Arvada Press 0423

APRIL 23, 2020

READY TO RACE Local runners navigate postponements, crowded trails amid COVID-19 P14

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JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLO-

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HARD ON THE HOMELESS With no place to go and little access to medical care, one group is especially hit hard by the COVID-19 shutdown P12

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CLEARER SKIES

2020 GRADS

All Jeffco public school ceremonies moved to August

Fewer cars on the road means drop in pollution P23

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STORE STORIES Arvada small businesses work to stay useful and open

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THE BOTTOM LINE

“Maybe as we begin to emerge from this crisis, we can use what we learn about community and connection and commitment, and refocus our attention on, literally, saving the planet.”

Columnist Andrea Doray | P10 INSIDE

VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12

ArvadaPress.com

VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 47

2 Arvada Press

April 23, 2020A

Party candidates for primary ballot selected in assemblies altered by COVID-19 Szabo and Inman will face Kraft-Tharp and Kerr in County Commissioner’s races

BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

One of the local milestones of any major election year was set to take place on March 26 with Republican party loyalists meeting at the School of Mines’ Green Center in Golden to vote on which candidates for various county and state offices to send to the primary ballot.

But then came COVID-19, which forced the party to transition from the physical gathering to a first of its kind digital with candidates making their case via Zoom and votes being placed digitally.

Denise Mund, the chair of the Jefferson County Republicans, said that the process went “fine” overall, but there were some challenges related to technology.

“From our caucus data we know that the average of our caucus attendee was 62,” said Mund. “And so we had technology issues with some of our older attendees that are not as familiar with the technology.”

Attendees also missed the typical assembly experience of “being together and being able to catch up with people and that kind of thing.”

But despite the less than ideal conditions, the five-hour assembly process ended with a finalized ballot for Jeffco’s state senate and house races as well as those for district attorney and Szabo county commissioner.

The party’s candidates for the latter will be incumbent Libby Szabo for the district one commissioner’s seat and Golden resident Joni Inman for the district two seat.

Szabo touted her leadership and experience on Inman the board and in local government.

“I will be the only commissioner with more than a few years of experience and that experience is vital in Jeffco because if you do not have an experienced leader, the staff ends up Kraft-Tharp running the county and not leadership elected by the citizens.”

District two candidate Frank Hutfless fell short of making the ballot when he received only 12 percent of the vote at the assembly.

“I am looking at the very serious position we Kerr

are in right now in the county and I think it’s going to take experience that understands management,” Inman said of her candidacy. “I have years of experience in both managing local government as well as private sector of businesses.”

In November, Szabo will be running against Democrat Tracy Kraft-Tharp, the current Colorado House District 29 representative. Kraft-Tharp and other Democratic candidates were selected for the ballot during a mail assembly that occurred at the end of March. Jefferson County Democratic Party chair Susan Glass could not be reached to discuss the details of that process.

“I am passionate about creating practical pathways to improve the lives of individuals and their families,” Kraft-Tharp said.

Inman, meanwhile, will face former state senator and representative Andy Kerr of Lakewood.

Challenging times like this require proven leadership from our elected officials,” Kerr said. “The people I’ve been talking to have let me know public and mental health, affordable housing and open space and these are the issues I plan to focus on for the campaign.”

Here is a look at the other races ahead of the primary: In Senate District 19, Democrat Rachel Zeninger will face Republican Lynn Geber.

In House District 22, Mary Parker will be the Democrat’s candidate. How-

PRIMARY ELECTION The primary election will be done by mail with ballots being sent out in early June. Ballots must be received by the county by 7 p.m. on June 30. Polling places will also be open on the day. Voters registered with a party will receive that party’s ballot while unaffiliated registered voters will receive ballots for both party primaries but can only return one.

The primary will also include a vote to determine the state’s Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate. ever, Republicans still need to choose between incumbent Chris Larson and Justin Everett, as both made the primary ballot out of the assembly.

In House District 23, Republican Fred Clifford will face incumbent Democrat Chris Kennedy.

In House District 24, incumbent Democrat Monica Duran will face Republican Laurel Imer.

In House District 25, Republican and former Jefferson County Commissioner Don Rosier will face incumbent Democrat Lisa Cutter.

In House District 27, Republican Vicki Pyne will face incumbent Democrat Brianna Titone.

In House District 28, incumbent Democrat Kerry Tipper will face Republican MJ Paulsen.

In House District 29, Republican Vanessa Demott will face Democrat Lindsay Daugherty.

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Arvada Press 3

April 23, 2020

Two Apex Park and Recreation directors to be elected May 5 District encouraging voters to apply for absentee ballot STAFF REPORT

On May 5, two directors will be elected to the Apex Park and Recreation District (Apex PRD) board of directors. Elected directors will serve three-year terms through May 2023.

As opposed to the city government managing parks and recreation, in Arvada, those services are overseen by Apex PRD. The district gives residents access to sports, classes, facilities, fields and other recreation options.

Four candidates are competing for the two positions: Richard Garrimone, a 48year Arvada resident who has been a member of the Apex PRD Foundation for 26 years;

Christine Havlin, who has experience as a parent teacher organization executive and member of financial accountability committees; Vicki Pyne, the Apex PRD board’s current vice president, who was part of Apex projects including multiple pools and recreation centers; and Kendra Wright, an Arvada West High School graduate whose family resides near the Apex

Center and participates regularly in Apex activities.

The two candidates with the highest number of votes will fill the two positions.

More information about the candidates is available at apexprd.org.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing guidelines, Apex PRD has encouraged voters to apply for an absentee ballot. Applications for an absentee ballot are due

April 28 and should be mailed to Rheana Rogers at 13150 W. 72nd Ave., Arvada, CO 80005.

Absentee ballots must be filled out and received by May 5 to be counted.

Two polling locations will also be open for those who choose to vote in-person.

Individuals can vote at the Apex Center, 13150 W. 72nd Ave., or the Community Recreation Center, 6842 Wadsworth Blvd., from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 5.

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Real Estate, Oddly Enough, May Be the Last Industry to Adopt Live-Action Video

The term “virtual tour” was introduced to the real estate industry a couple decades ago, but only because photography vendors were able to convince listing agents to hire them and competed to offer the coolest technology.

Early vendors wowed us with 360-degree still photos of each room, although that is now out of style.

The latest “shiny object” is a 5- or 6-year-old product by Matterport. I remember getting a demo of it at a trade show in San Francisco. They call their product an interactive virtual reality (VR) tour of still photos in which you can use your mouse or finger to rotate each photo manually left to right or up and down. Gray circles indicate new photo points. You click or touch them and you are taken to that place where you can, again, rotate horizontally or vertically. Thus, you can, at your own pace, navigate around the entire listing choosing which room you want to enter and leave.

The “coolest” feature of Matterport is the “dollhouse” view. You remember dollhouses, where one side was open so you could look inside each room? That’s what Matterport’s dollhouse view is like except that it’s on your screen and you can rotate it on any axis.

Still, it’s only a collection of still photos with no narration. Personally I find it kind of dizzying and nowhere near as useful as being walked through the home

by a listing agent with a video camera who explains the obvious and not-soobvious features of the home. I wouldn’t call anything less a “virtual” tour.

I have been selling real estate now for 18 years and seen maybe a dozen different variations of the “virtual tour” concept, but almost all of them are nothing more than still photos presented in different, often interactive ways. None have the advantage of a simple video walk-through of a home by the listing agent. That’s what we do at Golden Real Estate, and have been doing since 2007.

What amazes me is how few agents do what we do. In the article at right, I mention that 109 homes listed last week went under contract by week’s end, at a time when in-person showings and open houses were not allowed. Assuming they followed the 2-week-old rule against in-person showings, buyers of those listings had only the photos and “virtual tours” on the MLS to go by in making their decision to submit an offer.

One might assume that those 109 listings had great virtual tours, but almost none of them did. Surprisingly, only 60 of the 109 had any “virtual tour” on the MLS, but more surprisingly only two of them had a narrated video tour. Five of them had video walk-throughs with music. One had no sound track at all, and one really cracked me up. It was done by the agent holding his smartphone, but his footsteps and breathing were all you could hear. Imagine if an agent walked

Watch Our Video Tour of This Stapleton Listing This brand new home at 10030 E. 59th Drive is $579,000 in the heart of Denver’s Stapleton North community. Custom finishes can be found throughout, including hardwood maple flooring, quartz countertops, upgraded lighting, and a luxurious master bathroom with walk-in shower. You’ll like the bright, open floor plan, with its eat-in kitchen, featuring quartz countertops, under-cabinet lighting, gas range, stainless appliances and tile backsplash.

Ten-foot ceilings create a spacious feel. Upstairs is a master suite, two additional bedrooms, a second full bathroom and laundry room.

A 4th bedroom, full bathroom and additional living space are in the basement. You don’t need a showing to appreciate this home. At www.StapletonHome.info you can watch a narrated walk-through with listing broker David Dlugasch, then call him at 303-908-4835 with any questions.

you through his listing in person and never said a word about anything — that’s what it was like!

The two narrated tours were quite good in the detail which the agents shared, but they both shot with their phones in vertical mode and one was quite shaky since it was handheld. Too

bad she wasn’t using the Osmo camera that we use, which has a gimbal, making the picture totally steady.

Over 30 of the 60 listings had Matterport tours, which I found very disappointing. Others were just slide-shows with music, and many were just a collection of still photos or brochures.

