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Why Our Industrial Age Schools are Failing Our Information Age Kids

November 30, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

Educator, Researcher Describes 4 Ways to Reboot

In spite of the billions of dollars spent on educational reform since “A Nation at Risk” was published in 1987, more than half of America’s high school seniors are not proficient in reading, and 75 percent can’t do math, according to the recently released National Assessment of Educational Progress.

“Clearly, the current approaches to educational reform are failing,” says notes educational researcher and consultant Charles M. Reigeluth, author of “Reinventing Schools: It’s Time to Break the Mold” (www.reigeluth.net). “The problem is that major aspects of our educational system were devised to meet the societal needs of a bygone era.”

“We need to change the paradigm – we need to move from Industrial Age ‘factory model schools’ to accommodate and reflect Information Age needs and realities.”

The Industrial Age in the United States, roughly 1830 to 1960, was shaped by machinery and mass production. Many jobs moved from farms to factories, which required workers – and therefore students – who would follow instructions and endure repetitive, boring tasks, he says. 

“We did not need to educate many people to high levels, so Industrial Age schools sorted students, promoting the few needed for managerial and professional work, and flunking out the many needed for the assembly lines,” says Reigeluth, a former high school teacher and Indiana University professor. 

“Today, knowledge work is more common than manual labor, and our systems are far more complex. All adults need a higher degree of knowledge just to function in society, so we can no longer afford a system that is designed to leave many children behind.”

Here are four Industrial Age educational artifacts, according to Reigeluth, and how to update them for the Information Age: 

•  Time-based student progress: Currently students in a class move on together to the next topic according to the calendar, regardless of whether they have learned the current material.  Slower students accumulate learning gaps that make it more difficult for them to master related material in the future, virtually condemning them to flunk out. The system is designed to leave many children behind.

A paradigm designed to leave no child behind would allow each student to move on as soon as he or she has learned the current material, and no sooner.  This requires “personalized learning’’ and “learner-centered instruction” that is both high-tech and high-touch.

•  Standardized and other broad tests: Rather than evaluating a student based on how much he or she has learned in a certain amount of time, such as a 9-week period, each student should be evaluated to determine when the material has been learned, so we know when the student is ready to move on. This is called “criterion-referenced assessment,” a different paradigm from “norm-referenced assessment.”

“A big test with 20 different topics, as we use now, shows only how much a student knows compared to other students,” Reigeluth says. “In the Information Age paradigm, all students are expected to finish learning whatever they undertake to learn. Like a Boy Scout working on a badge, each student continues to work until the material is mastered.”

Assessments, then, are incremental and cover a single competency, or a small set of competencies. They certify mastery while also helping guide learning by showing students what they need to continue working on.

•  The traditional grading system: The traditional grading system indicates how well a student performed compared to the other students in a class – a tool that is only effective in sorting students. It’s not an effective way of guiding and ensuring individual student learning, and it tells you little about what the student has learned. 

“Rather than achievement reflected as grades on a report card, it would be reflected as lists of skills and concepts that the student has mastered,” Reigeluth says.

•  Locking students into grades: Grade levels are incompatible with the Information Age model because students learn at different rates and become ready to move on to different material at different times. Grade levels are a key feature of the time-based, sorting-focused paradigm that served us well during the Industrial Age, but are detrimental to meeting Information Age educational needs. 

Instead, group students into similar developmental levels, which typically span three to four years.

“Grouping developmentally, rather than based on age or rigid levels of content learning, accounts for the different rates at which children develop socially and emotionally,” Reigeluth says. “Children can remain in their social-emotional peer group while working on projects typically tackled by students of a higher or lower age.”

About Charles M. Reigeluth

Charles M. Reigeluth is a distinguished educational researcher who focuses on paradigm change in education. He has a B.A. in economics from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. in instructional psychology from Brigham Young University. He was a professor at the Instructional Systems Technology Department at Indiana University, and is a former chairman of the department. His new book, “Reinventing Schools,” (www.reigeluth.net), advocates and chronicles a national paradigm change in K-12 education. He offers presentations and consulting on this topic.

