Arvada Press May 15, 2025

Arvada community honors Chamber of Commerce award recipients

Man and Woman of the Year, Pioneer Award, Image Award winners celebrated

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Arvadans got together to celebrate this year’s Greater Arvada Chamber of Commerce award-winners, with tributes for the Man and Woman of the Year and recognitions of the winners of the Image Award, Pioneer Award, Young Professional Leadership Award and Rising Star Award winners singled out.  e festivities were hosted by the chamber at the Arvada Center on May 7.

e Man of the Year, Keith Cowling, was featured in a recent issue of the Arvada Press and was presented with a ceremonial copy of that edition, as was Woman of the Year Barb Stolte.

During his acceptance speech, Cowling — who oversees the nances at Mission Arvada, a nonpro t providing resources to homeless people — dedicated his award to his late son, Nate.

“ e pain of losing a child never goes away,” Cowling said. “It’s our con dent hope in Jesus that we’ll be reunited with

Nate for eternity. In the meantime, serving others gives us purpose and meaning.”

Stolte was recognized for her work in the local newspaper, education and faith communities, and said that her love for the Arvada community is what keeps her so involved in many di erent sectors.

“I want to thank everyone for this honor and being a part of my life,” Stolte said. “Your support while sharing my ideas, my passions and my love for Arvada means the world … You reap what you

sow; what you put into life, into others, comes back to you.”

Bob West, a native Arvadan whose roots in the community go back to 1858, was honored with the Pioneer Award for his decades of work in the community. A longtime athletic coach, volunteer and community organizer, West led e orts to raise the local sales tax in order to provide more funding to the Arvada Police Department.

West said that more people should get involved in volunteering.

Apex Park and Recreation District Board election results: Burns, Tomsula reelected with

BY

e Apex Park and Recreation District Board of Directors election results are in, and two incumbent board members are staying on while a newcomer joins their ranks.

Jo Burns and Liz Tomsula won their reelection e orts with 301 and 382 votes, respectively, while Lynn Emerick received 279 votes to earn her rst term on the board. Election results are preliminary at this point and will be certi ed in the coming weeks.

Burns was rst elected to the Apex Board in 2022, while Tomsula was elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. is will be Emerick’s rst time serving in an elected o ce; she previously ran for Colorado House District 27 in 2022.

Four other candidates ran for the Apex Board: R. Ken Harrell, Jr., who earned 273 votes; Bob Loveridge, who earned 256 votes; Abby McNeal, who

votes; and Robert Zimmerer,

Woman of the Year Barb Stolte is honored.

Man of the Year Keith Cowling is honored.

PHOTOS BY RYLEE DUNN

Arvada Fire Board election results: Cannon, Whitield retain seats, Major joins ranks

Slate of experienced

fire

board members set to serve newly-merged district

BY RYLEE DUNN

e results from the Arvada Fire Protection District Board of Directors election are in, and the slate of three candidates

Don’t

who endorsed each other before the election have all won seats.

Incumbent board members Clint Cannon and Jim Whit eld retained their seats by earning 993 and 1,152 votes, respectively, while Jack C. Major — the former president of the Fairmount Fire Protection District Board of Directors, which merged with AFPD earlier this year — also won a seat, with 1,026 votes.

e trio will serve four-year terms expiring in 2029. Whit eld is term-limited, so this will be his last go-round serving on the re board.

Wait to Save for A Downpayment

For many would-be homebuyers in Colorado, the biggest obstacle isn’t affording monthly payments — it’s saving up for a down payment. But there’s a lesser-known solution: a unique down payment assistance program connected to FHA that offers generous terms with fewer limitations than many alternatives.

I learned about this program from Jaxzann Riggs, owner of The Mortgage Network, who explained how this option helps buyers get into homes sooner - with little or no money out of pocket.

“Some buyers have strong income and credit, but they just haven’t been able to save enough for a down payment,” she told me. “This program bridges that gap - without the typical income or location restrictions.”

—

A Powerful Alternative to Traditional Down Payment Assistance (DPA)

This FHA-approved assistance is more flexible than many state or local programs. It comes in the form of a second mortgage behind an FHA loan, but here’s the twist: there are no income limits, no geographic restrictions, and more flexibility within FHA guidelines, compared to a conventional loan.

Buyers can use this program whether or not they’re a first-time homebuyer. It’s designed for those who are financially ready to buy but need help covering the minimum 3.5% down payment or closing costs.

While Colorado offers down payment help through programs like CHFA, CHAC,

Election results are preliminary and are expected to be certi ed in the coming days.

Major takes the seat vacated by Bob Loveridge, who was term-limited and ran for the Apex Park and Recreation District Board this year.

Gwen Henderson and Eric Bodenstab also sought election to the re board but came up short, with Henderson earning 391 votes and Bodenstab earning 270.

Whit eld said he was thankful for the community’s support and that he was looking forward to serving with Cannon

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and Major, as well as other board members Ted Terranova and Joel Kingham.

“I want to always thank the voters for their support,” Whit eld said. “We’re going to continue to strive for excellence and and still be transparent and and as scally as responsible as we can. Personally, I think we have the best district in the state, if not, in the nation, but I’m biased.

“I’m looking forward to working with Clint (Cannon) and Jack (Major) and our currently seated board members, Ted (Terranova) and Joel (Kingham),” Whit eld continued.

Here’s How You Can Start Building Equity Now

HOAP, and MetroDPA, these programs often have income caps and/or location limits. But as stated before, the national FHAbacked option offers broader eligibility, no income or area restrictions, and more flexible terms, making it a strong option for buyers who are ready now.

Additionally, this program allows for higher debt-to-income (DTI) ratios, a hallmark of FHA financing. That means borrowers with student loans or other debt may still qualify.

Why This Matters Now

With rents and home prices both climbing, waiting to save for a traditional down payment could cost more in the long run. Getting into a home today versus two or three years from now allows you to start building equity instead of continuing to pay rent.

“Every month you rent is a month you’re not gaining ownership,” Jaxzann says. “This program gives you a way to step into the market faster and start growing wealth.”

Keep in Mind: Not All FHA Loans Are Eligible It’s important to note that this assistance applies only to new FHA purchases. If you already have an FHA loan, you won’t qualify for this specific program — but there’s still a silver lining. FHA loans are assumable, meaning a future buyer could take over your low-interest mortgage without a rate hike, an incredibly valuable feature in a

rising-rate environment.

“You can’t beat the ability to transfer a loan with no escalation in rate,” Jaxzann points out. “That’s something worth knowing if you already have an FHA loan.” Homeowners with existing low-rate FHA mortgages are sitting on a very valuable asset. When it is time to sell, they should consider allowing the new prospective purchaser to “assume” their existing loan.

This is done by having the prospective purchaser apply for a “qualifying assumption” with the lender that is currently servicing the loan. Because the prospective owner is qualifying to assume the existing loan, the original borrower is released from all future liability for the loan while allowing the new purchaser/owner to keep the original mortgage interest rate. The difference between the current loan balance and the purchase price of the home is paid to the seller in cash.

Weighing the Trade-Offs

As with most zero-down options, there are considerations:

 Interest rates will be higher than traditional FHA loans with full down payments. On a $500,000 home, that might mean around $550 more per month.

 You will have to pay off any remaining balance on the second mortgage when you refinance or sell.

 All FHA loans require mortgage insurance on the loan. This insurance protects the lender in the event of foreclosure.

Unlike mortgage insurance on conventional mortgages, 30 year fixed rate FHA loans require that the mortgage insurance remain in place for the life of the loan.

 You must intend to live in the home as your primary residence at the time of purchase.

Still, for many buyers, the ability to get into a home now outweighs the costs.

“This program can open doors much sooner than people think,” Jaxzann told me.

