Denver Roller Dolls; Buckhorn Exchange; Trapeze Dancers; Overweight Teens, Worldwide Photographers Boyd Norton and Paola Gianturco; Updates on Jeff, Julie, Jake and Other Notables; Our Racy 'Hollywood' Past, and more.
Four all-new
MetroBeat TV program episodes and one special encore presentation begin airing on Channel 8 throughout Metro Denver on Thursday, October 12 at 7:30 p.m.
MetroBeat TV is a series of five dynamic programs that highlight local people, places and happenings, all based on what viewers say they want to see.
The two-and-a-half hour program block is produced monthly as a unique collaboration of Comcast and local municipal Channel 8s in the Denver metro area, with input from local residents. Topics and people featured on MetroBeat TV programs come largely from ideas that viewers submit on the
www.metrobeat.tv Web site.
The new block of MetroBeat programs airs on
Channel 8 twice a week through November 22. The five episodes in the new MetroBeat TV lineup are:
STUDENT VOICES
Episode Four
"At Issue: The Fitness Crisis"
ENCORE PREMIERE: 10/12/06, 7:30-8 p.m.
Hosted by BRIAN HARPER
The allure of chat rooms, video games and television is greatly affecting the health of young people. As more and more teens become less active, they are becoming less fit. If the current trend continues, 47 percent of people living in Colorado will be overweight by the year 2020 and 29 percent of the population will be obese.
That means only 24 percent will be at a healthy weight. Increased body weight puts stress on the heart, and cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in Colorado, killing close to 10,000 residents a year.
So, what's being done in our schools to fight the fitness crisis? Fast food has become so popular and convenient that schools even supply it at lunchtime for students. In fact, some schools don't even have cafeteria meals anymore. Not only that, a lot of schools are removing physical education, gym classes and varsity sports from student's schedules.
All this adds up to the most startling statistic of all, "...this is the first generation whose life expectancy may be less than their parents."
In this encore episode of STUDENT VOICES, eight metro area students openly SPEAK OUT! To host BRIAN HARPER about THE FITNESS CRISIS and the impact that diet and lack of exercise is having on their futures. Then, our students, with the help of guest experts, get to BRAINSTORM ways to combat the issue.
Finally, we shine our STUDENT SPOTLIGHT on a high school senior who decided to TAKE ACTION! and make a difference in his community. MATT ROTBART thinks people, especially young people, need to be active to stay healthy. That's why three years ago, he founded an intramural basketball league that he runs at his high school. Today, kids from all over the Metro area come to play in the league.
Guest Experts for this episode include:
STATE REPRESENTATIVE NANCY TODD, a former middle school teacher, who works on education legislation in Colorado.
DR. SANDY STENMARK, a pediatric specialist, who shares her medical opinion on the Fitness Crisis and the importance of teens maintaining good health.
METROBEAT MAGAZINE
Episode Seven
PREMIERES: 10/12/06, 8:30-9 p.m.
Hosted by SHELLENE COCKRELL and TYLER LOPEZ
VIEWER'S CHOICE: THE DENVER ROLLER DOLLS
Dharma Gedden. Friction Vixxxen. Ivona Killeau. Primal Rage. What at first may look like a run-down of the 10-Most-Wanted list at your local post office is, in reality, a small sampling of the premier roller derby dolls in Denver: 80 hard-as-nails women who fly around the flat track seeking free-wheeling fame and fortune. Or, if nothing else, at least an amazing workout and some blood, sweat and tears. Born in December 2005, the DENVER ROLLER DOLLS are fully committed, practicing up to four times a week and leaving their scraped and bruised flesh on the concrete track. Some skaters do it for the workout, others for the release of aggression. But one thing they all share in common is the desire to win. This ain't no staged pro wrestling. These dames are in it to win it.
LOCAL LEGEND: VIRGIL HUGHES
You wouldn't know it to look at him, but VIRGIL HUGHES is a legend in his field. Civil War battlefields, that is. Virgil has dedicated his life to the military and musical minutiae of the late 1800s. He's even appeared in movies such as
Glory, Gettysburg and
Far and Away as a military specialist. Virgil spends his days making dulcimers and other quirky stringed instruments in his workshop on Colfax, but his primary passion involves the musical instruments of the Civil War era. A tour of his shop is like a journey through time. In his garage, he has huge antique cannons which he proudly wheels out for the annual performance of the 1812 Overture in Clement Park every summer. Virgil and his historical devotions bring a special passion to the metro area.
THE BEAT: FREQUENT FLYERS
Dizzily exuberant, FREQUENT FLYERS is a dance troupe unlike any you're likely to have seen. It's one of a very few ensembles that performs high above the dance floor on trapezes, wires, giant rings, even rotating barrels. Far from being a dressed up circus act, the group employs a surprising amount of traditional dance technique in their aerial performances. We offer exclusive video footage from their concerts and find out what put the idea into the head of founder Nancy Smith in the first place.
DELICIOUS DETOURS: BUCKHORN EXCHANGE
BUCKHORN EXCHANGE was founded in 1893 and dates back to the metro area's rough and rugged days of cattlemen, hunters, and pioneers who lived off the land. An historic landmark, it's the oldest restaurant in Denver and proudly displays Colorado's first Liquor License issued after Prohibition. The food is tied to its history. In fact, you'll find exotic game like elk, pheasant, quail, and buffalo steak on the menu, as well as on the walls. We'll tell you why this DELICIOUS DETOUR, serving up a true taste of the Wild, Wild West, is anything but a "Bum Steer."
