Finding family, writing a book because of DNA test
Roots “ with Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr.
“I have always been fascinated by it. While watching the show, I would observe people wondering whether they were Greek or Spanish,” Petrocco said.
She loved learning about people’s origins and where they came from so much, it inspired her to take a DNA test herself. e test revealed some new information.
“To my surprise, I took the DNA test and discovered a cousin who was related to me from my childhood in the farm-
spired Petrocco to start to write a book in 2019. She completed it in 2024 and released it, titled “Cheers to 80”, on Amazon on January 6, 2025.
e book focuses on Petrocco, a native of Colorado who traces her family’s history back to her fourth-generation great-grandfather, an immigrant from Italy who arrived in 1885. He initially settled in Denver before moving to Welby, where many Italian immigrants were involved in farming.
e book also documents their shared ancestry and new-
lo Farinacci, who emigrated to America from Italy in the 1880s.
“He grew up in a small town called Campobasso before moving to Gildone. He arrived at Boston Harbor, learned about the mines in Colorado, and traveled to Colorado,” Petrocco said.
“I often wondered how he arrived in Colorado, perhaps by train. He came to the Denver area with his friend,” Petrocco said. “City Park in Denver was once a farm before it became a park, and my great-grandfather farmed there, and then he heard about a small farming commu-
Amid budget crunch, Youth Advisory Council on chopping block
BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN
e Colorado legislature, as part of its e orts to close a budget hole of more than $1 billion, is planning to axe a nearly two-decade program that enlists teenagers from across the state to help draft and o er input on bills.
Shutting down the Colorado Youth Advisory Council would save about $50,000 a year. at’s a relatively paltry amount, but it’s meant to send a message that costs must be trimmed wherever possible. e cut foreshadows the big, and often painful, line-item reductions the legislature will have to make in the coming weeks.
Petrocco’s great-grandfather Farinacci met Antonia Pastore in Denver and married in 1895
nacci and his wife traveled to chased land, and I have the land deed I found in the Adams County Records. He bought it from two Italian men,” Petrocco said.
Petrocco’s third-generation grandmother was Angelina Acierno, her father was Farinacci; her mother was Virginia Acierno, who married her dad, Anthony Joseph Adducci, in 1940.
“I never got to know my father; he was very sick, an alcoholic, and abusive,” she said. “After my Mom and Dad’s divorce, we returned to live with my fourth great-grandfather, Farinacci.
Sidd Nareddi, who served on COYAC from 2022 to 2024 while he was in high school, said he was heartbroken to hear the program may be discontinued. Now a rst-year student at Brown University, Nareddi said being a member of COYAC was one of the most formative experiences of his high school years.
“It really was a personal development program for me,” he said. “It’s a very empowering process.”
e Colorado Youth Advisory Council was created in 2008 and is composed of 40 junior high and high school students
The book “Cheers to 80,” can
COURTESY BY GENIE PETROCCO
Residents make demands of Evans
Newly elected U.S. Rep. vows to hear constituent concerns, an aide says
BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
About 50 protesters Friday demanded to talk to newly elected U.S. Representative Gabe Evans and ask him why he seemingly is standing idly by as newly elected President Donald Trump dismantles much needed federal services and protections.
“ ere’s been not a whisper, not a word” from Evans, said Westminster’s Ron Booth. “He’s been silent as we quickly descend into fascism.”
Booth and others gathered in a parking lot next to Evans’ o ce in Northglenn and called for him to come out and talk on Feb. 21. ey also chanted “Where is Gabe! Where is Gabe!”
Evans, a Republican, was elected by a slim margin in November over incumbent Democrat Yadira Caraveo, to represent the 8th Congressional District.
e 8th includes a wide swath of Adams County and a portion of west Weld County.
Booth helped lead the signcarrying demonstrators to the front of the building where Evans and his sta members work. Police met the protesters and told them they could not gather on private property.
e group then went into the building’s lobby where they met face-to-face with two sta members.
e sta members were given a list of 16 constituent demands including blocking billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk from illegally “rampag-
ing” through private government les. e group also asked: “Are you OK with him (Musk) decimating the VA’s workforce? Are you OK with the ring of National Park and National Forest workers?”
Sydney Carabelos – an Evans eld representative – took the list of the demands from Booth and said she would forward them to Evans. e congressman was enroute to Washington D.C. for several other meetings with constituents on Friday but was eager to hold a virtual town hall within the next few weeks.
“I know the people here have concerns and the congressman is eager to hear them,” said Carabelos, who stood with the protesters for photos and to hear more about their unease with the new administration.
Another group of protestors gathered in front of Evans’
Northglenn o ce on Monday Feb. 24, urging Evans to oppose the Republican budget resolution that they say “will risk access to health care for 73,000 constituents in the 8th District.
Evans, in a statement released on Monday, said he is looking forward to working with his colleagues in Congress to protect hard working families. “... is includes commonsense spending reductions that combats waste, fraud, and abuse, tax cuts for small businesses and working class families, and increase border security measures to deliver our neighborhoods from transnational criminal organizations and fentanyl.”
Evans spokeswoman Delanie Bomar said in an email that plans call for a focus on waste, fraud, and abuse within Medicaid and not to cut bene ts. Medicaid cuts aren’t speci -
cally listed in the resolution, Bomar said.
“Also worth noting this resolution is not the nal budget nor is this policy,” Bomar said. “ is is just one step in the long process.”
Ellen Buckley, an organizer of the earlier protest on Friday, said the massive cuts in the National Forest Service will have huge implication for Colorado, especially as we draw closer to re season.
“I don’t think people understand the toll those cuts will have in this state,” Buckley said. “ is will deeply hurt our economy.”
She and others said Evans should make himself available to 8th District constituents through frequent town halls. Otherwise, people will assume Evans is in favor of the destruction of the federal government.
“Your silence is complicity,” Buckley said.
Brighton expands Colorado Front Range Trail access at Veteran Park
BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
e Colorado Front Range Trail at Veteran Park will expand, with 400 feet of new trail along Brighton Street’s right-of-way. Construction began on Feb. 17.
“We see people currently using that area to access downtown Brighton and Veterans Park, especially as it is a key route to the Colorado Front Range Trail. e improvements will enhance pedestrian safety, making the area more accessible for everyone,” said Ryan Smith,
United Power hosting event to meet Board candidates
BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
United Power is inviting its members to a meet and greet the four candidates running for election to the United Power Board of Directors in 2025.
e three director candidates are incumbent Ursula J. Morgan in the North District, incumbent Keith Alquist in the Central District, and incumbent Beth Martin and new candidate Ryan Keefer in the South District. United Power will hold a “Meet the Candidates” event at 6 p.m. March 13 at the United Power headquarters O ce, 500 Cooperative Way, Brighton. e event doesn’t require an RSVP and is open to all members so they can learn about each candidate’s platform and how they can serve their communities.
If you can’t attend in person, the Meet the Candidates event will be live-streamed at www.unitedpower. com. It will also include candidate platform statement videos available on the cooperative’s website the following day.
Directors represent all members and are elected on an “at-large” basis. is means members may vote for a director in each district, not just their own. United Power allows members to vote online or return their mail ballots before the April 15 deadline, according to o cials.
According to o cials, each candidate’s written platform statement will be published in the March edition of the cooperative’s newsletter, the United Newsline, and on its website at www.unitedpower.com/ annual-meeting. Director candidate contribution reports will also be available online.
Brighton Parks Planning, Development and Grant Manager.
e Front Range Trail is an ambitious plan, building an 870-mile-long path from New Mexico, through Colorado and ending in Wyoming. More than 300 miles are completed, with some 500 miles still in planning stages or under construction.
e City of Brighton plans to extend the Colorado Front Range Trail to the roundabout in the western part of town, starting from Veterans Park. is extension will make it accessible for the
community to hike, run, or bike to the green spaces at Veterans Park.
During the trail construction, a new curb and gutter will be installed along a section of Bridge Street. Construction to enhance stormwater infrastructure. According to ocials, the road shoulder along Bridge Street will be closed, and drivers should exercise caution and remain aware of periodic tra c lane changes during the construction.
According to o cials, the city advises motorists to slow down, stay alert, and obey posted signs when driving
near the construction zone to ensure the safety of both workers and the public.
According to History Colorado, the Colorado Front Range Trail was used by Native American Indians for thousands of years. Spaniards traveled it in the 1600s and 1700s, and many U.S. exploratory expeditions utilized it in the 1800s. e Mountain Men referred to its path as the Trappers Trail.
For additional information, please contact Ryan Smith, parks planning, development, and grant manager, at rfsmith@brightonco.gov.
According to o cials, ballots will be mailed to all members on March 14. On the same day, online voting will open through the member portal. Members can vote electronically via their online accounts or by mail. Additionally, members may vote in person during the annual meeting starting at 4:30 p.m. Registration opens at 4:30 p.m., and on-site balloting closes at the start of the o cial business meeting at 6:30 p.m.
According to o cials, once the votes are cast and counted, the results of the Director election will be announced at the 2025 annual meeting, scheduled for April 16 at the Riverdale Regional Park & Fairground, and will be live-streamed on the United Powers website.
All members are invited to attend to learn about the cooperative’s accomplishments, review its nancial performance, and hear the results of the director elections, according to o cials.
