Canyon Courier April 24, 2025 by Colorado Community Media

Elk Creek Fire candidates share views on issues during candidates’ forum

Five people are running for two seats on what has often been a conﬂict-ridden board

Five candidates running for two open seats on the Elk Creek Fire board participated in an April 15 candidates’ forum, answering questions on the hot topic of uni cation as well as volunteer recruitment, work-

ing with the re ghters’ union and other timely questions. e Canyon Courier sponsored the event at Conifer’s West Je erson Middle School, which was moderated by editor Eric Heinz.

My Mountain Town owner Sharon Trilk also recorded the forum, which is viewable on the

My Mountain Town YouTube

Evergreen Lake dam on tap for repairs

State-required projects will ensure compliance with water rights and safety of dam

BY JANE REUTER

Evergreen Lake’s nearly 100-year-old dam needs some TLC and repairs to ensure it meets state requirements, and the Evergreen Metro District is working with various agencies to ensure it gets both. Projects to address those issues will happen in the coming weeks and months.

“It’s certainly a staple in the community, and we want to maintain that,” said Jason Stawski, general manager of the Evergreen Metro District.

A valve that operates the dam’s outlet works has been inoperable for years.

“ at’s why water has almost always owed over the spillway,” Stawski said. “Most dams operate where the spillway acts only as an emergency for when heavy rain-

Redesigned EFR Volunteer program see gains in ﬁreﬁghter training. P2

channel..

Michael Bartlett, Al Leo, Kathleen Noonan, omas Seymour and Todd Wagner are running for the board. Leo and Noonan are endorsed by the Elk Creek Fire ghters Local 4710.

Board president Greg Pixley and director Melissa Baker are term-limited and will step

down. e board has undergone years of controversy during its e orts to merge the district with neighboring North Fork and Inter-Canyon re districts. e latest e ort at uni cation is stalled as Elk Creek board member

SEE FORUM, P18

Elk Creek Fire board candidates participated in a debate sponsored by the Canyon Courier at West Je erson Middle School April 15. From left, Michael Bartlett, Al Leo, Kathleen Noonan, moderator and Canyon Courier editor Eric Heinz, Tom Seymour and Todd Wagner.

PHOTO BY JANE REUTER

Redesigned volunteer program sees early wins

System of points and ﬂexibility appears to be driving up participation in training and calls

BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Evergreen Fire/Rescue volunteer Clarissa Boggs-Blake loves to learn, particularly about her chosen eld of emergency response. Starting in late 2024, she went full speed ahead with that, completing three major trainings in ve months.

at wouldn’t have been possible, she said, without incentives o ered through EFR’s recently revamped volunteer program. Because of it, EFR paid for BoggsBlake’s ight to Arizona for a week-long wildland re course. She also earned points, which translate into nancial rewards, for all three trainings.

Boggs-Blake — who was already an EFR operations captain and president of the Evergreen Volunteer Fire Department — is now a certi ed emergency medical technician and has earned a high-level wildland re certi cation and completed Fire O cer I training. It focuses on developing entry-level leadership and management skills.

“I would have done it without the incentives but likely spread them out over years, not months,” Boggs-Blake said. “I like to challenge myself, but it de nitely was a relief for me that I could do these things and still be exceeding expectations for Evergreen Fire. And I got points for all those training hours, which historically I would not have. Before, it just would’ve been time I wouldn’t be able to run calls.”

Boggs-Blake is just one example of how the new volunteer program is working.

“We’re seeing more people going to calls,” said EFR Assistant Fire Chief Stacee Martin, who is also a volunteer. “We want to get our trucks out the door faster, and we’re seeing that.”

e recent addition of six paid re ghters at EFR means two of them are available to run calls, but more re ghters are needed on each call. at’s happening, too, she said.

“People are crewing, so they’re lling that third seat on the re engine 80% of the time,” Martin said. “We’ve also been seeing a lot of people doing the fourth seat.”

EFR has about 90 volunteers, and while it recently hired its rst paid re ghters, it is not on track to become a fully paid re agency. So, recruiting and retaining volunteers is critical to the agency’s ability to respond to calls and to its future.

But like most re departments and nonpro ts across the country, it had seen a decline in volunteerism. In response, EFR took action, introducing the redesigned volunteer program Jan. 1.

Created largely by volunteers, it awards points and nancial rewards for the service they provide. Points are converted to dollars, which are deposited into a volunteer’s personal bank account every quarter. Each re ghter can earn a maximum of $20,000 per year, but Martin said the average is about $850.Each volunteer is required to earn at 36 points each quarter, which converts to $250.

“If you don’t make the 36 points, you don’t get the money,” Martin said.”It’s a way for us to hold folks accountable and encourage them to train/run calls.”

As important as the money is, the new program gives volunteers something at

saving them longer drives and time.

Boggs-Blake said re ghters previously got a small stipend for running calls.

“All the volunteer hours, community events, meetings — all that comes with being a volunteer re ghter — was just on your time,” she said. “With the point system, there’s a much wider variety of ways to get small reimbursements for all the time and energy people put in as volunteers.

“Folks really like the exibility. We are required to meet quarterly minimums, and acquire a certain amount of points per quarter. But now, it can be any way. If I want to run calls, be at the station, or if I’m going through a rigorous EMT training program, I can get the majority of my points in training. I can still be relevant and making a di erence.”

e system appears to be helping not only with call response, but participation in training.

“We’re seeing more folks attend extra classes that benet the community,” Martin said.

“We had a full class for our last S131, which is the next level of basic re ghting. is was all day on a Saturday.

“If people were not happy with these new things we’re implementing, they wouldn’t go to extra trainings.”

Twenty- ve volunteers recently earned their EMT certi cation, earning points as they did so.

“ ese are volunteers who went above and beyond to help keep our community safer,” Martin said.

Four people, including Martin, attended the week-long Fire Department Instructors Conference held in early April. It o ers a variety of courses in leadership, research, operational tactics and techniques.

Others are going to prescribed burns and mass casualty training incidents, among other opportunities.

“ e goal of all this is to bring more expertise back to Evergreen,” Martin said.

“We’re feeling that folks are more willing to do these things because they’ve had

this great opportunity to focus on training and running calls.”

e increase in activity and participation has also created a change within EFR. “ e atmosphere and vibe in the department is a lot of fun,” she said. “We’re really enjoying how this year is starting o , and we’re really excited about what’s

“I think Evergreen Fire is going in the right direction,” she said. “ ere are always learning curves integrating to a fully combination department. But things are positive. I think everybody’s rowing in the same direction.”

EFR firefighters learn about portable pumps during a summer 2024 wildland fire training. PHOTOS COURTESY OF EVERGREEN FIRE/RESCUE

From left, EFR Operations Chief Kris Kazian, Bri Cameron-Doty, ﬁreﬁghter Joe Rimkus and Assistant Chief Stacee Martin attended the FDIC International conference in Indianapolis in early April.

From left, EFR volunteer Clarissa Boggs-Blake, firefighter Pat Lane and probationary firefighter Shane O’Brien take part in a February EMT training learning back-boarding and spine immobilization.

Next Week Colorado Homeowners Will Receive Updated Property Valuations From Their County Assessors

During the first week of May in every odd numbered year, Colorado’s county assessors are required to notify every property owner of the full valuation which the assessor has assigned to their property. Unless revised downward through the statemandated appeal process, that valuation will be the basis of the property tax charged for that year and the following year.

The system actually depends on your participation in correcting the assessor’s valuation which was the result of a computer-driven “mass appraisal” system, because there’s no way that the assessor’s staff of human appraisers could create a valuation for every home in the county. Those appraisers will, however, read or listen to your appeal of the valuation which their system generated for your home.

in Jefferson County, on the assessor’s website, http://assessor.jeffco.us, first find your home by clicking on this green bar:

of each year because of, for instance, it was burned to the ground or had an addition in place on January 1st.

This Ad Will Appear Bi-Weekly Instead of Weekly, Starting This Week

That will take you to the page where you can click on “Address” at left and enter your home’s address. (The address number and street name should suffice.) Click on your home when it appears, which will take you to the page where you can click on “View Notice.” Then click on the tab “Sales” and scroll down to see all the “qualified sales” that you can cite in your appeal. Note that you can click on any column heading for it to sort on that column, which can make it easier to find suitable comps for your appeal.

If you’re not in Jefferson County, Google your own county assessor’s website.

Note: If, by chance, you bought your home on or close to June 30, 2024, don’t assume that your purchase price will be the assessor’s valuation of your home, because, regardless of what you paid for your home on June 30, 2024, its valuation is based on what eligible comps indicate it should have sold for.

Using the procedure described above, it’s possible that your home was valued correctly, but if it was overvalued, you need to appeal using a form that is page two on the file you saw when you clicked on “View Notice.”

Bottom line, therefore, is that you owe it to yourself and to the county to help the assessor come up with the proper valuation for your home.

So how do you do that? For commercial properties, which pay roughly four times the property tax per $100,000, a whole industry has arisen to help property owners (for a fee) get their valuations reduced. Residential taxes are so much lower that those professionals don’t solicit residential property owners to assist them in arguing for lower valuations.

County assessors are expected to make it easy for property owners to determine whether the assessor correctly estimated their home’s value on June 30th of last year. Here

Only homes that sold during the 24 months prior to June 30, 2024, can be cited in your protest, and they have to be “time adjusted” to reflect what they would have sold for on June 30, 2024. However, the Jeffco assessor told me that property values increased by only 2% during the 24 months from which qualified comps are drawn, so you needn’t bother.

Remember above all, the intention is to determine what your home was worth on June 30, 2024, not what it is worth today! Your taxes for both 2025 and 2026 will only be based on what your home was worth back then! The only adjustment would be if your home is physically different on January 1st

Celebrate Earth Day With Free Film Screenings This Saturday

The Colorado Environmental Film Festival (CEFF), which I wrote about and co-sponsored in February, returns to the Green Center on the Colorado School of Mines campus this Saturday, April 26th, 1 to 3 pm, for a screening of two environmental films. Admission is free, although a contribution of $12 or more is encouraged.

The first film is Peaks to Prairie and is described as follows: “In Boulder County, an ambitious initiative harnesses the power of nature to combat climate challenges in the peaks and prairie ecosystem. As megafires rage across the Western U.S., millions of acres of nearby agricultural prairies remain degraded, stripped of the nutrients vital for a thriving landscape. To address these challenges, three ecological partners—Boulder Watershed Collective, Grama Grass & Livestock, and Boulder Mushroom—have come together in a pioneering effort to restore the land.”

The second film is Common Ground (43 minutes). It’s described as follows: “From the creators of Kiss the Ground (CEFF’s 2021 Best of the Fest), this eye-opening film explores the regenerative farming movement and its potential to heal the soil, reverse climate change, and restore human health. Featuring passionate farmers, activists, and thought leaders, Common Ground offers a hopeful vision for the future of our planet— and the role we all play in shaping it.”