CITY EXTRA!
DEVIL'S HEAD LOOKOUT is the last remaining fire lookout station along the Front Range. You'll find out why this quick and easy getaway offers visitors a unique and historic hiking adventure for the whole family.
PEOPLE TO WATCH
Episode Eight
PREMIERES: 10/12/06, 8:30-9 p.m.
Interview host BERTHA LYNN goes one-on-one with two local personalities who stand out from the crowd.
Over the past year, PEOPLE TO WATCH has profiled a diverse array of dynamic people who are making a difference in our community. They've come from the worlds of business, arts, entertainment, law enforcement, education, nonprofits and the media. But what's been happening with them since they were first featured on our program? In a special edition, host Bertha Lynn gets the inside story on why all of our guests continue to be watchable!
Find out how Frontier Airlines CEO JEFF POTTER has been faring in the increasingly competitive airline industry, and what new projects businessman JAKE JABS has been up to lately.
Discover what parts of the world documentary filmmaker and activist JULIE SPEER and globe-trotting journalist GREGG DOBBS have been to since we first spoke with them.
In the world of entertainment, we get the latest scoop on the ever-growing empire and influence of concert promoter CHUCK MORRIS and Denver's Divine Diva, LANNIE GARRETT.
See why North Metro Drug Task Force Commander LORI MORIARTY is making national news for her crusade to protect the littlest victims of the drug epidemic and why her efforts have placed her and our community at the center of a new national movement to protect children.
Find out how former cycling champion and Parkinson's Disease activist DAVIS PHINNEY has been making headlines, too, in his effort to battle his disease.
INSIDE THE COVER
Episode Eight
PREMIERES: 10/12/06, 9-9:30 p.m.
Hosted by BRETT SAUNDERS
"AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 PAGES" takes us on a literary trip around the globe with writers and photographers who bring the world home to us. In our ever-expanding global marketplace, the diverse cultures, nature and wildlife are becoming increasingly rare and precious. Those who travel to the exotic corners of the world bring back images and impressions of their experiences that enthrall and inspire. They make the connections that remind us that, despite our differences, we all share a wondrous and fragile planet.
First, our HOMEGROWN AUTHOR has the ultimate dream job. BOYD NORTON travels the world photographing nature, wildlife and exotic cultures. You'll see some of his amazing images, and find out how he has gone from being a nuclear physicist to naturalist to photography guru. He also gives a few photo tips to host Bret Saunders.
Then, noted photojournalist PAOLA GIANTURCO, who has spent a decade capturing images of people in Guatemala, presents them and their stories in her new book
Viva Colores! A Salute to the Indomitable People of Guatemala. We'll share Paola's inspirational stories about a few of the amazing people she has met, and how they have overcome incredible adversity to build better futures for themselves, their families and their countries.
In FROM BOOK TO SCREEN, you'll find out which films impressed local film critic HOWIE MOVSHOVITZ for the way they present foreign cultures and locales. And, in WRITERS ON WRITING, some of today's most successful authors weigh in on the topic of marketability and they have surprisingly divergent viewpoints.
Plus, the latest BOOK PICKS AND TIPS.
METROBEAT TV PRESENTS
Episode Eight
PREMIERES: 10/12/06, 9:30-10 p.m.
"HOLLYWOOD OF THE ROCKIES"
This special is an award-winning look at the early age of movies and why Colorado was a classic location for filmmakers.
The years between 1897 and 1914 were prolific for moviemakers. Hundreds of films were shot in the Rocky Mountain region. Return to those glorious days of yesteryear as Colorado vies for 'Film Capital of the World'. Highlights include clips from
The Festival of Mountain and Plain (1897),
The Hold-up of the Leadville Stage (1904), and
Pirate of the Plains (1914), in addition to early films by Thomas Edison, the Lumiére Brothers and George Méliès.
"Hollywood of the Rockies" is the recipient of the Cine National Golden Eagle Award, and an Award of Excellence from The Denver International Film Festival.
This program was originally produced by and aired on Rocky Mountain PBS.
ABOUT METROBEAT TV:
MetroBeat TV is a collaborative pilot project between Comcast and 25 greater Denver Metropolitan Area communities. It was designed to explore new potential uses of cable television technologies that would meet both the unique needs of local communities beyond the current television models, and increase the value of community programming to citizens at a regional level.
The MetroBeat TV series includes five dynamic 30-minute programs that highlight local and regional people, places and happenings, based on what viewers say they want to see. The topics and people featured on MetroBeat TV programs come largely from ideas that viewers submit on the project's
www.metrobeat.tv Web site.
The MetroBeat TV lineup airs simultaneously on most municipal Channel 8s in the Metro Denver region (some days/times may vary; check local listings) every Thursday from 7:30-10 p.m. and Sunday from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. New shows debut each month.
Viewers can also watch the programs anytime with Comcast's On Demand service for digital subscribers. Encore episodes of previously aired MetroBeat programs also are shown on CET Channel 5.