Canyon Courier Sample Edition 032323

Jumping into 2023

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

New Year’s Day was a great day to go jump in the lake — Evergreen Lake, that is.

Evergreen Lake Plunge participants lined up from the lake through the parking lot, waiting their turn to brave the frigid water to start 2023. is year, the plunge had the most participants in its 14-year history: 423. Compare that to last year’s 177 plungers.

As always, the event is a fundraiser for the Evergreen Park & Recreation District’s INSPIRE program for the special needs population. Plus Active4All, the plunge’s organizer that is EPRD’s foundation, helps pay fees for families who can’t a ord to use the rec district’s facilities.

Alan Gionet, Active4All’s vice president and the event’s emcee, gures the plunge with help from its sponsors including title sponsor Bu alo Park Dentistry raised about $30,000, also an all-time high.

“We had people from all over the metro area,” Gionet said about the high attendance. “ e crowd was

great and having a great time. We aren’t sure what drove big numbers other than, we have fun. It’s outdoor fun in a beautiful place, and people seem to want to just get away from their devices and go jump in a lake. We’re all about it.”

First in line were sisters Stephanie Suzanne and Kelley Graham of Denver. eir rst time plunging, the two attended church together in Evergreen before heading for the lake.

Welcome to the Canyon Courier

Hello! You received this special introductory edition of the Canyon Courier because we wanted to give you a taste of what we have to o er as a trusted source of local news in your community. We hope that once you get to know us, you’ll want to join our family of readers.

ey wore swimsuits and leggings under their church clothes, plus they brought warm clothes to change into after the plunge.

e two joked and laughed about what they were about to do, suggesting that the hole to jump in was larger than in past years, so big that they could swim laps in it.

“ ey’re making it a challenge,” Suzanne said, laughing. “We can’t just jump in and jump out.”

My name is Kristen Fiore, and I am proud to be the editor of the Canyon Courier, a lively weekly newspaper for the foothills covering the news, people, schools, sports and events in Pine, Conifer, Indian Hills, Evergreen, Kittredge, Morrison and beyond.

e Canyon Courier aims to capture the mountain charm of daily life in these communities while keeping readers informed about breaking

Kristen Fiore

Jumping through the air, Paul Faulkner of Evergreen participates in his first plunge at Evergreen Lake on New Year’s Day.

PHOTO BY SARA HERTWIG

Evergreen Lake Plunge was a cool success

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You get to read stories about people in the foothills doing good things. We should be celebrating the good in life, and the people who are doing good work to improve the community. 2

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Check out our the Canyon Courier for news about upcoming shows and community events. 3

Trained, professional and edited journalists attend fire, recreation and school boards and county commissioner meetings to keep you informed.

Award-winning journalists, who live in many of the communities CCM covers, work day and night to keep an eye on local government. We are digging through agendas, checking records and getting elected o cials on the record to keep you informed and ensure accountability at every level. 4

Local decisions often impact your life more than national decisions, and the Canyon Courier keeps you in the know. Trust us to do the hard work to bring you insightful and fair-handed analysis on important issues like mental health. 5

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Read features on foothills residents and local businesses. at person you walked past on the street? ey could be an Olympian or a talented artist. Read about the stories your neighbors have to tell about their lives and unique businesses. 7

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Reading advertisements can help you find great deals, learn about new businesses or find the perfect contractor for your home. We all know that shopping locally helps your community. We help connect local business owners with a greater audience and help you learn more about the goods and services available here in the foothills.

Reading a community newspaper has a positive e ect on your health and critical thinking. Learn more about what’s going on around you. Get objective information. Read opinion columns and letters to the editor that ... while you won’t always agree with ... will stretch your thinking. 8

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The foothills area fun place to live and the Canyon Courier helps you live it to the fullest.

We are eager to showcase all the foothills has to o er.

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Downtown Evergreen structure likely to be rebuilt after fire

Seasonally Yours, Sweetwater Boutique hope to reopen in downtown

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

It may be a couple years before the downtown Evergreen commercial building that burned in December will be rebuilt and ready for tenants.

According to Je Bradley with the Ross-Lewis Trust, which owns the building that housed Seasonally Yours and Sweetwater Boutique, the current plan is to tear down the building and build a new one on that site. He gures it will take nearly two years to get it designed, get the necessary entitlements and permits, and rebuild what is known as the limestone building. Bradley said his son Ross is in charge of the project.

Nothing is decided yet since it depends on how Je erson Coun-

ty o cials react to any proposal to rebuild or repair the building.

e Ross-Lewis Trust will need approvals from Je co before any major work can begin.

e structure sustained extensive damage in a Dec. 15 re. Evergreen Fire/Rescue determined it was an electrical re and ruled out arson. Both Seasonally Yours and Sweetwater Boutique received extensive smoke damage and Seasonally Yours also sustained re damage.

Chelsea Treinen, owner of Sweetwater Boutique, and Rachel Nicks, owner of Seasonally Yours, hope to reopen, though they are not sure whether they will wait for the new building or look for new space, preferably in downtown Evergreen.

Treinen said she was able to salvage some of the clothing, soaps and lotions in her store that have been donated to Evergreen Christian Outreach and to a women’s shelter in Denver. She doesn’t go to the store often because of the strong smoke smell, which has permeated everything in the building.

Instead, she has returned in a way to her rst career as an elementary school teacher, volunteering weekly in her children’s classrooms.

