Arvada Press May 29, 2025 by Colorado Community Media

Functional mushroom seltzer company Sekwl Beverage House opens in Arvada

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A few years ago, Sēkwl Beverage House co-founder Matthew Eaton woke up to nd that he could not hear out of his left ear. While his hearing eventually returned, Eaton’s doctors could not discern the cause of his temporary impairment, leading him to look into herbal remedies. Eaton became familiar with Turkey Tail mushrooms, and said he found a study proving that the commonly -used alternative remedy had been proven to help

with tinnitus.

From there, Eaton began making drinks for himself with Turkey Tail tinctures.

“Instead of buying the supplements, I bought tinctures, and I like mixology, so I would create little drinks,” Eaton said.

“A couple of years ago, I started to think about, ‘What’’s a way that this could just serve the broader public?’ Because I learned a lot more about functional mushrooms beyond Turkey Tail, and I realized mushrooms are really cool.”

Noting that at the time, there were lots of other functional mushroom products on

the market — including powders, supplements, pills and gummies — Eaton decided he would try to ll what he perceived as a void, and began looking into making mushroom seltzers. at journey would eventually lead to the formation of Sēkwl.

“I said ‘I think there’’s a good opportunity and a path to have a market opportunity and a functional business that is based on functional mushrooms that kind of sits in the middle of a few di erent current products,’” Eaton said.

PROPERTY TAX TOO HIGH?

Thank you so much for all of the work, time, and effort you put into my property tax appeal. Not just me but for all of the people you have helped. Your success has been a blessing in my life. My property tax refund and my lower mortgage payment came when I needed it most. This gift is a small token of my appreciation. Thank you. - Lynn, Kimbrough

Arvada Center gears up for Pride Month celebration

Community hub set to honor LGBTQ+ folks in June

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e Arvada Center is gearing up for Pride Month with a host of events set to honor and make space for the LGBTQ+ community, including a Pride in Place Concert, Drag Queen Storytime and a concert from the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus and Denver Feminist Chorus.

e events will all take place the weekend of June 12. Pride in Place — which is presented in partnership with the Je erson County Public LIbrary — and the Drag Queen Storytime are free to the public, while “Leather and Lace,” a production of the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus and Denver Feminist Chorus, is a ticketed event.

Collin Sanders, the Arvada Center’s digital communications coordinator, said that the events come at a crucial time in the political climate for LGBTQ+ community.

“Being a queer individual in our country right now constantly has me questioning the power and hope we have in the LGBTQIA+ community,” Sanders said. “I feel my power and importance for protecting,buildingup my community through hosting a Drag Storytime, hosting internal pride events that boost other queer individuals, and involvement with the Denver’s Pride Festival.

“ is involvement helps heal the young boy who grew up sheltered and afraid to be his true self,” Sanders continued. “My hope with these events is to give reassurance back to the many who have the same fears I do and add to the ripple of love that can spread and connect us all.”

Keeping your furry loved ones healthy

ER vet o ers tips on how to keep pets safe

in summer

BY ISABEL GUZMAN ISABEL@COTLN.ORG

With the arrival of summer, families are headed outside to enjoy the sunshine and road trips — and they’re bringing the furry loved ones, too.

Veterinarians across the state typically see spikes in pet health emergencies during the warmer months, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. ese include emergencies such as heat stroke and injuries from being hit by a vehicle.

In 2024, 111 animal deaths that resulted from heat-related issues and another 388 animals that were rescued from the heat were reported to PETA.

“Heat stroke is a major summer emergency and is most commonly seen in ‘short-nosed’ dogs such as bulldogs and pugs,” said Danielle DeBrincat, emergency vet and medical director at VEG ER for Pets Littleton. “ ey can not release heat the same way that dogs with longer noses can, so it is extra important to keep them out of the heat, not over exercise them, and always have water on hand.”

DeBrincat joined VEG in March 2020 after graduating from Michigan State University and has been the medical director for over two months.

During her internship after college, DeBrincat developed a passion for emergency medicine.

“Having the ability to help pets and their people in the most challenging moments (is) incredibly ful lling. I haven’t looked back,” she said.

VEG ER for Pets, previously known as Veterinary Emergency Group, serves the metro area through ve locations. Its emergency rooms employ an openconcept oor plan, where owners can see everything that’s going on with their pet and their vet team. Owners can stay with their pets throughout the duration of their stay, even through surgery.

“Although we do o er rooms for the more scared or reactive pets, most owners and pets choose to stay in the main hospital area with the nurses and doctors so that we are able to have more uid communication,” DeBrincat said.

VEG o ers quick triage and diagnostic workups for sick pets, like blood and urine tests, in addition to emergency surgery, endoscopic foreign body removal, transfusion medicine and hospitalization.

DeBrincat said that something as simple as taking your dog for a walk on a trail could be dangerous.

She warned that rattlesnake bites become more frequent throughout the summer and any dog in the foothills runs the risk of being bitten.

“If your dog is bitten, the best thing to do is to get them to an emergency veterinary clinic as soon as possible. Do not place a tourniquet or do anything to the bite area. e main treatment is antivenin and pain medication, and most dogs who receive the antivenin recover fully,” she said.

bed into a pet’s skin, ears, and nose and cause an infection.

ing a medical bag.

In addition to venomous bites, certain popular summer plants pose toxic threats to pets. For example, lily owers, which typically bloom in the warmer season, are toxic to cats, and wild mushrooms that grow in the Denver area can be toxic to dogs.

In native grasses, foxtail seeds can em-

“Dog ghts and hit-by-car trauma are both also more common in the summer as people take their pets outside more often. It is important to keep your pets on leashes in populated areas, respect other dogs and check with the owner to see if they are friendly before approaching them,” DeBrincat said.

While traveling, owners can take precautions to keep their pets safe by pack-

DeBrincat advises to include sterile gauze and bandaging material for any wounds, tweezers to remove any foxtails, thorns or ticks, and fresh water to ush out wounds, eyes or burn areas in the emergency kit.

“Even if they love us, pets may bite if they are injured and protecting themselves, so a muzzle or rolled gauze to make into a muzzle should also be considered safe,” DeBrincat said.

Tips to prevent a pet medical

• Keep the car cool to prevent over-

• Always have fresh water available and make sure to make frequent stops in case they do not like to drink in a moving ve-

• Talk to your primary care veterinarian about any anti-anxiety or anti-nausea medication your pet may need prior to

• ink of your pet as a toddler — Keep them in the back seat and ensure they are secured in a crate or with a pet seat

• Ensure any chemicals and toxic foods

• Make sure you have plenty of the pet’s food. Many pets get upset stomachs during travel, either from di erent food or stress. Changing the diet as little as possible will help reduce this risk.

When it comes to deciding when to call a vet, DeBrincat said: “If you are ever concerned, it is time to call a vet. VEG ER for Pets is open 24/7 and you will always talk to a doctor on the phone. ey can help determine if this is a true emergency or if it can wait to be seen by your pri-

Common warning signs that may indicate a pet medical emergency are any changes in breathing, persistent vomiting and diarrhea, blood in vomit or stool, major change in mentation such as lethargy, pale gums, straining to urinate and not eating or drinking for 24 hours or more.

Primary veterinarians and emergency veterinarians are experts in di erent elds, DeBrincat said.

“Primary care vets are the experts at routine care and diagnosis, and at managing a plethora of chronic and longterm management disorders. Emergency vets are experts at stabilizing and treating fast-acting, life-threatening diseases in the worst stages,” she said.

Heatstroke and injuries from being hit by cars are among the top safety concerns for pets during the summer, according to Danielle DeBrincat, medical director at VEG ER for Pets. PHOTOS COURTESY OF VEG ER FOR PETS

Keeping the car cool and fresh water on hand are some ways to prevent pets from overheating.

Mother’s Day nursing incident at Stone Cellar Bistro leads to planned protest

After a breastfeeding incident involving sparked social media uproar, Arvada moms organize

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Mother’s Day is usually an opportunity to celebrate maternal gures, often with food and refreshments. One family dining out in Arvada this year says things didn’t go according to plan.

According to an online review attributed to John Kiernan that circulated on Facebook and Reddit but appears to have since been deleted, a family outing May 10 to Stone Cellar Bistro in Olde Town went sour after Kiernan’s wife was “approached by an employee and told that she needed to cover up.”

Kiernan then cited Colorado law — speci cally C.R.S. 25-5-302 — which states that “A mother may breastfeed in any place she has the right to be.”

Kiernan says he asked sta members if other patrons had complained and was informed they had not.

