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July 30, 2020
JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
ArvadaPress.com
VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 9
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 10 | LIFE: PAGE 12
‘The city is a better place because of his efforts’ Ed Tomlinson named the Arvada Chamber’s 2020 Man of the Year
Renee Nelson named the Arvada Chamber’s 2020 Woman of the Year BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
When Ed Tomlinson comes up with a way to improve the Arvada community, he always finds a way to make it happen. He did just that years ago, after noticing a need for bike lanes on W. 72nd Avenue between Kipling and Simms streets. When Tomlinson couldn’t convince city councilmembers to approve of the $250,000 proposal via email, he delivered a presentation in Council Chambers instead, bringing police reports, props and personality to help make his case. “It passed 7-0,” Tomlinson said. “The presentation turned out to be pretty good. It started with just an observation; I thought the bicycles were at risk, and we could fix that.” This year, the Arvada Chamber of Commerce named Tomlinson the Arvada Man of the Year. For more than 40 years, Tomlinson has worn various hats in the Arvada community. He’s twice been the chairman of the Arvada Harvest Festival and Parade, first in the 1970s and later in the 2000s. While he was chairman, the parade grew to an event with, at its largest, 423 entries and around 3,000 participants, he said. “My whole plan was to make it the best parade between L.A. and China,” said Tomlinson. To share his knowledge with others, Tomlinson authored a 2019 book
‘Community comes first for me’
Ed Tomlinson, who typically wears a red, white and blue shirt while cleaning up the streets of Arvada through the Adopt-a-Street program. COURTESY PHOTO that leaves no stone of the parade process unturned, entitled Community Parades: Valuable Tips, Ideas and Procedures on How to Plan, Organize, Produce, Run, Stage or Start an Outstanding Community Parade. Tomlinson is also a former president of the Arvada Fire Protection District Board of Directors, where he began serving in the 1990s. “I loved every minute of it,” said Tomlinson, who at the time was the only non-firefighter on the board. Tomlinson pushed the board to acquire additional ambulances, as the district only had two ambulances when he began serving. SEE TOMLINSON, P3
Lending a helping hand, even before she’s asked, is second nature to Renee Nelson. In one circumstance after the next, the fourth-generation Arvadan has found herself looking for solutions to help others. This tendency has shone through not only in the best times of her life, but also in the most challenging. Nelson recalls one of the circumstances in which she felt most compelled to help others, after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2012. The challenges she faced during chemotherapy sparked a desire to cheer up other patients going through the same difficulties. “I had to turn it around and find a solution,” said Nelson, whose illness is now in remission. “I wanted anything that would start a joyful conversation, so I taught myself how to do balloon animals (for other patients). I just wanted to brighten up their days.” Nelson’s determination to help anyone, any time has been built over years of learning from others with the same values, whether that was her dad, teachers or those she’s worked with over the years. “Community comes first for me,” she said. After years of serving the community in both big and small ways — from chairing community events to taking in stray cats — Nelson has been recognized by the Arvada Chamber of Commerce as the 2020 Arvada Woman of the Year. Nelson has been involved with the goings-on in Arvada since she was a child, assisting her parents in organizing the Arvada Harvest Festival and acting as a judge for the kids’ parade as early as age nine. From there, her love for Arvada has
Renee Nelson participating in a cancer survivor walk. COURTESY PHOTO only expanded. Nelson is now the chair of the Arvada Harvest Festival committee and in the past 20 years, has seen it grow from a festival with 33 booths to one with up to 176 booths some years. She helps run the festival and parade via her involvement in the Arvada Junior Chamber Foundation, through which she has also assisted Arvada’s homeless population by helping to provide a warming shelter where individuals can wait before traveling to a severe weather shelter. “She’s selfless in doing anything for everyone. She never wants to step down on doing anything and she’s a great friend,” said Chris Groen, who helps organize the Arvada Harvest Festival with Nelson. “No one can replace Renee.” Nelson has also been a member and leader in the Arvada Historical Society and the Arvada-Jefferson Kiwanis Club. She’s been a part of numerous community efforts including builds for Habitat for Humanity, road cleanups, the Santa House toy drive and tending watering stations at the Colfax Marathon. Now named Arvada’s Woman of the Year, Nelson said she is grateful. “This is something that never even crossed my mind. It was a complete surprise,” she said. “I am so honored.”
Colorado’s public health officials are under attack Workers face threats, vandalism, job loss amid COVID-19 crisis BY JESSICA GIBBS | COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA AND JESSE PAUL | THE COLORADO SUN
Joni Reynolds, the head of Gun-
nison County’s public health department, entered kind of a routine as the coronavirus crisis descended on Colorado earlier this year: Long hours. Sleepless nights. A police escort home. A wave of threats over her efforts to keep her community safe amid the pandemic made her fear for her safety. There were also suspicious packages left outside her house and sent to her office, both of which were unsettling
but weren’t dangerous. “References to Nazism. Calling me Mrs. Hitler,” Reynolds said, recounting the contents of the hate mail she received. “Calling me vile names — curse words. Threatening harm to me, my family, my home. Assuring they would remove me from my job and take ‘all my worldly possessions.’” SEE OFFICIALS, P4
WHO’S THE BEST?
Here’s our annual look at the region’s best businesses, services, attractions and more, as chosen by our readers
INSIDE THIS EDITION
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In-person school delayed in Jeffco Two-week online-only period to start school year BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Jeffco Public Schools’ July 23 announcement that in-person learning would be postponed sparked mixed reactions in the community. The reactions didn’t only differ from family to family — many individuals said they felt both relief and concern about the news. “I am deeply concerned about the decision to remote learn for the first two weeks of school. While we all do our best, I’m not sure my kids are learning and experiencing as much as they should,” said Jeffco mom Nicole Trick. “Still, with all my concerns, I am grateful that the school district is listening to the people who work in the schools, lead the schools and also have families. I believe them when they say it isn’t safe for them.” Jeffco Public Schools has announced that for the first two weeks of school, Aug. 24 through Sept. 4, all students will complete their education in a 100% remote environment. Additionally, starting Sept. 8, elementary students will have the option to return for in-person learning five days a week, but secondary students will not. Instead, students in middle and high school will follow a hybrid schedule or A/B schedule, where “group A” students learn in the building on every other day, alternating with “group B.” When a group is not at school inperson, the students will be expected to complete assignments online. This announcement came 15 days after the district issued its first restart plan, which said that all students would choose between a 100% remote option or 100% in-person option when the school year began. The plan has been subject to change as the school district continues daily conversations with the state and county health departments, staff members and others. The initial plan was criticized strongly on July 20, after teachers union Jefferson County Education Association, or JCEA, officially called upon the district to reconsider introducing the 100% in-person option so soon. Throughout the summer, the JCEA’s primary concern has been that going back to in-person schooling too soon may put community members and staff members at risk, particularly
Lakewood High sophomore Morgan Fritzler completes classwork from her Arvada home back in March. Under the current Jeffco Public Schools plan, middle and high school students will be back to distance learning at least half the time, for the 2020-2021 school year. CASEY VAN DIVIER
JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS RESTART PLAN
• AUGUST 24: All students begin with remote learning All students will be in a remote learning environment through September 4. • AUGUST 31 - SEPTEMBER 4: Continued remote learning and student orientations Remote learning continues and students who have selected in-person learning will attend an orientation at their school. Remote-only learners will also have an orientation opportunity, to be developed and planned by each school. • SEPTEMBER 8: Grades PreK-5 begin in-person learning Remote learning option will still be available. • SEPTEMBER 8: Grades 6-12 begin inperson learning with hybrid model Middle and high school students will operate on a hybrid schedule allowing for alternating days of in-person and remote learning. Remote learning option will still be available. those who fall into the defined highrisk category.
Health concerns heard With the July 23 announcement pushing back the date for students to return in person, JCEA feels its voice has been more incorporated than it was with the previous plan, said JCEA president Brooke Williams. “While we look forward to in-person instruction, there is a continued need
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Others, like Jeffco parent Jessica Bowlen, said that two weeks of online learning will prevent their children Updates and more information at jeffrom having the social and academic fcopublicschools.org/restart_jeffco experiences they need. The original to further flesh out plan struck a the details in the better balance current Restart between stuJeffco plan,” Wildents’ needs and liams said in a health concerns, statement. she said. Elizabeth Other Jeffco Morgan, a biology parents have teacher at Lakesaid they worry wood High School, that the new also feels more plan has not comfortable with taken differthe new plan. ent families’ “I think that circumstances will give us some into account. time to get new For example, cases and numTiffani, a mother bers going back of four including down,” she said. three students “I honestly think in Jeffco schools, this kind of plan said online is going to make learning isn’t school more stable feasible because and consistent of her famfor our students. ily’s financial (With the first situation. The plan) I just enviSusan Carter Ruskell family is cursioned schools rently homeless, having to close she said, and as because of outbreaks and teachers she works to provide for the family, she having to quarantine more frequently. cannot also be at home to support her That would be really inconsistent for elementary-aged children as they work our kids and more disruptive.” through online assignments. Tiffani Some Jeffco parents, including asked that her last name not be used. Wheat Ridge High School parent “If Jeffco doesn’t go to in-class Susan Carter Ruskell, have also learning, I don’t know what I will do. expressed their appreciation of the I don’t have family close by,” she said. district taking precautions and listen“It doesn’t make sense that people can ing to the teachers union’s request. go gamble, work out and shop, but my She added that with the hybrid kids can’t go back to school. My kids approach for secondary students, the need school for the social aspect.” district’s plan to group students into Others including Arvada mom Stacohorts for the entire day may be more cey Hytrek also worry about having to easily managed. work while students are asked to com“Based on what I know of my plete remote learning. Hytrek works daughter’s planned courses, I anticiat a daycare center and expects to be pate that it would be necessary to have working in-person during the weeks her in four or five different cohorts remote learning is required. in order for her to actually attend all “I’m currently torn between choosof her classes,” Carter Ruskell said. ing my job or staying home to help my “The hybrid model may provide some children learn,” she said. “The schools additional flexibility for the schools to are postponing opening and yet dayaccommodate students’ schedules.” cares remain open. I don’t understand how I am supposed to go care for young Difficult choices children and leave my own children On the other side of the coin, some home alone to teach themselves. I’m so parents, like Ashley Goode, whose stressed I can’t even sleep at night.” children attend Parr Elementary, feel With the start of school less than a that if a hybrid option is available for month away, parents are now waiting secondary students, it should also be SEE SCHOOL, P3 an option for elementary students.
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‘Based on what I know of my daughter’s planned courses, I anticipate that it would be necessary to have her in four or five different cohorts in order for her to actually attend all of her classes.’