Number of Listings & Contracts Remains Low Each week I have been checking the MLS to see how many homes are being listed afresh and how many are going under contract as the Covid-19 stay-athome order remains in place.

In last week’s column I reported that during the 7-day period from Sunday April 5th to Saturday April 11th, a total of 819 homes within 25 miles of downtown Denver were entered on Denver’s MLS, This past week — from Sunday April 12th to Saturday April 18th — that number dropped slightly to 799. Of those, 23 had already been sold privately, compared to 22 the previous week, so there were only 776 new active listings last week. Amazingly, 109 of those went under contract by Saturday, compared to 133 the previous week, despite stricter

enforcement of the “no-showings” guidance from the Division of Real Estate.

Another 25 of those new listings went under contract by Monday noon.

Bottom line? The 50% drop in listings from previous years which we saw last week has become the “new normal” for the current situation in which inperson showings are not allowed until a buyer has signed a contract to buy a home.

This is actually a great time to list your home! The fact that so many buyers are still submitting offers without even seeing a home in person should inspire more sellers to offer their homes for sale. Just be sure you do it with a narrated video tour like we do for all Golden Real Estate listings.

Watch Our Video Tour of This Lakewood Ranch If main-floor living is what you want, this home at 1957 S. Taft Street will suit you perfectly. It is located less than a mile southeast of a Green Mountain trailhead and within walking distance of an elementary and middle $470,000 school. Another trailhead (to a greenbelt) is at the end of the block this home is on! This is a view of the home from the backyard, which features over a dozen lichen-covered boulders, brick planters, a pergola-covered deck outside the master suite, and the included hot tub.

Watch the video tour narrated by Jim Smith at www.LakewoodHome.info, then call him at 303-525-1851 with any questions.

Jim Smith

Broker/Owner, 303-525-1851 Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com

See All Our Listings, Active & Under Contract, at www.GREListings.com

Broker Associates: JIM SWANSON — 303-929-2727 CARRIE LOVINGIER — 303-907-1278 CHUCK BROWN — 303-885-7855 DAVID DLUGASCH — 303-908-4835 ANDREW LESKO — 720-710-1000 CAROL MILAN — 720-982-4941

4 Arvada Press

April 23, 2020A

Five Arvada businesses giving back during COVID-19 Businesses benefitting first responders, residents

BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

March and the beginning of April ushered in a wave of restrictions on daily life, almost all of which have impacted local businesses as residents have stayed inside, restaurants and bars have closed dine-in services and non-essential businesses have temporarily shut their doors amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The changes have required businesses to get creative about continuing to reach their customers. And as the weeks have continued, many businesses have taken it a step further, using their creativity to help the community combat the challenges of the coronavirus.

Plenty of Arvada companies have joined this movement, including the following five local businesses finding unique ways to make a difference: AlphaGraphics 8290 W. 80th Ave. (303) 422-5500 Ed Rothschild, who owns four AlphaGraphics printing company locations in Arvada, Aurora, Denver and Golden, has thought up a number of ways to keep the community connected. In an effort to help businesses keep

attracting customers, the shop printed and donated “We Are Open” signs to numerous local restaurants including The Butchery, La Dolce Vita and Great Harvest Baking Co., Rothschild said.

“These are businesses that may or may not buy from us, but they are critical in keeping Arvada a healthy and thriving place — and my staff and I certainly eat at all of them,” he said.

AlphaGraphics is also selling discounted yard signs that read “Staying Safe by Staying Home” for residents to post in their yards. Various designs are available or individuals can customize their own signs at ag5280.com.

A third effort has seen the company donate 2,000 surgical masks, which the printing shop received from its partners in Italy, to the Arvada Fire Protection District, Rothschild said.

“My hope is that we all come out of this situation healthy,” he said, “and that businesses are still viable and will thrive again in the near future.”

Summit Cleaning 7985 Vance Dr. (303) 886-2251 On April 8, Summit Cleaning invited community members to drive up to their office building on Vance Drive, where employees had set up an outdoor station to provide free hospital grade PH7Q dual disinfectant to anyone who brought their own empty bottle.

The disinfectant can be used on any in-home surface, said Summit Clean-

Team members at Rheinlander Bakery hold a “We Are Open” sign donated to the business by AlphaGraphics.

COURTESY OF ED ROTHSCHILD ing owner Tetiana Kolcheva. In the first two hours of the distribution, the Summit Cleaning team, wearing their protective masks and gloves, had given away about 15 gallons to community members.

“There’s no disinfectant on the shelves and you can’t find it any-

where, but it’s super important right now to be making sure your surfaces are clean, especially after you go to the store,” Kolcheva said. “We have to support each other. That’s why we’re here.”

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April 23, 2020

BUSINESSES FROM PAGE 4

Talnua Distillery & Tasting Room 5405 W. 56th Ave. (303) 431-4949 Arvada Fire, the Jefferson County Sheriff ’s Office and the Westminster Police Department are just a few organizations that have received hand sanitizer from Talnua Distillery & Tasting Room, which opened in Arvada about one year ago.

Regulatory agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) have relaxed hand sanitizer production restrictions throughout the pandemic, paving the way for local distilleries like Talnua to provide this highly demanded product to others. After a weeks-long process to procure the necessary ingredients, in late March, the distillery’s operation got underway.

Talnua has now produced more than 150 gallons of hand sanitizer, with about 95% of that going to agencies and organizations in need, said Patrick Miller, who owns Talnua with his wife, Meagan.

The remaining sanitizer has been given free to customers with a purchase from the distillery. As of April 16, Talnua still had sanitizer to give out and was still open, offering pickup or delivery of its bottles and to-go cocktails through its website talnua. com.

“Being able to make hand sanitizer, it was something we wanted to jump on. There was and is such a huge need and we were just inundated with requests,” Patrick said. “There was almost a sense of duty in our ability to provide this.”

He added that the production has been a community effort, with Arvada’s Spirit Wines Provisions providing bottles for the hand sanitizer to be packaged in and Minuteman Press of Arvada printing the labels.

Great Harvest Bread Co. 7745 Wadsworth Blvd.

(303) 420-0500 Hoping to provide food security for locals who have recently lost their jobs, Great Harvest Bread Co. has established a community bread shelf in its store. The bakery has invited anyone in need to drop by the store and walk up to the counter, where an

Summit Cleaning owner Tetiana Kolcheva, right, and coworker Zar Blackburn at the company’s disinfectant distribution on April 8.

CASEY VAN DIVIER employee will give them the bread they need for their family, free of charge.

“We keep a variety of different kinds of bread behind the glass at our main counter, and we take them through what we have,” said Micki Nelson, who owns the bakery with her husband and daughter. “As long as it is needed, we will continue to do this.”

The effort, conceptualized by Nelson’s daughter Aimee Charlton, is an extension of the store’s usual community outreach, with the bakery regularly donating to nonprofits, food banks and other organizations, Nelson said.

The new bread shelf has inspired the store’s customers to get involved, with some buying bread to be donated directly to the shelf. Others in the community have called in to make financial donations, she said.

Additionally, the bakery seeks to help those most affected from the pandemic by offering free deliver to elderly or immunocompromised residents.

“We have kept our whole team employed and they’re just thrilled that we’re able to help our customers,” Nelson said. “This is part of our mission.”

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The community bread shelf at Great Harvest Bread Co., where community members are encouraged to come and accept free donations if they are in need of food for their families. COURTESY OF MICKI NELSON Matt and Margaret Hartley’s 3D printing setup, through which the couple has provided hundreds of pieces of protective equipment to essential workers.

COURTESY OF MATT HARTLEY

Matt Hartley Lighting (303) 558-1542 Using a 3D printer, lighting design business owner Matt Hartley and his wife, Margaret, have been running a two-person operation to create protective equipment for essential workers across the country.

As of April 17, the couple had created more than 200 face shields, between 60 to 80 masks and between 50 to 60 ear guards, Matt estimated.

Some of the items have been donated, though the couple has also asked for

financial donations in return to cover costs.

Locally, the couple has provided gear to the City of Arvada and nearby fire departments, while also sending items to organizations in Washington and Puerto Rico.

“We print during the day and after we have dinner, we put everything together for the next day,” Matt said.

“It’s not a huge operation but if we could do 20 to 30 masks a day, that’s what we want to do. We’re trying to do what we can where we can.”

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6 Arvada Press

April 23, 2020A

Graduation, college plans not the same for high school seniors Virus has delayed graduation four months, could affect Fall start

BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The Class of 2020 has already seen much of their senior year disrupted, if not outright cancelled. Even now, not much is certain about the future, but Jefferson County Public Schools’ spring graduation ceremonies, district leaders have announced a plan to give students the next best option, tentatively rescheduling high school graduations for Aug. 7, 8, 14 and 15.

The hope is that by those dates, four months away from the district’s April 10 announcement, restrictions on group gatherings will no longer be in place.

However, even if ceremonies can go forward, local seniors agree that the pandemic is bound to bring some disappointments that the students previously hadn’t foreseen.

By August, “I know that some of my friends will be in boot camp (basic training) by then and some will be rushing around to leave for college,” said senior Ciara O’Neill, Lakewood High School’s student body president.

“The thought of them not getting to have that final experience is adding to the sadness that I won’t get that final

Students Emma Hirshblond, right, and Meghan Scaggs, at Lakewood High School’s Senior Sunrise event on the first day of school.

COURTESY OF EMMA HIRSHBLOND goodbye with them.”