She hopes to reopen in downtown Evergreen, especially because of her involvement in the Evergreen Downtown Business Association and her relationships

Man taken into custody in connection with 6 burglaries

Georgetown.

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A Littleton man has been arrested on suspicion of committing six burglaries — three in Kittredge on Dec. 2 and three in Evergreen on Nov. 2.

Titus Emilyon, 38, is facing six counts of second-degree burglary, six counts of thirddegree burglary, felony criminal mischief and misdemeanor theft. According to the Jefferson County Sheri ’s O ce, Emilyon has a history of committing commercial burglaries and was on parole for a burglary conviction when he was arrested.

JCSO investigators have been investigating almost 20 other commercial burglaries in unincorporated Je erson County dating back to Oct. 30, including Parkside Café and Evergreen Cleaners in Bergen Park, and Mac Nation in Indian Hills. ere also have been several burglaries in Clear Creek County including the Kum & Go in Idaho Springs, Dairy Queen in Empire and Pho Bay in

JCSO o cials have not determined whether Emilyon is responsible for additional burglaries, but it will work with other jurisdictions to investigate the crimes, JCSO spokeswoman Jenny Fulton said.

On Dec. 2, the Kittredge General Store, SaBella and Blackbird Café were burglarized between 11:17 and 11:27 p.m., all three with similarities: Someone gained entry by smashing glass doors, took the cash registers and left. On Nov. 2, someone used the same method to burglarize Coal Mine Dragon, Bistro Del Lago and Everbean by the Lake in the Lakepoint Center.

According to a news release, at 11:50 p.m. Dec. 2, Je co deputies found Emilyon parked along Highway 74 less than two miles west of Kittredge.

“Emilyon was in the driver’s seat and was taken into custody after broken glass was seen on his person, a discarded cash register was located a short distance away, and other evidence was found both inside and outside the vehicle,” the release stated.

with downtown business owners. “I really miss the store, my employees and my customers,” Treinen said. “I think I’ve come to terms with (losing the store), and I’ve accepted that it’s going to take a long time until I can reopen. It was a harsh reminder of how everything can change in an instant. … I want my store back.”

NEWS BRIEFS

Evergreen, Conifer’s Got Talent

e annual Evergreen’s Got Talent and Conifer’s Got Talent shows are coming up soon, and four acts who win the contests will perform at two of Evergreen’s four summer concerts.

Two winners will be selected from each show, and they will perform as the warmup acts for two of the Evergreen Park & Recreation District’s Evergreen Lake/Buchanan Park summer concerts, which are scheduled for June 28, July 12, July 26 and Aug. 9.

e Conifer show is from 6-9 p.m. Friday, March 31, at Conifer High School, and the Evergreen show is from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at Center for the Arts Evergreen. Admission is free, and food will be available.

A panel of judges will select winners at both talent shows. e judges for Conifer’s Got Talent are Betsy Hays, an EPRD board member, Lance Swearingen, a local pastor and lead singer for Blood Brothers, and Jax Jordening, who won Evergreen’s Got Talent last year. Judges for the Evergreen show have not been nalized.

In addition, acts are welcome to raise money, which will go to the Conifer High School theater and choral programs, Resilience1220 and Center for the Arts Evergreen.

Some of the rules have changed this year: performers must be 18 or younger, and solo performers will be able to get an accompanist.

While it is too late to register for Conifer’s Got Talent, the deadline for Evergreen’s Got Talent is March 31. Conifer area teens are invited to perform at the Evergreen event.

For more information and to register, visit evergreensgottalent.com.

The downtown Evergreen building that housed Sweetwater Boutique and Seasonally Yours won’t be ready for tenants for a few years. The Ross-Lewis Trust, which owns the property, plans to rebuild the structure after a fire in December damaged it.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Titus Emilyon

COURTESY OF JEFFCO SHERIFF

3 businesses burglarized in Kittredge on Dec. 2, plus 3 others in Evergreen

Foothills schools take part in a competition to reduce energy consumption

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Several foothills schools are using less energy thanks to each school’s environmental-awareness club.

While some clubs have di erent names, such as the Green Team Superheroes and the Keep Conifer Green Club, the goal is the same: to help the environment. Parmalee and Wilmot elementary schools, Evergreen Middle School and Conifer High School participated in the Renew Our Schools challenge, a competition to lower energy usage with winning schools getting cash prizes for energy projects such as LED lights, window tinting, solar shades and more.

Students had ve weeks to get their schools to use less energy, and Resource Central, a Boulderbased nonpro t that operates Renew Our Schools, provided an eGauge that monitors energy use in the school building in real time. Students use that data to nd areas where their schools could be more energy e cient.

“All schools showed great participation in the competition,” said Carly Hester, program coor-

dinator for Renew Our Schools. “ eir commitment to energy conservation and education really showed.”

She said the seven schools in Je erson County that participated in the Renew Our Schools challenge were divided into two groups, and Parmalee and Conifer High School each won second place in their groups.

Some clubs use challenges among classrooms to lower energy consumption including turning o overhead lights and reducing the amount of energy used by plugged-in devices.

Parmalee Elementary School’s Green Team Superheroes member Amelia Bega explained that it was important to help the school reduce energy to save money and to help the planet.

e Superheroes said it was easy to do – turning o school lights when they weren’t necessary and unplugging anything that wasn’t in use, especially overnight.