“Needless to say, this ruined what should have been a special day for my wife’s rst Mother’s Day, as well as the rest of our family,” Kiernan’s review said.

e Stone Cellar team did not respond to a request for comment by press time. e Arvada Press attempted

to reach the Kiernans for comment via Facebook, but did not receive responses by press time.

On May 13, Stone Cellar posted a statement on their social media platforms.

“We want to sincerely apologize to anyone who may have felt uncomfortable breastfeeding in our restaurant,” the statement said. ”At Stone Cellar Bistro, we stand with women and honor the strength it takes to nourish and nurture life. Breastfeeding is natural, beautiful, and often a challenging journey. If anything in our space or actions made you feel otherwise, we are deeply sorry.

“We’re human and sometimes make very human mistakes,” the statement continued. “We are always hoping to learn from our mistakes, and this experience has reminded us how important it is to continuously grow and do better. Moving forward, we are committed to making sure every guest feels respected, welcome, and supported at Stone Cellar Bistro.”

Moms organize protest

While Stone Cellar’s statement addresses the controversy, some local moms do not feel that it’s enough. Kaitlyn Penley, a mom in Arvada, said she heard about the incident in a Facebook group she’s in. Outraged at what she learned, Penley decided to organize.

a new mom to nurse in public again if

“As a nursing mom myself, I know how embarrassed I would have been and how hard it would have been as

touch with Kiernan’s sister, who was also at the Mother’s Day outing. Penley extended invitations to the Kiernans to attend the protest.

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Divorcing Couples With a Home Need a Realtor With Specialized Training

I have completed a CE course on “Divorce Real Estate” and would like to share some of what I learned. As a happily married Baby Boomer, I was interested to learn that my generation is experiencing the highest rate of increase in divorce. While the divorce rate for couples 55 to 64 doubled between 1990 and 2012, it tripled for couples 65 and older.

The reason, as you might suspect, starts with the absence of minor children. In addition, retirement can bring out resentments or other negative feelings that may have been dormant when one or both partners were not home as much.

Opposing values or morals (politics?)

Addiction

Absence of love or intimacy

agent could be a prescription for not selling the house within a reasonable time period.

market factors which are embodied in a real estate “comparative market analysis,” which, by the way, is free, compared to the several hundred dollars you’d have to pay an appraiser.

One spouse not carrying his/her weight

Also, as our instructor, Jocelyn Javernick of Limetree Lending Inc., told us, women are feeling an increased need to escape an unfulfilling marriage. Jocelyn shared a quote from Warren Buffett: “Wait until women find out that they are the real slaves of the world.”

She told the class that 70% of divorces are being initiated by women (of all ages), and that 50% of them are insisting they never want to marry again.

Jocelyn said the most common reasons for divorce (apparently in the order in which they were cited in surveys) are:

Loss of respect

Too much conflict; incessant arguing

Minor children

Illness

Lack of commitment

Infidelity

Lack of emotional and/or physical intimacy

Communication problems

Domestic violence

Financial pressures

Lack of shared interest

Marrying too young

Unrealistic expectations

External family pressures

Trust issues

Parenting differences

Not supportive of each others’ goals

Education

Income disparity

One always hopers for an amicable separation and divorce, which is what my stepson achieved last year with his divorce. They agreed that he would buy out her co-ownership of their home, paying her an agreed-upon sum in return for the two of them quit-claiming the house to him alone. Having no children further simplified the process. When that’s the case, lawyers don’t have to be engaged.

Jocelyn provided the class with a guidebook to share with divorcing couples, with the aim not just of educating divorcing couples on the process, but also minimizing legal fees for them. The goal should always be to engage a mediator, and to not leave a mediation session without a signed document embodying what was agreed upon. Jocelyn provided the contact info for mediators who specialize in divorce.

As for real estate, if one party isn’t buying out the other’s share of ownership, it’s important to hire the right real estate agent, and that they agree upon who that is. One party may want to hire an agent who suggests a listing price higher than the other party’s agent, but choosing that

We were provided with a template for a court order that I can share with you. Submitting a ready-made court order to your attorney instead of having him pound it out at $500 per hour, can help to reduce the costs of going through the process, because, even when the parties have agreed to the terms of a divorce, a judge must approve the agreement and will want to hear from each party to make sure that the agreement is fair and not the product of a coercive marital relationship.

Jocelyn has found that most couples with a home to sell have only consulted Zillow regarding the valuation of their home. We real estate professionals have far better tools for properly valuing a home based on the analysis of appropriate comparable sales. In a non-amicable divorce, the parties might agree on hiring an appraiser, but appraisals are not what you need, because they don’t include an analysis of current market conditions, competing listings, and other

Eighty percent of divorces include real estate, but too many divorcing couples leave money on the table because of bad advice about their home’s value, and have spent way more money than they should have on legal representation, when a non-lawyer real estate professional like myself can help them work through at least the process of liquidating what is probably the biggest asset of their marriage.

Call me at 303-525-1851 or email me at Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com, if I can be of help.

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 an ad like this on a related topic.

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Talk About Divorce Real Estate

A review attributed to John Kiernan describes the incident on Mother’s Day at an Olde Town Arvada restaurant. SCREENSHOT

Bonﬁre Burritos opens to fanfare in Arvada

Lines around the corner marks strong start for burritomaker’s second location

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

To say that Bon re Burritos is lling the void across from Olde Town Arvada left by Arby’s closing might be understating things. e Golden-based burrito company has seen lines out the door for days since opening on May 16, indicating a fervent reception from locals to the area’s newest restaurant.

e Arvada location — 5800 Olde Wadsworth Blvd. — is the second Bon re Burritos brick-and-mortar to take shape, with another location planned for Wheat Ridge set to be following close behind. e restaurant started out in a yellow trailer in Golden before moving into its current spot at 2221 Ford St. e restaurant is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

We spoke to Bon re Co-Founder Sky Schnautz about the company’s expansion into Arvada.

Arvada Press: What made you want to expand into Arvada?

Schnautz: We’ve always loved the energy of Olde Town Arvada—it’s a vibrant area with a strong sense of community and a fantastic lineup of local restaurants. It felt like a natural t for Bon re. A lot of our company values align with what makes this community special, so

when the opportunity came up, we knew we wanted to be a part of it.

AP: What kind of work went into transforming the building into a Bonﬁre Burritos location?

Schnautz: It’s been a wild ride, but so worth it. e building used to be an old Arby’s, and we basically gutted the entire thing — took it down to the studs and started fresh. One of the biggest transformations was turning the old west-side

CONGRATULATIONS!

To the winners of the 20th Annual Ethics in Business Awards, presented by the Rotary Club of Golden, the Golden Civic Foundation, the Greater Golden Chamber of Commerce, and the Jefferson Economic Development Corporation

In the For-proﬁt category

Golden Counseling Center In the Not-for-proﬁt category Miners Alley Performing Arts Center

And Congratulations also to the other nominees

For-proﬁt

Ace Hardware / Westwoods

Goblins Junk Removal

Golden Wealth Solutions

Laurel Property Services

Mac Vik Plumbing, Heating, Electrical Rand Dance Academy

Skyline Press

Not-for-proﬁt

CrossPurpose

Foothills Art Center

Golden Bicycle eXperience Hope House

Intermountain Health

Leadership Jeffco

Royal Family Kids / Arvada

AND ALSO A SINCERE “THANK YOU!” TO THE MANY SPONSORS OF THE 2025 ETHICS IN BUSINESS AWARDS PROGRAM.

Platinum Sponsor

Colorado School of Mines

Silver Sponsors

Applewood Plumbing, Heating and Electric

Bob and Dru Short//Tom and Linda Hughes

City of Golden

Colorado Community Media

First Bank

Jeffco Public Schools

Donors

Essence Laser & Wellness

Nanette Fahrenbruch, Edward Jones

Severy Creek Rooﬁng

Skyline Property Management

parking lot into a fun, family-friendly patio complete with astroturf, patio games, and a kids’ zone.

During demo, we uncovered some pleasant surprises — like a hidden dome ceiling with 50+ can lights and a gorgeous granite rock wall that had been covered since the ‘80s. e whole space has evolved in such a cool way, and we’re incredibly proud of how it turned out. It de nitely carries on the vibe that the original trailer started with, and that we

build on at our brick and mortar location in Golden.

AP: Are there going to be any di erences between this location and the Golden one?

