Latest news with #Littleton
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Experience: I rent out my mohawk as a billboard
Until seven years ago, I had a really neat flat top. I was a volunteer in the playground at my kids' school in Littleton, Colorado, and when the school announced they were going to have a Crazy Hair Day for dads, I said, 'Let's do a mohawk!' My kids thought it was a great idea. So I went to the barber shop and came back with a small mohawk. My wife, Julie, wasn't so keen, and I promised I'd shave it off the next day. But my hair went down really well in the playground and I decided to keep it like that for a while. The community we live in is a small one and very conservative, but everyone seemed to accept my new look, even though some people said I must be having a midlife crisis. Julie works in education and had no real experience of styling anyone's hair when she started helping with mine. Through trial and error she got really good at it – now she's the artist and I'm her palette. I think the first picture mohawk we did was a phoenix, then an Irish flag to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day. After that, I'd just suggest whatever came into my head. My mohawk became a billboard for music I liked – Lynyrd Skynyrd, Metallica, Modern English – as well as important causes, both local and international. I'd also celebrate birthdays and memorialise people who had died. My boss at the grocery store where I worked made no objection, perhaps partly because people would come in just to see what design I was wearing that day. I loved creating holiday mohawks. I've had the Easter bunny pooping jelly beans on my head, while for Halloween I'd go out with it covered in cartoon pumpkins. At Christmas, Julie would paint it green and decorate it with real fairy lights and baubles, or shape it into a pair of reindeer antlers. Early on, we started posting pictures of our designs on Facebook and later we opened an account on Instagram, too. That's when I started to get attention from outside our town, quickly racking up followers. About a year in, I received my first commission – a doughnut shop in Washington DC got in touch to ask if I had ever considered putting the name of a company on my mohawk. We didn't know what to charge so we just said $75 (£56), and were astonished when they paid. Nowadays, we make sure to always have about a dozen colours of spray in our cupboard, as you never know from one day to the next what people are going to ask for. We've bought a proper stencil machine, too. At first, Julie cut those out by hand, and did a pretty good job, but now they're perfect every time. Getting the mohawk up takes about 15 minutes, but painting it can take anything from one to three hours. Some weeks I become burned out and take a little break, but on others we'll do five paid ads on one side of my mohawk and five of our own design on the other. We charge more now; we've reached the point where the mohawk commissions pay all our bills and I don't have to go out to work. I've learned to avoid any overtly political messages, as when you're posting on social media they can become an open door to hell. But I enjoy recording short videos and reels to back up the messages on my hair. My aim when I started out was 'Bringing back smiles, one mohawk at a time'. And, several thousand mohawks later, that hasn't changed. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion At this point, I have thousands of followers across my various platforms, do public appearances and have been in a music video and a couple of movies. Given that all this started as a joke, it's amazing where it has ended up. We're even looking at opening a themed business, The Mohawk Bob Bar & Grill. Nowadays, my mohawk is 14in (35cm) tall – a good size for painting messages on, but not too large to be impractical. I've seen specimens much taller than mine, but something that big wouldn't fit in my car. Despite everything I've put it through, I still have a solid hairline for a 58-year-old – I've been pretty lucky with that. Perhaps one day it'll all fall out and I'll have to start faking it, but until then, I don't think my mohawk's ever coming off. As told to Chris Broughton Do you have an experience to share? Email experience@
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Experience: I rent out my mohawk as a billboard
Until seven years ago, I had a really neat flat top. I was a volunteer in the playground at my kids' school in Littleton, Colorado, and when the school announced they were going to have a Crazy Hair Day for dads, I said, 'Let's do a mohawk!' My kids thought it was a great idea. So I went to the barber shop and came back with a small mohawk. My wife, Julie, wasn't so keen, and I promised I'd shave it off the next day. But my hair went down really well in the playground and I decided to keep it like that for a while. The community we live in is a small one and very conservative, but everyone seemed to accept my new look, even though some people said I must be having a midlife crisis. Julie works in education and had no real experience of styling anyone's hair when she started helping with mine. Through trial and error she got really good at it – now she's the artist and I'm her palette. I think the first picture mohawk we did was a phoenix, then an Irish flag to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day. After that, I'd just suggest whatever came into my head. My mohawk became a billboard for music I liked – Lynyrd Skynyrd, Metallica, Modern English – as well as important causes, both local and international. I'd also celebrate birthdays and memorialise people who had died. My boss at the grocery store where I worked made no objection, perhaps partly because people would come in just to see what design I was wearing that day. I loved creating holiday mohawks. I've had the Easter bunny pooping jelly