Our favorite moments, portraits and animal photos of the year
There’s a lot going on in here (because there’s a lot going on out there).
Tea time at Simon Kaganov's and Alla Sheherbi's home at Windsor Gardens, Nov. 16, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Welcome back to year-in-review season, dearest Denverite readers. Let’s celebrate another revolution around the sun with this look back at the news, moments, faces and (crucially) animals we came across in the city. There’s a lot going on here, and that’s a pretty good reflection of Denver itself.
Moments we encountered:
Canada geese fill a temporary enclosure as USDA biologists cull them from City Park, July 1, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
A pho eating contest at the Little Saigon Night Market. Federal Boulevard, June 21, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Armando Peniche-Cruz's granddaughter, Athena, plays with a rubber-glove balloon as he undergoes radiation treatment down the hall. July 18, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Mike Coffman prepares to make a victory speech for his run at the Aurora mayor's office on the steps of the city's municipal building. Nov. 14, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Alexander Hamilton, aka FranziaMan, does his thing in the parking lot behind The Gin Mill before the Denver Cruiser Ride on July 31, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Aurora Police officers make a line in the street as immigration activists march on the home of Johnny Choate, warden of GEO Group's contract immigration jail in Aurora. Sept. 19, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
A protester who asked not to be named rips apart a flag with GEO's logo on it, the contractor operating Aurora's private immigration detention facility, June 14, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Autumn Lawrence speaks during a community meeting concerning violence in Montbello after her son was shot to death. Sept. 18, 2019. (Esteban L. Hernandez/Denverite)
Walt Collins speaks to a reporter along the South Platte River, June 6, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
A dress rehearsal of "Northside" by Bobby LeFebre at Su Teatro on Santa Fe Drive, June 10, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Someone hangs out near a fan and a window on a hot summer night inside the Newhouse Hotel on West Colfax Avenue, Aug. 4, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Pigeons on a cold Monday evening on Colfax Avenue. Nov. 25, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Cruz Ortega and Aryel Ramos fly off a jump at Ruby Hill Park on a small sled on a snow day, Oct. 29, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Danette Hollowell and the Old Souls play the Rossonian Hotel during the Five Points Jazz Festival, May 18, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Construction workers inside the Denver Art Museum's north building watch the 2019 Womxn's March, Jan. 19, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
City Council District 9 candidate Candi Cdebaca (right to left), Kerrie Joy, Elisabeth Epps and Jessica Campbell-Swanson pore over election results at her shared watch party with mayoral candidate Lisa Calderón, May 7, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Mayor Michael Hancock walks on stage as he claims victory in the Denver mayoral race and celebrates at his election night party. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Terry Knight, representing the Ute Mountain Ute tribe, smudges Jared Polis before he is inaugurated as Colorado's 43rd governor, Jan. 8, 2018. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Lemons tattooed by Amanda Wachob in her exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Feb. 15, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Rodrido Rodriguez and Juan Fernandez ride their mounts through a field in Aurora that's across the street from a recent housing development. Dec. 20, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
People we met:
Most of the people we met at Suave Fest, by the future site of Raices Brewing, Sept. 14, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Kim Ramos sits in a chair adorned with tulle before her quinceañera ceremony began. Ministerio Hispano Presbyterian Church, Dec 14, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Everyone we met on Brighton Boulevard in two hours. Oct. 3, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
"Accidental developer" Bernard Hurley shows a photo of what he looked like before he went to prison. Sept. 24, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Portraits of Chef Angela Ray of Taste the Love Catering (clockwise from top left), Chef Garret Simpson of Bella's Gourmet Sausage Company, Chef Lorrie Gonzalez of Two Feathers Native American Cuisine and Ahmed Hmoud of Marrakech Moroccan Cuisine, May 17, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Loring Wirbel poses for a portrait near his home in Colorado Springs, March 8, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Thomas "Detour" Evans speaks to a reporter during the installation of his "5 Pointers Museum" at the Redline Contemporary Art Center, Oct. 31, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Everyone we met at the Underground Music Showcase in two hours. July 28, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Raad Altaee speaks to a reporter inside his Montbello home as his kids – daughter Rasha, son Idrees and puppy Benji – hang out on the couch behind him. Nov. 21, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Kids roar for the camera inside the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, May 9, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Some of the items left inside Gary Johnson's home west of Washington Park, July 25, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Hedy Red Dexter gives a tour of her magical pink loft in City Park West, April 5, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
