Arvada Press 0604

JUNE 4, 2020

FEROCIOUS FIGHTER Teen perseveres, helps others despite ‘suicide disease’ P14

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JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO

A publication of

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Area restaurants start to reopen with new health safety rules P5

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NO CROWDS. NO WAIT. Jeffco libraries open curbside P7

Latest on COVID-19 infections in county lockup P2

RALLY FOR ED Jeffco employees rallied last week for emergency funds

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“It’s easy, in the wake of the horrors of the last week, to sit out here in suburbia and tsk tsk, as if we know anything. But a wise person once said ‘Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of Columnist Michael Alcorn | P10 yourself less.’”

INSIDE

VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 14

ArvadaPress.com

VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 1

2 Arvada Press

June 4, 2020J

40 inmates positive for COVID-19 at Jeffco jail Eight staff also now positive

BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Forty inmates at the Jefferson County jail have now tested positive for COVID-19, Sheriff ’s Office Public Information Officer Michael Taplin said on May 28.

Taplin said the jail has tested 126 inmates for COVID-19. The jail is now testing all inmates who exhibit any symptoms of COVID-19 after previously requiring that inmates exhibit at least two symptoms to receive a test.

“We have tests now where our medical provider was having issues getting tests previously,” said Taplin.

Taplin said he could not speak to whether the cases were tied to inmates who have contact with one another, saying that such questions are investigated by the jail’s medical staff and Jefferson County Public Health as they investigate outbreaks at the jail. All inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 are isolated in cells by themselves.

On May 8, the jail had announced 17 inmates had tested positive for COVID-19.

Eight jail employees have also now tested positive for COVID-19, Taplin said.

“I don’t know if we can expect a cer-

tain number never having dealt with this sort of pandemic but I would say that we are not surprised that we have it in the jail due to how infectious the disease is,” he said.

The Jefferson County jail is not the only jail in the metro area to have current COVID-19 outbreak. Colorado Public Health and Environment’s COVID-19 outbreaks page also lists outbreaks at the Denver County jail, Douglas County jail and Weld County jail.

Also, 539 inmates have tested positive at the Sterling Correctional Facility in Sterling. The active outbreak at the Jefferson County jail outbreak is listed as starting on May 5. A facility is considered to have an active outbreak when there have been two or more cases of COVID-19 within a 14 day period.

As of midnight on May 28, the jail population was 559, which is less than half of its current operational capacity of 1,148. Taplin said the jail population has been below 600 for the past two weeks.

As a result of the reduced capacity, Taplin said the jail is now able to get most every inmate into their own cell on the old side of the jail while there are bunks spaced between inmates on the newer side of the jail.

Taplin said the jail has also recently began issuing inmates surgical masks to wear inside the jail after the Sheriff ’s Office received additional PPE. Inmates were previously issued masks

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The Jefferson County Correctional Facility. made from old jail uniforms.

Taplin said the jail continues to do the best it can as it deals with the pandemic.

“We’ve never dealt with a pandemic like this before and we are making decisions based on everybody involved, employees and inmates,” he said.

Inmate who died did not have COVID-19 Taplin said the Sheriff ’s Office has

PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO

also been notified by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office that Paul George Abeyta, the 50-year-old inmate who died at the jail on May 1, did not have COVID-19. Jefferson County Deputy Coroner Dan Pruett said the autopsy report for Abeyta, which will include the results of a toxicology screening, has not been completed.

However, Pruett confirmed Abeyta tested negative for COVID-19.

Varied Jeffco COVID case rates suggest disease hitting low income areas

BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

From highly populated suburbs like Lakewood and Arvada to more rural locations like Genesee and Indian Hills, COVID-19 has turned up in communities across Jefferson County.

But while few corners of Jeffco have escaped the reach of the disease, it has not hit all areas equally.

New, more detailed case information data compiled by Jefferson County Public Health shows significant disparities in the rates of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in communities in Jefferson County.

According to that data, the Jeffco community with the highest rate of COVID-19 cases is Edgewater with a rate of 7.1 cases per 1,000 persons.

Wheat Ridge has the second highest rate at 6.8 cases per 1,000 people while Lakewood has the third at a rate of 5.0 cases per 1,000 people.

Those rates are all significantly higher than the county average of 3.7 cases per 1,000. Other communities with an above average rate are Golden (4.2 cases per 1,000), Coal Creek (4.2 cases per 1,000) and Kittredge (4.0 cases per 1,000).

Coming in at below the county average were Arvada (3.4 cases per

LATEST COVID-19 DATA Jefferson County COVID-19 case data can be viewed at www.jeffco.us/4007/COVID19-Case-Summary. JCPH epidemiologist Kate Watkins said detailed city and census tracking data will be added to the site in the next week.

1,000) and Westminster (2.8 cases per 1,000) as well as smaller communities like Evergreen (2 cases per 1,000) and Indian Hills (2.8 cases per 1,000).

Jefferson County Public Health Epidemiologist Kate Watkins said the community numbers, as well as more detailed case information that breaks down cases by census tracks, show that the county is seeing higher rates of cases in communities and neighborhoods that have higher numbers of low income and minority residents.

“Jefferson County is not any different than the rest of Colorado or the rest of the country in that we are seeing with those lower income folks that are having to continue to go out and work every day and interact with the public more, we are seeing higher rates among those populations. And that’s to be expected because they are SEE COVID, P3

Arvada Press 3

June 4, 2020

Many Jeffco departments moving to four-day work week in June STAFF REPORT

When Jefferson County offices reopen to the public, they will also transition to a four-day work week as part of an effort to cut county costs.

Under the new schedule, which is set to take effect when county employees return to work in the first week of June, most county employees will work four 10-hour days instead of five eight-hour days. Many county offices will, in turn, be closed on Fridays, with the first closure occurring on June 5.

“In these challenging times, we are looking at operations across all county departments for cost savings, greater

efficiencies and reductions to achieve a balanced budget in 2021,” Jefferson County Manager Don Davis said in a released statement. “We believe there will be a decrease in costs along with an increase in productivity through a four-day business week and are optimistic this change will yield positive results.”

The move comes as the county continues to face steep budget challenges. The county made $16.1 million in budget cuts last year and Davis has said he expects it will need to make around $12 million in cuts this year. Those challenges result from the costs of payroll, employee health care and other

COVID FROM PAGE 2

as important as our health care workers and have as much risk.”

But while most communities seem in line with population trends, JCPH COVID-19 Incident Commander Christine Billings said she wonders if Wheat Ridge’s rate is being impacted by the presence of a drive-thru testing site at the Stride Community Health

expenses increasing faster than the Consumer Price Index and new construction growth in the county, the numbers utilized to determine the amount of tax revenue counties can collect under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.

Davis said the move to a four-day-week will allow the county to save about $350,000 from reduced energy use. Davis also points to a Microsoft study that found labor productivity increased by 39.9% for Microsoft Japan when it switched to a four-day-week.

Several county offices will not move to a four-day week.

Those offices include the sheriff ’s office, the district court,

Center, as the site means Wheat Ridge residents have easier access to testing and thus might be more likely to get tested if they presented symptoms.

“I am curious about whether the increase in testing is affecting that number,” said Billings. “Which is what we want, we want to increase testing so we can do contact tracing and isolate those cases in the community.”

The county’s data also shows that of the 167 Jeffco residents who had died from COVID-19 as of May 28, 68.9% of

the district attorney’s office and the coroner’s office. The library will also continue to operate five days a week.

According to a county press release, some county offices and departments may be changing the hours they are open to the public in response to the change. Those changes have not been finalized but will posted to the county website in upcoming weeks. As a result, residents should check the website for Departments, Divisions and Elected Offices to verify hours before visiting.

Many offices also have services that may be conducted online.

A list of those will eventually be posted at www.jeffco.us/221/

those who died lived in skilled nursing or long-term care institutions.

Watkins said that trend is consistent with that of communities from around the nation, which have found that elder care facilities are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.

Christine Billings, JCPH’s COVID-19 Incident Commander, said Jeffco is similar to Adams County in that both counties have high numbers of elder care facilities, with Adams County having eight more.

“The rate of death is pretty similar

Departments-Divisions-Elected-Offices.

When county offices reopen to the public on June 1, only employees who are considered “essential to serving the public” will be coming into offices, while anyone not directly serving the public will be able to continue to telework. According to Davis, individual offices are currently working on plans for the public and employees to safely return to offices.

As part of those efforts, Jefferson County is encouraging, but not requiring, residents to wear masks when they enter county offices. Social distancing guidelines will also be in place.

DENVER PROTESTS ONLINE Denver is one of several cities acoss the nation that saw violence and disruption following mostly peaceful protests of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the hands of police.

For the latest news, visit ColoradoCommunityMedia.com. between the two counties,” she said.

“So it is it is tied definitely to the number of facilities that we have.”

4 Arvada Press

June 4, 2020J

Longtime debate continues about Arvada’s short-term rentals Upcoming council vote could allow and regulate STRs

BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Arvada has not yet put an ordinance in place to allow homes to be used for short-term rentals (STR’s) of 30 days or less, even as the city currently has dozens of STR listings between rental sites Airbnb and VRBO. Listings are spread across the city, with a particularly high number — 10 active listings or more — concentrated in some areas including the Allendale Area and Memorial Park neighborhood.

Because the rentals are so prevalent, Arvada has been working to draft an ordinance that would allow STRs to operate legally in the city, while at the same time address residents’ concerns.

With council’s final decision yet to come, those who have had experience with STRs, whether that means operating one or living next to one, are making their own judgments on if and how the rentals fit into the Arvada community.

For some, like Arvada resident Shannon Edwards, living next-door to an STR has been a difficult experience, she said.

“The lawn is not taken care of regularly. The trash cans sit next to my bedroom window and are usually overflowing,” she said. “There are multiple cars parked in front of my place where I park. Most of all, it’s an eyesore and the people staying there don’t care about taking care of things.”

Edwards isn’t alone in her reservations about STRs. Among some Arvada neighborhoods, particularly those with HOAs, it is common for there to be some limitations or a complete restriction on the rentals.

For instance, community manager Rachael Burke, who manages several Arvada communities including the West Woods Estates HOA, said every Arvada community she manages does not allow rentals under 90 days.

“The major concern is around safety from the members,” Burke said. “There is also the shared com-

The Memorial Park neighborhood has more than 10 rental listings between sites Airbnb and VRBO. mon areas which these short-term rentals are not paying for.”

On the other side of the coin, there are those who have rented out their own properties and believe STRs can benefit the city if done in the right way.

“Absolutely, I’m for it,” said resident Alicia Hutchens. “It brings all these people to Arvada and they’re eating and shopping here. It promotes our city in a positive way.”

From 2016 to 2018, Hutchens and her husband used Airbnb to rent out their basement to guests stopping by the city, typically young families wanting to see Denver or visitors in the area for weddings or conferences.