beans on my head, while for Halloween I'd go out with it covered in cartoon pumpkins. At Christmas, Julie would paint it green and decorate it with real fairy lights and baubles, or shape it into a pair of reindeer antlers. Early on, we started posting pictures of our designs on Facebook and later we opened an account on Instagram, too. That's when I started to get attention from outside our town, quickly racking up followers. About a year in, I received my first commission – a doughnut shop in Washington DC got in touch to ask if I had ever considered putting the name of a company on my mohawk. We didn't know what to charge so we just said $75 (£56), and were astonished when they paid. Nowadays, we make sure to always have about a dozen colours of spray in our cupboard, as you never know from one day to the next what people are going to ask for. We've bought a proper stencil machine, too. At first, Julie cut those out by hand, and did a pretty good job, but now they're perfect every time. Getting the mohawk up takes about 15 minutes, but painting it can take anything from one to three hours. Some weeks I become burned out and take a little break, but on others we'll do five paid ads on one side of my mohawk and five of our own design on the other. We charge more now; we've reached the point where the mohawk commissions pay all our bills and I don't have to go out to work. I've learned to avoid any overtly political messages, as when you're posting on social media they can become an open door to hell. But I enjoy recording short videos and reels to back up the messages on my hair. My aim when I started out was 'Bringing back smiles, one mohawk at a time'. And, several thousand mohawks later, that hasn't changed. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion At this point, I have thousands of followers across my various platforms, do public appearances and have been in a music video and a couple of movies. Given that all this started as a joke, it's amazing where it has ended up. We're even looking at opening a themed business, The Mohawk Bob Bar & Grill. Nowadays, my mohawk is 14in (35cm) tall – a good size for painting messages on, but not too large to be impractical. I've seen specimens much taller than mine, but something that big wouldn't fit in my car. Despite everything I've put it through, I still have a solid hairline for a 58-year-old – I've been pretty lucky with that. Perhaps one day it'll all fall out and I'll have to start faking it, but until then, I don't think my mohawk's ever coming off. As told to Chris Broughton Do you have an experience to share? Email experience@
CBS News
4 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Residents frustrated as Colorado city suffers frequent power outages
Residents are voicing their frustration after a city in Colorado has suffered weeks of frequent and prolonged power outages. Since mid-June, residents in the Columbine Hills area of Littleton have experienced six outages, two of which lasted more than four hours. Many say they've received little explanation as to why. At Columbine Wines and Liquors, employee Peggy Welton is doing everything she can to keep the lights on, quite literally. "We have our handheld flashlights still handy dandy," Welton said. "If you have to go into the cooler or anything, it's dark. We've got our lanterns!" Welton has also taken on the responsibility of firing up the store's generator whenever the power cuts out. "If the power completely goes out, I can't take credit cards. I have nothing. Once this system goes down, I can't even get into the cash drawer," she said. Just one street over, Catherine VonMinden works from home. When the power goes out, she loses more than just lights. "If I'm out, my whole team has to pick up the slack. I lose hours, I lose money," she said. "My partner is on conference calls all day, doing things, so it's a big deal." According to Xcel Energy, the Columbine Hills neighborhood has experienced six outages since mid-June, ranging from about one hour to nearly five hours. The causes of the two most recent outages remain undetermined. In a statement, a spokesperson for the company says in part, "While most outages are out of our control, such as weather events, animal contact or damage due to lines being struck, we make every effort to investigate and remedy those causes that are related to our equipment. In this case, we are inspecting the lines using drones and other technology and determining next steps for ensuring reliability." These recent outages come just months after the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) placed Xcel on an improvement plan. The move followed an investigation launched last fall into widespread complaints about outages and customer service problems. That investigation revealed a significant spike in outages and major concerns about how customers were being treated. The chair of the commission, Erick Blank, was shocked by the findings. "This is a regulated monopoly operating in a legally defined service territory where competition is prohibited," the chair said. "And in return for that privilege of operating as a monopoly, they shouldn't be driving profit increases at the expense of customers. Aren't they obligated to act in the public interest; answer the phone, bill customers properly, and respond to outages?" he said during an April 30th meeting. Xcel is now required to submit quarterly updates to the state on both outages and customer service improvements. The first of those reports was submitted in July. According to Xcel, the company has made progress in both areas. But some customers remain skeptical. "Taking some responsibility would be really great," VonMinden said. "Just saying, 'I'm sorry this has happened several times, here's how we can help you in the future.'" The full investigation from the Colorado Public Utilities Commission is available online.