Ron Booth and other protestors demand to talk to Rep. Gabe Evans Friday. MONTE WHALEY
With Affordability an Increasing Problem, More Buyers Consider Condos, But Can You Get a Loan?
Assuming you have good credit and a sufficient income, getting a loan to buy a single family home is not that hard, but when it comes to buying a condominium, the loan may not be possible if the building does not meet some challenging Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac guidelines. Most loans are sold to one of those institutions, and they will not buy a condo loan from a lender if the following is true:
The condo development hasn’t been completed
Less than half of the units are owner-occupied (for investors)
The condo association you’re looking at may not have any of those problems, but if it has not completed the proper paperwork, it will still not make the list of “warrantable” condos.
money to buy a replacement home, that definitely doesn’t work.
Follow-up on Last Week’s Column
An individual or company owns more than 10% of the units within the building (including the developer)
More than 25% of units are delinquent on HOA fees
If the homeowner’s association is still controlled by the developer
Commercial space is 35% or more of the building’s total square footage
There are pending lawsuits against the condo owner’s association
The deductible for hail damage is greater than 5%
If there’s central heating, the master policy doesn’t cover the boiler.
Just last Friday one of our broker associates, Kathy Jonke, closed for a condo buyer who had to terminate her first purchase contract because it was discovered just before closing that the hail deductible was 10%. On the condo which closed last Friday, the lender thought the master insurance policy did not cover the boiler, but our inhouse lender, Wendy Renee, got the right person on the phone and was able to verify that the boiler was covered, and the closing took place on time. Such is the life of a strong buyer’s agent and a strong loan officer!
I’m not saying that you can’t get a loan for an unwarrantable condo. It’s just that you can’t get a conventional loan which the lender plans to sell to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. That’s true of all the big banks and big lenders, but small banks and credit unions are often “portfolio lenders,” meaning that they keep their loans in-house instead of selling them. Another option (rarely used) is for the seller to “carry” the loan, which can work for some but not all sellers. If the seller needs the
Another option is to get the mortgage from FHA, which has a Single-Unit Approval (SUA) option whereby they evaluate the loan on a case-by-case basis. FHA loans, however, require an upfront and ongoing purchase mortgage insurance (PMI) premium. Kathy’s buyer was given that option on her first condo purchase where the hail deductible was 10%, but she chose to terminate the contract rather than assume that added expense.
In any condo purchase, the lender will ask the condo association to complete a questionnaire and base its approval on the response. For example, in addition to the criteria mentioned above, the lender will want to know the association’s budget and its reserves.
Loans on non-warrantable condos can also require a larger down payment and carry a higher interest rate to compensate for the added risk. Recent increases in master insurance policy deductibles alone has made a higher percentage of condos non-warrantable, and loans on unwarrantable condos are estimated to equal over 22% of the market now.
If you are considering writing an offer on a condo, make sure your agent and loan officer submit the condo questionnaire immediately and ask questions about warrantability before spending money on inspection and appraisal.
62% of Americans Think a 20% Down Payment Is Required, But It’s the #1 Myth
NerdWallet.com is a trusted resource for consumer information, and, according to its 2025 Home Buyer Report, 62% of Americans believe that a 20% down payment is required to purchase a home. That’s the number one myth that is holding back Americans from pursuing the American dream of home ownership.
In fact, there are many programs, especially for first-time home buyers, which require zero down payment. Here in Colorado, the Colorado Housing Finance Authority (CHFA) has a website www.WhyWaitBuyToday.com, which describes their programs for both first-time and repeat buyers with 4% down payment assistance (DPA) up to $25,000.
To qualify for DPA, you have to have a credit score of 620 or higher. The deferred DPA takes the form of a second loan with a 30-year term and a zero percent interest rate. It accrues no interest, has no monthly payments, but is due and payable upon sale, refinance or payoff of your first mortgage. Some DPA is provided as a gift and does not have to be repaid.
Since, according to NerdWallet’s report, 33% of non-homeowners say that not having enough money for a down payment is holding them back from buying a home at this time, “this misconception could be stopping them unnecessarily.”
FHA is famous for requiring only a 3.5% down payment, but conventional loans are
available with as little as 3% down payment. Veterans with a “certificate of eligibility” can get a loan with zero percent down payment for a primary residence.
USDA loans with zero percent down are also available for rural properties.
Larger down payments are always better, and can avoid the added expense of purchase mortgage insurance (PMI), but once your equity reaches a certain level, conventional mort-
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gages allow you to eliminate that expense. FHA loans maintain that expense for the life of the loan, unless your down payment was 11% or higher, in which case you can eliminate that expense once you achieve a certain equity level based on an appraisal.
So, if this myth has been keeping you from pursuing home ownership, give us a call and we will help you achieve your American dream!
One of the articles, “Buyers Need and Deserve Professional Representation, But Here’s Why They Shouldn’t Have to Pay for It,” produced some feedback from readers. One said the percentages I quoted were wrong, and I’m embarrassed to admit that’s true. (Did I really go to MIT?) The numbers, however, were correct as was the logic of my argument, which is supported by the fact that virtually all closings taking place are ones in which the seller is still compensating the agent representing the buyer.
I confirmed that fact with one of the region’s biggest title companies. What that tells us is that sellers want one thing above all else — to sell their property. They have come to realize that they can try to avoid offering any compensation to the agent representing a buyer, but if they’re the only seller taking that stand, buyers will gravitate to other listings. Also, the standard contract to buy and sell real estate has a section in which it is stated what the seller will pay, so sellers are given the opportunity to accept that amount or call the buyer’s bluff and hope they come to terms. Closing data available to title companies suggests that sellers don’t win that argument often or at all.
One reader believes that if the buyer’s agent is paid by the seller, he’s not going to work to get the lowest price for his buyer. That would make sense, but in 22 years of being on both sides of transactions, I have never known a colleague or myself to do anything other than work in the best interests of a buyer he/she represents, not just in getting the lowest price initially, but when it comes to negotiating concessions or a price reduction based on inspection issues or a low appraisal. And when there’s a seller concession, many agents including ours, make sure our commissions are based on the net price.
$189,000
This nicely updated and well-maintained 574square-foot condo is in the Sable Cove subdivision southeast of Aurora’s Town Center. The address is 992 S. Dearborn Way, #7, east of I-225 and north of Mississippi Avenue. The seller, who bought it for a family member, updated everything in this ground level unit. It has luxury vinyl plank flooring throughout, a pantry with slide-out drawers, laundry hookups, and a wood-burning fireplace. There is lots of open lot parking for you and your guests. The HOA dues are only $255 per month and include water, sewer, maintenance, a community center, swimming pool and fitness center. There is a locked storage closet on the front porch, big enough for all your winter gear. Find more information, high-quality pictures and my narrated video walk-through at www.GRElistings.com, then call 303-525-1851 to arrange a private showing.
“He was getting old, so he leased the Welby land to Tony Perolia, who lived next door and died in 1960. I believe they sold the farm to the Gravel Company for $13,000,” Petrocco said.
She graduated from Adams County High School in 1959 and married Dominic Petrocco in 1961. Dominic, a farmer from Brighton-Henderson, was well known to her.
“Our two families knew each other because his family also were farmers and came from the same region as my greatgrandpa Farinacci. We had two daughters, Angeli and Lisa. Angeli is an artist in Santa Fe who creates some pretty neat things. Lisa resides in Broom eld,” Petrocco said.
He later sold the farm and moved the
family to Fort Collins in 1996.
Her Father’s side Petrocco said she had not known her Cousin Alice Gazetta Nichol when she learned about her, although they grew up near each other.
“After my parents divorced, I didn’t have much to do with my Dad’s side of the family,” Petrocco said. “So I didn’t know Alice but knew who she was as a kid. We took our sacraments at Assumption Church in Welby.
“You wouldn’t believe it. About two or three days later, I received a phone call from Alice. I told her about my DNA testing, and she mentioned that she had her test done as well, and it came back with the same results. We were closely related.”
Petrocco said that Alice and her husband attended Westminster High School together. She informed them that her birthday was approaching, and she
wanted to invite Genie and her husband, Dominic, to her 80th birthday party.
“We attended her 80th birthday party; from then on, I always met with her. Her husband was also ill at that time, and my husband wasn’t well either. So, whenever we could connect, either over the phone or in person, we did, and we grew very close,” Petrocco said.
Petrocco said that her Cousin Alice later became a Colorado State Representative, then served as a Colorado State Senator, and subsequently held the position of Adams County Commissioner for two terms.
Petrocco said she couldn’t follow suit. She said politics was not her cup of tea, but she became involved with the Scienti c and Cultural Facilities District, or SCFD.
“In 1988, when our legislatures passed a tax bill to be voted on, the Scienti c and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) supported arts and culture. I was the
representative from Adams County who visited various clubs to explain that onetenth of one percent tax would go to the arts in counties such as Denver, Boulder, Adams, Weld, Arapahoe, and Je erson,” Petrocco said.
Petrocco, Jackie Conner from the CSU Extension O ce, and Adams County Commissioner Elaine Valente were founders of the Adams County Historical Society Museum.
It was Petrocco’s close relationship with her cousin Alice that inspired her to name her book “Cheers to 80.”
“Now, we are both in our 80s, “ Petrocco said. “ e book narrates the story of our lives and upbringing in the farming community.”