Schnautz: Yes—our Olde Town Arvada location will focus solely on our breakfast menu, which is what we’re best known for. In addition, we’ve launched a brandnew co ee menu featuring ve specialty drinks, and we’re now able to o er lattes, cappuccinos, and Americanos thanks to our new 3-group espresso machine. We plan to bring this expanded co ee program to our Golden location soon, too.

AP: How has the reception from the community been so far?

Schnautz: e reception has been amazing. We held a community day on May 14th, and the turnout blew us away—we almost had a line wrapping all the way around the building! It’s been a long time in the making, and the excitement from the neighborhood has been overwhelming in the best way. We’re feeling the love and are so grateful to be here.

AP: Is there anything else you’d like folks to know?

Schnautz: Just that we’re so thrilled to be in Arvada. is is one of the biggest projects we’ve taken on in our 11 years of business, and we poured a ton of heart into it. e support so far has been amazing, and we can’t wait to keep serving this awesome community. Whether you’re stopping by for a burrito or hanging out on the patio with a co ee, we hope people feel the same passion and care that went into creating this space.

Over the past few years, Eaton has been honing in his recipes for six di erent seltzer avors, all of which utilize di erent varieties of mushrooms to achieve di erent health bene ts. Each seltzer contains 1,000 milligrams of a given mushroom, including Lion’s Mane, Cordyceps, Turkey Tail, Reishi and Chaga.

Each of the mushrooms has a unique bene t, Eaton said. e Lion’s Mane seltzer, which comes in a hibiscus avor, for example, “Supports heart, respirators and nerve health.” e Turkey Tail variety, which comes in a lemon ginger avor, is said to boost digestive health and gut balance,” Eaton said.

Bronze Sponsors

Conﬂuence Companies

Developmental Disabilities Resource Center

Eddy Taproom and Hotel

Foothills Art Center

Golden Chamber / Smithworks Home

Services

Golden Civic Foundation

The Golden Hotel

Intermountain Health

Jefferson Center

Laurel Property Services / TaxOps

Marriott Denver West

Miners

Alley Performing Arts Center

Red Rocks Community College Foundation

White Rock Family Dental

FINALLY, THANKS ALSO TO THE MANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT ACTIVELY SUPPORTED THIS YEAR’S ETHICS IN BUSINESS AWARDS PROGRAM!

Eaton acknowledged that there’s a lot of competition in the market, but said that Sēkwl will stand out to folks.

“ e world doesn’t need another sugary soda or pseudo-health drink,” Eaton said. “We created Sēkwl with a clear mission: to craft drinks that not only taste amazing but actually do something for you. With functional mushrooms, organic botanicals, and real bene ts in every sip, Sēkwl is hydration, reimagined.”

In November, the company moved into its Arvada production facility, located at 5545 W 56th Avenue, and began the process of preparing for their launch. On May 1, Sēkwl’s beverages went on sale to the public for the rst time, with individual cans going for $4, 12 packs for $48 and 24 packs for $96.

Eaton said that while the production facility isn’t exactly a taproom, they hope to do community oriented events with

neighbors in their area, such as Talnua Distillery and Odyssey Beerworks. Sēkwl is founded by Eaton, his husband Ryan Kelley and their friends John Walls and Shannon Eurich, so keeping things community-centered is important.

“Foundationally, our thought and intention for this business is to really be integrated into the community,” Eaton said. “We’’ve mentioned to the two owners, ‘Maybe we should do a summer beverage little thing in our park, and just invite the other businesses,’ because we really want it to be a community based place where we can then help people understand the bene ts of functional mushrooms, why we wanted to do this, get them connected.”

For now, the company is working on ful lling its rst orders and beginning to get its drinks in stores locally. Drinks can be purchased online at drinksekwl.com.

Bonﬁre Burritos is now open in Arvada. The company’s longest tenured employee, Sam Wright, showcases the restaurant’s signature fare. COURTESY PHOTO

The bottling process at S kwl Beverage House’s new facility in Arvada. COURTESY S ÌKWL

CONGRATS 2025

Arvada West state championship winners

Sean Eads, the programming director for Je erson County Public LIbrary, said that he planned Pride in Place — which debuted for the rst time last year — in part as an homage to the bluegrass music of his home state of Kentucky.

“I grew up listening to bluegrass,” Eads said. “ ere is a movement called Bluegrass Pride, and they have their own website called bluegrasspride.net and I had stumbled upon that and got really fascinated by it and thinking about the role of LGBTQ musicians in bluegrass, which, you know, wasn’t necessarily always a particularly liberal or or welcoming musical genre, necessarily.

“And I thought this is a really interesting shift in focus, in inclusiveness for bluegrass,” Eads continued. “So I started looking around at local musicians who did play bluegrass and country music in general,

and belong to the gay and lesbian and trans community. And as I started listening to samples from their music, I began to reach out to them with a pitch that we do a concert like this.”

Eads then put together a lineup that reects the Colorado LGBTQ+ bluegrass and country community, featuring four local artists who are a part of both groups.

Here’s the info for all three Arvada Center Pride events:

Pride in Place

7 p.m. on June 12 in the Main Stage eater | Free with RSVP is year’s Pride in Place Concert will feature performances by Amy Martin, Trace & Baerd, Morgan Harris Guitar and Rosales and Summers; a duo made up of Keith Summers and Josy Rosales. e concert is put on in partnership with the Je erson County Public Library and is free to the public.

Drag Queen Storytime

3:30-4:30 p.m. on June 14 in Ballroom A and the patio | Free with RSVP

Another free event, local drag queen Miss Shirley will be doing a drag queen storytime featuring readings, personal stories and a Q&A section entitled “Ask A Drag Queen.” Shirley has been doing storytimes since 2017.

Denver Gay Men’s Chorus and Denver Feminist Chorus present “Leather and Lace”

3 p.m. on June 15 in the Main Stage eatre | Tickets available at arvadacenter.org

303.278.7575 FoothillsAnimalShelter.org info@fas4pets.org

Finally, the Denver Gay Men’s Chorus and Denver Feminist Chorus will “explore how everyone is bound together in community” through their “Leather and Lace” concert, which highlights the uniqueness of everyone’s gender expression and sexuality. e performance will feature songs including “I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khan and “Togetherness.”

Drag Queen Miss Shirley will do a storytime reading and Q&A session as part of Arvada Center’s Pride celebration. COURTESY OF ARVADA CENTER

Education bills that passed and failed in the 2025 Colorado legislative session

BY JASON GONZALES, MELANIE ASMAR AND ANN SCHIMKE CHALKBEAT

Before Colorado state lawmakers nished their yearly business this week, they took steps to ensure public schools would be better funded in the future.

In a late addition to the school funding bill, lawmakers added a provision that will deposit millions in annual income tax revenue into the State Education Fund. In 2026, that amount will be $233 million. e fund acts as a type of savings account. e money from the new provision can only be used for school operations and student funding.

e $233 million will be stowed away into a so-called Kids Matter Fund to help lawmakers fend o another likely budget shortfall in the 2026-27 year. is session, lawmakers needed to cut $1.2 billion in spending within the 202526 budget, and projections show the budget hole will be even bigger next session.

is year’s shortfall also caused lawmakers to scale back the rollout of a new school funding formula and make other alterations to how the state calculates student enrollment for the purposes of doling out per-pupil dollars.

Despite the challenges, total statewide education spending will increase to $10 billion next year, and every school district will get the same amount of money or more than it did this year.

Lawmakers also passed numerous bills related to education. Here are the most consequential bills that passed and failed.

Bills on book bans, cellphones, and ﬁnancial literacy are among those that passed Cellphones in schools

Cellphones in schools

Public schools will be required to have an updated policy on student cellphone use under House Bill 1135. e law is meant to curb cellphone distractions in classrooms, but it leaves the details of how to do that up to districts.

Reading policy

Colorado public schools will be required to screen students in kindergarten through third grade for dyslexia starting in the 2027-28 school year per Senate Bill 200. e start date is a year later than advocates for children with dyslexia wanted but represents a big win after a yearslong battle for statewide screening.

Book bans

Public schools must create policies governing library book challenges under Senate Bill 63. Only parents with a child in the school will be allowed to challenge a book at that school, and reviews of the same title will be limited to once every two years. e bill also bars school library workers from retaliation for refusing to remove a challenged book before a review.

School accountability

Colorado’s school accountability system will see changes under House Bill 1278, including the creation of a new option for when schools or school districts have ve years of low ratings.

Free school meals

Under House Bill 1274, Colorado voters will consider two ballot measures in November that would raise more money for the state’s two-year-old Healthy School Meals for All program, which provides all students with free school meals and has cost more than expected. If the ballot measures fail, Senate Bill 214 allows the state to scale back the free meals program.