This nicely updated and well-maintained condo at 10259 W. 55th Drive is in the Skyline Estates subdivision east of Kipling between the campus of Red Rocks Community College’s Arvada campus and the athletic fields on 58th Avenue. When you look out the bedroom window or from the enclosed patio between mature evergreen trees, all you see in greenbelt, a children’s playground and those athletic fields. No traffic noise, just the sounds of birds enjoying our spring weather! This condo is in great condition, as you’ll see when you come to my open

this

The screenings are followed by an audience chat “to dive deeper into the stories, themes, and action steps from each film.”

The Green Center is located at 924 16th Street in downtown Golden. Street and lot parking is free on weekends. I put a link for ordering tickets for as little as $0 on our blog, http://RealEstateToday.substack.com. There are trailers you can click on for each film.

Lennar to Build 1,500 Denver Area Homes Using Geothermal Energy

Lennar, one of the nation’s biggest home builders, announced recently that it is going to build 1,500 homes in the Denver area using geothermal energy to heat and cool them. It’s likely that these will be all-electric homes, although that was not mentioned, since gas will not be needed for space or water heating.

Dandelion Energy is the builder’s partner in the project, using heat pumps to extract heat from the ground in the winter and to extract heat from the homes in the summer. Each home will have its own individually drilled geothermal wells, which surprised me. If the homes are close together, a community geothermal system might make more economic sense.

The goal is to complete the 1,500 homes by the end of 2026, making it the largest residential deployment using geothermal so far.

Your form is due in the assessor’s office by June 8, 2025, so you’ll want to mail it by June 1st if you can’t deliver it in person to the assessor’s office on the 2nd floor of the “Taj Mahal.” My recommendation is always to request an in-person meeting with the assessor’s office. You can make an appointment or just show up and wait in line.

A couple months ago, I reported that I had traded in my Tesla Model Y (which I loved) for the Ford Mustang Mach E after testdriving multiple other brands, including Chevrolet, Toyota, Hyundai, Kia and Nissan. Now that I’ve put 1,000 miles on my Mustang, and knowing that many readers may be thinking of trading in their Teslas, I thought it time to play automotive critic and write a review of the Mustang.

A few years ago, I spent 2 weeks driving an F-150 Lightning, which I liked, so I knew I would like the Mustang. Its “BlueCruise” hands-free driving, which only works on divided highways, is quite nice, but not worth (to me) the $50/month subscription fee after my three months’ free trial. It’s nowhere near as nice as Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)” which I reviewed favorably in my Nov. 21, 2024, column and which costs twice times as much ($99 per month or $8,000 purchase).

Without “BlueCruise,” there is lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control which can be used on city streets and arterials. The lanekeeping is not as effective as in the Tesla, wandering to the very edges of lanes instead of keeping strictly to the center, and it gives out on sharper curves, which Tesla is great at. But what I prefer about Ford’s lane-keeping is that it’s automatic. When I break the lanekeeping to change lanes, it locks into the new lane without me having to set it again.

The adaptive cruise control is much better than Tesla’s, because when the posted speed limit changes, it automatically resets the set speed. Since I set it for 10 mph over the speed

Writing the articles for this full-page “advertorial” has been my privilege and passion for over two decades, but I have decided to give myself a break and publish every other week instead of weekly so I can devote more time to my thriving real estate practice and family life. All 26 newspapers in which it appears have graciously allowed me to make this change, and I look forward to having next week “off”! Look for me to return every other week starting now. On those “off” weeks, including May 1st, I’ll be publishing half-page ads on related topics. In next week’s ad, I start a series on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). Look for it on this page.

Spend some time surfing around the assessor’s website to learn about the appeal process, including further appeals if the assessor’s office doesn’t respond favorably to your appeal.

limit, when it resets, it sets the new speed control accordingly. Not true on the Tesla.

My favorite feature is the “1-Pedal” setting for driving. This uses regenerative braking to slow down the car at a good rate when you release the accelerator pedal. And when it comes to a stop, it holds the car whether on an incline or not. The best thing about it is that once I have set it to “1-Pedal” driving, it is already set every time I drive. (It’s not the factory default setting, which is with minimal regenerative braking and unwanted “creep” as if you were driving a conventional car.)

The “frunk” is not as big as in any Tesla, but it’s bigger than other brands of EV, some of which have no front storage at all.

Like the newer Teslas, there is no need for a key fob (although they give you two), because your phone is your key. Instead of door handles, you touch a button above each door, which pops the door open enough to pull on it. There’s a smartphone app. It’s useful, but not as complete as Tesla’s.

There’s an EV round-up happening in the Arvada United Methodist Church’s lot at 68th and Carr St. this Sunday, April 27, from 9 to noon. I’ll have my car there if you’d like to get a closer look. Also, I wrote more about it at http://RealEstateToday.substack.com

Charities Which Used Our Free Box Truck Miss It. Our GoFundMe Campaign Is Off to a Good Start.

Back in February, I announced that our truck needed a new engine and other repairs and that we decided to retire it instead. This was a big loss to such non-profits as Operation Feed the Troops, Family Promise, BGoldN, Christian Action Guild, Buffalo Bill Days, and the International Rescue Committee, among others, which used the truck more often than our clients!

The truck is off the road but still available to be repaired. So far, we’ve received over $2,000 in donations. If you’d like to contribute, visit www.BringItBack.info. Thanks!

Review: My Mustang EV Is a Fine Replacement for My Tesla

Airport parking rates rising in May

Hourly rates increase but premium spots drop by $5

BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Denver International Airport is hiking parking fees at some of the airport’s parking lots while cutting the price of Premium Reserve parking starting May 14.

e changes have come as parking management and shuttle costs at DEN have increased by an average of 44.5% over the past three years, according to a Denver International Airport news release. Airport o cials looked at parking rates at airports in other major cities as well as the rates of nearby o -airport parking facilities before arriving at the new gures.

e last time DEN increased parking rates was July 15, 2022, the news release states.

“Increasing parking fees will allow DEN to continue investing in its parking facilities and further enhance the customer experience,” DEN Senior Vice President of Parking and Commercial Transportation Mark Nagel said in the news release. “Our investments include improved lighting, accessibility upgrades and enhanced security features.”

Increased parking fees will also allow DEN to continue to maintain competitive rates for its airlines, so they continue to add ights, bene ting local communities, the news release states. e rate increase is expected to generate more than $3 million in additional revenue per month. DEN o cials say they are committed to o ering a diversity of transportation options to and from the airport. RTD buses and trains provide regular service at DEN. Additionally, the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Bustang Outrider service provides transit between DEN and communities on Colorado’s Eastern Plains.

For more information on DEN Parking, including parking facility locations and real-time availability, visit https://www. ydenver.com/parking-and-transportation/parking-lots/.

The parking rates in this table are e ective starting May 14, 2025.

Passengers ﬁll the Great Hall at Denver International Airport as they wait to pass through the south security checkpoint on Oct. 22.

PHOTO BY HART VAN DENBURG/CPR NEWS

Keys on the Green expected to return around opening day

New operator in negotiations to operate Evergreen Golf Course restaurant

BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Evergreen Golf Course’s Keys on the Green restaurant will re-open with a new operator “as close to opening day as possible,” a city spokesperson said.

“We are working with a new concessionaire, and yes, we are planning to reopen it for the golf season,” said Scott Rethlake, director of golf for the City and County of Denver. “ eir response to the request for proposal was the best all-around bid. We think they’re going to do a great job.

“Right now, we can’t talk about details because it’s still in the contract process.”

e restaurant, managed by the City of Denver, closed Dec. 31, 2024.

e building that houses Keys on the Green is part of Evergreen’s history. It was developed as the golf course clubhouse in 1925, according to the restaurant’s website. e public course was deeded to the city of Denver in 1928, with the contingency that it remain a golf course.

In the 1980s, Denver Broncos running back Jon Keyworth and his partners restored and expanded the rustic clubhouse into the elegant home of Keys on the Green. It was later restored again by

Keys on the Green closed this winter, but is expected to reopen with a new operator around opening day of golf season.

Bard Capital founder Richard Bard and his wife, Pam, and brothers Kevin and Craig Caldwell.

e Bards, who helped run it for 10 years, posted a letter that appeared on the My Mountain Facebook page “to the Keys community” in January 2025 sharing the “bittersweet news” that the city had chosen to award the concessionaire contract

to a new restaurant operator.

“Keys on the Green has been more than just a restaurant,” they wrote. “It has been a place where we’ve shared countless memorable moments … we have been truly honored to be part of this wonderful Evergreen community.”

Richard Bard and Craig Caldwell did not respond to requests for comment.

State’s ﬁght against ozone turns to long term

Colorado asks EPA to downgrade status to ‘severe’

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado is giving up on meeting mandates for controlling toxic ozone in the next few years, while doubling down on plans that recently passed rules will start to make an impact by 2032.

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment o cials say they are asking the federal EPA to preemptively downgrade the Front Range ozone nonattainment zone to “severe” from the current “serious” violation standard, when judged by the 2015 ozone cap of 70 parts per billion.

Recent updated computer modeling of Front Range air shows continuing violations closer to 80 parts per billion, according to Regional Air Quality Council Executive Director Mike Silverstein. e RAQC is an advisory board and not a policy-making agency, but was briefed by the state about the downgrade request. at means Colorado isn’t projected to meet even the more lax 2008 standard of 75 parts per billion before 2027, Silverstein added.

Yes, it’s confusing: e nine northern counties included in the nonattainment area are on parallel but di erent schedules to cut lung-damaging ozone, one schedule whose clock started with the 2008 regulations and another schedule launched with the tighter 2015 standards. e bottom line is Colorado is failing on both tracks.

For the 2008 track, Colorado has sub-

No. New modeling run by the state “doesn’t predict we’re going to make it to 75” in 2025 or 2026, Silverstein said. “Our emission trends are at,” he said.

e state asking for a “severe” reset on the 2015 track buys time and moves the deadline for achieving 70 ppb to August

e state’s action, detailed in a letter to the advisory Regional Air Quality Council in late March, also helps Colorado avoid some of the additional EPA sanctions that would have come from leaving nonattainment in the “serious” category and then o cially exceeding those caps. By moving to “severe,” Colorado avoids having to submit a new improvement plan on the 2015 standards during 2025, and skirts these new sanctions:

• A requirement that proposed pollutants from new or modi ed large-source facilities be o set 2-to-1 by emissions cuts elsewhere in the nine-county area before projects could move forward.

to more state scrutiny in permitting. Does Colorado have any chance of making big improvements in those outlying years, even with the bonus time from seeking the second “severe” downgrade?

Colorado and RAQC o cials cite these recent laws or policies as examples of potentially e ective ozone-cutting practices that could start changing the results on monitors by 2030 to 2032:

• Ongoing state subsidies for purchasing clean electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, attacking ozone in the stubborn area of transportation.

• A series of new rules meant to cut ozone and greenhouse gas-causing emissions from the oil and gas industry, including “midstream” controls at oil and gas gathering and pipeline operations, and sharp cuts to allowed nitrogen oxide produced in upstream oil and gas.