For Lakewood senior Emma Hirshblond, the rescheduling likely means her grandparents can no longer attend her graduation, she said.

On top of that, “the biggest difference is going to be the feeling of it,” she said. “Most of us will have moved on from high school at that point. A lot of us are already going to be looking

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Even so, as the two students look to the August reunion with their classmates, “I think it will mean so much more to us after having to be apart for so long,” O’Neill said.

In addition to rescheduling their graduations, schools have been working with their student governments to

Seniors Abby Reinke and Caleb Rillos at Ralston Valley’s Homecoming Chalk Dance last fall. COURTESY OF RALSTON VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL determine which senior year events can somehow continue.

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Arvada Press 7

April 23, 2020

Jeffco changes approach to grading as remote learning continues Standards address ‘unknown variables’ that could prevent students from engaging STAFF REPORT

On April 13, Jeffco Public Schools informed families that in response to COVID-19 and the need to transition to remote learning and instruction, grading will look different this semester for students in all grade levels.

GRADUATION FROM PAGE 6

summer.

The school is also planning to provide guides for students on how they can host their own “mini proms” online, and potentially ask students to send in photos of themselves in their prom dresses for a virtual fashion show, said Jenny Braketa, math teacher and student government sponsor.

“This class has shown a lot of resilience. They’ve overcome some difficult situations and they’re trying to make the best out of just a weird situation,”

“In a remote learning environment, there are many unknown variables that can contribute to students’ ability or inability to engage,” said the district statement, prompting Jeffco to change its grading approach.

For high school and middle school students, grades will be determined based on several factors.

“As long as students continue to participate,” students’ grades cannot drop lower than the grade they received in the most recently completed grading period, the statement said. That period may be a semester, trimester or quarter, depending on the school.

Individual schools determine what measures show a student is participating in remote learning.

“Definitions of participation should include demonstrating progress towards mastery of content standards,” the statement said.

While participating students’ grades cannot drop, students can raise their grades by completing assignments throughout the remainder of the school year.

In high schools, students can also choose to accept a credit or no credit indicator on their transcript instead of a traditional grade, though the option may not be available for some

concurrent or dual enrollment classes.

In elementary schools, “for the duration of the third trimester, students and teachers have exclusively engaged in remote learning,” the statement said. “Because of this shift, grading for the remainder of this academic year will focus on more qualitative feedback from teachers,” including comments on whether a student has met expectations and can advance to the next grade in the fall.

Charter and innovation schools will determine and communicate their own grading policies, the statement said.

she said. “I haven’t found them feeling sorry for themselves. I’ve found them just owning it.”

At Lakewood High, some events like the senior picnic could also potentially still happen, with Hirshblond highlighting the district and administrators for ensuring students’ senior year will be as special as possible.

“Jefferson County is doing a really good job of making sure students’ needs are met,” she said.

“My college has already canceled inperson orientation, which is definitely going to be tricky,” said Hirshblond, who will attend the University of Washington in the fall. “And every senior in the US is going through the same things I am.”

Reinke, who plans to attend Colorado State University next year, said her freshman orientation sessions have also been moved online.

Additionally, “if my first semester of college was online, I would consider taking a gap year,” she said. “I want to get the full experience and I don’t want to have to do another year of online school.”

As for O’Neill, who was in the process of deciding whether to attend

a local community college or the University of Colorado Boulder when the pandemic began, she said the virus’s continued effects have made her more likely to attend a community college, at least for next year.

Even so, amid all of the scheduling and logistical changes that other classes haven’t faced, the class of 2020 has also grown in ways the seniors believe will carry into the future.

“I’ve been reflecting a lot on what this has shown me about high school. I feel content that I made the best of my senior year leading up to this, and I’m still going to finish off the year and graduate,” Reinke said. “I think the good has outweighed the bad.”

What’s next The rescheduled events and graduations don’t mark the end of the uncertainty for the class of 2020. For many of them, the pandemic has already affected some of their college plans.

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8 Arvada Press

April 23, 2020A

How first responder agencies are adjusting to the pandemic Local fire departments and sheriff’s offices face challenges finding safety equipment

BY DAVID GILBERT DGILBERT@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, area first responder agencies are changing protocols and learning to cope with the new normal. Here’s how some local sheriff ’s offices and fire departments are adjusting.

South Metro firefighters respond to a house fire in Highlands Ranch in March.

COURTESY OF SOUTH METRO FIRE RESCUE

South Metro Fire Rescue you there,” Adams said. “But the hospitals are inundated. Many can Covering a vast swath of the southern suburbs, stretching from Parker to self-care at home.”

The district had about a dozen firesouth Jefferson County, South Metro fighters out sick or on self-quarantine is the third-largest fire department in on March 31, with four testing positive the state. for COVID-19. If a high number of All crews now wear personal protecfirefighters were out sick at once, the tive equipment (PPE) on all medical district could adjust by reducing the calls, said Jon Adams, the district’s number of firefighters on one engine assistant chief of operations. Spefrom four to three, Adams said. In a cialized crews disinfect ambulances worst-case scenario, with hundreds after every run involving someone in out, the district could temporarily respiratory distress. shut down some firehouses.

Among callers who report COVIDAdams said he is confident the dislike symptoms, crews are assessing trict will fare well. who can stay home rather than be “I sleep well at night knowing our transported to a hospital, which comes crews will provide the best service in as a shock to some. the state,” Adams said.

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West Metro Fire Protection District West Metro covers a diverse swath of Jefferson County, ranging from rural mountain communities to dense urban areas.

Like South Metro, West Metro crews are dressing in full PPE for all medical calls, including Tyvek suits normally reserved for hazardous waste spills, said district spokeswoman Ronda Scholting.

Scholting said the district has “a few” firefighters who have tested positive for COVID-19, but they were nearly recovered as of April 2 and were expected to return to duty soon.

All personnel are checked for fevers at the beginning and end of every shift.

The district plans to add two ambulances to its roster in coming days to address the added time spent disinfecting ambulances after medical calls, Scholting said.

If the district fell below minimum staffing requirements, the plan is to reassign firefighters from training and life safety divisions to fire stations.

Denver Fire Department Denver Fire, the state’s largest fire department, also covers Englewood.

In order to reduce exposure to potential sources of infection, firefighters are talking to patients by phone, or through windows and doors when possible, said spokeswoman Kelli Christensen.

Though the department has adequate supplies of gloves, gowns and

goggles, supplies of masks aren’t as high as the department would like. If firefighters run out, they will switch toa responding to medical calls in “turn- w p out” gear normally used for fires, a including self-contained breathing apparatus, providing a 30-minute air c i supply. w There were 32 personnel who had tested positive for COVID-19 in Den- f ver’s Department of Public Safety as w of April 3. The department includes t Denver Fire, but also Denver Police, c Sheriff and 911.

In a worst-case scenario, with high h C numbers out sick, the department would temporarily suspend its emer- f gency medical responses and focus on fire protection and emergency rescue, leaving medical response to ambulance crews, Christensen said.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office The Jefferson County Sheriff ’s Office is working hard to obtain as much PPE as possible, said Sheriff Jeff Shrader.

“There are a lot of situations for viral exposure we might not be aware of,” Shrader said. For example, deputies responded to a car accident in which a victim ended up testing positive for COVID-19.

In anticipation of a potential wave of sickness, Shrader deputized all officers from the county’s police departments on April 1.

SEE RESPONDERS, P9

Arvada Press 9

April 23, 2020

A dozen Jeffco jail deputies test positive for COVID-19 antibodies The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office announced on April 16 that 12 deputies who work in the county jail have tested presumptive positive for COVID-19 antibodies, which indicate they either currently have the virus or have had it in the recent past. Those employees were referred to health care providers for additional testing and have not been working since their presumptive positive tests.

The 12 deputies were among the 250 county public safety employees who have so far participated in voluntary COVID-19 testing the county began offering to public safety personnel earlier

this week. A total of 209 Sheriff’s Office employees had participated in the testing with approximately 20 testing presumptive positive.

As of the morning of April 16, eight inmates in the county jail were in isolation and eight more were being quarantined related to COVID-19. The Sheriff’s Office says none of the employees are in quarantine or isolation due to exposure to an employee who has tested presumptive positive or positive. Rather, the department says all are believed to have been exposed or possibly exposed to COVID-19 outside the facility.

According Sheriff’s Office Public Affairs Director Jenny Fulton, the Sheriff’s Office has only tested one inmate for

COVID-19. That was early on during the pandemic and the Sheriff’s Office did not get test results back before the inmate was released from the facility.

Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Michael Taplin has previously said that inmates are tested when they show at least two symptoms associated with COVID-19. Fulton said the seventh floor of the jail, which had been closed since the start of the year as a result of county budget cuts until the COVID-19 crisis, continues to be used for isolation and quarantine, when necessary. It is also being used for video court appearances for inmates, as in-court appearances have ceases.

The rapid response test is performed

on-site at the Sheriff’s Office, in a drivethrough manner. The test involves a finger prick to draw a small blood sample and provides a result in approximately 10 minutes. The test is considered 90% accurate, with a presumptive positive meaning the individual has COVID-19 antibodies, indicating he or she has or had the virus.

In accordance with public health guidelines, the Sheriff’s Office is instructing a 14-day symptom watch for co-workers or inmates who may have come into contact with an employee who has tested positive for COVID-19.

The Sheriff’s Office announced its first deputy who works in the jail had tested positive for COVID-19 back on April 2.