“It’s important to stay mindful to reduce energy use,” Parmalee Superhero Sienna Winters said. “If we reduce energy, it helps with the bills and how much energy we use.”

audit, using instruments to measure the amount of energy being used. Led by adviser Lisa Dewil, the superheroes are enthusiastic about their quest to reduce energy.

Conifer High School has a Keep Conifer Green Club that meets regularly to work on improving the school’s environmental footprint, including the Renew Our Schools challenge.

Wilmot’s Green Team is very

Falling for her students

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

West Je erson Middle School

Principal Kim Halingstad agreed to be dunked in a tank if students raised more than $20,000 for the school by performing acts of kindness.

What she didn’t know is on the day selected for the o cial dunking, the winds were howling with temperatures in the mid-30s.

Students took part in a PTA fundraiser called Raise Craze where they asked for donations from friends and family based on acts of kindness. By the end, students with the help of some business sponsors raised $21,148 by performing 1,228 acts of kindness.

Classes that raised the most money played dodgeball against

the sta , and a trophy will be displayed in Susan Bergkamp’s classroom because her classes raised the most money.

e PTA will use the money to purchase cubbies to place outside the cafeteria and a new router for technology classes, for teacher grants and student scholarships, and to fund PTA-sponsored

events.

Halingstad’s icy dunking took place during the school’s three lunch periods with one teacher and three students having a try during each period. Students left the cafeteria and headed outside, each getting an ice cream treat before watching the frigid festivities.

dition to lowering the school’s energy consumption.

Evergreen Middle School’s team, which is small but mighty according to adviser Julia Fliss, took part in Climate Action Day to get ideas on how to make the school more green.

“Climate education is a way to empower students,” Fliss said. “ is is a tool that helps them do something to help the planet.”

Halingstad was clad in a wetsuit, and to keep warm between her dunk tank adventures, she wore a hat, bathrobe and heavy coat. She also sipped on hot coffee.

Halingstad smiled when she said she was doing this for the students, though she hoped the karma gods would take pity on her.

Students were excited to watch the antics, cheering loudly when Halingstad wound up in the water. Language arts teacher Stephen Matschullat and instrumental music teacher Laura Sarché, who missed when they attempted to dunk the principal, each sprinted to the dunk tank, pressed the target and watched her fall.

When a couple students asked if the water was cold, Halingstad playfully kicked water in their direction. e students decided the water was de nitely chilly.

After her nal turn in the dunk tank, as Halingstad was sprinting back to the school building, she noted, “I’m going home to take a hot shower.”

Green Team Superheroes Drew Wassemiller and Rylee Blackburn check energy consumption in a Parmalee Elementary School classroom.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

West Je erson Middle School principal Kim Halingstad makes her way out of a dunk tank on Dec. 2. Halingstad braved high winds, cold temperatures and icy water to be dunked as a reward for students raising more than $20,000 for the school.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

West Je Middle principal Halingstad braves a dunk tank as a reward for kindness

It doesn’t seem that long ago that community news could be found everywhere throughout metro Denver. ere were two scrappy daily newspapers that had sta ers dedicated to the suburbs. ere were community newspapers stacked in businesses or sitting in residents’ mailboxes or driveways.

But as the economy changed, newspapers became a casualty of technological disruption, and, as newsrooms shrank or disappeared altogether, readership and advertising dwindled.

But while the model by which we fund our newspaper is changing, that in no way means that newspapers are failing. Studies show that 81% of Coloradans read print or digital newspapers every month, and it’s still an important part of buyers’ decisions when they’re shopping.

Newspaper ownership in the U.S. has been rapidly consolidating over the last 15 years. Since 2018, the

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news, local government and more. We take pride and ownership in what we put out from the rst time the story idea is discussed to the time it is put on the page. Can-

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largest 25 newspaper owners held about one-third of all titles – and there’s been more consolidation since. About 1,800 titles have been shuttered in the process.

e most powerful newspaper owners are now private capital holding companies, whose expectations for pro t and return have strongly in uenced local newsrooms’ size, quality and resources.

It’s a tenet of democracy that we ask questions of our leaders and of those people who are entrusted to keep our communities safe. So when there are fewer journalists in a market, there are fewer people around to hold government accountable, or to even just share the best of what

yon Courier reporters spend a lot of time in the communities they cover, and we hope the passion for what we do shines through on each page of every edition.

Each week, the Canyon Courier is lled with the important news you need to know about local government, education, health, business and more. We also cover

communities had to o er. at’s why I’m proud today to offer you this sampler of the Canyon Courier and tell you about Colorado Community Media, the group that runs the Canyon Courier, and our owners, the Colorado News Conservancy.

When our former owners were looking to sell, the nonpro t National Trust for Local News worked to nd organizations that could come together to keep a vital news source alive and thriving. ey brought in the journalist-owned Colorado Sun – itself a product born from cuts that were happening at e Denver Post – and it created a new organization –the Colorado News Conservancy, to keep CCM in local hands.

As publisher of Colorado Community Media, I’m proud to lead the sta as we work hard to preserve local integrity and keep your community voices strong. We’re providing stories, information and government

sports and community events and strive to tell the stories of the interesting characters in town and include the voices and opinions of those who live in the areas the paper covers.