A sampling of the crowd at a meeting for Denver's East Area Plan at Johnson and Wales' campus in South Park Hill, Nov. 23, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Luis Sanchez walks part of his daily route in Denver's Goldsmith neighborhood during a "bomb cyclone" snowstorm, March 13, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Gertie Grant poses for a portrait in her home in Denver's Speer neighborhood, Jan. 11, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Animals we met:
Canelo's human William Hernandez holds him up to view a pho eating context during the Little Saigon Night Market. Federal Boulevard, June 21, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Luna Raine and her cat, Alexios, at her place in the Beloved Community tiny home village, March 21, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Annabelle (left) and Sven pose for a portrait inside Sen. Lois Court's Capitol office, April 30, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Billy hangs outside of Denver Elections Division headquarters on a rainy election day, May 7, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Some of the dogs we met at City Park Jazz, July 14, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Baby grackle cheep in a knit nest inside the Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, June 29, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Samson, Barbara Dodge's foster-turned-full-time dog, in her Westminster home, April 23, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Denver Zoo's new baby lion is revealed to the public. Sept. 18, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Newly-adopted Archer and his human, Marlena Sacks, frolic in Civic Center Park. May 31, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Some pigeonoid residents of the Cherry Creek Trail, March 26, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Osho the dog meets a photographer at the Co-Op at 1st in Barnum West, Nov. 20, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Say hello to Gumbo, who lives at 2283 N. Ogden St., the old New Hope Baptist Church. Aug. 20, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Charlie the cat poses for a photo at an adoption event at the Governor's Mansion, March 9, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Developer Norbert Klebl's weed-eating goats on site at his Geos Neighborhood in Arvada, March 26, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Bully the bulldog poses for a portrait at Englewood's Cushing Park, Feb. 2, 2019. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
Aurora rents rose faster than those in 99 other U.S. cities over the last 9 years
Denver's rents weren't far behind.
Denver moves closer to allowing pit bulls in the city
A Denver City Council committee advanced a bill allowing the dogs to be registered.
Denver metro rents are up compared to this time last year, but the market continues to flatten
There's concern over how a construction slowdown might affect things.
MCA Denver would like you to enjoy tiny hibachi with mariachi
Yes, that rhymes. It's part of the museum's purposefully odd Black Sheep Friday series.
“Practically instant housing”: This was a hotel. Now it’s a place for people who’ve been trying to find a place to live in Denver.
“Practically instant housing” opens for people of limited means.
One of Denver’s state senators wants to stop landlords from asking tenants about immigration status
Sen. Gonzales says she's targeting discrimination; Landlords' groups say they are seeking to lessen a business risk.
United Airlines will open 24 more gates at Denver International Airport, meaning more flights to more places
Don't expect a change in ticket prices.
Small step in big Sun Valley redevelopment: Denver will build housing where Broncos fans have been parking
The swap lets the Denver Housing Authority build homes closer to where the action is.
‘Seagulls’ are Colorado natives — and it’s our fault they hang out in Denver parking lots
Gulls. Everybody loves 'em.
Bonnie Brae Tavern demolition looms — well-known restaurant may only be open for a few more months
Potential buyers are interested in building an apartment complex with 43 homes an room for businesses on the ground floor.
Whittier Pub is not closing despite a scary ‘demolition’ sign on the bar’s window
The owner wants to know if the city thinks his building his historic.
It’s not just the camping ban that keeps Denverites experiencing homelessness on the move
Several city departments scatter the encampments of unhoused people for several reasons.
Politicians, political protest and hopeful people launch Denver’s Martin Luther King Jr. Marade
Two events honored King in different ways — one with speeches from local elected officials and religious leaders, and the other with specific demands for change.
As Troy Riggs leaves Denver’s top public safety post, his goal for more empathetic policing leaves questions
Riggs ascended to the director of public safety with promises of a "philosophical shift" in policing. He's leaving after less than two years on the job.
An interactive play about the art of food and community in Five Points has packed the Savoy
"Recipe" depicts the neighborhood's history, including the lives of real people.
LOOK: Denver womxn’s marchers hope the energy will last through November
It was a smaller crowd compared to the first event in 2017, but a lot has changed since then.
Hancock administration will resume enforcement of the camping ban Friday evening
The city attorney's office believes the ban is constitutional, though a judge ruled it is not.
What to know about Denver’s 2020 MLK Day parade — and the dueling event from Black Lives Matter and the Poor People’s Campaign
Some disagree with how the city government honors the civil rights hero.
Business closures signal change on South Pearl, including a potential mandate for street-level activity
Palizo Italiano, Hanson's Grill & Tavern and Platt Park Tavern all closed between November and December.