Judy Montero

Below are the remarks from Mary Malatesta last week at her swearing-in ceremony as Interim Manager of Safety:

George Bernard Shaw once said, “I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege, my privilege to do for it whatever I can.”

I agree with him completely. As we go forward In this challenging time, our focus will be on strengthening the partnership between Denver’s citizens and its law enforcement community. Our message will be that it is trust and faith in each other that keeps our citizens and our officers safe. And we will remember, as we must, the dedication of our of uniformed personnel who risk their lives daily to do their duty and to protect and serve their community.

We will also remember the evolution of the Department of Safety initiated by the Mayor and Manager LaCabe, working hand in hand our community — citizens, oversight agencies, employees and our leadership. That evolution resulted in Safety agencies which regularly achieve national recognition and are constantly reaching for the highest levels of excellence.

But it has also demanded from us an ever stronger commitment to objectivity and accountability, an understanding of the importance of stakeholder input, and fair and appropriate discipline. We have made enormous systemic changes, but the work is not yet done. It is our obligation — indeed, I believe it is my duty —

• to continue to build on the solid foundation which we have been given.
• to ensure fairness and thoroughness in the disciplinary process – for both citizens and officers
• to commit to continuing the reforms to which Manager LaCabe devoted his career
• to listening to community concerns, and
• to value and encourage the more than 3500 dedicated men and women who work in the Department of Safety — civilians and uniformed employees alike. from the 911 Center to Pretrial Services, from Safe City to the Crime Prevention and Control Commission.

There are many good works done by many, many good people in the Department of Safety every day, and that work goes on regardless of headlines. All of them, like all of you here today, my family and friends, have been an unending source of inspiration and support. I cannot thank you all enough.

In my four years as Deputy Manager of Safety I have spoken at many ceremonies. On almost every occasion, the recurrent theme has been the importance of character and integrity to the work we do. As we stand at this crossroads, we have a chance to show our character and demonstrate our integrity as we serve our community.

I thank you Mayor for allowing me the privilege of doing for my community whatever I can.

The Taste of Colorado festivities get underway tomorrow; check the event website for full details.

Festival organizers work closely with the City to minimize the inconvenience of street closures and detours. Light rail, free MallRide buses, bike parking, and thousands of parking spaces make getting to the Festival easy. Whether you’re planning on driving, biking, or riding the bus or light rail to A Taste of Colorado, there are lots of options available:

• Use Light Rail: The D, H, & F line trains arrive at the 16th & California Station for an easy walk to the Festival or transfer to the FREE 16th Street MallRide buses to the Festival. C & E lines trains arrive at Union Station where it’s easy to transfer to the FREE 16th Street MallRide buses to the Festival.
• Take the Bus: The following local bus routes have stops just a few blocks away from the Festival: 52, 32, 28, 20, 16, 15, 12, 10, 9, 7, 6, 2, 1, and 0. For RTD Bus and Light Rail schedules, call (303) 299-6000 or visit www.rtd-denver.com .
• Ride Your Bicycle: Avoid parking your car and park your bike instead! BikeDenver is offering secure bicycle parking at a new, convenient location on 13th Avenue, between the Denver Public Library and the Denver Art Museum.  Bicycle parking is free, but a $1 or $2 donation to BikeDenver is suggested. Visit www.bikedenver.org for more information.
• Use B-cycle: There are four B-cycle stations within one block of the event perimeter. Visit www.denver.bcycle.com for more information on station locations and rates.

The date for “The Red Forest” dedication ceremony has been changed from Wednesday, September 8, to Friday, September 10. All the other particulars are the same.

The Denver Office of Cultural Affairs and the Riverfront Park Community Foundation are pleased to announce the dedication of a new public artwork, “The Red Forest,” by Australian artist Konstantin Dimopoulos. Now installed at the base of the Millennium Bridge ’s west plaza at 16th St. and Little Raven St., the sculpture will be dedicated a week from today (Wednesday, September from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The dedication and artist talk are free and open to the public, but you have to RSVP in advance, as space is limited. To RSVP, contact Mary Valdez at mary.valdez@denvergov.org or 720-865-4313.

“The Red Forest” was funded by the Riverfront Park Community Foundation, with DOCA overseeing the artist selection process. Dimopoulos describes the work this way:

The Red Forest is a dynamic sculpture that uses color, vertical forms, the natural environment, repetition of form and the imagination of the viewer to transform a site and echo an organic, primordial past.

The Red Forest is also a changing work, from upright, orderly serenity to gently pulsing abstraction when moved by the wind. The reeds move together to form transitory patterns then separate and open up to reveal new aspects of the sculpture. People can move freely around the sculpture to enjoy the reflective and mesmeric nature of the work.

The Denver Latino Commission is convening a special community forum on immigration this Thursday, September 2, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. It will take place at Mi Casa Resource Center, 360 Acoma St.

The event will includerepresentatives from the Colorado Immigrants Rights Commission (CIRC), Rights for All People (RAP), and the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMIAN). The discussion will include the politics, law, and public policy aspects of the immigration issue.

Refreshments will be served, and there will be English and Spanish interpreters on hand. For additional information contact Loretta Martinez at Loretta.martinez@denvergov.org.

It’s finally here —- the No Garage Garage Sale takes place tomorrow from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wynkoop Street, between 15th and Manny’s Bridge. There will be several dozen vendors on hand, selling all sorts of treasures / oddities / curiosities. There’s more info here; hope you can make time to stop by!

And now’s a good time to mark your calendar for the Highland Neighborhood Garage Sale, slated for September 18. You still have time to reserve a vendor’s booth; contact Emily Chaney if interested at GarageSale@denverhighland.org.

The Volunteers of America, Safety of Seniors Handyman Program is excited to be holding the 8^th Annual Rake-Up Colorado event, which helps limited-income seniors in the community with leaf raking and removal.  This event will be taking place on Saturday, October 23^rd, 2010 on Make a Difference Day.  The event is among the many services offered to seniors by the Safety of Seniors Handyman Program, including minor repairs and safety modifications in the home. All services intended to keep seniors living safely and independently in their home. 

If you know seniors who need help with raking, or if you would like to volunteer to help with raking please contact the Handyman Program at Volunteers for America at 303-297-0408.

At 10:30 this morning, you can watch the groundbreaking of the East FasTracks Corridor live on “RTD TV.” Click here to get the live feed.

Join Judy and the rest of the Denver Union Station Project Authority (DUSPA) for a celebration on Tuesday, September 7, at 1:30 p.m.

DUSPA members (including Judy), city officials, construction team personnel, and neighborhood leaders will all be on hand to take note of what’s been accomplished so far with this project, and what lies ahead. This initiative will help shape the future of downtown Denver, with implications for the entire region.

You can find lots of construction images at the DUSPA web site, along with a semi-monthly update of construction activities. If you have any thoughts about how this project is going, Judy wants to hear them — get in touch!