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TOMLINSON FROM PAGE 1
His efforts resulted in additional free ambulances being provided to Arvada Fire, and he also communicated with private ambulance companies and health care facilities to create a metrowide solution to ambulances regularly being diverted from their original destination. “During his tenure on the board, Mr. Tomlinson never hesitated to challenge the status quo,” said Arvada fire chief Mike Piper. “He negotiated agreements with private ambulance contractors and was an advocate for transparency. He was also a member of the board when the organization transitioned from a volunteer to a career fire department.” Tomlinson has also donated personal funds and partnered with RE/ MAX to assist area schools including Lawrence, Foster and Russell elemen-
tary schools, helping to buy school supplies and fund Arvada Center field trips for students. In the early `90s, Tomlinson read the entire city budget in a weekend and approached Mayor Lynn Easton about purchasing less water to reduce property taxes, with Easton putting the idea into action. Additionally, he has spent more than a decade volunteering for the City of Arvada’s Adopt-a-Street program and Adopt a Colorado Highway. In Arvada, he goes out three to seven times a week to beautify several Arvada streets. “(Tomlinson) currently picks up trash on four miles of roadway on five separate routes, some of them being in the most need of attention, such as Ralston Road from Sheridan Boulevard to Lamar Street,” said the city’s storm-water administrator, Sandra McDonald, who oversees the Adopt-a-Street program. “It is obvious how hard he works to keep Arvada beautiful. The city is a better place to live and work because of his efforts.”
Reaching beyond Arvada, in the 1980s, Tomlinson helped assist more than 300 residents with their property valuations before writing a how-to pamphlet. The pamphlet was later reprinted by the state, he said, with Tomlinson speaking on the subject to more than two dozen state senators. But for as many large community efforts Tomlinson has been involved in, he’s also found daily ways to make differences for Arvada individuals, from leaving pennies on grocery store rides decades ago to passing out Buffalo nickels to passersby. For all of his community involvement, Tomlinson considers himself an introvert. He sees himself as somebody in the background — and as a recipient of the award, he said a thank you to all of the volunteers making Arvada a better place from behind the scenes. “I wanted to accept the award for all of the volunteers. A volunteer can be anything,” he said. “It’s not for me; it’s for all of us.”
SCHOOL FROM PAGE 2
for more information from their specific schools on how remote learning can be built upon after last semester and what an in-person option will look like starting Sept. 8. Jeffco Public Schools said each individual school will send out more detailed information by July 31. “The opening of schools on Sept. 8 with in-person and hybrid options for Jeffco Public Schools will be contingent on virus levels in our community,” the Jeffco Schools statement added. “Depending on how COVID-19 is spreading in our community, we will move between remote learning, in-person or hybrid learning, and fully in-person learning depending on public health levels as determined by JCPH (Jefferson County Public Health).”
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Many Home Sellers Aren’t Familiar With the Capital Gains Tax Exemption I’m not an accountant or tax advisor, but periodically I need to explain to clients the long-standing exemption on capital gains tax enjoyed by homeowners. (I also advise consulting a tax advisor.) Prior to 1997, the seller of one’s primary residence was required to buy another home that was at least as costly as their previous home in order to avoid paying capital gains tax on the sale. Since passage of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, however, that is no longer the case, although there are several important rules. First of all, the home you sell must have been your primary residence for two of the five years preceding the date of sale, and you can only do this once every two years. Rita and I once sold a home after owning and living in it for just 18 months, but there was no gain on the sale, so it didn’t matter than we didn’t qualify for the exemption. Occupancy does not have to be continuous. You only have to have lived in the house for a total of 24 months prior to the date of sale. If you want to enjoy the exemption on a home that you previously lived in, then rented for less than five years, you may need to move into it until the total occupancy meets the 2-year requirement, if you want to enjoy the exemption. If you’re single, you are exempt from tax on the first $250,000 of gain. For a married couple, the exemption is doubled. (For LGBT couples who own a home together, being able to marry legally carried a significant financial advantage.) The gain is calculated by deducting from the sale price your “basis” in the home. That basis is the sum of the price you paid for the home, the cost of improvements or additions made to it, and the costs and fees associated with purchasing and selling it. Those fees include real estate commissions, title insurance, recording fees, legal expenses, etc. For example, let’s say you bought a home 30 years ago for $100,000 and you sell it for $700,000 this year. You are married, so you qualify for the $500,000 exemption. You can document $50,000 in improvements
(not repairs), and your cost of selling was, say, 6%, tion to the sale of each house, whereas he’d owe reguincluding commissions, title insurance and fees. Thus, lar income tax on his profit for each home, if he sold it your “basis” has been increased by $92,000, raising it upon completion. to $192,000. Thus, your gain was $508,000, You can claim the exemption on the sale of a second $8,000 of it taxable. You will owe 15% feder- home, but you need to have lived in it as your primary al plus 4.63% Colorado capital gains tax on residence for two of five years preceding the date of that $8,000. That comes to $1,570.40 tax due sale, and, as mentioned above, you have to wait two the following April 15. years before taking that exemption on your other home. That still leaves a lot of tax-free profit in If you have additional questions about qualifying for your bank account! this tax exemption, don’t ask me — as I said, I’m not Now and then, I meet a couple, like I did an accountant or tax advisor. However, I can refer you last week, who are selling a home they pur- to our accountant (who does our taxes) if you don’t chased over 30 years ago, and are pushing up have one. I can also refer you to a real estate lawyer. against a capital gains tax liability, especially if the homeowner is no longer married. (If the Coming Soon: 6th Ave. West Home homeowner is widowed, he or she has two Sixth Avenue West is a highly desirable neighboryears to sell before the exemption drops to hood for several reasons. Located west of Union $250,000.) If you are in that situation or ap- Blvd. and east of the Jeffco Fairgrounds, the homes proaching it, you could benefit from selling your home have Golden addresses but are in unincorporated and buying another one. Jefferson County. At the center of the neighborhood Another trap to avoid is putting your heirs on the is Kyffin Elementary School, widely regarded as one title of your home as “joint tenants.” That’s because in of the best in Jeffco and one of the few schools with addition to inheriting your home, they also inherit your a Gifted & Talented program. There’s also a commubasis, which could cost them dearly when they sell it. nity swimming pool, yet there is only a voluntary It’s better to put them on a “beneficiary deed” or let community association with $35 annual dues — no them inherit it through your will. In those two situa- HOA. Next week in this space look for a new listing tions, the basis of the home is stepped up to its market from us, an updated 4-bedroom ranch on 0.27 acres value at the time of your death. The beneficiary deed is backing to a greenbelt and priced under $700,000. a particularly attractive approach because the cost of creating and recording it Walk to CSM & Downtown Golden From This Townhome is minimal and it can be revoked by you at any This townhome at 707 20th Street has been time. updated inside and out. It has all new Hardie- $787,000 One of my clients is a Plank siding, new windows and skylights, a 3home builder. He builds year-old roof, a new wraparound deck that's great homes one at a time over for entertaining, two patio areas with lots of a 2-year period, moving planter boxes, and a Juliet balcony off the master into and living in them for bedroom. The interior is loaded with upgraded two years while building stainless steel appliances in the kitchen, along the next house. That way with granite countertops and an eat-in kitchen. he is able to apply the full There are new hardwood floors throughout the main level. All the bathrooms are $500,000 marital exemp- new with beautiful tile, granite and glass. All the bedrooms have en suite bathrooms and California Closets. On those cold winter nights, cozy up to the gas fireplace in the living room. The sunroom (used as an office) has all new skylights with a tile that they have their own mortgage compa- floor. The dining room has double sliding doors that lead out to the large wrapany, title company, etc. They are backed round deck. Best of all, while nestled in the woods of Kinney Run, it’s within walkby a venture capital firm which provides ing distance of the Colorado School of Mines and downtown Golden! The listing the working capital to purchase your home price includes all furniture. See interior pictures and take a narrated video tour at if they don’t sell it first. www.GoldenTownhome.info, then call David Dlugasch at 303-908-4835 to see it! They operate like the iBuyers I wrote about 3 times in 2019 (search for those Jim Smith articles at www.JimSmithColumns.com). Broker/Owner, 303-525-1851 They make a market-based offer to purJim@GoldenRealEstate.com chase your home, then reduce that offer Broker Associates: based on inspection, and they charge 6% JIM SWANSON — 303-929-2727 commission, which is above average. Also, you pay rent for your new home, CARRIE LOVINGIER — 303-907-1278 which you don’t actually buy until your CHUCK BROWN — 303-885-7855 home closes. If it doesn’t close in 90 days, Every article in this ad is also posted DAVID DLUGASCH — 303-908-4835 they buy it at their low-ball price. Their at www.GoldenREblog.com C AROL MILAN — 720-982-4941 agents work on salary, not commission.
Brokerage Offers to Help You Buy Before You Sell Perhaps you’ve wondered about those TV commercials by a new brokerage called Orchard offering to help you buy your replacement home without selling your current home first. That’s very appealing, and Golden Real Estate has been successful at that, too, although not using the same business model. The company, which came to Denver in January, and has closed 14 purchases and 17 sales so far, was formerly called Perch. If you go to Orchard.com, there’s a link to their reviews, which I suggest clicking on. The 7 negative reviews give an insight that the positive reviews don’t provide. Basically, the company, based in New York, is “vertically integrated,” meaning
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OFFICIALS
“I’ve tried to relate it back, as a nurse and as someone who has been in public health for a number of years, to just really the trauma that people have experienced — an unprecedented level of trauma where the world literally shifted overnight,” said Reynolds, the Gunnison County public health chief. “And the fear. And the not knowing — the uncertainty of the future — I think has really caused the reactions that we’ve seen.” The unknowns might be chalked up to a communication issue. “I don’t think we have done a great job in this country teaching people how science works,” Johnson said.
FROM PAGE 1
Public health officials in every corner of Colorado have become the target of threats, vandalism and even attack ads in newspapers and on the radio as a result of their handling of the pandemic. They are unelected government workers who typically do important, but seldom acknowledged, work preventing disease outbreaks and inspecting restaurants. But during the coronavirus crisis, the harsh spotlight of a politicized pandemic has shined upon them. Some have faced blowback from their bosses — often county commissioners — and have been forced out of their jobs. Others have resigned because the stress and pressure just aren’t worth it. “It just adds additional stress and strain on a workforce that has been responding even before the very first case was registered in the state of Colorado and the first death was registered in the state of Colorado,” said Theresa Anselmo, executive director of the Colorado Association of Local Public Health officials, which represents the state’s local public health departments. “They’ve been working nonstop, essentially, since the beginning of February, some of them earlier.” With no end to the pandemic in sight, officials worry whether Colorado’s network of local public health departments can tamp down the vitriol while trying to keep on top of the worst pandemic the world has experienced in 100 years. At some point, they fear, the combined pressure could become too heavy. “We’re in this for the next 12 to 24 months. Even with a vaccine, this isn’t going to go away in Colorado,” Anselmo said. “So public health will be on the front lines of this for months, if not years, to come.” Anselmo even has a folder in her email inbox dedicated to all of the threats her members have received: twicevandalized cars, a photograph with comments about “bodies swinging from trees,” the arrest of a man who said health officials “deserve to pay.” “I’ve never experienced anything to this level” Dr. Mark Johnson, who leads Jefferson County Public Health, says he’s been involved in contentious battles with the state legislature and over the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge, the former nuclear weapons trigger factory near Golden that now is open for public recreation. But coronavirus is a different beast. “I’ve never experienced anything to this level,” he said. Johnson said his agency has received a number of threats, which have been turned over to the Jefferson County Sheriff ’s Office for investigation. Police have increased their patrols around the health
A worker at a coronavirus drive-up testing site in Montrose.
