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Week of January 27, 2022
DENVER, COLORADO
A publication of
VOLUME 95 | ISSUE 10
‘A community treasure’ Gerard Rudofsky discusses friendships, community built at Zaidy’s BY BRUCE GOLDBERG SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Gerard Rudofsky loves working at Zaidy’s Deli & Bakery, which he formerly owned. He is 81, but has little interest in retiring. Besides, there are many longtime friends to greet as they pack the new Zaidy’s almost every day. The new owners asked Rudofsky to stay on, which he was happy to do. His duties include being a greeter and guiding patrons to tables, offering advice on running the place and supporting the busy catering business. “I will work as long as I can,” Rudofsky said. “I have a commitment for three years. It keeps me SEE TREASURE, P4
Democrats introduce resolution BY ANDREW KENNEY CPR NEWS
1985 and expanded to Colorado in 2014. SAFY of Colorado is located in Fort Collins, but serves youths from any Colorado county, and currently has about 25 licensed foster homes across the Front Range, including the Denver-metro area. Foster homes are needed everywhere, and SAFY would love to get more in Denver. “We need foster families now more than ever,” Coleman said. Children in foster care tend to do much better when they’re in a home, Coleman added, versus
When Colorado Democrats introduced a resolution to support their party’s national push for new voting rights laws, House Republicans responded with a mixed set of their own messages. On one hand, Republican leaders accused Democrats of trying to relitigate the 2020 election for political purposes. On the other, some Republican rank-and-file representatives introduced amendments that again attempted to undermine the 2020 elections. In a debate that lasted more than two hours, right-wing members of the House GOP caucus proposed a series of amendments to question the legitimacy of President Joe Biden’s election; support Tina Peters, the Mesa County Clerk being investigated over a security breach in her office; and thank some of the people who marched on Washington, D.C. last January 6th. “We all could agree — those that didn’t break the law, those who acted honorably, we should thank ‘em, even if we disagree with them,” said Rep. Dave Williams, arguing that protesters were exercising their First Amendment rights. Williams’ amendment specifically mentioned Rep. Ron Hanks, who attended the rally but says he did not participate in the Capitol breach. The Republican amendments were doomed to fail, since Democrats control the chamber, and instead were meant to send a message. They won the backing of most but not all of the House Republicans. One failed amendment would have flatly declared that the state legislature “call(s) into question the legitimacy of Joseph R. Biden to be President.” The various
SEE FOSTER, P2
SEE LEGISLATURE, P6
Beth Ginsburg, co-owner of Zaidy’s Deli & Bakery, and Gerard Rudofsky, former owner of the Jewish deli in Denver, celebrate opening the restaurant’s new locaCOURTESY PHOTO tion at 600 S. Holly St. in August.
Providing a homelike, family setting Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth wants to recruit more foster families BY CHRISTY STEADMAN CSTEADMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The popular saying goes: It takes a village to raise a child. That saying could not be more true for children who are involved in child welfare. But there is a tremendous need for foster families, both locally and nationally. According to Specialized Alternatives for Families and Youth
State Legislature argues over Jan. 6, election integrity
(SAFY), which is a foster care nonprofit, 2020 studies reveal there are about 5,500 children involved in foster care and child welfare in Colorado. “We have a lot of kids who aren’t able to be in their homes for one reason or another,” said Jenna Coleman, executive director of SAFY of Colorado. “We want to (be able to) keep them in a homelike setting.” SAFY got its start in Ohio in
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 8 | LIFE: PAGE 10 | CALENDAR: PAGE 7
TAKING FLIGHT
Pilots happy to teach children to fly
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