“This is ideal for households with two incomes and/or those that might have been denied down payment assistance in the past because they exceed income limitations for other programs. If you’re ready to buy but short on upfront funds, it’s absolutely worth exploring.”

To learn more and find out if you qualify, contact Jaxzann Riggs at The Mortgage Network at (303) 990-2992.

NOTE: My “Real Estate Today” column that normally appears on this page is now published bi-weekly. Look for it here next week and every other week thereafter.

On those alternate weeks, look for a half-page ad like this on a related topic.

Clint Cannon won re-election to the fire board.

Jack C. Major, formerly the president of the Fairmount Fire Protection District’s board, will now serve on Arvada Fire’s board.

Jim Whitfield (at the podium) won re-election to the Arvada Fire Protection District’s Board of Directors. COURTESY PHOTOS

Federal order a threat to in-state tuition

Executive order aimed at ‘sanctuary city’ policies

BY JASON GONZALES CHALKBEAT

Undocumented students in Colorado have gone on to be teachers, nurses and business owners thanks to a program that allows them to pay in-state tuition at public universities.

Now the future of that program and ones like it in 23 other states are in doubt after President Donald Trump signed an executive order that seeks to punish states and cities with so-called sanctuary policies. e order, signed April 28, also speci cally calls out programs that provide in-state tuition for undocumented students who graduated from high school in that state or who meet other residency requirements.

Allowing in-state students who are not citizens to pay less tuition than out-ofstate students who are citizens represents discrimination, according to the order, which says that the attorney general, in cooperation with the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, “shall identify and take appropriate action to stop the enforcement of state and local laws, regulations, policies, and practices favoring aliens over any groups of American citizens that are unlawful.”

Advocates for immigrant students say that without in-state tuition, many undocumented students will struggle to afford college. ey don’t qualify for any federal nancial aid and face other barriers to college.

“ is is absolutely essential for immi-

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grant students,” said Raquel Lane-Arellano, communications manager for the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, which fought to pass Colorado’s in-state tuition law in 2013. “It’s not these students’ fault that our immigration system is so broken. ey deserve the opportunity, just like all of their peers, to access higher levels of education.”

So far, Colorado universities are not making any immediate changes to their policies.

“ e executive order does not provide enough details to truly know what federal actions will be taken,” said Colorado Department of Higher Education spokesperson Megan McDermott.

e Trump order sets up a possible legal showdown over the state-supported tuition programs that immigrant rights and higher education-advising groups have called essential to help undocumented students access higher education and educate them to ll in-demand jobs.

Twenty-four states, including Colorado, Illinois, New York, and New Jersey, along with Washington, D.C. have programs that allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition. While the programs have received bipartisan support, Republicans in several states have recently led bills to consider rolling back in-state tuition for undocumented students. Last week, Florida lawmakers ended the state’s decadeold program.

e order adds to an already uncertain environment for immigrant students, who worry about the risks of lling out nancial aid paperwork while grappling with deportation fears. Denver Scholarship Foundation’s Natasha Gar eld said the college-advising nonpro t will continue

are invited to the 20th Annual

Ethics in Business Awards luncheon

Friday, May 16, 2025, 11:30 am

Denver Marriott West hotel

1717 Denver West Marriott Blvd, Golden

The Rotary Club of Golden has conducted the Ethics in Business Awards program since 2006. The Club solicits nominations from the public of local organizations, both for-profit and not-for-profit, and students in the Ethics class at the Colorado School of Mines select the winners. Award winners and nominees will be announced and honored at the luncheon, which is normally attended by over 200 local business and community leaders.

Nominees for the 2025 Awards are:

For-profit

Ace Hardware, Westwoods

Goblins Junk Removal

Golden Counseling Center

Golden Wealth Solutions

Laurel Property Services

Mac-Vik Plbg, Htg, Electric

Rand Dance Academy

Skyline Press

Not-for-profit

CrossPurpose

Foothills Art Center

Golden Bicycle eXperience

Hope House

Intermountain Health-Lutheran Hospital

Leadership Jeffco

Miners

Alley Performing Arts Center

Royal Family Kids Camp

The keynote speaker at the luncheon will be Ed Perlmutter, former US Representative to Congress. The emcee will be Kim Christiansen, 9News.

To register for the luncheon, go to ethics.goldenrotary.org/2025-eib-award-luncheon/

to provide students information about their options and allow them to decide whether college is right for them during a time when Trump’s immigration stance has brought incredible uncertainty.

“ ere are some who are very, very concerned about the state of things, and I don’t think there’s anything that DSF or anyone else could say to reassure them,” said Gar eld, the scholarship organization’s director of scholarships and nancial aid. “I think that’s completely understandable given some of the actions that we’ve seen coming from ICE [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and the federal government.”

e order is part of Trump’s larger push to crack down on people in the United States without legal authorization. His directive to punish states with these programs also included several other enforcement actions such as punishing so-called sanctuary cities and states. e administration led suit Friday against Colorado and Denver for its policies.

e administration argues in the order that some state and local o cials use their “authority to violate, obstruct, and defy the enforcement of federal immigration laws. is is a lawless insurrection against the supremacy of Federal law.”

States have a long history of o ering instate tuition at public universities to youth who were brought as children and without legal status. Texas and California passed the rst laws in 2001, and other states followed with similar laws. Each varies in how they approach granting in-state tuition.

About 408,000 undocumented students enroll in higher education each year, although not all bene t from these state programs, according to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal. However, even in states without these laws, some private schools in Tennessee and elsewhere may o er in-state tuition for all students regardless of their residency or legal status. And in Pennsylvania, at least one public institution provides in-state tuition to undocumented students.

Colorado’s Advising Students for a Stronger Tomorrow law, or ASSET, updated in 2019, says students must have attended a Colorado high school for at least one year before graduation or been physically present in Colorado for at least one year to qualify for in-state tuition.

New York’s law says students must have

attended at least two years of high school in New York and graduate or receive a general education diploma. Students must also apply to a college or university within ve years and show proof of residency. ey must also sign an a davit saying they will le for legal status. Illinois’ law has similar requirements, while New Jersey requires three years of residency.

National student immigrant advocacy organizations FWD.us, eDream.US, and the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration all criticized the order. Collectively, they said states, colleges, and universities shouldn’t overreact and that the order hurts states that need quali ed workers.

“Blocking states from o ering in-state tuition to undocumented students who have lived in these states for most of their lives would purposefully lock countless individuals out of the higher education system, waste years of educational investment, hurt local economies, and rob all Americans of future leaders,” said Todd Schulte, FWD.us president.

State leaders are still working to understand the impact of the order, and a spokesperson for Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement the administration is looking into the impacts of this order. e state remains committed to ensuring the state remains a destination for all learners, the statement says.

e state has not led any legal action against the order, but leaders have been willing to push back on Trump administration orders.

Colorado’s largest university system also doesn’t plan changes at this time. University of Colorado System spokesperson Michele Ames said its schools are committed to following applicable laws and will not make any changes at this time. Other universities, such as the University of Northern Colorado, are monitoring the actions.

Schools across the state have also said that they won’t release individual student information, such as information about undocumented students who attend schools through the ASSET program, to the federal government without a court order or warrant, per federal student privacy laws.

Reprinted with permission from Chalkbeat, a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

Higher education institutions in Colorado, such as the University of Northern Colorado, are monitoring the impacts of a recent order by the Trump administration that would punish states for programs o ering in-state tuition to undocumented students. PHOTO BY ELI IMADALI FOR CHALKBEAT

Feds end grant to support student mental health care

BY JENNY BRUNDIN CPR NEWS

A federal grant to support the state’s students with mental health challenges was canceled in early May by the Trump administration, which said the grant con icts with priorities of the new government.

e $1.5 million ve-year grant was aimed at confronting Colorado’s critical shortage of school-based mental health professionals.