Immigration enforcement

Republicanshoped to reverse statewide prohibitions on cooperation with federal immigration enforcement agents under Senate Bill 47, which failed in its rst committee hearing. Instead, Democratic leaders pushed for even more restrictions and passed Senate Bill 276. e law will extend prohibitions on the cooperation and the release of records to federal immigration enforcement o cials, including by public schools, colleges and universities, and child care centers.

Black history

e Colorado State Board of Education will adopt academic standards related to Black historical and cultural studies per House Bill 1149, ensuring that Black history is taught in public schools.

Financial literacy

Colorado high school students will be required to take a nancial literacy course before they graduate under House Bill 1192

Food waste and student bill drafting power

School districts and charter schools will be encouraged to adopt policies to reduce food waste under House Bill 1059, one of the last bills proposed by the Colorado Youth Advisory Council, which lost its bill-drafting power under Senate Bill 199. e food waste bill suggests schools could donate or compost uneaten food or set up “share tables” to redistribute unused food.

Speech-language pathology

To help reverse a shortage of speech-language pathologists, House Bill 1075 addresses how and when speech-language pathology assistants can work in schools.

Alternative education campuses

Colorado funds its schools per pupil, which can be di cult for alternative education campuses that serve students with high needs, because their enrollment tends to uctuate throughout the year. To help stabilize their funding, alternative education campuses will get priority for state grant funding under House Bill 1167. e bill also requires the state to monitor enrollment trends, student mobility, and student demographics at alternative education campuses, and it permits such schools to serve pregnant and parenting students up until age 21.

Teacher housing

Colorado will create a down payment assistance program for educators, giving priority to rst-time home buyers, under Senate Bill 167

College student transfers

Colorado will create a website with information for students transferring from one college to another after the passage of House Bill 1038. e state has an almost $900,000 grant to create the website, which will help students understand which of their college credits can transfer.

More veterinarian training

Colorado faces a veterinarian shortage, and House Bill 1131 lifts a cap on how many students can get into the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Emily Gri th associate degree

To make it easier for students to get to college, House Bill 1221 will allow Emily Gri th Technical College in Denver to o er an associate of applied science degree program.

Gun violence prevention

Students will get more information on gun

violence prevention through House Bill 1250, which requires school districts to distribute written or electronic materials on the topic.

School safety drills

School safety drills can be traumatizing for students, lawmakers argued. House Bill 27requires the state to create a committee to craft practices that would ensure students are less likely to be disturbed by the drills. But the state would need to receive a nancial donation to convene the committee.

Safe2Tell expansion

Educators in several districts have been able to get noti ed through the state’s Safe2Tell school safety hotline if a student has been involved in a traumatic event. Under Senate Bill 64, the state will slowly expand the program to more districts.

College help for students with disabilities

Students with disabilities will be eligible to receive an academic adjustment at a college or university under Senate Bill 87. e adjustment ensures students can get modications to their learning because of their disability.

Facial recognition technology e state will continue its prohibition of facial recognition technology in schools under Senate Bill 143. e law also puts some guardrails on the districts that are allowed to use this technology because they adopted it before the ban.

Child care fees

Starting Jan. 1, parents can recover some of the waitlist or application fees they’ve paid to child care programs if their children don’t land a spot within six months under Senate Bill 4

Educator pathways

Teachers will have an easier path toward getting teaching endorsements under Senate Bill 154. Teachers will be able to show their quali cations in multiple ways instead of only by passing a test.

Teacher pensions

Denver Public Schools’ contribution to the Public Employees’ Retirement Association, or PERA, will go down by 3 percentage points beginning July 1 under House Bill 1105, which will mean a boost in take-home pay for DPS employees.

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Ever since the development of lm as an artistic medium, women have been some of its most dynamic storytellers, both in front of and behind the camera. ey’ve often been denied the recognition they deserve, but with its annual Women+Film Festival, Denver Film strives to ensure the works made by these creative voices are seen.

“We look through hundreds of lms — both features and shorts — to ensure our nal selections create a welcoming space for underrepresented voices, our local community and people new to the independent lm scene,” wrote Ambriehl Turrentine, programming manager with Denver Film, in an email interview. “Getting to see audiences and lmmakers connect, re ect and empower one another through further dialogue is such a beautiful experience and reminder of why festivals matter.”

VOICES

DFF Women+Film Festival highlights power of story

COMING ATTRACTIONS

for this year?

away with?

Beyond the lms being directed by and about women, I like to program lms with care and purpose by looking for complex stories that can ultimately broaden our understanding of the world and each other. is year’s curated lineup certainly leans into that mission — from our Opening Night lm, “Sally,’ which explores the career of astronaut Sally Ride and the sacri ces made in her personal life for social acceptance, to our Closing Night lm, “ e Librarians,” which showcases librarians (some of whom will attend in-person) on the frontlines ghting against censorship in the US.

Our goal is always transformation, so I hope our audiences leave moved, inspired and challenged to assess life di erently — whether that be about identity, experiences or the power of storytelling itself. I hope they develop a deeper appreciation for the independent lm scene, and especially stories told by women, because there are so many gems out there to be discovered. e lms programmed in our festival of course honor women, but they also acknowledge the various societal factors that make each person unique and worthy of understanding — emphasizing that women cannot be de ned by their gender alone.

e full schedule and tickets are available at www.denver lm.org/.

Lakewood Kicks O INSPIRE Arts

e festival begins on Friday, May 30 and runs through Sunday, June 1 at the Sie FilmCenter, 2510 E. Colfax Ave. Attendees will be able to see features and short lms as part of the event, as well as take part in a range of special discussions and activities. One of the event highlights is the annual Barbara Bridges Inspiration Award, which is going to Julia Stiles, who will be on hand to screen her directorial debut lm “Wish You Were Here.”

We interviewed Turrentine about the festival, what she hopes audiences take away and more.

Interview edited for brevity and clarity. What kind of lms were you looking

If someone has never participated in the festival, what do you want them to know?

For someone new to Women+Film or lm festivals in general, I’d want them to know that they are not only welcome to attend but also to participate. Attendees can expect to take a walk with compelling, independent stories from around the globe celebrating women in all their glory as well as engage with lmmakers, panelists and cinephile strangers (who hopefully won’t be strangers for long). is festival is just as much about our audiences as it is what’s presented on screen. What do you hope audiences come

INSPIRE Arts Lakewood is the city’s monthlong celebration of Lakewood’s dynamic arts scene and it begins this year on Friday, May 30 and runs through ursday, July 3.

e annual event is presented by Lakewood Heritage, Culture & the Arts and features a wide range of free and low-cost arts and cultural experiences at more than 20 galleries, cultural centers, shops and other venues across the city, according to provided information.

For more information, visit Lakewood. org/INSPIRE.

Get ‘On Your Feet!’ at Littleton Town Hall e music made by Gloria and Emilio

Family stories build foundation of hope

Igrew up in a family with clear and consistent routines. On weeknights, everyone was in bed by 9 p.m.

Saturdays included a scheduled two-hour slot for cleaning the house. My assigned tasks for that work always included vacuuming, while my sister took care of cleaning the bathrooms. We knew, every night, that dinner started a little after 5:30 p.m. and we each sat in “our spots” around the circular table in the kitchen for that meal. ose dinners were a formative time for me. We shared details of our day, and at some point, in the conversation, usually my father, but occasionally my mother, would be reminded of a tale and share a story from their younger days.

We heard about Mom’s childhood experiences living on Detroit Street in Denver and stories of Dad’s family with nine children. We knew the stories by heart but always enjoyed the tales and especially the punchline explaining things like advice my paternal grandfather gave his children, “if you have to do that (pass gas) step toward the cellar door” or him explaining to the seven boys in the family that he helped around the house declaring, “just watch me, when Mom is really busy in the morning, I will get my own spoon and bowl.”

ose tales helped me develop a love of stories, taught me the power of conversation, and the comfort of consistency. ey also enhanced my love of history. I realize now that those stories did even more. ey aided in de ning us as a family and me as an individual. Knowing those stories meant understanding my place in the family, it gave context to my existence in time and space. As I moved out into the world, it gave me a rudder for supporting my decision-making. Since my diagnosis with MS in 2009, I have come to a greater understanding of the role of stories in my life. In those rst three years after my diagno-

Estefan is the soundtrack for a whole generation of fans and also introduced the world to Latin rhythms and culture. e story of the Estefans is coming to the stage as “On Your Feet!” at Littleton’s Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 Main St., from Friday, May 23 through Sunday, June 22. Most performances are at 7:30 p.m. ursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

With a book written by Alexander Dinelaris Jr. and score built around the Estefan’s music, the show follows the arc of Gloria and Emilio’s careers. Tickets are available at https://townhallartscenter. org/event/on-your-feet/.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — billy woods at the Marquis Theater

New York City’s billy woods doesn’t make the kind of rap music that you put on for a good time. His music is searing explorations of the struggles of life at the margins and the ght to have your voice be heard. His latest album, “GOLLIWOG,” uses the rich genre of black horror to chronicle the nightmares and ecstasies of modern living.