Petrocco’s book is on sale at the Adams County Historical Society and Museum until March 31, from Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. e book “Cheers to 80,” can be found on Amazon.com.
Thornton Police investigate possible arson, two deaths
A 58-year-old woman, 55-year-old man found with gunshots
BY MONTE WHALEY
ornton Police are investigating an apparent arson Wednesday night and deaths of the home’s two occupants.
Police said that just before 11:15 p.m. o cers responded to reports of a structure re in the 16300 block of Columbine Street. Upon arrival, o cers and re personnel found a 58-year-old woman and a 55-year-old man dead inside the home with apparent gunshot wounds, according to a ornton Police news release.
Fire investigators determined the re was intentionally set, and the exact cause and circumstances remain under investigation. e re was contained to one home and the re scene was declared all clear by 11:59 a.m., police said. Investigators believe there was no one else inside the home at the time of the incident and there is no ongoing threat to the community.
e Adams Count Coroner’s O ce will determine the o cial cause and manner of death and release the identities of the deceased once next of kin is noti ed, the
LEAP
LEAP
Thornton Police investigating arson and shooting deaths.
Weld fair o ers summer jobs for young adults
BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Young Adults can get a summer job through the Employment Services of Weld County Young Adult Fair and the City of Greeley, according to a news release on March 12.
Leslie Galindo, ESWC Youth Employment and Training Navigator, said that the network opportunities o ered by the Young Adult Fair are vital, especially before a busy hiring season.
“Employers have begun hiring for their summer sta ,” she said. “Meeting young adults at this job fair enables them to schedule interviews during spring break and onboard them in time for summer training,” Galindo added.
e free event is at the Island Grove Event Center, 401 N. 14th Ave. in Greeley.
Young Adults ages 14 to 24 can apply for long or short-term employment. At the event, job seekers can meet local employers from various industries looking
to hire young people. ey can also take a headshot and work with employment professionals who will help them create a resume.
e employers o er jobs in manufacturing, health care, government, nonpro t, and recreation industries. According to o cials, in 2024, over 600 job seekers attended the Young Adult Fair, which is an opportunity for employers to enhance and expand their workforce.
Efrain Cano, ESWC Business Services Representative, said hiring young adults brings several advantages to businesses.
“Young adults o er fresh perspectives, adaptability, and a strong willingness to learn. Many young workers are techsavvy, energetic, and open to new challenges, making them valuable assets in fast-paced and evolving industries,” said Cano. “Additionally, hiring young employees helps companies build a pipeline of future leaders and fosters a diverse and dynamic workplace.”
Employers can register at snapappoint-
ments.com/listing/5yd.
register at www.connectingcolorado. com.
According to o cials, job seekers should bring several copies of their re-
sumes, dress professionally, and have their social security numbers available
Additional resources from Weld County for job seekers and employers can be found at www.eswc.org.
Summer jobs for young adults are being o ered at Weld County’s Young Adults Fair. FILE PHOTO
Realigning priorities to achieve our dreams
If you’ve ever driven your car through a winter lled with bumpy roads, dodging potholes (or hitting them headon), you know that your car may end up out of alignment sooner or later. You don’t even have to be a mechanic to realize something is o . Take your hands o the steering wheel for just a few seconds, and you’ll feel it, your car veers to the left or right, some only slightly, others quite aggressively, depending on how far out of alignment things have become.
WINNING
e same holds true for our personal dreams and professional goals.
Many of us started 2025 with new resolutions, clear objectives, and fresh energy to chase after what we wanted most. But the road hasn’t been perfectly smooth. We’ve hit some rough patches. Unexpected challenges, distractions, and competing priorities have thrown us o course. And if we don’t take the time to check in and realign, we can nd ourselves drifting further and further away from where we intended to go.
Just like our car, if we ignore the misalignment for too long, it starts to wear things down. e tires on our vehicle begin to bald unevenly, making it harder to steer and control. Our progress toward our goals can wear down, too. e frustration builds, and before we know it, we feel stuck, spinning our wheels without getting anywhere.
So, what do we do?
Step One: Refocus on Your North Star e rst step in any realign-
Fment is to get clear on where we are headed. Has our goal changed, or have we simply pushed it aside in the face of di culty? Sometimes, life throws us detours that require us to adjust our course, but that doesn’t mean we have to abandon our des-
One of the most dangerous things we can do is convince ourselves that we are too far o track to get back on. But that’s just not true. We are the only person who can truly stop us from achieving our goals.
Legendary motivational speaker Zig Ziglar often said, “Sometimes we need a check-up from the neck up to get rid of our stinkin’ thinkin’.” In other words, our mindset matters. If we’ve allowed doubt, discouragement, or distraction to take control, we must step back and reset.
Step Two: Reassess and Realign
Once we’ve refocused, the next step is to take intentional action to realign our daily habits with our bigger goals. Just as a mechanic makes the necessary adjustments to our car’s wheels, we must adjust how we spend our time, energy, and focus.
Ask yourself: Are my daily actions bringing me closer to my goal or pulling me further away? What small habits or disciplines do I need to re-instill? Am I surrounding myself with the right people who support and challenge me?
Just as a car alignment isn’t a one-time event but something that needs regular maintenance, realigning our priorities is an ongoing process. We have to check in periodically to ensure we’re staying on course.
Step Three: Give Yourself Grace and Keep Moving
If you’ve ever put o xing your car’s alignment, you know that the longer you wait, the worse it gets. But here’s the good news: no matter how far o track you’ve gone, you can always make the necessary adjustments to get back to where you need to be.
Every single one of us has had a dream or goal that we’ve put on hold. Life happens. Other things take priority. But that doesn’t mean we can’t recalibrate and start again.
Like a realignment restores control over our car, realigning our priorities restores control over our path. It puts us back in the driver’s seat of our success.
So, if you’ve found yourself drifting, don’t panic. You’re not alone. Take a deep breath, make the adjustments, and get back on the road toward the future you’ve envisioned. e journey is still yours to take. As always, I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com. When we can get realigned where it matters most, it really will be a better-than-good life.
Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.
Colorado needs good data center policy.
This is not it.
Developers of data centers in Colorado already have a 10-year red carpet in the form of reduced costs of electricity paid to investor-owned utilities. HB25-1177, a bill being heard at the Colorado Capitol proposes to lengthen those incentives to 25 years.
Proponents at the House Energy and Environment Committee surely will have a hard time keeping a straight face while declaring that these carrots will be needed. Does Vail Resorts need to give away free lift tickets on powder days to lure customers?
Big tech companies already are eyeing Colorado. We have relatively low-cost energy.
Our largest electrical utility, Xcel Energy, which is responsible for 53% of all sales, wants to invest many billions of dollars in new generating capacity to meet rapidly growing demands. e utility’s models show data centers representing 72% of new growth in peak demand.
Xcel, in a ling on Friday with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, said it intends to stop o ering new “economic development” rates. e reason? e demand is coming with or without a discount on electricity costs, said Jack Ihle, a company vice president.
Data centers have become
It’s time to end the ‘at-large’ county vote
rederick Douglass observed: “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” is observation resonates today in Colorado’s outdated “at-large” voting for county commissioners.
At-large voting is when all voters of a political subdivision vote for all the candidates. Multiple Colorado counties now have populations of hundreds of thousands, with budgets in the hundreds of millions. Yet their political structures remain the same from more than a century ago: electing three commissioners at-large.
At-large voting excludes political minorities from a voice in their local government, no matter who is the political minority. Early in American history, a majority of states voted at-large to elect congressional delegations. e resulting unrepresentative political power led Congress in 1842 to mandate all states use district-based elections for Congress that we know today, over the objections of “States Rights” and “Local Control” made by opponents to that reform.
Unfortunately, at-large voting in local elections became normalized after
GUEST COLUMN
BIG PIVOTS
part of our working landscape. Colorado needs to gure out the best public policy, because they can pose enormous demands on both electricity and water. e largest of data centers are informally called hyperscale. QTS-Aurora, which is near the intersection of I-70 and E-470, certainly qualies. e data center requires its own 230-kV transmission line from an Xcel substation to deliver 177 megawatts of electricity.
To put this into perspective, Boulder altogether needs 250 megawatts, according to a fact sheet distributed by the Colorado Renewable Energy Society last week to state legislators. e group questions whether the data center could ultimately need 1,000 megawatts of capacity.
If QTS-Aurora received an economic development rate that shaves 3 cents per kilowatt-hour from its costs, it could save $47 million a year, says the renewables group.
the Civil War to exclude racial political minorities from local government. In the 1980s, the Department of Justice and NAACP dismantled these at-large voting systems throughout most of the country under the Voting Rights Act. Since then, attempts by local governments to adopt at-large voting systems have been struck down by federal courts as transparent attempts to exclude rising political minorities from a voice in government.
Given this history, Colorado’s large counties must modernize their electoral structures. Colorado escaped scrutiny in the 1980s because no identi able racial minority was systematically excluded from political participation by at-large voting. But now, multiple Colorado counties are on trajectories where the discriminatory nature of at-large elections is evident. at’s why I am introducing legislation along with several colleagues to require counties with populations greater
than 250,000 to elect ve commissioners through district-based or proportional voting, as chosen by the voters. is legislation ensures minority groups are not denied voices in the most important governing decisions made in their daily lives.
e bill will not change political power – a majority is still a majority. But it will bring di erent voices into local government to represent the interests of politically marginalized areas and groups.