COURTESY PHOTO
EDITOR’S NOTE This story is the result of a reporting collaboration by Colorado Community Media and The Colorado Sun.
Jefferson County Public Health Executive Director Dr. Mark Johnson (left) receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from Public Health in the Rockies in 2019. He’s held his position for decades. COURTESY OF ASHLEY SEVER
department building. Johnson even said a police car has been parked near his home to keep things calm. But his department continues to be at the center of tensions surrounding the coronavirus crisis. Recently, Johnson was locked in a court battle with the owners of Bandimere Speedway over a packed July 4 event. The controversy drew supporters and detractors to the Jefferson County courthouse where there were dueling demonstrations. The speedway argued that public health limitations placed on them would end their business. A judge ruled July 21 that Bandimere must abide by countywide health orders. “This is the most politicized or partisan pandemic that the world has ever seen,” Johnson said. Jordan Kemp, deputy director for public health in Alamosa County, said after a photo of the health department director was posted online with crude and threatening comments, the agency shut down its offices — “just to be safe and just to kind of give everybody a day to
breathe a little bit.” In Las Animas and Huerfano counties, a group called “Colorado Counties for Freedom” ran an ad seeking to diminish the authority of health department director Kim Gonzales. Gonzales is the official whose car has been vandalized twice since the coronavirus crisis began, according to Anselmo. “It is time we bring life back into our communities and protect the American dream by opening up all of main street,” the ad says. “Protect our communities in Walsenburg and Trinidad and the American dream like other counties in Colorado have done. … We need to unite and diminish the authority of the health department director, Kim Gonzales.” A person who gave their name as J.R. Rags and said they were behind Colorado Counties for Freedom said in an email that “these health department directors are generally not qualified to make decisions for everyone” “There are many concerns about kids not attending school, business closures and government overreach,” Rags said. “And as you can
imagine our group has found that true, unbiased media and journalism is almost dead in America.” In Gunnison County, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched a battle with local leaders and public health officials over an order requiring second home owners to stay away. It was issued out of concerns that the county’s limited medical resources could be overrun, but drew intense blowback, including a federal lawsuit from an Arvada couple. “The banishment of nonresident Texas homeowners is entirely unconstitutional and unacceptable,” Paxton said in a written statement. In the wake of the debacle, a group of second homeowners has formed a political group to try to oust the Democratic majority on the Gunnison County commission. “I think the county commissioners are using a sledgehammer when a screwdriver is probably more appropriate,” said Trudy Vader, who is vying for a seat on the board. A Republican state lawmaker from Douglas County -- State Rep. Mark Baisley, R-Roxborough Park -- even called for criminal charges to be filed against Jill Hunsaker Ryan, the head of Colorado’s Department of Public Health and Environment, for her agency’s handling of death certificates of people who had COVID-19 and then died. Prosecutors said there was no evidence a law had been broken. The public health officials who spoke to The Colorado Sun and Colorado Community Media say they can understand people’s reaction. In fact, they have a diagnosis: the vitriol is a symptom of the pandemic.
One county has gone through two public health chiefs Some local public health leaders have simply thrown in the towel or have been pushed out of their positions. The Colorado Association of Local Public Health Officials counts at least six resignations and one firing in Colorado since the pandemic began. Emily Brown says she was terminated as Rio Grande County’s public health director after clashing with county commissioners in late May. She wanted to keep restrictions in place while the elected leaders were pushing for them to be relaxed. Brown told The Associated Press and Kaiser Health News that the commissioners “were tired of me not going along the line they wanted me to go along.” The replacement Rio Grande County hired to fill Brown’s shoes, Paul Wertz, has since resigned. “I have concluded that I do not have the board’s support,” he wrote in an email, according to The Monte Vista Journal. In Weld County, Dr. Mark Wallace’s 20-year run as the head of the local health department ended when he left his job after clashing with county commissioners over how to begin loosening coronavirus restrictions. “I have serious heartburn looking at our data in Weld County,” Wallace wrote to the commissioners in an internal email obtained by The NoCo Optimist through an open records request. Wallace announced his retirement in May, about a week after the correspondence was made public. He did not respond to Colorado Sun messages seeking an interview. The Local Public Health Officials association said the other retirements happened in Clear Creek, Saguache, Fremont and Custer counties. The Tri-County Health Department, which serves Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties, saw an exit of an even larger magnitude. As a result of the health department’s handling of the pandemic, a long-simmering debate about whether Douglas County should create its own health department boiled over. SEE OFFICIALS, P5
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OFFICIALS FROM PAGE 4
When Tri-County moved to initiate a mask-wearing mandate earlier this month, Douglas County’s conservative commissioners announced they’d had enough and ordered their staff to initiate a breakup. Dr. John Douglas, who leads TriCounty, called the decision “extraordinarily disruptive to our staff and planning in the middle of a pandemic.” Now, there are also fears of job cuts among his staff. “I think it’s deeply — and I want to underscore deeply — disappointing, in the time of a pandemic, the divisiveness in this country,” Douglas said. “The people on the frontlines responding to the pandemic are getting attacked. It’s clearly a minority, but a vocal minority.” The situation has even drawn the attention of the governor. “Now more than ever the work of our local public health directors is crucial to successfully fighting this virus and protecting Coloradans,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a written statement. “We need to do everything within our power to support our local heroes and use their expertise and knowledge to win.” Tri-County’s big troubles You could call Tri-County the epicenter of Colorado’s epidemic of rage being directed at public health officials. Nowhere else in the state has the combination of frustrations, threats, vandalism and political fallout played out more clearly, altogether and all at once. Tri-County’s Deputy Director Jennifer Ludwig said the department started taking heat early on in the health crisis, after issuing a stay-athome order in March ahead of Colorado’s statewide mandate. At first, backlash fixated on department executives. Then it spilled over into vandalism at Tri-County’s buildings. The department’s Aurora South location was targeted six times. “We closed that office after, I believe, the third window got broken,” she said. Police arrested 36-year-old Dan Pesch in connection with the vandalism. He told a detective that Tri-County officials “deserve to pay.” “They’re just not getting the message,” Pesch said, according to arrest documents. “So, I just have to keep increasing the intensity.” When Tri-County’s board was poised to adopt a mask mandate earlier this month, the department’s phones started ringing with complaints. Once the order passed, the hate mail started, Ludwig said. This time, critics aimed their frustrations at the board of health, calling directors “tyrants” and “Nazis.” On July 8, Tri-County closed its Greenwood Village location for two days while police investigated a threat against the agency. Ludwig said her employees are battling burnout. Doing their jobs amid threats, vandalism and backlash has been “very distressing, and I think it’s disheartening,” she said. Some of those same workers are now bracing for unemployment because of the breakup with Douglas County, which is expected to happen in a year. If it ultimately happens, it will be the end of a five-decade-plus partnership. Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon, who helped make the decision to sever ties with Tri-County, defended the move. He said commissioners
Emily Brown was director of the Rio Grande County Public Health Department in Colorado until May 22, when the county commissioners fired her after battling with her over coronavirus restrictions. “They finally were tired of me not going along the line they wanted me to go along,” she says. PHOTO BY THERESA ANSELMO
The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners (from left) includes Roger Partridge, Lora Thomas and Abe Laydon. COURTESY PHOTO grew frustrated when Tri-County’s board voted to implement the maskwearing mandate in Douglas County, even though the health department’s staff had recommended that the county be given a choice whether to opt into the mandate. Laydon also pointed to Douglas County’s explosive growth as another reason for the split. “This isn’t a divorce,” he said. “I think this is really more of an emptynest scenario, where the kids have grown up a bit and you love them on to bigger and better things.” (Gov. Polis has since implemented a statewide mask-wearing mandate, which applies to Douglas County.) Leaving Tri-County and opting out of the agency’s mask order quickly emerged as hot button issues in the races for Douglas County commissioner. Two of the county’s three seeks are contested in November. Commissioner Lora Thomas, a Republican, is seeking re-election in November and running against Democratic challenger Darien Wilson. Commissioner Roger Partridge is term-limited. He will be replaced by whomever wins the contest between Republican George Teal, now a Castle Rock councilmember, and Democrat Lisa Neal-Graves. Victoria Reynolds, a Libertarian, is also running for Partridge’s seat. Wilson and Neal-Graves have been critical of the commissioners’ handling of the pandemic and the relationship with Tri-County. Laydon said he has “the highest level of respect” for public health workers and Douglas, the Tri-County chief. He urged community members to stop spreading hate and to “try to
assume the best” of people responding to the pandemic. Asked if Douglas County’s departure could stoke the anger directed at Tri-County, Laydon said he believes the decision will have “just the opposite” effect. “I think it was a move to protect the public health professionals, because I think in many ways it’s a safety valve,” he said. “I think there was a lot less vitriol (after), so I think there’s a sense of relief among our citizens, at least the majority of our citizens.” How to make it in the long run The stressors placed on local public health agencies across Colorado have prompted them to develop coping strategies. In southwest Colorado, officials have created a support group. The Colorado Association of Local Public Health Officials says it has solicited the help of a social worker to help out local public health directors who need an outlet. It’s also working to tap the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s crisis counseling team, which normally responds to tragedies like a mass shooting, to offer aid to overwhelmed public health workers. “They can’t even lift their heads up out of the trenches to stop the work enough to take care of themselves,” Anselmo said. “I will often close a conversation that I’m having with a director by saying ‘i hope you get some peace’ or ‘I hope you have some time this weekend to rejuvenate and take care of yourself. Often the response I will get is ‘nope, not this weekend. I have x, y, z to do.’” Ludwig said Tri-County employs a
health and wellness nurse coordinator who sends newsletters to staff twice a week. Tips cover mindfulness and links to mental health resources, and the newsletter also includes bits of humor. Executives have also increased communication with employees, holding town halls every Friday to address hard topics, she said, “such as the decision of Douglas County to withdraw.” Jefferson County Public Health has even assigned several staffers to a unit dedicated to respond to the mental health needs of its roughly 180 employees so they can get care if they have to deal with a particularly traumatic coronavirus case or if the workload is simply getting to them. Great demand prompted the team to grow after it was initially formed. “Over time I think a lot of the staff are absorbing the stress and the trauma,” said Jennifer Anton, who is heading up behavioral health messaging for Jefferson County’s health department. Jim Austin, who leads the local public health department in Montrose, said he’s found success in allaying community concerns about coronavirus-induced restrictions. Yes, he says, there are still frustrations and “people who are upset and need to be talked through the issue.” But he has found that taking the time to explain why rules are being put in place has helped prevent some of the backlash seen elsewhere. “It requires patience. It requires hanging in there with people and making sure to answer their questions,” Austin said. “But that’s our job. We understand people’s frustrations. It’s summer time. It’s events season.” Back in Gunnison County, Reynolds said she is frustrated by how much more difficult the attacks have made it for her to accomplish the already difficult job. At the time the hate was streaming in, the county was one of the areas hardest hit by the pandemic. “At a time when we’re really in a crisis in our community and nationally, it’s a limited capacity as far as your emotional reserve,” Reynolds said. “I think what frustrated me the most is I had to expend some of my time when I needed to rest or some of my emotional energy really in an area that didn’t benefit the community. And that’s really where I wanted to be focusing my energy.”