• Rebates to buy clean lawn and garden equipment and restrictions on when large institutional users of gas-powered equipment can use the highly polluting engines in high ozone summer months.

mitted to the EPA for approval an improvement plan aimed at getting closer to the 75 ppb standard by 2027. On that 2008 track, Colorado has already been downgraded to “severe” violations.

e rst year of monitoring actual ozone for that plan was 2024, “and we didn’t start o well in our rst year,” Silverstein said.

“So we need to have much better summertime air quality these next two years,”

DENVERBIDS@WEONEIL.COM

• Federal highway funding sanctions that could hold back money for important Colorado transportation projects.

Colorado’s request does involve, though, adding some new territory into the nonattainment area. Far northern Weld County will now be included, along with the remainder of Weld, part of Larimer, and all of Boulder, Je erson, Denver, Broom eld, Adams, Douglas and Arapahoe counties. e change means new oil and gas developments in northern Weld will be subject

• Advanced clean trucks rules requiring makers of heavy-duty commercial vehicles to start selling an increasing percentage of electric or otherwise clean-fuel models beginning in the 2027 model year.

Colorado’s request for a downgrade, said RAQC spokesman David Sabados, “in no way reduces our sense of urgency.” 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.

Downtown Denver under hazy air seen on Thursday, April 21, 2022.

PHOTO BY HUGH CAREY/THE COLORADO SUN

DAM REPAIRS

two, Stawski said.

ey’ll then create a design for those repairs. Once that work is scheduled, the spillway will also need to be dry, but Stawski said that repair work is at least two years away.

cracking on the dam itself is just cosmetic,” Stawski said. “It has not been identi ed as a hazard.”

BROOKE WARNER Executive Director brooke@ntln.org

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ERIC HEINZ West Metro Editor eric@cotln.org

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fall occurs. In most cases, it’s more ideal for water to go through the dam rather than over it.”

Because water isn’t owing through the outlet works, the metro district can’t measure it to ensure Evergreen is meeting its water rights requirements, as required by the state. e upcoming $1 million project to repair the outlet works, replace valves and slip-line the outlet pipe will ultimately let the district meet its state requirements.

Sliplining is a trenchless method of repairing damaged pipes by inserting a smaller pipe inside the existing one. e space between the two pipes is then grouted to create a new, functional pipeline. Once all that work is done, water will ow out of the dam through the repaired pipe.

Water ows over the dam spillway in a mesmerizing, photogenic sheet of water that draws locals and tourists. And while it will still typically continue to ow over the spillway, the ability to measure it means that in the future, it may temporarily stop during drought conditions to satisfy the needs of other water users.

“It is beautiful,” Stawski said. “And as long as water coming into the lake is greater than our water rights obligations to release water, water will continue to ow over the spillway. In most cases, we’re able to satisfy that.

“In severe drought conditions, if water from Bear Creek coming into the reservoir is low, water will not ow over the dam because (we) have to satisfy our water rights requirements. But it’s not going to be a common occurrence.”

e project is expected to go to bid this summer. Construction is slated for completion by the end of 2026.

A second project to ensure the dam’s safety is also underway and will likely also happen in 2026. at work includes a hydrologic and hydraulic assessment to ensure the spillway meets current dam safety requirements. Engineers will then assess the spillway’s stability, work that will require lowering the lake level and stopping the spillway’s ow for a day or

“Our understanding is the spalling and

Stawski said work will be coordinated with Evergreen Park & Recreation District to ensure it doesn’t impact recreation on the lake.

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A legal newspaper of general circulation in Evergreen, Colorado, Canyon Courier is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 3540 Evergreen Parkway, Evergreen, CO 80439.

PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID AT Evergreen and additional mailing o ces.

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

CORRECTIONS

Colorado Trust for

The dam that created Evergreen Lake was built by the City of Denver in 1925 and 1926.

DISTRICT

HAPPENINGS

We’d like to know about events or activities of interest to the community. Visit www.canyoncourier.com/calendar/ and post your event online for free. Email jreuter@coloradocommunitymedia.com to get items in the newspaper. Items will appear in print on a space-available basis.

UPCOMING

Morning Birds & Brews: 8:30 a.m. April 25. Evergreen Nature Center, 27640 CO-74, Evergreen. We will spend some time chatting indoors before heading to the meadow to see birds. Free, no registration required. evergreenaudubon.org.

Earth Week cleanup at Evergreen Lake: 9 a.m. April 25, meet in front of Evergreen Lake House, 29612 Upper Bear Creek Road, Evergreen. Community cleanup around lake. All ages welcome. Gloves and trash bags provided. Information: Kathy Dekker (kdekker@ eprdco.gov)

Evergreen Park & Recreation District Candidate forum: 9 a.m. April 26, United Methodist Church, 3757 Ponderosa Drive, Evergreen. Information/questions: 720-675-7906.

World ai Chi Day: 10 a.m. April 26, Miller House at Buchanan Recreation Center, Evergreen. Free session to introduce ai Chi to newcomers and practice for others.

tion Beth Evergreen. Register at bethevergreen.org.

Resilience1220 6th anniversary: 5:30 p.m. May 7, Center for the Arts Evergreen, 31880 Rocky Village Dr., Evergreen. Celebrating youth creativity. Entertainment, exhibits, silent auction. resilience1220.org.

Parmalee Elementary Open House Celebration: 3:30 p.m. May 9, Parmalee Elementary gymnasium. Honoring retiring Principal Ingrid Mielke, and retiring teachers Kris Holden, Kelley Lehman and Connie Goroll.

Wildlife Watch spring volunteer training: 10 a.m. May 10, Evergreen Lake. Wildlife Watch relies on volunteers to educate visitors to Evergreen Lake about our local elk during calving and rutting seasons. Register at evergreenaudubon.org or email info@wildaware. org.

Center for the Arts Blue Silo Studios exhibit: Now through April 26, Center for the Arts Evergreen, 31880 Rocky Village Drive, Evergreen. Featuring nearly 20 artists from Denver’s historic Blue Silo Studios.

Evergreen’s 150th - Sacred Spaces: Noon to 2 p.m. May 3, Evergreen Lake boathouse. Free presentation on Dedisse Park and the Evergreen Lake area. evergreenchamber.org.

Evergreen Chamber Orchestra - Series Finale Recital: 3 p.m. May 4, St. Laurence Episcopal Church, 26812 Barkley Rd, Conifer. ECO’s Tickets at evergreenchamberorch.org

Beth Evergreen’s Annual Comedy Fundraiser: 3 p.m. May 4, with comedian John Novosad (a.k.a. “Hippieman”). Tickets $36 (age-appropriate for 16+), include John’s stand-up performance, opening music act, Jewish food auction, light refreshments. Childcare available for $5/child, including a live magic show and snacks. Proceeds bene t Congrega-

on Wednesdays at noon. evergreenaa. com/

Wild Aware is actively recruiting volunteers for their Last Friday Co ee. e monthly event is at 9 a.m., the last Friday morning of every month. Evergreen Bread and Cocktail Lounge, 1260 Bergen Parkway, Evergreen.

Conifer Chamber of Commerce member meeting: 7:30 a.m. on second ursdays, Our Lady of the Pines Catholic Church, 9444 Eagle Cli Road, Conifer. Free for members, $10 for nonmembers.

Evergreen Nature Center Weekly Preschool Adventures Program: 9 a.m. every ursday, 27640 Hwy 74, Evergreen. Free & no registration required. Programs designed for children ages 2-5 years old. All children must have an adult in attendance. Dress to explore the outdoors. evergreenaudubon.org

Nature Center is open from 10 a.m.4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays next to Church of the Trans guration. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.EvergreenAudubon.org.

e Bear Creek Cemetery Association board of directors volunteers needed: Members needed to help with operations of the local cemetery on Highway 74, Evergreen. Contact board president, evergreenbearcreekcemetery@gmail.com

Art Gone Wild Bene t Returns – An Evening of Art, Wine, and Wildlife Conservation: 5 p.m. May 16, Mountain Home, 27965 Meadow Drive, Evergreen. Wild Aware’s second annual bene t celebrating wildlife through art, while supporting local conservation e orts. Wine, appetizers, art by Colorado artists, sculptors, and photographers. wildaware.org

Morrison Town Clean Up Days: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. May 17 and May 18, Town Shop O ce, 700 Bear Creek Avenue, Morrison. Morrison residents only. Items not accepted: Concrete, TVs, electronics, air conditioners, refrigeration units, hazardous waste, paint, oil, tires, batteries, computers. Drain uids from motors. morrisonco.us.

Conifer/North Fork Fire 50K or 50 mile ultramarathon: 6 a.m. 50 mile, 7 a.m. 50K, May 31, Bu alo Creek Clubhouse, 18050 S. Bu alo Creek Road, Buffalo Creek. Portion of proceeds bene t the re department. aravaiparunning. com

A Taste of Peace: 5 p.m. May 31, Evergreen Elks Lodge, 27972 Iris Dr, Evergreen. Fundraiser for PeaceWorks. Tickets and more information at peaceworksinc.co/communitywellness

ONGOING

Mountain Women Alcoholics Anonymous (AA): 9 a.m. every Saturday in person and on Zoom, Evergreen Lutheran Church, 5980 CR-73, Evergreen. Mountain Women also meet via Zoom

Evergreen Nature Center Monthly Family Program: 11 a.m. every last Saturday, 27640 Hwy 74, Evergreen. evergreenaudubon.org

e American Legion Evergreen Post 2001: Meets 4 p.m. every fourth Tuesday, Evergreen Church of the Trans guration, Douglas Hall, 27640 Hwy 74, Evergreen. Serving all military Veterans in the foothills. Email evergreenpost2001@ gmail.com.

Evergreen Camera Club: Meets every second Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Evergreen Fire/Rescue auditorium, 1802 Bergen Parkway, Evergreen. Club is for people who share a passion for all photography, from beginners to professionals. Attend in person or via ZOOM.

Evergreen Area Republican Club: e Evergreen Area Republican Club meets at 6 p.m. the rst Wednesday of the month at the Evergreen Fire/Rescue Administration Building, 1802 Bergen Parkway, Evergreen. e May 7 speaker is 23rd Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler. Information at evergreenarearepublicanclub.org

Mountain Area Democrats: Mountain Area Democrats meet at 9 a.m. the fourth Saturday of the month January through April at the United Methodist Church of Evergreen, 3757 Ponderosa Drive, Evergreen. For more information, e-mail mtnareademocrats@gmail.com

Evergreen Nature Center: Evergreen

Blue Spruce Habitat volunteers needed: Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity is looking for volunteers. A variety of opportunities and exible schedules are available on new construction sites as well as for exterior minor home repairs. No previous construction experience needed. Contact volunteer@ bluesprucehabitat.org for information.

EChO needs volunteers: e Evergreen Christian Outreach ReSale Store and food pantry need volunteers. Proceeds from the EChO ReSale Store support the food pantry and programs and services provided by EChO. Many volunteer options available. For more information, call Mary at 720-673-4369 or email mary@evergreenchristianoutreach.org.

LGBTQ+ teen book club: Resilience1220 is o ering an LGBTQ+ teen book club that meets from 4-6 p.m. the fourth Monday at the Resilience1220 o ce next to the Buchanan Park Recreation Center. For more information and to register, visit R1220.org.