In support of the album, woods is performing at the Marquis eater, 2009 Larimer St. in Denver, at 7 p.m. on ursday, June 5. Don’t miss the chance to see one of the genre’s best—tickets are available at www.livenation.com.

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

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Let’s not celebrate animal abuse, even if it is cute

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

sis, when I struggled, many of the stories I told myself were about declining ability, loss of opportunity, and all the things that I would miss because of the disease. Day after day, I was living out that debilitating and angry narrative.

My life changed forever when, instead of seeing loss, I saw possibility and began to tell myself stories of limitless potential. It was in those new stories where I found hope and encouragement. It was in those new stories that I was able to rede ne myself, my worth, and my opportunities. It was in those stories that I, among so many other things, found my voice as a writer.

Every day, we tell ourselves stories. If the ones you are telling yourself are limiting, it is time to change the narrative. It is time to tell the tale of possibility. You have got this.

I hope my words encourage you and that you will share them with those who need support. ank you to everyone who has shared their stories with me so far; I truly appreciate hearing about the valuable ideas you nd in these columns and how you.

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.

I don’t love the glowing prole piece the Arvada Press ran on Sam Johnson and his dog, Rigel, who he has trained (some might say “forced”) to ride on the back of his custom motorcycle.

Motorcycles are not particularly safe for people, and even less so for dogs, who incidentally are unable to consent to such harrowing conditions.

I’ve seen this man riding around and it sickens me that people nd this type of animal abuse to be “cute.” e Arvada Press article even highlights an incident in which the dog (who is not properly secured to the vehicle) was thrown o the bike. While Johnson may be the safest driver on the world, although I doubt, other drivers are frequently a hazard to cyclists. He should’ve taken

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

that near disaster as an opportunity to rethink his dangerous little hobby, and the local press should not be celebrating it.

Nathaniel Baltich, Arvada

In defense of Rigel the terrier, and shame on his owner If Mr. Johnson really loves his dog, he should leave him home rather than perch him completely unrestrained and unprotected on the back of his motorcycle. He would be rightfully summoned for cruelty in some states. I nd his sel sh and deplorable behavior reckless, careless and an imminent danger to Rigel. As stated, Rigel was already launched o the bike and luckily unharmed. Were Mr. Johnson driving on I-70 or SH 93, when the dog was thrown o , your story would likely have been a whole lot sadder.

Robert Becker, Arvada

Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules:

• Email your letter to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line.

• Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Wednesday in order to have it considered for publication in the following week’s newspaper.

• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.

• Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and should not submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.

Clarke Reader that

Jim Roome

Je erson Symphony Orchestra members pretend-gamble as their colleagues perform a special version of the “Cantina Band” music from “Star Wars: A New Hope” during their May 18 concert. During the “Cantina Band” number, the orchestra members pretended like they were at a cantina and toasted their colleagues with brightly colored but non-alcoholic drinks. CORINNE WESTEMAN

May the Music Be With You

Je erson Symphony Orchestra closes 2024-25 season with “Star Wars” concert

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CORINNE@COTLN.ORG

Music is much like the Force from the “Star Wars” franchise.

To paraphrase Jedi Master Yoda, music surrounds people and binds them together. One must feel the music around them, between the violins, the trumpets, the utes, the drums — everywhere. Even between the conductor and the audience. at’s exactly what Music Director J. Arturo González and the Je erson Symphony Orchestra members were hoping for on May 18, as they hosted a special “Star Wars”-themed concert as their 2024-25 season nale.

e orchestra hosted back-to-back shows at Colorado School of Mines’ Green Center, where hundreds of “Star Wars” and symphony fans packed the house for both performances. A good portion of both attendees and orchestra members wore costumes or “Star Wars”themed apparel for the shows.

Among them was Conifer’s Stark family. Molly Stark said she and her two children had never been to a JSO performance before, but they love “Star Wars” and were excited to hear the music live. ey especially enjoyed hearing “Across the Stars” and “Parade of the Ewoks.” e family members said they had a great time and would be willing to come back to another JSO performance.

González said that was one of his goals for the show, explaining how this type of concert is “a good way to bring in a di erent type of audience” and that he wanted newcomers to enjoy their experience and return for another show.

JSO concert organizers con rmed attendance for the May 18 “Star Wars” concerts was higher than normal, but that was partly because the orchestra hosted two shows rather than one.

Violinist Martha Finch, who was dressed as Senator Padmé Amidala, was excited to see such a large turnout. She added how

she and her colleagues “love the community” and want to see people engage more with their concerts.

e orchestra’s next event will be its Aug. 17 summer concert at Heritage Lakewood Belmar Park. Finch, González and others invited everyone to enjoy the Music of the 1980s program, including movie soundtracks like “E.T.” and “Back to the Future,” as well as ‘80s rock music, Broadway songs and more.

“We’re here,” González said of JSO. “I think it’s the best and highest-quality community orchestra in Colorado.”

A real Cantina Band

González, who was closing out his second season as JSO’s music director and conductor, told attendees that he’s been a longtime “Star Wars” fan. He described how he saw the original lm in theaters in 1977 and how the original trilogy brings back memories of his family.

González recalled that moment in the theater, when the rst notes of John Williams’ iconic score blasted over the title and opening crawl.

“In two seconds, the composer tells you what the movie is about,” González told attendees. “ … at gives you a predisposition to pay attention.”

During the show, González encouraged attendees to “break the pattern a little bit” from a regular show by cheering, clapping and holding their lightsabers aloft during their favorite numbers.

Afterward, González told e Transcript how he’s done a “Star Wars”-themed show before with other groups and was excited to do it this year with JSO.

e May 18 program consisted of 11 pieces from the original trilogy and just “Across the Stars” from the prequel trilogy. González explained that JSO featured those pieces because it already owned the music and the rights to perform them. However, he said his dream is to perform Williams’ music from all nine Skywalkersaga lms, including the prequel trilogy’s “Duel of the Fates,” which features a full choir. Organizing and performing such a large-scale concert would be complicated and expensive, but he said he hopes to do it one day.

February 1, 1932 - May 12, 2025

GREENVILLE, S.C. - - Doris Mae Lang Lubker, a longtime resident of Arvada, Colorado, died May 12, 2025, in Greenville, South Carolina, at the age of 93. Celebration of Life services will be held at St. Paul’s Church in Greenville on Saturday, May 31 at 2 p.m. Interment will be later held at Union Cemetery, Cedar Blu , Nebraska.

Mrs. Lubker was born February 1, 1932, in Tekamah, Nebraska to the late Francis William Lang and Mildred Nelson Lang. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leon John Lubker, and daughter, Susan Bartels Reid Bridgers. She was a graduate of Fremont High School and Midland College, where she graduated magna cum laude and earned an English degree in 1953. During her lifetime, Mrs. Lubker lived in Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Colorado and Japan, often following the career moves of her rst husband, the late Gerald Lee Bartels, who was a Chamber of Commerce executive. In addition to being a homemaker, she was a freelance writer and later forged a path for other women with her creative role at Henderson Advertising in Greenville.

Mrs. Lubker was a member of St. Paul’s Church in Greenville and previously a longtime member of St. John Chrysostom Episcopal Church in Golden,

Colorado. Mrs. Lubker spent her last years at Waterstone on Augusta in Greenville, where she enjoyed meeting new friends and being close to family.

She is survived by her sister, Marjorie Lang Niemann; and her children, Jeri Bartels Blair and husband, Lee; Joel Lubker and wife, Dawn; Je Lubker and wife, Donna; Sue Lubker; Ann Brockman and husband, Chuck; Pam Rau and husband, Randy; eighteen grandchildren, David and Patrick Blair; Jacob (Harley), Bennett (Ann), Hunter (May), Patrick and Kelsey (Bailey) Reid; Max (Nichole), Sue, and Katie Lubker; Jasmine (David) Holmes; Tony (Jenny) and James (Julie) Brockman; Kortney Kizer; Kayla (Mitchell) Bean; Cameron (Kathryn) and Cory (Macy) Rau; and Allie (Ryan) Joyner. She is also survived by 29 greatgrandchildren and several nieces and nephews. e family would like to sincerely thank the entire Assisted Living and Memory Care sta at Waterstone on Augusta.