6 Arvada Press
July 30, 2020J
Arvada Press 7
0July 30, 2020
Changes to Action Center’s annual school supplies event Then-fifthgrader Ryland Aden and preschooler Gwen Basinger chose backpacks and binders for the 2019-2020 school year at last year’s school supply event.
Appointments required As opposed to previous years, all families must make an appointment to be part of the distribution. Because of social distancing requirements, the center cannot accommodate those who show up without an appointment. Eisenbraun said the easiest and quickest way to sign up for an appointment is through the Action Center’s website, theactioncenter.org, under the Events tab. Those who do not have internet access can call the Action Center at (720) 407-6680.
Where and when The distribution will be held at its usual location, Stevens Elementary School, at 7101 W. 38 Ave. in Wheat Ridge. It will run from Aug. 10 through 15, with families asked to make an appointment for a specific time on one of those days.
CASEY VAN DIVIER
Masks, appointments required due to COVID-19 BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Starting school off with the right supplies is important for students every year, said Pam Brier, the Action Center’s executive director. And that’s especially true as students are preparing to return to school with new regulations after months of staying home. That’s why it’s been important for the Action Center, a human-services nonprofit serving Jefferson County, to ensure its annual school supply distribution will go forward this year. “I think we all remember how a new backpack and fresh school supplies
helped us to feel excited, confident and ready for the new school year,” Brier said. “The Action Center is grateful for the support of the community who are helping us to give students across Jeffco the supplies they need to head into the new school year feeling confident and prepared.” Last year, the event, which provides basic supplies to students such as paper, scissors and folders, served approximately 2,000 households. This year, the event’s capacity allows for about 1,800 households to be served, said Tawney Eisenbraun, the center’s communications manager. That’s factoring in numerous health and safety precautions the center is taking to protect families and volunteers from the virus. With some big changes affecting this year’s event, here are five things to know about the school supplies distribution.
Masks required You will be required to wear a face covering to pick up school supplies.
One family member only The Action Center has asked for only one individual from each household to attend the event. Individuals should not bring their children or babies to limit the spread of COVID-19. A single family member will be able to pick up supplies for all students in a household.
Who’s eligible All families who feel they are in financial need and would like help acquiring school supplies are invited to sign up for an appointment.
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8 Arvada Press
July 30, 2020J
Aftermath of an unexpected Arvada shooting Family and friends tell the stories of those affected in July 11 incident BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
As police investigate a shooting that occurred July 11, in which one Arvadan was killed and three others were injured, the nearby community is grappling not only with loss, but also with surprise. Several community members view the incident — which police say is being investigated as a conflict between two motorcycle clubs — as unexpected and out of the ordinary. Detective Dave Snelling said that while the Arvada Police Department has been aware of motorcycle clubs in the city, he doesn’t recall any similar violent incidents occurring in recent years. Doug Jacobsen, the owner of Jake’s Roadhouse — a bar that is located near the scene of the shooting — said that in his 16 years of ownership, he has never seen that kind of violence between bikers. Likewise, for the friends and families of the victims, the shooting was the last thing they were expecting. Arvadans Ryan McPherson was struck by someone and injured. Fellow Arvadan William Henderson, known to his friends as Kelly, died of a gunshot. Two others were injured but SEE SHOOTING, P9
Kelly Henderson pictured with his wife, Julie.
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Arvada Press 9
0July 30, 2020
Community invited to meet with police STAFF REPORT
The Arvada Police Department invites residents living in the Charlie Sector to a community listening meeting. The sector generally is bordered by W. 72nd Avenue on the north, W. 60th Avenue on the south, Kipling Street on the east and State Highway 93 on the west. The sector operates out of the West Woods Community Station at 6644 Kendrick Dr. The meeting will occur Friday, July 31 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. At the meeting, community members will have the chance to discuss policing in Arvada with the police chief, sector commander, councilmembers and others. To RSVP, contact Detective Dave Snelling at Dave-s@arvada. org indicating whether attendees will attend in-person or via video conferencing.
SHOOTING
STILL INVESTIGATING The Arvada Police Department continues to investigate the July 11 incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP.
FROM PAGE 8
fled the scene before police arrived. Snelling said the department is not releasing the names of those two individuals at this time. The incident took place on Lamar Street around 10 p.m., just as Nightwolf, a local rock band that was playing at Jake’s that night, was taking a break between sets. Musicians McPherson and John Akal were outside when they heard the sound of motorcycles nearby, Akal said. Two customers sitting on the patio told them they had heard gunshots not long before. McPherson heard an injured man calling for help across the street. He rushed to assist the injured man and was hit in the back of the head by an unknown assailant, according to Akal. McPherson was taken to a local hospital. As of July 24, he was in stable condition and was still being treated for a brain injury, said McPherson’s wife, Darcy McPherson. “Everything looks really optimistic and hopeful,” she said. “It’s a long road ahead, but it sounds like we should get him back.” As she thinks to the events leading to her husband’s hospitalization, Darcy said Ryan acted exactly as she would have expected him to. Wherever they’ve gone, every time he’s seen somebody struggling or in need, he’s always stepped into help, she said. “It’s so within who he is and his character. He’s just amazing,” she said. “In our family, he’s our quiet rock.”
Arvada musician Ryan McPherson, who performs often in the city as well as around the country, at the Olde Town Pickin’ Parlor on Grandview Avenue. COURTESY OF RYAN MCPHERSON
For years, Ryan McPherson has been a part of the Arvada music community, from regularly playing local bars or proposing to Darcy at the D Note, a restaurant and music venue on Grandview Avenue that closed several years ago. “Music is how Ryan communicates,” Darcy said. “Even when you walk into our house, we have a painting of guitars and mics — it’s just everywhere. He is his music.” Since the incident, the Arvada community has come together to raise money to help the McPhersons during Ryan’s hospitalization. Most recently, on July 25, multiple Olde Town busi-
nesses came together to donate some of their daily proceeds to the McPhersons. “We are very blessed to have a community that cares for him,” Darcy said. As of July 25, Henderson was the one victim who had passed away due to the incident. Friends say they remember Henderson as someone who was always laughing and was incredibly passionate about what mattered to him — especially his connection with his wife and the community he found in the Hells Angels, which he wanted to join since he was a teenager. “He really liked the idea that he could be anywhere and he would be part of that community,” said Arvadan Jennifer Enochs, who first met Henderson through the Arvada Chamber, in which Henderson and his wife have been actively involved. “The excitement when he actually became a Hells Angel was one of the biggest moments I remember about him,” Enochs said. Arvadan Debbie Sloan said she particularly remembers Henderson for his commitment to helping others, highlighting Henderson for shaving to fundraise for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation alongside her daughter, Erin. “He was there to support kids, to support St. Baldrick’s, to support Erin,” Sloan said. “He didn’t have to have a connection to cancer to want to help.”
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10 Arvada Press
ALCHEMY
Andrea Doray
LOCAL
July 30, 2020J
VOICES
T
Taking a page from the past
aking a page from the past” is the headline of an article in the Summer 2020 University of Northern Colorado alumni magazine (Go Bears!). In this “From the Vault” feature, author Nate Haas, class of 2004, reports on the lessons of the 1918 influenza outbreak – which actually continued to devastate the global population until late 1919 – for the current age of COVID-19. Haas shares material from history professor Fritz Fischer, who teaches about pandemics at UNC. Photos from the 1919 UNC yearbook reproduced in the magazine show students wearing masks and standing in front of closed facilities … images, as Haas notes, relatable today.
Scientists and historians note that the socalled “Spanish Flu” actually first emerged in soldiers at Fort Riley, Kansas, during World War I (then called the “Great War, of course, because who in their wildest imaginations would believe there could ever be a second world war?). Rather, as professor Fischer explains, Spain was a neutral country free of censorship to report on this crisis. The 1918 flu spread through Fort Riley soldiers who transmitted the disease when they deployed overseas. As troops returned, influenza was ravaging Europe and another wave then surged through the U.S. As the flu pandemic came to an end worldwide, those infected had either died or developed immunity.