ESA EverGREEN Re ll Station: EverGREEN Re ll Station (re ll your laundry detergent, lotions, soaps and more. We have many sustainable products available). e Re ll Station is open Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month from 1-4 p.m. in the Habitat Restore, 1232 Bergen Parkway.

Support After Suicide Loss: A safe place to share and learn after losing a loved one to suicide. is group meets every fourth Wednesday of the month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. via Zoom or in person at the Resilience1220 o ce. For ages 14 and up. Suggested donation for this group is $15. Register at resilience1220. org/groups.

Sensitive Collection: Resilience1220 strives to inform and support highly senSEE HAPPENINGS, P9

Proposed fund would help defend against Trump cuts

BY SARA WILSON COLORADO NEWSLINE

Colorado lawmakers began debate on April 15 over a bill that would set aside $4 million for the o ce of Gov. Jared Polis to defend the state against actions — including legal proceedings, funding freezes and investigations — from the Trump administration.

“ is is a special circumstance where this state needs exibility to do everything we can and be able to ght, to defend our state and to draw down federal tax dollars that our good citizens have paid into the co ers of Washington, D.C,. and pull those funds back into Colorado,” said bill sponsor Rep. Shannon Bird, a Westminster Democrat.

Bird is running the bill with House Speaker Julie McCluskie, a Dillon Democrat. ere are no Senate sponsors yet.

e money would be appropriated from the state’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act cash fund, which was created in 2022 to bank state money to match federal dollars available through that Bidenera law, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. e governor’s o ce would also be able to accept grants and donations for the legal fund.

e chamber gave preliminary approval to House Bill 25-1321, which needs to pass on a nal recorded vote before heading to the Senate.

Speci cally, the money could be used to pay for sta and contractors to defend against threats to obligated federal funding owed to the state, or reimburse the Colorado attorney general’s o ce for the work. e money could also be used to defend state employees in criminal proceedings if that need arises.

e bill comes after President Donald Trump issued a sweeping federal funding freeze in January in order to evaluate if the spending aligned with White House policy goals, which sowed confusion in how the state could pay for programs like Medicaid, early childhood education and grant-reliant services absent federal dollars.

A federal court later blocked the freeze and that decision was upheld by an ap-

peals court, but the administration is still undertaking a broad e ort to slash government spending and grant funding, especially for institutions that don’t bow to administration demands.

About one-third of the state’s annual budget comes from federal funding, and there is uncertainty about future cuts or other adverse actions by the federal government.

“We know there are going to be unlawful attempts to withhold money from our state. e only way we can defend against those unlawful attempts is to go to court.

at costs money,” Rep. Bob Marshall, a Highlands Ranch Democrat, said.

Attorney General Phil Weiser signed on to the lawsuit challenging the federal funding freeze. He also joined a lawsuit earlier this month challenging the cancellation of about $230 million in public health cuts to the state.

“We are in uncharted territory, where federal funding has been frozen, and we have examples of that with Medicaid, (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and numerous independent grants. We need to have the exibility to respond to protect the state’s interests. It is very concerning and should be to all of us,” McCluskie said.

House Republicans have repeatedly offered amendments on bills this session to invalidate a policy if it results in loss of federal funding. All of those amendments have been defeated.

“ is is our own doing that we’re losing federal funding because of the bills that we’re passing here. We have tried to run amendments on these bills that say if they impact our federal funding, it will be null. is body has voted those down,” said Rep. Carlos Barron, a Fort Lupton Republican.

e state has not lost federal funding as a direct result of any bill this year, but Republicans argue that some bills involving rearm restrictions, immigration and gender a rming care protections could jeopardize that. is story is from Colorado Newsline. Used by permission. For more, and to support the news organization, visit coloradonewsline.com.

www.frontrangebizops.com

Continuing Through Local History

The monthly historic segments to celebrate Evergreen’s 150th Anniversary called Sacred Spaces continue May 3rd from noon to 2pm with a presentation on the Dedisse Ranch. Originally homesteaded by the French pioneering deDisse family, the Dedisse Ranch was along Bear Creek by 1866. Their lands were described as a “Mountain Eden” producing lush hay and an abundance of wild owers. Part of their meadow became the rst ball eld where a local baseball team played against teams from other communities. Join us to learn more about this property, its heritage and how we all use it today.

sitive people to live healthy and empowered lives. It meets the third Wednesday of each month from 6-7 p.m. via Zoom. Register at resilience1220.org/groups.

Caregiver support group: Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice o ers a monthly group to provide emotional support services for caregivers helping ill, disabled or elderly loved ones. An in-person support group meets every third Wednesday from noon to 1:30 p.m. at 3081 Bergen Peak Road, Evergreen. For more information, visit mtevans.org/services/emotional-support/.

Parkinson’s disease support group: A Parkinson’s disease support group meets the rst Friday of the month from 1-3 p.m. at Evergreen Christian Church, 27772 Iris Drive, Evergreen. For more information, email esears@parkinsonrockies.org.

Mountain Foothills Rotary meetings: Mountain Foothills Rotary meets at 6 p.m. Wednesdays both in person at Mount Vernon Canyon Club, 24933 Club House Circle, Genesee, and via Zoom. Information at 346-248-7799.

Beyond the Rainbow: Resilience1220 o ers Beyond the Rainbow, which is two support groups that meet the second Tuesday of the month. One is a safe group for those 12-20 and the other is a group for parents and caregivers wanting support for raising an LGBTQ+ child. For group location and to RSVP, email heather@resilience1220.org.

Grieving the Death of a Spouse/Partner Support Group: 3 to 4 p.m. every second ursday. is group explores issues unique to those who have lost a life partner. O ered in-person and virtually. Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice, 3081 Bergen Peak Road, Evergreen. For more information, visit mtevans.org/ services/emotional-support/.

The season of new beginnings

SWINNING WORDS

pring has arrived, bringing with it the unmistakable signs of new beginnings. e air is warmer, the days are getting longer, and nature is waking up from its winter slumber. e robins are back, hopping across lawns as they search for food, and the trees are beginning to bud, promising a vibrant canopy of green. Flowers are cautiously peeking through the soil, eager to bloom. For those of us in colder climates, this change is not just welcome, it’s eagerly anticipated. We aren’t quite yearning for the sweltering heat of summer, but the gentle warmth and the hint of what’s to come are a comfort. In past columns, I’ve shared thoughts on new beginnings, each time re ecting on how they can mean di erent things to different people. Whether it’s the New Year, a new job, or even a signi cant life transition, the idea of starting fresh resonates with all of us in one way or another. Yet, spring brings a unique sense of renewal. It’s not just the visible changes in nature but the feeling of being reinvigorated after a season of waiting and hoping. Easter is one of the most profound symbols of new beginnings at this time of year. While some see the New Year as a moment to set new goals or make resolutions, Easter carries a deeper meaning for many of us. It’s not just about making a change; it’s about being transformed. It calls us to look inward, examine our spiritual lives, and consider how our relationship with God might shape who we are becoming. Easter invites us to re ect on what we want to do di erently and who we want to become. It’s a time to think about how to deepen our relationships, with our families, friends, and even strangers. Easter has always been more about the heart than the calendar. As I grow older, I focus less on grand resolutions and more on small, intentional steps that lead to meaningful change. is change is not driven by external forces or societal pressure but by a desire to live with greater purpose and connection.

In a world that is changing faster than ever, driven by technology, evolving social norms, and shifting perspectives, it’s essential to recognize that true personal growth is a slower, more deliberate process. Unlike technological advancements, which seem to burst onto the scene almost overnight, personal change often happens quietly, through re ection and commitment. It’s born internally, shaped by our deepest desires and new insights, and slowly manifested in our actions and attitudes.

We can’t overlook that the world in uences how we think and feel about new beginnings. e information we consume, the conversations we have, and the voices we choose to listen to all shape our beliefs and attitudes. at’s why it’s so important to pause and listen to the voice from our heart and mind, especially in a season like this when we’re naturally inclined to think about renewal and transformation. Easter remains a powerful reminder of the most signi cant new beginning I can embrace, strengthening my relationship with God. It’s not about making sweeping changes or setting lofty goals but about seeking more profound connections with God, those I love, and those I don’t yet know. It’s about being more welcoming, open, and intentional in how I show up in the world.

As the world around us continues to change, sometimes at a dizzying pace, let’s remember that the most meaningful changes are the ones that start within us.

As we embrace this season of renewal, let’s challenge ourselves to witness the new growth around us and nurture it within us. Let the robin’s song remind us that change is inevitable and beautiful. Let the budding trees and blooming owers inspire us to grow in ways that re ect our values and aspirations. And most importantly, let the spirit of Easter guide us toward becoming the best version of ourselves, rooted in faith, love, and the promise of new beginnings. I would love to hear your “new beginnings” story at gotonorton@gmail.com. And when we can begin that transformative journey from within, it really will be a better-thangood 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.

VOICES

Resistance and grit, in the service of others

Iwant to take a moment to tell you about a hero few know. Virginia Hall was born into a well-to-do family in 1909. She desperately wanted to be a part of the Foreign Service, so she left the comfort of her Baltimore home to study in Europe. Eventually, in the early 1930s, she took a clerical job in the U.S. Embassy in Poland. After relocating to a similar role in Turkey, Hall lost her left leg below the knee in a hunting accident and received a wooden prosthetic leg. She named her prosthesis “Cuthbert,” explaining that something that was going to be with her forever needed “a name”, and after a short convalescence, she continued to pursue her Foreign Service dream.

After being blocked multiple times from entering the U.S. diplomatic service, she eventually became an ambulance driver for the French at the start of World War II. She was later recruited by British Intelligence and served for two years as a British agent in France.

As the rst Allied spy in German-controlled territory, her success in the role was unparalleled. During a 15-month period behind enemy lines, she was often the only Allied source of information on German troop movements and forti cations. With heroic e ort, she was able to establish networks of resistance that operated even after she ed France.

In November of 1942, with German forces close to capturing her, she crossed the Pyrenees on foot, with snow falling and “Cuthbert’s” rivets cutting her stump with every step.

Barely a year after her escape,

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

she was back in France working for the U.S. precursor to the CIA. In her second 15 months of service, Hall’s work as a wireless operator and resistance organizer was identi ed by General Eisenhower as critical to the success of the D-Day invasion.

Hall was eventually honored, with some of the highest awards of distinction given in France, Britain and the United States. Additionally, the Germans acknowledged her as the most dangerous foreign operative in France, putting up posters and allocating signi cant resources to nding her. eir name for her was “ e Limping Lady.” Virginia Hall was identi ed by friend and foe as a di erence maker.

Even with all these accolades, Virginia Hall has faded from our collective memory. e one group of people who never forgot Hall were those who worked directly with her in France. e resistance hubs she created continued, for decades, after the war, to gather yearly to reminisce. ose who attended the get-togethers said their conversations would always turn to their appreciation for the woman who did so much to help them and France. Even those who argued with her during the war about her initiatives came to appreciate her in re ection.

