No Kings rally draws 500 people to protest P6
Recreation district board stretches voters’ money
Board uses financing tools and in-house sta to make the most of available funds
BY JANE REUTER
e Evergreen Park & Recreation District is nding creative ways to stretch voter-approved funds and nance its ambitious and pricey list of upcoming projects, including using certi cates of participation and doing as much work in-house as possible.
ree major projects, including the construction of a new pool and gymnasium at Buchanan Recreation Center and the renovation of adjacent Buchanan Park, are expected to kick o this year at a total cost of about $14 million.
EPRD is reserving another $2 million to renovate Wulf Recreation Center after the Buchanan projects are done, and for
other, smaller projects.
Voters approved a propertytax extension in November 2023 that will provide about $1.4 million a year to the district. But it’s not enough tonance all the improvements district residents would like to see.
On its own, the proposed Buchanan Rec Center natatorium — the most expensive project on the list — will cost $10 million.
COPs on the job
Instead of issuing bonds or
using another form of longterm debt, the board voted in March to use a municipalnancial tool called “Certi cates of Participation”, also known as COPs, to nance the construction of its new facilities.
rough the agreement, investors buy a share in lease payments generated by the project, essentially creating a tax-exempt lease for the public entity. EPRD then makes lease payments to a trustee, who distributes them to investors.
SEE RECREATION, P5
County proposes new short-term rental regulations
Changes would ease process, lower fees for operators
BY JANE REUTER JANE@COTLN.ORG
Je erson County estimates that its unincorporated areas include more than 700 short-term rentals, fewer than 50 of which have the needed permits to legally operate.
It’s a compliance rate so out of whack that county o cials don’t blame property owners, but their own regulations. is year, they’re trying to x that.
“If you’ve got a regulation in place that has a complicated rate of 5% or under, I don’t think it’s fair to say it’s a problem of compliance,” said Russell Clark, Je erson County planning supervisor. “ ere’s probably a problem with the regulations as well.”
Clark said that’s in part because Jefferson County adopted its regulations on short-term rentals early, when they weren’t a permitted use and before their popularity became widespread.
“We were probably one of the earlier counties to have rules on short-term rentals, when the only way you could do it was to rezone your property,” he said. “ ere was never a thought then that people down in the plains and suburban areas would have shortterm rentals. But clearly if you see a map of where they’re advertised in Jefferson County, you see a large number on the plains.”
With an aim toward making compliance easier, faster and less expensive for short-term rental owners, the county is proposing a new set of regulations. It recently issued a draft of them, and wants the public’s feedback.
e proposed regulations would re-
Evergreen Rodeo posts record year
E ort to embracing fans, sponsors pays o for annual event
BY JOHN RENFROW JOHN@COTLN.ORG
e American rodeo is a core piece of culture in the West, and in the mountains hovering above Denver, communities rally around this essence of tradition and identity now more than ever.
It was an estimated record year for the Evergreen Rodeo, according to President Dave Marshall. Some 5,000 to 7,000 people came to witness the spectacle; an event Marshall calls “the staple” of the community in the mountains.
“It’s de nitely evolved,” said Marshall, who has been president since 2017, but has been involved in the rodeo for over 30 years. “For the last few years, we have tried to focus on really putting on an entertainment production and trying to embrace our fans and sponsors more ... ey have truly stepped up and shown us that they are in support of the rodeo. Our sponsorships have increased, and our ticket sales have increased and probably one of the biggest rodeos we’ve ever had in spectators this year.”
Marshall has lived in Evergreen all his life. He’s watched countless parades and rodeos unite the mountain communities on Father’s Day weekends.
It’s a total celebration of heritage and camaraderie that unites generations in tradition through the years, he said.
“I don’t think there’s another event that captures (a sense of)
community like the Evergreen Rodeo does,” Marshall said. “When you look at the fact that we have the parade ll up downtown, and then the two performances, we’ve had a ton of people coming out. And to me, it just feels like it’s a hometown reunion, because everybody gets together, and I see people that I don’t see all the time, and it just has a di erent feeling to me than any other event has.”
As much as he enjoys the parades, the professional cowboys, the fun and games and pageantry that comes with the rodeo every year, it’s the community aspect that stands out to Marshall, he said.
Volunteers are crucial to help put the event on every year, and the willingness and enthusiasm they bring are second to none, adding an exclamation point to an already celebratory get-together.
“Just seeing all the people that have, you know, given their time up to come down and watch it, and spend the money on it, and families sitting there just enjoying it and taking a break from life, it makes all the work worthwhile,” Marshall said.
Plus, new faces are stepping in to keep the rodeo legacy going strong. e next generation is enthusiastic about how integral the event is for the strength of the community and its mountain heritage.
“I think it is a pretty cool thing,” Marshall said. “And we’re starting to even see within our own association, younger generations coming in and helping. ose are going to be our future leaders of the rodeo to keep it going, and that just doesn’t happen without seeing something they want to get involved with.”
Read more at www.evergreenrodeo.com.
Evergreen celebrates 150 years by lighting up the skies
Event features picnic, balloon glow, historic music and exhibits
BY JANE REUTER JANE@COTLN.ORG
Evergreen o cially celebrates its 150th anniversary July 3 with a tribute to its past that will literally glow.
“Illuminate the Past: Community Picnic and Balloon Glow” is planned from 6-9 p.m. at the Buchanan Park ball elds, adjacent to the recreation center at 32003 Ellingwood Trail.
e event will include booths from local historical and other organizations, turnof-the-century music, vintage cars, kids’ games, pony rides and a hot air balloon glow. Attendees are encouraged to bring a picnic and enjoy the evening with their neighbors and fellow Evergreen residents.
“Illuminate the past is a community celebration,” said Evergreen Area Chamber of Commerce President Nancy Judge. “It’ll be interactive and educational, and there is no cost to anyone.”
Tethered hot-air balloons will begin to glow about halfway through the event, as pilots ignite the burners, heating the
against the darkening sky. e balloons will also be on site the morning of July 4, as a kick-o to theFoothills Fourth celebration, also held on the ball elds.
From 6:30 to 8 a.m., people are invited to experience a candlestick balloon ride for $25 each. During the rides, balloons are tethered but rise about 150 feet above the ground. Guests can climb into the basket and experience the burner ring and the feeling of a hot air balloon ride.
Tracing history back
e Je erson County Commissioners
publicly recognized Evergreen’s 150th anniversary during their June 17 meeting, noting a history that traces back to the indigenous Ute, Cheyenne and Arapaho people who lived in the area for centuries
“From a tiny ranching and logging village reached only by rough wagon roads to the vibrant residential mountain community today o I-70, Evergreen is a magical place that balances the beauty of the natural surroundings, outdoor recreation opportunities, and a small community feel, only 30 minutes from Denver,” reads the recognition. “Evergreen prides itself on being the home of more than 70 active
nonpro t organizations, which address many of the services that a city government would. e attitude of ‘taking care of ourselves and our neighbors’ is still predominant in the community.”
Formal dates not required
Evergreen is not incorporated, so there is no formal date for its founding. Former Je erson County Commissioner Dwight Wilmot rst came to Evergreen in 1875 and asked the federal government to put a post o ce in the community, requesting they name it “Evergreen” after the trees he so loved. at occasion — the rst in which the name “Evergreen” was used — marks the community’s o cial beginning, according to Historic Jeffco. And that makes this year Evergreen’s 150th anniversary.
To honor its sesquicentennial, the Evergreen Chamber of Commerce has lined up a year’s worth of events, including a monthly gathering called “Sacred Spaces” that takes a closer look at the community’s most treasured places and assets, the upcoming “Illuminate the Past” event, anda virtual, historic Monopoly game involving many of the community’s businesses.
For more information on all these events, visit theEvergreen Chamber website.
Evergreen’s July 3 ‘Illuminate the Past’ event at Buchanan ballfields will include a balloon glow.
COURTESY PHOTO
JR Stratford, rated No. 7 in the world for bullfighting, participates in the Evergreen Rodeo in 2024. FILE PHOTO
More Buyers Are Choosing ARMs — Here’s Why It Might Be a Smart Strategy
Adjustable Rate Mortgages (or ARMs) were commonly used by purchasers from 2004 to 2006. Roughly 35% of mortgages originated during those years were “adjustable.” After the 2008 housing/ fiscal crisis, caused in part by risky mortgage loan products including ARMs, the number of ARM transactions made in the U.S. plummeted. But now we are seeing a resurgence of them.
As in the past, Jaxzann Riggs, owner of The Mortgage Network, helped me with the current situation so I could share it with you.
What Exactly Is an ARM?
Until recently there was not much incentive for borrowers to consider an ARM because (unlike the ARMs offered 2004-2008) there was virtually no disparity between rates offered on ARMs, and those offered on a 30-year fixed rate loan. In the past 30 days that has changed. As of June 15th, Mortgage Daily News reported an average rate of 6.88% and 6.90% for a 30-year fixed rate loan versus 6.625% and 6.45% being offered on a 5-year Adjustable Rate Mortgage.