RESPONDERS

of the suspect,” Shrader said. “We can see them. In this regard, this is an invisible enemy.”

at-home orders are hard, but even a simple drive around town puts first responders at risk if you get in an accident,” Brown said. “It takes resources away from those who need it.”

inmates, and releasing others on personal recognizance bonds.

Spurlock also said his deputies are advised to increase the number of summonses they issue instead of arrests to keep the jail from filling back up. The jail has some inmates in the infirmary, Spurlock said, but none were showing COVID-19 symptoms.

About two dozen employees of the department were out sick on April 3, Spurlock said, which was about average. Like Jefferson County’s Shrader, Spurlock said he would consider deputizing police officers if staffing levels fell low enough.

“Follow the public health orders, and maintain social distancing,” Spurlock said. “If we have patience, we’ll get through this.”

STAFF REPORT

FROM PAGE 8

Shrader said he has worked with the courts to reduce the jail’s population through a combination of bonds, home detention and an increased use of summonses instead of arrests by deputies, bringing the inmate count from an average of just under 1,200 to below 750.

The jail had 31 inmates in isolation on April 2, with 11 of them showing COVID-19 symptoms, and the remainder having been in contact with someone who tested positive.

“Normally when we’re dealing with a critical incident, we have knowledge

QUALITY & VA

Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office Rare among metro-area agencies, Arapahoe County Sheriff Tyler Brown said his office is so well-stocked on PPE that it was able to donate some of its stockpile to other local agencies.

Brown said his deputies are taking as many reports as possible by phone or online to minimize exposure, and working to keep the jail population down. There were no known cases of COVID-19 in the jail, he said.

Like other local law enforcement agencies, Brown said the volume of calls the office is receiving is down.

“I want to remind people that stay-

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff Tony Spurlock said his department has received two shipments of PPE from the federal government, and feels confident the department will be able to obtain more in coming weeks as production ramps up nationwide.

Meanwhile, Spurlock said the county jail population is down to 275, from an average of nearly 400. Like other county jails, Spurlock said his department has worked with the court system to grant early release to some

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ALCHEMY

Andrea Doray

LOCAL

April 23, 2020A

VOICES

O

Observing Earth Day amid a pandemic

n April 22, 1970, a group of people came together to create Earth Day, what is now the planet’s largest civic affair. Fifty years later, the crisis many of these forward-thinking activists feared is upon us.

Climate change in wreaking havoc for our planet, including the heightened chance of extreme weather events no country, region, or continent has escaped. Carbon emissions have reached an all-time high. Industries that had been moving toward the preservation of clean air, clean water, wildlife and wilderness are now allowed to look the other way when the science shows the damage.

Observing Earth Day amid the coronavirus pandemic is not without its paradoxes. For

example, at the moment, air pollution from cars and industry is at its lowest levels in years along Colorado’s Front Range … most residents are observing stay-at-home guidelines.

And have you seen of the photos out of India and China and other locales that live daily with nightmarish pollution? Go to the Internet this minute and look for side-by-side photos from various locations in India … they are absolutely stunning. One of the captions mentions that, now that the smog has cleared, residents are seeing the Himalayan mountains to the north in Nepal and Tibet for first time in their lives.

I spent three weeks in Nepal in late 2013.

Pollution from the clogged traffic in Kath-

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Mark is my pick As a lifelong Arvada resident and a former Arvada Police Officer, Detective, Command Officer and as Chief, I have had personal experience with the Arvada Fire Department, going all the way back to the early 1970’s when the department was all citizen volunteers. I also have had the opportunity to work directly and indirectly with members of the Arvada City Council over the years, both as an employee of the city and as a concerned citizen.

Mark McGoff, in my opinion, is one the hardest working Arvada City Council members to ever serve our city.

Mark has become a friend and I value his knowledge of public policy as it relates to the safety of all our citizens. Mark’s record of service to the city makes him uniquely qualified to serve the Arvada Fire Protection District as a board member. Mark understands local government, knows Arvada and can objectively balance the needs of the City of Arvada and the Fire District while keeping the safety of our citizens and the employees at the forefront of his decisions.

Please take time to vote; I urge you to cast your vote for Mark McGoff Arvada Fire Protection District Board of Directors.

Jerry L. Williams, Arvada Monopolies mean higher prices Bravo! Thank you, Marlin Jahnke, for your letter to the Editor of April 16.

I thought I was the only one who believes single trash hauling is a bad idea

A publication of

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promoted by a vocal minority. In every survey I have been asked to complete I have registered my rejection of this idea. How on earth can anyone assure us that this proposed monopoly will not result in higher pricing? It is just too tempting. Let’s have the freedom to choose for ourselves. And Michael Alcorn, you keep calling it the Wuhan virus. That’s where it came from and pooh to those who don’t think it’s politically correct. What about the Spanish flu and German measles? What a thing to trifle over!

Kristen Pacot, Arvada

mandu – cars, trucks, tourist buses, scooters … lots of scooters – was visible on the streets, and it seared my lungs. But the mountains were crystalline, the visibility unlimited to the horizon, and the breathing was wonderful (unless, of course, I was struggling on a trek carrying a pack, at altitude).

This phenomenon reminded me of Denver’s infamous weather inversions and the “brown cloud” they bring with them, trapping pollution against the foothills. Much like Nepal, we here in Colorado can escape to the mountains and their more pristine environments, but wouldn’t it be great if part of the “new normal” didn’t include a relapse

Make sure your new routine is a good one

B

Romero for re-election Those of us who have been keeping tabs on the Arvada Fire Department have a very concerning interest in the upcoming election. Our new Fire Chief Mike Piper and Deputy Chief Kirk Lock bring expertise and a continuation of excellence to our Arvada Fire Department. It is vitally important that they have a board that fully supports them, our firefighters and emergency crews and who also will protect our department from unnecessary outside influences. Our department is special in many ways.

We have been nationally recognized and anyone who has had contact with the department knows what a special one it is. The interaction between our fire and police departments is phenomenal.

These are just some of the reasons I support the re-election of Andrea SEE LETTERS, P11

SEE DORAY, P11

ack before quarantine, about 400 years ago, a normal day looked a little bit like this: I would get up, get ready, make a cup of very weak, well-disguised coffee and take my son to school. From there, I would go to my first school, set up chairs, check emails, make photo copies or do whatever printing job I needed to do, and then teach. Forty minutes later, I clean up chairs, gather my stuff, and get in my HITTING car to drive to the next HOME school. On my way to the next school, typically, I have a few sips of water and eat a small, healthy snack.

Then I get to the next school, set up, teach, tear down, drive, drink, snack. And then I would repeat the whole thing one more time. Sometimes, Michael Alcorn that third school is the last one before lunch, so then I would eat lunch. And then go to the last school.

It took me several years to built this good habit, the one where I drink water and eat a small, healthy snack. See, if I allow myself to get even a little bit hungry as the day is going on, I tend to get headaches — something about blood sugar. And if I don’t drink water, I tend to… get thirsty. Plus, water is really good for you.

So, my old normal helped me stay hydrated and helped me avoid entirely predictable headaches. You know what I’ve had a lot of the last four weeks? Dry mouth and several headaches.

I noticed something else last week, when I put on my fitbit for the first time since January: I don’t get in my steps right now. I used to never have a problem getting in my steps — my fellow teachers understand — and now, I’m nowhere close. Sitting at my desk all day working with students over the computer has ruined that good habit, as well.

And it’s not just me. Once the novelty of this whole episode started to wear off, and we all settled into new routines, some of the old habits were no longer tenable. Hard to make a lunchtime trip down to the company gym when you’re not in the same building as the company gym; hard to make a deliberate effort to walk up a few flights of stairs to get to the break room when you live in a ranch style home.

For me, as dumb as it sounds (or, more precisely, as dumb as I sound), simply remembering to eat and drink a little as the morning is going along is not in my habit zone, because I’m not even getting into my car right now.

But that’s no longer a viable excuse, and I know it. This is our reality, for the foreseeable future. So it’s time to make a deliberate effort to build back up some of

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SEE ALCORN, P11

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Arvada Press 11

April 23, 2020

DORAY FROM PAGE 10

into lung-slugging smog?

I’ve written before in this space about Earth Day. Fifty years ago, more than 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums in massive coast-to-coast rallies to demonstrate for a healthy sustainable environment. In 1990, Earth Day went

LETTERS FROM PAGE 10

Romero who’s financial expertise has been a great asset to the department and its’ budget; Jack Doane, who has extensive experience with the department and his firefighting experience is a key asset; and Mark McGoff, who has significant fire department knowledge and an inside knowledge of how government functions and works especially well with other members.

These three people will be an asset to the board and the city of Arvada. It is important to elect people such as these who understand the inner workings of the department and its relationship to our community and who can lead us into the future. Please help keep our fire department among the top departments in the country.

William F Hineser, Arvada McGoff and Romero for fire board I am a retiree from the Arvada Fire Department, having served 20 years as a volunteer firefighter, 17 years as a Deputy Fire Marshal, and four years on the Board of Directors. I am writing support of Jack Doane, Mark McGoff, and Andrea Romero.

Jack and I were volunteers at Station 4, at 68th and Pierce. In his time on the department, Jack held the positions of Lieutenant, Captain, Assistant Chief, Battalion Chief, and several administrative positions. His leadership was recognized by his peers and the progression shows they had confidence in his leadership.

As Deputy Fire Marshal, I interacted with City staff and City Council. As an Arvada resident, I paid attention to what the city was doing, not only as it

ALCORN FROM PAGE 10

those good habits.