Some may argue that this reform infringes on local control or imposes unfunded mandates. “Local control” echoes the same arguments made against federal election intervention in state and local matters, both in 1842 and during the civil rights era. Local control fails when political power is concentrated in a few hands, resisting change. Outside action, therefore, becomes necessary to break the status quo.
Counties are also political subdivisions of the state, not independent entities. When their electoral systems fail to ensure fair representation, the state has the responsibility and authority to intervene. Opponents of this reform also argue that adding two additional commission-
ers in large counties constitutes an unfunded mandate or unnecessary government growth. is misses the broader issue: while Colorado’s large counties experienced explosive growth, their political representation stagnated. Just as no county is allowed to elect only one commissioner, it is not unreasonable to require larger counties to elect additional representatives to re ect growing populations. Requiring a modest change in only ve of Colorado’s 64 counties is a small adjustment that will bring meaningful, fair representation without imposing an undue burden.
e need for reform is urgent. e status quo is no longer acceptable for residents whose voices are excluded in an unrepresentative electoral system. By adopting district-based elections or proportional voting we can create a system that better represents the diversity of our communities and increases trust in government — from racial and ethnic minorities to suburban and rural areas.
Allen Best
State Rep. Bob Marshall, a Democrat, represents most of Highlands Ranch in House District 43.
Bob Marshall
Advocates of data centers say they can actually bene t all electrical consumers by driving enormous growth in electrical generating capacity and hence lowering costs. I’m skeptical. It seems far more complicated.
More compelling is the policy adopted by Brighton-based United Power, Colorado’s third largest electrical distribution utility. e electrical cooperative serves members along the rapidly urbanizing and industrializing I-25 and I-76 corridors north and east of Denver. United requires developers of data centers and other major new industries pay their own hardware, design, and engineering costs up front.
Mark Gabriel, the CEO, says eight potential data centers have approached United. He says their projected demand may materialize – or maybe it won’t. Either way, money is not the issue for the data centers.
“ e total market capitalization of the top 100 utilities in America is roughly $2.8 trillion,” he points out. “ e market capitalization of the ‘magni cent seven’ – Google, Meta and the others – is $13.4 trillion. Money is not the issue. ese guys have it. e issue is can they get their data centers in the right locations?”
Gabriel said Xcel and Black Hills Energy, Colorado’s two investor-owned electrical utilities, spread the cost of their infrastructure across all of their customers. As an electrical cooperative,
he said, United will not. “ e individual companies pay the costs up front. And there is a big di erence.” is year’s data center bill may well die in committee on Wednesday. A similar red-carpet bill last year never even got heard. Tellingly, though, this year’s bill has two prime co-sponsors from Pueblo.
Might data centers help Pueblo? It will lose the tax base of coal plants by 2040. And could data centers help Craig, Hayden, and Brush as the coal plants there close? It’s a complicated discussion. It’s hard to see how this bill would help.
A di erent question: Could demand from new data centers prevent Colorado from achieving its 2030 goals for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions? Utilities have been reporting supply chain kinks and rising pricing as they prepare to close coal plants. Colorado Springs Utilities has said it doesn’t see how it can meet the 2030 goals. Xcel has also reported delays and rising prices for renewable projects.
Colorado needs to learn from the experience of others. Ireland also embraced data centers – and now has regrets. In Virginia, data centers will keep coal plants running longer. Several states have created guardrails to protect other customers.
We need a deep think. is bill is not that. Alas, several key state legislators who crafted Colorado’s impressive energy pivot in recent years have left the Capitol. It’s not clear who will take their place.
Allen Best chronicles Colorado’s energy and water transitions at Big Pivots.com.
Lawmakers seek better mental health help for youth
Bills tackle insurance coverage and cell phone use in schools
BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Legislation aimed at improving the mental health of Colorado’s children is gaining ground after garnering bipartisan support among lawmakers, say bill advocates.
“I think everyone is aware that there is a mental health crisis among our kids,” said Zach Zaslow, VP of Community Health and
coverage for medically necessary mental health and substance abuse services that a healthcare provider has prescribed and that should be covered under the patient’s health plan, according to the legislation.
Advocates point to a report by health policy consultants Milliman that says that more than 75 percent of Coloradans with commercial insurance who have been diagnosed with a mental health condition have not received the care they need over the past year.
tor for the Colorado Springs division of the Pediatric Mental Health Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado and about 100 parents, health care providers and primary care physicians were at the State Capitol to hail the passage of two key bills — HB 25 1002 and HB 251135.
Both measures passed the State House and now are headed for Senate hearings before they are voted on by the whole legislature.
Zaslow said neither measure costs taxpayers but could likely save lives in the long term. HB 1002 tries to cut the disparities between standard physical health and mental health bene ts. e measure would ensure private health insurance carriers are not denying
ere is still a “stigma” surrounding mental health and an associated reluctance among most insurers to cover its treatment, at often translates to patients who need immediate treatment but don’t get the help they need until much later, Eckhart said. “ ere are often signi cant delays that can hurt those in need. We need to get them to get care as soon as possible,” Eckhart said.
Cell policies required by 2026
HB1135, which also attracted bipartisan support, would require all school districts to have a policy in place dealing with cell phone during the day by July 2026. e bill does not impose a statewide ban on cell phone use in schools but calls for school districts the create their own locally developed policy regarding cell phone use during school hours in K-12 setting, according to the legislation.
allieventcenter.com
BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Denver artist omas “Detour” Evans has planted his artistic footprint all over the Denver metro area, including the Arvada Center. His work creating the mural at the Center’s main gallery for all visitors to see and then displaying the nished product drew rave reviews from the Center’s visitors, said Collin Parson, Director of Galleries and Curator.
“Our visitors loved it,” Parson said via email. “It was an interactive piece that took the art of murals to the next level. Detour is an innovative artist who a few years ago was considered a ‘muralist’ but not as ‘an artist’ who happens to also make murals.”
“I’m proud of him and think he represents the quality and creativity of Colorado arts,” Parson said.
Evans could not be reached for comment.
Described as a painter, muralist and installation artist, Evans served as a Creative in Residence at the Denver Art Museum in the fall of 2017, exploring work that encourages a mixture of traditional art and interactive paintings. He has gained state and national fame for his mural and print creations that celebrate African American history as well as musical, civil rights and sports icons.
What may be Evans’ most acclaimed piece was recently unveiled before international travelers that streamed though Denver International Airport. e airport introduced Evans’ sculpture “It’s Not What You Take, It’s What You Bring Back” in its permanent public art collection in January in the Concourse B expansion area.
“DEN’s participation in the City’s 1% for Public Art program is a point of pride for the airport. Many of the works in our permanent collection loom large in the memories and imaginations of our millions of annual visitors. omas Evans’ work, “It’s Not What You Take, It’s What You Bring Back,” will soon become an iconic xture of the world’s sixth busiest airport, welcoming or bidding farewell to our passengers,” airport CEO Phil Washington said in a news release. “I am so pleased to welcome Evans’ unique and vibrant sculpture to DEN.”
“It’s Not What You Take, It’s What You Bring Back” was inspired by the idea that life is always in perpetual motion and it’s our luggage that carries the items we hold dear. It was selected by a panel of community representatives, arts and culture professionals, and civic leaders in 2022, the news release states.
“I was super ecstatic to be selected to be a part of the process of adding art to such a vibrant place where millions of travelers pass through during their journey in life,” Detour said in the news release. e artwork, located on Concourse B East near gate B60, is 26 feet long by 12 feet wide by 8 feet high and suspended from the concourse ceiling. To help build the sculpture, Evans put a call out to the public for personal luggage that had a story behind it. at resulted in 183 donated bags that were incorporated into the nal design, including pieces from Cleo Parker Robinson, Ed Dwight, a ight attendant of 33 years, three DIA employees, as well as from folks with Denver’s ve professional sports teams.
Evans said on his webpage that the exhibit showcases the frenzied nature of modern life. “ e goal is to symbolize the 24/7 nature of both the airport and the journey of life, as well as memorialize the stories and experiences you gain when you travel,” Evans said.
Evans said that his fabricators, Demiurge, built a steel armature in six di erent sections that will serve as the backbone of the sculpture. Each piece of luggage will have its own plate extension that will be
RIGHT: Thomas “Detour” Evans works on a mural for the 2021 Black Love Mural Festival at Civic Center Park. PHOTO BY CHRISTY STEADMAN
LEFT: Thomas “Detour” Evans’ work was featured at the “In Sight On Site: Murals” exhibit at the Arvada Center. COURTESY OF WES MAGYAR
“I was super ecstatic to be selected to be part of the process”
ans wrote on his webpage. .
e mural got statewide and national attention and was featured in e New York Times, the Athletic, the NBA’s social media accounts and several other media outlets, Evans said.
welded onto the armature.
For more information about the backstories of the donated bags and their donors, go to the airport’s arts page which opened for views this month. A time-lapse video of the installation can be found there as well.
e news release points out that the City’s 1% for Public Art Ordinance directs that 1% of any capital improvement project over $1 million undertaken by the city be set aside for the inclusion of art. At DIA, funds are set aside and then site-speci c large-scale public art opportunities across the campus are identi ed. For this speci c project, funding was designated by the Gate Expansion Program’s construction budget. No taxpayer dollars are used for any artwork at DIA.