An ideal ARM borrower often:
Plans to live in the home for fewer than 5, 7 or 10 years;
Ultimately, the risks of an ARM are manageable, providing you understand and plan for them.
An ARM is a home loan with an interest rate that adjusts over time. Historically, you start with a lower, fixed interest rate for a set period — typically 5, 7, or 10 years — and then the rate adjusts at regular intervals based on market conditions.
For example, a 7/1 ARM locks in your rate for seven years, then adjusts annually. A 10/6 ARM is at a fixed rate for 10 years, then adjusts every six months. These loans are structured with caps to limit how much your rate (and payment) can increase at each adjustment or over the life of the loan.
Why More Buyers Are Taking a Second Look at ARMs
Many purchasers anticipate rate cuts ahead. By using an ARM now, they will enjoy a slightly lower rate during the initial fixed period. Some have the hope that, instead of increasing on the adjustment date, the rate will remain the same or possibly come down. Experts say that the current flatter yield curve supports that theory.
While ARMs aren’t one-size-fits-all, they make a lot of sense for certain buyers, especially those with short- to mid-term homeownership plans or who are financially stable enough to absorb a future rate increase if needed.
Has a stable income and good credit or anticipates increases in income that would allow them to keep up with increases, in case their bet on the direction of rates turns out to be wrong;
Has a financial safety net in case payments rise; and
Understands how interest rate adjustments work.
This isn’t about gambling on the market, it’s about strategic planning. That’s where an experienced mortgage loan officer becomes invaluable. They can help you compare options, understand caps and margins, and decide whether an ARM aligns with your financial goals.
ARMs today are far more borrowerfriendly than they were in decades past. Most no longer carry prepayment penalties, and most feature rate caps that protect against sharp increases. And if rates go down, you may even benefit from lower payments and, of course, borrowers always have the option to refinance at a fixed rate when the time is right.
The Bottom Line In a high-cost housing market like Denver’s, flexibility matters. An adjustable-rate mortgage could be a smart, strategic choice; especially when guided by the right mortgage professional. Whether you're buying your first home, upsizing for a growing family, or simply exploring ways to maximize your budget, it’s worth having a conversation with a trusted loan officer.
Jaxzann Riggs and her team at The Mortgage Network have helped thousands of Colorado homebuyers find the right loan for their life plans—whether that’s an ARM or something else entirely. To explore your options and see if an ARM could work for you, call Jaxzann on her cell, (303) 990-2992 or visit www.TheMortgageNetworkOnline.com
With Temperatures Rising, Homeowners Without Air Conditioning Are Asking What’s the Best Way to Add It
I have a listing coming up later this summer in the Beverly Heights section of Golden. It has hot water baseboard heating, which is wonderful, but that means there are no ducts to distribute air from an A/C compressor.
Homes with forced air heating systems have it easy. A “chiller” connected to an outdoor A/C compressor can be mounted above the firebox for a few thousand dollars. It uses the same ducts as the furnace, and the forced air unit becomes an “air handler” for delivering the cooled air.
I have previously promoted the idea of using a heat pump to drive that “chiller” unit. Not only does it provide needed cooling, but the heat pump can also provide efficient heating in the winter, leaving the gas furnace idle or used only when it’s colder than the heat pump can handle (below 0º F with today’s cold climate heat pumps).
But what if there are no ducts, as in my listing in Beverly Heights?
The answer depends partly on the style of the house. Is it one-story, two-story, or splitlevel? The one-story home is easiest to accommodate with a ductless solution. An A/C compressor can be mounted on the roof, with an air handler in the attic below it. From there, flexible round ducts (not rectangular metal ducts) can direct that air to ceiling vents in the living area and the separate bedrooms, with a return air vent somewhere in between, such as in the ceiling of a hallway.
Alternatively (my preference), a groundmounted heat pump compressor can be positioned on an unobtrusive side of the house, with two hoses going to each of the wallmounted “mini splits” in those same rooms. The hoses are hidden in square conduits, usually white, measuring 3 or 4 inches square, running around the house at ground level and
then up the exterior walls to where the inside mini-split units are located.
I was fortunate to have a flat roof on my former office building, and I was able to put the compressor on the roof and run the two homes to three different mini-splits entirely on the roof, eliminating those visible conduits.
The conduits don’t have to be run outside, and the mini-splits don’t have to be on an exterior wall. If you visit the Golden Diner at 11th & Jackson in downtown Golden, notice the mini-split on the wall between the kitchen and the serving area.
In a two-story or split-level home, a roofmount compressor with an air handler in the attic becomes less optimal. However, it can still work. Cold air pumped into the top level can settle downward, cooling lower levels. An evaporative cooler (aka “swam cooler”) can work even better, because you can control where the cold air goes by which windows
New Energy Colorado Honors Former Gov. Bill Ritter
At its annual Summer Solstice Party at the Retreat at Solterra, New Energy Colorado presented former Governor Bill Ritter with a “Lifetime Achievement Award,” citing him for “Leading Colorado Towards a Clean Energy Economy.” Left to right, NEC board member Nancy Kellogg and VP Rebecca Cantwell are shown making the presentation. Ritter gave a keynote speech thanking NEC for its advocacy over the years and emphasized the importance of groups like NEC remaining vocal, “especially in these times.” As governor, he embraced and presided over the evolution toward green energy, and he has advocated for it ever since leaving office in 2011.
The event, held annually on the longest day of the year, is NEC’s primary fundraiser, supporting its Metro Denver and Arkansas Valley Green Homes Tours. The Denver tour is held on the first Saturday in October.
you open. That’s because there is no “return air” with a swamp cooler. It pumps outside air into the house, and you have to provide ways for that air to escape after doing its job of cooling the interior.
If you’re new to Colorado and came here from a locale with high summer humidity (Brooklyn, in my case), you may not be familiar with evaporative cooling. It works in the same way that a rain shower works. As the rain falls, it evaporates, thereby cooling the outside air. In a swamp cooler, a pump circulates a reservoir of water through membranes on the sides of the unit. A squirrel fan draws outside air through those water-soaked membranes, cooling the air by 10 or more degrees and pumps that cooled air into the home. The lower the outdoor humidity and the faster the fan, the more cooling you get.
But that air has to escape and it will travel through your home based on where there’s an open window. Four inches is the prescribed size of windows openings, and you can secure your window so an intruder cannot open it further and perhaps install an alarm.
The downside of the swamp cooler is that it requires occasional service, and if the unit is on the roof, that can be difficult or dangerous. The water in the reservoir, which is replenished constantly by a 1/4-inch supply pipe from inside your home, becomes dirty over time because of the soot that is being removed from the outside air by the water-
soaked membranes through which the air is being pumped. At the end of each cooling season and a couple times during the season, that water needs to be drained, and the membranes rinsed clean or replaced and the reservoir cleaned. At the end of the season, the reservoir and the supply pipe need to be drained to avoid freezing.
A heat-pump system with up to five minsplit wall units can work fine on a 2-story or split-level home. The conduits from the compressor to the wall units just have to run further up the outside of the house. At left is a picture of such a compressor with four wall units, each with its own thermostat. That’s the best thing about such a system. You could have the mini-split in your bedroom set at 70 degrees overnight and the other wall units off or set higher. This is far more efficient than cooling your entire house when you go to bed, whatever system you are using.
Trump Can Replace Fed Chair Next Year — What That Could Mean for Real Estate On my blog, I have a link to an interesting article from Brad at “Briefcase: Real Estate News” about Trump’s pressure on Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell to drastically reduce interest rates or resign. Powell says he won’t resign, but his term is up in 2026, and Trump is sure to replace him with someone like Treasury Secretary Bessent who would do his bidding. See http://RealEstateToday.substack.com
A 5-BR Golden Home With a True Chef’s Kitchen
$1,495,000
Homes in this late ’90s subdivision backing to the foothills come on the market rarely and sell quickly. This one at 165 Washington Street is especially sweet, with the most awesome chef’s kitchen you’ve likely ever seen. Beautiful maple hardwood floors grace the main level, with newer carpeting upstairs and in the walk-out basement. The Table Mountain views from every level, but especially from the primary suite, will take your breath away. If you’re a soccer fan, the posters and awards in the main-floor study will leave you wishing for autographs! A narrated video walk-through with drone footage can be viewed online at www.GRElistings.com. Or call your agent or Jim Smith at 303-525-1851 to schedule a private showing.
A single heat pump can drive up to 5 mini-splits, each with its own wireless thermostat.
Flash of lightning tests mountain rescue crews
Crews pluck two from Torreys Peak in record-setting helicopter rescue
BY CHRIS KOEBERL CHRIS@COTLN.ORG
Extreme weather conditions at 14,000 feet put experienced high-altitude rescue teams to the test with one of the highest helicopter hoist rescues in Colorado his-
tory, taking two men from the top of Tor-
It was just before 5 p.m. June 12 when two hikers on Kelso Ridge, heading toward the summit of Torreys Peak in Clear Creek County, contacted the Alpine Rescue Team in Evergreen with concerns over the nal push to the top as serious weather moved in.
