattering information on Wikipedia?
Take, for example, former state Rep. Michael Garcia, who served Colorado's 42nd House district from 2001 to 2008. His Wikipedia page includes plenty of biographical information about his education and public service, including measures he sponsored and supported during various legislative sessions.
Former Rep. Garcia is also notable for why he left office: Garcia resigned in 2008 following accusations made by a female lobbyist that Garcia had exposed himself to her at a Denver bar. Garcia disputed the media reports at the time but did not deny that the incident happened (in a press release (PDF), Garcia stated "the other party and I engaged in consensual conduct that was inappropriate given my position in the legislature").
So the question is: Is it pertinent for the online encyclopedia to contain information about Garcia's exit from the legislature? For the time being, Garcia is a private citizen; whether he decides to return to a public profile on scale with what he once had remains to be seen.
According to Wikipedia user 'Repgarica,' the answer is no.
In June 2009 and December 2009, user 'Repgarcia' took great care to edit or delete references to the scandal and Garcia's subsequent resignation.
Lots of people (especially elected officials) are haunted for years by tales of misdeeds, alleged or assured. That's not necessarily the main issue here. The bigger issue at hand is our general reliance on information like that found on Wikipedia. We can have extremely detailed examinations of the lives of public figures (take the gargantuan Wiki page for Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, for example) alongside pages for people like Garcia, which you could argue contain a few sins of omission.
In the end, there is still need for independent voices that check facts and vet sources before publishing. Wikipedia would not exist without them (the online encyclopedia's own guidelines state various standards must be met for a citation to be considered reliable).
I noticed today that someone by the alias 'Aurorapio' had gone through and done a substantial amount of editing on the Wikipedia entry for the city of Aurora, Colorado. They were good edits that provided a wider understanding of the city, its neighborhoods, its history and much more. [EDIT: I had a nice chat with Julie Patterson at the city, who confirmed she spent the time adding to the city's page. I'll tell you what I told her: Having a photo of Buckley AFB is probably a better representation of Aurora than the decades-old photo of Fitzsimons that previously inhabited that space.]
It was some good housekeeping on what is usually one of the top three search-engine results that pop up when people search for information on Aurora. In fact, it's good to think someone on the municipal payroll thinks about the city's online presence beyond the official website. Visitors of the Wiki page will be better off for those edits.
But then there's the other side of that coin: What's fair game regarding less-than-flattering information on Wikipedia?
Take, for example, former state Rep. Michael Garcia, who served Colorado's 42nd House district from 2001 to 2008. His Wikipedia page includes plenty of biographical information about his education and public service, including measures he sponsored and supported during various legislative sessions.
Former Rep. Garcia is also notable for why he left office: Garcia resigned in 2008 following accusations made by a female lobbyist that Garcia had exposed himself to her at a Denver bar. Garcia disputed the media reports at the time but did not deny that the incident happened (in a press release (PDF), Garcia stated "the other party and I engaged in consensual conduct that was inappropriate given my position in the legislature").
So the question is: Is it pertinent for the online encyclopedia to contain information about Garcia's exit from the legislature? For the time being, Garcia is a private citizen; whether he decides to return to a public profile on scale with what he once had remains to be seen.
According to Wikipedia user 'Repgarica,' the answer is no.
In June 2009 and December 2009, user 'Repgarcia' took great care to edit or delete references to the scandal and Garcia's subsequent resignation.
Lots of people (especially elected officials) are haunted for years by tales of misdeeds, alleged or assured. That's not necessarily the main issue here. The bigger issue at hand is our general reliance on information like that found on Wikipedia. We can have extremely detailed examinations of the lives of public figures (take the gargantuan Wiki page for Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, for example) alongside pages for people like Garcia, which you could argue contain a few sins of omission.
In the end, there is still need for independent voices that check facts and vet sources before publishing. Wikipedia would not exist without them (the online encyclopedia's own guidelines state various standards must be met for a citation to be considered reliable).
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