Evans also explores ethnic identities through his African art display “ ey Still Live,” which mixes photography, DNA mapping and African objects, according to the Hu ngton Post. His prints celebrate Martin Luther King Jr., the music icon Prince and soccer legend Pele.
Evans also honored the 2023 NBA champion Denver Nuggets with a mural planted on the side of the building at 1919 E. Colfax Ave. Evans said he only created the mural to replace another that was in disrepair. However, “this mural evolved to be a beacon for the community because of the awesome year that the Denver Nuggets had,” Ev-
Evans drew plenty of local acclaim for his work at the Arvada Center. Evans used sound and interaction to draw patrons into his brightly colored creation at the Arvada Center’s main gallery, said the Arvada Center’s Parson.
Evans was part of a temporary exhibition titled “In Sight On Site: Murals,” Parson said. Working on the site at the Arvada Center as artist schedules allowed, visitors were able to see murals develop over a weekend, a week or even a month, he said. Evans contributed to a temporary exhibit at the Center so it was only displayed for a few months.
“Detour and artists like him use exhibitions like this to test ideas and concepts that otherwise might just be experiments in their studios,” Parson said.
He said that he donated a bag to the DIA exhibit, at Evans’ request. Parson said he was caught o guard by the request but suddenly remembered that his four-year-old daughter, Cora, had left her Kitty Cat purse in the back seat of Parson’s car.
“I knew she’d be momentarily upset, but I also believed she’d understand its signi cance when she was older,” he said.
“So I took the risk,” Parson said. “So far, it’s paid o . She’s forgotten all about the purse, and I can’t wait to take her to see her small but meaningful mark in Denver’s art history.”
Thomas “Detour” Evans
LEFT: Artist Thomas “Detour” Evans stands with his creation at Concourse B at DIA.
RIGHT: Another view of artist Thomas “Detour” Evans sculpture
Schools, groups react to Trump’s transgender order
Some athletic programs defer to CHSAA, others hold own positions
BY ELISABETH SLAY ESLAY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Various school districts and sports organizations in Colorado are weighing in on a recent executive order, Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports, issued by President Donald Trump in early February. e order has raised concerns and sparked discussions regarding the participation of transgender individuals in school athletics, particularly in women’s sports.
Keira, a representative from Team Trans, an international collective of trans and non-binary hockey players, expressed concerns over the executive order’s implications. (Keira requested to not include her last name due to safety concerns.)
“It’s a non-issue that not only lacks scienti c support but is also so minuscule — consider that only 12 athletes in the NCAA identify as trans out of over 500,000,” Keira said. “ e fact that this has become a major focus for this administration and the preceding election is not just a waste of time and e ort, but also dangerous.”
e Colorado High School Activities Association has been a key organization involved in the conversation. In response to the executive order, a representative from CHSAA said the organization is aware of the order and is monitoring
both state and federal statutes.
In a Feb. 10 email to Littleton Public Schools obtained by Colorado Community Media from a Colorado Open Records Request, CHSAA updated school districts on the steps it’s taking.
“ e order aims to bar transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports, creating a direct con ict between federal directives and existing Colorado state law,” documents state.
“We recognize that this development places our member schools and CHSAA as a whole in a di cult position, as it raises legal and operational questions that are not yet fully answered. As always, when federal actions con ict with state law, our goal is to ensure clarity, compliance and support for our membership as we navigate this complex landscape.”
CHSAA goes on to state that it’s still trying to determine answers to questions regarding the impact and the legality of the order.
“While questions have been raised regarding the intersection of this order with Title IX and Colorado state law, we will do our best to nd answers to those questions and to provide appropriate guidance,” CHSAA said. “As the legal landscape continues to evolve, we will remain engaged and provide updates as new information emerges.”
Additionally, CHSAA clari ed that Colorado state law remains in e ect and protects people from “discrimination and harassment in schools based on disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, family composition, religion, age, national origin, or ancestry.”
“CHSAA is committed to understand-
ing the potential implications of these new federal directives, and we will share more information with you as it becomes available,” the organization said.
Many school districts — including Englewood Schools, Je erson County Public Schools and Westminster Public Schools — have said they will follow CHSAA’s lead.
to let the dust settle and gure out where everything lands because right now, there are federal departments making recommendations as to what happens next,” Kane said.
Douglas County School district Superintendent Erin Kane said at the school board’s Feb. 11 meeting that the district is already following an injunction that kept it in line with Title IX in 2020 and the district’s policies are consistent with those rules.
“Our biggest takeaway is that we need
Westminster Public Schools has an enrollment of 7,661 students and district spokesman Steve Saunders con rmed that, as of now, CHSAA’s policies regarding transgender athletes remain unchanged.
Je erson County Public Schools said it will continue to follow all Colorado state laws when it comes to how the district treats students, sta and families.
Players on Team Trans, an international collective of trans and non-binary hockey players, compete in a hockey game.
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BRIEFS
Go For Launch
Colorado Air & Space Port is hosting a Higher Orbits for students from 8th and 12th grades to expand their STEM skill sets learning with teamwork, communications, research design, and leadership. Students would get to work with an astronaut, Captain Wendy Lawerence, and work on an experiment design project during the event, learning, growing, and developing skills to succeed throughout their lives.
e student teams will present their project to a panel of judges who work in the Space and STEM elds. ey will choose a winner from each Go for Launch event. e winning experiment will be launched to board the International Space Station or a suborbital ight. Michelle Lucas is the founder and CEO of Higher Orbits.
For more information about the Higher Orbits event, visit www. higherorbits.org. To sponsor the event, go to sponsors@higherobits.org. To call for information at 281-451-5343.
Historical Society Booksale through March
neighborhood identity, turn everyday spaces into creative landmarks and encourage engaging conversations within our community.
Six pieces of art will be selected and placed on weather-resistant vinyl printing. Each artist or artist team will receive a $500 honorarium. All artists must reside or work in the Denver metro area.
e tra c signal boxes have been strategically selected for this project. Artwork will be on display for at least two years.
e call is open to individual artists, artist teams, or community groups with a designated lead artist.
e Adams County Historical Society hosts its annual book sale from 10 a.m. through 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays through March 31.
e sale is annual fundraiser for the museum, and varieties of books will be o ered for sale. e sale is located at 9601 Henderson Road. For more information, go to https://www.adamscountymuseum.com/events online.
Adams County launches O ce of Strategic Partnerships
Adams County’s Executive Leadership Team is excited to announce the creation of the Ofce of Strategic Partnerships & Resilient Communities to serve the community more e ectively.
Submissions will be divided into categories for 18 and older (adult) and 17 and under (youth). At least one tra c box will be exclusive to the youth category; however, the judging committee may select more.
Details on how to submit your original artwork, as well as the design guidelines and the selection process can be found on at www.brightonco.gov/trafcboxmurals or by contacting Communications & Engagement Director Kristen Chernosky at kchernosky@brightonco.gov.
Historical Society tea tickets on sale
e goal of SPARC is to enhance the way the county builds and sustains partnerships, both internally and with external organizations.
e team is led by Adminstrator
Daniela Garcia, who played a key role in establishing SPARC for Adams County. She leads e orts to secure diverse funding, promote equitable resource distribution, and empower communities to foster resilience and prosperity.
e team will collaborate with partners to foster ongoing engagement with programming and organizations in the community, and remain a reliable place where anyone can turn when challenges arise and resources are needed.
Learn more at sparc.adcogov. org.
ese opportunities are available through the Workforce & Business Center. ose interested should work with their Business Center case manager or call 720.523.6898 to get established with a case manager.
Benedict Park renovations ongoing
Renovations at Benedict Park at 1855 Southern St. are underway, resulting in limited public access to sections of the park through June 2025.
e construction project will add a variety of amenities and upgrades, including two new playgrounds, a new irrigation system, a skate park expansion, new shelters, new lighting, supplemental landscaping, and a walking trail on the east end of the park.
e parking lot along Southern Street will be closed but access to drive through it is permitted. Portions of the parking lot adjacent to the splash pad at the northwest corner of the park will be closed. School access will be allowed.
e path along the east side of the park will be closed in sections and the skate park, Disc golf course, playground and all shelters will be closed. Sports programming will be relocated to other parks during the work.
jured, no known suspects, and no physical evidence. All incidents that do not meet this criteria should be reported by calling our non-emergency line at 303-2881535. Emergencies should always be reported by calling 911.
Block Party trailers return Unincorporated Adams County residents can apply and reserve a complimentary Block Party trailer for their next event.
e Block Party Trailer is intended to build and strengthen neighborhoods in Adams County. e Neighborhood Services division in the Community Safety and Well-Being Department administers the program on a rst-come, rst-served basis.
e Adams County Historical Society & Museum is hosting its annual – and popular – Spring Tea from 1-3 p.m. Saturday May 17 at Ho man Hall, located on the Riverdale Regional Park campus. Tickets for the tea are on sale now and going quickly. Volunteers can accept credit cards to reserve tickets. For more information or to buy tickets, call 303-6597103 and visit https://www.adamscountymuseum.com/events online for more information.
School District 27J accepting openenrollment applications
Adams County School District 27J announced that Choice of Schools applications are now being accepted for the 2025-2026 school year. 27J Schools allows any student to apply to attend any 27J school or program on space/ program availability and the applications are being accepted for the district’s 14 elementary schools, six middle schools and ve high schools — including the district’s online academy.