I
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Trump’s First Amendment flip-flop I write to admit that my perception of our First Amendment’s right to free speech must be flawed. On one hand, President Trump tells us that free speech would be infringed upon by compelling people to wear masks to protect their fellow citizens in the time of an epidemic. He makes the same argument regarding the banning of the public display of the Confederate battle flag and the removal of monuments to a treasonous planter aristocracy. Those men plunged our country into a bloody civil war that cost 600,000 American lives in order to protect a State’s Right to allow the labor exploitation of chattel slavery. There is no honor in treachery, ask Benedict Arnold or Michael Flynn. On the other hand when Colin Kaepernick expressed his right to free speech and took a knee to protest injustice it was unforgivable. The NFL took Kaepernick’s career and Trump held him up as a symbol of national hate and scorn, mostly from
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people sympathetic with others waving Confederate flags. If anyone can make a cogent argument that reconciles this distinction I’d like to hear it. In a just world Colin becomes an International Ambassador for Justice while the Trumps enjoy BBQs with Ed Snowden at Trump’s dacha in Siberia. Paul Barnkow, Arvada Teachers union shows true colors For decades, teachers unions nationwide have put teacher interests ahead of the students.The local teachers union, JCEA, has informed the school board they’d like teachers to be able to sit at home and draw full pay this fall.No surprise. I support proposed federal legislation that, according to Newt Gingrich, “would include a provision that any school district that refuses to open its schools for in-school learning should lose its federal aid – which SEE LETTERS, P11
UNC’s Fischer notes that U.S. doctors and policymakers had just begun to rely on science during the 1918 crisis. In fact, Fischer says that two areas of such learning should be an advantage during the current pandemic: “We know the science and we know how coronaviruses work.” In 2008, nearly 90 years after the 1918 pandemic, researchers discovered that the influenza weakened bronchial tubes and lungs, often leading to bacterial pneumonia – frightening similarities to today’s version of the coronavirus. A vaccine was finally developed in the 1940s. According to professor Fischer, censorship SEE DORAY, P11
A jumble of July thoughts
n honor of actual professional baseball being played, this week’s column is going to go around the horn, a stream-ofconsciousness attempt at writing that perfectly matches my natural tendency towards HITTING ADD HOME Remember back in March, when this year officially went completely off the rails, and I predicted that we would see an uptick in divorces? Well, that prediction is starting to come true. Did you notice the rancorous tone with which Michael Alcorn the teachers’ union received the decision of the Jeffco administration to open schools 100% in the fall with an at-home option ? Such decisions have been met with similar disdain elsewhere, as well, going so far as the Colorado Education Association sending a petition demanding all safety concerns be addressed before school open in person. Actually, that was minor, considering the CEA’s counterparts around the country are also demanding the defunding of police departments and reparations for bad dentistry. Still, one must take heart that couples’ therapy is working out, as the school district dramatically backed off last week (Editor’s note: the district now says the first two weeks of the school year will be at-home, and middle/ high school in-person learning will be on a half-and-half hybrid basis). Stay tuned, folks — once the therapy starts, you never know what scabs are going to get picked at. I get it — I teach at 10 schools and can single-handedly shut them all down. But I wonder if teachers have completely thought through the idea of having brick-and-mortar schools
declared “non-essential.” On the other hand, there may be some good that comes out of it: given the abysmal teaching of American History and Civics to this generation (a generation which, in protest of race issues, has torn down the statue of a prominent abolitionist in Wisconsin and defaced a statue of Frederick Douglass), students may get a brief respite during a fall campaign in which *some* will almost certainly use the zeitgeist to push a political agenda or try to sneak the 1619 Project into the classroom. You have no control, who lives, who dies, who tells the story… Is it just me, or have we seen an unusual number of truly spectacular sunsets on the Front Range this summer? Usually those hold off until autumn, but this summer’s been great. Maybe God’s way of reassuring us that the bleakness that is 2020 will eventually get behind us? Trying to get some reading in to F understand the current moment. Thinking the French Revolution would hold a lot of lessons, but also considering the Bolshevik Revolution and China’s Cultural Revolution. Thoughts, anyone? The other day, on a bike ride, I paused at Long Lake Regional Park to watch a couple of young adult baseball teams play. It wasn’t a long pause, but there is something truly heartening about a bunch of young men getting together with glove and ball to play a game. The sounds, the smells, the chatter… You probably won’t be allowed to go down to Coors Field to catch a game this year, so maybe find a bunch of kids playing for nothing more than the love of the game. Do you realize that, if everything goes according to plan (and exactly what, in 2020, has gone according to plan?), that, in another month or so,
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SEE ALCORN, P11 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
0July 30, 2020
DORAY FROM PAGE 10
of influenza information during WWI aggravated tension and arguments about the severity of the crisis. With limited access to accurate data, the media were accused of “overdramatizing and overexaggerating.” Sound familiar? If there’s one thing we know for sure about COVID-19, it’s that there’s
LETTERS FROM PAGE 10
would then be converted into a tax credit for the students in that district if their parents want to home school, establish a small community school with others or go to a private school.” Hopefully the school board shows some backbone. I would protest my tax dollars being used to pay teachers who don’t return to the classroom. Mark W. Salley, Arvada Ready or not I have just read the July 16 edition of the newspaper. Two side-by-side stories caught my eye: The large heading at the top of page 10 reads, “Jeffco schools still looking for sanitizing wipes, gloves.” At the top of page 11? “All Jeffco students can return for in-person schooling this fall.” How did this get past the Irony Police? Harlan F. Smith, Arvada Durkin for DA I had occasion to go to downtown Denver a couple of days ago and I was appalled at what I observed at
ALCORN
FROM PAGE 10
we will be looking at all four major sports playing simultaneously? That could be fun, and a VERY needed distraction from the world around us. I don’t know how closely you’ve been following the progress towards a vaccine for COVID-19, but there’s been some very encouraging progress made on a number of fronts. The odds of having a vaccine by this time next year seem very promising. Go, humanity!! (I’m going to whisper this part)
a lot we still don’t know. States are left to collect and report data according to their own specific calculations. And, although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tried to make sense of such disparate information, the CDC itself is now cut out of the process. Consider, on the other hand, what professor Fischer, as reported by Haas, shares in his classroom … that by combining what we know about science and the virus with technology that connects us and government
action people can accept, we can slow down the spread or flatten the curve. My friends and neighbors, despite conflicting data and reporting about Covid-19, our curve is going the wrong way by any measure. Please, for the sakes of those you love and those you don’t even know, wear a mask, stay socially distant, and wash your hands. (I know, I know, I repeat myself.) When I hear comparisons of the catastrophic death rate of the 1918 flu to the lower percentages of COVID-19 so far, I can only be grateful that,
the State Capitol. A building that is the seat of government for nearly six million Coloradans sits with boarded up windows and stained with graffiti, the result of actions by a few hundred vandals. They did it because they could. It hasn’t happened in Jefferson County yet, but no place can be considered immune. I support Matthew Durkin for District Attorney in the First Judicial District because I want elected officials who will address these problems and not just support them. I want elected officials who will follow the law. I want a District Attorney who will prosecute the crimes associated with these actions while working to provide appropriate help to those who need and deserve it. The candidate who can do this is Matt Durkin. Tom McAdam, Broomfield
otherwise.” I often struggle with Mike’s libertarian pro-Trump columns, but this one takes the cake. Before you write about anything pertaining to race again, Mike, educate yourself. Kris Long, Arvada Remembering Mr. Papenfus Art Papenfus died this past Thursday, July 23, at the age of 90, but his work, his spirit and his contribution to the community will live on. Art was the biology teacher at Golden High School for many years, and in his class I came to understand that learning can be fun and challenging at the same time. Happy Pappy, as the students often called him, was indeed a man who loved his profession, and saw the good side and the potential
with 102 years of medical advancement and eventual access to needed resources, we will control the coronavirus this time around. And, perhaps if we do, our own “pages from the past” will reflect a much superior outcome. Andrea Doray is a writer with a shout out to Nate Haas for his reporting of professor Fischer’s classroom lesson, and a reminder for everyone to get a flu vaccine this year. Contact Andrea at a.doray@andreadoray.com.
of every student who came under his bright gaze. When I speak to anyone who graduated from GHS during that era, the conversation always turns to Art Papenfus. He was certainly not the only fine teacher at GHS in those years, but his every-day bounce and enthusiasm was infectious and, I am sure, inspired many of his students to continue their educations and their study of biology. We all recall his rule against chewing gum during class. The penalty, if caught, was to dip the gum in the swamp tank, and chew again. I am not sure that anyone was caught chewing gum. Art, you are an important part of the great history of Golden High School. Siblings Robert Krattli and Marilyn Willard, Golden
Historically bad I found Mike Alcorn’s July 23 column appallingly tone-deaf and insensitive. Does he seriously think that Black Americans would read his piece and say, “Gee, you’re right, I should just be glad we have a strong country. It’s a good thing my ancestors were slaves and not considered fully human because the country might have failed
You are probably reading this on the next-to-the-last day of July. If we get through tomorrow, we will have made it through this month without anything new and devastating happening to us, like every other month this year. You might want to think about staying in tomorrow. Lock the doors. Pull the curtains. Just sayin’… 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.
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12 Arvada Press
July 30, 2020J
LOCAL
LIFE
Chicano Music Hall of Fame announces 2020 class
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Firefighters and paramedics Chris Marvin, left, and Tyler Finley prepare to climb into a West Metro Fire Rescue ambulance to respond to an emergency call on July 23. PHOTOS BY ELLIOTT WENZLER
In midst of coronavirus, firefighters adjust New procedures, added stress, and work goes on BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A
ll was quiet at West Metro Fire Rescue’s Station 1 on July 23. That is, until a recording of a woman’s voice rang through the bay, announcing an emergent medical alert. Within seconds, the station’s firefighters, paramedics and the on-duty officer burst through a set of swinging doors. “We’ve got a woman in labor,” announced Lt. Brian Worth as he charged toward the ambulance. In less than a minute, the ambulance has pulled out of the large garage and headed in the direction of the emergency. The protocol for these emergency workers once they hear an alert is the same as always: change shoes, grab any needed equipment, hop in the ambulance or fire truck. Only now, they’re also pulling on personal protective equipment such as masks, eyewear and gowns and preparing for the chance that the person in need of their help could also infect them with COVID-19, the potentially deadly virus sweeping the globe. Fire departments and emergency responders across the Denver metro area have been forced to adjust their procedures in an attempt to help contain the COVID-19 pandemic. “We just had to respond very, very quickly to the changing environment ... the landscape changed overnight,” SEE FIREFIGHTERS, P13
The inside of a locker on a West Metro Fire Rescue fire engine. Extra gear and personal protective equipment is kept inside.