You know what the worst part of building new habits is? You have to think about it. You have to be intentional and deliberate. And good habits take time to build — they’re not like bad habits, which seem to form almost instantly.

Good habits require effort, patience and persistence.

But it’s doable. We got this. Set your watch alarm, everybody, and get out of your chair at a set time every day; walk to another room (or, better yet, outside) and spend 10 minutes breathing and doing light stretching. Eat a healthy snack,

global, engaging 200 million people in the 141 countries, setting the stage for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

Climate change represents the biggest challenge to the future of humanity and the life-support systems that make our world habitable. For its 50th anniversary, Earth Day Network notes that the enormous challenges – but also the vast opportunities – of acting on climate change are the most pressing topics.

related to fire issues but issues of infrastructure, growth, public safety, and many other subjects. I was continually impressed by Councilman Mark McGoff ’s knowledge of the issues and his thoughtful analysis of the information provided. There is no doubt Mark will bring the same attributes to the Arvada Fire District Board.

Andrea Romero is a successful Arvada businesswomen and a relative newcomer to AFD. She brought her business acumen to the Board and has proven herself capable of balancing the best interest of the taxpayers with the needs of the Department’s mission.

The Arvada Fire Department is a premier organization where the exceptional is considered routine. Jack Doane’s institutional knowledge and demonstrated fire service leadership, Mark McGoff ’s experience in local government, and Andrea Romero’s business sense will continue that culture and provide the citizens with the finest service in the country.

Tom McAdam, Broomfield Terranova for Fire Board I have known Ted Terranova for over 35 years. I served with Ted on the Arvada Chamber of Commerce Board and later on the Arvada City Council.

I have first-hand experience with Ted as a successful businessman who also processes great leadership abilities. As a past President of the AFPD, I appreciated the great job he did when he served there from 2008 to 2016. He showed how one person with intense efforts can accomplish anything. More than ever, we need Ted back on the Arvada Fire Protection District Board. The fact is, we cannot do better than Ted Terranova as one of the new members on the AFPD Board. Join me in making our fire department and the community it serves one step closer to the BEST in the

and grab a bottle of water. Then get back at it. You’ll feel better, you’ll work better, and you’ll emerge from quarantine sane.

Oh, and if you didn’t see the Thunderbirds on Saturday, you missed an awesome display. The might of the U.S. military brought to bear to thank our critical personnel. Hats off to the U.S. Air Force for that one! Now, go outside and scream — make your voices match the pitch of the F-16s. Much love to our critical personnel!

Michael Alcorn is a teacher and writer who lives in Arvada with his wife and three children. His new novel, “Charon’s Blade,” is available at Amazon.com, on Kindle, or through MichaelJAlcorn.com.”

His opinions are not necessarily those of Colorado Community Media.

One of the intriguing aspects of Earth Day Network’s observation is their year-round call for daily action … encouraging people to vote, speaking up as advocates for the planet and the people, and staying engaged with the science.

The official focus for Earth Day 2020 is Climate Action. So maybe, just maybe, as we begin to emerge from this devastating coronavirus crisis, we can use what we learn about community and connection and commit-

WEST. Ted will make that happen!

Bob Dyer, Arvada Allport for fire board Regarding the Arvada Fire Protection District, I strongly encourage you to consider experience, and vote for the reelection of Tim Allport. Tim will continue to bring that experience to the table with caring sincerity, and with integrity.

A conscientious supporter and watchdog for all of us, Tim brings unwaver-

ment, and refocus our attention on, literally, saving the planet. We can continue to nurture our remarkable relationships with nature and with each other.

And who wouldn’t want that?

Andrea Doray is a writer who believes the words of Henrik Tikkanen: “Because we don’t think of future generations, they will never forget us.”

Contact Andrea at a.doray@andreadoray.com.

ing commitment to Public Service. He is currently elected as a Director with the Arvada Fire Protection District, a Board Member of the Arvada Historical Society, President of the Jefferson County Security Association, and active with Arvada CERT, the Community Emergency Response Team.

Please help Tim help you, by voting for his reelection!

I appreciate your consideration!

Ed Knox, Arvada

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12 Arvada Press

April 23, 2020A

Homelessness in Jeffco during COVID-19 A mixture of bad weather and the COVID-19 pandemic has made life more difficult for the homeless

BY JOSEPH RIOS JRIOS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Life has not been easy for Wayne Graham since he came out to Colorado four years ago. The 60-year-old man came to the state from Georgia with hopes of joining the marijuana industry with his nephew.

But when business with his nephew didn’t go as planned, Graham was forced out of his house because he couldn’t afford to pay rent and has been homeless since.

On Christmas of last year, he says he had a seizure that caused him to dislocate his shoulder and damage a nerve in his back, making it impossible for him to make an income from his profession — painting.

Winter grew colder for Graham when his car, the place where he slept, was impounded three months ago. He does not have the money to get his car back.

With most public places being closed, the combination of the Colorado snow and COVID-19 has made this an especially difficicult time on a vulnerable population — the homeless.

Libraries where many homeless people go for resources or to stay out of the cold weather are closed.

Stores are shutdown, making it even more difficult for the homeless to do something as simple as going to the bathroom or washing their hands.

The Severe Weather Shelter Network, which partners with organizations and agencies in the Denver metro area to provide emergency overnight shelter in cases like snowstorms, has also closed its doors — and the homeless are trying to adapt to a world that wasn’t kind to them even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those that work with the homeless population in Jefferson County say it is a grim time for people experiencing homelessness on the west side of the Denver metro area, like Graham.

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Robert Watenpaugh hands Marcos Jaramillo a piece of pie. Mean Street Ministry is located in Lakewood and provides resources to the homeless like food, help with finding jobs and more.

PHOTOS BY JOSEPH RIOS “I am not scared of (COVID-19) because of the pain I have been through. I would rather have the virus than this pain I am going through because I have a better chance of getting rid of the virus,” Graham said.

During the week of April 13 snow blanketed Colorado with areas like Lakewood experiencing six and a half inches of snow from April 15 to April 16, according to the National Weather Service website. To stay out of the cold, Graham says he has been riding RTD’s light rail until it is time for him to find a place to sleep.

“Everything being shut down is detrimental — it is killing us. All you can do is sit around outside,” he said.

Still providing for those in need On a snowy day last month, Rev. James Fry of Mean Street Ministry in Lakewood found a man on the streets in a wheelchair with an amputated leg, shivering uncontrollably. The man had black spots on his fingertips, Fry said.

“We called the EMT, they show up in hazmat suits and say it’s not serious enough to take him in,” said Fry. He thinks the EMT’s decision was made out of an abundance of caution to not crowd emergency rooms right now. Fry got the man a motel room

To advertise your place of worship in this section, call Erin at 303-566-4074 or email eaddenbrooke@ ColoradoCommunityMedia.com

Wayne Graham stands outside Mean Street Ministry in Lakewood on April 16.

Graham, who is homeless, said there is c nowhere for him to go on cold days as places like libraries are closed because of s i the COVID-19 pandemic. h D

a a d b w o e

b S f i S u b f g

Mike Hantz drinks a cup of coffee inside Mean Street Ministry. Rev. James Fry of the ministry says the ministry is using new safety protocols like spacing out where people sit and limiting 25 people in at a time when providing meals. for the night and has not seen him since.

Before the pandemic, around 70 to 80 people a day were seeing Fry and the rest of Mean Street Ministry for clothing, its food bank, café and its severe weather shelter before it was

f closed. But now, Fry said the ministryM t is serving even more people since the pandemic started. And as Mean l p Street Ministry has still managed B to keep offering its food bank and h M SEE HOMELESS, P13

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Arvada Press 13

April 23, 2020

Coronavirus indefinitely delays homeless camp cleanup Camp at Sheridan and I-76 causing concerns for nearby mobile home park

BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Officials say that plans to clear out the homeless encampment at Sheridan and I-76 have been put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The camp, estimated to be comprised of about 20 people had been

slated by CDOT to be cleared out in February, but had to be postponed twice due to weather.

Presley Fowler, CDOT’s Region 1 communications coordinator said that the COVID-19 pandemic began spreading across the state, putting all CDOT homeless camp cleanups on hold indefinitely.

CDOT typically conducts about two to three homeless encampment cleanups on its property every week, spending about $2 to $3 million on the operation every year, according to the agency.

“We get them scheduled as often as

we can,” Fowler said.

When it conducts a cleanup at a location like the Arvada camp, CDOT says it connects camp residents with resources through local advocacy group Helping and Loving Others, or HALO. “Our job is to keep the public safe.

There’s some sides of this issue who look at it as taking away a home from someone, but these camps are unsanitary and unhealthy,” Fowler said. “We have to do the cleanup, and we work with community advocacy groups to try and get as much help as possible to the (camp) residents.”

HOMELESS FROM PAGE 12

café despite COVID-19, Fry said all shelters are closed except for those in Denver, but a lot of the people he serves are scared of going to big Denver shelters.

“I don’t go to the shelters, I would avoid a place like that at all cost and not just because of the pandemic — because I have seen them before,” said John, a homeless man who asked to keep his last name out of this story as he is trying to find employment.

Mean Street Ministry shares a building with the Denver Street School, but because COVID-19 has forced the school to close, the ministry has moved its café to Denver Street School’s gym. Residents who use the café sanitize their hands before coming in and are spaced out from each other when they eat at the gym.