Artists invited to transform traffic boxes into public art in Brighton Brighton will continue to transform tra c signal boxes into vibrant public art installations across the community this year, selecting six new locations for public art.
Internships available with Adams County
Are you interested in learning more about working for local government? Adams County currently has paid internships available.
Opportunities include a cook ($16.48/hour) and classroom aide ($15.62/hour) for Head Start, an IT intern ($17/hour) for the Sheri ’s O ce, and a Healthy Farmers Market intern ($17/hour).
ese opportunities are available through the Workforce & Business Center. ose interested should work with their Business Center case manager or call 720.523.6898 to get established with a case manager.
Water audit program
For more information, go to https://adcogov.org/block-party, call 720 523-6465 or email blockparty@adcogov.org
e Access to Justice Committee hosts a free, legal self-help clinic from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on the rst Tuesday of every month. e program is for customers without legal representation who need help navigating through legal issues.
Volunteer attorneys are available to discuss family law, civil litigation, property, and probate law.
e city of Brighton and Resource Central teamed up to provide a free water audit for businesses and homeowner associations. e program aims to help residents and cities increase water use e ciencies and reach conservation goals.
For the full list of available schools, an application and a list of frequently asked questions, visit https://www.sd27j.org/enrollment/accepting-applications online.
e Brighton-based school district operates schools in Brighton, Henderson, Commerce City and ornton.
Internships available with Adams County
Call 303-999-3824 or visit https://www.brightonco. gov/589/Water-Audit-Program
Brighton Police o er online reporting
Brighton Police Department has launched an online reporting system at its newly updated website at www.brightonco.gov/ police.
Get trained to administer Naloxone e Adams County Health Department’s Harm Reduction Team will supply all Automated External De brillator cabinets in government buildings with Naloxone this month. In addition to this resource, the team will o er Overdose Prevention Training for all sta interested in learning how to prevent, identify, and reverse an opioid overdose. Naloxone will be made available to take home after these trainings. If you have any questions about the training or other resources, contact our Harm Reduction team at 303-363-3077 or by email: harmreduction@ adcogov.org Call 303-405-3298 and ask for a Legal Self-Help Clinic at least 24 hours before.
Sidewalk, curb, and gutter program e city of Brighton’s 50.50 Sidewalk, Curb, and Gutter program is underway. According to a statement, the program helps ease the nancial costs of maintenance and replacements. Property owners are responsible for that maintenance work. e program halves the replacement costs between the city and the property owner.
Building on last year’s success, this project invites artists to create imaginative designs that enhance
Are you interested in learning more about working for local government Adams County currently has paid internships available. Opportunities include a cook ($16.48/hour) and classroom aide ($15.62/hour) for Head Start, an IT intern ($17/hour) for the Sheri ’s O ce, and a Healthy Farmers Market intern ($17/hour).
e online reporting system allows community members to submit a report directly to the police department from their smartphone or computer. It can be used to report criminal tampering, identity theft, lost property, theft, vandalism, and other matters. All cases led using the online reporting system will be reviewed by a police sergeant. is tool can only be used when the incident is not an emergency; no one was in-
e program began in 2004. Last year, it assisted 14 homeowners. e city says the program has saved about $75,000 worth of repairs. Visit www.brightonco.gov/5050 to apply. Call 303-655-2036 with questions.
Museum volunteers
e Brighton City Museum needs volunteers to help with visitors, research, and collection project-based duties. Call Bill Armstrong, museum specialist, at 303-655-2288.
representing each of the state’s 35 Senate districts, as well as the Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute tribes. Teens serve two-year terms on the council. e panel is currently supposed to continue through at least 2028.
In recent years, the panel — known as COYAC — has drafted legislation to require school sta to address students by their chosen name, boost mental health resources in schools, reduce food waste in public schools and get young people involved in environmental justice.
“ at would be a huge mistake,” Sen. Faith Winter, a Broom eld Democrat and a legislative liaison to the council, said of ending the program. “We know that the budget is di cult and we are willing to work with COYAC next year for a very reduced budget outside of having an interim committee.”
Sarah Moss, who directs the program, made an impassioned plea to the Executive Committee of the Legislative Council, which is making the decision to disband the program, to keep the initiative alive.
“I love this program and love these students,” she said. “Being their nonpartisan sta er and teaching them the process and government 101 — and ‘Here’s how you make a phone call to a stranger who’s a grown-up’ — has been one of the greatest joys of my professional career. We would very much love for this program to continue in full.”
Moss suggested paring back the council to make it remote-only. at could cut out the legislature’s costs of getting council members to and from the Capitol and putting them up in hotels.
“We would really love to see some kind of opportunity for them to present (to lawmakers), even if it’s just a teleconference,” she said.
e Executive Committee of the Legislative Council appears resigned to shutting down the program. A bill ending COYAC will have to be drafted and debated before the full legislature before the council is shut down, but the executive committee on Friday preemptively slashed its funding.
Lawmakers plan to spend just $5,000 on the program next scal year, which begins July 1, to ensure students currently on the council can nish their work.
“As a lifelong educator, I believe in doing things for our youth and giving them these opportunities,” House Speaker Julie McCluskie, a Dillon Democrat, said this week during an executive committee meeting. “ is is tough.”
In an interview with e Colorado Sun, McCluskie said she hopes COYAC could be brought back after a year. But the legislature’s budget problems are only expected to get worse.
e legislative branch plans to cut its budget by 5%, or more than $4 million next year. Suspending as many as a dozen interim committees like the Colorado Youth Advisory Council is part of that e ort.
e executive committee is made up of the six top party leaders in the legislature, four Democrats and two Republicans. Both Republicans suggested it was time for the council to go away, regardless of cost.
“With all due respect to students, there are plenty of people who come here and take days to testify and make their voices heard that don’t get (their expenses covered),” House Minority Leader Rose
Pugliese, R-Colorado Springs, told the executive committee.
Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen, R-Monument, told e Sun the council has become too progressive. Given that it e ectively has the power to introduce bills in the legislature, he feels that advantage is unfair.
“As a matter of policy, I’m not supportive of continuing with funding,” he said during the executive committee meeting.
Winter pointed out that COYAC was founded through legislation brought by a Republican, then-state Sen. Ellen Roberts of Durango, and that it has long been a bipartisan initiative. e panel that reviews COYAC’s work is named after the late House Minority Leader Hugh McKean, another Republican.
Winter defended the legislation the council has advanced in recent years as being representative of the Democraticlean of the state.
“ ere is one youth member per Senate district,” she said. “If you look at the makeup of the Senate, it makes sense that COYAC is composed similarly.”
Current and former members of the council said they plan to encourage lawmakers not to shut COYAC down.
“COYAC is one of the best things I’ve ever done,” said Livi Christiansen, who served on the council from 2020 to 2022 when she was a junior and senior at Poudre High School in Fort Collins. “It absolutely changed my life. I wish that every kid got to do it.”
Christiansen, who at just 19 is in her rst year of law school in California, said the legislature could choose to slash funding for prison beds instead of shutting down COYAC.
“ ey can nd the money,” she said. “ ey could be making a di erent choice.”
e $50,000 appropriated annually to the council pays for an overnight retreat, annual visit to the Capitol, send-o dinner for high school seniors, committee meetings with legislators and for a professional facilitator to run the program.
e Colorado legislature is expected to set the state budget in March.
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.