“We are deeply disappointed by this decision,” the Colorado Department of Education said in a statement. “Addressing the mental health needs of students remains one of the most urgent priorities identi ed by school and district leaders throughout Colorado.”

e cuts, which total $1 billion nationwide, appear to re ect the Trump administration’s broad attack on diversity, equity and inclusion e orts. e loss of the grant likely means many youth experiencing mental health challenges will not get the support they need at school. Rates of anxiety and depression in youth began spiking during the pandemic, and social media use has worsened trends.

In October, the federal Department of Education awarded the School Based Mental Health Grant to expand mental health services for students across Colorado. e grant, which would have provided $1.5 million each year from 202529, was aimed at helping school districts recruit and retain mental health professionals. It would have also helped re-spe-

BY ARIANA FIGUEROA COLORADO NEWSLINE

cialize existing mental health professionals to serve students in school settings.

Push for funds after Uvalde

After a teenage gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at a school in

Texas, in 2022, Congress sent $1 billion to the grant programs to help schools hire more counselors and school psychologists.

e Biden administration gave more points to applicants who planned to train

counselors to work with students from diverse backgrounds. Research shows reports of mental health struggles among students of color were higher than white students during the pandemic.

In a statement, the federal department of education said the awards “were not advancing Administration priorities.” It found several things about the grant problematic including goals to ensure some of the counselors were counselors of color, training sta to address racial trauma and stress and challenging “the pervasiveness of white supremacy.”

“ ese grants are intended to improve American students’ mental health by funding additional mental health professionals in schools and on campuses,” said Madi Biedermann, deputy assistant secretary for communications at the department. “Instead, under the deeply awed priorities of the Biden Administration, grant recipients used the funding to implement race-based actions like recruiting quotas in ways that have nothing to do with mental health and could hurt the very students the grants are supposed to help.”

O cials from Colorado and several other states were noti ed last week that the grant would not be continued after Dec. 31, 2025. It was in its early implementation phase and no funds had yet been distributed. However, schools in some states appeared to keep their grants. is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t public broadcaster serving Colorado. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.

DHS o ers $1,000 to immigrants who self-deport

avoid arrest,” Noem said in a statement.

WASHINGTON — e U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced May 5 that the agency will provide $1,000 in what it called “travel assistance” to people in the United States without permanent legal status if they self deport. It’s the latest attempt by DHS to try to meet the Trump administration’s goal of removing 1 million migrants without permanent legal status from the country. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem touted the option as cost-e ective.

“If you are here illegally, self-deportation is the best, safest and most cost-effective way to leave the United States to

“ is is the safest option for our law enforcement, aliens and is a 70% savings for US taxpayers.”

It’s unclear from which part of the DHS budget the funding for the travel assistance is coming, as it would roughly cost $1 billion to reimburse up to $1,000 to meet the goal of removing 1 million people.

DHS did not respond to States Newsroom’s request for comment.

President Donald Trump gave his support for the move Monday afternoon, according to White House pool reports.

“We’re going to get them a beautiful ight back to where they came from,” the president said.

Self-deportation would be facilitated by the CBP Home app, which was used by the Biden administration to allow asylum seekers to make appointments with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. e payment would apparently not be made in advance. DHS said that once those who use the app to self deport arrive in their home country, they will receive a travel stipend of $1,000.

According to DHS, the Trump administration has deported 152,000 people since taking o ce in January. e Biden administration last year deported 195,000 people from February to April, according to DHS data.

DHS said already one migrant has used the program to book a ight from Chica-

go to Honduras.

“Additional tickets have already been booked for this week and the following week,” the agency said in a statement. e Trump administration has rolled out several programs to facilitate mass self-deportations, such as a registry to require immigrants in the country without legal authorization to register with the federal government.

Immigrants who don’t register with the federal government could face steep nes and a potential prison sentence.

is story is from Colorado Newsline. Used by permission. For more, and to support the news organization, visit coloradonewsline.com.

Houses built before mid 1972 usually have empty walls. It wasn’t code to insulate walls until the middle of 1972. We can reinsulate walls

Uvalde,

Posters that were part of a public service campaign on mental health and suicide prevention at William Smith High School. PHOTO BY JENNY BRUNDIN / CPR NEWS

114 fired from NREL as part of Trump cuts

President ridicules green energy e orts amid proposed $20B cut to Energy

BY MICHAEL BOOTH

THE COLORADO SUN

e National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden red 114 of its thousands of sta ers and contractors May 5, as part of the Trump administration’s e orts to sharply trim research spending across nearly all elds supported by federal agencies in the past.

e laboratory sta laid o includes employees and subcontractors in both research and operations, NREL said in a statement. “We appreciate their meaningful contributions to the laboratory. NREL’s mission continues to be critical to achieve an a ordable and secure energy future,” the statement said. But the layo s could just be the start of slashes to the 3,675 employees NREL most recently listed on its website, if President Trump’s scal 2026 budget proposal survives at all intact through Congress. e White House is pitching $19.3 billion in cuts to the Department of Energy’s allotted 2025 spending, according to the website utilitydive.com.

e White House budget request goes out of its way to ridicule renewable energy research and subsidies promoted heavily by the Biden and Obama administrations: “ e Budget cancels over $15 billion in Green New Scam funds committed to build unreliable renewable energy, removing carbon dioxide from the

air, and other costly technologies burdensome to ratepayers and consumers,” the budget proposal says.

“NREL continues to navigate a complex nancial and operational landscape shaped by the issuance of stop work or-

ders from federal agencies, new federal directives, and budgetary shifts. As a result, NREL has experienced workforce impacts a ecting 114 employees across the laboratory, including sta from both research and operations, who were in-

REVERSE MORTGAGES

voluntarily separated today,” NREL’s statement said.

e Golden lab runs premier international research facilities and experiments in improving wind turbines and solar photovoltaic cells for power generation, in addition to dozens of other programs in biofuels, e ciency, hydrogen and fuel cells, transportation, and more. e lab frequently partners with universities and private business on innovative projects, such as the Colorado “SunTrain” proposal late in 2024.

NREL was to help Colorado government, Xcel and entrepreneurs apply for a $10 million grant to run trains with massive batteries charged up by solar and wind farms on the Eastern Plains. e trains could then roll into metro Denver or any other area in need of large-scale energy storage and output.

Some fans of the lab’s work had been encouraged it would maintain a top role in government research through involvement in Trump-favored concepts.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright came to the Golden lab in early April to promote a Trump administration plan for a private data center and power plant on land owned by NREL. e administration plans such facilities at 16 national laboratories.

“Private data center companies, that’s where the capital is, that’s where the investment is and on federal land, we make a commercial arrangement with them,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said. is story was printed through a news sharing agreement with e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonpro t based in Denver that covers the state.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright addresses members of the media April 3 while visiting NREL’s Golden campus. Wright discussed the need to bolster the country’s electricity grid, saying demand has stayed relatively flat over the last 20 years while costs have gone up.

PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN

I’ve begun reading Peggy Noonan’s latest book. It’ll take me a while to complete. e reason isn’t because it’s extraordinarily long or complex or that it’s one of several I’m immersed in. It’s because it’s an exceptionally thoughtful and calming read.

Peggy was a speechwriter for Ronald Reagan and is currently a Wall Street Journal columnist. As such, friends and long-time readers might be surprised that I’m winding my way through her work, but they ought not to be. My reading on social-political and religious-spiritual topics ranges wide, from philosophically liberal to conservative. e salient requirement for me to read such a work is that the author present their thoughts in a coherent, intelligent, deliberative manner. Peggy does that. Given that, “A Certain Idea of America” deserves, even requires, a leisurely pace.