ike in so many cultures, music plays a vital connective and communicative role in Chicano life. That music has been honored since 2002 at Su Teatro’s Chicano Music Hall of Fame, and now there’s a new group of musicians to be honored for their contributions. The 2020 inductees are Lu Liñan, Frank COMING Ayala and Los ATTRACTIONS Trujillos and were inducted on July 30. The closed-to-thepublic event was shared with audiences via digital methods like Zoom, Facebook and YouTube. “The intimate Clarke Reader event is to honor the legends that have influenced the Colorado music scene,” wrote Angelina Gurule, marketing coordinator at Su Teatro, in an email interview. “Chicanos have played aa significant role in music and have influence generations of musicians.” The hall of fame event and the 24th Annual Chicano Music Festival is co-presented with KUVO radio, and the festival aspect is running virtually through Aug. 2. In addition, this year’s event will offer a tribute to two musical icons who have passed this last year, according to information provided by Gurule: Mariachi Vasquez patriarch Raul Vasquez and jazz master Freddie Rodriguez. The selection process for inductees begins online with a nomination application, and they are then voted on by a committee with three specific criteria in mind. “Longevity, which in this instance refers to consistent or sustained activities over a period of time, uniqueness which asks… what is the singular contribution that they introduced?” Gurule explained. “And the final is excellence: what are the qualities that placed the nominee at the `top of their game’?” Here’s some information on the inductees, as provided by Gurule: Liñan and her family were among the first to bring Mexican Mariachi music and dance to Colorado public schools in the 1960s and 70s. Liñan and her husband, Salvador Herrera, would bring Mexican Mariachi bands from Mexico to perform at Colorado public events so that the people of Colorado could celebrate Mariachi music and culture. Ayala has been an influential SEE READER, P13
Arvada Press 13
0July 30, 2020
FIREFIGHTERS FROM PAGE 12
Rescue’s EMS chief. “Almost daily we were getting new updates or new guidance. Sometimes several times a day things would change.” For Metz, some of the biggest changes have been in how his staff responds to 911 calls, he said. In March, the department began responding to any medical calls in a full coverall, including gloves, eyewear and a mask. “It takes them a lot longer to put the ensemble on to respond to the call than traditionally it would be,” Metz said. Then, once the emergency responders arrive on the scene of the 911 call, they face another new challenge: communication barriers. With their voices muffled by masks, getting basic patient information can be a challenge. And as the summer heats up, wearing personal protective equipment, or PPE, has become an issue, causing fatigue and discomfort, Metz said. As the pandemic has stretched on, dispatchers have improved their questions for 911 callers and now can better predict if the caller presents a risk of spreading COVID-19 to first responders. As a result, responders are able to gauge how much PPE is necessary, sometimes opting for less intense protection. “If we didn’t implement these PPE procedures, we could have had way more providers infected than we do,” Metz said. Between March and mid-July, 12 of the 424 employees of WMFR tested positive for the virus, he said. Another way that 911 procedures changed during the height of the first wave of the pandemic is in the ways they treated patients. From April through May, certain breathing treatments for respiratory patients were
Firefighter and paramedic Nick Bourne holds a medical oxygen tank while wearing personal protective equipment in the back of a West Metro Fire Rescue fire engine moments before the truck departed from Station 1 on July 23. ELLIOTT WENZLER
limited. “We were really watching our numbers. We were responding to approximately 10 suspected COVID patients per day,” Metz said. Dispatchers also began encouraging patients with non-life-threatening medical symptoms to remain at home in isolation. “We were still able to deliver appropriate care and do procedures but it certainly did interfere with normal day-to-day operations,” Metz said. South Metro Fire Rescue also changed the way they handle 911 calls, said Lt. Lindsey Miller. Normally, dispatchers would immediately send three to six people to respond to a call
READER FROM PAGE 12
Chicano jazz musician in the Denver area for the past 30 years. His current ensemble is called Mistura Fina. His La Raza Cosmica take on music mixes Spanish-AmericanIndian musical traditions and combines influences from the best that humanity offers. Los Trujillos is a “true dance band for the masses.” This tight-knit family of musicians from Commerce City has brought Tejano/ Colorado music to weddings, celebrations, and other festivities across the state for the past 45 years. “So much of our history is weaved within our music,” Gurule said. “Shining a spotlight on the musicians that have made such an impact in Colorado is the least we can do.” For more information, including the virtual festival schedule, call 303-296-0219 or visit www.suteatro.org. Celebrate a historic Colorado Day This year’s Colorado Day will look a bit different than previous years, but that doesn’t mean residents can’t celebrate their state. There are a couple of different ways History Colorado is encouraging people to celebrate in 2020. Online celebrations will be running from July 27 through Aug. 1, including videos, recipes and crafts. The big day is at 9 a.m. on Saturday the 1st, when there will be a virtual birthday party as well as free admission at all eight of History Colorado’s museums throughout the state. Free admission to museums can be booked via h-co.org/welcome. All visitors who select tickets for Saturday, August 1 in the online
but as the pandemic began to ramp up, they began asking more questions to determine how much of a response is needed. “Now, if possible, we scale back our interactions with patients,” Miller said. As of July 10, SMFR had 10 members of their staff test positive for COVID-19, according to a spokesperson. EMS services weren’t the only aspect of emergency response affected by the virus. The Douglas County Emergency Management Center also experienced difficulties. “From our perspective, it definitely adds a challenge to us in terms of our response,” said Tim Johnson, director of the Douglas County Emergency Management Center. When responding to events like wildfires, it’s important for EMC personnel to enter the physical center and then work together with a variety of agencies to contain the situation. With social distancing being one of the best ways to prevent the spread of the virus, only a limited number of people can enter the facility now. “We eventually went to a virtual EOC (Emergency Operation Center) and you lose something when you go virtual,” Johnson said. “It’s that spontaneity.” For the most part, though, confronting structure and brush fires is one of the only things still familiar to firefighters, Miller said. “If we respond to a structure fire, I know what I’m going to put on and I’m going to execute that 911 call just like I’ve done for the entirety of my career,” Miller said. “It’s great to be able to help people and feel like that hasn’t changed.” Because there isn’t usually interaction with the public during these events, PPE isn’t required, he said. Even just hanging out in the fire station has changed. In the beginning of the pandemic, firefighters tried to
reservation system will be able to book at no charge. Clarke’s Concert of the Week - The Marcus King Band plays The Last Waltz The Band’s “Last Waltz” is one of the most famous concerts of all time, and over the year it has become a staple of rock fans’ Thanksgivings. But fans of the classic don’t need to way for turkey day this year, thanks to South Carolina’s The Marcus King Band. King specializes in the same kind of southern-drenched soul-rock that groups like Nathaniel Rateliff and The Revivalists have brought to the pop charts. The virtual performance will be at 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 3 as is the final show in the Four of a Kind concert series. Get info and a ticket at www. marcuskingband.com. Streaming style - ‘Coherence’ There’s a reason “The Twilight Zone” remains a cultural touchstone more than 50 years after its debut. You can describe something as “straight out of The Twilight Zone” and people know immediately what you mean. That ethos pervades James Ward Byrkit’s directorial debut, “Coherence.” It’s difficult to say too much about the film without spoiling things, but what I can say is a group of friends gathers for a dinner party in California. It just so happens the gathering happens while a comet is passing by. From there, things get…odd. Think of it like a science-fiction version of Luis Buñuel’s “The Exterminating Angel.” If you’re looking for a film to mess with your mind for a little while (in a good way), this is your film. You can stream it on Amazon Prime and Hulu. Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke. Reader@hotmail.com.
only interact with the staff from their station, Miller said. “Initially for two to three months, we operated in extreme silos,” he said. “We did our best to maintain social distancing within our fire stations.” With that being said, this wasn’t always easy. “It can be very difficult for five to eight people to live and work together for 48 hours without being in close contact with each other,” he said. Adding stress to a stressful job While many firefighters already define their job as stressful, riskintensive and busy, the addition of a pandemic worsened those conditions. Now, instead of just worrying about themselves getting injured, firefighters have the added concern of bringing an illness home to their family members, Metz said. “In our profession there’s always been risks associated with our job,” he said. “We do the best we can to mitigate those risks as much as possible.” The many uncertainties associated with the virus have also added stress to these first responders’ lives. “Our morale throughout this has been very high but you can really sense that it’s starting to wear on all the providers,” Metz said. For Miller, during the period at the beginning of the pandemic, which was filled with anxiety and unknowns, it was harder to sleep at night, he said. He noticed that same fear in some of his colleagues. “In a profession that shrugs off fear, those folks on the older and younger end of the spectrum, there was a lot of unknown,” he said. “That brought fear into our fire service that I had never felt before in my 15-year career.” Miller believes the station has begun to finally adjust to the pandemic and the accompanying anxiety, he said. “We’ve learned how to do things differently,” he said. “I think we’ve turned a corner and adapted.”
Jeffco 4-H fair closed to public STAFF REPORT
The Jefferson County 4-H Fair is rapidly approaching! This year, in-person numbers are reduced as a result of COVID-19, and the fair (Aug. 1-9) will be closed to the public, though 4-H and FFA youth will still be able to show their animals and projects. In past years the fair has hosted a live auction for 4-H kids to sell their project animals for meat as well as a youth market to provide an opportunity for youth in general projects to sell items related to those projects. This year, in spirit of adapting and trying new things, there will be an online, contactless opportunity for the community to support 4-H youth. The Jeffco 4-H Marketplace went live on July 21. This online shopping center provides opportunities for donations/add-ons for animal projects, purchase of market animals and purchase of handmade artistic
crafts from 4-H’ers enrolled in general projects. After the completion of market animals shows, champion animals will be added to different section of the website to highlight their accomplishments. Purchase of meat in the Marketplace will end on Aug. 9. Purchase of donations/add-ons and youth made projects will end on Aug.16. This is a great way to support your local 4-H kids with their projects, receive high quality, home raised, local meat and wonderful handmade products for you or to give as gifts. There is something for everyone! Note: Add-ons are for animal projects only. Add-ons are a way to contribute to a youth’s project goals without purchasing the meat. Previous youth market items have included jewelry, fishing lures, soap, hand sewn or knit goods, dog collars, photography, paintings, and meat that did not sell in the auction.) See jeffco4hfair. square.site/ for details.
14 Arvada Press
July 30, 2020J
Jeffco libraries book in business Some locations reopen doors while curbside pickups continue BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Jefferson County’s libraries are no longer checked out. After a nearly four-month long closure, Arvada’s Standley Lake Library became the first in the Jefferson County Public Library system to reopen its doors to a public eager to do everything from browse for new books to check their email online on July 13. The Golden, Lakewood and Columbine libraries followed later that week, with a total of eight opening by the end of July. The move to open the libraries was spurred by a change to the Gov. Jared Polis’ public health order that allowed such facilities to reopen their doors after previously being limited to providing items to the public via curbside pickup. Director of Libraries Julianne Rist said early indications were that people were eager to get back to their libraries, with the Standley Lake branch reporting over 800 visitors and 3,200 checkouts in the first two days it was back open. “People were really happy to come back,” Rist said. “We had happy tears and skipping children.” But while those visitors were clearly happy to be back in a familiar space, the libraries they are returning to
WHAT HAS JEFFCO BEEN READING DURING COVID-19?
WHAT’S OPEN WHEN? Walk-in service is currently limited to the Standley Lake, Golden, Lakewood and Columbine libraries. Those libraries are open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Curbside pickup is available at all Jeffco libraries from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. An appointment is no longer needed to pick up holds during curbside pick-up. look markedly different than they did in March when the doors closed. For one, much of the furniture has been removed and that which remains has now been carefully placed at least six feet apart (with signage indicating that all furniture is not to be moved). Then there are the glass guards placed around all computers. Also, don’t expect to visit the library between 1-2 p.m. It’s now closed for an hour of cleaning. While no visit to a public space is without COVID-19 risk, Rist said the library is taking steps to protect visitor safety and make them feel better about visiting the library. “We’re following guidelines from CDC and Jefferson County Health in terms of cleaning and disinfecting,” she said. “We’re trying to mitigate all the risks that we can.” But Rist said the library also knows that not everyone is ready to come back just yet. That’s why it is continuing to provide the same curbside pickup service it has been providing for the past month. The libraries have also decided they will not be offering any in-person programs for the foreseeable future, which means things like story times
A masked librarian points to a place where those needing assistance are supposed to stand inside the reopened Golden Public Library. COURTESY PHOTOS will continue in an online format. In fact, Rist now says it is possible many online offerings will continue even after the threat of COVID-19 has been mitigated. “A lot of the feedback we’ve heard, especially for our story times, is people are enjoying it (online) and that there is a little more flexibility than trying to get to the library for the program,” Rist said. “Folks seem to like the convenience of things.” Most of the library’s other core services are now available, including computer access, printing and faxing. However, use of computers and study rooms is limited to one hour and not currently reservable online. Users instead are asked to check for availability when they visit. Rist said being able to reopen the doors, even with the changes, is nonetheless a big step forward. “We can do a lot more with opening buildings then we can with curbside
Top 5 adult curbside print adult titles (March 15- July 11) “Where the Crawdads Sing” By Delia Owens (82 circulations) “Educated: A Memoir” By Tara Westover (60 circulations) “Becoming” By Michelle Obama (47 circulations) “A Gentleman in Moscow” By Amor Towles (32 circulations) “Little Fires Everywhere” By Celeste Ng (29 circulations) Top 5 adult e-book “Walk the Wire” By David Baldacci (406) “Where the Crawdads Sing” By Delia Owens (372) “Little Fires Everywhere” By Celeste Ng (318) “American Dirt” By Jeannine Cummins (261) “Camino Wings” By John Grisham (258) Top 5 juvenile e-book “Guts” By Raina Telgemeier (90) “Dog Man 8” By Dav Pilkey (88) “Big Nate” By Lincoln Peirce (71) “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” By J.K. Rowling (68) “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” By J.K. Rowling (66) just because of the staffing and the amount of time each curbside appointment takes,” said Rist. “It also allows residents to have choice over how they’d like to receive their materials. I’ve heard a lot from people that are so excited to browse the shelves and pick out their own titles rather then having to go through the catalogue and request specific things.”