“ e call we initially got was for a party of two who were climbing Kelso Ridge. … ey called saying they were pretty close to the summit, they were at a place we re-
fer to as the ‘White Rock.’ It’s kinda the last challenge before you get to the summit (Torrey’s)... part of it Involves going out on a pretty exposed knife edge,” Alpine Rescue Public Information O cer Jake Smith said.
guided the pair up the mountain.
“ ey felt like they were o -course and asked if they should try and descend, Smith said.
“ e safest option for those guys was to continue to climb and take the ‘Summer’ trail down rather than going down the way they came up,” Smith said.
After about an hour, the two hikers reported they had made it to the summit and were ready to descend.
During the ongoing conversation with the hikers, a small team of Alpine Rescue volunteers had assembled at “ e Shack,” Alpine Rescue headquarters in Evergreen, just in case.
“We got word the two had made it to the summit, so we can all stand down and go back to our regular lives,” Smith said.
Lightning Strikes: In a heartbeat, it’s critical
While on the phone with an Alpine Rescue mission leader, an audible strike of lightning hits near the hikers.
e next response was: “We’ve been hit by lightning; my partner is unresponsive.”
“ at was an unexpected twist to the call, and it quickly became one of the most signi cant calls I’ve had in my career,” Smith said.
ose few words instantly set in motion an incredibly complex orchestra of local, state and federal rst responders and mountain rescue crews who have, for years, trained together for a missioncritical response scenario.
is time it was real.
“Myself, and I think everybody else, our bodies just start dumping adrenaline,” Smith said. “We’re immediately thinking, ‘OK, what do we need to grab and more importantly, what are we going to do to get up there because we know they were on the summit when this happened… so we’ve got a huge operation ahead of us.’”
Within an hour, ve ground teams made up of at least 30 Alpine Rescue volunteers were organized and sent into the eld to perform an evacuation from the summit, while simultaneously a rescue helicopter and hoist were being sought.
Two Flight for Life helicopters in the
Denver area were both grounded due to
Wasting no time, Clear Creek Fire Authority provided a tracked Utility Task Vehicle to take rescuers and equipment as close as it could to Torreys Peak. Two Alpine Rescue members and one Clear Creek EMS member were the rst to head up the mountain.
“We are constantly trying to look at how the situation is unfolding and thinking two to three steps ahead,” Smith said. During the initial staging, a rescue-capable Blackhawk helicopter was identied at the High Altitude Army National Guard Aviation HATTSTraining Site in Eagle County Airport near Vail. e Guard accepted the mission and quickly gathered crew members and equipment for the rescue.
Two Rescue Techs from Vail Mountain Rescue Group were inserted on the summit around 11 p.m. and were able to hoist the critical patient, according to Alpine reports.
A small Alpine team continued to the summit to assist with the second patient. e second patient, along with a Rescue Tech and the Alpine members, were airlifted from the summit at midnight.
According to Alpine Rescue, the initial, unresponsive patient was own to a waiting Clear Creek County EMS ambulance and transported to a Denver-area hospital for critical care.
As of June 18, he was continuing to receive treatment for severe burns, according to Alpine.
e second hiker, who sustained minor injuries, was evacuated via a second helicopter ight after a two-wheel landing on the summit. He was transported to a local emergency department and released.
Agencies responding to the high-altitude rescue included the Alpine Rescue Team, Clear Creek County Sheri ’s O ce, Clear Creek EMS, Clear Creek Fire Authority, Colorado Army National Guard (High Altitude Aviation Training Site), Vail Mountain Rescue Group (Rescue Technicians), Flight For Life Colorado, Colorado SAR Association and the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center.
“ is was a massive team e ort, and we’re incredibly grateful for the assistance from all,” Smith said.
e Alpine Rescue Team never charges for rescues but does rely on local donations to the all-volunteer organization.
Blackhawk rescue helicopter circles Torrey’s Mountain peak in search of two injured hikers June 12. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALPINE RESCUE
Alpine Search and Rescue volunteers move up Torrey’s Mountain on foot in search of two injured hikers struck by lightning June 12.
RECREATION
e money generated from certi cate sales is used to fund the projects, allowing the public entity to do what it needs without directly issuing bonds.
In essence, COPs give the recreation district the exibility to build capital facilities even though funds aren’t available to pay for them on a pay-as-you-go basis.
“We proposed many di erent options to make some of this a reality,” said EPRD executive director Cory Vander Veen. “ is was the option the board wanted to move forward with.”
Leveraging taxpayer funds
e EPRD board unanimously approved selling the certi cates in March.
While the district issued $15.1 million in bonds, the interest it will gain is projected to yield $16.6 million for EPRD’s capital projects. At a recent meeting, Vander Veen said EPRD is earning about $1,700 a day in interest, money that’s o setting the district’s COP interest payments.
EPRD wasted no time putting the money to work.
“We currently have all the $16 million invested but have already started to pull that money out to pay for these projects we’re starting,” Vander Veen said. e bond has a 20-year term with an option for prepayment after 10 years.
Annual payments on the COP loan are set at $1.3 million, in line with the voterapproved property tax revenue EPRD is receiving.
“ e limitation is that EPRD has up to $1,350,000 tax dollars per year that we could use to make payments on a loan,” EPRD board president Mary McGhee said. “In essence, EPRD is paying o the $16-million loan for the pool, a gym/ eld house, Buchanan Park improvements, with that already voter-approved 2023 bond money.”
Vander Veen said the board constantly considers the best way to maximize the money voters approved, and this method does just that.
“We have the funding in the bank be-
ing invested right now,” he said. “It’s not reliant on new revenue. It’s reliant on this dedicated funding that got approved by the taxpayers. We’re very appreciative of the ability to leverage these funds. And we’ve really done an amazing job leveraging that money, stretching it even further.”
Merging skills to maintain facilities
Voters also asked the EPRD to maintain and update the district’s facilities and parks. Vander Veen said the district has been working hard to do so.
“Over the last two years, EPRD has addressed hundreds of deferred maintenance issues across the district — xing broken playground equipment, replacing the Lake House roof, building dugouts, resurfacing courts, etc.,” McGhee said.
Vander Veen credited EPRD sta with embracing those new duties, including learning added skills to do them.
“We try to do as much in-house as we can,” he said. “ at’s been made possible by hiring certi ed, quali ed sta and getting better training, equipment and tools for them. ey’re getting more experience, and that saves a lot of money.
“ ey have taken well to taking on new tasks and love being challenged. Right now, they’re working on remodeling a 30-foot stage for concerts, doing framing, electrical. ey all have skills and can cross-train each other.”
EPRD’s original stage was destroyed during a spring windstorm, and sta found the current, aging structure in Arizona.
“We’re completely gutting and remodeling it,” he said. “When we’re done, it’ll be almost brand new to us, and the sound will be 10 times better than what we had.” at’s needed, he said, because Evergreen’s concerts and other special events continue to grow in quality and attendance.
“All these nonpro ts have been getting bigger events and bands,” he said. “And they want a better experience.”
e nancing and work from sta is proving to be a winning combination for taxpayers, Vander Veen said.
“We have a good strategy and a hardworking team,” he said. “We’re nding more creative ways to get things done.”
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Back-to-Back Summer Fun
“Illuminate the Past” is a community celebration of Evergreen and our 150 years of history. Join us from 6-9pm at Buchanan Fields and help us ring in the next 150 years after exploring our past. Three hot air balloons will light for a glow to end the evening.
Come back to Buchanan on July 4 for early morning hot air balloon rides, goat yoga, a kid’s bike parade and the Foothills Fourth Festival. The Festival features three live bands beginning at noon, master wood carvers competing for your vote, log rolling competition, kids’ zone of games and face painting, sack races, seed spitting contest and food trucks and a bar. Tickets for the Festival only $5/person until noon on July 3, $15/person after that.
All the details can be found at evergreenchamber.org
A conceptual rendering of the pavilion planned at Buchanan Park, among several improvements in design there. EVSTUDIO
‘No Kings’ packs the Genesee overpass
Peaceful gathering represents young, old from Front Range and beyond
BY JANE REUTER JANE@COTLN.ORG
About 550 people standing three- to four-people deep packed both sides of the Genessee overpass bridge for the June 14 “No King’s” protest.
It was one of about 50 Colorado communities of all sizes that participated in the nationwide event, held on Flag Day in what the “No Kings” website described as “a nationwide day of de ance” against the Trump administration’s actions and policies.
For Golden resident Steve Stevens, the Genesee event was the second of three he planned to attend; he’d already protested that morning in Arvada.
“I have metastasized prostate cancer in my bones,” said Stevens, who waved a “Trump for Prison 2024” ag. “If you’re gonna die, you might as well go out ghting.
“I’m here because I think. Anybody who thinks should understand totally. And I have three grandkids. ey deserve to live in a democracy and a good world.”
Iowan Cathy Grebe and her friend Lori Yalem, from California, came to Colorado for a Red Rocks concert. e Genesee “No Kings” event was the closest they could nd.