I must confess, though, her book wouldn’t have pinged my radar screen if it weren’t for New York Times columnist Bret Stephens referencing it. I was immediately struck not only by the literary allusion but also of the notion itself: a certain idea of America. It’s a vague concept and not easily pinpointed. If we surveyed the American populace for their ideas, we would have a vast array of in-

MVOICES

An uncertain idea of America

terpretations since we’re a multi-racial, multireligious, multicultural nation.

In the Foreword, Peggy states she drew the idea for the title from the World War II general and later president of France, Charles de Gaulle, who began his memoir by stating that throughout his life he had “a certain idea of France.” What could it have been? Not being French, I have no right to speculate, but being an American, I can about our country.

A ood of ideas bursts forth. First and foremost, liberty and freedom of expression and action. en there’s love of country. Allegiance to the Constitution. Rule of law. Equal justice under the law. Cultural, racial, ethnic, religious and spiritual pluralism and tolerance. Economic opportunity. Due process. And more.

But how to bundle those in a compact, easily understood statement or document? Even a professional writer like Peggy would likely nd it a daunting task. Like her, I frequently write pieces that

re ect and express the values I hold. Of course, I’m only one of three hundred million plus people. As you are. And my opinions and yours are as valid as all others. I suspect, though. that your take—your listing—would considerably overlap with mine.

However, I’m neither delusional nor pollyannaish about the total makeup of the American citizenry. ere are those who not only don’t share my values but are also willing to go to great lengths to ensure they’re mitigated and even erased from the national conscience. Nevertheless, like it is with me embracing the whole of American history, from the heroic and triumphant to the gut-wrenching, I embrace them as fellow Americans. And being a civil libertarian, I defend their right to express their opinions, even those that I nd contemptible. With all that in mind then, there’s no doubt that it’d be a mess if we tried to synthesize the range of beliefs and values Americans today hold into a certain idea of America.

Fortunately, a bunch of guys did that for us 249 years ago. ey wrote the Declaration of Independence, which begins with, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are equal … ”

About a decade later, a related group produced our Constitution that lays out

Can you solve Thomas Riha’s disappearance?

any people think of museums as places that have all the answers, but that’s not always the case. And sometimes that makes for a more intriguing story.

Such is the case for the latest exhibition at the History Colorado Center, e Disappearance of omas Riha, which takes a local mystery and investigates the many remaining unanswered questions.

“ is is a true crime cold case that’s never been told publicly in a museum setting,” said Katherine Mercier, exhibition developer and historian at History Colorado. “We felt we nally had the space to experiment with the kind of exhibit we’ve never done before.” e Disappearance of omas Riha will be on display at the Center, 1200 Broadway, Denver in Denver, through March 15.

the framework of our government. ey even took time to explain their action by crafting and adding the Preamble: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

We’re coursing through what I consider to be a turbulent and perilous period. But we’ve survived lethal challenges before. Each time our ancestors rose to the occasion and saved the republic. We can point to the speci c acts they took, but it’s essential to keep in mind they held true to that certain idea of America our Founders eloquently expressed in those documents.

So there’s no need for us to ponder as much as to re ect upon the most serious question before us: Will we pass those Blessings of Liberty—that certain idea of America our Founders bequeathed to us—on to our posterity?

Jerry Fabyanic is the author of “Sisyphus Wins” and “Food for ought: Essays on Mind and Spirit.” He lives in Georgetown.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Demonstration on Wadsworth Bypass

According to the provided information, the exhibit tells the story of University of Colorado Boulder Russian history professor omas Riha, who vanished on March 15, 1969, right in the middle of the Cold War. e exhibition features never-before-displayed declassi ed documents from the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is deepened by History Colorado’s archives. Museum researchers had a wide range of materials to use, including the journals of a woman who may or may not have played a role in Riha’s disappearance.

While the mystery is the main draw of the exhibit, Mercier said she also hopes visitors get a glimpse of Colorado’s role as a hotbed of activity during the Cold War. With sites like Rocky Flats and the Air Force Academy, the state saw plenty of intrigue.

“People may not understand how big the Cold War was and how it integrated itself into everybody’s life,” she said. “I hope people think about what it would’ve felt like to be living at the time and how they would cope.”

Riha’s disappearance received a great deal of press coverage at the time, but eventually faded away, leaving everyone without answers. So, this exhibit was carefully designed to also include the stories of the people who were a ected.

“ e exhibit focuses on the people and lives that

were wrapped up in the events,” Mercier said. “ omas had a family that never got answers about what happened to him. is is ultimately a story about humanity.”

For more information, visit www. historycolorado.org/exhibit/disappearance-thomas-riha.

Je erson Symphony Plays Star Wars

May 4 may have been more than a week ago, but the Je erson Symphony will be celebrating the immortal John Williams Star Wars score with two performances at 1 and 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 18 at the Mines Green Center, 924 16th St. in Golden.

In addition to the timeless music, Conductor Arturo J. Gonzales will be holding a pre-concert talk at 12:15 and 3:15 p.m. on the day of the concert in Metals Hall. According to the provided information, he will discuss the history and composition of the Star Wars Soundtrack, what to listen for, and how to break down John Williams’ brilliant compositions. Costumes are encouraged and those who wear costumes will get a discount on tickets. Information and tickets are available at https://www.je symphony.org/.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Toro y Moi and Panda Bear at the Fillmore Auditorium ere is some music that’s made to get lost in. It’s less about the lyrics and more about the mood, a sonic energy that can transport you if you allow it. In their own ways, both Toro y Moi and Panda Bear, a member of indie rock legends Animal Collective, have been building these musical worlds for years. eir music is very di erent, but the vibes are strong with both. Information and tickets are available at www.axs. com.

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

On ursday, May 1, I participated in the demonstration at the intersection of Wadsworth and Grandview in opposition to Donald Trump and his violations of law and humanity. Hundreds and hundreds of drivers honked their support, but we got a smattering of obscene gestures as well. I wonder how many of those disapproving nger-wavers know about the following Trump’s choices:

1. Elimination of funding for Sesame Street, Arthur, Wild Kratts, Daniel Tiger, and other PBS children’s programming;

2. Cutting at least $4.3 billion in grants which would have supported research on heart and lung problems, emerging diseases, HIV/Aids, mental health, cancer, tuberculosis, and substance abuse;

3. Sending people to dangerous foreign prisons without regard to due process of law; even many American citizens have been detained for hours, including a 10-year-old cancer patient being driven to the hospital for treatment; many of these removals use a 1798 law that requires that we be at war with a foreign country in order to deport even non-citizens;

4. Enacting tari s without Congressional approval that will empty store shelves before Christmas; the following companies already plan to raise prices: Stanley, Black & Decker, Dewalt, Proctor & Gamble (Pampers), Hasbro, and Munchkin; Trae Bodge, consumer goods expert at TrueTrae. com, notes that consumers can expect to see higher prices in “clothing, shoes, toys, food, tech, appliances, wine, co ee and cars;” and,

5. Cutting about 25% of sta at many Social Security eld o ces and increasing phone wait times by 50%.

e threats to our rights, health, children, and retirement are very real. Consider joining us on June 14th at the same intersection.

Jim Crider, Arvada

Arvada trespasses the homeless from the ‘entertainment district,’ including only navigation center

To whom it may concern,

I am writing to express deep concern over the city of Arvada’s approach to addressing homelessness. Instead of offering lasting solutions, the city has increasingly relied on trespassing citations to move unhoused individuals from public spaces.

is punitive strategy not only criminalizes poverty but also prevents people from accessing critical outreach and

JERRY FABYANIC Columnist

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Clarke Reader

Find the shine amid the struggle

The return of warmer weather to the Front Range adds a bit of dread to my mind. You see, it reminds me that one of the most frustrating parts of multiple sclerosis comes when it is super-hot.