A subscription to the Canyon Courier gets you full access to the Canyon Courier website, which is updated daily, as well as digital

accountability that people in this community can’t get anywhere else — all while connecting businesses directly with readers.

at’s why we’d like you to take the time to read this sample copy of the Canyon Courier, and see the great news and information that you can get delivered to you weekly. I promise that it’s more than worth the price to subscribe at this great rate.

We’re a dedicated team that is fully invested in keeping you informed of what’s going on. You can always come to us with news and tips that we need to hear, need to promote a business or event, or even have some critiques about the work we’re doing.

We are ready to hear it. We love being a part of this community, and we appreciate your support.

Linda Shapley can be reached at lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com.

access to Colorado Community Media’s two dozen other local newspapers in the metro area. I hope you’ll join us by taking advantage of the special subscription o er elsewhere in the newspaper. anks for reading!

Kristen Fiore can be reached at k ore@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Linda Shapley

Restaurant fundraising, a new men’s shop and jiujitsu

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Troutdale Tavern’s community nights

e owners of Troutdale Tavern are committed to giving back to the community.

Craig Caldwell, who opened Troutdale Tavern in May 2022 where Stagecoach Sports Grill used to be, opens the restaurant to nonpro ts on Tuesdays. Caldwell provides the kitchen sta , the nonpro t provides the wait sta , and the result is a winwin for the restaurant and the nonpro t.

“Usually when people want to do a fundraiser like a car wash, they have to have a venue, get donations, volunteers,” Caldwell said. “It’s a lot of work. Plus other places that allow fundraisers give 10% or 15% (to the organization). We decided if we are going to do this, we’re going to do it right. When an organization comes to us, we give them back 70% of all food sales, and we write a check on the spot.”

So far, the restaurant has hosted six fundraising nights that have raised more than $30,000 for the

organizations.

“ ey don’t have to have banquet room for a fundraiser,” Caldwell said. “ ey can order anything o the menu, and the proceeds go to a good cause. We don’t care about tooting our own horns; we care about helping the community.”

Caldwell also co-owns Keys on the Green next to the Evergreen

Golf Course and Parkside Café in Bergen Park.

Troutdale Tavern, in the shopping area on the southwest corner of Evergreen Parkway and Stagecoach Boulevard, is open from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, plus Tuesday evenings when a nonpro t evening is scheduled. Nonpro ts interested in hosting a Tuesday night dinner should call the restaurant at 303-975-6278 and leave a message for Craig about booking a party.

Quiver opens in Bergen Village Bergen Park has a new men’s clothing store.

Quiver in the Bergen Village Shopping Center is the dream of Katie and Jim Compton, and they sell what they call casual men’s apparel, snowboards and outdoor gear.

e couple, who are Evergreen residents for six years, had been sales representatives working from home when they decided to open their own store, calling it a dream to sell brands they believe in.

e store’s logo is a Steller’s jay, which is unique to this elevation, with its tail feathers in the shape

Books and happy days

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

New book store in Conifer Shannon Konyndyk is on a long sojourn to provide books to the 285 Corridor.

e Conifer resident has wanted to own a bookstore since she was a little girl. She nally decided it was time to have a business of her own, so she opened Sojourn Bookstore in October next to Blizzard Pinball in Aspen Park.

e store has both used and new books, with an emphasis on local authors, do-it-yourself books and what she called a selection of quality titles to get people what they want. But Sojourn Bookstore is more than that: It’s also a gathering place with event space for up to 12 people and an art gallery featuring ve local artists. She also is putting in a full-service co ee bar.

Konyndyk nds used books in a variety of places including estate

sales, the Mountain Resource Center and more, plus people bring books to the shop.

She named the store “sojourn” because the word means short journey, “and what better way to describe a book,” she explained. e store, which is closed Tuesdays, is open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and noon-6 p.m. Sundays. For more information, visit sojournbookstore.com.

Happy Day in Kittredge

If you and your young children want to have a happy day, there’s a new place in Kittredge to check out.

Happy Day at 26269 Highway 74 is an indoor play area for children 0-8 with a variety of activities to keep them busy.

“It’s a place for parents to spend time with their kids,” said owner Andrea Idsinga. “Everybody gets so busy, so this is a place where parents can relax and give their children some attention.”

It’s not a preschool or childcare facility, and parents are expected to stay with their children. Idsinga said she decided to create the play space after having a di cult time nding things to do with her children unless she went down the hill, calling that exhausting and expensive. So she

of a quiver. e couple love to be active outdoors, so they are primed to provide information with rst-hand experience to provide information to customers.

Quiver is open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays.

Evergreen Jiu Jitsu opens

Evergreen Jiu Jitsu has opened inside Nick’s Pro Fitness in Evergreen, providing classes for children and adults from beginners to advanced with an emphasis on self-defense.

Scott Miller, a second-degree black belt who owns the business, has been grappling for 28 years and has 14 years of jiujitsu experience.

Jiujitsu is di erent from other martial arts because there is no striking or kicks, Miller explained, so there is less damage to the body. He plans to add a kickboxing program this month.

Classes are available late afternoons and evenings Monday through ursday, plus open mat time on Saturday mornings. For more information, visit evergreenjiujitsu.com.

created Happy Day, a bright, spacious area for young children.

Happy Day is divided into different play areas: construction, a sweet shop, a grocery store, a home, a veterinarian o ce and a tumble area. Plus there’s a room for birthday parties and other celebrations.

