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Week of August 25, 2022
DENVER, COLORADO
A publication of
VOLUME 95 | ISSUE 40
Curious Theatre flips its script
State moves toward importing drugs from Canada
New artistic director leads 25th season CANDY PETROFSKY SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Gearing up for what’s sure to be its most sterling season ever, Curious Theatre Company is raising the curtain on its big silver anniversary with a significant change of scenery — a new artistic director. “To go from a white man running the company to now a female, and especially, one of color, is vital in continuing our mission of producing thought-provoking, relevant, social justice theater,” said Markus Henry, artist in residence at Curious Theatre Company. The man Henry is referring to is Chip Walton, the “OG” of what’s known backstage as the magnificent seven — which includes his now wife Dee Covington — who started Curious Theatre Company 24 years ago. Walton and Covington will be leaving the company at the end of this upcoming 25th season to seek new adventures. SEE CURIOUS, P4
Colorado a step closer after signing contracts BY JOHN INGOLD THE COLORADO SUN
“No guts, no story.” Entering into its 25th anniversary season, Curious Theatre Company is known for its longstanding commitment to pioneering work, equity, diversity COURTESY OF CURIOUS THEATRE COMPANY and inclusion.
Tracking pollution in state’s most impacted areas Trying to get state to take action has been lengthy process BY MIGUEL OTÁROLA COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO
Sandra Ruiz-Parrilla has organized walking tours, planted trees and curated art exhibits to draw attention to the environmental hazards in Denver’s Globeville neighborhood.
There’s the constant noise and foul smells coming from construction sites, Interstate 70 and the nearby Purina pet-food plant, she said. There is also the soil under the homes, contaminated by industrial smelters from decades past. But getting state officials to go beyond increasing their awareness and taking steps to fix those problems has been a long process, she said. “It’s hard to really fight and raise your voice, because they don’t really hear us in our neighborhoods,” Ruiz-Parrilla said in Spanish.
INSIDE: CALENDAR: PAGE 11 | VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14
More than a year after Gov. Jared Polis signed the Environmental Justice Act into law, state officials say they are working to earn the trust of Coloradans who are disproportionately impacted by pollution and other environmental risks. The legislation allocated more than $2.5 million this year for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to target pollution in communities with lower incomes and more people of SEE POLLUTION, P5
Colorado has taken another step toward importing lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada, after signing contracts with companies on both sides of the border that will handle the transaction. The state hopes that bringing in regular, everyday prescription drugs from Canada, where they are sold at a lower price than in the United States, will help lower drug costs for people here. On Aug. 18, the state announced that it has signed deals with three companies: AdiraMedica, a wholesaler with a subsidiary in Canada that will act as the exporter; Premier Pharmaceuticals, an Idaho-based wholesaler that will act as the importer and distributor; and Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Safety, which will run a program to collect reports on the drugs’ safety. “We have hit a major milestone on importation, and that is, if you will, setting up the pathway and the partner contracts in order to enable the importation.” said Kim Bimestefer, the executive director of the Colorado Department of SEE COST, P2
BACK TO SCHOOL
First-year teachers getting ready for 2022-23
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