Heat wears me out incredibly quickly, making me feel like I am trying to walk through knee-deep quicksand to do anything. It is a feeling that is all-encompassing for my body. You might think the answer is to stay inside as much as possible. e problem is, cold air tightens my muscles and makes it di cult to bend and move around. So, a week of extreme temperatures leaves me deciding between navigating energy-sapping heat or muscle-tightening cold. We all face di erent struggles; mine are very present in weather extremes.

Last summer, we experienced a week of 100-degree days. For much of the week, I trudged, doing what we all do when we have struggles: I put one foot in front of the other, moved forward as best I could, and stayed positive while being exhausted by the e ort.

It was in my week of trudging that I had two appointments where I was asked questions that made me think about things in a di erent fashion.

I was with my chiropractor, Dr. Danielle Wesley, and she simply asked the question, “Are you keeping a journal of your victories so that you have something to look at when you feel like you are not making progress?” I had to answer “No,” but the brilliance in what she was asking me was clear because as soon as she nished the question, I could name ve or six things that had gone well in what I perceived as my week of trudging. en Bear, my service dog in training, and I had a session with our coach Ana and she asked the question, “What do you and Bear do for fun?” I could

LETTERS

support services. By displacing the homeless, Arvada is pushing them further into isolation and making it harder for service providers to build trust and o er help. is is not compassionate or e ective policy — it’s avoidance. Our community deserves better. We must advocate for housing- rst initiatives and invest in long-term solutions, not short-term displacement.

Jonathan Helton, Arvada

The politics around ‘our safety’s sake’ While I agree that U.S. and Colorado political beliefs are well divided today. I deeply disagree that “America today is like England” of its past, Jerry Fabyanic’s May 1 editorial perspective and the headline, “For our own safety’s sake.” U.S. citizens today are no more in trouble safety wise now than when the Democrat Party recently led this country. Politically opposed people will even argue we are less in trouble.

I, like Jerry, love our country and am a student of American history but I know of more dark periods than simply disagreeing with U.S. political ideologies such as the Communism scares, he is writing to of the 20th century. I also know of more egregious violations of our Fifth Amendment and in Colorado’s assistance in helping create the 14th Amendment with the Sand Creek Massacre. No punishments to those who committed these

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

name several things that we do, each example I shared made me smile as I thought about his antics and the games we play. e next day I was again trudging, doing some watering when Bear, as if right on cue, climbed a tree, looked at me, jumped down and climbed it again. It was as if he was reminding me about having fun and marking my victories. It was a simple moment of fun, it elicited a quick smile and a little laugh, and it made me appreciate the victory present in the fact that I could do the watering.

e origins of our struggles are different, but there are moments in every struggle that make us feel like any action is di cult. When you hit your trudge spot and it feels like everything is a battle, I hope you will both take a moment to look at a list of your accomplishments and that you will nd a way to have some fun.

Moving through a struggle is easier when you can re ect on the progress you have made and nd a moment to smile. I am not saying it is easy, but you have got this.

Jim Roome lives in Arvada with his wife Beth. He spent 34 years in public education. Lessons learned from the one two punch of being diagnosed with MS shortly before his best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer led him into a new pursuit as a freelance writer and speaker. He uses his life experiences and love of stories to inspire, educate and encourage local, national and international audiences. Contact him at jim.roome@gmail.com.

atrocities even as the people of Denver then cheered their e orts as they displayed their grisly trophies on parade. is is why a single piece of justice Colorado accomplished for this xenophobia act with the renaming of the peak that overlooks Denver, to Mount Blue Sky from Mount Evans. is past name of Colorado’s territorial governor who was personally responsible for the depriving of these lives of American men, women and children.

e current multiple medias battles of selected words to scare U.S. citizens against the current federal administration are my greatest safety concerns. is is also the reasoning why the Arvada Press is the only newspaper allowed in my own Arvada home. As a “freedomloving” American I gasp at the multiple news media scare attacks and the current practice of select justice system’s judge’s rulings placed over another branch of our government’s executive branch’s orders. It is past time all our government representatives understood they are working for all the people in our country, not one political party. at all people in the USA are di erent with multiple desires, issues, needs and wants. Mistakes are going to happen even with due process laws for “all,” which happened to this criminal and El Salvadorian citizen Mr. Garcia. e Alien Enemies Act was not a wartime creation in 1798. It was a lawful e ort by a very new country to quickly remove dangerous individuals. So, please stop all these political boosts and threats for one or the other U.S. political parties. Gary Sco eld, Arvada

Jim Roome

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

With the weather getting warmer and summer just around the corner, it’s time to hit the road — and the stacks.

While Denver Public Library’s Central Branch is a Colorado landmark, it’s not the only library worth the trip. Scattered throughout Denver metro are unique libraries, lled to the brim with books and other resources waiting to be discovered.

Coloradans are lucky enough to be able to get library cards in nearly every library district, regardless of whether they live in the district or not. Patrons just need to bring in a Colorado State ID or other proof of address, and they’ll be able to register for a library card.

Summer reading programs are also just around the corner, and they’re not just for kids. Many libraries will o er special programming to inspire a love for reading in kids, teens and adults alike. To get ready for a literary adventure- lled summer, hop in the car, stock up on library cards and discover what each library has to o er.

Columbine Library, Je erson County Public Library

7706 W. Bowles Ave., Littleton, CO 80123

Seated within Robert F. Clement Park, Columbine Library has books — and views — to share. e library’s west side features oor-to-ceiling windows with a panoramic view of Johnson Reservoir with the mountains behind it. Around the window, tables and chairs abound, giving visitors a cozy spot to study, read or just hang out.

“We are very lucky to have — in our biased opinions — one of the best locations in Je co Public Library,” said Columbine Public Services Manager Julianna Sipeki. “Nestled against the foothills, we are located in the beautiful Clement Park, where we host some of our outdoor programs, like birdwatching.”

However, great views aren’t all that Columbine Library has to o er. In addition to over 100,000 physical books and other materials, the library has Culture Passes for local museums, Chrome-

books and Wi-Fi hotspots that patrons can take home, access to apps for streaming music and movies and access to 133 di erent research databases.

“We wish everyone knew that you can use all of our library services at no cost,” said Sipeki. “It costs nothing to get a library card, we don’t charge to book meeting or study rooms, there’s no charge to attend any program and we don’t charge late fees. You don’t even need a library card to come in and attend programs or use a computer.”

With dedicated sections for children and teens, study rooms and local businesses nearby, the library o ers a spot for anyone to hang out.

“We want people to know libraries are so much more than just a place to check out a book,” said Sipeki. “We are a place to meet your neighbors and make new friends; a place to learn and expand your worldview; a place to practice a skill or start a new hobby; or simply, just a place to spend an hour of your day.”

BELOW: The Columbine Library is part of the Je erson County Library system.

ROAD TRIP

Bemis Public Library

6014 S. Datura St., Littleton, CO 80120

Nestled in a sleepy grove across from the Littleton Historical Museum, Bemis Public Library is one of the few independent libraries in the metro area, meaning it is not part of any library system.

Instead, the library was built by the City of LIttleton in 1965 and is the namesake for former Littleton Independent Publisher Edwin A. Bemis.

Now, the library — which is walking distance from Downtown Littleton — sports a large kid’s section that sometimes hosts storytimes, as well as a teen area that is separated from the rest of the library.

Bemis Public LIbrary is also home to resources for

groups the library welcomes through its doors. e library also eliminated overdue fees in 2023 as an e ort to become more equitable to patrons.

Koelbel Library, Arapahoe Libraries

5955 S. Holly St., Centennial, CO 80121

Arapahoe Libraries comprises eight community libraries, a jail library and a bookmobile, all of which provide valuable resources to their patrons.