The business was an easy way for the family to earn extra spending money, Hutchens said, and only came to an end when the couple needed more space after the birth of their second child. Around the same time, they learned that the city of Arvada did not technically allow STRs anyway, she said.

But looking ahead, if the ordinance to allow STRs is passed, the family might eventually look into renting out their space again, she said.

“People were really respectful of

the space and it worked out really well for our neighborhood,” she said, adding that her family was always staying in the main part of the home whenever the basement was rented out.

“I understand people’s concerns with short-term rentals, but I think it can be done and regulated responsibly in a way that addresses those concerns,” she said.

In an effort to do just that, during its May 11 workshop, council asked the city team to update its latest draft of the proposed ordinance.

With the updates, extra restrictions would be put in place.

The potential restrictions include limiting how many STRs one resident could operate — an individual could only get an STR license for a maximum of two residences, including their primary residence.

The updated draft would also limit how may days out of a year a residence can be rented out, with council suggesting the city make that a limitation around six to nine months.

Even before the updates, the draft has already outlined methods of enforcement if an STR owner goes against the regulations. Depending on the nature of a complaint againt

CASEY VAN DIVIER

an STR owner, the complaint may be handled as a code enforcement, building code or criminal violation, said community and economic development director Ryan Stachelski.

Ramifications could include fines or penalties specific to the situation that caused concern, such as needing to fix a broken window.

As of May 26, the city team had incorporated the updates into its draft and the legal team was reviewing the new draft, Stachelski said.

“We do not have a date to bring this back before city council yet” for a final vote, Stachelski said. “But given the relatively minor changes to our current draft, we hope to bring it back shortly.”

Council agendas are posted prior to Monday night city council meetings at arvada.org/city-hall.

In the meantime, while councilmembers have yet to make their votes, the majority of them stated they felt the changes could be the right compromise for Arvada.

“I like the feel of where we’re going with this better” than original plans without the restrictions, councilmember Bob Fifer said. “I can get behind this and support this direction.”

Olde Town summer street closure plan gets mixed review from businesses Some praise community benefit, others question limited street access

BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A plan to close some Olde Town streets this summer to help businesses adapt to health restrictions has

drawn mixed reactions from local business owners.

According to a May 27 release, the Olde Town Arvada Business Improvement District (BID) plans to close Grandview Avenue from Webster Street to Olde Wadsworth Blvd. and sections of Olde Wadsworth Blvd. between Grandview and Grant Place.

With the streets closed to cars, restaurants would be able to expand their patios and businesses could

further utilize the space around their storefronts, the release said.

By expanding their spaces, restaurants could seat more customers — a need from many restaurants as the COVID-19 pandemic has led to regulations on how many customers can eat inside a restaurant at one time.

As of May 27, that restriction in Colorado was 50% of a restaurant’s capacity or 50 customers, whichever is less.

There isn’t a set date for when the

Olde Town street closures might begin but they will last through Labor Day, the release said.

The effort is just one of many ongoing efforts by the Arvada Resiliency Taskforce, which includes the BID and other Arvada organizations, to help businesses recover after the hit they’ve taken during COVID-19.

Emelye Adler, who co-owns Spirits Wine Provisions at 5713 Olde SEE BUSINESS, P9

Arvada Press 5

June 4, 2020

‘It feels fantastic to be out’

BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When Arvada restaurants shut down their dine-in services starting March 17, residents couldn’t have foreseen the option wouldn’t come back until May 27.

But with the state re-allowing sitdown services with certain restrictions starting Wednesday, several local eateries reopened at 50% capacity by the end of the week — with employees finding that many residents were ready to get back to supporting their favorite restaurants.

At Yak and Yeti Restaurant and Brewpub, 7803 Ralston Rd., general

manager Ankit Kafle said the team was excited and also a bit nervous to see how a Wednesday reopening might go.

But by Thursday, the restaurant had already received numerous kind comments from its guests, Kafle said.

“They’re really happy to be back.”

In the heart of Olde Town, other restaurants are preparing for a plan that will close off portions of Olde Wadsworth and Grandview Avenue for the summer, providing more outdoor space for some restaurants to expand their seating.

In the meantime, many have already reopened their dining rooms and outdoor patios, with quite a few

residents seated outside during the nice weather on May 28.

“It feels fantastic to be out,” said resident Jenny Ivie, who was out at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, 5760 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., with her son, Cooper. “I just think it’s about time we get out here and I’m so happy to support the businesses.”

Seated at the outdoor patio at Denver Beer Co., 5768 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Christie Winn agreed.

“It’s important to be safe, but I think it’s just as important to take care of your mental health and socialize in a safe manner,” she said.

“Be safe. Be happy. Support local businesses.”

The Bluegrass Coffee and Bourbon Lounge in Olde Town opened for dine-in May 29, with customers already back into their routines of visiting the restaurant that afternoon.

CASEY VAN DIVIER

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More Metro Area Homes Went Under Contract in May Than Ever Before Yes, the Covid-19 pandemic hurt the real estate market in April, but it sure made a rebound in May! The 13-month chart at right is for Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties.

Last week and this, you probably heard or read about how bad the real estate market was in April, and that was true here in the Denver Metro area, as it was throughout the country.

Pending sales of existing homes in April were roughly half the pending sales of April 2019. But pending sales in May surged to a number that was greater than the number for any month since before 2010, which is as far back as REcolorado’s statistics application goes. (Note: The number of pending

sales could go up as new contracts are reported during the first 3 days of June.)

The number of closings in May (also subject to adjustment as they are reported this week) was an especially low number because of the super-low number of homes that went under contract in April. The number of sold listings in any given month is always within range of the number of pending transactions the previous month..

It should be noted that, despite the lower number of pending and closed listings in April compared to 2019, the median sold price was much higher — $430,000 vs. $405,000 in April 2019. The median sold price for May, although down slightly from the stay-at-home month of

Accessory Dwelling Units Are Gaining in Popularity Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) have been around for a long time. Fonzie lived in one (above the Cunningham’s garage), but they fell out of favor with local governments. Recently, local governments have warmed up to ADUs, promulgating zoning regulations encouraging them, especially detached units in a backyard or above a garage.

You may have heard ADUs referred to as backyard bungalows, micro homes, retirement cottages, guest houses, mancaves, she-sheds, or mi casita. They are created for many reasons: independent living for relatives (aging parents, 20somethings), rental income/investment property, home office, studio, etc. These days it could be quarantine quarters.

Local governments like them as one way to address the pressing issue of affordable housing in a way that is sustainable, is a compliment to the neighborhood, and provides more affordable housing. People hardly realize they are there, and when they do, often want one.

ADUs have been approved by the state of California, where affordable housing is a crisis throughout the state.

The tiny house movement has popularized the idea of radical downsizing and the concept that living in a small space has many positives. ADU’s are not tiny houses, as the term is used to-

day. ADUs are something more. Although small, they are a complete living unit with a full kitchen and bathroom, with a comfortable living area suitable for entertaining. They have a foundation and meet all code requirements. ADUs are more expensive than tiny homes, but they can be worth it.

How much do they cost? Predesigned manufactured (built off-site) units can be less than $200,000, and even less depending on the characteristics of the site and choices made by the owner.

Would you like to know more? A good resource is at www.Accessory Dwellings.org, created by Kol Peterson.

Peterson lives in Portland, Oregon (an early adopter of ADUs), has built many himself, and conducts workshops on all aspects of the process.

Locally, a company called Verdant Living sells manufactured ADUs, not ones that are “stick-built” on-site, so if that works for you, you can email them (bungalow@verdantliving.us) for more information. They can refer you to other companies which build ADUs, whether free-standing, over your garage, or in a walk-out basement.

Personally, I have sold homes which have ADUs. Having a rentable unit can make a home more affordable to many.

April, was still higher than the median sold price in May 2019.

It’s also worth noting how quickly listings went under contract in April and in May. April listings went under contract in 5 days (median figure), which was even faster than last year, while May listings went under contract at the same pace as last year.

These statistics may come as a surprise to those who think that the real estate market is on a downturn because of Covid-19. I am as surprised as anyone at the resilience of our real estate market.

Driving the market is the fact that there is still a low supply of homes for sale and an over-supply of people needing or wanting to buy a home. That explains the low “Days in MLS” figure for April when the number of homes for sale was so low. Because so many sellers postponed putting their homes on the market during the lockdown, it became more of a seller’s market than before.

That meant that the homes that were on the market had less competition for the large number of buyers.

Source: REcolorado

Given what we’re seeing now, it’s hard to be pessimistic about the future of our real estate market, however pessimistic we might be about the country as a whole, given the rioting in multiple cities around the country, including Denver. We’ll see in June how much impact that may have.

Another wildcard is the possible resurgence of the coronavirus, given how our state, like others, has yielded to pressure to reopen earlier than CDC guidelines recommended. A resurgence could result in another stay-at-home order.

Last Week’s Column About Seniors Being Cheated Out of Their Home’s Equity Got Lots of Response

One reader said they were offered a quick sale of $120,000 cash, but called me before agreeing to the transaction.

My research showed their home could sell for twice that amount.

I wasn’t contacted in time to save an elderly Arvada couple from being coerced into selling their home for half its

worth by a developer who made a point of telling the couple not to tell anyone about their transaction. They actually felt threatened, not just coerced. Indeed it was a neighbor who told me about the transaction, because the couple still felt obliged not to reveal anything.

Call me if you’ve been victimized.

Jim Smith

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

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6 Arvada Press

June 4, 2020J

Jeffco summer camps closing, going virtual in 2020

BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When Camp Granite Lake in Coal Creek made an April announcement that summer camp would be canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, the decision, which seemed premature to some, drew significant media attention.

“Families really understood it. A few of them said it’s early, but we have a really thorough medical lens that we view things through,” said founder and director Tommy Feldman. “Right now, there’s just not enough known about the virus.”

Despite some feeling surprised over the announcement, it wasn’t long before other day camps and sleepaway camps across the Jefferson County area began to take the same steps, making for a summer 2020 just as unprecedented as the spring has been.

On May 25, Gov. Jared Polis announced that beginning June 1, summer camps including day camps and sports camps could open under strict health and safety precautions.

But even with the option available, most local Jeffco camps are looking at other structures or virtual alternatives, at least for the month of June.

4-H summer camps “Going to a camp in this current climate, where you can’t be close to your friends and you’re all wearing a mask, I wonder how it would alter a child’s

feelings on what a day camp is going forward,” said Sharon Moore, who coordinates Jefferson County summer day camps for 4-H youth.

She believes that for some, it may be better to hold off on in-person camp — “But we think it’s important to have that opportunity (to have virtual camp); we don’t want to lose our relationships with families, either,” she said.

The 4-H camps — programmed through the Colorado State University Extension office — will run in a virtual setting this year. As opposed to taking campers to a different open space or park each day, kids will be able to log onto an interactive map and virtually visit a different place Monday through Friday.