Yahoo
07-08-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Vivos Calls Out Medical Blind Spot: OSA's Overlooked Dangerous Symptoms
Night sweats, teeth grinding, and erectile dysfunction. These might seem like minor or unrelated quirks, but they can all be symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea, a silent health crisis affecting over 1 billion people worldwide. Vivos Therapeutics is at the forefront of addressing this issue, helping clinicians identify these "hidden signs" early and provide innovative, non-invasive treatments. LITTLETON, Colo., Aug. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Millions of people with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) remain undiagnosed, with disruptive symptoms such as night sweats, teeth grinding, resistant hypertension, and even erectile dysfunction often dismissed or misattributed. (1,2) But the truth is, these seemingly unrelated signs are SOS signals from a distressed body, begging for intervention. "Connecting the dots could change your life," says Kirk Huntsman, Chairman and CEO of Vivos Therapeutics, a leading innovator in breathing and sleep health. Recognizing the urgent need for awareness, Vivos is equipping healthcare providers to detect and treat the often overlooked signs of sleep apnea. By uncovering these hidden warning signs, they highlight the profound impact of sleep apnea on both physical and mental health. "OSA is more than just snoring—it's a full-body condition with systemic consequences," says Huntsman. Breaking Down the Hidden Signs of OSA OSA is often misunderstood and widely underdiagnosed. Its symptoms are not always obvious and can sometimes appear unrelated, leading to confusion for both patients and healthcare practitioners. Many people suffer for years without realizing that their seemingly disconnected health issues are actually tied to OSA. Here is a closer look at some of these hidden signs and the impact they have: Hypertension: 80 percent of those with resistant hypertension—high blood pressure that doesn't respond well to treatment—have undiagnosed OSA. (3) Untreated OSA can worsen blood pressure control over time, increasing risk of serious complications like heart attacks or strokes. Erectile Dysfunction (ED): OSA may affect as many as 80 percent of men dealing with ED. (4) The condition interrupts healthy blood flow and worsens systemic inflammation, two factors crucial for sexual health. Left untreated, OSA can significantly impact both physical and emotional well-being. Heartburn & Acid Reflux: 78 percent of OSA patients experience nighttime acid reflux. (5) This occurs because the airway struggles during sleep can create negative pressure that literally pulls stomach acid into the esophagus. Chronic acid reflux can lead to further complications like esophageal damage. Night Sweats: 33 percent of people with OSA suffer from frequent night sweats. (6) These episodes are triggered by the body's fight-or-flight response to oxygen scarcity during apneas (pauses in breathing). This reaction is three times more common in OSA patients than in the general population. Teeth Grinding (Bruxism): 50 percent of adults with OSA experience sleep bruxism. (7) This grinding of teeth occurs as a reflexive response, where the body tenses jaw muscles to reopen a collapsed airway during sleep. Over time, this can lead to jaw pain, worn teeth, and even temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. "These symptoms present a major lost opportunity for clinicians to catch OSA early," adds Huntsman. "This misdiagnosis is a growing public health challenge we are determined to overcome." By recognizing and understanding these subtle signs, healthcare professionals can take a more proactive approach to diagnosing OSA, ultimately improving outcomes for countless individuals unknowingly living with this condition. Vivos' Method: Turning Fragmented Symptoms Clear Diagnosis Obstructive Sleep Apnea is too often mistaken for everything but what it is—the root cause remains hidden behind fragmented symptoms and outdated assumptions. These are not isolated problems; they are signs of a body under stress, suffocating in silence. Vivos is reshaping the OSA conversation by training healthcare providers to recognize these overlooked indicators early and accurately. Through its Centers for Sleep and Airway Medicine, Vivos equips clinicians with the tools to identify misattributed symptoms and deliver lasting solutions. The Vivos Method—centered on its proprietary, FDA-cleared oral appliance technology—offers a non-surgical, patient-friendly approach that remodels the airway naturally and treats OSA in under 12 months. This proactive model doesn't just manage symptoms—it helps prevent years of misdiagnosis and decline. With seamless access to sleep testing, board-certified telemedicine consults, and root-cause therapy, Vivos is helping patients reclaim their health long before traditional methods even begin asking the right questions. "Uncovering the real cause behind these symptoms isn't just diagnostic—it's life-changing. That's the power of personalized care," notes Huntsman. About