Dominican Home Health Agency Receives Grant to Serve Denver’s Poor, Sick Elderly

November 30, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

Denver, CO – Dominican Home Health Agency announced today that it has received a $150,000 Daniels Fund grant to support its mission to provide free in-home nursing care and other health-related services to Metro Denver’s poorest seniors.

For 91 years, Dominican Home Health Agency (DHHA)’s high quality comprehensive nursing care enables the poor, sick elderly to remain healthy, safe and as independent as possible in their homes. DHHA offers three core programs: 1) In-Home Nursing Care; 2) 11 Wellness Clinics in low-income senior housing; and 3) a Durable Medical Equipment Loan Program.

DHHA health outcomes are well-documented and demonstrate reduction in falls, medication errors and hospitalizations and an increase in medication compliance and diabetic control. In 2013, DHHA’s care kept at least 225 in-home patients out of nursing homes – an estimated savings to Colorado taxpayers of almost $20 million.

“This generous grant will enable our agency to increase the number of indigent older adults we can serve,” said Mary Morroni, Board Chair. “Without our intervention, many of these disadvantaged frail seniors would be placed in nursing homes or live at home without assistance and be subjected to numerous emergency hospital stays, while others would simply die of neglect,” adds Morroni.

Bill Daniels, a pioneer in cable television known for his kindness and generosity to those in need, established the Daniels Fund to provide grants and scholarships in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. For more information, please visit www.danielsfund.org

For more information about Dominican Home Health Agency and to donate, call (303) 322-1413 x16 or visit www.dominicanhha.org

North Denver lady retires from Regis at 93

November 20, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

bernie pixMargaret Malsam |

Her friends call Bernie Langfield a “ball of fire” because she seems to have boundless energy.  This dynamic North Denver woman has twice been widowed, raised 11 children and been featured in LIFE Magazine.

After working 37 years at Regis University, this energetic lady just now retired from her job at the age of 93.  Recently the University honored her with a retirement party.  “We love you. You touched the lives of countless people.” said Regis president John Fitzgibbons, SJ, as he thanked her for many years of loving service at Regis

“I am always amazed by how students gravitate toward you. Maybe it is something about being a mother of 11,” said the Regis president. He explained how she served as a surrogate mother for homesick students who needed her care, such as baking cakes for their birthdays, mending their clothes, and even inviting them into her home. Through the years, she has become close friends with many students. “She is leaving a person legacy,” points out daughter Kristie Langfield who works in data processing at Regis

Langfield has lived most of her 93 years in North Denver. Her parents, William and Alice Secord, who lived at 39th and Xavier near the old Elitch’s Gardens, helped establish Holy Family Catholic Church at 44th and Utica when the parish was founded as a Jesuit mission of Sacred Heart College (now Regis University) in 1889.

After this North Denver girl graduated from Holy Family High School, she worked at the Kress 10 cents store on Denver’s 16th Street.   Here she met and later married James Shelton Doyle, Jr. who also worked there. After three years, the happy marriage tragically ended when Second Lt. Doyle was killed in Germany in World War II in 1944.

Then this 23-year old war widow and her two toddler sons moved back into her old home with her newly-widowed father and three younger siblings. In 1946, LIFE Magazine interviewed her in a story asking war widows about the likelihood of marrying again. She told the LIFE Magazine reporter that she was undecided at that time. Later she married Al Langfield, and they settled in North Denver. The young couple had nine children, and their family then numbered 11.

After her second husband died, this 57-year-old widow started working at the bookstore at Regis. As students wandered in asking questions, she always took the time to make them feel welcome with her smile and warm hospitality. Soon she moved up to a job in the University Advancement office where she continued to go that extra mile for students and faculty. She baked cakes for their birthdays, mended their clothes, and even invited them into her home.