When they click on the map, they’ll be able to watch video clips created by the staff.

“They’ll be teaching some of the lessons and just giving the kids a view of what they see out there and giving them a connection to the team,” Moore said.

“Then as best we could, we recreated some of the hands-on activities. Some might be inside or a lot of them can be done outside in your backyard.”

The website will also link to other sites for more information on certain topic. The entire camp will provide several hours of content per day, but the idea is that campers can choose how much or how little they would like to participate in each day, Moore said.

The camp is open to incoming thirdgraders through sixth-graders “in the

community and beyond,” she said.

Families can register for free at jeffco. extension.colostate.edu/4-h/4-h-summer-camps.

Camp Granite Lake Meanwhile, Camp Granite Lake is likewise making changes, holding fast to its decision not to hold its summer sessions in 2020. The choice was partially made protect the camp from unexpected economic hardship that could come if the pandemic began to spark additional closures later this summer.

“We’re still a young camp; this would have been our 15th year overall,” Feldman said. “If we were open (this year) and had to close because of the pandemic, we would have never been able to open again.”

Camp Granite Lake is now completely focused on preparing for 2021.

“The nice thing about being closed is we are not in a hurry; we’re just rolling it out slowly for next year,” Feldman said. “The support of our families has been overwhelming. I think when we open up in 2021, we’re going to have a strong return.”

Though camp won’t be running as usual this summer, families who enroll for next year now will be invited for half-day opportunities to enjoy camp activities like paddle-boarding, ceramics, canoeing and others, Feldman said.

The camp is also looking at opening up later in the summer so families can stay the night if possible under health guidelines.

Lakewood summer camps The city of Lakewood has canceled all of its summer camp programs this season, with several barriers standing in the way of opening even despite the governor’s announcement.

For instance, some of the Lakewood programs were set to take place in Jeffco Public Schools facilities, which are unavailable at this time, said Amber Wesner, public engagement and opera-

tions manager with the city.

Because of this, the city is joining other organizations in offering virtual activities. Lakewood began posting activities May 29 and they can be accessed through Lakewood.org/Register, Lakewood.org/VirtualRec and Lakewood. org/VirtualArts.

Arvada Center camps The Arvada Center’s summer camps, which include dance, drama, visual arts and other camps, are also going virtual this June out of concern for families’ safety, said assistant education director Teresa Cirrincione.

Camps normally run for about three hours Monday through Friday, but will now be held over Zoom video conferencing for about one-and-a-half hours each day. By doing this, the camp has been able to discount tuition by 50%.

Though the camps are online, each camp is organizing certain elements that may need to be done in person under social distancing restrictions. For example, ceramics campers could bring their projects to the center so that they can be fired, Cirrincione said.

Students ages five through their teens are invited to sign up for the programs, with registration available at arvadacenter.org/education/summer-camps.

The center is also looking at opening its July and August camps as normal and will make that decision in early June, Cirrincione said.

But for now, staff members are excited about the virtual June opportunities and the new ways the format has allowed them to expand.

“We’re finding it’s allowing us to break down some geographic barriers.

We’re having families register from different parts of the state, we have families interested in registering from New Mexico, Wyoming, Missouri,” she said. “It’s going to look different and feel different but we’re still aiming to achieve our goals and most importantly, have fun.”

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One summer camp program still happening this year is the Sun Camp in Wheat Ridge. Pictured: Olivia McLeod gets started on the fanciful forest that will greet summer camp-participating families June 1 at the Wheat Ridge Rec Center.

Campers later added their own creative touches to the chalk art with supplies provided as part of the grant made by the Wheat Ridge Foundation to the WR Cultural Commission. Localworks is also collaborating with the City and local businesses on a pop up Chalk the Town program. For more about that, go to wearelocalworks.org.

COURTESY OF CITY OF WHEAT RIDGE

Arvada Press 7

June 4, 2020

Jeffco Libraries offering curbside pickup of materials

BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

On May 16, Jeffco residents were again able to do one of many things they hadn’t been able to in nearly 10 weeks: drive away from the library with a new book to read.

But while the end experience of cracking open something new to read will is still the same timelessly familiar and welcome one, the process residents take to get their hand on that latest read or watch now looks different.

Still gone, for now, is the time spent browsing the shelves to pick up any book that strikes one’s fancy. Instead, all materials must now be ordered ahead via an online hold with residents then making an appointment to come pick up their books curbside, just as they might a take out a meal from a restaurant.

“What the (library staff) will do is they will have the person who’s picking up the item open their trunk and they’ll put it in the trunk so it’s a touchless transfer of the items,” said Julianne Rist, who is leading Jefferson County Libraries transition to curbside pick-up.

Those staff members are also required to wear masks and gloves.

Curbside pick-up is now available at eight out of 10 library locations — Arvada, Columbine, Edgewater, Evergreen, Golden, Lakewood, Standley Lake, and Wheat Ridge.

“The community has been very happy and glad to see their local library staff, even if it’s from a distance through

HOW CURBSIDE SERVICE WILL WORK

A Jefferson County Public Library staff member outfitted in gloves and a face mask places books in the back of a vehicle.

COURTESY OF XAVIER PATRICK their car window,” said Rist “And we have we’ve gotten a lot of really nice comments about how glad they are to be able to get a physical book again, even though we’ve had digital services and digital material available. They say they’ve missed holding something in their hand and the paper.”

The libraries are also now accepting returns. However, that does not mean patrons have to again worry about due dates, which were canceled during the crisis.

“We actually have extended the due dates for everything until the end of June,” said Rist. “And then we’ll start with our normal checkout time frames.

But of course, you can always renew an item if nobody is waiting for it.”

Rist said that customers wondering

Place a hold.

Wait to receive notification via phone or email saying materials are ready.

Make an appointment to pick up materials by calling 303-235-5275.

Go to the library within your appointed time window and park in or walk up to one of the marked curbside pick-up spots.

Call the number on the sign and a friendly JCPL team member will bring your materials to your car and place them in the trunk/hatch/ back seat. The materials will be checked out to you and the receipt will be stapled to the bag that holds them.

about the safety of picking up library books should know that the library’s adoption of curbside delivery was approved by JCPH and is also in line with CDC guidelines. As a precaution, all returned library books are also being quarantined for 72 hours before staff process or shelve them.

While curbside service will continue for the foreseeable future, Gov. Jared Polis has said he will further address the reopening of libraries on June 1.

However, Rist said Jefferson County Public Library staff are already making plans for the future.

“We plan on continuing our digital programming in our remote call in our dial in programming. for the foreseeable future,” she said. “It’s been very popular, it’s meeting a need that we

didn’t know existed.”

Curbside service will also likely continue after libraries are able to welcome patrons again as many patrons will be unlikely to feel comfortable venturing inside right away.

But while Jeffco Public Library awaits a return to more normal inperson operations, Rist said its staff are also considering how the library may evolve in a more permanent way as a result of the pandemic.

“We’re trying to be nimble and take a look ahead to make some predictions about what some of the changes might be and how they might affect us,” Rist said. “And we are having great community conversations about what the needs are and how the library might fit into those needs.”

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8 Arvada Press

June 4, 2020J

Education professionals take action with parade at Capitol Groups asking legislators to pass emergency tax, use reserves

BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The morning of May 26, the state capitol served as the grounds for a car and school bus parade put together by Colorado education support professionals.

The parade was a kickoff of two weeks of action organized by the Colorado Education Association (CEA), which unions from Denver and across the state, as well as local unions Jefferson County Education Association (JCEA) and Jeffco Education Support Professionals Association (JESPA), are affiliated with. JESPA rented school buses from Jeffco for the parade, which then drove in front of the capitol building.

The goal of the parade was to put pressure on legislators to mitigate some of the economic struggles school districts are facing.

Because of the economic downturn caused by COVID-19, Colorado school districts have been told to expect significant cuts in state funding. Jeffco Public Schools’ chief financial officer, Kathleen Askelson, said at a May 13 study session that for the 2020-2021 school year, the district could see around $74.3 million in reductions from the state.

Support professionals are particularly worried what this may mean for their jobs next year, said Lara Center, JESPA president, during a May 26 press conference. Support staff include educational aides, food service workers, custodial staff and others.

Staff cuts are being made at each individual school, and while the organization did not have data on how many support professionals have lost their jobs for 2020-2021 so far, “there have been staff told they will not have a job in August,” she said. “Support staff can frequently be the place administrators go to cut.”

First-grade teacher Jon Cefkin from Lukas Elementary shared that he has seen support professionals cut throughout his 26 years of teaching,

The Jeffco Education Support Professionals Association, or JESPA, rented school buses from Jeffco Public Schools to be used in the parade.

COURTESY OF COLORADO EDUCATION ASSOCIATION which has resulted in educational aides spending fewer hours helping students in the classroom.

“It really cuts down on the one-onone time with the students and the time (staff) get to listen to students and help with their mental health needs,” he said Jenn Muñoz, secretary with Jeffco’s Community & Family Connections office, said when support staff are cut, students who are already facing hardship may find themselves in an even more difficult situation.

“We have students who struggle with homelessness. We have students who struggle with transportation to and from school,” she said at the May 26 conference. “Students now more than ever deserve more support, not less.”’

The CEA is asking legislators to pass an emergency tax; not increase the Budget Stabilization factor; make use of some of the state’s budget reserves; and pressure the federal government to provide additional aid to the state.

“Our lawmakers have a tough job,” Center said, “but they need to be brave, they need to be bold and they need to protect our students.”

Local support professionals union members participate in the parade and rally to get their message to legislators.

COURTESY OF COLORADO EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

NO LINES. NO CROWDS. NO WAIT. While Jeffco DMV offices are now open by appointment only, JeffcoDMV.com is open 24/7 without limits!

Arvada Press 9

June 4, 2020

Land Development Code unanimously adopted by city council Two-plus-years process was joint effort of city team and community STAFF REPORT

After a process that lasted more than two years, Arvada has adopted the latest version of its Land Development Code or LDC, which has not been comprehensively reviewed and updated since 2008.

The plan lays out guidelines for

BUSINESS FROM PAGE 4

Wadsworth Blvd. with her husband, Casey, noted that while her business’s license wouldn’t allow it to move tastings outside, the two are excited at the prospect of the entire community benefiting from the change.

“What’s good for any business in Olde Town is good for all of us,” she said. “The community in Olde Town has really pulled together. This is just a really great example of all the small projects we’ve been doing together.”

But while the effort has garnered

future developments, with the city choosing to implement updates as part of the Arvada Comprehensive Plan, adopted back in 2014.

“The process to update and modernize the LDC was a huge undertaking,” said Ryan Stachelski, the city’s community and economic development director. “This twoand-a-half-years process was a collaboration with the community to help implement its vision for how Arvada should look and feel as things develop over the next 20 years.”

The code’s several updates

include the creation of mixed-use zoning districts, which Arvada’s previous code did not specify, Arvada planning manager Rob Smetana said in a previous interview.