“We’re here to protest Trump’s $45 million parade and to support freedom of the press,” Yalem said. “People deserve a path to citizenship, not to be scooped up when they’re in the middle of the process.”
Shaun Beall and his friend Angie Zimmerman of Evergreen brought Beall’s young daughter Angie to the protest, who carried a sign that said, “Make American Kind Again.”
“You’ve got to stand up against what’s happening,” Zimmerman said.
‘List is too long’
Protestors were more than willing to speak about why they were there, though some said it was tough to capture the many things that brought them out.
Evergreen residents Ed Gondolf and Bonnie Sue Wadleigh attended with friend Warren Luce from Steamboat Springs. All three wore homemade crowns with “No Kings” written on them. Gondolf said there are numerous reasons to protest.
“ e list is too long,” he said.
“ e increased sense of authoritarianism that’s being imposed on our country, the lack of compassion and exercise of cruelty that’s being imposed on so many American citizens.”
Golden’s Sarah Oviatt said her reasons are both national and personal.
“We’re here to express our dissent to the way the administration is ignoring the rule of law and steadily drifting toward authoritarianism,” she said. “But
it’s also about cuts to Medicaid.
My 9-year-old daughter is oxygen dependent and requires extensive medical care, not all of which my private insurance covers. So I’m very concerned about the impact on Medicaid for her and so many others.”
Evergreen resident Barbara May carried a snare drum and beat it as she walked up and down the protest line.
“Drums were used in the American Revolution to motivate; they communicated with drums,” she said.
Genesee protest organizer Annie Morrissey said after the event that it went better than she’d anticipated, with turnout far exceeding the expected 300.
“We had many, many more people than had registered,” she said. “And it was completely peaceful. “At one point, there were many people on either side of the interstate sitting in the grass with signs, and the overpass was 2 to 4 people deep.”
She praised volunteers who brought water and snacks for the crowd on a day when temperatures were in the high ‘80s.
“It had a really good vibe,” she said. “In addition to people standing up for the Constitution and the rule of law, and being very unhappy with the illegal and unconstitutional actions that have bene taken by Trump and his administration, people were supportive and really watching out for one another.”
Morrissey, who lives in Lakewood, co-hosted the event with Andra Boeker, a fellow Lakewood resident. e two met during the April 5 “Hands O ” protest on the overpass, which until last weekend’s “No Kings” event had been the largest one-day, nationwide display of public resistance against Trump’s second administration.
Data suggests the “No Kings” protests could be the biggest day of demonstrations in American history.
While Morrissey said her concerns were mounting for months, the mistaken deportation of Salvadoran native Kilmar Abrego Garcia — charged for allegedly transporting undocumented migrants within the U.S. and later returned to the States to face charges — was the culmination.
“Many people’s lives had been upended,” she said. “ e brutality of (Trump budget director) Russell Vought saying we want to traumatize people … All of that was reckless, premeditated and wanton, and injurious in a civil assessment. You do not violate the tenets of the Constitution simply to create whatever idea you might happen to have. at’s not how it works in a constitutional republic. e idea here is that we’re here to have a dialogue.”
Morrissey said she will “absolutely” co-host a future protest.
Sarah Oviatt, left, and Katrinia Keil, both of Golden, joined the protest at the Genesee overpass. “We”re going to take back the flag and the constitution,” Keil said. PHOTOS BY JANE REUTER
Steve Stevens, far left, holds a “Trump for Prison 2024” flag. Stevens, who has metastatic cancer, was attending his second of three planned “No Kings” protest events on June 14.
From left, Evergreen residents Angie Zimmerman, Fiona Beall and Shaun Beall came to the Genesee “No Kings” protest. It was Fiona’s second protest; her first was the 2020 Black Lives Matter event.
RENTALS
move the requirement for a public hearing before obtaining new and renewal STR permits and eliminate limitations on lot size and zone districts, replacing them with clear, objective criteria for administrative approvals. It would also lower the fee schedule to re ect the reduced demand on sta time.
e proposed regulations would also allow STRs in Accessory Dwelling Units, Duplexes, and Townhomes and de ne two types of STRs: Primary Residence STR and Investment Property STR, with speci c caps and separation requirements.
High fees, low compliance
Under current regulations, a short-term rental owner has to submit an application for approval to the board of adjustment. It typically takes at least three months from submittal to approval from the board. en, if it’s approved by the board of adjustments, the owner needs to apply for a short-term rental permit. Both require the payment of fees.
“If you look at the costs to operate a short-term rental to get it permitted right now, that rst year is a couple thousand total in permit fees,” Clark said. “And it’s only good for six months on your rst application; after that, it’s a year at a time.
“So we have a very low compliance rate.”
In addition to making the process easier for those with a short-term rental, the proposal suggests ways to better enforce rules that apply to them. at includes a new county ordinance to give Je erson County more authority to regulate STRs and increase nes for non-compliance.
It would also add the use of a third party, Host Compliance, to help the county identify shortterm rentals and compliance rates, and provide a 24/7 complaint hotline service. Host Compliance is a software company aimed at helping governments with just such issues.
Russell said the draft regulations attempt to balance “a lot of competing interests.”
“People can get very passionate about this,” he said. “Folks who have been negatively impacted
by a short-term rental are very passionate about not wanting to have them operate in a bad way, or not have them operate at all. People who want to operate one are frustrated with trying to do it the right way.
“We’ve also adopted our 15-year housing plan that talks about the importance of a ordable housing. We’re trying to balance all of them as best we can.”
e county used Host Compliance to come up with its estimate of 700 STRs in its unincorporated areas. But a quick search on Airbnb, absent parameters for speci c dates or number of guests, shows 260 in the Conifer area and 584 in the Evergreen area alone.
Major concern
People in both communities say short-term rentals have become a huge issue.
“People are very, very concerned about people renting these places who have no idea we’re on well and septic, and that we have a horrendous re danger,” said Shirley Johnson, president of the Conifer Area Council. “I do know that is an absolutely major concern of people up here.”
Evergreen Area Chamber of Commerce president Nancy Judge is all for common-sense regulations.
“Neighbors are fearful for their homes because of people who rent (a short-term rental), go out on the porches and smoke, and ip their cigarette onto the ground below,” she said. ”We’ve also had residences supposedly rented for 4-6 people with party buses that show up.
“ ey don’t live with re danger every single day as we do. We can’t fault them for not knowing about the issues in our community,” she said. ”But it’s incumbent upon the property owner to ensure they’re aware and pass that information on. Having these regulations and encouraging the owners of the short-term rental properties to get licensed and adhere to them with their renters is going to bene t everyone.”
e public comment period on the draft regulations is open until July 20. Comments may be sent to str@je co.us.
While hearing dates aren’t set, Clark expects the regulations could go before the planning commission and county commissioners late this year.
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Colorado
The Je erson County Administration building in Golden. FILE PHOTO
Green Mountain’s Lunsford wins 2025 Steinmark
BY STEVE SMITH
SPECIAL TO THE COLORADO TRUST FOR LOCAL NEWS
Green Mountain High School’s Simon Lunsford has some extra hardware in his home, and this is perhaps the most prestigious award yet.
e Colorado High School Coaches Association named Lunsford as the recipient of this year’s Freddie Steinmark Award. A statement from CHSCA said the award is presented to those high school seniors who exemplify “excellence in athletics, academics and community service, an embodiment of the legacy left by Freddie Steinmark himself.”
Steinmark was a three-sport athlete at Wheat Ridge High School almost 60 years ago. He led the University of Texas to a national college football title in 1969 but died of cancer two years later.
According to CHSCA, Lunsford was a three-sport athlete who won nine varsity letters. He earned rst-team, AllState honors in football, basketball and baseball. e Rams nished second in this year’s state basketball tournament.
Lunsford also pitched a no-hitter to lead Green Mountain into the state baseball playo s. Lunsford is the Je erson County 4A Athlete of the Year and a four-time recipient of the school’s 3-Sport Athlete Award.
His football season ended early because of an ankle injury. Lunsford returned to the basketball court a month early and scored 41 points against a top-10 opponent.
“Simon embodies the perseverance, courage, and humility that de ne Freddie Steinmark’s legacy,” said Mike Puccio, Green Mountain’s basketball coach. “ e grueling work it took to come back from that injury, and then to perform at the highest level, speaks volumes. He leads with humility, competes with heart, and serves with purpose.”
Away from the playing eld, Lunsford is a ve-time recipient of Green Moun-
tain’s Honor Roll Gold Distinguished student for maintaining a GPA above 4.0. He also made the school’s honor roll eight times, and he received the school’s citizenship award this spring.
Lunsford is also a volunteer at the Denver Rescue Mission and Christ on the Mountain Church. He’s been a youth camp counselor in both football and basketball. During the summers, Lunsford started his own lawnmower blade-sharpening business.
“Simon is a distinguished athlete, a mentor to young children, and a model of resilience and integrity,” said community member Cara Friedman in the statement. “He has shown my son that challenges can be overcome, and that kindness and humility are just as important as talent. His actions have left an indelible mark on our community.”