Virginia Hall wanted, with every ber of her being, to help free

France and to make a di erence. In that work, she found in her very core an ability to persevere. She refused to allow Cuthbert, the dripping misogyny of the time, the loss of dear friends, the German military, criticism of her actions, or any list of hardships to sway her from her work supporting the Allies. In the end, her e orts were spectacularly successful. I share Hall’s story with you in hopes that when you are in the midst of a struggle you will remember that sometimes we need to set aside the focus on self and turn it toward others. When I am focused on helping others, I do not see the struggles of moving my body, I see the di erence I have made for someone. More importantly, I realize that my heart, not my limp, is what makes a lasting di erence. e same will be true for each of us.

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 use them to uplift those around 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.

Jim Roome

Michael Norton

During a 15-month period behind enemy lines, Virginia Hall was often the only Allied source of information on German troop movements and fortiﬁcations.

COURTESY OF JIM ROOME

BY STAVROS KORONEOS

Repartee

MORRISON – The way Archie saw it, Jughead swerved in front of him so suddenly as to nearly cause an accident, and then slowed down so suddenly as to nearly cause an accident. Angry at Jughead’s carelessness, Archie waited until he and Jughead were stopped at the same red light and leapt out of his car to confront him. “Hey man!” Archie barked. “What’s your hurry?” Jughead didn’t like Archie’s accusatory tone and said so. “(Nerts to) you!” declared Jughead, joining Archie on the pavement. “Don’t drive in the fast lane if you’re going to drive slow as (nerts).” Recognizing guilt transference when he heard it, Archie insisted that Jughead accept full accountability.”If you want to make something of this,” offered Jughead, “I’ll just beat you like a rug.” Sizing up Jughead’s crew cut and thigh-sized neck, Archie played his ace in the hole. “If you even touch me, my dog will attack you.” Jughead wasn’t impressed. “I’ll take care of that with my equalizer.” Archie didn’t see an “equalizer” on Jughead’s person, but was prepared to believe Jughead had one somewhere and retreated to his vehicle. Archie followed Jughead’s Chrysler 300M for a few minutes, trying to get a photo of its out-of-state license plate. Tumbling to the scheme, Jughead popped his trunk, which lifted the license plate out of Archie’s view. Out of ideas, Archie called JCSO. Deputies thanked Archie for his report and closed the case.

venerable Crown Victoria separated by four feet of threadbare bench seat and about a million miles of emotional distance. Satisfied that the spat had never become physical, officers suggested the pair take up the matter at a more convenient time and in a more appropriate venue. Girlfriend agreed to let Boyfriend return to his pizza oven in peace, and deputies gave Girlfriend a lift elsewhere.

Heady debate

Slice of life

SOUTH JEFFCO – Girlfriend had an appointment to discuss unspecified “custody” issues and wanted Boyfriend to accompany her. Boyfriend said he would, provided he could find somebody to fill his shift at the pizza parlor. When Girlfriend showed up at the pizza parlor at the appointed time, Boyfriend said he hadn’t found a replacement and couldn’t leave the place short-staffed. Girlfriend insisted he could. Not long after, a concerned citizen called 911 to report a man and woman going at it tooth and nail behind the pizza parlor. Responding deputies found Girlfriend and Boyfriend sitting in a

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EVERGREEN – Just before the bell on March 6, a pair of hyper-engaged moms gave Wilmot Elementary School students an impromptu lesson on the current state of American political discourse. Unfortunately, the curriculum was a little too rich for that young audience, and the debate turned so fierce that one of them called for an official censure of her able opponent. Alexandria told responding deputies that she’d been privately engaged in a public policy disagreement with her neighbor, Linda, for several days to the point where Alexandria had begun feeling “bullied.” While dropping her child off at the school, Alexandria spied Linda seated in a car nearby and stalked over to “confront her about the things she’s been saying.” In response, Linda “rolled down her window and spit at me.” Taking the open window as invitation for rebuttal, Alexandria reached into the car and “tried to grab her face.” Using her mouth to make a more direct kind of argument, Linda “bit my thumbs.” Moments later both women were standing in the parking lot throwing punches. Moments after that, school personnel broke up the fight and ordered both women to get off of school property. Alexandria called the cops, demanding that deputies charge Linda with assault. After reviewing school surveillance footage, deputies charged Alexandria with assault.

Sheriff’s Calls is intended as a humorous take on some of the incident call records of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office for the mountain communities. Names and identifying details have been changed, including the writer’s name, which is a pseudonym. All individuals are innocent until proven guilty.

• Letters advocating for a political candidate should focus on that candidate’s qualiﬁcations for o ce. We cannot publish letters that contain unveriﬁed negative information about a candidate’s opponent. Letters advocating for or against a political candidate or ballot issue will not be published within 12 days of an election.

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BY ELISABETH SLAY ESLAY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

From hand painted cross stitch patterns to intricate knitted designs to textile complex quilts, artists and hobbyists alike are drawn to the array of ber arts shops and organizations strewn across the Denver metro.

Owners and employees of these establishments say the Denver ber arts scene is lively and inclusive.

“We all have di erent vibes,” said Marsha Corn, owner of the Tangled Ball. “We all carry some of the same, some di erent, we all specialize. (But) we’re in it for the same reason because we all love ber and we all want to succeed and maybe make our customers love bers as much as we do.”

The Tangled Ball: ‘A community’

e Tangled Ball, located at 5505 W. 20th Ave. in Edgewater, is not just a yarn shop – it’s a vibrant community hub for individuals of all ages and skill levels to come together and engage in the ber arts.

“We have classes here, we have work-

shops here, we have events here,” Corn said. “It’s a safe place for people to come and just hang out and create.”

Corn said her mother inspired her passion for the ber arts, and she was inspired to open the Tangled Ball after sitting in a shop with some friends and wishing there was one similar near where she lived.

“So my mom taught me how to knit and crochet (and) do all that kind of stu ,” Corn said. “I’ve always wanted to open my own business, so I proposed the idea to my husband about (opening) a yarn store, and it was one of the few that he was like, ‘yeah, we could do that.”’

e location Corn chose was ideal because it’s within a marketplace that o ers food, drink and ample parking — creating a perfect environment for a community-centered store.

e Tangled Ball opened its doors in July 2020, after delays caused by the pandemic, and it has since grown into a space that serves many.

For Corn, the best aspect of the Tangled ball is the way it provides support to people.

“We solve each other’s world prob-

lems. We get people through divorces. We get people through breakups. We get people through what to make for dinner. It’s just such a great community,” Corn said.

As a lover of the ber arts, Corn feels di erent forms — such as needlepoint, knitting, crocheting and more — are both for those searching for a hobby and those skilled in the art of all of it.

For Corn, something like a hand-knitted article is a work of art.

“It’s the yarn. e color of the yarn. e texture of the yarn. e composition of the yarn. (It) has linens and silks and rolls blended into it, and it’s just beautiful,” Corn said. “It’s an art form of design patterns. I do say we don’t knit or crochet now out of necessity, we knit out of joy or hobby.”

Corn believes people especially enjoy the ber arts because it allows them to focus on something other than the stresses and challenges of day-to-day life.

“I’m not thinking about all the junk going on up here in the world,” Corn said. “I’m focused on what I’m doing, even if it’s just 10 minutes. I’m not thinking about what to make for dinner. I’m not thinking about politics. I’m not

thinking about religion. I’m just concentrating on what’s in front of me.”

Diversions Needlepoint: ‘Keeping needlepoint alive’

Similar to Corn, Colorado native and co-owner of Diversions Needlepoint, Cari Davis, was inspired by her late mother to practice the art of needlepoint. It was her passion for the art that eventually led her to pursue it as a career.

“I saw her doing it and wanted to do it,” Davis said. “(I love) the color, the people, the challenge, the creativity, and I love the tactile. I enjoy the kinesthetic.”

Davis and her mother, Mary Lou Kidder, initially opened Diversions in Vail. It is now located at 410 W. Hampden Ave., and for over 50 years, the store has brought ber arts supplies and knowledge to people throughout Colorado. Davis now runs the shop with her own daughter, Mandy Adams, who grew up in the ber business – even making her rst project, a belt, at the age of 4.

One of hundreds of quilts on display throughout the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden. This quilt was created by David Taylor. PHOTO BY ELISABETH SLAY

FIBER ARTS

Adams brought her own artistic talents to the shop, o ering custom design services such as hand-painted canvases for needlepoint projects. Her ability to turn a customer’s vision into a unique work of art quickly became a hallmark of the store.

“I was just born artistic,” Adams said. “I always drew and painted and played with color from the time I was just a little one. (I am) awful at math and everything else, but I can kind of draw.”

e sta at Diversions, a mix of paid employees and volunteers, is knowledgeable and passionate about needlepoint. Many of the sta members have been with the shop for years, ensuring that customers always receive expert guidance and support.

“We’ve got a great group of women and wonderful people that volunteer here to help people,” Davis said. “Every day is di erent. You never know what’s going to happen or who’s going to walk in the door, and that makes it fun.”

Adams said she enjoys the challenge and the creative aspect of her art.

“You’re making heirlooms,” Adams said.

As the shop celebrates over ve decades of business, it remains committed to providing a welcoming space where people can explore their creativity, build connections and nd inspiration.

For Davis and Adams, it’s not just about selling products — it’s about building a community of makers.

“We hope to keep making people happy and inspire future generations and to keep needlework alive,” Davis said.

Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum: ‘All about stories’

Another institution that works to educate and foster a community of ber arts enthusiasts is the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden.

Located at 200 Violet St. Suite 140, this museum is dedicated entirely to the history, teaching and fundamentals of quilting.

“It’s a place where people really nd an opportunity to experience what quilts are all about,” said Holly Bailey, the museum’s education manager. “And quilts are all about stories — stories of the people who made the quilts, stories of people who owned the quilts and got to experience the quilts. Even brand new quilts, the makers, almost always have a story of why they made the quilt or things that happened along the way while they were making it.”

e museum has over 850 quilts in its permanent collection and about 150 quilts in its educational collections.

“(With) the permanent collection, preservation is kind of the primary thing that we’re concerned with, and then exhibiting so that people can see those quilts,” Bailey said.

e education collection contains quilts that don’t make it into the permanent collection.

“ ey’re still really valuable for education purposes,” Bailey said. “So we use those quilts to be able to bring them out. We take them out in trunk shows around the community and (country). e audience can touch

them. So the education collection has the ones that you can get up close and personal with.”

For Bailey, quilting began not as a lifelong passion, but as a deeply personal project.

“I started doing it for kind of a strange reason,” Bailey said. “My sister was a quilter and she was the major caretaker for my parents and lived very close to them. I lived 1,500 miles away.”

Bailey said her mother had Alzheimer’s. So as a way to help her stay engaged in the story of her life, Bailey and her sister decided to make a quilt of their mother’s memories.

“She could talk about it and it didn’t really matter whether she was right or wrong or anything, but it was conversational and it would be something that she would get to enjoy,” Bailey said.

Based on her experience, Bailey believes many people begin quilting due to sentimental purposes and then just fall in love with the storytelling element of the art.