In lieu of owers, expressions of sympathy may be made to St. Paul’s Church, 304 East Camperdown Way, Greenville, SC 29601 or to St. John Chrysostom Episcopal Church, 13151 West 28th Avenue, Golden, CO 80401.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.thomasmcafee.com.

LUBKER

Doris Mae Lang Lubker

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

With a baton in my hand, I stood in front of the judge with a big performance smile on my face and prepared myself to march 32 steps in a square. e music started. And as I began my routine, the 7-year-old me accidentally ung my baton at the judge, hitting her. With mixed emotions, I ran as quickly as I could to grab my baton, went back to my spot and began to march. e music had ended, but I completed the last 11 steps and struck a pose.

Shockingly, I received rst place in that competition.

But my mom brought me up to the judge to ask why I was given rst place. e judge said I had good technique. Still, I dropped my baton when no one else in my category did. So I ended up giving my rst-place trophy to the girl who got second place. at moment not only taught me the importance of practice and consistency, it also taught me about sportsmanship and being the best athlete I can be — on and o the oor.

When I tell someone that I have been baton twirling all my life, there are always a couple of common phrases that I hear: “Oh! My mom used to do that,” or, “Isn’t that the thing where you spin a stick?”

While my mom’s background in baton twirling is the reason I got into it, it is much more than just “spinning a stick.” For me — and many others —

it has been something that has not only kept me active, but has allowed me to travel, have once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and create lasting and meaningful relationships.

My mom used to teach baton twirling, and she would have to do it with me on her hip. e only way she got me to go away was if I had my own baton. Some might say she forced it onto me, but I believe that I was destined to do it.

Having been entangled in twirling for over two decades, it has been fascinating to see how it has evolved.

Misconceptions about baton twirling

Baton twirling is not just waiving or throwing a baton in the air — it is an intricate skill that takes hours of practice and dedication. e coordination and multitasking that is involved in this activity is like the ultimate rubbing your stomach and tapping your head.

However, there are some misconceptions about the sport that the general public might have.

Depending on what you have seen when it comes to baton twirling, a common image people associate with twirling is the majorette on a football eld. While twirlers do wear costumes, put on makeup and perform on football elds, the skill level and opportunities to perform — and compete — has only grown.

It’s also a misconception that baton twirling is something only girls do.

In the United States and in dozens

of other countries, boys and men can also be seen performing at football games, but they have also represented baton twirling on stage at festivals, in tv commercials and even on ”America’s Got Talent.”

Baton twirling is still an active and thriving sport throughout the entire country. Yes, I said sport. Growing up, there was always debate on whether or not baton twirling is a sport.

Baton twirling is a sport

In the twirling community, we often say that baton twirlers have a lot of the same skills and qualities as other athletes. For example, the exibility and strength of a gymnast, the eye-hand coordination of a basketball or baseball player, the speed of a sprinter and the endurance of a long-distance runner.

ere is no singular de nition of what a sport is, however, various dictionaries describe a sport using similar language. According to the Oxford dictionary, a sport is “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” Cambridge dictionary denes a sport as “a game, competition or activity needing physical e ort and skill that is played or done according to rules for enjoyment and/or as a job.” Both de nitions state that a sport is an activity that involves skill and physical e ort.

Left photo:

I competed in the freestyle event for eight years and performed my last routine in 2018. PHOTO BY MORGAN SLAGLE

Middle photos: Me embracing my students after performing in competitions. COURTESY OF HALEY LENA

Right photo:

I had the chance to twirl with ﬁre batons at many of my high school bonﬁres during homecoming week. COURTESY OF HALEY LENA SEE TWIRLING, P11

Middle Left: In 2024, I choreographed a three-minute team routine with six of my students, and they placed second at the national competition that year. COURTESY OF

Bottom

TWIRLING

e sport of twirling is based around a baton, which is a metal shaft with two rubber ends, one bigger than the other. With a balance point in the middle of the baton, the larger end provides the momentum needed to create revolution and accomplish ips and large aerials. e uneven weight distribution also allows the twirler to control the speed and direction that the baton moves.

Let’s quickly break down one of the most basic twirls: a thumb ip. is skill is the backbone to everything else that we do.

Holding the middle of the baton, the twirler rotates their hand clockwise and rolls the baton partially over their thumb before pushing it up into the air.

Using this skill, twirlers can make the baton do ips from one hand to another, behind their head and toss the baton higher in the air to complete a spin, dance or acrobatic move underneath. ere are also a variety of catches, such as catching behind the back and under the leg.

Just like any other athlete, the sport comes with injuries. It’s not uncommon to see competitive twirlers with tape on their ngers, knees or ankles. I have had my fair share of broken noses, busted lips, sprains, concussions and pulled muscles.

e de nitions of a sport also state that the activity includes competition, and has rules. In twirling, some of these include competing in the appropriate age category, wearing speci c shoes and matching the level of di culty to a certain level.

Although I started out twirling for fun as a child — performing in dozens of parades, malls and senior living facilities — as I got older, I became enamored with watching highly-skilled and experienced twirlers compete.

Twirlers can compete, within appropriate skill and age level, in individual events, pairs, trios and in teams. Some individual events focus on how the twirler can combine dance and gymnastics with twirling, while other individual events include twirling multiple batons.

When I performed, my favorite individual event was called freestyle because you would perform to a song of your choice instead of the standardized music. Athletes must pass various levels of speci c skills in front of a judge to be able to compete in this event. Athletes are judged on the technique of the twirling as well as the

Hannah

championships

artistic expression.

It’s nerve-racking to be standing on the side of the competition oor getting ready to perform by yourself. But there’s an unmatched thrill that you feel when you catch your most dicult trick, and again when you hit the ending pose and the music fades out and the applause starts.

However, it’s the moments on the practice oor with my teammates that I cherish the most. Like freestyle, the team can twirl to a song of their choice, but the routines are judged on synchronization, artistic expression and exchanges.

It’s this event that introduced me to my closest friends, which I still have today. In all my years of twirling, it’s the team practices that I have the most fond memories of. ere was always some type of inside joke, a scary moment that would eventually become funny and just being able to have fun with your friends.

It’s a heartwarming feeling knowing I was always going to be supported.

Beyond the competition ﬂoor

For 15 years, I won multiple state, regional and national titles. I was the feature twirler for my high school, where I had the opportunity to twirl with re. I twirled down Main Street USA in Disney World and I have performed in front of sold-out stadiums at Metropolitan State University and University of Colorado Boulder.

Now I coach the next generation of twirlers. And the experiences above don’t compare to the pride that comes with being a coach and sharing the love of baton twirling with others.

I wasn’t expecting to ever become a coach. I can vividly recall the day my own coach invited me to help with baton classes. Nerves overtook me that day. But eight years later, getting to introduce students to the sport and watching them accomplish their goals is a feeling that is hard to describe.

I thought I had experienced a lot as an athlete, but once I became a coach, I began to see the unlimited opportunities available to my students. And it’s not all about competitions. ey have performed with lighted batons in numerous local parades — including the Parade of Lights — twirled down the streets of Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day and performed at the Indy 500.

Whether it’s teaching one-on-one lessons or group classes or watching my students perform, seeing them nd joy in a sport that I grew up loving is always a surreal moment.

For me, baton twirling is more than a sport. It’s more than a passion. It has allowed me to experience all of what life has to o er.

HALEY LENA

Left:

Vandeventer competes at

regional

competition in the three baton event. PHOTO BY MORGAN SLAGLE

Top Left: Alyssa Brewer performing in Ireland in 2022. PHOTOS BY HALEY LENA

In 2023, about 20 twirlers from across the state of Colorado came together to perform in the Denver Parade of Lights. PHOTO BY HALEY LENA

Twirling my ﬁrst baton outside at the age of 2. COURTESY OF HALEY LENA

Community Table prepares to move into new facility

A larger building to able food bank to serve more people

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Community Table’s come a long way in the 40 years since it was founded. Now one of the most frequently-visited food banks in Je erson County, the nonpro t is gearing up to move into a new, stateof-the-art facility that will allow it to serve more clients and beef up its other services including healthcare, counseling and housing navigation. e nonpro t operates a little di erently than other food banks; folks are able to shop at Community Table’s grocery store, which is stocked with donated fare, free of charge.