City council unanimously approved the new LDC on May 18. In a series of different votes, the majority of council also voted to amend the code to modify the appeals process for administrative cases, allowing for only city council review if those cases are appealed; revise language to clarify a section of the code; and change the zoning for a handful of properties.

With the vote, councilmembers like Bob Fifer praised all who were involved for their efforts.

“The staff, the team and the citizens have done a fabulous job of getting this fine-tuned,” he said.

Stachelski echoed the sentiment, saying the council’s unanimous approval is a sign that the plan represents the community’s shared values.

“I believe that this LDC will be held as a best practice for years to come,” he said, “and continue to help Arvada stand apart as a forward-thinking community.”

support and was developed based on some business-owners telling the task force what they needed, there have also been several businesses that worry the switch may actually hurt them.

“There’s businesses on my block that are heavily reliant on the traffic on Olde Wadsworth,” said Maro Dimmer, who co-owns Rheinlander Bakery at 5721 Olde Wadsworth Blvd. with her husband, Ed. Dimmer said she’s worried that the plan, which eliminates the parking spaces in front of her store, will not work for her customers, many of whom are buying big cakes or other products that cannot easily be carried to a parking garage. Further, regular customers who do not

live in Arvada may not know the plan is happening and get discouraged from stopping by when they see the closed roads, she said.

The task force has worked so the plan will allow Rheinlander to maintain access to the driveway next to the business, she said. But even so, she estimated that the store will have 5% of its usual street access during the plan.

A better alternative for her and businesses in a similar situation would be to close the streets parttime, for example, after five p.m. or on weekends, she said.

“I understand the community is very excited about having a pedestrian mall,” she said, “but it might be supporting one sector of the

economy and killing another. It’s such an issue right when we’re getting back on our feet, to be struck down again not by the pandemic, but our city … I don’t want to go back to the 33% drop in sales.”

Steven Cohen, owner of the Army Navy Surplus store at 5701 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., noted that parking spaces and access is important for his business as well, as street closures have hurt the store in the past.

But he also said that the business is hoping any access concerns won’t be founded and the situation will work out for the best.

“We hope that it helps all businesses,” he said, “without hurting some.”

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10 Arvada Press

LOCAL

June 4, 2020J

VOICES

All that is impossible and unknowable about this moment HITTING HOME

Michael Alcorn

O

spiring outing, holding on to an appropriate sense of humility is a challenge, to say the least.

But I believe that humility and wisdom work together, and a wise man once said that “the beginning of wisdom is ‘I don’t know’”.

Actually, I think it was Data on Star Trek TNG who said that, who wasn’t a wise man but a cyborg, but, it’s also entirely possible he was quoting somebody else. At any rate, “I don’t know” is at once a powerful statement of humility and the first step on the path of wisdom.

I don’t know what it’s like to grow up in America as a black man.

I don’t know what it’s like to be in fear for

nce upon a time, I took it upon myself to start writing down phrases and passages from different sources that spoke to me on sticky notes, and placing them around my world. The other day I came across one of them, and it sang to me like it hasn’t in years. It’s from the Old Testament Book of Micah: “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” Humility is a very difficult quality to come to grips with. And especially in a day and age when we’re told to puff our chest out and let the world see everything we’re doing, when we’ve invented sticks that make it easier to chronicle our latest great outfit or envy-in-

anything other than my bank account when I see flashing lights behind me in traffic. Actually, I also have a certain fear of explaining the bank account to a certain wife after that, but that’s a story for another time.

I don’t know what it’s like to leave the house in the morning and kiss my children goodbye, knowing that it might be the last time I ever see them.

I don’t know what it’s like going to work and strapping on Kevlar as part of my uniform.

I don’t know what it’s like to look around a room full of people and realize that I’m the SEE ALCORN, P12

Money is in the cards, and some will stay there

F

Cartoon courtesty of John Evans of Arvada

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Yes on single hauler I’m looking forward to the City Council’s decision on the single-hauler waste effort and positive changes in Arvada around recycling. I trust that our elected members of government will make a choice representative of the citizens, no need for a ballot decision.

I’m looking forward to less traffic, less noise, and less pollution, as well. I live on a quiet dead-end street of 12 homes in central Arvada. We do not have sidewalks and our children can ride bikes and run throughout our neighborhood.

Yet, every week, there are up to nine large trash trucks on my street, driving

A publication of

Call first: 14143 Denver West Pkwy., Suite 100, Golden 80401, 303-566-4100 Mailing Address: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110 Phone: 303-566-4100 Web: ArvadaPress.com To subscribe call 303-566-4100

down and then turning around and driving back through.

I’m looking forward to more choices around my waste diversion options.

Currently, I recycle and compost nearly all of my waste stream, not needing trash pick-up every week. Yet, because others can put out five trash cans every week, my rates subsidize those highvolume homes. With this new system, I will have more choices not less about my waste diversion. I will get to choose the smallest trash can and pay only $11.50 a month for trash and recycling, saving SEE LETTERS, P13

our million Americans will find a prepaid debit card in their mailbox soon, if not already.

I found mine. How about you?

The Economic QUIET Impact PayDESPERATION ment Cards are going to certain people who filed a tax return but don’t have bank information on file.

At first I thought it was a scam. No: It simply turned Craig Marshall out to be a pain in the neck.

Smith To activate the card, I had to call an 800 number.

I guess they’re kind of busy. At least that’s what I was told over and over and over. It was mindnumbing. I thought it might be a tactic. One of many.

Eventually, I spoke with a customer service representative.

She asked me everything except my birth weight.

Then came a series of questions. She wanted to know what state someone I have never heard of lived in.

And who “Micah” was.

I correctly answered the question about the make, model and year of my car, but it wasn’t

good enough and I was denied activation.

However, something else was activated: my aggravation.

I thought it was pretty clever to issue cards rather than a paper check, which could have been deposited directly.

Maybe you already know this: according to cnbc.com, “Half of Americans currently own unredeemed gift cards or store credits and that adds up to tens of billions in unused money. More than one-third with unused cards won’t use up all of the funds.”

The experience was so aggravating I thought about throwing the card away.

I counted to 10 and called the 800 number again.

For some reason, I was guided through a different menu and was able to activate the card without listening to the outgoing messages or talking with anyone.

Who knows?

Maybe your experience was or will be better than mine. In any case, read the letter that comes with the card, and take a look at the May 19 Forbes article that answers frequently asked questions about the cards.

Momma said.

JERRY HEALEY President

MINDY NELON Marketing Consultant

jhealey@coloradocommunitymedia.com

mnelon@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MARK HARDEN Editor

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager

mharden@coloradocommunitymedia.com

abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Press. We welcome letters to the editor. Please Include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

GLENN WALLACE Metro West Editor

ERIN FRANKS Production Manager

Email letters to gwallace@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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CASEY VAN DIVIER Community Editor

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager

Deadline Wed. for the following week’s paper.

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Columnists & Guest Commentaries

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SEE SMITH, P12 Arvada press A legal newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Colorado, the Arvada Press is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 14143 Denver West Pkwy., Suite 100, Golden 80401.

POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Arvada Press, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110

Arvada Press 11

June 4, 2020

Police and black folks — the swagger and disrespect must end

I

’m a 65-year-old black man, and I have literally spent most of my life doing everything possible to avoid encounters with police.

My mother GUEST warned me when I was about 12 to COLUMNS beware of the police because even though I was a good boy, I could be killed with impunity. I’d be just another dead black boy supposedly mixed up in guns, drugs or gangs.

I wish I wasn’t Gregory L. Moore afraid of the police. I have never had a cop live on my street.

I’ve known only two law enforcement officers socially; one is a former FBI agent who I met a decade ago and is a great guy, and the other is a black cop who I played street basketball with in the 1980s.

The vast majority of police never fire a weapon, but the bad deeds rightly get more attention because of the suffering.

As a journalist I did some of those stories. I wrote about suburban police officers using sap gloves to beat suspects. I wrote about a white cop who shot and killed an unarmed black man, who was on his way home from a party. The police officer had numerous complaints against him and was known in the department as the “Orkin Man,” after a commercial for a pest-control company.

I’ve made it this far by being extremely careful. I’ve never hung out in bars, don’t lose my temper with authority figures, and haven’t had a fight since high school, all in an effort to avoid any dealings with the police.

Yet, I know the fear. I have been stopped at least 20 times by the police, fortunately without escalation.

Once I was stopped on an early Sunday morning as my family hurried to church. I was admittedly speeding. But you could feel the air being sucked in by my family as I pulled over and waited for the officer to approach.

I rolled down the window, careful to put both hands in plain view on the steering wheel. The officer asked me if I knew why he stopped me. I quickly offered that I was late for church and was probably over the speed limit.

He said yes sir, that was correct, took my license and registration and walked to his cruiser. When he came back, he said he was giving me a warning. Shocked, I said thank you.

He leaned into my car and replied: “Despite what you think, my job is not to make your day worse.”

There have been other encounters like that. But there have been dark moments.

Returning from a concert with four black male college classmates in the 1970s, we were pulled over and ordered out of our car in the snow, some of us without our shoes or coats on, because we allegedly “fit the description” of robbery suspects. After standing in the cold for a half hour, we were let go after we checked out

with no warrants.

Then, there was the time in the early 1990s when I was traveling with my family from Boston to Vermont to start vacation. We were driving along a deserted New Hampshire road around midnight when we passed a cop sitting at a closed gas station.

My wife and son were slumped down in the car asleep, but I immediately knew it was trouble when the cop car slowly rolled out behind me. After following me for a mile or so, the blue lights and siren came on. My wife jumped up in her seat and asked what was going on. I told her I didn’t know.

I was driving the speed limit, so that couldn’t be it. The officer tapped on the window and brusquely asked for my license and registration.

I calmly asked him what was the problem, but he silently stalked off as my 8-year-old son came to life in the backseat.

As my blood began to boil, my wife and kid pleaded with me to stay calm.

No other cars were on the road. After about 10 minutes, the officer came back and handed me my documents.

My hands in plain view, I asked why he had stopped me. “You were driving too close to my vehicle,” he snapped.

I sat there for a moment fuming, letting him take off before me. I told my wife that he stopped me simply because he saw a black man and suspected I was a criminal only to be surprised to find a family.

Then, there was the time the cops showed up at my house in Golden.

My wife was in the car with our two daughters, and when she buzzed herself into our gated street she noticed a police car pull in behind her.

She assumed they were heading to a neighbor’s house, but they pulled into our driveway and asked for her brother, who was living with us at the time. He is the nicest guy and has never been in trouble.

But apparently he had gotten into a verbal altercation with a white guy after he rolled through a roundabout and cut him off as they both turned into a gas station. The enraged white guy berated him, and my brother-in-law gave it back to him.

As they both pumped their gas, the guy threatened to call the cops. My brother-in-law said go ahead, got into his car and headed home.