Oliver Sanidas, the executive director of Arapahoe Libraries, said that Koelbel Library in particular offers unique programming thanks to its cafe, meeting spaces, 39-seat theater, outdoor space and public art installations.

“We want to provide a place and services that help meet not only the information needs of our patrons, but also the social needs,” Sanidas said. “ e library provides a place for people to connect with others who

share their interests and passions. We do this through events and programs, and by providing spaces for patrons to meet, work and enjoy fun activities.”

Sanidas said that meetings rooms are used for birthday parties, business owners use the library’s cafe to meet with clients, tutors can meet with students and adults participate in book clubs and open mic nights at the library’s facilities.

“We want our library to be a community hub,” Sanie library’s cafe serves bites and sips from local vendors, and o ers a rotating series of drink speciale. e Koelbel Library Cafe is currently featuring a Purple Rain Latte, a Crimson and Clover Latte and a Strawberry Fields Lemonade.

Anythink Wright Farms, Anythink Libraries

5877 E. 120th Ave., ornton, CO 80602

Anythink Libraries branches o er all of the usual trappings of a library with a fun added twist: TryIts, a program wherein a patron can check out a kite, tarot deck, toy, musical instrument, games and more. e program is o ered throughout the Anythink system.  e library system’s agship branch, located at Wright Farms, features a digital lab featuring video, audio and design software that allows teens to work on their digital editing skills and push their creativity. e agship branch also contains a one-acre park adjacent to the li-

Castle Rock Public Library, Douglas County Libraries

100 S. Wilcox St., Castle Rock, CO 80104

e new Phillip and Jerry Miller Library in Castle Rock was built in 2023 and was constructed with an emphasis on creating space for working adults, families and Douglas County history.

“ e Castle Rock location features two outdoor Aloha Plazas East and West, an interactive children’s play space called e Ranch, sponsored by Castle Rock Rotary Club, and DCL’s Archives & Local History, its collections and the Sjostrom History Lounge reading room,” said Melissa Anciaux, the sta writer for Douglas County Libraries.

e branch replaced the old Phillip S. Miller Library that stood at the same location.

Douglas County Libraries also partners with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which o ers books to children up to 5 years old that the youngsters are able to keep.

RIGHT : The Koelbel Library in Arapahoe County.

LEFT: The Castle Rock Library in Douglas County was built in 2023.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Charges dropped against o cers present at Glass shooting

BY TONY GORMAN CPR NEWS

ree law enforcement o cers who were present during the 2022 killing of Christian Glass had criminal charges against them dropped.

e Clear Creek County District Attorney’s O ce con rmed Wednesday that Judge Cynthia Jones dismissed charges of misdemeanor failure to intervene against Brittany Morrow, Ryan Bennie, and Timothy Collins Tuesday.

Morrow, who is now with the Idaho Springs Police Department, Colorado State Patrol Trooper Bennie, and former Georgetown Police O cer Collins were on-scene when former Clear Creek County Sheri ’s Deputy Andrew Buen shot and killed the 22-year-old Glass on a dark rural road near Silver Plume in June 2022.

O cers responded to a call from Glass seeking assistance after his car was stuck. Glass had been returning to Boulder County from a geology trip in Utah at the time. He had told the dispatcher that he had tools such as a hammer, rubber mallet, and knives that could be considered weapons in his car.

A stando ensued after Glass refused to leave his vehicle when o cers commanded him to. O cers deployed bean bag rounds and tasers after Buen thought Glass was taking a swipe at then Georgetown Police Marshal Randy Williams. Buen then red several rounds from his gun, striking and killing Glass.

Buen was convicted of reckless endan-

Colorado added 48,600 new businesses in Q1, but lost about 17,000

BY TAMARA CHUANG

germent in April 2024 and criminally negligent homicide earlier this year. He was sentenced to the maximum three years in jail.

Morrow, Bennie, and Collins were among six o cers who were charged with failure to intervene.

Sgt. Kyle Gould, a supervising o -

cer who viewed the incident remotely, pleaded guilty to the charge in 2023. His certi cation as a police o cer was revoked in Colorado in 2024. Collins, who was with the Clear Creek County Sheri ’s O ce at the time, resigned from the now-defunct Georgetown Police Depart-

Late last year, a judge dropped charges against Colorado Division of Gaming ofcers Mary Harris and Christa Lloyd who were serving as backing o cials during the confrontation.

Colorado State Patrol Colonel Matthew Packard said he was pleased with the judge’s decision to dismiss charges against Trooper Bennie in a written

“While I wish the process to arrive at this outcome would have been di erent, particularly in avoiding an unnecessary criminal charge against Trooper Bennie, I also understand the complexities involved,” Packard said. “Our agency will continue its e orts to learn and grow following our involvement in incidents as a part of our drive for continuous improvement. e Colorado State Patrol is glad to have Trooper Bennie continue his professional service to the people of Colorado as a member of our agency.” e Glass family received a $19 million settlement from Clear Creek County — the largest known police settlement in Colorado history. is story is from CPR News, a nonprofit public broadcaster serving Colorado. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.

Business filings tell story of uncertainty

the latest data shared by the Secretary of State’s O ce on May 5.

More than 48,600 businesses started up during the quarter, up 19% from the December quarter. at was the highest quarterly number since second quarter 2023, when the state o ered a ling fee discount to reinvigorate small business post COVID.

A high number of new business lings in Colorado in the rst quarter this year helped put the state back on a normal growth rate post pandemic, according to

But the gain was probably more about seasonality than anything else, said Brian Lewandowski, executive director of University of Colorado’s Business Research Division at the Leeds School of Business,

which works with the Secretary of State to produce the quarterly report.

“It’s a seasonal pattern,” Lewandowski said. “In fact, when I look back over time from 2005 and onward, it’s even a little bit lower than the average increase (of) 23% or 24%. e point is, this is the usual increase.”

Richard Wobbekind, a senior economist at Leeds who works with Lewandowski, called the uptick “encouraging, especially in light of the current uncertain economic environment.”

On the other hand, the number of com-

panies that led to dissolve their business also increased, to 16,929, just barely up 0.7% from a year ago. But the number of companies in good standing continued to grow, up 1.1% from a year ago to 973,615 at the end of March.

Whether folks are starting a new business because of a lost job or the uncertainty they feel about the economy, other economic indicators seem to have Colorado holding steady with no large increases or declines.

Members of a men’s group who knew Christian Glass recalled him as a model young man. Glass was remembered during a candlelight vigil held Sept. 20 in Idaho Springs, Colorado.

PHOTO BY DEBORAH GRIGSBY

THE COLORADO SUN

Thu 5/15

Giant Walking Robots

@ 5pm

Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 E Iliff Ave, Denver

Neil Z at the Chart House

@ 5pm

Chart House, 25908 Genesee Trail Rd, Golden

Earl Nelson & the Company @ 6pm

New Terrain Brewing Company, 16401 Table Mountain Pkwy, Golden

The Consequence

@ 7pm

Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver

Severed Reality

@ 7pm

Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver

Sasami @ 8pm

Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer Street, Denver

Ramirez @ 8pm

Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax Ave, Denver

Fri 5/16

Live @ The Rose - Midnight River Choir with The Barlow and Special Guest Joe Stamm @ 5pm / $20

CSU Denver Extension Master Gardener Plant Sale @ 8am May 17th - May 18th

Teague Starbuck @ 7:30pm The Arvada Tavern, 5707 Olde Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada

Sun 5/18

The Ef�gies @ 8pm HQ, 60 S Broadway, Denver

Tue 5/20

CSU Denver Extension Master Gar‐dener Plant Sale, 888 East Iliff Avenue, Denver. denvermg@colostate.edu, 720913-5270