“ ere are a ton of things for kids to do,” she said. “ e idea is for kids to get out of the house, meet some new or old friends, and the parents can hang out, too.”

Stay tuned: Starting in January, she plans to o er activities for children such as music and tumbling.

“I just want families to come spend some time together in a calm, fun, pleasant environment,” she explained.

Happy Day is open from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.

For more information on activities and prices, visit kidshappyday.com.

Katie and Jim Compton stand inside their new shop, Quiver, in the Bergen Village Shopping Center that sells casual men’s apparel, snowboards and other outdoor gear. COURTESY PHOTO

Shannon Konyndyk, the owner of Sojourn Bookstore in Aspen Park, stands beside some of the shelves of books in her newly opened store. She sells used and new books, and likes to focus on books by local authors.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Our club has more than 100 members from all walks of life. We like to have fun and we organize social functions throughout the year.

• We meet once a week at Evergreen Country Day school; Fridays at 7.00 a.m. for breakfast. There is no meeting commitment – attend as many or as few as you like.

• Our meetings, events and speaker schedules can be found at EvergreenRotary.org, along with details about our local and international committees and projects.

• Dues are $38 monthly.

Questions? Email us at info@EvergreenRotary. org and we’ll get back to you.

If you are thinking of buying or selling a home and wonder if now is the time! It is!

I’ll be glad to share insights on navigating today’s real estate market. Give me a call, let’s have a cup of co ee, it’s on me, and discuss how to maximize your opportunities in these changing times.

Cougar girls swimmers

5-peat in 3A

Evergreen’s wave of talent wins fifth straight state title

BY DENNIS PLEUSS JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

THORNTON —  e dynasty of Evergreen’s girls swim and dive team continued on Feb. 11 at the Veterans Memorial Aquatics Center.

e Cougars dominated in the pool to claim a fth straight Class 3A state championship.

“I really think the true secret is we are here to have fun,” Evergreen junior Finley Anderson said of the Cougars’ dynasty. “ ere is obviously pressure to get another state title every year, but the main goal is to have fun and enjoy each other. It is fun working hard with people that you like.”

Evergreen is now tied for second with Mullen for the most girls swim and dive state championships with seven.

e Cougars won back-to-back 4A state titles in 2014 and 2015 before its current run on ve straight 3A championships that began in 2019.

e title came with the third head coach for Evergreen over the past three years. Longtime coach Liz Hudd coached the Cougars to 3A titles in 2019, 2020 and 2021 before retiring.

Lisa Morrow stepped in as the Cougars’ head coach last season, and this year Steve Schneiter took over.

“It’s been crazy. I’ve known Liz for a really long time since I was about 10 years old. I knew Lisa a little bit because I swam with her daughter on the same team,” Anderson said of both former head coaches who were on hand Saturday night to help the Cougars celebrate. “I didn’t know Steve at all until this season, but he has been great. He has de nitely adapted to our team a lot. It was fun getting to know him and hopefully he comes back next year.”

e Cougars nished with 443 team points, edging out last year’s team total of 422. Discovery Canyon went home with the state runner-up trophy racking up 333 points. Glenwood Springs nished third with 310 points.

e Cougars had six individuals in multiple A heat nals.  Freshman Tally Riddle (200 and 500 freestyle), junior Aspen Fisher (200 IM and 500 freestyle), junior Kileigh Ackerman (50 freestyle and 100 backstroke), sophomore Maya Patel (100 butter y and 100 backstroke) and junior Riley Rains (100 butter y and 100 breaststroke) were all in multiple championship heats.

“ ere was a lot of pressure with the number of state titles we have,” Schneiter said after guiding the Cougars this season.

“I knew we had a great team to build upon and continue to take it to the next level.”

Anderson came in attempting to repeat as the individual state champion in the 100 butter y and 100 backstroke. Anderson — who has verbally committed to swim at the University of California, Berkeley — had no problem defending her individual titles.

She won the butter y in a time of 55.35 seconds. Anderson then repeated in the backstroke by breaking the 3A state record that she had set the previous day during preliminaries. Her time of 54.10 seconds is now just a little more than a second o the all-Colorado state record of legend Missy Franklin.

“It’s crazy. I’m committed to the same college she went to,” Anderson said of Franklin, who set the 100 backstroke record with a time of 52.30 seconds in 2011 swimming for Regis. “Missy is someone all of us looked up to. It is fun to be in her shadow still, but fun to see those records and maybe it’s a possibility one day.”

Anderson has one more year of high school left to try to chase down more records.

“Great performances by Finley in both the 100 y and 100 back,” Schneiter said. “She is an extremely talented athlete who puts the work in. She truly understands what it takes to be a next caliber athlete.”

Another record-setting performance on Saturday night was from St. Mary’s Academy junior Caitlin Crysel. She broke her own 3A record in the 200 IM that she set last year. Crysel swam a time of 2:04.38, almost a minute faster than her time last year in the nals.

The perfect bumpy ride

Evergreen’s new mountain bike track delights EHS team

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e new mountain bike track at Evergreen High School is a dream come true for coach Andrew Speers.

It’s an awesome place to ride, according to riders of the 70-member mountain bike team that just won the Division 1 regional championship.