“I think a lot of people get involved because of friends or family or somebody else,” Bailey said. “Maybe they learn it from their relatives or people they’re around. But it’s very creative. Most of the time it’s very relaxing. Touching fabric has a value in and of itself. It’s almost like giving somebody a hug when you give them a quilt because it’s something that’s going to wrap around them and they’re going to nd comfort in it.”

Bailey said many di erent people — from children to seniors — visit and enjoy all the services the museum has to o er, including its extensive library and classes.

Classes range from beginner quilting to advanced textile arts, with topics like hand-stitching, machine quilting and even digital-to-fabric design. One recent class explored how to turn a photograph into a quilt, using technology to manipulate and print images on fabric.

Another key highlight is the museum’s summer kids’ camp. Running for four weeks in June, the camp o ers young artists, ages 8 to 16, the opportunity to design and complete their own quilts.

“ ey do everything,” Bailey said. “From the design of it through all of the sewing, all of the quilting, the binding.”

e museum also o ers free community groups, including hand-stitching circles, study groups and technique-focused clubs.

Despite the richness of the ber arts scene in the Denver metro area, Bailey feels there’s room for deeper collaboration.

“ ere’s a lot of variety, but we don’t come together very often and really trade ideas and crossover in our teaching,” Bailey said. “It would be nice if we could maybe be a little more intentional about that.”

One step toward greater unity is an upcoming partnership with the Embroidery Guild of America. e two groups will share knowledge through workshops, such as one on crazy quilts, which often incorporate intricate embroidery.

e team has recently expanded into a third unit of their building, with hopes to eventually occupy the entire space. e overall goal is to create a full- edged quilting and ber arts complex and a destination for locals and visitors alike.

Owner of the Tangled Ball Marsha Corn spins yarn for a customer on a wheel at her shop located in the Edgewater Public Market. The market address is 5505 W. 20th Ave. in Edgewater.

Co-owners of Diversions Needlepoint and mother and daughter Cari Davis and Mandy Adams stand among the thousands of skeins of thread available at their shop located at 410 W. Hampden Ave. in Englewood. PHOTOS

ELISABETH SLAY

INTERNATIONAL SERVICES COMMITTEE

NEW PROJECTS FOR 2024/2025

• Locally Haiti – Strengthening Food Security and Health

• Water Filters Rwanda – Water Puri cation Filters

• Dental Mission Nepal & India – First time and ongoing dental care for 3,000 children

• Roatan Dental Mission – Dental services at four clinics

• Rotary International Health Scholarships –Scholarships in conjunction with Anschutz Medical Campus

• Adelante Foundation, HondurasMicro nance loan pool for impoverished women to start and grow small business enterprises.

• Center of Love Kenya – Clean water for 5000 students

• Water Pump Kuju Health Ethiopia - a solar pump for Town of Kuju and the Kuju Health Center

• Water Wells, Cameroon – providing water wells and training for multiple villages

• Speakers for Africa – Latrine construction in Uganda

• Ka ka House, Tanzania – Pre and post operative care for children in northern Tanzania

• SIMcubator, Rwanda - a bootcamp, mentorship program, and pitch day for young startup founders

CONTINUING PROJECTS

• St Helene, Honduras – Water Distribution System

Regis Water, Sanitation and

CENTER OF LOVE WATER PROJECT

The goal is to replicate the success of the St. Joseph WASH Project, a previous project with Evergreen Rotary Club involvement, on a larger scale. By implementing a similar water ltration and disinfection system, coupled with comprehensive water education programs, the Olympic Primary & Secondary School, impacting 5,000 plus students, is achieving a signi cant reduction in water-borne illnesses and through access to clean and safe drinking water. This improves the health of students through access to clean water.

KAFIKA HOUSE

Ka ka House is an organization that provides pre- and post-operative care for children in northern Tanzania. They have been providing these services since 2008 and now have two locations: one just outside of Arusha and one in Maasailand outside of Karatu near the Ngorongoro Crater. They are a liated with the Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre and Selian Lutheran Hospital.

Our club has more than 100 members from all walks of life. We like to have fun and we organize social functions throughout the year.

• We meet once a week on Fridays at 7:00 a.m. for breakfast. There is no meeting commitment – attend as many or as few as you like.

• Our meetings, events, location details and speaker schedules can be found at EvergreenRotary.org, along with details about our local and international committees and projects.

• Our membership is open to all people of all ages and all backgrounds. More info at EvergreenRotary.org

session for Rotary District 5450 WASH Symposium at CSU Spur Center Finishing touches for new latrines in Uganda

completion for new water treatment and pump facility in Peru Village children enjoying clean water in Cameroon

Curt Harris from Evergreen Rotary Club in Kenya with new soccer balls for the students

Setting up new appliances at Ka ta House in Tanzania

Je co residents impacted by crime ﬁnd support, sense of peace at annual Courage Walk

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Anyone who visits the Courage Garden on the south side of the Je erson County Government Center complex will see people’s names among the owers and trees.

And every April, their loved ones and other Jeffco community members gather to ensure that the names and stories of those in the Courage Garden are never forgotten.

On April 12, local organizations hosted the 32nd annual Courage Walk to honor Je co residents who have been impacted by crime — survivors, victims’ family members and friends, and their communities. e event always coincides with National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

As both organizers and participants have explained previously, the event helps remind people of “the resilience of the human spirit,” and that there are other people who share their experiences.

is year’s theme was “Connecting, Kinship, and Healing for crime survivors” to mark “the progress made by those before us as we look to the future of Crime Victim Services that is even more inclusive, accessible and trauma informed,” it stated on its website.

at morning, dozens of people assembled in front of the courthouse’s main entrance and then made a short pilgrimage together around the building to the Courage Garden, where the names of Je co residents who have been lost to crime are found.

After reaching the Courage Garden, the group gathered in an area nearby for prayer, speeches and a ceremonial dove release.

For more information about the annual event or the Courage Garden, visit je co.us/4912/Courage-Walk.

Family members take part in the Courage Walk wearing shirts with Baby Samantha’s name and photo on them.

PHOTO SBY SARA HERTWIG

As people gather in the Courage Garden to honor those they lost to violence, two girls walk up to inspect the doves that will be released at the conclusion of the event.

Lori Poland, victim’s advocate and a survivor of childhood abduction, is introduced by DA Alexis King as the keynote speaker at the 32nd Annual Courage Walk.

FORUM

Chuck Newby and Elk Creek resident Neil Whitehead III have filed an appeal against it. While it was recently and unanimously rejected by the Jefferson County Commissioners, they now plan to take the issue to district court. This article includes some of the evening’s questions and answers.

Q: With the recent decision by Jefferson County Commissioners and the possibility of further litigation in court, how confident are you in the future of the unification with Conifer Fire? Are you in favor of unification or not?

Michael Bartlett: There’s no such thing as unification. It’s called consolidation. It’s part of Title 32 of the CRS (Colorado Revised Statutes). In general, what I have seen presented so far in the consolidation efforts doesn’t really talk to how much this is really going to cost. We’ve never had anybody say anything about rebranding costs. There are probably five engines and four tenders and two brush trucks more than 20 years old in the districts that surround us. The cost of replacing those immediately is probably more than $7 million. It’s not accounted for in anybody’s

books.

I really believe in data-based decision making. The data wasn’t presented to the taxpayers fairly in that last go ’round.

I believe the commissioners are elected officials that can’t lose the union vote, and they had to do what they did if they wanted to be re-elected.

Al Leo : The ruling basically affirmed the Title 32 laws were followed by Elk Creek. As far as I’m concerned, that’s a green light for unification to move forward. Why do I support unification?

Six more firefighters and a second 24/7 staffed fire station to meet our community’s needs. A larger set of resources requires less reliance on mutual aid and better response times. There seems to be a mentality that we lose something with unification. That’s incorrect.

The budget for Conifer Fire right now is about $1.8 million. They’ve got about $3 million in the bank. Those are all added to what Elk Creek Fire already has.

The litigation is appalling. This isn’t trying to fight against a high-density apartment complex, or a bike park. This is interfering with public safety. And it’s appalling a board member is working against it.

Kathleen Noonan : The (Jefferson County) board affirmed the (Elk Creek Fire) board followed the law. Unifica-

tion does not go along with a mill levy increase. There actually would be mill levy decrease because Elk Creek Fire would become part of North Forks’ mill levy, which is at 12, less than what we have now. There would be no stations that would close. It’ll improve allocation of staff, and resources.

Mutual aid is not always available. If you have two fully staffed fire stations – one at windy point – we will have a paramedic there ready to respond in case of emergency. We’ll have more robust, well-rounded crews. And it’ll be easy to make capital improvements.

Tom Seymour : The frustration and confusion we saw (in November 2023’s consolidation vote) stemmed from the mill levy. Voters should have received a detailed breakdown of the costs as well as benefits. My views on unification are somewhat irrelevant now. What is done is in the past and should not be revisited at taxpayers’ expense. I firmly believe that had consolidation not been lumped in with a mill levy increase, we would not be here today.

I support the consolidation, but my concern is relinquishing all the assets of Elk Creek.

Todd Wagner : The way it’s being handled currently, no. I think what we’re looking at is one aspect. And we’re not

Al Leo

Tom Seymour

Todd Wagner

Kathleen Noonan

Michael Barlett

FORUM

looking at many that were covered in this report (Elk Creek Fire’s 2021 AP Triton report). We have spent so much money trying to push forth consolidation/unification. Yet we haven’t spent the money we need to continue to bring in more recruits, more volunteers, trying to retain the volunteers we have. That in my mind is the number one thing about this whole deal. It’s very easy to hire more firefighters. Finding volunteers is the biggest hurdle we need to accomplish. Grow our foundation that way. It’s imperative.

Q: We’ve heard that volunteer firefighters have been difficult to recruit recently and that overall volunteer numbers are down. What do you believe are the best ways to recruit and retain volunteer firefighters?

Al Leo : The district is evolving and the community is evolving. One of the things we can do is provide a career path, an opportunity to come in as a volunteer, get training and experience and work into a full-time professional career role so you can live and grow in this community. This is a problem nationwide. Volunteer retention and attraction is a big issue. Some of the things Elk Creek and Conifer Fire already do is that they provide stipends, training, a point system, funding for additional training.

Kathleen Noonan : I think Elk Creek does a very good job of training their volunteer firefighters. It’s probably one of the most robust training programs in the Denver metro area. The biggest problem is finding a way to retain the volunteers they have and recruit

people to work for free. The fact of the matter is the younger generations are not as likely to volunteer, for anything. They want to be paid. You’re being exposed to trauma. And you’re not being paid to do that. Colorado has one of the highest costs of living in the country. Families have two incomes; they can’t afford to have one person volunteer.

I firmly believe there needs to be a balance between career and paid firefighters.

Tom Seymour : For many years as a business owner, (I did) staff retention, contract negotiation. Being responsible to taxpayers will be my priority, which includes labor costs. Focusing on real solutions and not false promises is my commitment. The volunteers are an integral and crucial part of the dept. I would very much like to see additional enticements extended to the volunteers. We are not doing enough for our volunteers.