Buffalo Rose, 1119 Washington Av‐enue, Golden. information@buf falorose.net

Native Station

@ 8pm

The Black Buzzard, 1624 Market St, Denver

Sat 5/17

Clay Cutler

@ 3pm

The Empourium Brewing Company, 4385 W 42nd Ave, Denver

Sherm @ 6pm

Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Den‐ver

DreadNought @ 8pm Hi-Dive, 7 S Broadway, Denver

Ace Engfer: Matt Flaherty Band @ 9pm Appaloosa Grill, 535 16th St, Denver

Evco @ 9pm Larimer Lounge, 2721 Larimer St, Denver

Luar La L @ 9pm

Eclipse Event Center, 2155 S Sheridan Blvd, Denver

Left/Right @ Secret Warehouse (Decent / Quite Right) @ 11pm Secret Location (Denver), Denver

Mark May @ 4pm

Berkeley Inn, 3834 Tennyson St North‐west, Denver Purple Disco Machine @ 6pm Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 West Alameda Parkway, Morrison

Mon 5/19

Sting @ 8pm

Red Rocks Amphitheatre, 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison

Electric Kif @ 8pm Ogden Theatre, 935 E Colfax Ave, Den‐ver

Matisyahu @ 8pm Ogden Theatre, 935 East Colfax, Den‐ver White Denim @ 8pm

Ophelia's Electric Soapbox, 1215 20th St, Den‐ver

Wed 5/21

Eric Golden @ 6pm Miners Saloon, 1109 Miner's Alley, Golden

Winners and losers in school finance bill

Shift to weighted model has wide range of e ects on metro districts

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SGLASSMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Colorado lawmakers on May 7 nalized a sweeping shift in how the state funds public schools, passing House Bill 25-1320 on the nal day of the 2025 legislative session. While most districts will see a boost in the coming year, a slow but steady transition toward a new weighted formula will leave some districts, including Je erson County, facing signi cant nancial challenges.

is shift in public school funding comes as lawmakers worked this spring to pass the 2025 School Finance Act against the backdrop of a $1.2 billion state budget shortfall. Initially, districts with declining enrollment faced steep potential cuts under a proposal championed by Gov. Jared Polis to eliminate “ghost students” from funding counts.

However, after weeks of negotiations, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a compromise that preserves more stability for districts while slightly slowing the transition to the new weighted formula.

e compromise maintains the use of a four-year student enrollment average for the next year, protecting districts with declining enrollment and phases in the new formula more gradually over seven years instead of six.

It also sets a statutory minimum for total statewide funding in the 2025-26 school year, requiring the state to allocate at least $10 billion for all districts and institute charter schools combined.

is gure will be updated midyear

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based on actual enrollment, assessed valuations and local tax revenue.

e nal bill also caps state construction grants at $150 million to free up additional operational funding.

Even with these adjustments, school funding will increase statewide next year, although some districts with shrinking enrollment will see no additional money beyond a “hold harmless” guarantee — a provision that ensures districts receive at least as much funding as the previous year, even if their enrollment declines.

A new revenue stream

As part of a late-session amendment to the School Finance Act, lawmakers also created the Kids Matter Fund, a dedicated account that will receive a small percentage of state income tax revenue beginning in the 2026-27 scal year.

While it won’t immediately change funding levels, the fund is expected to support total program costs through 2030, then shift toward base and categorical funding. at long-term infusion could eventually help districts with high-cost student needs, though its exact impact remains to be seen.

Sen. Chris Kolker, who represents Arapahoe and Je erson counties, said the idea came from a shared concern that lawmakers could one day reverse course and divert money away from K-12 education. By designating 0.065% of state income tax into a trust beginning in the 2026-27 scal year, the amendment ensures a baseline of protected funding for public schools.

“Let’s put a priority that we’re funding education,” Kolker said. “Granted, it may not be up to the adequacy amounts by those studies, but it’s a start, based on the formula.”

How it will roll out

When the legislature passed a new school nance formula in the spring of

2024, it promised that no district would lose funding immediately. at promise held for the 2024-25 school year:

• Every district was guaranteed at least as much total program funding as the previous year.

• A “hold harmless” provision ensured that even districts with enrollment declines received at least the same amount of funding they got for 2023-24.

However, the shift toward the new funding formula o cially begins in the 2025-26 school year. is year, districts’ funding will be calculated based on the greater of the two numbers:

• What the district received in 2024-25 (the hold harmless oor), or

• A phased-in amount that moves 15% closer to what the new, weighted formula would provide.

By 2027-28, the transition will accelerate, and by 2031-32, Colorado plans to fully fund schools using the new formula.

How several major metro districts are affected

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A look at ve of Colorado’s largest districts shows how uneven the impact will be over time, according to the scal note attached to House Bill 25-1320 and data from the Colorado Department of Education:

• Adams 12 Five Star Schools: Relatively at. For the 2024-25 school year, Adams 12 received a slight funding increase over the 2023-24 school year. However, by 2025-26, the district is projected to face a slight decrease of approximately 1.6%. Ongoing enrollment declines and fewer qualifying high-needs students are under the new weighted formula, contributing to this dip.

• Adams County School District 14: Small drop. Adams 14 saw at funding for 2024-25 compared to the previous year. For 2025-26, projections show a minimal

decrease of about 0.6%. Despite longterm enrollment loss, the district’s high concentration of at-risk and multilingual learners helps stabilize funding levels.

• Cherry Creek Schools: Solid increases. Cherry Creek Schools received a solid funding increase in 2024-25 and is projected to receive an even larger one in 2025-26, with a projected gain of 7.8%. Stable enrollment and a growing population of at-risk and multilingual learners align well with the new funding priorities, placing Cherry Creek in a strong nancial position. While its enrollment has remained stable, Cherry Creek’s at-risk and multilingual student populations have grown. at demographic shift aligns with the new weighted funding priorities, resulting in a projected 7.8% increase in funding from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

• Douglas County School District: Relatively at. Douglas County saw a modest increase in 2024-25 and is projected for a at to slight increase of about 0.8% in 2025-26. While enrollment is declining, strong local property wealth and demographic balancing help the district maintain relative stability under the phased-in new formula.

• Je erson County Public Schools: Steep losses. Je co Public Schools is protected from immediate funding cuts in 2024-25, thanks to the hold harmless provision. For the 2025-26 school year, the district is guaranteed to receive at least as much funding as it did in the 2024-25 school year.

However, long-term challenges are building. Without the hold-harmless protections, scal note projections show Je co would face a 14.9% drop in total program funding under the state’s new weighted formula. Several factors are driving this risk:

Colorado Education Association Vice President Liz Waddick holds up a sign at a school funding rally at the Colorado Capitol on Thurs., March 20, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. PHOTO BY JASON GONZALES / CHALKBEAT

BY SARAH MULHOLLAND CPR NEWS

Anxiety steers economic indicators, report says

Colorado economic signals are mixed as businesses try to make sense of President Donald Trump’s ip- ops on tari s.

e number of people ling to start a business was up in the rst quarter compared to the end of last year, according to a joint report from the University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business and the Secretary of State’s O ce.

At the same time, the state’s executives are feeling deeply anxious about how the new administration’s trade policies are going to impact their bottom lines, the report found.

“ e indicators in this report do not show any immediate or signi cant economic disruption to Colorado … but it does show business leaders in Colorado are nervous about these disruptions,” Secretary of State Jena Griswold said during a webinar about the report.

FINANCE BILL

Several factors are converging:

• Enrollment loss: Je co’s student population continues to shrink, reducing its funding needs under both formulas.

• Property value surge: Rising home values increase local tax collections, reducing the amount of state funding Je co quali es for.

Colorado’s economy started slowing before Trump was sworn in for his second term. As of April, the state added 2,300 jobs during the prior 12 months, which equates to a growth rate of 0.1 percent. at compares to the U.S. rate of 1.2 percent.