“ is is a safe, close place for us to practice,” said Speers of the .7-mile track that runs on the southwest part of the school property, west of the Wulf Recreation Center’s tennis courts and around the skateboard park. “It’s an easy place for new riders to practice and have all the skills in one place.”

Plus, he noted, it gets team members riding their bikes on the track rather than riding through the parking lot before heading to parks like Alderfer/3 Sisters Open Space Park to ride.

e team, Je co Public Schools o cials, the Colorado Mountain Bike Association known as COMBA and the Evergreen Park & Recreation District all had a hand in bringing the track to fruition.

Speers reached out to COMBA, which decided the project was a good one, and COMBA designed the trail and brought the equipment to cut the track. Team members and their parents spent a day adding features and preparing the track for the rst day of riding.

‘It’s a big community project, and we got something on the ground for those kids,” Gil McCormick, COMBA’s trails director, said. “It’s a great place for kids to meet, to practice their starts and nishes. We built it in a way that it gives a lot of variety of terrain features that you would nd in an open space park or in the mountains. It’s a really good practice course for them.”

McCormick believes this is the rst time COMBA has built a mountain bike track at a high school.

On Oct. 4, the rst day the track was open, sophomore Emma Magnuson said she was happy her teammates pitched in to nish building the track. She’s been mountain biking since she was 10, and she gured the track needed about a week of riding to be broken in.

Evergreen junior Justin Freeman said it was cool to have a track next to the school. He’s been biking all his life and has been on the team since his freshman year.

e track has a pump-track area, jumps, drops, tight turns — everything to keep it interesting for the riders.

Speers, COMBA and EPRD have their sights set on expanding the track, hoping to talk with Denver Mountain Parks, which owns Cub Creek Park south of the rec center property to see if some of that land could be used for a track.

Speers envisions great things for the track, hoping to have some scrimmages with teams from other schools — all to ride mountain bikes and further the sport.

Autrey Copeland rides the new mountain bike track on the first day it opened.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

• While maximal strength is not the be all and end all for team sport athletes, it is important to remember that strength is mother of all qualities. Higher levels of maximal strength creates a platform for increased rate of force development and power production, which are extremely important qualities for team sport athletes.

• The off-season is the time for athletes to begin working towards regaining lean body mass and levels of relative or absolute strength that can be lost due to a long sport season.

The following steps are key to

making sure each athlete reaches peak levels in strength, power and endurance in time for the season ahead.

Testing:

Performance Evaluation

Based on the Athletes Sport Requirement

• Power

• Power Endurance

• Short Term Speed Ability

• Strength Ratio Levels - Strength

Ratios represent the comparison of different strength levels amongst various exercises in order to determine the trainees structural balance.

• Body Composition Levels - We look at 12 different sites on the body to determine their lean mass and fat mass ratios.

At the Rich Bar Bell and Sports Conditioning we use the concept

of Periodization when working with our Middle School, High School and College level athletes.

• Periodization is the logical systematic process of sequencing and integrating training interventions in order to achieve peak performance at appropriate time points in the athletes off season.

Program Structure:

• A 12 Week Macrocycle is put in place to bring each athlete to the highest level of tness possible before their season begins. We like to rotate between

• Accumulation Blocks - This will target more volume adaptation

• Intensification Blocks - This will target more intensity adaptation

Richard Bell, BS, CSCS, is the former Director of Strength and Conditioning for Mullen High School and is currently working as a High

School Strength and Conditioning

Coach in the Evergreen area. Richard is a highly sought after coach for athletes ages 13 and older from Junior High School to the College ranks. He also works with individuals — whether executives or stay-at-home moms — who want enhanced health and stamina, and to improve their physical appearance.

Bell’s focus over the past 28 years has been to incorporate strategies that ensure fast results, increased stamina and better performance — methods determined entirely by each athlete’s personalized assessment. He can be reached at:

www.Richbarbellfitness.com

richbarbellfitness@gmail.com

Cell: (303) 809-6436

30746 Bryant Dr Unit 403

(Not visible from street. Up Bryant Drive)

“The ultimate success of any training program centers on the ability to produce specific physiological adaptations that will translate into increases in performance” - Charles Poliquin

Elkstraction: Evergreen firefighters perform an ice-water rescue for a cow elk

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Ice rescues in Evergreen are not common, but they do happen, even to help an elk that has fallen through the ice.

On Feb. 17, Evergreen Fire/ Rescue received a call about a cow elk who fell through the ice in a pond in Timbervale behind Hiwan Homestead Museum, and members of the department’s dive team successfully pulled her out unscathed.

e pond has an aeration system, and re ghters surmise that the elk wanted to drink some water. She walked out onto some thin ice and fell through.

“We’re skilled at this,” said EFR spokeswoman Stacee Martin. “ is is not our rst wild-animal rescue. We have rescued deer and elk before.”

Fire ghters Doug Matheny and Chris Pace donned water rescue suits and cut a channel

through the ice so the elk could move as close to the shore as possible. But the elk was tired and cold, so she needed help getting out.

Matheny and Pace grabbed her front legs and dragged her onto the ice. After a few minutes, she got up and turned to look at the re ghters, seemingly thanking them before wandering o .

“ is is one of those situations where everyone is happy that we rescued the elk, but with a wild animal, you never know what will happen,” Martin said.

Martin called Matheny the department’s animal-rescue hero since he rescued a deer who fell into Evergreen Lake and helped rescue a sleeping bear from under a deck in downtown Evergreen.