Lunsford called the award “deeply personal.”
“Competing against Wheat Ridge throughout my life, I had the chance to walk the halls of their school and see the Freddie Steinmark display rsthand,” Lunsford said. “It left a lasting impression on me, not just because of what it stood for, but because of the stories my grandfather shared with me. He attended Lakewood High School and had the honor of competing against the rst-ever Steinmark Award winner, Dave Logan.”
Next year, Lunsford will attend Colorado Mesa University and will play baseball for the Mavericks.
e other nalists were Shane Curry, omas Je erson High School; Anderson Filla, Akron High School; Samuel Meisner, Wray High School; Marcus Mozer, Fossil Ridge High School; Matthew Napiekowski, Holy Family High School; Joseph Probst, West Grand High School; and Benjamin Simon, Coal Ridge High School.
On the girls’ side, Strasburg High School’s Peighton Marrero was this year’s Freddie Steinmark Award winner.
Don’t go it alone.
Green Mountain’s Simon Lunsford was awarded the 2025 Freddie Steinmark Award from the Colorado High School Coaches Association. Lunsford was a decorated multi-sport star for the Rams. COURTESY PHOTO
Cyclist cruises by on coast-to-coast journey
Teddy Bloom rides for free speech, rights
BY ALEX K.W. SCHULTZ
SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
In a time when the country is so divided and many feel the democratic way of life is being threatened in one way or another, 37-year-old Teddy Bloom is going for a bike ride.
But not just any bike ride. He’s dubbed it the Ride4Rights, a California-to-Washington, D.C., expedition to raise awareness of and support for four issues he says are vital to the American way of life: freedom of speech, justice, education and unity.
e Santa Fe, New Mexico, native started at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on April 20 and arrived in Denver on June 7. He plans to reach his nal destination, the Washington Monument, on Aug. 14. He will have covered roughly 3,000 miles on his Kona Libre gravel bike and made 100 or so stops by the time it’s all said and done.
is isn’t a left or right issue, the New Mexico Department of Transportation employee said. It’s simply for “people who like living in America and being in a democracy.”
“I do have more left supporters because they’re more against what the current administration is doing, but I do have a fair number of conservative supporters who like the conservative ideas of small government and states’ rights and whatnot,” Bloom said.
On freedom of speech and justice, Bloom said, “You need free speech to really be
Lastly, speaking about unity, he said,
“It’s the idea that you shouldn’t be doing something just to screw over other people.
When you’re trying to make a law or implement a process or something, it should be either because it’s to your bene t or the bene t of other people. In looking at the internet at least, people seem to have lost
til he reaches the marble obelisk in the nation’s capital.
“I wanted to do something a lot of people could get behind,” Bloom said. “ ese are very basic things for a democracy to function.”
Follow Bloom’s journey at ride4rights. com.
Santa Fe cyclist Teddy Bloom poses for a photo with his bicycle. Bloom is biking across America to raise awareness of and support for four issues he says are vital to the American way of life: freedom of speech, justice, education and unity. COURTESY PHOTOS
Teddy Bloom poses for a photo on June 5 at Loveland Pass. Bloom is biking across America to raise awareness of and support for four issues he says are vital to the American way of life: freedom of speech, justice, education and unity.
Teddy Bloom observes the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on April 20. Bloom is biking across America to raise awareness of and support for four issues he says are vital to the American way of life: freedom of speech, justice, education and unity. He rode through Colorado in mid-June.
Lessons to remember in times of struggle
Irst met Wendy when I was 14 years old, entering Holy Family High School as a ninth grader. Wendy’s outgoing personality, seemingly endless ability to nd joy in every situation, and her “but we won’t know for sure if we don’t try it” attitude made her very popular in our small class of 90-plus students.
roughout our high school years, Wendy demonstrated her compassion for others in many ways. She was always there to help when someone needed it. For me and my family, when my father was laid up following surgery to remove an eye that was lled with cancer, Wendy stepped in and helped me deliver the Rocky Mountain Newspapers that Dad and I would deliver each morning. at help would be amazing in itself; however, Wendy helped in the aftermath of a blizzard. We would get up at 4:30 a.m., go to the drop-o spot for the papers, fold them, and then try to navigate down the side streets in North Denver that were covered with 20 inches of snow. After completing the task, we would get ready for school, go to school all day, and prepare to do it again. For three days, this sel ess teenager helped my family as we navigated an incredibly di cult time.
After graduation, we went our separate ways. I headed to Colorado College; Wendy went to Creighton University in Nebraska. We saw each other on rare occasions. I saw her just a few days after the birth of her rst child, and we would catch up at reunions. However, aside from brief visits, we spoke to each other very little.
Each time I saw her, our conversation reinforced the idea that Wendy was still the person I knew in high school: energetic, enthusiastic, and caring. She became a triathlete, a teacher, and a mother to a gaggle of children. About thirteen years ago, she was running home after a workout, and her body failed her. She simply could not make it up the hill to her house. A few days later, on Halloween night, Wendy was sitting in a chair and fell out of it for no apparent reason. e next day at the doctor’s ofce, the reason became very apparent. She had brain cancer and was given two weeks to two months to live. A short time ago, a group of us from the Holy Family Class of 1984 gathered with Wendy at a restaurant in North Denver.
Con ned to a wheelchair, limited in her motion, and knowing that travelling from Omaha to Denver is becoming more challenging for her, we were all excited together and talk with this miracle.
As the nine of us reminisced, laughing and talking about our experiences in school and sharing about our lives since that time, I was utterly struck by the profound lessons I learned from this dear friend of 45 years in a short four-
VOICES
Cuts to Science Could Mean Losing Young Scientists (Like Me)
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
hour conversation.
Jim Roome
e lessons learned that evening are great for all of us to consider, especially during times of struggle, and include:
• Just because someone has said it does not mean that it needs to be true.
— It is very clear that Wendy takes great pride in proving the experts wrong. 13 years is a lot longer than two months.
• We must not underestimate the incredible in uence that we have on other people.
— Wendy came back to Denver for the wedding of one of her nieces. Wendy is known in the family as the “favorite aunt,” not as the “aunt in the wheelchair” or the “aunt with brain cancer.” Wendy is the favorite because she is absolutely present in the moment, excited about life, and dedicated to the idea of making a di erence whenever she can.
• We have this moment, this opportunity, this chance to make a di erence. It is our responsibility to understand that and take advantage of it.
— Wendy has done that for 13 years. Our lives will be better if we live by that rule for even 13 minutes.
• Wisdom comes in increments. Wendy mentioned to us her seven Fs for surviving 13 years with brain cancer. ese seven things are pieces of wisdom she has gained as she has navigated her struggles. ey are hers to share, but it is my sincere hope that she will begin to write about those insights, allowing others to learn from her experience.
I will never forget this simple and wonderful evening. It was inspiring for all of us who could be there. e crazy part of the night lay in the fact that the insights were simply the product of a willingness to share and a determination to listen.
It is my sincere hope that as you navigate your struggle, you will seek both the opportunity to share insights and the chance to learn from others.
When you do those two simple things, the results will be transformative.
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. You can reach me at jim.roome@gmail. com.
When I was just a little sixth grader at Evergreen Middle School, I got to experience a week at Outdoor Lab. For this unique experience, my sixth-grade class stayed at an overnight camp near Windy Peak for a week.
I got sunburn and bug bites up and down my arms, pond muck wedged under my ngernails, and grass stains all over my pants. I loved every second of it.
is quintessentially Evergreen experience instilled a love of science in me, teaching me all about astronomy, geology, and biology. Ever since, I have dreamed of being involved in the groundbreaking science that I was learning about. I didn’t want to merely study science: I wanted to use it to improve the lives of people around me.
is sentiment stuck with me as I grew up, and ultimately inspired me to pursue a degree in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. Now, I’m a PhD student and medical researcher at Northwestern University.
I’m proud to be following my dream, working as part of a moonshot initiative to cut cancer deaths in half by 2045 as a part of the ARPA-H agency.
Over the last several months, this dream has come under attack. With their newest budget proposal, the government is threatening to cut over $27 billion to the National Sci-
GGUEST
COLUMN Quinn Beato
ence Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.
e ARPA-H agency, which funds my research, is also facing nearly $500 million in cuts under the current budget proposal.
ese measures, alongside haphazard cancellations of existing grants, have forced many universities to abandon lifesaving scienti c research and let go of many of their talented researchers.
is is why I’m calling on the Evergreen community, which rst inspired my love for science, to resist its slow and calculated dismantling in America.
Science isn’t exclusive to any one political party. By its very nature, the scienti c method is a tool that can be used to bene t everyone. And its bene ts are clear: since 1991, U.S. cancer mortality rates have declined by 34%, averting 4.5 million deaths. For its many faults, the US healthcare system provides Americans with access to some of the best facilities in the world, largely due to our heavy investment in medical research. If these proposed funding cuts are nalized, Americans would lose this very privileged position.
is is not to mention the thousands of other invisible discoveries that change our lives every day and would have been impossible without federal funding: GPS, weather
tracking, the internet, and the many breakthroughs that allowed for the invention of smartphones, just to mention a few.