OF THE BEST
The Colorado state Capitol, pictured in 2023. PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD
Thu 3/06
Buffalo Bill Museum
@ 11am
Offsite, 6060 E Parkway Drive, Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Amazing Athletes
@ 1pm
Mar 6th - Mar 27th
Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Amazing Tots
@ 2pm
Mar 6th - Mar 27th
Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Colorado Avalanche vs. San Jose Sharks
@ 7pm / $40-$999
Ball Arena, Denver
PJ
@ 7pm
Club 156, 1669 Euclid Ave, Boulder
Dirty Side Down Band: Dirty Side Down @ Hoffbrau Bar & Grill
Have My Heart Tour - Morgan Starner & Emily Rizuto @ 6:30pm
Wolf and Honey, 43 N Main St, Brighton
Dave Mensch - Floodstage Ale Works - Brighton, CO @ 7pm
Flood Stage Ale Works, 170 S Main St, Brighton
Wed 3/12
CHSAA Basketball Parking 3/12 @ 6am Denver Coliseum, 4600 Humboldt Street, Den‐ver
Denver Mob Tour @ 10am Fort Lupton Recreation & Parks Depart‐ment, 203 S Harrison, Fort Lupton. 303-8574200
Trevor Toms @ 3pm The Hampton Social - Denver, 2501 16th St, Denver
Sat 3/08
Bald Eagle Discovery @ 9am
Mon 3/10
@ 8:30pm Hoffbrau, 9110 Wadsworth Pkwy, Westminster
Fri 3/07
Little Sparks: March
@ 10am
Mar 7th - Mar 28th
Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Float Thru the Movies
@ 6pm
Fort Lupton Recreation & Parks Depart‐ment, 203 S Harrison, Fort Lupton. 303-8574200
Denver Nuggets vs. Phoenix Suns
@ 8pm / $55-$4260
Ball Arena, Denver
100 Things to Do Before You're 12 @ 10am Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Standley Lake Regional Park, 8600 Simms Street, Westminster. standley lake@westminsterco.gov, 303-6582792
Teen Social: Bowling @ 1pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Park‐way Dr., Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Colorado Avalanche vs. Toronto Maple Leafs @ 5pm / $65-$999 Ball Arena, Denver
Grupo Laberinto w/ Herencia de Grandes @ 7pm
National Western Events Center, Den‐ver
Colorado Avalanche vs. Chicago Blackhawks @ 7pm / $46-$999 Ball Arena, Denver
Tue 3/11
Grand Z Casino @ 8:15am Fort Lupton Recreation & Parks Depart‐ment, 203 S Harrison, Fort Lupton. 303-8574200
Birding for All - March
@ 10am / Free
Bird Conservancy's Environmental Learning Center, 14500 Lark Bunting Lane, Brighton. 303-659-4348 ext. 53
Red Sweater and Volunteer Social at Eagle Pointe @ 4:30pm
Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Park‐way Dr., Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Eric Golden @ 6pm The Stillery, 10633 Westminster Blvd #900, Westminster
Thu 3/13
Denver Mob Tour @ 10am
Fort Lupton Recreation & Parks Depart‐ment, 203 S Harrison, Fort Lupton. 303-8574200
Global Sips and Savories (3/13) @ 10am
Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Music and Movement @ 10:45am
Anythink Huron Street, 9417 Huron Street, Thornton. swhitelonis@anythin klibraries.org, 303-452-7534
ZTag: Tag! You're it @ 6pm
Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-289-3760
Thornton woman stands out as health caregiver
Desiree Carr gives compassionate care for those who are the most vulnerable
BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
One of Desiree Carr’s rst run in with medicine with not a good one. Carr said she su ered through a miscarriage and the doctor overseeing her care was not much help. “He was completely dismissive of me and what I was going through,” Carr said. “I knew then that was not the kind of caregiver I wanted to be.” e ornton woman’s second experience in health care fed her aspiration to help the most physically and psychologically vulnerable patients. Carr was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 and her primary doctor and the doctor’s nurse was by her side while she got treatment. “I couldn’t have asked for better help, they were with me from day one of my treatment and I will never forget what they did for me,” said Carr. After 11 years as certi ed caregiver
for post-surgery cancer patients, Carr can now pursue her long-standing goal of getting her RN, BSN degree after she was awarded a $3,000 Griswold Home Care Scholarship this month.
Carr said the award recognizes her desire to give the same compassionate care to others as she received as a cancer patient.
“When people are having their worst day, I want to the be person they remember who helped them through it,” Carr said in a news release. “I’ve held many women’s hands, shown them my port scar, and explained my own cancer journey to help guide them through theirs. Many of them have told me they would never have made it without me.”
Griswold scholarship program
Carr and other Griswold caregivers help adults maintain quality of life despite advanced age, onset of
illness, or post-surgery recovery. e help may include bathing, assistance in the bathroom or other needs at a patient’s home, according to the Jean Griswold Foundation.
With 196 locations across 31 states, Griswold is one of the country’s top home care companies, providing professional, compassionate caregivers 24/7, said Sarah Latini, Jean Griswold Foundation Director.
Latini said Carr’s unique ability to connect with her patients, o ering them not just medical care but emotional support and strength, has helped her standout in her eld, Griswold said.
“She is the perfect person to be caregiver,” Latini said.
Carr said she hopes to one day become a travel nurse, going to other parts of the country to help to help those most in need. “I’d like to go wherever I can be useful and helpful to patients,” she said.
Meet the faces behind Colorado’s top-rated workers’ compensation.
Scan to learn more
Desiree Carr with her husband Nick Carr. COURTESY PHOTO
1. LITERATURE: Who lives at 4 Privet Drive?
2. TELEVISION: Which 1980s sitcom featured the Keaton family?
3. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who was the rst American-born president?
4. COMICS: What is Deadpool’s profession?
5. AD SLOGANS: Which makeup company’s slogan is “Maybe she’s born with it”?
6. HISTORY: Which battles marked the beginning of the American Revolution?
7. INVENTIONS: e 1904 World’s Fair introduced which u y confection?
8. MOVIES: In which year were the rst Oscars awarded?
9. MEASUREMENTS: What does 1 gallon of water weigh?
10. GEOGRAPHY: What are the colors of the Italian ag?
TrIVIa
Answers
1. Harry Potter and the Dursley family.
2. “Family Ties.”
3. Martin Van Buren, born after the Revolutionary War.
4. Mercenary.
5. Maybelline.
6. Battles of Lexington and Concord.
7. Cotton candy.
8. 1929.
9. 8.34 pounds.
10. Green, white and red.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
Deadline to apply: March 31, 2025
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Standard Blade NOTICE OF RIGHTS
YOU MAY HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE REAL PROPERTY BEING FORECLOSED, OR HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS OR SUFFER CERTAIN LIABILITIES PURSUANT TO COLORADO LAW AS A RESULT OF SAID FORECLOSURE. YOU
A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE PURSUANT TO §38-38-104, C.R.S., SHALL BE FILED WITH THE OFFICER AT LEAST FIFTEEN (15) CALENDAR DAYS PRIOR TO THE FIRST SCHEDULED SALE DATE OR ANY DATE TO WHICH THE SALE IS CONTINUED.
IF THE SALE DATE IS CONTINUED TO A LATER DATE, THE DEADLINE TO FILE A NOTICE OF INTENT TO CURE BY THOSE PARTIES ENTITLED TO CURE MAY ALSO BE EXTENDED.
A NOTICE OF INTENT TO REDEEM FILED PURSUANT TO §38-38-302, C.R.S., SHALL BE FILED WITH THE OFFICER NO LATER THAN EIGHT (8) BUSINESS DAYS AFTER THE SALE, EXCEPT THAT, IF THE PERSON IS DEEMED AN ALTERNATE LIENOR PURSUANT TO §38-38-305.5, C.R.S. AND THE LIEN BEING FORECLOSED IS A UNIT ASSOCIATION LIEN, THE ALTERNATE LIENOR HAS THIRTY (30) DAYS TO FILE THE NOTICE WITH THE OFFICER OF THE ALTERNATE LIENOR’S INTENT TO REDEEM.
IF THE BORROWER BELIEVES THAT A LENDER OR SERVICER HAS VIOLATED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT IN C.R.S. 38-38103.1 OR THE PROHIBITION ON DUAL TRACKING IN C.R.S. 38-38-103.2, THE BORROWER MAY FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE COLORADO ATTORNEY GENERAL AT THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF LAW, RALPH L. CARR JUDICIAL BUILDING, 1300 BROADWAY, 10TH FLOOR, DENVER, CO 80203, 720-508-6000; THE CFPB, HTTP:// WWW.CONSUMERFINANCE.GOV/COMPLAINT/; CFPB, PO BOX 2900, CLINTON IA 52733-2900 (855) 411-2372 OR BOTH, BUT THE FILING OF A COMPLAINT WILL NOT STOP THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS.
The name, address and telephone number of each of the attorneys representing the holder of the evidence of the debt is as follows: Wendy E. Weigler, Esq. Winzenburg, Leff, Purvis & Payne, LLP 350 Indiana Street, Suite 450 Golden, CO 80401 303-863-1870
THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED MAY BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
Date: January 23, 2025.
By: Gene R. Claps Adams County Sheriff Adams County, Colorado
Statutes attached: §§38-37-108, 38-38-103, 38-38-104, 38-38-301, 38-38-302, 38-38304, 38-38-305, and 38-38-306, C.R.S., as amended.
Legal Notice No. BSB3643
First Publication: February 20, 2025
Last Publication: March 20, 2025
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade
Misc. Private Legals
Public Notice
DISTRICT COURT, ADAMS COUNTY, COLORADO Court Address: 1100 JUDICIAL CENTER DRIVE, BRIGHTON, CO, 80601
Plaintiff(s) GEORGE KLINE
v. Defendant(s) ANTHONY JOSEPH KLINE
Case Number: 2023CV31238 Division: W
AMENDED MOTION FOR PUBLICATION FOR SERVICE
Plaintiff moves the Court for an Order of Service of the Alleged or Presumed Defendant Anthony Joseph Kline by Publication, and states:
1. This is a Complaint Under Rule 105.
2. Plaintiff is the holder and in possession of real property situated in Adams County Colorado. with a legal description of : Lot 346, Montecillo Subdivision, County of Adams, State of Colorado, commonly known as: 9012 Rampart St. 346 Federal Heights, CO. 80260, and personal property, to wit a mobile home situated on the real property to wit: Mobile Home, Title No:12M339410
Serial No:K12260CDT80637 YEAR: 1968
3. The Attorney for the Plaintiff has diligently tried numerous ways to contact, locate, and serve the party, but they have failed.
4. Multiple diligent attempts by RAMOS PROCESS SERVICE have been attempted even to find Anthony Joseph Kline’s last known address is located.
5. Ms. Ramos has also attempted to do a “Skip Trace” to locate Mr. Anthony Kline and the attempt has led to no other serviceable information.
6. The Plaintiff requests that an Amended Motion for Publication be allowed in order to “serve” the Defendant, Anthony Joseph Kline and continue this matter so not to hold up the process of this case, and that the summons shall include the Legal Description of the property.