VIVOS THERAPEUTICS Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects over 1 billion people worldwide, yet 90% remain undiagnosed and unaware of their condition. This chronic disorder is not just a sleep issue—it's closely linked to nearly every modern chronic health condition. While the medical community has made strides in treating sleep disorders, breathing and sleep health remain areas that are still not fully understood. As a result, solutions are often mechanistic and fail to address the root causes of OSA. Vivos Therapeutics, founded in 2016 and based in Littleton, CO, is changing this. Through innovative technology, education, and partnerships with dentists, functional medicine doctors, and sleep specialists, Vivos is empowering healthcare providers to more thoroughly address the complex needs of patients. Their groundbreaking device is the only FDA 510(k) cleared technology for treating severe OSA and the first to receive clearance for treating moderate to severe OSA in children. The Vivos Method offers a unique, clinically effective solution that is nonsurgical, noninvasive, and nonpharmaceutical, providing hope for patients with mild to severe OSA. Vivos: Breathe New Life. For more information, visit References Benjafield, Adam V, et al. "Estimation of the Global Prevalence and Burden of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea: A Literature-Based Analysis." The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, vol. 7, no. 8, 9 July 2019, pp. 687–698, Peters, Brandon . "Surprising Signs and Symptoms of Untreated Sleep Apnea." Verywell Health, 7 Jan. 2025, Kazuki Shiina. "Obstructive Sleep Apnea -Related Hypertension: A Review of the Literature and Clinical Management Strategy." Hypertension Research, 29 Aug. 2024, Gu, Yiwei, et al. "Erectile Dysfunction and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Review." Front Psychiatry, vol. 13, 26 May 2022, Kingshott, Ruth. "Study Finds That CPAP Therapy Reduces Acid Reflux in People with Sleep Apnea - American Academy of Sleep Medicine – Association for Sleep Clinicians and Researchers." American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 3 Oct. 2016, Arnardottir, Erna Sif, et al. "Nocturnal Sweating—a Common Symptom of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea: The Icelandic Sleep Apnoea Cohort." BMJ Open, vol. 3, no. 5, 2013, p. e002795, Li, Deshui, et al. "Sleep Bruxism Is Highly Prevalent in Adults with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Large-Scale Polysomnographic Study." Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, vol. 19, no. 3, Mar. 2023, pp. 443–451, Media Inquiries:Karla Jo HelmsJOTO PR™ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Vivos Therapeutics Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
30-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Ignored and Undiagnosed: Sleep Apnea Threatens Women's Cognitive Health
Alzheimer's disease affects more than 6 million Americans, and emerging research identifies Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as a significant, modifiable risk factor. Interrupted breathing during sleep can impair memory and accelerate cognitive decline, with growing evidence linking poor sleep to an increased risk of dementia. In response, Vivos Therapeutics is offering innovative, airway-centered treatments aimed at improving sleep quality and supporting long-term brain health. LITTLETON, Colo., July 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The possibility of a dementia diagnosis may have a new origin, according to a recent study from UC Irvine. Medical research shows a troubling connection between the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) during REM sleep and increased risk of verbal memory decline in older adults—an early indicator of Alzheimer's disease. (1) This is where key specialists like Vivos Therapeutics step in, offering focused treatments to fight OSA and its other ramifications. "These findings not only underscore the urgent need for early intervention in OSA but also present a critical opportunity to modify previously intractable risk factors and potentially alter the devastating trajectory of cognitive decline", states Kirk Huntsman, CEO of Vivos Therapeutics, a leading innovator in medical technology for sleep and breathing health. An Alarming Link and Its Ramifications The UC Irvine study that links dementia with OSA delivers a powerful and sobering message: a direct and concerning correlation exists between the frequency and intensity of REM-related apnea events and the subsequent decline in verbal memory function. This is reinforced by findings from Michigan Medicine, which indicate that older women with known or suspected OSA are more likely to exhibit signs or receive a diagnosis of dementia in the years ahead, compared to their male counterparts. (2) Menopause May Be a Hidden Factor Another contributing factor to this diagnosis is menopause, which may help explain the gender disparity in sleep apnea's impact on dementia risk. Hormonal changes during this phase—especially declining estrogen—may increase susceptibility to OSA and dementia. (3) A