Sure, there are some who oppose the type of scienti c research that ultimately receives federal funding, but it’s one thing to criticize what gets funded by the government, and another thing to cut o funding entirely.
However, funding is being unceremoniously slashed, and America is starting to lose its most impressive scientists. Until recently, America has been seen as a leader in most scienti c elds, retaining thousands of the most accomplished researchers from within the country, and attracting many more from around the world. is is no longer the case.
Recent polling suggests that over 75% of US-based scientists are considering moving abroad to destinations such as Canada, Europe, and Australia. Even if funding cuts are ultimately reversed, it may take generations to recover from a mass exodus of talented researchers.
I can already see this exodus in my own lab. I work alongside some of the smartest and most talented people I’ve ever met, both from the United States and abroad. Only months ago, most of these researchers felt lucky to work in such high-resource environments surrounded by such
Stand up for Science
rowing up in Evergreen, I was fortunate to be in an environment that fostered academic curiosity. With a mother who built her career on the principles of psychology, a father who established a business grounded in engineering, and a sister who dedicated her life to using social research to improve the lives of others, science has continuously shaped my life. But it wasn’t until after I began graduate school that I fully understood the impact of federal funding on the groundbreaking scienti c discoveries that consistently advance society. e recent cuts to the National Institute of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF) undermine a long-standing American tradition that fosters health and prosperity.
GUEST COLUMN Bailey McLagan
In 1945, Vannevar Bush, then head of the federal Ofce of Scienti c Research and Development, argued that scienti c knowledge was essential for preventing disease, protecting national security, and improving public wellbeing. Since then, the federal government has supported large-scale projects such as the development of GPS systems and Google. Despite the federal government’s crucial role in promoting health, advancing technology, and protecting national interests, recent cuts in federal funding threaten future scienti c advancement by limiting essential resources.
Beyond the immediate impacts of federally funded research, these projects yield
lasting bene ts, cultivating the next generation of scientists, generating local employment opportunities, and delivering a strong return on investment for taxpayers. A recent United for Medical Research report revealed that the 2024 NIH extramural research funding supported over 400,000 jobs, generated more than $94 billion in economic activity, and yielded a return on investment of $2.56 for every dollar spent. Federally funded research doesn’t always focus on the medical outcomes we are most familiar with. NSF and NIH funding also support community-based e orts to protect communities from natural disasters. For example, with support from federal funding, researchers at
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 jane@cotln.org to get items in the newspaper. Items will appear in print on a space-available basis.
UPCOMING
EChO 35 Years Strong: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 28, 27888 Meadow Dr, Evergreen. Back to the ‘90s party. EChO ReSale deals, food, tours, face painting, corn hole, giveaways, prize wheel. Free. evergreenchristianoutreach.
8th Annual Evergreen Mountain Art Celebration: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 28 and 29, e Evergreen North shopping complex, near the Evergreen post o ce, 3719 Evergreen Parkway, Evergreen. Juried ne art and ne craft show with 75 professional artists from Colorado and beyond. EvergreenArtShow.com
Movies in the Park “Wicked”: 4 p.m. July, Buchanan Park eld, 32003 Ellingwood Lane, Evergreen. In atables, food truck, ice cream, yard games. evergreenrecreation.com
43rd annual Freedom 5K Run: 8 a.m. July 4, Evergreen Middle School, 2059 South Hiwan Drive, Evergreen. Proceeds support Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice. Register online at FreedomRunRace.org in person at the Mount Evans o ce.
workshop: 6 p.m. June 19, Evergreen Fire/Rescue, 1802 Bergen Parkway, Evergreen. evergreen rerescue.com
45th Annual Summerfest: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 19 & 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 20, Buchanan Field, 32003 Ellingwood Trail, Evergreen. $5 at the door, kids 10 and under free Hosted by the Center for the Arts Evergreen with proceeds supporting year-round arts programs. evergreenarts.org..
EPRD Summer Concert series: 4 p.m. July 23, Buchanan Park eld, 32003 Ellingwood Trail, Evergreen. e Wrecklunds. Free. evergreenrecreation.com.
Elevation Celebration: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 27 and 28, Conifer. Street fair, live music, local artists and vendors, 5K. mountainwomeninbusiness.com
Foothills Fourth: Noon to 4:30 p.m. July 4, Buchanan Park elds, 32003 Ellingwood Trail, Evergreen. Familyfriendly community festival featuring music all day, community acts, carnival games, woodcarving showcase, log-rolling competition, food trucks and beer garden. Full schedule at evergreenrecreation.com
EPRD Summer Concert series: 4 p.m. July 9, Evergreen Lake House, 29612 Upper Bear Creek Road. Sarah Bauer Band. Free. evergreenrecreation.com
Coniferfest: 11 a.m. July 13, Our Lady of the Pines open space, 9444 Eagle Cli Road, Conifer. Live Music from Who’s omas, e Midday Sons, Iron Roots Band and Double Life. Vendors, food trucks, beer, wine and margaritas. $5 entry, children under 12 free. Leashed dogs welcome, free parking. rotaryconifer.org
Movies in the Park & Family Campout with “Shrek”: 4 p.m. Aug. 1, Buchanan Park eld, 32003 Ellingwood Lane, Evergreen. In atables, food truck, ice cream, yard games. evergreenrecreation.com
31st annual Community Grove Sale: 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 2, Evergreen Lutheran Church, 5980 Hwy 73, Evergreen. Donations of gently used items accepted 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 28 - July 30. Questions: 920-840-8158
EPRD Summer Concert series: 4 p.m. Aug. 6, Evergreen Lake House, 29612 Upper Bear Creek Road. Steve Knight. Free. evergreenrecreation.com
Mountain Music Fest: Noon to 9 p.m. Aug. 16.Buchanan Park, 32003 Ellingwood Trail, Evergreen. Music and community event to support the mountain community school system. Featuring Sam Grisman Project with e Leslies, Flobots, and Christie Hu , YAN YEZ, Hand Turkey Band, and Non-Prophet. mountainmusicfest.org.
dementia and their caregivers. Info: Barbara.Markey@Je coLibrary.org
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 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.
Al-Anon: Mountain Awakenings Family Group: 7 p.m. ursdays, Evergreen United Methodist Church, 3757 Ponderosa Drive, Evergreen.
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
Evergreen Nature Center Monthly Family Program: 11 a.m. every last Saturday, 27640 Hwy 74, Evergreen. evergreenaudubon.org
president, evergreenbearcreekcemetery@gmail.com
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.
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.
Andy Smith Sr. INSPIRE Golf Tournament: 7 a.m. July 14, Hiwan Golf Club, 30671 Clubhouse Lane, Evergreen. Fundraiser for the Evergreen Park and Recreation District’s INSPIRE program, Crutches 4 Africa, Resilience1220, and the Mountain Foothills Rotary Foundation. evergreenrecreation.com
Movies in the Park “Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone”: 4 p.m. July 16, Buchanan Park eld, 32003 Ellingwood Lane, Evergreen. In atables, food truck, ice cream, yard games. evergreenrecreation.com
Evergreen Players drama camp: One week July 17 & 24. With camps for ages 5-16. Costs vary. Details: evergreenplayers.org
“Good Trouble Lives On” protest: 2:30-6:30 p.m. Genesee overpass. goodtroubleliveson.org.
Evergreen Fire/Rescue evacuation
CAE’s Back Porch Concert Series featuring Crystal Visions: 7 p.m. Aug 22. Outdoor seating starts at 6 p.m. General admission $20, kids 10 and under free. 31880 Rocky Village Drive, Evergreen. evergreenarts.org.
CAE’s Back Porch Concert Series featuring e 3eatles: 7 p.m. Sept 12. Outdoor seating starts at 6 p.m. General admission $20, kids 10 and under free. 31880 Rocky Village Drive, Evergreen. evergreenarts.org.
ONGOING
Evergreen Park & Recreation District camps: Now through Aug. 8. For youth starting age 3. Includes preschool, summer adventure, outdoor climbing, gymnastics, science and technology, sports, INSPIRE (Special Needs), Lake House, chess, and Challenger soccer. evergreenrecreation.com.
Evergreen Farmer’s Market: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Tuesday through Sept. 23, Center for the Arts Evergreen, 31880 Rocky Village Drive, Evergreen.
Evergreen Cars & Co ee: 9 a.m. to noon rst Saturdays through Sept. 6. 29340 Industrial Way, Evergreen.
Alzheimer’s Memory Cafe: 10:30 a.m. every rst Friday, Evergreen Library, 5000 County Hwy 73, Evergreen. Program providing a gathering place and planned activities for adults with
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 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
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 inperson 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/.
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, visitmtevans.org/services/emotionalsupport/.
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.