In addition to her administrative assistant duties, she coordinated a monthly memorial mass for Regis alumni to pray for their deceased family members, which included mailing over 700 invitations to these families.

Many times Langfield has been a panelist on Regis University’s Center for the Study of War Experience, a program dear to her heart. Once when this spunky lady was serving as a panelist, she heard a visiting professor make some disparaging remarks about Purple Hearts. “He got my Irish up so I spoke up and said my husband was killed in World War II, and he earned his Purple Heart,” she explained.

When both Regis and Holy Family high schools were located in North Denver, all five of her sons went to the all-boys school, and her six daughters went to Holy Family.  Nine of Bernie’s children and six of her grandchildren attended Regis University. Four of her daughters also have worked at the university.

She cherishes her wonderful work experiences at Regis. “I will miss everyone, especially the students and my colleagues in University Advancement,” says Langfield, who plans to spend more time with her large family and loved ones.

Les Schwab rolls into Lakeside

November 20, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

Basha Cohen |

[email protected] |

 

Les Schwab Tire Center is on a roll with a grand opening celebration for their tenth Colorado location to be held on November 20-22.  The newest store for the West’s largest tire retailer is located in the Lakeside neighborhood at 5871 W. 44th Ave.  True to their philanthropic roots the organization is teaming up with local schools, Wheat Ridge and Arvada High Schools to compete in a tire roll event that will earn money for their schools.

Lonnie Grimm, the store’s manager said, “The tire roll is a tradition during our grand openings and is a lot of fun.  Our mission is to be involved with our local community. Sponsoring schools for various events, participating in half time shows, basketball games and various competitions get our name out there and create lifelong partnerships with our local community.”

During the three-day event that starts Thursday, November 20 there will be free food, giveaways, savings and fun while supporting the local high schools. Thursday and Friday get the party started with spinning the prize wheel including tickets to movies and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Local radio station KTCL, 93.3 Modern Rock, will broadcast from 11:00-1:00 on Friday and KPTT, 95.7 FM the PARTY, on Saturday from 11:00-1:00. Saturday will also highlight the Metro North Chamber of Commerce for a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11:00. The high school tire roll happens on Saturday at noon. Come watch the athletes compete and enjoy a complimentary lunch catered by Frank’s Texas Style Bar-B-Que, while supplies last.  On that same day, Broncos tickets and a Peyton Manning team jersey will be given away.

Aside from all the fun, now that the winter tire season is upon us, during the grand opening customers will receive additional savings via the direct mail Les Schwab flier with coupons on tires during the month of November.  One can never tire from safety and savings. That’s how Les Schwab rolls.

Alliance buys former RedPeak sites in West Highland

November 20, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

A preliminary rendering from RNL on what has been called the Highland Square project.

A preliminary rendering from RNL on what has been called the Highland Square project.

Originally published by:
InsideRealEstateNews.com |

John Rebchook |

[email protected] |

 

WEST HIGHLANDS — Construction likely will begin soon on luxury apartments in the heart of the trendy Highlands Square area of West Highland at a long-planned development that a neighborhood group unsuccessfully tried to stop in a campaign that included a court battle.

Phoenix-based Alliance Residential Co. can start construction on the 147-unit community because it has completed its purchase of a trio of sites along Lowell Boulevard, Meade Street and West Moncrieff Place, just north of the popular West 32nd Avenue restaurant and bar corridor.

Records show that Alliance, through a company called Broadstone Highlands Square LLC, paid about $9.7 million to a group headed by Tom Wootten for the properties.

An Alliance executive could not immediately be reached for comment last Friday.

At one point, Denver-based RedPeak Properties had the land under contract for $4.55 million, according to court records from the lawsuit in Denver District Court. The lawsuit had been filed by members of a grassroots opposition group called No High Rises in West Highland. Wooten’s group paid $3.75 million for the property in 2007, but spent more than another $1 million on the project after purchasing it. Expenses included the costly legal battle, removing asbestos from a church building, and razing a portion of the church, as well as another building on the site.

