April 20, 2017
DENVER Since 1926
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DENVER, COLORADO
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State Senate OKs bill aimed at avoiding pot crackdown Measure, which still needs House approval, is intended to combat federal intervention ASSOCIATED PRESS
A make-up artist prepares one of the models for the runway. Intense focus among the chaos was needed to be working backstage. Photographers were asked to leave almost immediately after entering. PHOTOS BY AN WARREN
Fashion struts stage in annual event
Laura Schweitzer stands on the runway during the event’s second night. She announced winners of 303 Magazine’s awards and introduced the beginning of the show.
BY IAN WARREN SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Designers, models, stylists — and Denver’s most stylish — gathered at EXDO Event Center in the RINO neighborhood recently for Denver Fashion Weekend, a three-night event sponsored for the 10th year by 303 Magazine. During the first two nights, local and national boutiques and designers showed off their talents and designs. The third night was all about hair styling. The surge in population in the Denver metro area has spurred the fashion event’s growth, said Brittany Werges, managing editor at 303 Magazine. “With the growing population, there are a lot of people who want to be in on it,” Werges
said. “Fortunately, for us, that manifested in record-breaking ticket sales and twice the amount of attendees since last spring.” The most celebrated night is hair night, when stylists — mostly the southwestern states — go all out to showcase their talents. This year, that included ballerinas dancing down the runway and elaborate headdresses by Beto’s Salon in Cherry Creek. Perhaps the most significant participant this year was international supermodel Madeline Stuart, who has Down syndrome and is touring to raise awareness. Her next stop is London. Denver Fashion Weekend happens twice a year, in spring and fall. For more information, go to 303magazine.com.
The Colorado Senate has passed a bill to allow pot growers and retailers to reclassify recreational pot as medical marijuana in the event of a federal crackdown. The bill, passed April 12, is seen as the boldest bid yet by a U.S. marijuana state to avoid possible federal intervention in its pot market. But critics say nothing guarantees that reclassifying pot as medicine would stop federal action. Marijuana is illegal under federal law, and the Trump administration has given mixed signals on its policy toward U.S. marijuana states. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has been skeptical of pot’s medical value. President Donald Trump has suggested the handling of marijuana should be up to the states. Recreational pot is legal in eight states plus Washington, D.C., and medical marijuana is legal in more than half the country. The bill passed by Colorado’s Republican-controlled Senate and sent to the Democrat-led House would allow the state’s roughly 500 licensed recreational marijuana growers to reclassify their product “based on a business need due to a change in local, state or federal law or enforcement policy.” Sen. Tim Neville, a Jefferson County Republican and a sponsor of the bill, has said recreational pot businesses need to have the option of converting their goods into medicinal pot to stay in business. But opponents say any such move would be costly. Colorado would lose more than $100 million a year because it taxes recreational pot much more than medical pot — nearly 18 percent versus 3 percent.
THE BOTTOM LINE PERIODICAL
‘This Von coming up is going to be the best Von that I put forward. It’s going to be my best year.’ Von Miller, Broncos linebacker | Page 7 INSIDE
NEWS: PAGE 2 | VOICES: PAGE 4 | LIFE: PAGE 6 VOLUME 90 | ISSUE 26