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Arvada Press 15
0July 30, 2020
Inside a deadly outbreak: ‘Everyone was scared’ Nursing home administrator details struggle against virus BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Jane Runge has always dressed up for her job as an administrator at the Mountain Vista Senior Living Community in Wheat Ridge. But when the COVID-19 crisis arrived, she started wearing scrubs instead. “You never knew what to expect,” said Runge. “We didn’t know if we were going to have staff show up and so for me if it meant cleaning a room, I cleaned a room. It was all hands-on deck.” Mountain Vista, which includes both assisted living and nursing care facilities, has been the the county’s deadliest COVID-19 outbreak, with 92 confirmed resident cases and 26 confirmed deaths, according to state data. The disease has also had a major impact on the staff, with 36 confirmed cases and 13 more suspected. But last week, more than three months after the first case involving a resident of the facility was confirmed, Mountain Vista got some muchneeded good news: the state resolved that the assisted-living portion of the facility was COVID-free. “At this time we are happy to report that Mountain Vista is COVID-19 free,” the facility wrote in its latest COVID-19 statement on its website, which was posted on July 21. “The state of Colorado has given us approval to start social visits for residents in the Assisted Living and we are truly humbled to help reunite you with your loved ones.” Runge said the nursing side of the facility is also COVID-19 free and she expects the state to clear that side for visits this week. But while Runge said she and her staff are relieved that the facility’s bout with COVID-19 appears to be over, they aren’t taking any chances. “We don’t want to back in the building so we have to continue the things we did to help get it out of the building and prevent future cases,” Runge said. “We all know it is still out there.” Those continuing efforts including following all CDC guidelines, wearing masks and taking each residents’ vitals three times a day in order to check for signs of symptoms. The facility is also developing a COVID-19 unit
NOW ! EN
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The Mountain Vista Senior Living Community. where any future positive cases can be isolated and an observation neighborhood where all new residents will be isolated for 14 days before moving into the rest of the facility. Runge said the ability to welcome visitors to the facility is particularly welcome news for the residents who have been isolated not only from friends and family but also from each other since the outbreak began. “COVID-19 hasn’t been easy but watching people be isolated has been the hardest part,” said Runge. “We’ve actually seen people who I would say they didn’t die of COVID-19, they died of a broken heart. I can tell you there was a resident who got COVID-19 and when she was cut off from her seeing her family who had been doing bible study with her here every day and I have a strong opinion she didn’t die of COVID-19 she did of a broken heart.” But while it was difficult to keep residents isolated, Runge wrote in a June 25 update that the facility’s staff and residents were thankful for the “overwhelming support” they received during the outbreak. “We have received many notes and phone calls of encouragement which kept us coming back to work each and every day,” that statement read. “We have also received so many lovely donations such as supplies, food and financial support. Words cannot express how you made a difficult time
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better for those here at Mountain Vista.” While Runge and her staff are hoping to turn toward the future, the COVID-19 outbreak is not something they will likely ever forget. “Everyone was scared, including myself,” she said. “You don’t know what you’re facing. and you just you just come to work and do what you can. There were mornings I was here at 4 a.m. and worked until 10 at night. You just did what you needed to to get the job done.” But Runge said Mountain Vista’s experience is not one she would like to see anyone have to repeat, which is why she says she is concerned to hear about rising case numbers in Colorado and the country. “Most nursing homes and assisted livings are started to go into COVID-19 and we are coming out of it,” she said. “But we feel bad for those other homes because we know what it is like.” Other Jeffco COVID-19 outbreaks Colorado Academy Sports Camp— Three staff members at a sports camp at Colorado Academy, which is located at 3800 S. Pierce St. The outbreak was discovered on July 3 and is listed as active. According to Jacque Montgomery, the director of advancement and external affairs at Colorado Academy, the school worked closely with
Jefferson County Public Health and closed the campus for three days to follow cleaning directives and canceled all sports camp until Aug. 3. A day camp, which is different from the sports camp, resumed operations on the school on July 9. Chick-Fil-A — According to the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, two staff members of a Chick-Fil-A store in Jeffco have tested positive in an outbreak that is still considered active and was identified on July 8. Two people also tested positive at another location in the county but that outbreak is now considered resolved. CDPHE does not list the addresses of specific locations. Outbreaks have been identified at a total of six Chick-Fil-A locations in Colorado. In response to an email inquiry from Colorado Community Media, Chick-Fil-A, Inc. issued the following statement: “Our highest priority is the health and well-being of our Team Members and Guests. If a Team Member is diagnosed with COVID-19, the restaurant initiates the response protocol and takes precautionary measures, including disinfecting and deep cleaning the restaurant. Safe service is our top priority and our restaurants continue to follow CDC and local health department guidelines.”
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16 Arvada Press
July 30, 2020J
Jeffco calls for new mask order, mitigation plan with reopening at risk County surpasses threshhold of 580 cases in a two-week period
MORE INFO The county website, which is updated every day at 3 p.m. with the most recent numbers, contains more information about public health orders, and health information: www.jeffco. us/3999/Coronavirus-Disease2019-COVID-19
STAFF REPORT
Jefferson County Public Health says the county is at risk of having some of its reopening allowances for larger gatherings be removed as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. On July 24, JCPH announced that there had been just over 580 new probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases identified in the county over the two-week period lasting from June 27 to July 10. That was nearly 200 more cases than the county saw over the preceding two-week period lasting from June 27 to July 10. The county’s “Safer-atHome order variance” from the state says that if the county exceeds a threshold of 580 cases in a two-week period then it must use a mitigation plan for two weeks to try to restore virus transmission levels to the baseline level of 317 cases in a two week period under which the variance was approved. “At this time, we are looking at how we stem this tide of increased COVID-19 cases, while allowing businesses and other entities to remain open for residents and visitors and not cause any more pain to our economy,” said Dr. Mark Johnson, Executive Director of JCPH, in a statement. “Due to an overall rise in virus cases around the nation and state, many areas are already having variances rescinded, which is causing another closure of certain types of businesses that are still feeling the economic effects of the state’s first Stay-at-Home Order.” New mask order Among the steps JCPH is now taking as part of its mitigation plan is to imple-
A graph showing the number of COVID-19 cases reported in Jefferson County on each day since the pandemic began. The gray line shows the three-day moving average of case totals and the red line shows the seven-day moving average. COURTESY GRAPH ment Public Health Order 20-008, a new face covering order that requires all Jeffco residents 11 and older to wear a face covering while in all public settings — both inside and outside — where six feet of social distance cannot be maintained. A statewide mask order issued on July 16 called for everyone to wear a mask in all public indoor spaces. The Jeffco Board of Health unanimously decided to implement the new order at a meeting held on July 21. “We know there is great benefit to wearing a mask outdoors when it’s difficult to keep six-foot social distance between yourself and others who don’t live with you and we want this prevention strategy to be as effective as possible,” said Greg Deranleau, the president of the Jefferson County Board of Health. “Mandating masks indoors is also consistent with the requirements set by other local public health agencies in the Denver metro area.” Like other mask orders, PHO 20-008 does not require face coverings in private
residences, traveling in a personal vehicle when traveling alone or spending time with members of one’s household. The order also provides exceptions for medical conditions, certain work conditions, first responder unforeseen emergencies, and for other situations in which the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has explicitly permitted the removal of a face covering. Masks should not be worn by young children under age three, anyone who cannot medically tolerate wearing it, or anyone who is unable to remove it without assistance. The order does not specify an expiration date and will stay in place until it is modified or repealed. On July 20, JCPH also issued Public Health Order 20-007, which requires venues hosting large events to provide a plan outlining how they will adhere to the state’s Safer-at-Home requirements to help ensure health and safety of staff and attendees. Under the order, venues holding events with more than one designated activity
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area, which would permit more than 100 people inside or 175 people outside, must submit a plan to JCPH and receive approval in writing prior to such events taking place. That order is scheduled to remain in effect until Aug. 19, although it can be amended or extended. Large facilities, such as Bandimere Speedway, have been allowed to be divided up into separate activity areas provided the occupants of each area are kept separate from those of other activity areas. The original Jefferson County variance, granted on June 8 by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, allowed for more lenient capacity limits for group gatherings across all venues, including places of worship. It also allowed re-opening of shopping malls, fitness centers, brewpubs, distilleries and other venues. Under the variance, indoor gatherings of up to 50 people or 50% of venue occupancy were allowed while outdoor settings were allowed for 125 people. School graduations were allowed to take place as
Jeffco COVID-19 cases
335
new cases in last week
3
deaths last week
23
currently hospitalized
3,610
total cases
220
total deaths
— JCPH numbers as of July 24 a part of that variance, with a plan approved by JCPH. The full Jefferson County variance can be viewed www. jeffco.us/4047/Safer-at-HomeOrder.