The neighbors could not convince a judge during a three-day trial last year that the U-MS-5 zoning was an example of illegal spot zoning or that the 5-story buildings were incompatible with the mostly single-family home neighborhood and a violation of Blueprint Denver, a transportation and zoning guide for the city’s development.

Alliance building RedPeak’s plans

Alliance also bought the architectural plans, engineering and other reports from RedPeak.

While RedPeak declined to comment, observers said those type of plans would cost about $1 million, making Alliance’s total entry cost about $10.7 million.

Paying $1 million for the plans, however, would be less costly than the time-consuming prospect of starting from scratch, a scenario in which Alliance also would have to worry about increasing construction costs, according to industry sources.

The plans that Alliance bought call for building 5-story buildings on Lowell Boulevard and Meade Street and a 4-story building on Moncrieff.

The former Beth Eden Church building on Lowell has been designated as a historic landmark and will be renovated and incorporated into a new building.

History trumps height

Wootten was willing to contractually require a future buyer to build a maximum height of 4-stories on Meade Street, but in exchange he didn’t want the church designated as a Landmark.

A number of neighbors, and people from other parts of Denver, convinced the Denver City Council to approve the Landmark designation, however.

Even though the Moncrieff plan is zoned for a maximum height of 5-stories, RedPeak agreed to a lower the height by one floor and Alliance will honor that decision.

While the lower heights may allow a developer to charge a small premium for better views on some of the units in the Lowell building, that was not the reason for the voluntary downsizing, a RedPeak official said when it still had the land under contract.

And there would be no problem constructing a 5-story building on the 13,400-square-foot Moncrieff site, a number of experts agreed.

However, a 5-story building would have required an underground parking garage on the Moncrieff site,  which would have been extremely costly, especially given the relatively high water table, explained one person familiar with the project.

Adding a few more units on a fifth floor only would only incrementally add to the value of the project, given the cost of underground parking, he said.

Price high for West Highland

The sales price equates to almost $158 per square foot for the 62,150-square-foot site.

“This is one of the highest priced sales in the Highland area on a price per square foot basis, eclipsing the Denver School District site,” said John Winslow, president of Winslow Property Consultants.

“This price is analogous to prices paid (for land) near Union Station,” for future apartment buildings, said Winslow, who wast not involved in the sale, but is an expert on valuing real estate and closely monitors the Denver-area commercial real estate market.

Winslow said that Alliance likely would be anticipating rents in the $2.30 to $2.50 per square foot range.

At $2.50 per square foot, the monthly rent in a 750-square-foot would be $1,875.

Records also show that Alliance received a loan from Bank of America for about $29 million for the project.

“Typically, the developer pays at least 50 percent cash for acquisitions and the $29 million (BofA loan) would be for the construction and 50 percent of the land cost,” Winslow said.

Winslow estimated that after Alliance has completed construction and “stabilized” the building by leasing a substantial amount of the units, it likely could sell it for about $330,000 per unit. That would represent a sales price of about $48.5 million.

 

InsideRealEstateNews is sponsored by Universal Lending Corp., Land Title Guarantee Co. and
8z Real Estate

 

NW Denver’s Annual Winter Market and Holiday Fair is back

November 20, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

Northwest Denver’s Annual Winter Market and Holiday Fair is back for it’s 6th year on December 6th from 10-3. New this year, the event will be held at Smedley Elementary (temporary home for Valdez Elementary while the building is under construction) at 4250 Shoshone Street. Started in 2008 as a small group of individuals getting together to create holiday gifts, today it boasts over 30 local vendors, free kids activities, a coffee bar and pictures with Santa by Photo Element.