It’s mind boggling that two cops showed up at our house simply based on the word of a white guy over a minor traffic dispute. No witnesses, no physical altercation, no evidence of a crime.

After my wife in a tense exchange demanded the officers get off of our property as she held her brother in the garage, they finally left. Incredibly, he was issued a court summons, which was withdrawn after I called the police chief to object. It is the only time I have ever mentioned my position as editor during a personal complaint.

We were outraged and have no doubt that my brother-in-law would have been face down in our driveway or worse had he stepped outside of that garage. And for what?

Watching the life ebb from George Floyd on TV brought these memories

flooding back. I literally said that could have been me under that officer’s knee. And very few of my white friends can honestly say they had that feeling.

That speaks volumes. Over the years, I have had many discussions with white colleagues and friends about the police, and it’s clear that we live in different worlds.

They have run from police, driven off from traffic stops, and flung clipboards handed to them across highways without any repercussions.

I can’t imagine a black person getting away with that.

Maybe that’s because for many whites they know cops as fathers, brothers, cousins, friends and neighbors.

We, however, know them as a swaggering, disrespectful, and threatening presence.

The history of the police and black people dates back to the slave catch-

ers and overseers. A lot of police officers in our country come to the job generationally with stereotypes and disdain toward black people that has been handed down from the old days.

Whether they want to admit it or not, it is part of the DNA of the profession, and it really doesn’t matter what color the person is who wears the uniform. Those attitudes are ingrained in the culture.

So to fix the problem the culture has to be changed, which is no easy feat. We have had black police chiefs, and that has not made much of a difference. To change the culture you have to send police officers who murder innocent civilians to prison, plain and simple.

Police officers who abuse their power have to be held accountable, just like in any other profession. A clerk miscounts the money, they get fired.

SEE MOORE, P13

OBITUARIES WALKER

John Walker 9/21/1939 - 5/21/2020

John James Walker Jr. of Arvada, Colorado passed away May 21, 2020 at Presbyterian St. Luke’s Hospital due to complications from a stroke and kidney failure. In his final hours, he was surrounded by his children.

John was born on September 21, 1939 in Syracuse, New York to John Sr. and Julia Walker. He was a graduate of St. Lucy’s Catholic High School. John served in the United States Navy as a Corpsman from 1959-1963. His claim to fame was that he sailed on the “USS Neversail”. He actually spent four years stationed at the Philadelphia Navy Hospital, never leaving the United States.

John married Donna Mary Smith in 1964 in Syracuse and they were married for 47 years. They moved to Colorado in 1974 where they raised four children, Jeff, Lisa, Karen, and MaryBeth. John worked at ESCO for 35 years selling stainless steel. His love of athletics led him to become an official for basketball, football, and softball.

After retirement, John volunteered helping children read at Fremont Elementary and was an usher at the

Arvada Center. John put his Corpsman skills to use volunteering in the emergency room at Lutheran Hospital, where he received the Channel 7 Everyday Hero Award. John’s love of sports continued through retirement and he worked as an usher for the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field, where he was able to attend the World Series in 2007. He was an avid reader and enjoyed playing table tennis and meeting with friends each morning at McDonalds to talk politics. His pride and joy were his five grandchildren and he attended as many of their sporting events and activities as he possibly could.

John is survived by his son, Jeff (Sue); daughters Lisa Graf (Denis), Karen Sanders, and MaryBeth White; and grandchildren, C.J., Jacob, Kaleb, Abby, and Zoey. John is preceded in death by his parents and wife, Donna Walker.

The family will be holding a private funeral with a celebration of life at a later date. He will be laid to rest with military honors at Fort Logan National Cemetery. The family has requested no flowers, please.

Place an Obituary for Your Loved One.

Private 303-566-4100

Obituaries@ColoradoCommunityMedia.com

Funeral Homes Visit: www.memoriams.com

12 Arvada Press

June 4, 2020J

COVID-19 Charitable Giving - A Refresher and Update

M

a bank record or a written communication from the charity as a record of the contribution. Written records personally prepared (such as check registers or personal notations) are no longer sufficient, and the records must show date paid, name of the charity, and amount of the payment. There are additional bookkeeping (and other) requirements for deductions of more than $250 and of more than $5,000.

Check with your accountant if you need those details, or if you’re just not sure whether your donation qualifies for a tax deduction.

Bottom line: Don’t let these nuances in the tax law prevent you from acting on your spirit of generosity and helpfulness in these difficult times. But be sure to treat yourself right whenever you can, too.

any of us these days are less concerned about ourselves and more concerned about the ways that our family, friends and others are coping GUEST with the effects COLUMN of the COVID-19 Fran Coet pandemic. That general attitude is part of what makes Westminster, Arvada and neighboring towns such great places to live. To the degree we are able, we try to help those in the greatest need.

We are all aware of family and friends who have lost jobs, who may close their businesses, who struggled with bureaucracy and systems they never dreamed they would deal with - quarantine, school closures, unemployment. How can we help?

And, if we help, it’s fair to ask, will any of our giving qualify as a charitable contribution when we file our

tax returns next year?

In short: It depends. Congress and the federal government have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by allowing a maximum $300 charitable deduction above the line (in other words, you get the standard deduction AND up to $300). The government has also lifted the restriction for qualified charitable gifting deductions to 100% of your adjusted gross income, up from 60%, for 2020. To be a “qualified contribution,” it must be made in CASH (or check or credit card - in other words, not non-cash such as an automobile) to organizations such as public schools, or those designated as 501(c)(3). Go to IRS.gov for a full description of qualifying organizations.

It’s important to note, you cannot deduct donations that you make to an individual. Nor to a “Go Fund Me.” And — for those of you who may be a bit more sophisticated in this area

- not for 503(a)(3) organizations (you have to check with the organization) and NOT to donor-advised funds.

Further, contributions to a charitable remainder trust are generally not “qualified contributions” unless the charitable remainder interest is paid to an eligible charity during 2020.

ALCORN

worst actions of the worst members of the group who share elements of my appearance.

I don’t know what was going through the mind of Derek Chauvin for nine minutes as he slowly choked the life out of another man. I know even less about what was going through the minds of the other three officers who were on scene and did nothing to de-escalate the situation.

I don’t know if I would have had the courage, as a bystander, to do anything about it.

What I think I might know is this:

the good cop and the good black man should be friends, and should be powerful allies. Because they both know what it is to be asked to do the impossible in this world: the cop is asked to safeguard justice in a world without peace, and the black man is asked to behave peacefully in a world built on hundreds of years of injustice.

It’s easy, in the wake of the horrors of the last week, to sit out here in suburbia and tsk tsk, as if we know anything. But a wise person once said “Humility is not thinking less

of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” Maybe this week, it might be good to give some thoughts to the people we’ve put in impossible situations, and try to lighten their burdens. Be well and be safe, my friends.

As I held my Economic Payment Card, I heard my mother telling me what not to do.

She’s been dead these 12 years but I am still governed at times by her guidance.

Coincidentally, as essayed two months ago, I was scheduled for gum surgery with Dr. Kim. It is now completed.

The procedures were costly. My Economic Impact Card is spoken for.

I am, in short, an aging horse, and if I had my choice it would be Seabiscuit: a plucky, unlikely-looking, top

money-winning racehorse.

I recommend Laura Hillenbrand’s book, “Seabiscuit: An American Legend,” but not the film based on the book, or the 1949 Shirley Temple film “The Story of Seabiscuit.”

Watch it for actual footage of some of Seabiscuit’s races and skip the parts where Temple swoons over the jockey.

The debit cards, as an alternative

to easily deposited checks, were a shrewd idea. The obstacles to activate them and the fact many will never be used partially or fully saves someone money.

Seven pounds, six ounces.

FROM PAGE 10

only one who looks the way I do.

I don’t know what it’s like being sent out into the world and being told that my job is to be the one thing standing between good people and chaos and anarchy. To be the sheepdog between the wolves and the sheep.

I don’t know what it’s like being characterized and stigmatized by the

SMITH FROM PAGE 10

Momma said, “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth,” meaning don’t question the value of a gift.

Checking a horse’s teeth is one way to determine its age.

You’ve heard another expression, namely that someone is “long in the tooth.”

As a horse ages, its gums recede, making the teeth look longer.

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Organization versus individuals In a tax court case a couple of years ago, parishioners of a church tried to assist their pastor with large, unexpected medical bills. One parishioner tried to claim it as a charitable contribution, and we can agree it was certainly within the spirit of how things should work.

But the court ruled that if he wanted a tax deduction, he would have had to donate directly to the church, NOT the individual.

So, here are the rules effective for all cash, check, or credit card charge contributions: we must obtain and keep

Fran Coet is a partner in the accounting firm of ATLAS CPAs and Advisors in Westminster, www.AtlasCPAs.com.

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.

Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and Highlands Ranch resident. He can be reached at craigmarshallsmith@comcast.net.

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep in mind the following rules: • We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, grammar, punctuation and length.

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Arvada Press 13

June 4, 2020

MOORE FROM PAGE 11

A journalist makes big mistakes, they get dismissed. You’re sitting in the car when a companion robs a store, you go down, too.

LETTERS FROM PAGE 10

my family nearly $20 every month.

This system will save thousands of Arvadans well-earned money during these uncertain times, and that’s a win for everyone. Stronger neighbors means stronger communities. Efficiency saves all of us money, either in wallets or taxes.

I’m looking forward to a more robust, efficient, less expensive waste hauling format. It’s time for One Street, One Truck, Arvada!

Tara Kent, Arvada Misinformation on waste hauling Randy Moorman of the Arvada Sustainability Advisory Committee (ASAC) objects to a vote by Arvada citizens on the single-hauler plan because he believes that those who live in HOAs that provide waste hauling (HPWH) would be “voting on an outcome that never directly affects them.” This is not true. Those folks already are affected because their tax dollars have helped finance the work done to date by the city on this project.

And, like the rest of Arvada’s taxpaying residents, they will continue to pay for the city to manage the singlehauler system in perpetuity, should it be approved. They deserve to vote, as we all do.

Of course, the real issue is that ASAC, some city councilmembers, and Republic Services fear that a public vote would scuttle the single-hauler plan. Republic apparently is trying to influence Council into denying a public vote; why else would they threaten to rescind their bid should it be put to a public vote? They haven’t provided a reason why a public-approved contract would be less desirable than a councilapproved one. Hopefully, City Council will not be bullied.

Councilmember Nancy Ford is quoted in the article as saying “To me, this (waste hauling) is another utility”, apparently to justify a council decision, rather than a public vote. Shouldn’t the citizens of Arvada decide if waste hauling truly is another utility like water, sewer, and stormwater?

Gary Osburn, Arvada Next steps for COLEG As a candidate for County Commissioner, one of my top priorities is a flourishing environment for Jefferson County businesses. Little did I know when I made that commitment that our businesses, and their employees, would be hit so hard, so fast. The pandemic threw a sucker punch that might be tough to recover from.