She said anyone who sees an animal, whether wild or domestic, fall through the ice should call 911 and leave the rescue

to the professionals, who are trained and skilled in ice-water rescues.

“We are on that edge where the ice is going to get thinner

Elk Run bus takes first road trip

Residents now able to travel in accessible vehicle

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

While it may sound a bit corny, Elk Run Assisted Living is ready to take residents “on the road again.”

e Evergreen facility purchased a used bus that seats 11 and has room for ve wheelchairs, so all residents can go on outings, shopping and sightseeing, something that has been much more di cult since the pandemic.

Executive Director Kristen Fite said excursions stopped during the pandemic, and then the facility’s bus broke down and needed to go to “bus heaven.” e facility, which is a nonpro t, began raising money to purchase another bus.

e bus already is equipped with seats and a wheelchair lift — everything needed to get all residents no matter how mobility impaired out and about again.

Sta members said for the past three years, some residents felt trapped at the building because they couldn’t join fellow residents on outings.

Barre McKee, director of therapeutic activities, tried to nd other ways to transport residents, though much of public transportation is not equipped to handle those using walkers and wheelchairs. Residents’ families helped out, too.

“Our residents live with so many limitations as it is,” McKee said. “Getting on a bus should not be one.” e 20 people who donated money to purchase the bus have been lifesavers for the facility, Fite said.

Residents and sta had a party on March 3 to celebrate the vehicle’s arrival with residents taking turns checking out the bus and taking rides to Elk Meadow.

and thinner,” she said. “Please don’t try to rescue the animal yourself. Call us. We are glad to come out.”

A ducky day for Evergreen

The annual Dam Duck Derby sold out of ducks and hosted a day of family fun

BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE OLOVE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Collective chants of “drop the ducks!” could likely be heard for miles as everyone in downtown Evergreen cheered in an-

ticipation of the big duck drop of 2022.

On Aug. 6, 7,500 rubber ducks oated down Bear Creek after an 85 foot drop from a re engine as part of the annual Dam Ducky Derby. Hopes were high for oating to the nish line rst to snag the $1,500 prize.  is yearly event helps Downtown Evergreen fund the winter Annual Downtown Evergreen

Evergreen Fire/Rescue firefighters Chris Pace, left, and Doug Matheny work to get a cow elk out of a pond in Timbervale on Feb. 17.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EVERGREEN FIRE/RESCUE

Melony Smith of Evergreen, a donor who helped Elk Run Assisted Living procure the bus, speaks about her mom before cutting a ribbon to o cially open the bus to residents. PHOTOS BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

The big drop from 85 feet elicited gasps from the crowd.

Holiday Walk, and a portion of the funds goes to the Evergreen Animal Protective League.  is year’s derby sold out of all 7,500 ducks.

Denise Tricomi was the event coordinator for the 2022 Dam Duck Derby. is year, the event featured many local businesses and nonpro ts for people to check out in the main parking lot. All the booths featured Colorado themed activities.

Tricomi was thankful for what she called a “very generous community” in making the event happen.

One of the booths this year was for Evergreen Art School, formerly known as “Art’s cool,” run by founder/teacher Jules Elders. At her tent, kids could paint and draw along with the day’s theme.

“We are having the kids paint yellow plastic ducks,” she said.

Elders also had her own art on display for sale, all of which she had made during her instructional art lessons.

Elders o ers adult paint ‘n sip classes, birthday parties, kids classes

and more. She rolls out the August schedule soon, so to learn how to create art in ve mediums, be sure to check out evergreenartschool.com.

Kyla Dolecek, who lives in Evergreen with her family, came out to her second Dam Ducky Derby this year.

She said the event is always a hit for her two daughters.

“ ey love it,” she said. “ is might be one of their favorite Evergreen events.”

Dolecek purchased a “six-quack” of ducks for the family, and they were all hopeful for a speedy trip down the creek.

e Swift Water Rescue Team of Evergreen Fire and Rescue were an important part of the day, as they waded through the creek and helped free trapped ducks from debris on their way to the nish line.

People anxiously crowded the edge of the creek at the 1 p.m. drop, hoping to be the lucky duck that would win the rst place prize of $1,500, or $1,000 and $500 for second and third, respectively. ere were many other prizes donated by local businesses that random ducks won, including gift baskets, Avalanche tickets, shopping sprees and more.

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Living with Loss Seminar

A Seminar on Dealing with Grief

Guest Speaker Je Jenkins

The Conifer church of Christ is hosting a seminar on “Living with Loss.” It is designed to help those who have lost loved ones and need help navigating the grief they feel.

We will have a guest speaker, Je Jenkins, who will share his experience of loss, and o er tips and comfort for those dealing with loss.

The seminar will be held at the Conifer church of Christ located at 11825 US HWY 285 Conifer, CO 80433 (across the highway from snowpack taproom). The seminar will take place Friday March 31 - Sunday April 2. Please join us for this much needed seminar.

For any questions contact Kolton Ballance at koltonballance@gmail.com

WELL PUMP/WATER TREATMENT SERVICE TECHNICIAN WATER WELL TESTER / PART-TIME

The creek was bursting with people and rubber ducks during the Dam Ducky Derby.

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then taking a walk through most metro area communities can be a delightful treat for the eyes.