In addition to an incredible collection of neighborhood vendors, such as BookBar, People’s Market, Amazing Wild Science, and Denver Bookbinding Co., be sure to visit Valdez Elementary’s annual Pre-owned Toy and Book Sale. This is a superb opportunity to cross those last minute gifts off your list. The Market & Fair features artisans and boutique style businesses from our neighborhood and surrounding communities selling accessories, art and other unique giftable items. Visualize handcrafted prints, gorgeous jewelry, tasty preserves, sweet caramels and fun gifts for kids…and you’ll have a very good idea what’s in store.

Partnering with Valdez Elementary’s annual Pre-owned Toy and Book Sale, this is a wonderful chance to both donate to and shop for gently used books, doll houses, dress up items, games and toys. Donations can be dropped off at the school during school hours, Monday through Friday. Please contact Kristen at [email protected] for information. Proceeds go directly to the Valdez PTO with over $2000 raised last year.

Come enjoy coffee by the Bean Machine and bring your appetite for a savory selection of baked goods. Mobile Meltz will also be on site selling their delicious grilled cheese sandwiches. And be sure to get there early for a chance to get a picture with Santa. His reindeer leave at 2:00 p.m.!

The WMHF is a free neighborhood community gathering made possible by the sponsorships of our local businesses. Special thanks go out to Speaks Orthodontics. We’d also like to thank the North Denver Tribune, Sour Grapes Designs and Rocket Pack and Ship. Finally, a huge thank you to our vendors for partnering with us in encouraging people to buy local for the holidays. To learn more about this event, please visit us online at www.winter-market.com.

Montessori JR/High to NW

November 20, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

Smedley has been recommended as the future home of the Denver Montessori Junior/Senior High School.

Smedley has been recommended as the future home of the Denver Montessori Junior/Senior High School.

Basha Cohen |

[email protected] |

 

SUNNYSIDE - A heated battle is brewing over the fate of Sunnyside’s once neighborhood elementary, Smedley.  The Denver Montessori Junior/Senior High School (DMHS) has outgrown its current space at Gilpin and is hoping to move into the school this fall. On November 10 a DPS recommendation was made to relocate DMHS on to the site at 43rd and Shoshone. Read more

Mockery Brewing: It’s no joke

November 20, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

 Zach Rabun, of Mockery Brewing, brings another brewery to RINO. Photo by Lindsay Dawson

Zach Rabun, of Mockery Brewing, brings another brewery to RINO.
Photo by Lindsay Dawson

Patrick Dawson |

[email protected]|

 

RINO - You might be thinking to yourself: is it my imagination or has “RiNo” been showing up a heck of a lot recently in our beer column? You, sir or m’am, are correct. And if you didn’t know, now you do. The River North (aka RiNo) district of downtown Denver is quite literally hopping, being that many of the newest, coolest spots are craft breweries. The latest of which is Mockery Brewing. Having just opened to the public on November 7 at 35th St and Delgany, they’re at the heart of what looks to become the Beer ‘Hood of Denver.

On a recent dark, wintery day, Mockery’s taproom lights were shining warmly onto the streets outside. Upon heading to the front entrance, patrons pass through an enjoyable outdoor patio (at least in warm weather), to an intimate interior with an atmosphere of lightly-hip-meets-modern-industrial. The bar extends along one side of the room past a few tables and makes its way over to a variety of fermenters, bags of malt, and plethora of brewing equipment peeking out from around the workspace corner.

But while location and atmosphere are good and important, we’re talking craft beer here and what’s being served at the counter is definitely the focal point. That’s why, what’s especially impressive (and appreciated) about Mockery is their tap offerings. Not only did they have eight different beers ready at opening, but they ran the gamut in styles.