7. The Court has previously granted a Motion to Publish but upon the request to enter a Judgment, the Court has requested that the published summons contain the Legal Description of all Property, including this a publication pursuant to Rule 105 of the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure.
8. Diligent efforts to locate the Defendant, Anthony Joseph Kline, for personal service has not been completed, per attached Affidavit of Diligent Efforts for Service.
Wherefore, for the above reasons the Plaintiff moves for this Motion for Publication be granted.
Respectfully submitted this 21st day of January 2025.
*/s/Kent L. Freudenberg Kent L. Freudenberg, #22246 Attorney for Plaintiff CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby state that on this 21st day of January 2025, a true and correct copy of the foregoing was served via e-file through ICCES, or submitted via U.S. Postal System, prepaid, to the following:
Via USPS: Anthony Joseph Kline 9012 Rampart St. 346 Federal Heights, CO. 80260
*/s/rrf Rachell Ruiz Freudenberg, Paralegal/LLP
*In accordance with C.R.C.P. 121 § 1-26, a printed copy of this document with original signature(s) is maintained at The Law Office of Kent L. Freudenberg, Attorney at Law.
No.
Notice to Creditors
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Alan Rice, a/k/a Alan R. Rice, a/k/a Alan Raymond Rice, a/k/a Al Rice, Deceased Case Number: 2025 PR 30111
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before July 7, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Casey L. Williams, #39117
Attorney for Matthew W. Rice
Personal Representative
203 Telluride Street, #400 Brighton, CO 80601
Legal Notice No. BSB3673
First Publication: March 6, 2025
Last Publication: March 20, 2025
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Cody Conrad, Deceased Case Number: 2025 PR 30065
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before June 20, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Estate of Cody Conrad c/o Randy Conrad & Donna Conrad, Co-PRs 50 W Hampden Ave, Ste 505 Englewood, CO 80110
/s/ Lance E. McKinley
Lance E. McKinley, Atty for Co-PRs
Legal Notice No. BSB3647
First Publication: February 20, 2025
Last Publication: March 6, 2025
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade
PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of SHARON E. KETCHUM
a/k/a Sharon Eileen Ketchum
a/k/a Sharon Ketchum, Deceased Case Number: 2025 PR 030105
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before June 27, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Patricia Rankin, Esq.
Personal Representative 77 Erie Village Square Erie, CO 80516
Legal Notice No. BSB3669
First Publication: February 27, 2025
Last Publication: March 13, 2025
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Jennifer Jin Good, aka Jennifer J. Good, aka Jennifer Good, aka Jennifer Jin Baek, Deceased Case Number: 2024PR30877
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before June 27, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Anthony McGee, Personal Representative c/o Hinds and Hinds Family Law, P.C. Attention: Stuart S. Sargent, Esq. 8490 E. Crescent Parkway, Suite 395 Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Legal Notice No. BSB 3144
First Publication: February 27, 2025
Last Publication: March 13, 2025
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Peter Albert Erlandson, aka Peter A. Erlandson, aka Peter Erlandson, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR30078
All persons having claims against the abovenamed Estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the Adams County District Court on or before June 25, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Baysore & Christian Fiduciary Services, LLC
Person Giving Notice 7000 East Belleview Avenue, Suite 150 Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Legal Notice No. BSB 3142
First Publication: February 20, 2025
Last Publication: March 6, 2025
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Reggie Lee DeCoopman a/k/a Reggie L. DeCoopman
a/k/a Reggie DeCoopman, Deceased Case Number: 2025 PR 30025
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before June 20, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Carly Mae Sanchez
Personal Representative 16717 Alderwood Mall Pkwy, K206 Lynnwood, WA 98037
Legal Notice No. BSB3658
First Publication: February 20, 2025
Last Publication: March 6, 2025
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Lisa Marie Raber, aka Lisa M. Raber, aka Lisa Raber, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR30076
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before June 20, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Miles Snell, Personal Representative c/o Baker Law Group, LLC 8301 E. Prentice Ave., Suite 405 Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Legal Notice No. BSB 3138
First Publication: February 20, 2025
Last Publication: March 6, 2025
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade PUBLIC NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Maxine Oliver, Deceased Case Number: 2024 PR 409
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before June 20, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Karen Dixon Personal Representative 9203 W Arbor Ave Littleton, CO 80123
Legal Notice No. BSB3646
First Publication: February 20, 2025
Last Publication: March 6, 2025
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Bonnie J. Copple, a/k/a Bonnie Jean Copple, Deceased Case Number: 2025PR030085
All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before March 19, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Nancy S. Germany, Esq.
Attorney to the Personal Representative 77 Erie Village Square Erie, CO 80516
Legal Notice No. BSB 3141
First Publication: February 20, 2025
Last Publication: March 6, 2025
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The Estate of Chester Barton, a/k/a Chester G. Barton, a/k/a Chester Grant Barton, a/k/a Chester Barton, Jr., a/k/a Chester G. Barton, Jr., a/k/a Chester Grant Barton, Jr., Deceased Case Number: 2025PR30089
All persons having claims against the abovenamed Estate are required to present them
Victoria L. Hughes, Personal Representative, c/o Casey L. Williams, Esq., or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado, on or before June 27, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Dated February 17, 2025
/s/ Casey L. Williams, #39117
Attorney for Victoria L. Hughes, Personal Representative Duly signed original on file
Casey L. Williams, #39117
Attorney for Victoria L. Hughes, Personal Representative 203 Telluride Street, #400 Brighton, CO 80601
Legal Notice No. BSB 3145
First Publication: February 27, 2025
Last Publication: March 13, 2025
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of William Brandon Wright, Deceased Case Number 2025PR30077
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before June 20, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.
Margaret Wright, Personal Representative c/o Keith L. Davis, Esq. Davis Schilken, PC 1658 Cole Blvd., Ste. 200 Lakewood, CO 80401
Legal Notice No. BSB 3140
First Publication: February 20, 2025
Last Publication: March 6, 2025
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade
Name Changes
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public Notice of Petition for Change of Name
Public notice is given on December 23, 2024, that a Petition for a Change of Name of an adult has been filed with the Adams County Court.
The petition requests that the name of Mia Rose Sullivan be changed to Mia Rose Moreno Case No.: 24 C 2314
By: Deputy Clerk
Legal Notice No. BSB3632
First Publication: February 20, 2025
Last Publication: March 6, 2025
Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade
PUBLIC NOTICE
Public Notice of Petition for Change of Name
Public notice is given on February 3, 2025, that a Petition for a Change of Name of an adult has been filed with the Adams County Court.
The petition requests that the name of Sydney Kelly Patricia Hill be changed to Sydney Patricia Hill Case No.:
The petition requests that the name of
“Physical education, intramural and interscholastic activities are managed in accordance with district policy regulation, which includes the CHSAA’s Transgender Inclusion Bylaw & Policy,” the district said. “ e policy states, ‘students should
be permitted to participate in physical education classes and intramural sports in a manner consistent with their gender identity. With regard to interscholastic activities, the district will follow the CHSAA Transgender Policy Statement.’”
South Suburban Parks and Recreation, which manages youth sports programs and doesn’t receive any federal funding, said it would not be making any changes to its policies.
“Our goal at South Suburban is to provide safe and inclusive recreation opportunities for all members of our community,” said Becky Grubb, South Suburban communications manager.
South Suburban also referenced its existing transgender and non-binary policy, and a rmed that no changes would be made in light of the new directive.
When asked how common it is for transgender women to participate in women’s
sports at South Suburban, the organization replied that it does not track this information.
Keira, from Team Trans, pointed out that the debate surrounding transgender athletes goes beyond the concerns of trans individuals, with cisgender women, particularly women of color, facing discrimination based on arbitrary expectations of their bodies.
In 2022, a cisgender high school girl in Utah was investigated for being trangender after placing rst in a state championship. Complaints from the parents of her competitors who came in second and third place prompted the investigation.
Additionally, in 2023 a 9-year-old girl in Canada was accused by an adult man of being transgender while she was competing in a track meet.
“ is ‘debate’ has led to cisgender women and girls — especially those of color — being subjected to discrimination simply for being perceived as ‘too manly,’” Keira said. Keira said that many trans athletes view their participation in sports as vital to their well-being and mental health, and that no one is “pretending to be a woman” to succeed in athletics, but rather, to survive due to concerns for their safety.
Keira also pointed out the potential harm the executive order could cause to trans youth, whose rights may be threatened as a result.
“Trans kids are watching their rights being actively taken away, and we risk losing them,” Keira said. “ at is not OK. ey deserve to grow up in a world where they feel safe, seen and supported — and it’s on all of us to ensure that happens.”
LAWMAKERS
“We wanted to take a middle ground on cell phone use,” Zaslow said. “We don’t want an outright ban on their use, but we also don’t want a laissez faire approach to cell phones.”
Only about a third of Colorado’s largest school districts have a cell phone use policy during the school day. Local principals and teachers are then left to come up with their own classroom policies, Eckhart said. Clear evidence exists that social media use throughout the school day can have negative impacts on youth mental health and wellbeing, Eckhart added.
“It increases forms of anxiety and students who use their phones a lot are less inclined to get into physical activity,” Eckhart said.
And yet, cell phone use is “...tough pull to resist,” Zaslow said. “But maybe this bill will help us go in the right direction to help kids.”