Many communities have outdoor sculptures placed either in sculpture gardens or throughout the cities to provide beauty, create community, revitalize metropolitan areas and make people think. For those in charge of acquiring the sculptures, it’s vital work.

“I think there are a lot of reasons why public sculpture is important,” City of Northglenn Arts, Culture and Community Manager Michael Stricker said. “Not only does it help beautify parks and public areas, but it builds a sense of identity and community. Our community has really embraced all of the public art as their own.”

While public art also includes outdoor murals and other displays, sculptures come in all shapes and sizes, created out of every sort of material and in various genres from traditional to modern. And the best part is that viewing public sculptures is free.

“Outdoor sculptures are like a museum without walls in a way,” explained Tim Vacca with the Greenwood Village-based Museum of Outdoor Arts. “Our mission is to make art part of everyday life where people are walking in public areas, and it might bring a pleasant surprise to them. We want it to be accessible to all.”

Tricia Rosenthal, president of

Sculpture Evergreen, a nonprofit that has placed 42 permanent sculptures throughout Evergreen, called it an artistic imperative to place sculptures in the downtown area and in area parks.

“They speak to people,” Rosenthal said. “It is fun for me to see that, and it’s pretty exciting. I’ve been to numerous places where many communities have decided this is something they want to do as part their community cultural enhancement, and people relate to the sculptures.  There is something for everyone — especially with the pieces that change.”

Some communities have sculptures that are displayed on a rotating basis along with their permanent collections. For Golden, which has extensive public sculptures throughout the city, the Public Art Committee believes sculptures contribute to community identity, civic pride and economic development, and allows the community to feel engaged with the city, according to Robin Fleischmann, Golden’s economic development manager.

Sculptor Shohini

Ghosh of Highlands Ranch agrees that public sculptures are a great and important way to introduce art into people’s lives. The sculptor, originally from India, has work displayed as close as Evergreen, Hudson Gardens and the Denver

Art Museum, and as far away as Topeka, Kansas; Edina, Minnesota; and even China.

“Sculpture is a mode of expression,” she explained of her art. “The whole concept of expressing a whole idea in one form excites me. It’s not a canvas where you have a story visually developing. Sculpture is one idea, one moment, one emotion that you want to catch and make it permanent. Each sculpture has its own rapport with the public. That’s how it is supposed to be.”

Different styles Publicsculpture selection and tastes vary

wherever you go. In Evergreen, for example, a committee selects the sculptures that are part of the rotating Sculpture Walk. Since Evergreen is not incorporated, the nonprofit Sculpture Evergreen needs to look for sites by working with private property owners and other entities that own area parks. Evergreen’s Sculpture Walk was started 28 years ago.

“For us, it’s a grassroots thing,” Rosenthal explained. “Other than money from the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District and Colorado Creative Industries, everything is funded by donors. Also, in many ways, Evergreen is unique because of the environment we have.”

The rural area makes selecting sites that enhance the sculptures more challenging, she added.

In Northglenn, a committee of 50 people selects six sculptures for its rotating Art on Parade and invites the public to vote for their favorite, which is purchased by the city to add to its permanent collection of about 30. Northglenn started its collection in 2000.

Stricker said Northglenn is committed to public art and putting it throughout the city, with Art on Parade located at Eleanor M. Wyatt Centennial Park to create a destination feel. The permanent collection is throughout the city and continues to grow.

Golden’s sculpture collection is on temporary hold as the Public Art Committee evaluates its current collection and determines what sculptures should be added. Many of the 34 sculptures are along Clear Creek and Washington Avenue. Golden also has what it calls the Itty Bitty Art Project, which includes 14 tiny sculptures.

The commission wants to begin diversifying its sculpture collection since a large number of the sculptures are traditional bronze donated to the city by other entities, Fleischmann said.

The Museum of Outdoor Arts’ permanent sculpture garden is at Marjorie Park just outside Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre in Greenwood Village, with

“Snow Queen” by Stephen Landis in downtown Evergreen.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

MOLDING

40 sculptures, plus more than 30 throughout Englewood. The Museum of Outdoor Arts was started in 1981.

Making sculpture relevant Ghosh is excited that public

sculptures have caught on in many cities in the United States and abroad in part to help rejuvenate municipalities. Historically, a sculpture was put in town squares to help identify the town, and public sculpture is continuing that mission, she added.

“I love that this art form is used as a tool to help cities as they go through the revival process of bringing a city back to life,” Ghosh

said.

She wants to see sculptures generate discussion among those who see them.

“I’ve seen people stop and contemplate sculptures,” she explained. “Even in their hurried day, most people don’t just walk by. They give (the sculpture) a moment of thought. Art is a very strong form of communication other than writing or talking.

(Sculptors) express directly from our souls — unadulterated, honest expression.”

For those who help bring public art to their communities, its importance is without measure.

“(Sculptures) really reach into people’s hearts,” Rosenthal said. “That’s something worth preserving.”

In Greenwood Village, Harry Marinsky’s “The Mad Tea Party” from the “Alice in Wonderland” series is displayed by the Museum of Outdoor Arts in Marjorie Park. COURTESY PHOTO

“Brother and Sister at the Rodeo” by Mario Pahua in Golden.

PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN

“Joy of Music” by George Lundeen in Golden.

PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN

Shohini Ghosh’s “Man” sculpture being installed in Evergreen’s Bergen Park.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

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