Finnegan Keyes and his grandmother Betsy await the Corgi race. A Kentucky Derby party at Stanley Marketplace, May 6, 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
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Gov. John Hickenlooper speaks at the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s <a href="https://denverite.com/colorado-gov-john-hickenlooper-calls-2017-legislative-session-productive-7-years-hints-special-session-35497/">State of the State luncheon</a>, May 11, 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
A round of applause for you, Denver, for making it to this quite lovely weekend on the heels of some rough weather. Hooray for all of us, in fact. We saw the closing of a few chapters this week, and each was worth celebrating. Let's review.
On Friday, Jeanette Vizguerra left sanctuary publicly for the first time in nearly three months. Vizguerra, an undocumented immigrant who lived in two churches to avoid deportation, was named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people last month and was granted a stay from deportation through at least March 2019 as she completes the process of getting a visa.
The day she announced her stay of deportation, Jeanette Vizguerra visits Ingrid Encalada, who is still in sanctuary, May 12, 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
This week was bustling with politics. This next photo was not snapped in Colorado, but Denver-based photojournalist Benjamin Rasmussen deserves praise for this amazing photo of the president for Time. It was not shot that day on Thursday, but that's when he posted it.
But Colorado office holders of all stripes did appear this week as the state legislative session came to a close. I hit nearly every corner of politics in the city, from the governor...
Gov. John Hickenlooper takes the stage at the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s <a href="https://denverite.com/colorado-gov-john-hickenlooper-calls-2017-legislative-session-productive-7-years-hints-special-session-35497/">State of the State luncheon</a>, May 11, 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Senate president pro tem Jerry Sonnenberg (left to right), majority leader Chris Holbert and president Kevin Grantham <a href="https://denverite.com/colorado-still-needs-transportation-disappointed-democratic-lawmakers-say-35544/">address the press</a> a day after the legislative session ended. Colorado State Capitol Senate President's office, May 11, 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
No-voters District 25 Rep. Timothy Leonard and District 38 Rep. Susan Beckman converse while yes-voter District 26 Rep. Diane Mitsch Bush speaks at the mic during a hearing on <a href="https://denverite.com/heres-colorado-lawmakers-grand-bargain-hospitals-roads-pot-taxes-35413/?src=parsely">Senate Bill 17-267, Sustainability Of Rural Colorado</a>, on the last day of the legislative session, May 10, 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
City council members Paul Lopez and Robin Kniech. A city council committee meeting on sentencing reform <a href="https://denverite.com/difference-day-makes-denver-may-join-national-movement-35527/">as it relates to undocumented immigrants</a>, May 11, 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
But they weren't all work and no play.
Mimosas on the Capitol veranda for the last day of the legislative session, May 10, 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
And in some cases it was business up top and a party beneath. This is immigration attorney Hans Meyer making a very serious press address about ICE arrests in Denver's district courthouse. His signature Chucks reveal that his law practice is always a little bit punk rock.
Hans Meyer <a href="https://denverite.com/new-videos-show-ice-arresting-immigrants-denver-county-court-something-local-officials-asked-not-35314/">speaks to press</a> at the Meyer Law Office, May 9, 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
On Monday the Denver Post's Joe Amon caught this lovely portrait of Jose "Manny" Fernandez in Longmont.
And many of us caught sight of that killer hailstorm.
A <a href="https://denverite.com/look-massive-hail-storm-sweeps-denver-35277/">massive spring hail storm</a>, May 8, 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
I was personally quite entertained by the aftermath.
The <a href="https://denverite.com/huge-denver-area-hailstorm-damages-closes-colorado-mills-mall-35281/">aftermath</a> of a large hail storm on May 8, 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Over the weekend the city got down for Cinco De Mayo at Civic Center Park, which created the unusual opportunity to photograph many, many released balloons floating to a better place.
Sorry, buddy. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
And speaking of outer space, Andy wrote this week about the CU Boulder professor who worked on Juno. The Jupiter-orbiting craft that has brought us unprecedented views of the gas giant.
<a href="https://denverite.com/juno-nearly-back-jupiter-meet-scientist-watching-feeds-34491/">Fran Banegal</a> stands beneath antennae made by students to detect radiation from Jupiter. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
And speaking of space cadets, the Alamo Drafthouse's grand opening on West Colfax was christened by James Ellroy, the eccentric and oft-yelling crime author, who opened a bottle of bubbly with a saber.
Writer James Ellroy <a href="https://denverite.com/alamo-drafthouse-sloans-opening-may-15-west-colfax-35232/">unsheathes a saber</a> to open a bottle of champagne to christen the new Alamo Drafthouse on West Colfax, May 8, 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
And finally, dear Denver, I will not deny the Derby. At least three of us caught sights at Aurora's Stanley Marketplace, where the costumery was in fine form.
Finnegan Keyes and his grandmother Betsy await the Corgi race. A <a href="https://denverite.com/look-stanley-marketplace-brings-kentucky-derby-mini-horses-corgi-race-aurora-35179/">Kentucky Derby party</a> at Stanley Marketplace, May 6, 2017. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
We're grateful to you, Denver, for having us along for another week of twists and turns. You keep living, we'll keep capturing the magic.
Kevin is a multimedia artist who flung himself into the world of journalism. He likes using a camera and microphone to tell stories about workers, the environment, social justice and fascinating humans.