Sleep Advance's study found that by age 80, women with sleeps apnea had nearly double the dementia risk of 5% compared to men. With up to 90% of OSA cases undiagnosed, researchers call for proactive screening in high-risk groups like postmenopausal women. More Studies, One Common Factor: Timely Action Beyond the UC Irvine findings, a growing body of evidence confirms the strong connection between OSA and elevated Alzheimer's risk. These studies underscore a critical takeaway: early diagnosis and intervention aren't just helpful—they can be life-changing. Timely treatment, particularly with therapies like CPAP, has been shown to preserve cognitive function and enhance quality of life. Experts like Vivos Therapeutics play a vital role by addressing the root cause of OSA with targeted, non-invasive solutions. OSA Raises Dementia Risk 27% in Seniors: A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine of 20,000+ seniors found OSA increased dementia risk by 27%, even after accounting for other health factors like age, sex, race, education, and comorbidities.(4) Sleep Apnea Tied to Alzheimer's Markers: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)-backed research found severe OSA patients had elevated levels of beta-amyloid—key indicators of Alzheimer's.(5) Disrupted sleep hampers the brain's ability to clear toxins. CPAP May Boost Cognition in Alzheimer's: Alzheimer's patients using CPAP for three weeks showed better memory, attention, and executive function. (6) Older Women With OSA Face Double Dementia Risk: UCSF researchers found elderly women with sleep-disordered breathing were 85% more likely to develop dementia—mainly due to oxygen deprivation during sleep. (7) Vivos Expands Rapidly, Targeting Sleep Apnea and Its Implications As the OSA-dementia connection becomes clearer, Vivos Therapeutics is scaling efforts to meet demand. In partnership with the Centers for Sleep and Airway Medicine and Rebis Health, Vivos is expanding access to non-invasive, FDA-cleared treatments for sleep-disordered breathing. Vivos empowers providers—primary care doctors, neurologists, dentists, and sleep specialists—with tools to diagnose and treat OSA earlier. Its solutions aim not just to relieve symptoms, but to protect long-term brain health by restoring healthy sleep and airway function. "With Alzheimer's cases rising fast, this is a wake-up call," said Huntsman. "That's why we're expanding sleep centers and training more providers to identify and treat those at high risk—especially patients with early cognitive decline." About VIVOS THERAPEUTICS Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects over 1 billion people worldwide, yet 90% remain undiagnosed and unaware of their condition. This chronic disorder is not just a sleep issue—it's closely linked to nearly every modern chronic health condition. While the medical community has made strides in treating sleep disorders, breathing and sleep health remain areas that are still not fully understood. As a result, solutions are often mechanistic and fail to address the root causes of OSA. Vivos Therapeutics, founded in 2016 and based in Littleton, CO, is changing this. Through innovative technology, education, and partnerships with dentists, functional medicine doctors, and sleep specialists, Vivos is empowering healthcare providers to more thoroughly address the complex needs of patients. Their groundbreaking device is the only FDA 510(k) cleared technology for treating severe OSA and the first to receive clearance for treating moderate to severe OSA in children. The Vivos Method offers a unique, clinically effective solution that is nonsurgical, noninvasive, and nonpharmaceutical, providing hope for patients with mild to severe OSA. Vivos: Breathe New Life. For more information, visit References "UC Irvine-led study links sleep apnea severity during REM stage to verbal memory decline." UC Irvine News, Fromson, Norah. "Sleep apnea contributes to dementia in older adults, especially women" 29 Oct. 2024, Braley J, Tiffany, Lyu Xiru, Levi Dunietz Galit, Schulz Paul C, Bove Riley, Chervin Ronald D, Paulson Henry L, Shedden Kerby "Sex-specific dementia risk in known or suspected obstructive sleep apnea: a 10-year longitudinal population-based study" 22 Oct. 2024 Monica M. Shieu, MS, PhD, Galit Levi Dunietz, MPH, PhD, Henry L. Paulson, MD, PhD, Ronald D. Chervin, MD, Tiffany J. Braley, MD, MS JSCM "The association between obstructive sleep apnea risk and cognitive disorders: a population-based study" 1 April, 2022 "Study provides new evidence that sleep apnea may increase risk of Alzheimer's disease" November 10, 2017 Sonia Ancoli-Israel 1, Barton W Palmer, Jana R Cooke, Jody Corey-Bloom, Lavinia Fiorentino, Loki Natarajan, Lianqi Liu, Liat Ayalon, Feng He, Jose S Loredo "Cognitive effects of treating obstructive sleep apnea in Alzheimer's disease: a randomized controlled study" PubliMed September 15, 2007 O'Brien Jennifer "Sleep Apnea Linked to Increased Risk of Dementia in Elderly Women" August 9, 2011 Media Inquiries: Karla Jo Helms JOTO PR™ 727-777-4629 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Vivos Therapeutics