• New formula weighting: e new funding model places greater emphasis on at-risk and multilingual learners, areas where Je co’s demographics o er fewer additional dollars compared to other metro districts.

What the shift means for metro districts e 2025-26 school year marks the beginning of Colorado’s shift toward a new vision of school funding, one that prioritizes student needs more heavily but also leaves some communities facing com-

plex adjustments.

While families may not notice dramatic changes immediately, the foundation for bigger nancial shifts is being laid now. Districts like Je co and Adams 12 will need to plan carefully to navigate tighter budgets, while Cherry Creek and others may nd new opportunities to invest in expanded programs and services.

e hold harmless protection provides a temporary cushion, but districts like Je co face growing nancial challenges

Colorado now ranks 44th for job growth among the 50 states and Washington, D.C.

“We were hard-charging for a long time. Now, some of the other states are catching up and are continuing to have that growth that we had,” said Richard Wobbekind, senior economist and faculty director at CU’s Leeds School of Business. e state’s per capita personal income and labor force participation still rank high, he said.

“We are a prosperous state, and we are growing, we’re just growing at a slower rate,” Wobbekind said.

Colorado’s professional business services, which includes the tech sector, took a big hit in the past year. at sector has 8,400 fewer jobs than a year ago.

“ at had been a disappointment in terms of job performance in 2024. And so far it’s continuing into 2025,” Wobbekind said.

is story is from CPR News, a nonprofit public broadcaster serving Colorado. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.

as the transition accelerates. By the end of the decade, Colorado’s school nance landscape will look very di erent from what it does today.

Charter schools will also see a share of the phased-in formula funding.

Another late-session amendment requires that charter and institute charter schools receive a per-pupil amount tied to their authorizing district’s incremental increase in 2025-26, ensuring they bene t proportionally as Colorado begins implementing the new formula.

1605 and 1615 California St. in the Central Business District. Aug. 19, 2023. PHOTO BY KEVIN J. BEATY / DENVERITE

Colorado Rockies first baseman visits patients at UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital

Michael Toglia speaks with and signs baseballs for patients

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITY

Whether it’s recovering from an injury or surgery, or treating an illness, a stay at the hospital can become draining and often repetitive. But it’s the moments that patients have with visitors that brings smiles to their faces and uplifts their spirits.

For Paul Nelson, who is a frequent patient at UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital, having a visitor always brightens his day.

“It gets pretty boring sitting here in the hospital,” Nelson said.

However, a mid-April hospital visitor is one that Nelson is going to remember — and for a good reason. He was one of many patients to sit down and chat with Michael Toglia, a rst baseman for the Colorado Rockies.

Baseball is a generational love in Nelson’s family. Not only did he take part in creating the random “booms” and “crash” sound e ects used at baseball games across the country, his grandson, who plays for Mountain Vista High School, is a baseball fanatic.

love got shared with the patients at the UCHealth Highlands Ranch hospital.

ing about some of the original Colorado Rockies players when the patient mentioned that he was at the rst game played on Coors Field in the spring of 1995.

One of the most memorable patients was 99-year-old Mary Bushman. e two spoke about hockey, history, Japanese culture and dogs. Bushman was taken aback when Toglia signed a baseball for

“I’ll show everybody,” Bushman said about her signed baseball.

It was a surreal day for Mark Gill, a patient and avid Colorado Rockies fan, who was able to shake hands with the athlete he has been watching on the eld and screen for years.

“I’ve been following him ever since he came into the majors,” said Gill. “Being a left-handed rst baseman is what you look for as a professional and so he’s got the talent.”

Gill has been playing baseball since high school and has played in a few of the Colorado Rockies fantasy camps. Together, they talked about the team’s slow start to the season, game play, player statistics and about some of the prospects.

Nelson quickly grabbed his phone to capture the moment that Toglia, sitting about a foot away, signed a baseball for him.

“I like baseball — it’s America’s pastime,” said Nelson. “My grandson is very excited.”

Oftentimes, patients at the UCHealth Anschutz campus in Aurora have the opportunity to meet their favorite athletes, but this spring, some of that same

TITLE

Jeans is con dent in his team’s leadership, which includes several returners from last year’s playo run. Leunig, Wedding and junior Gianna Weiner were three of Evergreen’s top four goal scorers

Toglia was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 2019 and made his debut with the team in 2022 as a switch-hitter.  is was not his rst time visiting with patients since he made his Major League Baseball debut. Last year, Toglia and his ancee, Jenna, took time to be with patients at the Infusion Center at UCHealth Anschutz campus.

“ ere’s no reason not to (come back),” said Toglia. “ ey couldn’t wait to share stu about their grandchildren and their

a season ago.

“ ey know that we’ve been on top all year, but there are teams trying to knock us o the pedestal,” Jeans said. “We need to get better every day.”

Evergreen is currently No. 1 in the CHSAA Seeding & Selection Index. ere is a very good chance the Cougars will be the top seed when the 4A state bracket is revealed on Saturday, May 4.

baseball interests, and so it was really easy to talk with them.”

As he went room to room, Toglia and the patients shared all kinds of stories with one another — one being why Toglia has the number four on his Colorado Rockies jersey.

Toglia told a patient that his father is a New York Yankees fan and that one favorite player’s was number seven, Mickey Mantle. at number was already taken, so he went with another of his father’s favorites, Lou Gehrig, number four.

Toglia and another patient began talk-

“Last year was super special being a No. 14 seed,” Hart said of Evergreen’s run to the program’s third state title and rst since 1997. “ is year, coming in as the No. 1 seed, I don’t think we’ll feel pressure. We feel the con dence and we feel composed. We know what it takes to be there and play the top teams. We feel like we have the experience to go to that state championship game and win.”

“It’s always uplifting when somebody like that comes in and meets you and wants to talk to you,” said Gill. “(It) gets people in a good mood.”

While the patients had an unforgettable day, Toglia said that it was a refreshing experience to meet one-on-one with some of his fans and hear about their life stories.

“It’s easy to get kind of trapped in this narrow tunnel vision that’s just baseball,” said Toglia. “ en you come to a place like this and you realize that there’s just so many people out there with di erent life experiences and interests — that it’s not just about baseball.”

First-round games are scheduled for Wednesday, May 7. ere is a good chance 4A Je co will have Evergreen, Green Mountain, Golden and Dakota Ridge all host opening round games.

Dennis Pleuss is the Sports Information Director for Je co Public Schools. For more Je co coverage, go to ColoradoPreps.com and CHSAANow.com

Michael Toglia hands a signed baseball to 99-year-old Mary Bushman. PHOTO BY HALEY LENA

CROWSSUPDRO ELZZ

1. MOVIES: What is the name of Han Solo’s ship in the “Star Wars” series?

2. TELEVISION: What is Ray Barone’s job on the sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond”?

3. U.S. STATES: e Baltimore Ravens’ name is a nod to which past famous resident?

4. PSYCHOLOGY: What fear is represented in the condition called “alliumphobia”?

5. LITERATURE: Who created the ctional detective Lord Peter Wimsey?

6. GAMES: Which chess piece can’t move in a straight line?

7. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a baby mouse called?

8. SCIENCE: What does the acronym RNA stand for?

9. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president was the rst to wear contact lenses?

TrIVIa

10. ASTRONOMY: Which constellation contains Polaris, the North Star?

Answers

1. Millennium Falcon.

2. Sportswriter.

3. Edgar Allen Poe, who wrote the poem “ e Raven.”

4. Fear of garlic.

5. Dorothy L. Sayers.

6. Knight.

7. A pinky or pup.

8. Ribonucleic Acid.

9. Lyndon Johnson.

10. Ursa Minor ( e Little Dipper).

(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.

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