Over the last few years, CEO Sandy Martin says the demand has increased as more and more people have fallen on hard times. In order to meet that demand, the nonpro t is on the move — its transition from its longtime home at 8555 W 57th Ave to its new location at 4600 W 60th Ave. is set to be complete by June 13.

For now, quite a bit of remodel work on the new facility is in order. e storage warehouse, which houses the nonpro t’s food reserves, is about two and a half times as big as the old one. A walk-in freezer and rows upon rows of shelves are being installed, and the front-facing grocery store is also being built to accommodate the uptick in clients.

e nonpro t is also working to ensure

it will be a good neighbor to the residents who live across the street from it.

Community Table’s new facility borders the Arlington Meadows HOA that successfully opposed the City of Arvada’s purchase of the Early College of Arvada building, which was reportedly slated to be used as a homeless navigation center. Martin said she has been working with the HOA to ensure that the nonpro t’s presence in the community doesn’t disrupt their daily life.

“We were in contact with the Arlington Meadows folks,” Martin said. “ ey reached out to me, and we brought a bunch of them in at the old building and did a presentation and showed them what we’re going to do to mitigate any problems of being in their neighborhood, and let them ask questions.”

Community Table will be “adopting” a stretch of 60th Avenue that runs along its building all the way to the nearby RTD GLine stop and making sure it stays clean of litter and debris. e new facility will also feature more security cameras than the old one, a door that visitors have to be buzzed in through, and a waiting room that is fully encompassed inside the facility. e facility also includes showers for clients, since Martin said that a few nonpro ts that Community Table used to partner with to provide showers have shuttered or been bought out in recent years.

Community Table’s new building is located at 4600 W 60th Ave in Arvada. PHOTOS BY RYLEE DUNN

The entrance to the community table now has a door that an attendant will buzz people in through.

The new grocery store at Community Table is under construction.

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Warren Tech grads chart courses in aviation

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SUZIE@COTLN.ORG

For three graduating seniors at Je co Public Schools’ Warren Tech, high school wasn’t just about nishing assignments and earning credits. ey spent their time logging simulated ight hours, learning the ins and outs of aviation and aircraft maintenance technology, designing aerospace components and gearing up for careers in aviation and aerospace.

Kora Redenbarger, Michael Metzger and Keegan McCray are among the 2025 graduates of the district’s career and technical education campus.

Each has completed a specialized pathway in elds ranging from aviation management to aircraft maintenance, advanced 3D printing and business administration.

“It’s (Warren Tech) a program that gives students real-world exposure and real opportunities,” said Sophia Rodriguez, instructional coach for Warren Tech’s science and aerospace programs. “ ese kids are not just preparing for college. ey’re preparing for careers in high-demand industries.”

From airport operations to aviation management

For Redenbarger, the path to aviation management began with a fascination for how airports function. After interning at Denver International Airport, she discovered a passion for operations and logistics. Redenbarger, who is hard of hearing in one ear, said she found con dence in the program’s supportive environment. She described learning to adapt in noisy cockpit simulations and emphasized the importance of her customized headset.

Another pivotal moment came during a dinner with two professional pilots. “Just hearing everyone’s progress and their paths — it was really motivating,” Reden-

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barger said. “ at was when I realized this is totally what I want to do.”

Outside of class, she plays the tuba in the Front Range Youth Symphony and her home school’s marching band.

She will attend Western Michigan University to study aviation management and operations, with hopes of one day returning to DIA in a leadership role.

Taking o with business and a pilot’s license

Metzger, a recent recipient of his private pilot’s license, pursued a dual pathway in business administration and aviation technology. He completed his ight hours at Centennial Airport and trained on ight simulators that replicate the exact plane he ies.

“It was a huge help to have the simulators,” he said. “ ey prepared me for the real thing.”

Metzger said the class gave him the foundational knowledge to pass the FAA’s written knowledge test and the con dence to y solo.

“It was weird at rst,” he said. “Just being able to walk out, get in the plane and take o . It felt surreal.”

He has already taken friends and family on ights around the Denver area, including sightseeing trips over the city.

Metzger plans to attend Auburn University and continue ying while pursuing a degree in aviation. He said the combination of hands-on learning and academic rigor helped him feel ready for the next step.

Hands-on learning takes ﬂight

McCray found his calling in Warren Tech’s Aircraft Maintenance Technology and Advanced 3D Printing programs. A Lakewood native, McCray said he struggled in a traditional high school setting and was drawn to the program’s focus on applied learning.

“I liked being able to take things apart and x them,” he said. “I learn best by do-

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team’s drone program and presenting a 3D printing design at NASA HUNCH, a national high school program for students interested in contributing to aerospace innovation.

His team’s project, a mini glove box simulating astronaut glove conditions, earned him the chance to present in Houston.

McCray also works at a local youth makerspace teaching 3D modeling and printing to younger students, and said he enjoys passing along what he’s learned.

“I’ve been into 3D printing since I was 10,” he said. “And now I get to help kids get excited about it, too.”

He will attend Kansas State University to study aviation maintenance management and said he hopes to eventually return to Colorado to work for a major airline like United at DenverInternational Airport.

Preparing students for takeo Rodriguez explained that Warren Tech’s aviation-related programs are among only a few in the country recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration.

“ ese are students who will enter college with experience most freshmen don’t have,” said Rodriguez. “ ey understand the industry, they’ve worked with profes-

sionals and they’ve had access to equipment that mirrors what they’ll encounter

Rodriguez said that one of the program’s strengths is its ability to connect classroom learning to real-world applications.

“Our students see the relevance in what they’re learning,” she said. “ ey see how it ts into the bigger picture.”

She also emphasized the a ordability of early credentialing opportunities.

“ ey’re not spending thousands of dollars that they would have to pay for training elsewhere. ey get that training here in school,” Rodriguez said. “And we’re talking about certi cations that would cost tens of thousands.”

Students in Warren Tech’s aviation programs can graduate with FAA sign-o s to pursue certi cations like the airframe license, and they can prepare for the FAA’s Part 107 exam, which certi es them as commercial drone operators.

“It’s a fraction of the cost,” she said, “and it gives them a serious head start.”

As they graduate and head into the next phase of their education, Redenbarger, Metzger and McCray leave Warren Tech with skills, certi cations and a sense of direction.

“It’s been really empowering,” Redenbarger said. “I’m excited to see where it takes me.”

PHOTOS BY SUZIE GLASSMAN

Keegan McCray, who studied Aircraft Maintenance Technology and Advanced 3D Printing, poses with one of the planes he worked on at Warren Tech’s south campus aviation facility.

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Je erson Symphony Orchestra musicians and volunteers dress as “Star Wars” characters for their May 18 concert at Colorado School of Mines. It was JSO’s ﬁnal concert for the 2024-25 season.

MUSIC

While not all the orchestra members enjoy “Star Wars” as much as he does, González appreciated their team work and passion for the franchise’s music.

Violinist Atsuko Ohtake, who dressed as the Jedi-trained warrior Ahsoka Tano, explained how one of her fellow violinists is a big “Star Wars” fan and suggested characters for her colleagues to dress as, including Ohtake as Ahsoka.

Ohtake said she didn’t know much about the character, but from what she’d heard, they have very similar personalities.

Overall, Ohtake described how she enjoyed the concert, adding that Williams’ music is “a lot of fun to play.”

Finch likewise described the mu-

sic as “challenging but rewarding to play,” adding how she didn’t fully appreciate it until she started playing it.

“It’s great to play,” she continued. “I like that it uplifts you and gives you those (inspirational) moments.”

While “Star Wars” was a fun experiment for 2025, González said JSO has an equally exciting lineup planned for its 2025-26 shows. e Oct. 12 season opener will include Ludwig van Beethoven’s world-famous “Symphony No. 5” and the May 17, 2026 season nale will feature music from Gustav Holst’s “ e Planets.”

González said the latter will be a partnership with Mines and the Denver Children’s Choir, describing how he wants to turn the Green Center into a planetarium-type experience for the show.

“Come listen to us,” he said of JSO. “ … We do electrifying music.”

For more information, visit je symphony.org.

ONLINE AUCTION

SESSION

Restraint and seclusion

House Bill 1248 moves the existing laws about restraint and seclusion in public schools from the section of Colorado law that deals with youth detention facilities to the section that deals with education. It also shores up data reporting about the use of such practices in public schools and closes a loophole that has created a dearth of information about seclusion.