“The people we’re working with, they don’t want to get sick either. I’ve got a bunch of veteran homeless, and they know how to swab the deck and maintain order,” said Fry. As grocery stores have been hit from panic shoppers, Mean Street Ministry’s food bank has had a tougher time getting food, particularly canned goods. The ministry has partnered with other churches like Bridge Church at Bear Creek who hosted a drive through food drive for Mean Street Ministry on April 14.

Andrew Cunningham, Mean Street Ministry’s food bank manager, stands inside the ministry’s food bank. Cunningham said he has noticed more people utilizing the food bank recently.

JOSEPH RIOS But despite the help, Fry said finances are getting tough, and a few donors said they can’t provide assistance in ways they normally would. He said Mean Street Ministry is gaining 16 to 20 clients a day who are looking for food.

“Our navigation system (connecting people to services) is just overwhelmed, (there are) a lot of new homeless,” said Fry.

Growing problem Cathy Alderman, a spokesperson for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, said the organization doesn’t have data available about how many people have become homeless since the pandemic started, but said it is likely some residents who have their jobs will enter homelessness.

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment reported that the

The nearby Berkeley Village Mobile Home Park at 5400 Sheridan Blvd. has had issues with some of the problems associated with the homeless camp for two years, according to Park Manager Dixie Mitchell.

Mitchell said there have been issues involving trash, sanitation, drug use, and criminal activity, including an attempted kidnapping.

CDOT has not yet scheduled any upcoming cleanup dates for homeless encampments but intends to relaunch its efforts as soon as it can safely do so, Fowler said.

unemployment rate increased two percentage points to 4.5% in the state last month — and that number is expected to rise as more data becomes available from the state.

Kory Kolar, participant experience manager at The Action Center human resources organization in Lakewood, said the Action Center sees a lot of the same homeless people as it did when the organization was open under normal circumstances. Kolar said the biggest difference for the Action Center since the pandemic started has revolved around what services it can provide.

The Action Center is only providing food and mail to residents, Kolar says. On snowy days, the organization hands coats out to residents in need, but typically the Action Center has racks of clothes inside its building that residents can choose from.

“It’s just not the same. It’s less dignified to be handed something rather than getting to shop,” said Kolar. He said on average, the organization is serving twice as many households as it did before COVID-19 and added that the Action Center is now offering services to residents outside of Jefferson County.

“It’s a weird feeling. I can’t imagine what it is like if you’re living on the streets, and the world has shut down,” he said. “It must seem so strange and scary to not have anywhere to go.”

Glenn Wallace contributed to this report.

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14 Arvada Press

LOCAL

April 23, 2020A

LIFE

Lakewood reopens Fox Hollow and Homestead Golf Courses

W

the pandemic hit, the group has canceled its weekly group runs, staying in touch over social media instead.

Thornton resident Veronica Reish said that while she used to complete longer training runs while her father biked beside her, she since has transitioned to running alone.

But even despite a commitment to running without training partners, social distancing can prove difficult along the Denver area’s crowded trail system, the runners said.

“I’ve done a couple of very early morning runs, but I’m trying to not go out because there are more people on the trails,” Reish said. “I’ve had to step back a little bit and do a lot more running on the treadmill at home.”

Others, like Rich Airey, a Denver resident and running coach, have turned to running on the streets to avoid crowded parks and trails.

“There’s hardly any traffic. I’m trying to run every street (in the city),” Airey said. “I started off with a square-mile perimeter of my house and I’m going from there. I check off the streets as I go.”

Another common challenge for local runners has been figuring out exactly how much to run, as they balance unusual amounts of free time with the fact that races won’t resume until the fall.

As a coach, Airey said he has seen two common trends among Colorado runners.

ith playgrounds and parks all over the metro area closed down to stop the spread of COVID-19, options for people to safely get some outdoor time have become limited. But on April 18 the City of Lakewood provided a muchneeded option with the reopening of Fox Hollow and Homestead Golf Courses.

“Early on we were being inundated with people on the COMING trying ATTRACTIONS grounds to get exercise, so we thought if we’re going to be crowded anyway, they might as well have a golf bag on their shoulder,” said Craig Parzybok, head golf pro at the courses. “We Clarke Reader went back and forth on opening, and there was a lot of uncertainty. We certainly don’t want to be irresponsible, but we received the okay as long as we don’t encourage people to be too close together.”

Fox Hollow, 13410 W. Morrison Road, and Homestead, 11500 W. Hampden Ave., were closed on March 22, but now that they are reopened, staff have implemented a number of guidelines and measures to keep both golfers and staff as safe as possible.

Firstly, all tee times must be made in advance (up to four days prior) by phone and pre-paid by credit card at the time of reservation.

Walk-ups are not allowed, and the driving range and other practice areas will remain closed for the time being.

Carts (both motorized and walking) will not be available to rent, and the courses are going to put in extra effort to ensure players are maintaining the requisite 6-foot social distancing requirements during their time on the links.

“I think we’re going to be helicopter golf pros for a while at first, to make sure people are staying away from each other,” Parzybok said.

SEE RACE, P15

SEE READER, P15

Barb Hurtt, who lives in unincorporated Jefferson County, runs along Golden’s Clear Creek Trail. Hurtt has been a runner for about 25 years and has run about half a dozen previous marathons, with plans to run the Boston Marathon this year, postponed until Sept. 14.

CASEY VAN DIVIER

Local runners navigate postponements, crowded trails amid COVID-19

I

BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

n March, Lakewood High School cross-country and track coach Bryn Smetana was four months into training for her first Boston Marathon. She was following a training schedule planned out to the day and the mile, preparing for a race about a month away, when an announcement threw a wrench into her plans: Following the lead of numerous athletic events worldwide, the marathon would be postponed for five months.

“I was doing my longest runs and running every day, and now I have to in a sense start over,” Smetana said.

“I recreated my entire plan.”

With the marathon rescheduled from April 20 to Sept. 14, Smetana’s focus has shifted from pushing herself to the limit to simply maintaining her fitness levels. And among fellow Colorado runners also waiting out the five-month marathon delay and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, many have taken the same approach.

The Boston Marathon brings more than 30,000 runners from across the world to Boston each spring. This

LOCAL RUN CLUBS When social distancing restrictions are lifted, area runners can get together with any one of the many running clubs spanning the metro area. Groups include: Arvada Runners: facebook.com/groups/ arvadarunners Belmar Running Club: facebook.com/ BelmarRunningClub Castle Rock Run Club: strava.com/ clubs/211712 Colorado Masters Running/Racewalking Association: comastersrun.org Denver Trail Runners: denvertrailrunners.com Highlands Ranch Running Club: highlandsranchrunningclub.org Mile High Runners: www.milehighrunners.com Rocky Mountain Road Runners: rmrr.org year, more than 300 individuals from the Denver area have plans to run the race, with entrants making a series of unexpected adjustments to ensure they can stay committed to an event that is now months away — and stay fit in a time when training requires more precautions than ever before.

Those precautions span the physical, such as learning to run with a mask on, to the social, as distancing guidelines require residents to stay at least six feet apart.

Focus on safety Arvada resident Brad Lindeberg said he often has run with groups like the Arvada Runners club, but since

Arvada Press 15

April 23, 2020

RACE

VOTING EXTENDED TO APRIL 30, 2020

FROM PAGE 14

“Either people are completely losing all of their motivation and doing nothing, or they’re thinking, ‘I need to take advantage of this and do more,’” he said. “My advice would be just to continue what you’ve been doing and, if anything, do a little bit less.”

Lindeberg agreed, saying members of the running community have been encouraging one another not to push themselves too hard.

“When you train really hard, you compromise your immune system.

Now, it’s more of a focus on running for enjoyment and not doing as many miles,” he said. “We’ve collectively said, let’s just get our base mileage in and be ready to race when races start happening again.”

A positive spin For some, the rescheduling has come with silver linings. Littleton runner Callie Skokos, for instance, had plans to run the Boston Marathon April 20 and the London Marathon April 26. With both rescheduled, for Sept. 14 and Oct. 4 respectively, she’ll now have a longer turnaround between the two races, she said.

Aiming to raise money for Children’s Hospital Colorado through the race, she acknowledged the virus could have a negative impact on fundraising. “Especially with people being out of work, people are more focused on their day-to-day, instead of donations,” she said.

That said, “I hope through the summer, I’ll possibly be able to raise more,” she said.

Barb Hurtt, a University of Denver teaching assistant professor who lives in unincorporated Jefferson County,

READER FROM PAGE 14

“We’re hoping people will get creative with their celebrations, since they shouldn’t be doing things like high fives.”

High-frequency touch points like bathrooms and door handles will be disinfected regularly and bunker rakes, water stations, ball cleaners and benches have been removed from the courses as well. Clubhouses will only be open for bathrooms use and to place and pick-up take out orders from the restaurant. Once the game is over, golfers should promptly head home.

“I think reopening is a good sign, as long as people can adhere to the rules in place,” Parzybok said. “We’re trying to walk that tightrope of being responsible stewards of the property, because the longer this goes on, the more people will need to get out.”

Call Fox Hollow at 303-986-7888 or Homestead at 720-963-5181 to make a reservation, or visit www.lakewood. org/Government/Departments/Community-Resources/Lakewood-Golf.

Support the Colorado Chautauqua and learn something new The Colorado Chautauqua is one of the state’s most beautiful concert,

2020 BEST

Lakewood High teacher and cross-country coach Bryn Smetana runs a trail in Littleton, wearing a cloth face covering as directed by the CDC. COURTESY OF BRYN SMETANA added that for runners who actually have more work during the pandemic, instead of more free time, the postponement has been a somewhat welcome break.

