Email Author Melanie Asmar

Awards

• 2012 - GLAAD Media Awards, published May 5, 2011

  "Coming Out in America"

• 2012 - National Association of Black Journalists Awards, published March 17, 2011

  "Say What?"

• 2011 - Education Reporting Awards/National Education Writers Association, published June 10, 2010

  "Teacher's Fret"

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2011 Stories by Melanie Asmar

• Wells Fargo to be targeted by Denver protesters in week of actions "to restructure Wall Street"

  published Oct 24, 2011

  Update, below: Wells Fargo will be the target of several actions this week by the Colorado Progressive Coalition, including plans to "move in" to a branch on Thursday with lamps, pillows and coffee po... More >>

• At Mayor Michael Hancock's first public forum, education and communication issues popular

  published Oct 22, 2011

  Concerns about public education and the need to improve communication between city officials and citizens about everything from parking to park usage were hot topics this morning at Mayor Michael Han... More >>

• Fitness Clubbing, a "cardio nightclub" without booze, hosts launch party Saturday night

  published Oct 21, 2011

  What's a dance club without boozer Some might say "intolerable," but Darina Miteva -- perhaps better known as DJ Darina, Bulgaria's #1 female DJ -- would beg to differ. "Everything is full of drunk p... More >>

• Michael Hancock launches Denver Education Compact to help improve public schools

  published Oct 20, 2011

  After spending the morning with W., Mayor Michael Hancock (who the former president said was classy), launched his Denver Education Compact, a committee of big brains set to tackle the city's school ... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  George W. Bush in Denver: Yes to educational excellence, no to politics and Gadhafi questions

  published Oct 20, 2011

  President George W. Bush was in Denver this morning, talking education with a group of political and business leaders at the brick headquarters of Get Smart Schools, an organization that trains princ... More >>

• Jennifer Draper Carson, Arturo Jimenez's stand-in clash at DPS board candidates forum

  published Oct 19, 2011

  Tense exchanges between Denver Public Schools board candidate Jennifer Draper Carson and a stand-in for incumbent Arturo Jimenez marked a forum last night at the University of Denver, one of the last... More >>

• ACLU urges schools to adopt policy banning school police officers from working with ICE

  published Oct 18, 2011

  The American Civil Liberties Union has jumped in on the debate simmering in Carbondale and Glenwood Springs over whether school resource officers should be allowed to collaborate with federal Immigra... More >>

• Parking tickets and gripes: Outtakes from a day spent with Denver's parking magistrates

  published Oct 17, 2011

  This week's cover story, "Feed Me," tells the saga of the city's new overnight parking program -- which some users, such as 27-year-old Tyler Wyckoff, say is confusing. Wyckoff is one of several peop... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Human trafficking: Denver police get $300,000 federal grant to help combat growing issue

  published Oct 14, 2011

  The Denver Police Department has received a $300,000 federal grant to help combat human trafficking. The money will pay for a few officers to work full-time in conjunction with the FBI on cases in w... More >>

• Overnight parking: Have you gotten a late-night parking ticket downtownr Tell us about it!

  published Oct 13, 2011

  In this week's cover story, "Feed Me," I tell my totally true, slightly embarrassing story of getting a late-night parking ticket in LoDo. What started as a joyful night of karaoke glory ended with a... More >>

• 

  FEATURED STORY

  Overnight parking: 28,700 tickets issued between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. this summer

  published Oct 12, 2011

  The months of May, June, July and August were lucrative for the city, thanks to new (and, some say, confusing) rules allowing overnight parking at nearly 3,000 parking meters downtown. Within the are... More >>

• School discipline policies in Colorado too harshr Lawmakers and advocates say yes

  published Oct 11, 2011

  School discipline, once considered too lax, has now swung too far in the opposite direction, say several state lawmakers and child advocates. As such, Colorado is one of a growing number of places ret... More >>

• 

  COVER STORY

  Confusing overnight parking meters leave drivers frustrated

  published October 13, 2011

  I was killing at karaoke. That is, I was killing everyone at More >>

• West High parents say they never received letter about principal resignation, meeting to discuss it

  published Oct 11, 2011

  As explained in the Westword story "Tough Subject," the recent resignation of brand-new West High School principal Santiago Grado was sudden. To help parents make sense of the change, West High held a... More >>

• Santiago Grado, former West High principal, says leadership differences caused resignation

  published Oct 10, 2011

  Santiago Grado resigned last month as principal of Denver's West High School after only a month and a half on the job. School officials say he chose to do so after issues with his academic leadership ... More >>

• West High principal turnover: New leader Domonic Martinez on his past, school's future

  published Oct 06, 2011

  Recently, West High School's brand-new principal, Santiago Grado, abruptly resigned. The reason, according to Denver Public Schools officialsr He wasn't a strong academic leader. But the man who repla... More >>

• West High principal turnover: New leader Domonic Martinez on his past, school's future

  published Oct 06, 2011

  Recently, West High School's brand-new principal, Santiago Grado, abruptly resigned. The reason, according to Denver Public Schools officialsr He wasn't a strong academic leader. But the man who repla... More >>

• West High principal turnover: New leader Domonic Martinez on his past, school's future

  published Oct 06, 2011

  Recently, West High School's brand-new principal, Santiago Grado, abruptly resigned. The reason, according to Denver Public Schools officialsr He wasn't a strong academic leader. But the man who repla... More >>

• Denver Public Schools' Tom Boasberg delivers good DPS news directly to your e-mail box

  published Oct 06, 2011

  The media isn't always interested in good news, says Tom Boasberg, Denver Public Schools' superintendent. "Generally speaking, stories that are more sensational or, in some cases, more negative will t... More >>

• Denver Public Schools' Tom Boasberg delivers good DPS news directly to your e-mail box

  published Oct 06, 2011

  The media isn't always interested in good news, says Tom Boasberg, Denver Public Schools' superintendent. "Generally speaking, stories that are more sensational or, in some cases, more negative will t... More >>

• Denver Public Schools' Tom Boasberg delivers good DPS news directly to your e-mail box

  published Oct 06, 2011

  The media isn't always interested in good news, says Tom Boasberg, Denver Public Schools' superintendent. "Generally speaking, stories that are more sensational or, in some cases, more negative will t... More >>

• A recently disciplined DPS administrator takes over at West High School

  published October 6, 2011

  West High School has seen its fair share of principal turnover. And now, another change is afoot: Santiago Grado, West's brand-new... More >>

• DPS school board race: 4 candidates for phasing out struggling schools, says A+ Denver survey

  published Oct 04, 2011

  This morning, school reform organization A+ Denver released the results of a survey of the nine candidates for Denver Public School Board. The survey asked them to rank 28 statements, such as "DPS nee... More >>

• DPS school board race: 4 candidates for phasing out struggling schools, says A+ Denver survey

  published Oct 04, 2011

  This morning, school reform organization A+ Denver released the results of a survey of the nine candidates for Denver Public School Board. The survey asked them to rank 28 statements, such as "DPS nee... More >>

• DPS school board race: 4 candidates for phasing out struggling schools, says A+ Denver survey

  published Oct 04, 2011

  This morning, school reform organization A+ Denver released the results of a survey of the nine candidates for Denver Public School Board. The survey asked them to rank 28 statements, such as "DPS nee... More >>