Community schoolyards

House Bill 1061 creates a grant program to build community schoolyards, which are de ned in the bill as park-like environments located at schools that provide hands-on nature play and that children can use outside of school hours. Two grants will be available: a $150,000 planning grant and an $850,000 construction grant.

Bills on universal preschool, ﬁnancial transparency are among those that failed

Child care

Lawmakers rejected a bill that would have put new guardrails on child care chains backed by private equity or venture capital rms. House Bill 1011 would have required such child care chains to publicly post their tuition and fees and give families and employees 60 days notice after a center’s purchase before laying o sta or making enrollment changes.

Universal preschool

A bill that would have given preschools greater access to the state’s universal preschool sign-up system was killed at the request of one of its sponsors. Senate Bill 119 would also have allowed all preschools in

the program to have higher class sizes and sta -student ratios. But in a tough budget year, the bill’s $1.5 million price tag spelled its doom.

Seclusion ban

A bill to ban seclusion was rejected by lawmakers for the second year in a row. Seclusion is the practice of shutting a student inside a room alone and blocking them from leaving. House Bill 1178 was the second unsuccessful attempt at banning seclusion in two years.

Student mental health

Colorado lawmakers rejected a $1.1 million proposal that would have created a youth mental health pilot program in the Department of Behavioral Health. e program under House Bill 1160 would have provided 42,000 students with access to an online behavioral health prevention tool.

School ﬁnances

Lawmakers rejected a bill that would have required each traditional public school and independent charter school to post a long list of nancial information on their websites. Senate Bill 153 would have required schools to disclose how much they spend on marketing, student recruitment, and lobbyists, among other information.

Native American history

Senate Bill 123 would have required “the genocide against Native Americans, the Sand Creek massacre and other massacres, and the Colorado Native American residential and boarding schools” to be taught in public schools. e bill sponsor asked to postpone it inde nitely.

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.

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Evergreen girls soccer hunts down back-to-back 4A state titles

BY DENNIS PLEUSS JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

e frustration of three Class 4A girls soccer state runner-up nishes over a ve-year span is well in the rear-view mirror for the Evergreen Cougars.

“It’s absolutely amazing,” Evergreen senior Lucia Spungin said after the Cougars defeated Windsor 4-3 in penalty kicks late on Tuesday night at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs. “It’s the topping on top of the cake.”

It was Evergreen’s fth appearance in the 4A girls soccer championship game over the past nine years. e Cougars were 4A state runner-up in 2017, 2019 and 2021. Evergreen nally broke through winning the 4A championship game over Lutheran last year at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

e Cougars were the underdogs a season ago as the No. 14 seed. Evergreen defeated the No. 3 (Windsor) and No. 2 (North eld) on the way to the title.

“It was de nitely a lot di erent,” Spungin said of winning last year as the No. 14 seed compared to being the favorite as the No. 1 seed this year. “ e team had a lot more con dence this year coming into each game. We still had to stay modest. We had a lot more con dence this time.”

Going from being the hunter to the hunted as the defending state champs was a change for Evergreen that returned several players from last year’s state championship squad.

“It was a chance in mindset, but never once did we change in how we played,” said Evergreen junior Gianna Weiner, who assisted on the Cougars’ game-

Evergreen girls soccer team completed winning back-to-back Class 4A state championships in dramatic fashion on Tuesday, May 20, at Switchbacks’ Weidner Field in Colorado Springs. The Cougars defeated Windsor on penalty kicks

tying goal by sophomore Elle Buenning in the 54th minute that eventually sent the game into overtime tied 1-1. “We had challenges both years.”

Windsor and North eld in the earlier rounds a year ago before defeating Lutheran 2-0 in the championship game.

“To me, there wasn’t much di erence,”

Evergreen Coach Peter Jeans said of being the No. 14 or No. 1 seed. “You have to play great teams in the playo s, no matter what seed you are at. You have to win your games and you have to perform. ese girls did it.”

Evergreen was able to exercise the de-

BY DENNIS PLEUSS

JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Within 36 hours, Evergreen’s seven seniors on the Cougars’ girls lacrosse team graduated and picked up a second straight Class 4A state title.

“It was amazing,” Evergreen senior Addison McEvers said of repeating as state champions with a dominating 19-6 victory over rival Green Mountain on Friday night. “We played like we did in the last state championship game against Mead. We played as hard as we could. We knew this was the last time for us playing together.”

McEvers — a three-sport athlete in ag football, basketball and lacrosse at Evergreen — went out on top as the Cougars repeated as state champions.

“Winning a state championship is like no other,” McEvers said as the Cougars celebrated on Peter Barton Stadium at the University of Denver. “A lot of people don’t get the opportunity to win those or get close. We have a special team, and we were able to pull it out. I’m so proud of us.”

McEvers was just recently named the 4A Je co Female Athlete of the Year to cap o her impressive four years as a studentathlete. e senior also picked up her 100th career goal in the state title game.

“Ryn Gardner was like, ‘We have to get Addison that goal.’ It took a couple of takes to get there, but what a one to get,” Evergreen Coach Rachel Sanford said.

er said of the 2021 runner-up squad that lost at Weidner Field against Holy Family. “We were more focused on what we could do. (Windsor) had a very good team on the eld. We were de nitely focused on that.”

After back-to-back 4A state titles with a team with a very talented junior class, along with sophomore goalie Avery

Mahnken back, the Cougar players can

er said. “I think we have some really good Jeans was a little more reserved after Evergreen nished o the postseason grind of winning a state championship and nishing o a 17-12 record.

“We’ll just savor this one,” Jeans said when asked about a three-peat.

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

Evergreen seniors leave a lasting legacy with back-to-back state titles

Gardner, a junior, has been the beneciary of a lot of hard work by McEvers, who takes nearly every draw for the Cougars. Gardner had a game-high seven goals in the championship game.

McEvers will continue her lacrosse career playing Division I women’s lacrosse at High Point University in North Carolina.

“It’s great to go out on a high like this in my No. 1 sport,” said McEvers. “It’s amazing. I’m so excited.”

Senior Alivia Hunsche had another stellar game on both ends of the eld, scoring a pair of goals and locking down some of Green Mountain’s top scorers on the defensive end.

“It means so much to us,” Hunsche said of the senior class going out as state champions. “ e entire senior class has been playing together since we were in rst grade. It means so much to nish out with this amazing win.”

Hunsche will continue her lacrosse career at the University of Tampa. e Spartans are attempting to be back-to-back Division II National Champions. Tampa will be playing in the Division II quarter nals on Saturday, May 17, in Tampa, Florida. “ ey are just as special as special can be,” Sanford said of her outgoing senior class. “ ey have been playing for a long time. ey have great chemistry on and o the eld. ey have made such an impact on this program.”

e senior class came in as freshmen

the year after Evergreen won its rst girls lacrosse state title in 2021. e Cougars won four straight 4A West League titles, having never lost a conference game in four years. Evergreen compiled a 55-18 record and who a pair of state championships over the four-year span.

“We just did a nal cheer with them and it kind of makes you cry a little bit,” Sanford said. “ inking about the legacy they will leave behind and also the bright futures they have ahead.”

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

Evergreen senior Alivia Hunsche (7) plays defense on Green Mountain senior Rome Villani (1) during the Class 4A girls lacrosse state championship game Friday, May 16, at Peter Barton Stadium. The senior class helped Evergreen to a 55-10 record over the past four years, including back-to-back 4A state championships. PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS / JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS / JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

CROWSSUPDRO ELZZ

1. ART: Where is the Prado Museum located?

2. GEOGRAPHY: What is the only country that the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn pass through?

3. LANGUAGE: What does the Latin phrase “tempus fugit” mean?

4. MATH: What is another name for the division sign?

5. MUSIC: How long did it take singer Bob Dylan to write the big hit “Blowin’ in the Wind”?

6. ANIMAL KINGDOM: How many times on average does a ruby-throated hummingbird ap its wings in one second?

7. MOVIES: Which movie features the line, “Keep the change, ya lthy animal”?

8. LITERATURE: Which novel features four children named Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy?

TrIVIa

9. TELEVISION: What is Joey’s famous line in the sitcom “Friends”?

10. ANATOMY: What is a common name for the pinna in human anatomy? Answers

1. Madrid, Spain.

2. Brazil.

3. Time es.

4. Obelus.

5. 10 minutes, according to Dylan.

6. About 50 times.

7. “Home Alone.”

8. “ e Lion, e Witch and the Wardrobe.”

9. “How you doin’?”

10. Outer ear.

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