Volume 6, Issue 8
May 15, 2025 - June 14, 2025
Tariffs start to affect some North Denver businesses BY ALLEN COWGILL SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
The recent tariffs, taxes imposed on imported goods, are already affecting three North Denver businesses. Steve Pribyl, owner of SloHi Bike and Coffee Company, said tariffs are affecting his pricing and inventory. Much of the product sold at his bike shop at the corner of West 29th Avenue and Tennyson Street is manufactured in Taiwan, Vietnam and Indonesia. Some of his suppliers have already seen aluminum tariffs affect pricing and he has had to increase his own prices on chains and some bicycle locks. He said he’s been getting emails from some of his suppliers that are preemptively raising prices. “Some of my suppliers are like ... we know the tariffs are coming. We are going to raise prices now,” Pribyl said. Getting inventory is also becoming an issue for the shop. Pribyl, who was an employee at SloHi up until two years ago when he bought the shop, has traditionally tried to run a lean-inventory management strategy because he is just starting out on the ownership side of the business. SEE TARIFFS, P14
WHAT’S INSIDE PG. 2 CONNECTING GENERATIONS WRAPS UP SCHOOL YEAR PG. 3 HIGHLANDS STREET FAIR RETURNS IN JUNE PG. 4 NORTHSIDE ARTIST DEBUTS FIRST ALBUM PG. 12 REGIS UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES GRADUATION
POSTAL Customer
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
DENVER, CO PERMIT No. 2565 EDDM
Dr. Inma Martin, farthest left, is joined by several students before performing a Flamenco dance April 25 on the main stage of the Denver North High School International Fair. PHOTO BY CASSIS TINGLEY
Students, staff find connection at North High School’s International Fair BY CASSIS TINGLEY SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Last week, North High School marked its sixth annual International Fair. The event sported dance and musical performances, tables featuring snacks supplied by students and teachers from around the world and an arepa booth serving the Venezuelan cornmeal cake specialty to attendees. Dr. Inma Martin, who immigrated to the U.S. from Spain 13 years ago, started the fair. What began as a project for students to research different countries has now become a yearly celebration for students, staff and community members. “At the beginning, it was like homework for the students, and now it’s a community event,” Martin said. “We believe that when we share our culture — our language, our food, our music — we have less arguments and less disputes because we start to understand each other and the things that we have in common.” Martin noted that the fair was a unique opportunity for students to learn about
new cultures directly from their peers and a reflection of North’s diversity. Available during the event were booths, food and performances representing Russia, China, Spain, Mexico, El Salvador, Venezuela, the U.S., the Arab world, First Nations and for the first time Iran and Afghanistan. More than half of the North student body identifies as Latino, and the high school is home to students from around the world, including many immigrant students. The opportunity to celebrate the school’s different cultures meant a lot to North students. “It’s pretty important,” said Ichirin Sandoval, a senior. She said her favorite part of the fair was seeing the different performances, especially the jazz band. “It brings everyone together. It shows how different we are, but we also can have fun at the same time,” she said. The day was just as meaningful to North’s teachers, including Shadi Kafi, who has taught the “Design My Future” classes to North freshmen for six years. Kafi, who is Iranian, said she was delighted by the “genuine interest” her
students and fellow teachers took in learning about Iranian culture. “It was really cool to show students, ‘This is what my parents’ city looks like, and look! Northern Iran, where my mom’s from, looks like Colorado,’” Kafi said. “It was a really special way to connect with both students and staff.” Kafi’s booth featured fun facts about Persian history and culture and an activity where students could write their name in Farsi. She also stocked her table with traditional Iranian snacks including bamiah, zoolbia, eggplant dip with lavash bread and lavashak, all of which were big hits. “It’s stuff that I would have in my house any day of the week,” Kafi said. “That’s what made it special to be able to share.” An impressive lineup of performances took the main stage of the fair, including a classical Persian dance number, flamenco dancing, which Martin participated in, and several mariachi songs performed by North sophomore Erick Flores. SEE SCHOOL FAIR, P15