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Arvada Press 17
0July 30, 2020
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18 Arvada Press
July 30, 2020J
C R O S SWO R D P U Z Z L E
Judge declines to issue injunction against Bandimere But Bandimere must follow all health orders BY PAUL ALBANI-BURGIO PALBANIBURGIO@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A judge declined to issue a permanent injunction against the owners of Bandimere Speedway on July 21, citing the issuance of a new public health order that would have rendered such an injunction “moot.” “Legally I cannot issue a permanent injunction because the status quo changed yesterday and I don’t have information about how Bandimere is complying with the new law or whether they are complying with new law,” said Judge Tamara Russell. Russell said that in order for a permanent injunction to be issued, the party seeking it must show that it will maintain the status quo. JCPH was seeking an injunction that would compel Bandimere to provide safety plans before each event hosted at the race track. But on Monday, JCPH issued Public Health Order 20-007, which will now require all venues hosting large events to provide a plan outlining how they will adhere to the state’s current Safer-at-Home order, in response to concerns that rising COVID-19 cases in Jeffco could lead the state to no longer allow the county to allow any larger events to take place. JCPH was seeking an injunction that would compel Bandimere to provide safety plans before each event hosted at the race track. But while Russell did not grant the variance, she said she did find that Bandimere has to follow executive orders from the governor and public health orders issued by Colorado’s Department of Public Health and Environment and JCPH. “I don’t think you need the court to order you to comply with the law anyway but if you do we will be back here very soon,” Russell said to Bandimere’s owners. Jefferson County attorney argued
that the injunction should still be issued to “remind” Bandimere that they need to fully comply with the order. However, Russell said she disagreed with that assertion, saying she could only issue an injunction if there was no other way to enforce the order and there was not yet any evidence Bandimere was not complying with the new order, which took effect Monday night. Bandimere’s attorney Randy Corporon has also filed counterclaims against JCPH, which he says violates Bandimere’s owners’ constitutional rights. However, Russell rejected that counterclaim and said the governor will have to be served if Corporon is to challenge the constitutionality of his public health orders and JCPH’s enforcement of them. Corporon said that he would do so. Russell also said she felt it was “great” that the Bandimeres had made several efforts to comply with the temporary restraining order issued before its July 4 event requiring it to abide by the public health order in the 48 hours between the issuance of the order and the start of the event, although she said they could’ve done a better job in several respects. She also said it will be up to Bandimeres’ fans to comply with the order. “All of these faithful fans that you have hold your future in their hands and they can decide to comply or not and I guess that’s their freedom, too,” she said. “But it will have very negative effects (if they don’t).” Some events cancelled Bandimere’s first event following the ruling was set to be the “Take it to the Track” test and tune on July 22. But hours before the event was set to begin, the speedway’s Facebook account posted that the event was canceled. “Jefferson County Health Department has forced us to cancel due to the fact that we are unable to meet the new health department requirements,” read the post. SEE BANDIMERE, P23
Answers
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Arvada Press 19
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July 30, 2020J
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Arvada Press 23
0July 30, 2020
Jefferson County sees slight increase in point-in-time survey results 444 people without homes surveyed in Jefferson County back in January BY JOSEPH RIOS JRIOS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Robert Bosch spends around four days a week at Mean Street Ministry in Lakewood — a place that offers services to the homeless like clothing, a food bank, a café and its severe weather shelter. He doesn’t spend the majority of his weeks at Mean Street Ministry just to get services — even though he has spent the past eight years without a home after bouncing around and staying at different motels. Bosch goes to Mean Street Ministry to volunteer at its café where he prepares food for those who are homeless. “I don’t work very much. I would rather volunteer here,” said Bosch who is currently doing some landscaping work but struggles with blue collar work because of health conditions. “I can’t afford (housing). But I’m just trying to make ends meet,” said Bosch. On Jan. 27 and Jan. 28, organizations throughout Colorado set out to count people like Bosch who are homeless as part of the annual pointin-time survey — a count of how many people are living on the streets or are in shelters during one point in time of the year. And after months of sorting through data from the count, results are in. The count found 444 people in Jefferson County experiencing homelessness. In 2019, there were 434 people counted as being homeless in the point-in-time survey. “To me, it means two things,” said Nikki Reising, lead case manager for Family Tree’s homelessness services. Family Tree is a nonprofit organization that provides services to those who have suffered from child abuse, domestic violence and homelessness. “One is that probably not too much has changed in the amount of people that are homeless in Jeffco from 2019 to 2020. But I think it also means that we need more help with (the pointin-time survey),” said Reising, who participated in this year’s count along West Colfax. “The number of 444 definitely does not (show) how many (homeless) people are in Jeffco. We could’ve used more volunteers, and
Robert Bosch, a homeless man who volunteers at Mean Street Ministry in Lakewood, stands outside the ministry. The 2020 point-in-time survey identified 444 people experiencing homelessness in Jefferson County. JOSEPH RIOS I think if we had more, we would’ve seen a higher number. A higher number isn’t good or bad — but it represents the county better and represents the kind of funding that we think we need.” Data from the point-in-time survey is used in Jefferson County for planning purposes, according to Kelli Barker, regional homeless coordinator for Jefferson County. The county is currently revising its Jeffco Homelessness Action Plan — a 2013 22-page document that aims to increase access to stable and affordable housing, increase economic security, retool the homeless crisis response and more. “What I gain from (the point-in-time survey), and what I like about it is the methodology stays the same from year to year. We can get some meaning from the trend, even though we know the number isn’t accurate,” said Barker. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s model unsheltered count form requires point-in-
time surveyors to ask homeless people where they are sleeping, how old they are, their race, age and more. Barker said the county also uses data from its comprehensive homeless count — a month-long count of individuals experiencing homelessness. The count considers an individual homeless when they are living in an emergency shelter, transitional housing, are unsheltered or lack stable housing. The 2019 comprehensive homeless count found that there were 997 people experiencing homelessness in Jefferson County in August of 2019. The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, an organization that advocates to end homelessness, trains those who conduct the point-in-time survey. Jamie Rife, director of communications and development for the organization, said the point-in-time data helps to determine how well the Denver metro area is doing to end homelessness. Outside of Jefferson County, surveyors scattered throughout Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield,
Denver and Douglas counties counting homeless people. Overall, 6,104 people in the counties were experiencing homelessness on Jan. 27 and Jan. 28 — a 6% increase from last year. Stephanie Thanner, program services manager for the human-services nonprofit Action Center, said since March 24 the organization has distributed $298,022.34 to 152 households for rental assistance. Thanner added that the Action Center has had over 1,135 households reach out to the organization for help with rent and mortgage since the end of March. The Arvada-based food assistance charity Community Table reported in May that 3-40% of people coming in for food assistance since the March shut-dows were “new faces.” Since the beginning of the pandemic, Rife said the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative has seen a 300% increase in the number of requests for its homelessness prevention resources as the state announced on July 23 that since mid-March, a total of 502,057 regular unemployment claims have been filed. “I think that’s an indicator of what is going to come. And I think we’re all bracing for what that looks like and planning strategically to make sure we’re keeping people housed and making sure the resources that we have flowing in are helping people who don’t have housing,” said Rife.
BANDIMERE FROM PAGE 18
On July 23, Bandimere posted that the TRUCK Invasion event scheduled for July 26 was also being postponed, with tickets valid for the new date when one is announced. Bandimere also went on to postpone events on July 24 and 25 and has not announced when races might resume. However, JCPH spokesperson Ashley Sever said in an email that JCPH did not force Bandimere to cancel the events, although it continues to expect the speedway to abide by all current public health orders. “We do not force any businesses to cancel events; however, they must follow the law to legally move forward with such events,” Sever said.
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Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088 Legals City and County Public Notice
NOTICE OF HEARING UPON APPLICATION FOR A NEW HOTEL AND RESTAURANT LIQUOR LICENSE OF BUHELOS, INC. D/B/A: HOME COOKIN’ CAFE 16255 W. 64TH AVE. UNIT 7 ARVADA, CO 80007 Notice is hereby given that an application has been presented to the City of Arvada Local Liquor Licensing authority for a Hotel and Restaurant
legals@coloradocommunitymedia.com
liquor license from Buhelos, Inc., d/b/a Home Cookin’ Cafe, located at 16255 W. 64th Ave. Unit 7, Arvada, CO, whose controlling officers are: Barbara Buhelos and Gary Buhelos, Owners, 16255 West 64th Ave., Unit 7, Arvada, CO, United States.
Said application will be heard and considered by the City of Arvada Liquor Licensing Authority at a virtual meeting to be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 13, 2020. The application was submitted on July 1, 2020.
The license would allow sales of malt, vinous and spirituous liquor by the drink for consumption on the premises 16255 W. 64th Ave., Unit 7, Arvada, CO 80007, United States Arvada, CO.
For further information call Sarah Walters, Deputy City Clerk, at 720-898-7544. Dated this 30th day of July, 2020
/s/ Sarah Walters Deputy City Clerk CITY OF ARVADA, COLORADO Legal Notice No. 407954 First Publication: July 30, 2020 Last Publication: July 30, 2020 Publisher: Jeffco Transcript
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Arvada Legals 7.30.20 * 1
24 Arvada Press
July 30, 2020
Second Bluegrass opening its doors this August Coffeehouse and bar to open in west Arvada this summer BY CASEY VAN DIVIER CVANDIVIER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
After months spent eagerly awaiting the opening of a second Bluegrass Coffee and Bourbon Lounge across town, Arvadans can now mark their calendars for the coffeehouse and bar’s opening next month. Owners Sheena and Drew Gordon and their team had previously anticipated that the west Arvada Bluegrass, located near the Candelas neighborhood at the intersection of Highway 72 and Candelas Parkway, would open at the beginning of summer 2020. However, a variety of delays, most of them related to the ongoing pandemic, have pushed that date back, said manager Josh Schwartz. “We haven’t been able to bring in as many construction workers as we would like. We found that there just weren’t as many working,” Schwartz said. “There are also some items that haven’t been able to ship because of COVID.” He added that the business has been tasked with finding extra funding after the COVID-19 pandemic has led to increases for the cost of labor, materials and products. However, with the delays worked out and funding secured, the team is now looking forward to a socially-
FUTURE PLANS The Bluegrass Coffee and Bourbon Lounge will open its second location this August. But that’s just the beginning of a years-long plan, through which the Bluegrass hopes to expand outside of Arvada and franchise the business. “The coffee, the bourbon, the pizza, the music, the rustic feel — we believe that will succeed in any town,” Schwartz said. distanced, guidelines-based opening at the end of August, bringing what residents say is a much-needed boost to the area. “A lot of us who live out here are starving for retail and restaurants. It really is great validation for Candelas, having an established business from Olde Town coming here,” said Amanda Rieter, a Candelas resident and real estate agent. Looking back on last spring’s quarantine, she added that while Candelas has miles of trails, many families struggled to find nearby takeout options. “I really hope this helps set a tone for more businesses looking at expansion on this side,” she said. As the Bluegrass opening gets closer, the business is looking to hire a team of about 40 to run the restaurant, which is significantly larger than the original location in Olde Town. Because a large training of all new employees will likely be prohibited leading up to the opening, Schwartz said the restaurant plans to train new hires in small groups.
The Bluegrass Coffee and Bourbon Lounge Olde Town location opened for dine-in service on May 29. CASEY VAN DIVIER Also different at the new location will be an expanded menu and spirits selection, a highball machine and a delivery service for customers living within seven miles of the Candelas location. That said, between the two loca-
tions, the core of what the Bluegrass is will be the same, Schwartz said. “We get to know our customers really well. It’s kind of like ‘Cheers,’” Schwartz said. “We’re excited to be able to provide that service to west Arvada.”