WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 26, 2024
VOLUME 20 | ISSUE 13
Arvada City Council hears updates on Climate Action and Sustainability Plan
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Arvada Center reimagines the classic tale of ‘Dracula’
BY LILLIAN FUGLEI SPECIAL TO THE ARVADA PRESS
As concern for environmental sustainability is on the rise, Arvada City Council is looking at ways to make Arvada a more sustainable city. In a meeting on Sept. 16, council heard a presentation on the city’s upcoming Climate Action and Sustainability Plan. The presentation focused on community input and possible strategies the plan could include. Arvada’s Climate Action and Sustainability Plan has been in the works since the beginning of 2024. The plan is meant to help guide Arvada’s work to create a more sustainable and environmentally friendly community over the next 25 years. The presentation — given by representatives from Lotus Engineering & Sustainability, who the city is working with to create the plan — gave city council a look at what could be included in the draft plan, which will be presented in a council meeting on Dec. 9. The first step in developing the plan was community feedback, which was collected at events like the Kite Festival and Taste of Arvada. The city also collected feedback on social media. Many respondents emphasized the need for better public transit, water conservation and expanding recycling and compost services. During the presentation, representatives from Lotus discussed strategies for each of the six sectors of the plan: Energy & the Built Environment, Water Quality and Conservation, Land Use & Urban Design, Transportation, Waste Reduction & Diversion and SEE UPDATES, P8
The show opens just in time for the Halloween season, running from Sept. 27 through Nov. 3.
‘This is one of those Halloween, over-the-top, ridiculous bloody shows’ BY LILLIAN FUGLEI SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
The Arvada Center is bringing a spooky story to the stage just in time for Halloween. Filled with vampires and vampire hunters, “Dracula” is mostly made up of one thing: men. However, that
VOICES: 14 | LIFE: 16 | CALENDAR: 19 | SPORTS: 22
won’t be the case on stage. “Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really” offers a twist on the classic tale, with several characters — such as Renfield and Van Helsing — played by women. The show reimagines Dracula’s story, with women at the center of the fight against him. “I think that borrows a little bit of like Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes,” said Jessica Austgen, who plays Reinfield. “We now have these women kicking ass and beating the bad guy.” While Renfield and Van Helsing are now women, women from the
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original story — Mina Harker and Lucy Westenra — also get to step into the spotlight. “(Women) are there to be pretty and be safe, to give the men something to love and fight for, and somebody to rescue,” said Austgen, referencing the original story. “In this show, Van Helsing, aided by Nina, now does a lot of the rescuing. I think giving those folks power to complete the mission of defeating Dracula, it’s really impactful to see that.” SEE DRACULA, P6
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