There are 611,000 small businesses in Colorado employing 1.1m people; 24 percent are two months, or less, away

The argument that we ask police to risk their lives and make split decisions is no excuse for them being wrong when making life-and-death decisions. They should have a higher standard to be right when using lethal force, not a lower one.

Reforming policing in America will require changing their culture, rein-

venting their training and unerring accountability.

I’m exhausted watching black men die at the hands of police. I hate seeing the fear in my daughters’ eyes from knowing I could die, begging for air, under the knee of a police officer.

I don’t hate cops. I fear them. But I’m about to turn 66 years old, and I’d

like to exhale for a change.

from permanent closure; 11 percent less than one month away from going out of business. (U.S. Chamber) It’s too late to argue the merits of mandates that forced the closure of many — that’s water under the bridge.

Now it’s time to look at what we can do to help our business community recover. The first step is to do no further harm.

As the Legislature reconvenes, several new bills would shift financial burden from government to businesses. Among them a COVID -19 related Worker’s Comp provision that would result in higher insurance rates for employers; mandated sick leave; whistle blower 90-day job protection for employees claiming their employer isn’t taking appropriate safety precautions; and with the Unemployment Trust Fund being depleted, the implementation of a solvency surcharge paid for, you guessed it, by businesses.

This is a difficult time to be in business. Most will struggle to survive.

Some will never recover. Now isn’t the time to place more of a burden on our business community. I urge the Legislature to help our business community, not harm it.

Joni Inman, Golden

would miss spreading something like that far and wide and frequently.

This likely upends the assertion of the Polis orders being necessary to safeguard the masses for their own good.

If this is true the people of Colorado and their livelihoods continue to be put under unnecessary duress in perpetuity, as well as any potential real economic gain from the substantial summer tourism dollars that normally come into the Colorado coffers.

It seems to me that this is more about Governor Polis attempting to justify his heavy-handed orders in relation to the infinitesimal numbers that were orders of magnitude lower than the models or even he predicted would happen by now.

Considering the actual statistics, it’s hard to explain this as anything but politically motivated and aimed at the November election. His executive orders significantly weaken petition and ballot initiative integrity and telegraph that he may limit in-person voting significantly by enforcing social distancing requirements in the primaries and potentially November if he extends the state of emergency.

Does he really think he needs social distancing with little data to support it?

Restore Colorado fully to its prior COVID-19 state Governor Polis, your state of emergency and emergency powers are no longer needed and very telling if allowed to continue.

Guy Pacot Arvada

Isn’t it well past the time for Mayor Hancock, Governor Polis, et al to immediately end their war on jobs (aka the lockdown) and get as many people back to work as possible?

What will you do to help this happen?

Russell W Haas, Golden

Something stinks People of Arvada, please wake up and smell the foul deal that some members of the Arvada City Council are attempting to force on us, without giving us the chance to vote.We are talking about the new trash hauling proposal.Some members of this Arvada City Council think that it is okay to mandate a trashing hauling service, which for some people will mean a 40% increase in monthly trash bills and a decrease in trash services.

This is too big of an issue for just a few people to decide.You should have the right to choose your trash hauling business and we should be supporting the small business, with the economy the way that it is right now.

Republic is not even a Colorado company.What happened to supporting Colorado owned and operated businesses? It makes us wonder if this is actually ethical or if there is conflict of interest? Is someone getting a kickback from this deal? The deal is being pushed through too fast.

Please people of Arvada, make sure that your voice is heard and please contact the Arvada City Council and tell them that this is not a good idea or a fair one. It is necessary that we vote on this!

G & Diane Dunlap , Arvada Polis should stop Here we are 2-3 weeks after the Water’s Edge Winery and C&C Café openings without a single related COVID-19 incidence being exposed in the media.

It is highly unlikely that the media

COVID fever?

Would much, if any, of the post Minneapolis event mayhem, now occurring in Denver and other cities, have happened, if the frustrated, fear driven, and unemployed rioters still had their jobs?

Do we not see by their actions yet another manifestation of the old adage: ‘The Devil makes work for idle hands!’?

ST. JOAN OF ARC C AT H O L I C C H U R C H

Proclaiming Christ from the Mountains to the Plains www.StJoanArvada.org 12735 W 58th Ave · 80002 · 303-420-1232 Daily Masses: 8:30am, Mon-Sat Confessions: 8am Tue-Fri; 7:30am & 4:00pm Sat Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00pm Sunday Masses: 7:30, 9:00, 11:30am, 5:30pm

Gregory L. Moore was the editor of The Denver Post from 2002 to 2016.

This column was first published by The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. Used by permission. For more, visit coloradosun.com.

Mail voting should be right A recent story from 9News hails Colorado as a leader in mail-in ballot voting (April 9). The law went into effect in 2013 and allows all voters to get a ballot in the mail. In the last presidential election in 2016, nearly three-out-of-four voters returned their mail-in ballots in Colorado, the story noted.

President Trump has opposed mail-in balloting, calling it corrupt.

He recently took to Twitter to oppose what he said was Michigan’s recent mailing of absentee ballots to the state’s voters. “This was done illegally and without authorization by a rogue Secretary of State. I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path!” the president tweeted. Trump has threatened Nevada in a similar way.

Americans in every state should be allowed to vote by mail if they choose to, especially in the middle of a pandemic and if they are worried about their health. Mail-in voting does not create measurable voter fraud, which is still rare in our system. It is a powerful moment in history right now and it is important that we stand up to him to ensure that everyone can access mail-in ballots if they choose.

Trump is worried about his reelection prospects, which is why he is eager to attack mail-in voting. We need a new administration that allows every American to use their voice to vote either in person or mail-in. Please vote for a change in November!

Lauren Rombach Littleton

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

14 Arvada Press

LOCAL

June 4, 2020J

LIFE

Take to the water at Big Soda Lake

Patrick Boland perseveres, helps others despite ‘suicide disease’

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BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

F

or eight years, Patrick Boland, 16, has lived with a pain throughout his body that is so excruciating, it can feel as if he’s wrapped in barbed wire, doused in gasoline and set on fire.

He has had a headache for the past five years: It’s in his eyes, in his gums, everywhere.

He stopped attending school in person in the eighth grade and has had to relearn to walk four times when the constant, unimaginable pain — caused by a rare neurological condition — became too much.

But the Highlands Ranch teen never stays down for too long.

His passion for baseball gets him out of bed each morning. His treatment regimen propels him through each day. His mom, younger sister and several friends who understand his reality bolster his spirits.

And fierce independence and unwavering self-discipline form a bedrock of inner strength and have led him to want to create a community for others in his shoes.

Six years ago, Patrick, with his mother’s help, started the nonprofit Ferocious Fighters to connect those dealing with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or CRPS. “CRPS is known as the suicide disease,” his mother Meg Boland said.

“Patrick was really in a bad place and didn’t want other people to feel as alone as he did.”

It has taken years of doctors appointments, experimental treatments and grit, but today, Patrick stands strong despite his physical suffering.

“I think I handle the pain really well at this point. But it took a really long time,” he said. “The pain doesn’t affect any functionality anymore — even if it’s as high as it can possibly be.”

The diagnosis Patrick was 8 when he jumped from a step in his front yard and twisted his left ankle. Four months later, he was still in excruciating pain. His ankle was cold to the touch.

It turned purple.

“The doctors did an MRI and called me and said, ‘Everything is normal,’” Meg said. “And I said ‘Well, he hasn’t walked in four months.’ ...We went to the first physical therapy visit and within five minutes of being with Patrick, they said ‘This is CRPS.’” CRPS is a neurological condition that causespatients to experience constant nerve pain even after an injury has healed.

The illness is shrouded in mystery with very little known about its

Patrick Boland, 16, was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain syndrome when he was 9 years old. A few years later, he started Ferocious Fighters, an international non-profit organization benefitting other kids with CRPS. ELLIOTT WENZLER cause or how to treat it effectively, said Dr. Jeffery Kesten, one of Patrick’s physicians. Experts believe patients with CRPS likely have a genetic predisposition to the disease, but there is virtually always an inciting event, such as a minor injury or surgery.

Sometimes, patients will experience swelling, color or temperature changes and nail or hair growth changes.

“He used to describe it as being wrapped in barbed wire, doused in gasoline and set on fire,” said Meg. One pain scale, called the McGill Pain Index, ranks CRPS higher than amputation of a finger without anesthesia and unprepared childbirth.

After his initial diagnosis in 2012, Patrick continued to receive more and more diagnoses for other conditions sometimes related to CRPS, including a lacking immune system, weakened cartilage and ligaments, frequent muscle cramps and other issues.

He has been in and out of a wheelchair as the nerve pain and other symptoms spread to the rest of his body, as it often does for CRPS patients.

About 200,000 people in the U.S.

experience the condition every year, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders.

While specialists can offer a variety of treatments, there is no cure.

The best CRPS patients can hope for is finding subtle relief, functioning through the pain or, if they’re one of the lucky ones, remission. Patrick has never entered remission, he said.

People with a CRPS diagnosis also commonly experience suicidal ideations, Kesten said. That’s why the illness has been dubbed “the suicide disease,” according to the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Sydrome Association, a nonprofit supporting people with CRPS, sometimes known as RSDS. “It must be a horrible place to be,” Kesten said. “I would be concerned if a patient did not have mental health support in a true chronic pain condition because I don’t have a clue how it would not get to you and those around you.”

Starting Ferocious Fighters Patrick, deemed a gifted student a few years before his initial injury, was 10 years old when he decided he SEE BOLAND, P15

w b

a s w

y all accounts the summer of 2020 will be a dry one, with W city water parks and regional n attractions like Water World s remaining closed for the season. c Fortunately, Lakewood’s Big Soda S Lake in Bear Creek Lake Park is offering an active way to enjoy the t o water.

On May 30 the park, 15600 Morri- n son Road, reopened to offer on-lake o C approved paddle craft including paddleboards, canoes, kayaks, wind- F C surfing, belly boats and rafts. The swim beach, marina and other shore areas are to remain 7 j closed to swimCOMING h ming and shoreline ATTRACTIONS activities until t further notice.

“We feel that we a have implemented k b a plan that will h allow many park t users to get out t and enjoy their favorite activities while remaining as p safe as a possible,” Clarke Reader wrote Drew Sprafke, s Regional Park supervisor, in an email y interview. “We are hopeful that users “ will be happy with this opportunity w and will realize that following the rules will help protect everyone while “ keeping access to this amenity availc able.” c According to provided information, access to the lake will be clearly F e signed with activities that will not i be allowed, including swimming, picnicking, sunbathing, wading and similar shore activities. Paddle craft s users will be allowed to launch and t load only, without congregating on m the shoreline.