“My work obligations increased about 50%, so it’s kind of been a blessing that I’ve had less demand on my training,” she said. “And I’ll enjoy being able to train over the summer, in nicer weather — I can’t tell you how many days I spent on the treadmill in February.”

Many of the runners said they remain unsure whether the race will

actually go forward as scheduled in September, or if the virus’s impacts will prompt the Boston Athletic Association to postpone the race again.

But if all goes as planned, Airey, Hurtt, Lindeberg, Reish, Skokos and Smetana all still plan to represent Colorado at the race later this year, with hopes that the changes could, ultimately, even improve their times Sept. 14.

“This has helped me strengthen my runs. It’s something I look forward to every day,” Smetana said. “I’m just grateful I’m still able to get fresh air.”

cultural and historical venues, and like many similar locations, it is facing some seriously trying times during the pandemic. As a result, the organization had to make staff cuts to deal with financial shoratges.

Despite the grim reality, the Chautauqua is still educating people. In the community events section of its website there are gardening tips from the Chautauqua’s horticulturist, historic recipes from its cookbook, activities for children and even zoom backgrounds.

To keep the history of this beautiful site alive, visit www.chautauqua. com to contribute to the Chautauqua COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week - Pickathon presents A Concert A Day for MusiCares While we all wait to see some of our favorite musicians perform live with our friends, the Pickathon festival in Oregon is bringing some of its best performances to your home.

Every day at 1 p.m. through June 3, the festival is releasing one of its favorite performances, totaling 60 concerts. Artists like Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, underground hip-hop stalwarts People Under the Stairs and many others will be showcased during the series’ tenure. Viewers can donate money, which goes directly to the Recording

Academy’s GRAMMYs’ MusiCares initiative, to help musicians pay for health care.

To get a taste of the Pickathon experience and help out struggling musicians, visit www.pickathon.com.

Streaming style - ‘Brockmire’ Hank Azaria has been a constant in most of our lives because of the range and power of his voice. His work on “The Simpsons” for the past 30 years is timeless, but IFC’s “Brockmire,” allows Azaria to stretch some different muscles.

Azaria plays Jim Brockmire, a Major League Baseball announcer who has a public meltdown and then tries to reclaim his job and the sport he loves. The main cast is rounded out by the always stellar Amanda Peet and Tyler Jackson Williams, and while they are fantastic in their roles, this is truly Azaria’s show.

Anyone who is missing baseball or is looking for seriously gut-busting laughs should catch new episodes in the fourth and final season airing on Wednesday nights, and previous episodes can be streamed on-demand and on Hulu.

Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail. com.

OF THE

BEST VOTING EXTENDED TO APRIL 30, 2020

VOTE ONLINE NOW! VOTING EXTENDED TO APRIL 30, 2020 To provide the most accurate results by geographical area, Colorado Community Media does not require, but does encourage readers to vote for businesses in their immediate local community. All nominated businesses have an equal opportunity of winning, no purchase required. Please see voting website for complete contest rules and regulations.

16 Arvada Press

April 23, 2020A

Attendance may be up for local churches posting services online Pastors say time will tell whether the pandemic encourages new church-goers

BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The Rising Church in Olde Town Arvada considers itself a small church, said pastor Steve Byers, and when the church held its first online service over Facebook Live March 29, the 28 live views it attracted didn’t come as much of a surprise.

What did come as a surprise was the 257 views of the service that followed over the next three days.

“I said, ‘did it go viral?’” Byers joked. “All of this technology has made it so much easier to help people and to keep your church connected.”

Churches across Arvada have seen unexpectedly high amounts of individuals tuning into their services amid weeks of being unable to hold in-person services because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At Arvada United Methodist Church, online viewership has weighed in at more than 400 each week, lead pastor Rev. Amy Gearhart said, while average in-person attendance is usually about 340.

St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church’s Easter service drew 2,700 online

viewers, with pastor Fr. Nathan Goebel adding that many of those views account for entire families all watching on the same device. If just two people were watching on each view, that would mean the service had an online attendance of 5,400, he said — while, on a typical Easter, between 3,000 and 3,500 attend the church.

As of now, the pastors say it still isn’t clear whether these views truly represent an uptick in the number of people attending church on Sundays.

Some individuals may be watching services from several different churches in a day, and others may simply be watching the same service multiple times.

Even so, the pastors agree the pandemic that has shut churches’ doors has also made their services more accessible for newcomers.

“A lot of people on Sunday aren’t accustomed to going to a regular service and they haven’t got in the habit of what would it be like, what would they wear, who would they sit with,” Goebel said. “If they can watch in the comfort of their own home at a time that’s accessible for them, they’re able to enjoy it.”

Gearhart added that current circumstances also could play a role in an increase if more people truly are attending services.

“When our very existence feels threatened, we tend to look beyond ourselves for a higher power,” she said. “And even more than answers, people are searching for comfort —

and that’s what the church does.”

In addition to Sunday morning services, the churches have also worked to organize video chat Bible studies and other services throughout the week.

“They have had Palm Sunday, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday and Easter services. We have found these services to be extremely meaningful,” said Ken and Shirley Simons, longtime members of Arvada United Methodist, in an email. “It has kept all the members connected with their church in this unusual pandemic. We are grateful for the hard work of the church staff.”

For those behind the scenes, figuring out how to provide access to these services has taken hours of trial and error. Part of that process has been drastically increasing the churches’ online presence, while other adjustments include simply learning how to preach to a church they can’t see.

“It’s definitely different when you don’t have an audience and right in front of you, and your picture’s staring back at you,” Byers said. “It was kind of difficult, but it allows people to get connected.”

Goebel agreed, saying the process has also become easier as the church has made technological advancements. While in the initial weeks Goebel used a camcorder to record sermons from a different part of the church than St. Joan of Arc’s main sanctuary, by week three, the church

had gotten the technology together to livestream services from its usual spot.

“The first week looking at a camcorder, if you’re not accustomed to it, it can be very off-putting. But now, I can pick up a similar style preaching that I had before,” Goebel said. “You start realizing the message you’re giving isn’t just going to a camera but is going into someone’s home, and you get a little more excited.”

Likewise, Gearhart highlighted the importance of learning and advancing week after week.

“The learning curve has been dramatic but it’s given us the opportunity to practice a lot of creativity and imagination,” Gearhart said.

“Every Tuesday after a Sunday service, we do a postmortem. We really talk about what’s working and what’s not.”

One adjustment the church has made over time is shortening the length of online services to about 25 minutes, after finding that was the average amount of time viewers were watching videos. The church has also found that while more than 10 musicians may not be able to gather for a live performance, the musicians can each send in their own recordings from home, which can then be edited together for a prerecorded service.

“We see the redemption of this hard time being that we’re really thinking through how we reach new people in new ways,” Gearhart said.

Helping the helpers during COVID-19 crisis Community First Foundation seedsfund with $1 million

BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

From food banks to providers of services for seniors, the COVID-19 pandemic has seen non-profits all over

Jefferson County step up to fill community needs created by the diseases spread. Yet just when many non-profit services are most needed, the COVID-19 pandemic is also creating new and unprecedented challenges for those same non-profits.

In response to that crisis, Jeffco’s Community First Foundation has launched a new fund aimed at strengthening and stabilizing nonprofits throughout the country as they continue to struggle with the financial

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challenges posed by COVID-19. The foundation also seeded the fund, which is called the Jeffco Hope Fund, with $1 million and is now taking contributions from the community.

“As a community foundation, we are here to support our local community,” said Kelly Dunkin, Community First Foundation’s CEO and President. “We recognize the challenges COVID-19 is putting on the community and we hope this fund can help nonprofits continue to serve our neighbors through the recovery efforts.

Grant opportunities will open soon with two rounds of priorities. The first round of applications opened March 26 with grant award decisions to be made the week of April 17.

This round provides support for organizations providing direct services to mitigate the negative impacts of COVID-19 (examples include but are not limited to health care and mental health providers, senior service providers, food banks, housing service providers, workforce development centers) and those who are leading a coordinated community response to the impacts of COVID-19.

“I think in the first round we are looking at either organizations that are themselves directly responding to COVID-19 so that could be a food bank that’s seen a huge demand in need for food or it could be an entity that’s orga-

#SPREADHOPE “We recognize that right now not everyone is in a position to give but want to be a part of spreading hope so we launched a spread hope campaign where we are using our social media to spread messages of hope and good deeds,” Community First Foundation CEO Kelly Dunkin said.

In addition to launching the Jeffco Hope Fund, the Community First Foundation is also encouraging Jeffco residents to spread hope online by tagging social media posts showing good deeds or other hopeful messages with the hashtag #spreadhopeco nized a response by many food banks or other organizations,” Dunkin said.

A second round of grant opportunities opens April 15. This second round provides support for nonprofits that may not be providing direct services related to COVID-19 but have been negatively impacted due to suspended programming, canceled fundraising events and/or shrinking or lack of resources to continue their work during this period of social isolation.

Future rounds of funding are likely as the fund grows from community donations.

Donations can be made at www. coloradogives.org/JeffcoHope. As of April 8, the fund had received about $30,000 in donations from the community.

Arvada Press 17

April 23, 2020

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April 23, 2020A

Public safety runs into privacy rules when it comes to COVID-19

BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

For apartment communities, the COVID-19 crisis has presented new challenges as complexes balance keeping residents safe with legal obligations to protect tenants’ privacy.