This current wave of new breweries has shown that it’s easy and not uncommon, when first opening to the public, for brewers to discover that they haven’t brewed nearly enough for their eager patrons. But according to Owner/Brewer, Zach Rabun, that just wasn’t going to be an option for his brewery. Instead they’ve been hard at work prepping for their debut and it shows. On top of their eight current pour options, a couple more are about to join them. Here’s a little sampling of what you’ll find right now:

Rye Saison (6.5% ABV): An excellent brew that’s lightly sweet, yet with a pleasantly dry finish and a bit of spicy pepper on the palate. Red Session IPA (5.0% ABV): An easy-drinking and balanced option that offers hoppy notes of citrus and pineapple. Salted Scotch Ale (5.8% ABV): With just a hint of salt, it has layers of caramel maltiness without being too sweet. Vanilla Bourbon Porter (5.4% ABV): Hints of chocolate and marshmallow balance the 1lb of Madagascar vanilla beans (all hand cut) that make up this excellent choice for the winter.

Good beer doesn’t happen by accident, needing an experienced and capable crew behind the helm of the brew kettle, something Mockery has in spades. Having previously been Head Brewer at Elk Mountain in Parker and spending much of the rest of his time brewing and studying beer, Zach has been anxiously waiting to make Mockery a reality. With the addition of Head Brewer, Justin Burnsed, whose resume includes both BrewDog and Stone Brewing, they were ready to roll. While much of this first batch was brewed individually by the two, future beers are planned to be a collaboration of their skills and creativity.

So, while Mockery might be the youngest member of the Denver brew crew, don’t let that fool you. What they lack in age, they more than make up for with some darn tasty beer. If you’re like most and have fallen behind on all the new breweries that have opened, be sure to move Mockery to the top of the list.

 

Mockery Brewing

3501 Delgany St

Denver, CO 80216

Coyote Poets of the Universe

November 20, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

CPU band - color CPU black and white - 2 (1)Trick people into being happy - 9-piece ‘orchestral’ band at Oriental November 22 |

Laurie Dunklee |

[email protected] |

 

Berkeley– The Coyote Poets of the Universe offers an entertaining smorgasbord of musical styles, served up with its own unique flavor.

“The coyote in Native American lore is the trickster. As entertainers we trick people into being happy. We make the world a bit better for a time,” said leader and bassist Andy O’Leary, also a DJ on Denver’s KUVO jazz radio station.

The nine-piece band brings its tricks to the Oriental Theater Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10. The performance is also a video shoot for a 90-minute movie.

Inspired by an eclectic mixture of rock, acoustic, African and Native American music, the band admires such artists as Rusted Root, The Band and Traffic. Spoken word is also a part of the mix, courtesy of O’Leary’s poetry.

“Spoken poetry provides breaks in the music. It adds a different point of view. Sometimes it’s better to tell a story with a poem,” said O’Leary.

A wide range of instruments give the Coyotes their full, “orchestral” sound. The band includes Josie Quick on violin, John Rasmussen on woodwinds, Patricia Shaw on saxophones, Gary Hoover and Tom Carleno on guitars, Melissa Gates on lead vocals, Zach Perry producing and filling in for O’Leary on bass, and Shannon Spencer on drums.

“We like each other, and we like not playing just one kind of music,” O’Leary said.

Spencer, a resident of the Berkeley neighborhood since 1990, likes the band “because we all do our own thing. We play many styles, which allows everyone to dig into their toolbox,” she said. “We all can make our abilities and preferences shine in that band. We have more freedom than in other bands.”

O’Leary started the Coyotes because he wanted more poetry-infused music to play on his radio show.

“It started as an accident,” said O’Leary. “I was doing ‘Jazz Tales’ on KUVO, focusing on music with spoken poetry. After about six months I was running out of recordings to play. Gary [Hoover] suggested to me, ‘Why don’t you write some poetry and we’ll put music to it.’ After a couple of years we had a lot of material so we said, ‘Let’s be a band.’

“Gary was a computer-code-writing, Dilbert-type nerd. He suggested we come up with a name with the acronym CPU [as in Central Processing Unit]. He lived near a greenbelt and at night we heard a congress of coyotes. And we’re both poets, so that worked. The ‘universe’ thing was us goofing around.”