ToddWagner: I think there are a lot of people that want to volunteer. They just don’t know they have the option to do that. I think if we build a great dept with equipment, training, you’re going to bring in these people. There are a lot of new families in this area. I think they’re brimming with time they may want to put toward the community.

I went through the training. You still have to have Firefighter 1, EMS, and some hazmat. Also probably wildland. If we can break it up so we can have people focused in a certain area, and utilize the people for the time they have, I think that’s the way you really bring that in.

Michael Bartlett: I have a bunch of data on volunteers. When I was a volunteer, we had EMT kits distributed all over the whole district. And we had EMTs that could respond in the middle

of the night from their house. If you retain volunteers like that, your volunteers recruit others.

We also used to have career fighters that volunteered here. They call that two-hatters. And they will not do that if there’s a union presence here. Very rarely will anybody break that rule. The experience those people brought to us was unmeasurable. We need our paid staff, and we need to recruit volunteers. We’ve got to make sure they’re not overburdened on time. If we load too much on them, they will not volunteer.

Q: What do you perceive as ECFPD’s greatest challenges, and what specific solution do you propose for each problem?

Kathleen Noonan: Living in this wildland urban interface and trying to figure out the best way to protect our community.

Over the last year, there’s been a lot of negativity at board meetings. That would be another challenge. The vitriol that exists at those meetings is palpable and painful to watch and ensure. And it makes me feel bad for the volunteer and career firefighters in the community.

Tom Seymour: I see our greatest challenge as planning for the future. We need to maintain our facilities, equipment, staff retention, and most of all, I think we need a greater degree of transparency. Too much has been handled without informing the taxpayers. Yes, you can find the information. You can dig for it. But that isn’t the way it should be. We should be told clearly, up front and publicly about expenses, the needs of the fire department. We need to make sure we use the taxpayers’ money wisely and not ask for additional money unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Todd Wagner: One of the biggest challenges we have is that we have a division within. I saw a growing paid staff and shrinking volunteer staff. I think it needs to be based on a volunteer structure, and volunteers need to be augmented with paid staff — paid staff that help the volunteer staff. Now it seems like it’s more volunteer staff helping the paid staff.

The shrinking volunteerism … we haven’t spent a lot of time out recruiting. We need volunteers, We need everybody we can get to take care of our friends and family.

Michael Bartlett: One of my priorities would be a service plan. The service plan for Elk Creek Fire was written in 1949 or something. A service plan is integrally important to plan for anything in the future.

Every one of these reports — the Triton report, the new strategic plan — everyone talks about volunteers, strife between paid and volunteers, volunteers not responding to calls. They even have data comparing Inter-Canyon vs Elk Creek. Elk Creek with paid staff had less firefighters responding to calls than a fully volunteer department.

Al Leo: The district is changing, the needs are changing. The district has told us (the volunteers) are not there. The young families, both have jobs, they don’t have time. So what do we do? We unify. Unifying adds resources to the district, personnel, a second manned station.

So I would work with leadership to make sure we’re headed in that direction. I’d work with leadership to ensure and continue the sound fiscal management of the fire district. This district is very well managed. Unifying with Conifer Fire, there would be even more financial resources for this district.

Watch out for explosives (and rattlesnakes) on Green Mountain in Lakewood

Steer clear of pipes and other possible relics of the area’s military history

BY KYLE HARRIS DENVERITE

As hiking season ramps up, the city of Lakewood is warning residents to steer clear of potential artillery shells in William F. Hayden Park on Green Mountain, which looms just west of Denver and its suburbs.

The popular outdoor spot was once the site of the Camp George West Artillery Range, where pre-World War II military training rained artillery shells. The training took part on the north and east side of the park.

“While no new munitions have been discovered recently, it’s important to stay alert,” the city recently cautioned on social media.

If you stay on the trails, as rules require, you’ll probably be fine. But step off for a pee could be riskier.

Authorities are looking for a fix

The state’s health department has been working with the National Guard to clean up the park.

Historic Camp George West was used as an Army training ground between 1903 and 1939. The Hayden family leased the land to the military for training in small arms and artillery. Soldiers in training would shoot 75 mm shrapnel shells and high explosive projectiles at the mountain. It’s not clear ex-

tions in recent decades. Back in 2010, a resident found a 75 mm projectile on the park’s north side, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

In the years since the National Guard conducted a cleanup and found five more shells. Even after the cleanup, a city worker found another shell off trail.

The Army’s cleanup has begun.

The Army National Guard agreed to clean up a 466-acre area of William F.

The state health department and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are involved in the cleanup.

Despite the likely presence of munitions, the park remains open for recreation, except for closures when necessary.

It’s not just exploding munitions the Army needs to worry about: Coyotes and mountain lions also make claim to the park, and Green Mountain is lousy with rattlesnakes.

Lakewood spelled out the three Rs of

Keep an eye out for anything that looks like a pipe or metal objects. If you see something, don’t go playing with it.

“Assume it could be dangerous,” the city wrote.

Don’t touch it.

Don’t move it.

Don’t disturb it.

“Carefully leave the area the way you came,” the city said.

Once you’ve retreated, call 911 immediately. The same rules apply to Lakewood residents near Green Mountain who have also found munitions in their lawns.

A biker rides onto the trail at William F. Hayden Green Mountain Park. FILE PHOTO

SPORTS

Girls lacrosse rolling in pursuit of back-to-back titles

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

It’s dangerous for the eld when the reigning champs bring back nearly everyone from last year’s dominance. But that’s the case for Evergreen’s girls lacrosse squad.

At 5-2, the experienced Cougars know winning another state championship isn’t out of the question. In fact, it’s a bit of an expectation now, whether they like it or not.

“ ey understand the culture, they understand the expectations,” said Head Coach Rachel Sanford. “ ey know how hard it is to win a championship, and so we’ve had a great start to the season.”

After dropping the rst game of 2025 to a tough Fairview team that plays in 5A, the Cougars rattled o four straight wins.

Evergreen, who plays in Class 4A, lost their second game of the year against Valor (the No. 1 team in 5A) in a close 14-10 match but bounced back against Poudre School District for a 16-8 win.

“We’re owing a little bit more as a team, having some long possessions,” Sanford said. “We’re really trying to work our o ense, and fortunately, we have really good o - eld chemistry, which has translated to good on- eld chemistry.”

e Cougars only lost two seniors — Haley Cain and Kileigh Robinson — from their championship squad last season.

Evergreen has seven current seniors on the roster and ve strong captains: Addison McEvers, Ryn Gardner, Emma Crosbie, Olivia Hunt and goalie Neva Mertsching.

“Addison is kind of a cog in the mideld for us,” Sanford said. “Ryn has some of our most o ensive production; she’s a great scorer (Gardner scored the buzzerbeating goal to win the title last year over Mead). Emma is kind of our quarterback of the o ense. She helps the sets. en Olivia, she is a great markdown defender who also scores some big goals. Neva is the four-year starter. A few of them are going on to play in college, but Neva is really making saves back there and helping lead our defense.”

But just because the Cougars bring

back most of their key pieces, that doesn’t mean last year’s formula will result in a trophy again, she said.

Sanford admits the coaches have to continue to evolve as well and know that there’s a target on Evergreen’s back now.

“I hope last year’s recipe works,” she said. “I think you always need to evolve your coaching style and make sure that people are in the positions to be most successful. ere’s always a little bit of moving people around, trying to put people in the best place for them. I think a testament to our team is that the girls do a lot of work in the o season to develop their skills, so hopefully, that makes us less scoutable.”

Many of the players are multisport athletes, so they know their league rivals —

teams like Green Mountain and Golden — very well and play them in whatever sport almost year-round.

But for many players, it’s lacrosse, rst and foremost.

“I think last year, we had a little bit of luck on our side to pull out that victory, but everybody knows how amazing that was, and they want to be back on that stage,” Sanford said. “And so that helps them when they’re getting in shape in the o season or playing ag football or basketball … I think for a lot of our upperclassmen, lacrosse is their primary sport. And so you know, they do these other sports to stay in shape for lacrosse.”

In her sixth year as the head coach, Sanford has seen two championships already (the Cougars won in 2021 also).

at team was instrumental in building a winning program that could compete against the top teams in the state, she said.

“ at class of ’21 really helped build the culture that’s in place now,” she said. “I think that started with a strong class of 2021 and their senior leadership, and the class of 2025 is pretty similar. We have seven seniors, four of whom are going to play at the next level, and then we have two juniors who are committed to play in college. So, that really kind gives a lot of the younger players something to look up to and something to just be impressed by.”

Follow the Cougars on their quest for the program’s third state title at MaxPreps.com.

Evergreen’s girls lacrosse team celebrates winning the Class 4A state championship in 2024 after an 11-10 win over Mead. COURTESY PHOTO

Sand Creek memorial coming to Capitol steps

Statue replacing Civil War soldier that was removed in 2020

BY LUCAS BRADY WOODS KUNC

In front of descendants of Sand Creek Massacre survivors, Colorado lawmakers unanimously greenlighted a memorial sculpture to commemorate the 1864 atrocity at the State Capitol.

“Our hope is that this memorial will be a turning point when Colorado says, ‘We are not afraid to confront our past because we believe in a just and honest future,’” said Sen. Kyle Mullica, a ornton Democrat and sponsor of the memorial resolution.

Both chambers unanimously approved the proposal for the project that will be built in front of the west steps of the building, overlooking Civic Center Park and downtown Denver.

e bipartisan resolution was co-sponsored in the Senate by Cheyenne Wells’ Republican Rod Pelton. In the House, it was sponsored by Democratic Rep. Tammy Story and Republican Rep. Ty Winter.

e memorial will comprise of a massive, 24-foot-tall sculpture of an Arapaho chief, a Cheyenne chief and a Native American woman holding a child.

e current plan is for the sculpture replace a Civil War statue that was pulled down by protestors in 2020. e location, right in front of the iconic Capitol building, has been boarded o since.

e 1864 Sand Creek Massacre is possibly the worst atrocity in Colorado history. About 250 Arapaho and Cheyenne civilians, mostly women, children and the elderly, were killed by U.S. troops along

BERGEN PARK CHURCH

Colorado’s eastern plains, near the modern day town of Eads.

Otto Braided Hair is a representative for the Northern Cheyenne and a descendant of Sand Creek Massacre victims. He was on the Senate oor during Monday’s vote on the resolution.

“ ere’s got to be some kind of acknowledgement. at’s a beginning of the healing,” said Braided Hair. “When we rst went to go set up the work on the massacre site, they were unfriendly. Today, the Cheyenne and Arapaho nations are recognized, acknowledged, both unanimous support from the House side and Senate side. And I’m just beside myself.”

Braided Hair and other Sand Creek victims’ descendants have been working for decades to memorialize the massacre at the Capitol. Coming more than a century and a half after the initial event, they say this is just one step in the healing process.

“Restorative justice. is is a good step towards that. We’re not there yet. We still got a long way, but this is a good step,” said Chris Tall Bear, also a descendant of the massacre’s victims and a member of both the Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes.