“We evaluated multiple options for a reopening to determine what would provide quality recreational access d while also addressing public health c concerns. We determined that pre- m venting shoreline use and gathering c was the single most important safety t step we could implement,” Sprafke “ said. “At the same time, the City has developed signage to remind everyone of safe social distancing practices and a sign package to clearly communicate the rules that will be in place when the lake opens.”

As the park reopens, rangers will patrol first to educate, but then place more of a focus on enforcement as needed. Sprafke said violators will be subject to a citation.

The lake’s swim beach and all associated activities were closed to visitors on May 9 in response to overcrowding and mandates from Colorado and Jefferson County Public Health, and Sprafke said allowing those uses to return will be reevaluated on June 30.

“At this time, we do not feel that there is a safe way to do so (allow SEE READER, P23

Arvada Press 15

June 4, 2020

BOLAND FROM PAGE 14

wanted to help other kids with CRPS by sending them all care packages.

But Meg explained that as a teacher at a Douglas County charter school, she couldn’t afford to send every kid with the disease a package.

“He said, ‘Well, how does Make-AWish do it?’ And I said well, they’re a nonprofit. He said ‘Well, let’s do that,” she remembers.

In 2014, Patrick registered Ferocious Fighters as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Six years later, 1,253 kids in 19 countries are linked together through the organization. They range in age from newborns to 21-year-olds and live all over the world. Thirty kids are from Colorado, nearly all living along the Front Range. There are six in Douglas County.

That first year, the organization sent 70 care packages. In 2019, the number jumped to 350. So far, the organization has sent more than 1,000 packages total.

The packages include a blanket, a Ferocious Fighters T-shirt, a keychain, a hand-crocheted hat, a bumper sticker, a journal and rice hand warmers. All have flames on them to symbolize the burning pain that the kids experience.

They also include a hand-written, personalized letter from Patrick.

“I’m so sorry that you’re having such a great amount of sensitivity on your left leg,” he wrote in one letter.

“I know how hard that can be to deal with.”

Each letter ends with his sign-off: “Gentle Hugs, Patrick.”

There also are the quarterly encouragement letters and birthday cards. And every November, Ferocious Fighters organizes a virtual walk to encourage the kids to get moving, an important treatment for their disease.

The group also organizes dozens of support groups for kids and parents throughout the world.

In a note to Meg and Patrick, one mother expressed how much the package meant to her daughter.

“She will not be dancing at the dance or marching with the bands, she cannot keep up with friends and has missed out on several school trips and clubs,” read a note from Nina Nation, the mother of a 13-year-old in Nevada.

“But tonight, she got a package with

Patrick Boland, 16, helps clean up the Mountain Vista baseball field during a practice in February.

ELLIOTT WENZLER her name on it, for her. She smiled. ... She opened the box and cherished everything inside piece by piece.”

Patrick has tried dozens of treatments throughout the years, including a host of prescription medications and experimental treatments. He’s been in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber; tried medical marijuana; taken ketamine pills; attempted painful “exposure therapy” sessions, which try to desensitize the patients’ nerves by vigorously rubbing them with a coarse blanket; seen chiropractors and massage therapists and more.

After eight years, Patrick has found a cocktail of supplements, medications and treatments that work for him. On top of his daily pills, he receives weekly immune boosters through an IV and, every three months, he undergoes an intense ketamine infusion used to treat chronic pain conditions.

One morning in February, Patrick entered Kesten’s infusion clinic wearing a Mac Miller T-shirt, a beanie and sweatpants. At 6 feet 3 inches, he towered over his mother and the infusion director who is administering his treatment. As she prepared the medication, the infusion director

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asked what pain he was feeling on a scale from one to 10.

“It’s at an eight, but that’s only in my back and the rest of the body is a five,” Patrick said. “So really, really good.”

His baseline of pain on a daily basis is about a seven out of 10, he said.

It’s Patrick’s second day of the infusion therapy and, already, he’s reporting improved comfort. The treatment isn’t without side effects, however. He vomited the night before and on the way into the clinic. In the past, he’s experienced hallucinations, inability to eat, anxiety and memory loss from the treatment.

Every baseball day is a good day When asked about what parts of his day-to-day life bring him comfort and joy, Patrick has two answers: medication and baseball.

Patrick, who plays a variety of positions including first base and pitcher, wants to play in college with the longterm goal of being on a professional team.

Even though his education is online through Colorado Connections Academy, Patrick plays baseball for Mountain Vista High School in Highlands Ranch.

Patrick Boland, 16, poses in his Mountain Vista baseball uniform before being required to turn it in. The school’s spring baseball season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COURTESY PHOTO “Baseball keeps him alive,” his mom said. “This is his passion, this is what makes him want to get up in the morning.

To his coaches, Patrick is just another athlete, said Ron Quintana, Mountain Vista’s head coach. What makes him stand out isn’t his constant battle with his health, but his deep discipline and fervent work ethic, he said.

“The other day we were working out and he didn’t have a ride to practice, ... so he ran from home,” Quintana said.

“When I ask him to do something, he will sprint to it.”

It may not look like it, but as Patrick trots around the baseball field during practice, helping wherever he can, he’s still in pain.

In February, before his most recent ketamine session, Patrick was experiencing the most intense pain he’s ever endured, he said.

But, he said, there’s a bright side.

“I’m at my worst right now. And I’m so happy to say that,” Patrick said before the treatment. “I’m still playing baseball, I’m being a normal teenager, I’m still hanging out with friends, suffering through school work, everything.”

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16 Arvada Press

June 4, 2020J

State honors Centennial foster family Mark and Chastity Gomez serve as community mentors

Pandemic highlights need for foster parents

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

About five years ago, preacher Mark Gomez delivered a sermon about brokenness in communities. He and his wife felt passionately that families with strained relationships should be put back together.

When a friend adopted a baby, the couple heard about the importance of foster families and adoption, and that resonated with Gomez and his wife, Chastity.

“Statistics were blowing my mind about how many kids are in the (foster) system,” said Chastity Gomez, who, like her husband, didn’t have exposure to the system until then.

Across Arapahoe, Douglas and Jefferson counties, more than 1,000 children are in foster care and 40 children are awaiting an adoptive family on average at any given time, according to Arapahoe County’s website — and the counties have less than 150 foster families to try to meet that need.

The foster system provides temporary housing for youth who are separated from parents by local officials due to neglect, addiction, domestic violence or other problems in a family. Children in the system can live with relatives or foster parents, and it can involve group homes, shelters or other facilities, according to the federal Department of Health and Human Services.

Youth in poverty and racial minorities are over-represented, and older kids have a harder time finding homes because they tend to have more significant trauma, Mark Gomez said.

“There’s an overwhelming number of teens who they can’t get placement for,” Gomez said.

The Gomezes — married for 18 years — started down the road to becoming a foster family about half a decade ago, trudging through paperwork, training and a house inspection.

Officials interviewed them and their biological children to see how stable they were as a family.

After about six months of preparation, they started as a foster family in

The Gomez family is one of five foster families being honored by the Colorado Department of Human Services “for their commitment to helping families and kids,” a news release said. Mark and Chastity Gomez started as a foster family in August 2015 and have four biological children. Back, from left: Sophia, 15; Mark, 41; Chastity, 41; Arianna, 15. Front, from left: Summer, their foster daughter, 12; Elijah, 11; Aubriana, 4; Ella, 13.

COURTESY PHOTO August 2015. The Gomezes, both 41, live in west Centennial. Mark is a pastor at Sola Church in Littleton and an IT consultant full-time, and Chastity works for a real-estate company.

In the past five years, they’ve fostered nearly 20 children and youths — at one time having eight kids under one roof, including their four biological kids — and several kids have only stayed with them for up to a couple weeks. Almost all of them were able to find a family member to live with, Chastity Gomez said.

They entered into foster care not with adoption in mind, but one girl, Aubriana, came to them when she was about 10 days old in foster care.

Her mother struggled with addiction.

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Aubriana was reunified with her mother for about a month and then was brought back to the Gomezes, who adopted her.

Aubriana is now 4 years old, and the Gomezes have “an amazing relationship with her mom,” Chastity Gomez said.

“It’s just amazing to see how far she’s changed and how resilient she’s been,” Gomez said. She added: “Fostering is more than helping these kids — it’s showing glimpses of what family and community could be.

“It’s not just me raising your kid. It’s us co-teaming it.”

“We’re going to raise her together,” Gomez said. “I have enough love in my heart to say you’re her mom and I’m her mom.”

The family’s four biological kids — all who are in their teens or pre-teen years — have to “share their mom and dad, and that’s hard in a big family,” Chastity Gomez said. She and her husband take care to spend time with them, and friends in the community play a role in supporting their kids.

The kids’ “empathy has increased for people’s stories and where they come from,” Chastity Gomez said.

“I’ve seen that (grow) in them over the past five years.”

When a foster child moves on from the Gomez house, “there’s always tears,” and the family takes a month or two without fostering to grieve.

“It’s our (whole family) that fosters, not just me and Mark,” Chastity Gomez said.

As part of National Foster Care Month, the Colorado Department of

Human Services is recognizing “five exceptional foster families for their commitment to helping families and kids,” a recent news release said.

The Gomezes are one of those being honored. They have “created lasting relationships” with many of the kids they have cared for, the release added.

“Mark and Chastity are also mentors in the local foster care community, participating in foster care panels, information nights and foster parent training,” the release said.

Having a “huge community around us” that provides emotional support, meals, transportation and babysitting is part of what enables the Gomezes to foster, Chastity Gomez said.

“Even though you yourself might never want to foster, you can support a foster family,” she added. “None of us can do this by ourselves.”

Arvada Press 17

June 4, 2020

Foster care experts worry about safety during COVID-19 Drop in hotline calls shows need for community awareness

BY KATHLEEN DUNLAP SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Colorado child safety experts say that a drop in the number of calls to child abuse hotlines since the COVID-19 outbreak has them concerned.

“We usually field about 60 calls per day,” said Kaleo George, a Jefferson County certified foster parent and trainer. “Now we get around 15.”

George said she has never seen the volume of calls dip this low in her seven years of working with Jefferson, Douglas, and Arapahoe counties. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Colorado in March, the Colorado Department of Human Services has reported a 50 percent decrease in the number of hotline calls for Child Abuse and Neglect.

Elizabeth Aznar, Certification Caseworker with the Collaborative Foster Care Program, said she in-home schooling could be one factor in the decrease.

“One reason for this is that there are not as many eyes on kids, especially mandated reporters,” Aznar said.

While not all calls received through the hotline lead to new foster care

placements, the lack of reporting means kids are potentially at risk, she said.

Governor Polis’ latest “Safer at Home” Order has allowed nonessential businesses to reopen, while schools, churches and other large community programs are opening more gradually.

That order needs to be narrower, she said.

“Safer At Home specifically relates to the pandemic crisis, but we need to figure out ways to say connected with the most vulnerable in our neighborhoods,” she said.

Parents that are either working from home or have been laid off must still engage their children with at-home learning, and that can lead to tension.