Evergreen Mountain Art Celebration returns
There are few better ways to spend a summer day in Colorado than in the mountains, and if you can pair this with some wonderful cultural activities, how can you go wrong?
at’s what makes the Evergreen Mountain Art Celebration such a great event, and it’s even bigger and better in its 8th year. e event is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29 at the Evergreen North Shopping Complex, 3719 Evergreen Parkway. e juried ne art and ne craft show highlights 75 professional artists from Colorado and beyond. All of them use a range of mediums, including painting, jewelry, ceramics and more, to create works that honor mountain living and Western, Southwestern and rustic themes.
In addition to the art, visitors can enjoy live music. Colorado Roots Rock Unplugged, a duo that specializes in acoustic versions of classic rock, will be performing on Saturday and Link&Chain, a band of brothers performing reggae, will be on hand on Sunday. ere will also be a drawing for a $1,000 Art Festival Shopping Spree at noon on Sunday.
We interviewed Amber Calanni with Colorado Art Weekend about the event and what visitors should know.
Interview edited for brevity and clarity. What were you looking for in artists this year?
We want to feature art that ts into the “Mountain Modern” avor. “Mountain Modern” is a style that blends contem-
Korean water rescue team came across the crash that killed one
BY MONTE WHALEY MONTE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
COMING ATTRACTIONS
O cials with Adams County Fire Rescue are praising the help they received from several emergency crews in the area Friday night while dealing with a fatality on I-76. Among the groups that came to help were nine members of the Korean National 119 Rescue team, who had been in Colorado participating in a nine-day swift water rescue training hosted by Golden Fire-Rescue.
porary aesthetics with rustic, nature-inspired elements, but feels personal and connected to nature and elevated in presentation. If someone has never attended the Celebration, what should they ey should know this festival is more than an art show, it’s a true celebration of Colorado mountain culture and “Mountain Modern” art. It’s free to attend, easy to access and full of authentic charm. Whether you’re an art lover or just looking to explore something new. Evergreen is a relaxed setting where you can enjoy art, meet the artists and connect with a creative community.
Why is it important to celebrate the arts at a time like this?
In a time when so much feels uncertain, the arts remind us of what grounds us; hope, beauty, self-expression and connection. Art gives us a chance to slow down, re ect and engage with something meaningful. is festival also gives families and individuals a reason to get outdoors, support artists and feel part of something positive and inspiring. What do you hope people come away with?
We want visitors to leave feeling uplifted, like they’ve spent their weekend immersed in something special. Whether it’s a new piece of art, a meaningful
conversation with an artist, hearing a great musical performance or simply the peaceful experience of walking the festival grounds, we want guests to take away memories that last well beyond the weekend.
For more information, visit www.EvergreenArtShow.com.
Learn About the Life of a Colorado Hat Maker e Littleton Museum, 6028 S. Gallup St., is looking at the history of a renowned hat maker in its new exhibit, Kate Ferretti: e Life of a Colorado Hat Maker. e exhibit opens on Friday, June 27, and focuses on Ferretti, a nationally recognized hat maker. She entered the workforce at 13 and went on to build a family business that spanned nearly ve decades. According to the provided information, “this exhibition explores sources from Ferretti’s family, as well as oral histories from the collections of the Littleton Museum and History Colorado, to help tell the full story of this fascinating local maker’s life.”
For more information, visit https:// visitlittleton.org/event/kate-ferretti-exhibit/.
Big Belmar Bash Brings Party to Lakewood e City of Lakewood is celebrating Independence Day a little early, but with no less pomp and circumstance, with its Big Belmar Bash from 5 to 10 p.m. on ursday, July 3, at Downtown Belmar, 7337 W. Alaska Drive.
e evening will feature something for
all ages, including live music and children’s activities. ere will also be a range of local vendors selling unique items and plenty of food and drink options.
Of course, the highlight of the night is a drone light show, which will begin at around 9:15 p.m. It will feature a eet “of 250 cutting-edge drones with state-ofthe-art LED lights” illuminating the night and “MIX 100 will provide a curated soundtrack for the drone light show,” according to provided information.
More information is available at www. Lakewood.org/BBB.
Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Elvis Costello & The Imposters at Bellco Theatre
Elvis Costello is one of the greatest living songwriters we have and has been proving that repeatedly since his classic debut album was released in 1977. In the ensuing decades, he’s released several bulletproof records and worked with some absolutely amazing songwriters. In celebration of his stellar career, he’s bringing his band, e Imposters, and guitarist Charlie Sexton on the Radio Soul!: e Early Songs of Elvis Costello tour.
e tour is coming to Bellco eatre, 1100 Stout St., at 8 p.m. on Sunday, June 29. e music of Costello’s early career is some of his best, so this will be a performance not to be missed. Get tickets at www.axs.com.
Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.
Korean rescue team helps with I-76 crash
Members of the Korean rescue team helped with a fatality on I-76 June 13.
COURTESY ADAMS COUNTY FIRE RESCUE
Boulevard and Pecos, according to Adams County Fire Rescue’s Facebook post. A truck was traveling the wrong way on
I-76 and crashed head-on into a sedan –the truck was traveling eastbound in the westbound lane, the re rescue’s post states, about 11 p.m.
e Korean team immediately secured the scene, called 911, and pulled the passenger out of the truck. Upon discovering he was in cardiac arrest, they immediately began CPR.
“Although the patent did not survive, we are incredibly grateful to these re ghters for their swift response,” the Facebook post states.
e two drivers were transported “nonemergent” to the hospital, according to Adams County Fire Rescue.
Westminster Fire Department as well as the Colorado State Patrol and Adams County Sheri ’s O ce assisted at the scene, re rescue o cials said.
Clarke Reader
Librarians claim policy rollback opened door to censorship
Policy rollback and opaque decisions spur Je co librarians to seek clarity
BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SUZIE@COTLN.ORG
On May 29, Ti any LoSasso stood before the Je erson County school board anked by fellow Digital Teacher Librarians from across the district. e Mandalay Middle School librarian delivered a carefully sourced, deeply personal plea: restore transparency and professional oversight to how Je co handles school library books.
“We implore you to make these changes as soon as possible,” LoSasso said, referencing the recent passage of Senate Bill 25-063, which requires Colorado school districts to adopt clear procedures for the acquisition, removal and review of library materials by Sept. 1.
LoSasso, who testi ed in favor of the bill before the Colorado Senate Education Committee in February earlier this year, said she now feels misled.
“I told lawmakers that Je co already had strong, protective policies in place,” she said. “But I didn’t know they had been removed. I felt betrayed.”
Je co once had such a policy, LoSasso explained. Known as IJL, it required the formation of trained review committees and o ered clear protection for DTLs and the materials they managed.
But in June 2023, during a period without a district-level library coordinator, IJL was repealed and replaced with a more
teacher librarian, along with district personnel, have shared authority for selecting and eliminating library materials.”
LoSasso and other librarians said they were never informed of the change, and only discovered it recently when their decisions were overruled without explanation.
“We didn’t know the change had been
Book removal raises questions e turning point came in January 2024, when they were asked to remove a popular manga series, Assassination Classroom. Manga is a style of Japanese comics and graphic novels.
A district book review committee, following Je co’s existing procedures, determined the series should only be available
REVERSE MORTGAGES
directive to remove it entirely, citing an undisclosed decision by a “district leadership team.”
“We were told it was not appropriate for any Je co school, which directly contradicted the committee’s recommendation,” LoSasso said. “ e rationale given
Mandalay Middle School librarian Ti any LoSasso addresses the Je erson County Board of Education on May 29, 2025. JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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CENSORSHIP
referenced the district’s tragic history with Columbine, which made no sense to me given the book’s premise.”
LoSasso said the book is a science ction story in which a powerful alien becomes a junior high school teacher and challenges his students to assassinate him before he destroys the Earth.
Tara Degelmann, Je co’s Library Services Coordinator, in an email to the board, said the book was removed districtwide because it depicts students attacking and attempting to kill a teacher, which she described as fundamentally inappropriate for a school library collection, regardless of the book’s ctional and fantastical framing.
When LoSasso and others questioned the reversal, they received identical, copy-and-pasted responses. DTLs serving on the review committee were not consulted.
en, in October 2024, principals at multiple schools were reportedly directed by district administrators to remove additional books without following Jef-
BERGEN PARK CHURCH
fco’s published challenge process.
Emails posted as evidence online after LoSasso gave public comment showed they received an email from the Degelmann stating that they were to ‘spend the next day reviewing their library catalogs for books with controversial topics’ and that the provided list of agged keywords, such as pornography, violence and cruelty, ‘should not be printed or shared.’
LoSasso said the exercise ignored standard weeding criteria, such as condition, age and circulation data.
“It felt like censorship,” LoSasso said.
In February, a group of secondary DTLs wrote to Superintendent Tracy Dorland, Deputy Superintendent Kym LeBlancEsparza and Chief Academic O cer Renee Nicothodes to raise concerns. ey received no reply. A later meeting arranged through the teachers’ union resulted in a promise of follow-up that never came, according to LoSasso.
In a message to the board, Nicothodes said that district leaders recognize the concerns raised by DTLs and emphasized that Je co remains committed to continually improving its library policies.