Under current restrictions, “we’re not able to share any kind of information that we know about a resident’s medical condition. Those are protected under privacy laws,” said Jeff Cowart, the communications and marketing director for Embrey, which manages the Gateway Arvada Ridge apartments on Lee Street.

But throughout the federal and state government’s efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, the rules have changed in one instance: If a resident has tested positive for COVID-19, the case is handed over to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local health agencies, Cowart said. The agencies will then notify any person who may have been in close contact with the person.

Even in instances of suspected cases, without confirmed positive tests, the National Apartment Association (NAA) recommends landlords consider contacting the health agencies.

“If you learn a resident has been

diagnosed or shows signs of symptoms of COVID-19 … Defer to the local health department’s guidance when communicating to staff or other residents about the situation,” NAA guidelines state. “Any disclosure made to the community must be done in compliance with privacy laws, and the information provided should not identify the name or location of the resident.”

The guidance boils down to management being unable to disclose information that would indicate there is a suspected case at a specific address, Cowart said.

This came to the forefront for community members in mid-March, said resident John, who asked that his full name not be used. At the time, a rumor had been going around his apartment building for about a week that a resident in a nearby building at Gateway Arvada Ridge had symptoms of COVID-19.

On a walk near the apartments, John saw a friend who lived in the building in question and went to warn him of the rumor.

“I went up to him to let him know somebody has the coronavirus and he told me it was him who has (the symptoms),” John said. “I SEE APARTMENTS, P23

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e e t o t p t c n

Arvada Press 23

April 23, 2020

Front Range air cleaner following drop in driving Wildlife appearing more often in urban areas as crowds grow in animals’ habitat

fuels and contributes to global warming, decreased by at least 11% and as much as 25% from March 2019 and as much as 59% from February, the comparisons show.

The amount of sulfur dioxide, a component of acid rain, also decreased by more than 50% from March 2019 at two measurement locations, although a third in Adams County showed a 6% increase.

But while those decreases suggest the pandemic crisis is having a positive impact on air quality in the metro area, CDPHE Air Pollution Control Division Director Gary Kaufman said in a statement that more data would be needed to draw any long-term conclusions about the overall impact of the response on air quality.

“We have never faced a pandemic like this, and that means tremendous uncertainty in trying to predict (lon-

ger range) outcomes from the crisis,” Kaufman said.

Although CDPHE did conduct an analysis of the air quality measures in response to media inquiries, Kaufman said predicting or modeling the long-term air quality impacts of the crisis is “not a current priority” at a time when CDPHE is focused on addressing the health aspects of the crisis.

Kaufman said it is also “too early” to assess the effects of the COVID-19 on ozone, as ozone season does not typically start until June.

But while the positive changes that have resulted from COVID-19 will likely be reversed as people return to normal activities, the American Lung Association says the COVID-19 crisis is serving to illustrate why the government needs to play a bigger role in dealing with air pollution, particularly as some studies suggest

air pollution exposure may increase COVID-19 risk.

“The science is really clear that the nation needs stronger limits on ozone and particulate pollution to safeguard our health,” said JoAnna Strother, a senior director of advocacy at the American Lung Association.

While city residents may for now be able to breathe a little easier thanks to a decrease in pollution driven by COVID-19, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has been monitoring the impact the crisis has been having on Colorado’s wild inhabitants.

Jason Clay, a spokesman for CPW, said heavy visitation to state parks and other popular natural areas seems to be leading some animals to avoid those areas. In contrast, many urban areas that animals typically avoid have become quieter and less heavily trafficked, which is leading some animals to visit or seek shelter in those locations.

Still, Clay said residents should not expect to see widespread changes in animal behavior, particularly if the crisis does not last too long.

“We are not necessarily predicting there is going to be major impacts because of this,” Clay said. “In general, wildlife are slow to adapt to big changes in human behavior.”

But there is one big change that Clay said he is expecting to see during the crisis — a sharp reduction in animal roadkill numbers. Those numbers are tracked by CPW but the organization has not yet released figures for the period since the COVID-19 crisis began.

“With so many fewer cars on the road you definitely expect to see a decrease,” he said. “So, it will definitely be interesting to get a look at those numbers.”

the situation.

Meanwhile, through word-of-mouth, many of the residents also have found out about the situation, and have been concerned the last few weeks over what this could mean for their daily lives.

Resident Steve Jenkins, for instance, shares his apartment with his father who, at 65 years old, is living with a disability. For Jenkins, the thought of residents failing to take precautions and spreading the virus through the building is a big concern, he said.

“The office is saying there isn’t a confirmed case. Residents wouldn’t know

to stay away from (the building with the suspected case),” he said. “It feels like the people in charge of keeping us safe are actually lying to us.”

Cowart said that although management could not disclose specific information to residents, throughout the pandemic, it has distributed memos and posted reminders to stay safe throughout the building. The information on these memos and reminders pulls from the CDC guidelines on social distancing and preventative behaviors, like hand-washing and wearing masks.

Acknowledging that legal require-

ments prevent full disclosure, John said he believes in a situation like this, residents should be allowed to receive information about suspected cases because it would encourage residents to be more cautious, particularly around shared areas like the mail room.

Notice “All they have to Public say is `be extra NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING careful, there’s a suspected case,’” John said.

“People have noTHAT knowlNOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN at the meeting of the Arvada City Council to be held edge they’re putting themselves at on MONDAY, May 4, 2020, at 6:15 p.m. at the Municipal Road, Arvada risk every timeBuilding, they8101 go Ralston (to shared City Council will hold a public hearing on spaces). CO, If following they knew itordinances could dithe proposed and thereafter willthem, consider they them forwould final passage and adrectly affect take option. For the full text version in electronic form more precautions.” go to www.arvada.org/legalnotices, click on Cur-

BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

From the health-care system to the economy, COVID-19 has unleashed extraordinary stress and pain across the Denver metro area. But there’s one aspect of life on the Front Range that experts say has been impacted positively — albeit almost certainly temporarily — by the behavioral changes brought on by the virus: the natural environment.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Air Pollution Control Division says a preliminary analysis of air quality data shows there have been significant declines in the concentration of several significant pollutants in the air since stay-at-home and social distancing practices started to be widely observed in the Denver area in March.

Those data come from five sites in and around Denver where the Air Pollution Control Division measures those pollutants.

Comparisons of average measurements collected between March 1 and 25 to measurements collected in January and February 2020 and March 2019 found that concentrations of all six pollutants the division measures declined in nearly every instance, with some concentrations declining for as much as 60%.

Levels of nitrous oxide, a pollutant that is emitted from the burning of

APARTMENTS FROM PAGE 18

immediately asked him if he had told the office and he said yes, he had informed them over a week ago. But they did not tell anybody.”

The neighbor was told by his doctor that he needed to self-isolate because he had the symptoms of COVID-19, but the neighbor was never tested for COVID-19, John said. Cowart confirmed the complex has been made aware of

The view of central Golden from Lookout Mountain.

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PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088

legals@coloradocommunitymedia.com

PHOTOS BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO

City and County Public Notice NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT at the meeting of the Arvada City Council to be held on MONDAY, May 4, 2020, at 6:15 p.m. at the Municipal Building, 8101 Ralston Road, Arvada CO, City Council will hold a public hearing on the following proposed ordinances and thereafter will consider them for final passage and adoption. For the full text version in electronic form go to www.arvada.org/legalnotices, click on Current Legal Notices, then click on the title of the ordinance you wish to view. The full text version is also available in printed form in the City Clerk’s office. Contact 720.898.7550 if you have questions. For more information, please check the agenda at https://arvada.org/city-hall/citycouncil/city-council-packets CB20-002 An Ordinance Amending Sections 78-292, 78-295, 78-298, and 78-299, of Article

rent Legal Notices, then click on the title of the ordinance you wish to view. The full text version is also available in printed form in the City Clerk’s office. Contact 720.898.7550 if you have questions. For more information, please check the agenda at https://arvada.org/city-hall/citycouncil/city-council-packets

City and County

CB20-002 An Ordinance Amending Sections 78-292, 78-295, 78-298, and 78-299, of Article V, Rights-of-Way, of Chapter 78, Public Improvements, of the Arvada City Code.

CB20-010 An Ordinance Authorizing an Intergovernmental Agreement Between the City of Arvada and the City of Black Hawk for the Use of Augmentation Stations.

Legal Notice No.: 407203 First Publication: April 23, 2020 Last Publication: April 23, 2020 Publisher: Wheat Ridge Transcript

Arvada Legals 4.23.20 * 1

24 Arvada Press

April 23, 2020A

As your community newspaper, we are committed to delivering the latest and most accurate COVID-19 news and local updates in print and online every day. We also remain dedicated to serving our local advertisers, as they struggle to overcome unprecedented economic challenges resulting from the pandemic.

In uncertain and troubled times like today, the importance of local news and community connection is more evident than ever. You can help support businesses in our community by purchasing gift cards for later use, frequenting restaurants that are open for takeout, leaving positive online reviews, spreading the word on social media or checking to see if your favorite businesses have opened online stores. You can also support the future of local news and reporting by becoming a subscriber or making a donation today.

Together, we are all stronger.

Thanks to the dedicated team members and subscribers who keep your local newspaper going!

Jerry Healey, Publisher

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Kayla Cornett, Lead Page Designer

Sheree Sandell, Legals

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