The potential for abuse and neglect intensifies.

“A lot of parents don’t have the skills they need to juggle what is now expected of them,” George said.

Leaning on community Community involvement ensures parents and children have the education, nutritional, and financial tools they need, she said, and that’s more than just an opinion, she said.

George, her husband Benjamin and their three biological children have housed 12 foster children over the last seven years. They constantly lean on their close friends and faith congregation for help. They even bought

ABUSE OR NEGLECT RESOURCES To report potential child abuse or neglect, please call the state’s hotline at 1-844-CO-4-Kids.

To learn more about becoming a certified foster parent, visit www.collaborativefostercare.com To help support a foster family, visit www. fostertogether.com a house adjacent to another family who also fosters kids. Both families share a backyard and their kids float in and out of each house with ease and familiarity. The adults listen to and care for each other through every hurdle faced.

George has also forged relationships with biological parents and seen her foster kids successfully reunited with their parents. This result of the foster care program has only deepened her belief that a strong community builds healthier families.

“We get attached to the kids placed with us,” George said. “They deserve that.”

There are struggles. Learning how to live with children from varying socio-economic backgrounds, religious affiliations, differing personalities, and conflicting value systems has certainly challenged her family.

“My biological kids have coping skills that many people don’t learn until adulthood,” George said. “But I’m also very intentional in asking for

help. I know the places I can go when I need it.”

Knowing where to go for assistance could make all the difference to struggling families as the effects of the pandemic will linger into the summer months. Since most Colorado residents are still stuck in their neighborhoods or backyards, George encourages people to be aware of their surroundings. Keeping eyes and ears out for harmful situations is crucial.

“These are our kids,” George said.

“And by ‘our’, I mean, the community.

This is the outlook we should have.”

As the state of Colorado slowly reopens, the Collaborative Foster Care Program is poised for the influx of new foster care cases. The goal of foster care in Colorado is reunification with children with their families, but this goal won’t be achieved without the aid of an involved and caring community. Aznar and George spend countless hours in trainings and certifications for new foster care families.

They continue to host Informational Nights virtually to inform interested volunteers on how to become foster parents. Their efforts are tireless— evidence of their outlook that it takes a village to raise children. No parent should feel alone.

“We need to come alongside families,” George said. “There is hope beyond the circumstances of abuse and neglect. We get to participate in that hope.”

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D

Taking collections one step further

oes your family have special collections? Maybe they collect tools, spare change, stamps, ornaments, seashells, or photos. Young children also are drawn to collecting things. These collections can help them prepare for reading, math, and science.

Sharing Treasures LIFELONG Gather the colLEARNING lection together.

Esther Macalady Spread them out. Perhaps it’s a group of stuffed animals they line up by color, count, and name. It may be toy cars, dolls, toy figures, books, or interesting stones. Collections need a special box, bag, or place to be together, so they are easily accessible for little hands to manage and handle.

A collection can help children find what objects have in common and how they are different. Children need this skill to look at words and numbers very carefully. Talk about which ones are big, small, a certain color, rough or smooth. Which ones are favorites? Why? Which ones go together? Why? Collections lend themselves to patterning. Can you make two red cars and then a blue one pattern from a pile of cars?

This is fun with money, blocks, and beads too.

Grands’ Treasures With help, children may enjoy interviewing older people to find out about their collections. Help them to ask questions.” What is the collection? Why do you collect? May we see your collection?”

Help children by printing out

simple sentences (one per page) for them to “read” based on the interviews. They may use pictures and memory or really read the words.

Children can draw a picture for each sentence and make a little collections book. For example: “Grandpa has a collection of tools.

This is a hammer. This is a saw.

Mom has a collection of flower photos. This is a yellow sunflower. This is a red rose.” Children can dictate a sentence for you to print about their own collection. Make a cover with a title, children’s names, and staple together.

Characteristics Learning how to group things together, patterning and counting is important early math, and science skills. Talking together with adults about the properties of items and explaining why they like certain things builds language development and self confidence. Children will be expanding their speech and social skills by finding out about the collections of others. Helping children read simple sentences made for them and drawing corresponding pictures will help build early reading, writing, and math skills. If children go to preschool or early elementary grades, they can share the pictures or the collections book. They may be able to bring part of a collection for “Show and Tell” on Face time or Zoom.

Esther Macalady is a retired teacher, living in Golden. More Grandparents Teach Too information at www.grandparentsteachtoo. blogspot.com and at wnmufm.org/ learningthroughtheseasons.

Answers

THANKS for

PLAYING!

© 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.

Solution

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Arvada Press 23

June 4, 2020

Creative Coloradans plan virtual art festival June 5-7 Viewers see studios from behind the scenes STAFF REPORT

Six Colorado artists have felt the impact that the cancellation or postponement of art festivals has had on their art careers, according to a news release, and have planned a virtual art fair.

Using Facebook Events, artists Liz Covert, Lauri Dunn, Victoria Eubanks, Amelia Furman, Katie Hoffman and Rita Valis have found a way to connect with their audiences. Artists will offer behind-the-scenes views of their studios and artistic process, and some will set up displays. Viewers can ask questions about their work, purchase artwork and have it delivered to their home, the release said.

“Art fairs are such a special way to connect with your audience. Not only can patrons see a variety of work in one place, but they really offer an opportunity for a relationship to develop between artist and buyer. I’ve created the event to mimic that special aspect of art fairs,” event creator Lauri Dunn said in the release.

The Colorado Artists Virtual Art Fair features a range in artistic styles and mediums: • Liz Covert offers hand forged jewelry, art and accessories; vist www. covertmetals.com • Lauri Dunn transforms her photographs of insect wings into kaleido-

scopic images and three-dimensional photo sculptures; www.laurirosephotography.com • Katie Hoffman is inspired by magic, mythology, and folklore. She uses layers of oil paint, impasto media, powdered pigment, and beeswax to create her dreamlike paintings; www. katiehoffman.com • Amelia Furman works in paper collage and oil paint to create narrative landscapes. Her infusion of collage elements whisper to the viewer of past and present stories that make up the character and personality of a place and invite the viewer to connect to the subject matter on a deeper level; www. ameliafurman.com • Victoria Eubanks creates for the sheer joy of saying “Look what I made today.” She first applies layer after layer of encaustic paint, using heat to fuse the layers. Then scraping, sometimes outright gouging, exposes new patterns and textures. It is a very physical process that lets the piece tell the story; www.victoriaeubanksart. com • Rita Valis creates pottery combining fresh modern form and graphic patterns. She is inspired by landscape, textiles, botany and the microscopic world; www.ritavali.com The June 5-7 event can be accessed at https://www.facebook.com/ events/3048063495254081, or by searching for Colorado Artists Virtual Art Fair on Facebook.

For more information contact Lauri Dunn, laurirosedunn@gmail.com or 720-882-3762.

READER FROM PAGE 14

swimming and other related activities) under current public health guidelines. The main concern continues to be the crowding that we know will happen, and the resulting inability to maintain safe social distancing,” he explained. “We will continue to reevaluate all closures and restrictions each month as new public health guidance is released from the State and County.”

Sprafke emphasized the important of all park visitors paying close attention to the rules, as not doing so could cause amenity usage to be reclosed.

“All park users need to realize that our parks are very busy. We need everyone to have patience with other users and follow public health guidelines,” he said. “These simple steps help to ensure that everyone can enjoy the parks safely.”

Bear Creek Lake Park remains open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with other amenity closures occurring. For more details on park activities and restrictions, call 303-697-6159 or visit Lakewood.org/ BCLP. Visit a virtual arts fair An arts fair is a great way to meet some fascinating up-and-coming artists and support the work they do. While arts and farmers markets are figuring out new safe approaches, the Colorado Artists Virtual Art Fair is bringing the experience home.

Running from 10 a.m. on Friday, June 5 through 3 p.m. on Monday, June 8, the event features six local artists: Liz Covert (jewelry), Lauri R. Dunn (digital art and photogra-

phy), Victoria Eubanks (encaustic), Amelia Furman (mixed media), Katie Hoffman (painting) and Rita Vali (ceramics).

Search Colorado Artists Virtual Art Fair on Facebook to find the fair and all the necessary details.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week - All in WA The state of Washington is home to one of the most eclectic and important music scenes in the country. And like everywhere else, it’s home to scores of people suffering during the COVID-19 crisis. Artists like Pearl Jam, Ben Gibbard, Dave Matthews, Sir Mix-a-Lot and other Seattle musicians are joining forces for All in WA, a streaming concert at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10.

Funds will be raised for relief efforts across the state, and the concert will be streamed on Amazon’s Twitch channel and will be available afterwards on Amazon Prime.

Streaming style - ‘Breeders’ I’m not a parent, but I’ve been reliably informed that one of the keys to making it through the experience is finding things to laugh at.

That’s the basic premise behind the hilarious (and occasionally painful) British comedy, “Breeders.”

The show follows parents Ally (Daisy Haggard) and Paul (Martin Freeman) as they navigate parenthood while juggling careers and extended family. The show has just the right amount of absolutely biting British humor, but doesn’t skimp on the moments of genuine humanity.

The first season is available ondemand and Hulu.

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

www.ColoradoCommunityMedia.com/Notices

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE

The following ordinances were adopted by the City Council of the City of Arvada on second reading following the public hearing held at 6:15 p.m. on June 1, 2020. 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.

Ordinance 4730 An Ordinance Remapping a Section West of Alkire Street and North of West 80th Avenue on the City of Arvada Zoning Map, Dated June 1, 2020, in Conjunction with the Land Development Code (2020) and Comprehensive Plan.

Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088 Legals City and County PUBLIC NOTICE The following ordinances were adopted by the City Council of the City of Arvada on second reading following the public hearing held at 6:15 p.m. on June 1, 2020. 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.

Ordinance 4730 An Ordinance Remapping a Section West of Alkire Street and North of West 80th Avenue on the City of Arvada Zoning Map, Dated June 1, 2020, in Conjunction with the Land Development Code (2020) and Comprehensive Plan.

Ordinance 4731 An Ordinance Authorizing the Acquisition of Certain Property Along Ralston

Ordinance 4731 An Ordinance Authorizing the Acquisition of Certain Property Along Ralston Road, Generally at the Intersection of West 58th Ave and Independence St for the Construction of Traffic Signal, Utility, and/or Related Improvements as Part of the Highway Safety Improvement Program Project at West 58th Avenue and Independence Street, Project No. 18-TC-03.

Ordinance 4732 An Ordinance Authorizing an Intergovernmental Agreement Between the City of Arvada and County of Jefferson, State of Colorado for Distribution of CARES Act Funds.

Legal Notice No.: 407620 First Publication: June 4, 2020 Last Publication: June 4, 2020 Publisher: Wheat Ridge Transcript

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Read the Legal Notices!

Arvada Legals 6/4/20 * 1

24 Arvada Press

June 4, 2020J

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