About a dozen other Cheyenne and Arapaho community members joined Tall Bear and Braided Hair to witness the resolution’s passage.

e artist, Gerald Anthony Shippen, said he wants the piece to invoke heroism.

“I’m a conduit, you know, to carry this forth,” said Shippen, who is from Wyoming. “ is is a statue that represents the people who have survived. e gures will be seven feet tall. So that makes them

heroic. e tepee, at about 23 feet tall. at’s pretty much life size, you know, for a tepee.”

e memorial will be installed in 2026.

is story was produced by the Capitol News Alliance, a collaboration between

KUNC News, Colorado Public Radio, Rocky Mountain PBS and e Colorado Sun, and shared with Rocky Mountain Community Radio and other news organizations across the state. Funding for the Alliance is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

WORSHIP DIRECTORY

Bergen Park Church is a group of regular people who strive to improve ourselves and our community by studying the Bible and sharing our lives with each other. On Sunday mornings you can expect contemporary live music, Children’s Ministry that seeks to love and care for your kids, teaching from the Bible, and a community of real people who are imperfect, but seek to honor God in their lives. We hope to welcome you soon to either our 9:00AM or 10:30AM Sunday service. Search Bergen Park Church on YouTube for Livestream service at 9:00am 31919 Rocky Village Dr. 303-674-5484 info@bergenparkchurch.org / www.BergenParkChurch.org

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH SERVICES

28244 Harebell Lane

Sunday Service & Sunday School: 10 a.m.

Wednesday evening: 7p.m: (Zoom only Nov.1st-Mar. 31st.)

Visit: www.christianscienceevergreen.com for more information and ZOOM link

Reading Room: 4602 Plettner Lane 303-674-5296

OPEN: TUES-SAT 12 p.m.-3 p.m.

CHURCH OF THE HILLS PRESBYTERIAN (USA)

Serving the mountain community from the heart of Evergreen Worship 10:00 a.m.

Reverend Richard Aylor

O ce Hours: Tu-Thur 9:00 - 4:00; Fri 9:00 - noon Bu alo Park Road and Hwy 73 www.churchofthehills.com

CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURATION EPISCOPAL

In-Church: Sunday Communion Quiet Service 8:00 am & with Music 10:15 am 10:15 am only Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86017266569

In-Meadow: 2nd Sunday of the month at 9:30 a.m. --June through September— 27640 Highway 74 – ¼ mile east of downtown Evergreen at the Historic Bell Tower www.transﬁgurationevergreen.org

CONGREGATION BETH EVERGREEN (SYNAGOGUE)

Reconstructionist Synagogue

Rabbi Jamie Arnold www.BethEvergreen.org / (303) 670-4294 2981 Bergen Peak Drive (behind Life Care)

DEER PARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Reverend Dr. Knut Heim, pastor, Sunday Worship 10 AM

Located one mile west of Pine Junction just o Rt. 285 966 Rim Rock Road, Bailey (303) 838-6759 deerparkumc.org

All are welcome to our open/inclusive congregation!

EVERGREEN LUTHERAN CHURCH 5980 Highway 73 + 303-674-4654

Rev. Terry Schjang

Join us for worship in person or on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/EvergreenLutheranChurch Sunday Worship held at 9am. www.evergreenlutheran.org + All Are Welcome!

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY CHURCH – EPC 1036 El Rancho Rd, Evergreen – (303) 526-9287 www.lomcc.org – o ce@lomcc.org

Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m., with communion every Sunday “Real Church In An UnReal World”

A community empowered by the Holy Spirit which seeks authentic relationships with God and others to share the good news of Jesus with Evergreen, the Front Range and the world. Come as you are, all are welcome!

PLATTE CANYON COMMUNITY CHURCH

Located: 4954 County Road 64 in Bailey.

O ce hours MWF 8am-1pm 303-838-4409, Worship & Children’s Church at 10am

Small group studies for all ages at 9am

Transitional Pastor: Mark Chadwick

Youth Pastor: Jay Vonesh

Other activities: Youth groups, Men’s/Women’s ministries, Bible studies, VBS, MOPS, Cub/Boy Scouts.

ROCKLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH

“Connecting all generations to Jesus”

Please check our website, www.Rockland.church, for updated service times ¼ mile north of I-70 at exit 254 17 S Mt. Vernon Country Club Rd., Golden, CO 80401 303-526-0668

SHEPHERD OF THE ROCKIES LUTHERAN CHURCH

Missouri Synod. 106 Rosalie Road, Bailey, CO 303-838-2161 Pastor John Graham Sunday Worship Service; 9 a.m., Fellowship Time; 10:15 a.m., Sunday School & Bible Class; 10:45 a.m. www.shepherdoftherockies.org

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF EVERGREEN Rev. Sarah Clark • 303.674.4810

Otto Braided Hair of the Northern Cheyenne and Chris Tall Bear of the Cheyenne and Arapaho stand in the Colorado Capitol rotunda on April 14. Both are descendants of Sand Creek Massacre victims and were at the statehouse to witness a resolution to build a memorial for the atrocity on Capitol grounds.

PHOTO BY LUCAS BRADY WOODS/KUNC

CROWSSUPDRO ELZZ

1. MOVIES: Which animated movie was the rst to be nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award?

2. GEOGRAPHY: Interior and exterior lm shots of Alnwick Castle in England are featured in the rst two movies of which lm series?

3. TELEVISION: What was the last name of the family in the sitcom “Married ... With Children”?

4. LITERATURE: For which category is the Caldecott Medal awarded?

5. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Also known as a double eagle, what is the golf term for scoring three under par on a hole?

6. ANATOMY: What is the protein that carries oxygen in the blood?

7. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president was the rst to name a woman as a Cabinet member?

TrIVIa

8. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a baby toad called?

9. FOOD & DRINK: Which fast-food chain’s secret ingredient is 11 herbs and spices?

10. ASTRONOMY: How many moons does Mars have?

Answers

1. “Beauty and the Beast.”

2. “Harry Potter.”

3. Bundy.

4. Outstanding children’s picture books.

5. Albatross.

6. Hemoglobin.

7. Franklin D. Roosevelt named Frances Perkins as Labor Secretary.

8. Tadpole.

9. Kentucky Fried Chicken.

10. Two: Phobos and Deimos.

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Landscape

Student group inspired these 7 state laws

Now, funding woes will likely end Colorado Youth Advisory Council

BY JASON GONZALES

CHALKBEAT

State Rep. Hugh McKean saw a problem. Although Colorado had an outlet for students to talk with lawmakers about issues relevant to them, those conversations happened near the end of the legislative session, and the students’ priorities often got lost.

So in 2019, the late Republican lawmaker from Loveland helped pass a law to revamp the Colorado Youth Advisory Council. It allowed students to meet before the legislative session to discuss priorities and present policy proposals, with up to three getting drafted into bills.

“ ey can come and present their ideas and re ne those ideas right here in the Capitol,” McKean said at the time.

But now, after six years of being able to draft real bills that have a shot at becoming law, COYAC is expected to lose that power. What started as a conversation among state lawmakers about cutting about $50,000 to run the program amid a $1.2 billion budget shortfall this year turned into altering the program after Republican leadership said it has strayed away from its original mission.

Student preferred names

One of the council’s more contentious bills, House Bill 24-1039 was an e ort by students to support transgender youth and protect them from bullying.

e law says educators must call students by their preferred name upon request. Supporters said it reduces discrimination against transgender students and creates a more inclusive environment statewide. Colorado House and Senate Democrats, who are in the majority, overwhelmingly supported the bill.

Meanwhile, opponents at the time pushed back because they felt it would infringe on educator and parent rights.

College ﬁnancial assistance for foster youth

In 2021, COYAC students recognized that students in the foster care system had trouble getting to college. Citing a report from the University of Denver’s Colorado Evaluation and Action Lab, they highlighted that only 13.4% of students who entered foster care at age 13 enrolled in college by age 21.

eir focus on the issue helped lawmakers le Senate Bill 22-008. e law sets aside $5 million a year in nancial aid support for the about 4,500 foster kids statewide who might decide to go to college.

Student mental health resources

Republican leadership also said that legislators are paying for the group to draft laws — a few of which conservative lawmakers, who are in the minority, have opposed. ey’ve argued the legislature doesn’t do that for other groups. e program was created in 2008 by former Durango Republican Rep. Ellen Roberts and brings together 40 students

between the ages of 14 and 19 from Colorado’s 35 Senate districts and the Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute tribes. Students serve two-year terms. Since 2019, student ideas have inspired more than a dozen bills, including the three under consideration this year. One proposal would reduce food waste in schools. Another bill would have students on the council advise lawmakers on the youth opioid crisis.

Sarah Moss, COYAC director, has point-

PUBLIC NOTICES

Bids and Settlements

ed out how valuable the program is to the students. She’s pleaded with lawmakers to keep it, because students learn about the legislative process, how to talk with lawmakers, and other valuable skills. While the program will go on helping students learn and experience the legislative process, it’s clear students won’t be able to get legislation in front of lawmakers any longer. With that power gone, here are seven of the most signi cant laws that the council has helped inspire:

COYAC students had a hand in the information on Colorado student identication cards.

House Bill 22-1052 requires the identication cards to include the number, the website, and text to talk number of the 24-hour state’s crisis service center and Safe2Tell, a violence intervention and prevention program for students to anonymously report threats.

agement/General

(“Respondents”) to submit their qualifications to perform pre-construction services and manage the construction scope of work associated with the Buchanan Park Recreation Center Aquatics Expansion project, within established budgets. EPRD intends to use a Construction Manager/ General Contractor (“CM/GC”) procurement or delivery method for the Project, pursuant to the Integrated Delivery Method as authorized by the Special District Public Improvements Act, Sections 32-1-1801, et seq., C.R.S. A copy of the full RFQ can be found on EPRD”s website, www.evergreenrecreation.com or at www.bidnetdirect.com.

A mandatory Pre-bid meeting will be held at the Buchanan Park Recreation Center, on April 23, 2025 at 1:00 p.m.

Notice to Creditors

The Colorado state Capitol, pictured in 2023.

PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

FUNDING

Eating disorder prevention Colorado residents also have resources about eating disorders thanks to student ideas.

Senate Bill 23-014 created the Disordered Eating Prevention Program within the Department of Public Health and Environment, as well as a research grant that

helped fund studies on the impacts and how to prevent eating disorders.

e program holds information for Colorado residents on interventions, treatments, and other educational resources. Budget cuts will eliminate the program next year.

Student voice in academic standards review

Senate Bill 23-008 created opportunities for students to get involved in the state’s education standards review, giving

students a voice in what they learn.

Student discipline review committee

A COYAC idea helped the state dig into discipline practices and whether certain groups of students were being disproportionately disciplined. Senate Bill 23-029 created a task force made up of 18 members and charged with reviewing discipline data and policies. It released a nal report in August.

Free menstrual products in schools

Colorado schools are required to provide free menstrual products in school bathrooms after House Bill 24-1164. e law ramps up how much schools must provide. For instance, schools must provide at least 25% of applicable student bathrooms in all applicable school buildings by June 30.

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.