O’Leary and Hoover recorded two albums of studio-synthesizer music, then decided to get live musicians for the third CD because they wanted to perform. “Just us onstage with a couple synthesizers wasn’t very entertaining,” said O’Leary.

The full band produced three more CDs, garnering favorable reviews from Westword, O’s Place Jazz Magazine, Downbeat Magazine, Music Street Journal, Muzik Reviews and Progression Magazine, among others.

The performance at the Oriental will be made into a movie and short videos to accompany the band’s newest CD, “Strange Lullaby.” O’Leary said, “The idea is to get videos for each song, plus about 90 minutes to air on Channel 6. We hope to get a good crowd that night to be part of the movie.”

“Strange Lullaby,” a two-CD set, is in process, slated for completion in spring 2015. O’Leary wrote the lyrics for what he says is a “deep songwriting concept album.”

Coyote Poets of the Universe performs at many clubs and venues in Denver, including the Mercury Cafe, Larimer Lounge, the Meadowlark Bar, Herman’s Hideaway, The D Note, Crossroads Theater and the Toad Tavern.

Coyote drummer Spencer brings her talents to three other Denver bands as well, including the Northwest Denver-based trio, GIN (Girls in the Neighborhood), led by singer LuAnn Reeder. She also works recording dates and subs for other drummers.

Spencer grew up in Ault, Colorado, between Ft. Collins and Greeley, which she considers a boon to her early career as a drummer. “Prejudice against women drummers is not an issue in a small town. I was shy and music was an awesome tool to get me out of my shell. I played for everything, including marching through horse poop in the marching band. I was first chair in the all-state band and I went to Europe with the America Mile High Band.”

She said Northwest Denver’s music scene is growing as new venues open. But she’d like to see a greater respect for musicians. “I’d like to see the bars treat bands with more respect. Unfortunately, respect is a rarity. They try to nickel and dime us, though we’re good partners and we bring people into their places.”

O’Leary grew up in Denver, the son of two musicians. He played trumpet and cello before settling on the bass at South High School. He began at KUVO 25 years ago. In 1993 he began hosting his own show, “Jazz Tales,” on Sunday nights. He was KUVO’s music director but stepped down to devote his time to the band and sub for other DJs. This year he launched his new Sunday night show, “The Nightside with Andy O’,” described on the website as “a mix of radio theater, jazz from Armstrong to Zorn, spoken word poetry and storytelling, interviews and features.”

O’Leary, a prolific poet, says poetry figures in our lives whether we realize it or not. “People have a favorite poet though they don’t know it. It might be Bono or George Harrison. The Coyotes try to be somebody’s favorite poet,” he said.

Inspired by Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion,” O’Leary is launching a new live variety show, “Coyotes at the Crossroads.”

“Our Lake Wobegon is the land of square-shaped states,” says O’Leary of the show’s focus on Western themes unique to states like Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico. The show includes live performances of poetry, storytelling, comedy and music. “The West is a dynamic area that doesn’t need New York,” he told Westword magazine.

Reach the Coyotes at www.coyotepoetsoftheuniverse.com or www.facebook.com/pages/Coyote-Poets-of-the-Universe. For tickets to the Nov. 22 show, see www.theorientaltheater.com/event/185072.

Women on the Verge Fun, Zany, High Energy Entertainment

November 20, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

Theatre112014Craig Williamson |

[email protected] |

HIGHLANDS – I vaguely remember Pedro Almodovar’s 1988 film Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown as a quirky, funny Spanish movie. I knew that it had been made into a stage musical, so when I heard that Equinox Theatre Company, known for producing unusual musicals of late, was giving the show a regional premiere, I jumped at the chance to go see it.  The show is fun, zany at times, well-stocked with unexpected twists, and creatively produced, making for a enjoyable evening of live theater. Read more

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