She encouraged collaboration and professional dialogue moving forward, but did not directly respond to speci c com-
plaints about previous removals or communication gaps.
LoSasso added that no one from the district or board has contacted her since she spoke at the May 29 meeting.
“ at silence is disappointing. We are putting ourselves out there to help, and we’ve been met with silence.”
Board pledges review; district defends process
In response to LoSasso’s public comment, board members acknowledged the confusion at their next meeting and expressed a desire to involve DTLs in future policy revisions.
Board Member Erin Kenworthy said she had already reached out to some librarians and urged a collaborative approach.
“ ey are the experts and I think we need to value their professional input,” she said.
Board members Paula Reed and Mary Parker also voiced concern about how the policy change was handled and whether DTLs had been given adequate notice or opportunity to contribute.
Degelmann told the board that the district’s current policy acknowledges the importance of collaboration between
teacher librarians and district personnel, but stated that she believes several aspects of LoSasso’s public comment were inaccurate or lacked context.
For example, she stated that the October 2024 email, which asked librarians to review catalog entries, was intended as a voluntary resource audit aligned with guidance from national organizations, not a directive to censor books.
Degelmann also emphasized that district leaders have not removed books arbitrarily and that formal review processes remain available to sta . She said district sta plan to work with the school board and review guidance from the Colorado Association of School Boards to ensure alignment with state law.
“We are con dent that Je co Public Schools has a strong process in place for the selection and review of library materials,” Degelmann said.
In the meantime, LoSasso said they are operating without clear guardrails and with fear that student access to books could be subject to behind-the-scenes decisions without due process.
“We are the experts on what is appropriate for our students and our communities,” LoSasso told the board. “Please let us do our jobs.”
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
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 • www.evergreenumc.org 3757 Ponderosa Dr. across Hwy 74 from Safeway in Evergreen Join us in person every Sunday at 10:00am for worship “Open Hearts, Open Doors, Open Minds”
Colorado lawmakers stay vigilant
BY DELILAH BRUMER COLORADO NEWSLINE
More than 40 Colorado elected o cials as of Tuesday have requested the redaction of their addresses and other personal information from the state’s online campaign nance database. e Colorado secretary of state suspended the website on Saturday, due to safety concerns in the aftermath of shootings targeting two Minnesota Democratic lawmakers.
Melissa Hortman, the Minnesota House Democratic leader, and her husband Mark Hortman were shot and killed this weekend by a man who came to their home posing as a police o cer, federal o cials said. Vance Boelter, 57, faces charges for the murders, as well as for the shootings of Minnesota Sen. John Ho man and his wife Yvette Ho man, who are expected to recover.
Colorado lawmakers have condemned the shootings, and many are taking additional safety precautions. Colorado House Speaker Julie McCluskie, a Democrat from Dillon, said in a statement that “what happened in Minnesota has shaken us to our very core.”
makers to redact personal information online that is not required to be public based on a campaign nance rule that protects “any person who believes their safety or the safety of an immediate family member may be in jeopardy.”
A spokesperson for the Colorado secretary of state’s o ce said there is not a speci c time anticipated for when TRACER will be online again, but it will be “back up soon.”
Colorado House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese, a Colorado Springs Republican, said in a statement about the Minnesota shootings that “violence has no place in our politics. Not now. Not ever.”
“ is is an unconscionable act of violence,” Pugliese said. “ ere is absolutely no justi cation for targeted attacks on elected o cials — or anyone — based on their political beliefs. Our nation was built on civil discourse and the peaceful exchange of ideas, not horri c acts of violence. We are keeping the families of Rep. Hortman and Senator Ho man in our prayers.”
“Our democracy is based on the idea that we resolve our di erences through peaceful debate and in courts, elected bodies, state legislatures and the halls of Congress, not political violence,” she said.
Colorado Senate President James Coleman, a Denver Democrat, said he has
“been in close and ongoing communication” with the Colorado State Patrol, and he has adjusted his driving patterns when going to work, for safety reasons. “ is assassination and targeted attack in Minnesota was a tragedy and a disturbing escalation of political violence in our country,” Coleman said in an interview Tuesday. “It’s understandable that legislators are concerned for their safety and
OBITUARIES
Deborah Willhite
December 28, 1951 - June 10, 2025
Deborah Kay Willhite, Trailblazing Political Strategist and Advocate
Deborah “Debbie” Kay Willhite passed away peacefully at home in Evergreen, Colorado on June 10 after a courageous battle with cancer. She was 73.
A Navy veteran and nationally respected political strategist, Debbie’s career spanned six presidential campaigns and decades of work at the highest levels of Democratic politics. Born in Memphis in 1951 and raised in Arkansas and Oklahoma, she got her start as a teenager volunteering for Winthrop Rockefeller’s gubernatorial campaign. She graduated from Lyon College in Batesville, AR—where she’d been nicknamed “Sugar Bear” by classmates—and proudly served in the U.S. Navy Seabees.
Debbie held senior leadership roles in both Clinton-Gore campaigns and played a central role in planning the 1993 and 1997 Presidential Inaugurations, as well as the Denver Summit of the Eight. President Bill Clinton called her “one of the best of political minds”—a re ection of her sharp instincts, deep loyalty, and erce commitment to justice.
She later served as Senior Vice President for Government Relations at the U.S. Postal Service, where she led public policy and crisis communications during the 2001 anthrax attacks—one of the agency’s most challenging chapters. Her leadership helped maintain public trust and essential services during a time of national fear and uncertainty.
A tireless advocate for women and LGBTQ+ rights, Debbie fought for the Equal Rights Amendment and played a pivotal role in Geraldine Ferraro’s groundbreaking 1984 vice presidential
nomination. In Arkansas, she expanded healthcare access to over 150,000 people and advised progressive leaders on issues ranging from environmental policy to public health.
Debbie was also a natural mentor—countless young leaders credit her as the one who saw their potential before they did. Her booming laugh, sharp wit, and unwavering loyalty left a lasting mark on all who knew her.
In 2006, while managing a campaign for State Representative Kathy Webb, Debbie met the love of her life, District Judge Alice Lightle. ey married in 2016 and later made a home in Evergreen, Colorado, where they hiked, traveled, and doted on their Wheaten Terriers. Debbie’s greatest joy came from her blended family—especially her grandchildren in North Carolina.
She is survived by her wife, Alice Lightle; Edward Holcomb, Foster Holcomb, and Katie Holcomb Vollmer (Justin); grandchildren, Winston Vollmer and Eleanor Vollmer; Mother, Mary Willhite; sister, Teresa Malaby (Bob), nieces: Summer Fuentes (Steve), Piper Turner, Amber Valletta, Monica and Angie Rojas, and countless friends, family, mentees, and loved ones.
A celebration of Debbie’s life will be held at the Clinton Center in Little Rock, Arkansas on August 23rd, 2025. A separate gathering of friends in Evergreen will take place July 1st. ose who wish to attend may contact Emilie Rowland at rowland. emilie@gmail.com, or call or text (512) 966-4614 for details.
the safety of their families. I am for myself and my family.”
Colorado political candidates submit their campaign nance information, which is posted in the online database, known as TRACER, to comply with state election transparency laws. e website includes their home addresses, phone numbers and other personal information. e secretary of state is allowing law-
Coleman called for respect and less negativity in political interactions nationwide. He emphasized that he serves both Democrats and Republicans, and said the safety of all state lawmakers, as well as Coloradans as a whole, is a top priority.
“I keep my head on a swivel,” Coleman said. “We always need to be aware of our surroundings and not get caught o guard, but we can’t live in fear. We focus on what we can control.” is story is from Colorado Newsline. Used by permission. For more, and to support the news organization, visit coloradonewsline.com.
The Colorado state Capitol, pictured in 2023. PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD
WILLHITE
1. TELEVISION: “ e Simpsons” rst appeared as a short on which TV show?
2. GEOGRAPHY: What is the distance between mainland Russia (Siberia) and mainland United States (Alaska)?
3. GAMES: What is the highest score you can achieve in one frame of bowling?
4. MYTHOLOGY: What is the Roman god of the sea called?
5. SCIENCE: What are the only letters that don’t currently appear in the Periodic Table?
6. MOVIES: Which animated movie’s tagline is “Escape or die frying”?
7. LITERATURE: e Republic of Gilead appears in which 1980s novel?
8. FOOD & DRINK: Which spice is often praised for its anti-in ammatory properties?
9. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: In which country did Cirque du Soleil originate?
TrIVIa
10. LANGUAGE: What is glossolalia?
Answers
1. “ e Tracey Ullman Show.”
2. About 55 miles.
3. 30.
4. Neptune.
5. J and Q.
6. “Chicken Run.”
7. “ e Handmaid’s Tale.”
8. Turmeric.
9. Canada.
10. e ability to speak in a previously unknown language, also known as speaking in tongues.
(c) 2025 King Features Synd., Inc.
CAREERS REAL ESTATE
Help Wanted
Seasonal Laborer
City of Idaho Springs
Maintenance work including parks, streets and public buildings. This is a full-time, non-exempt, hourly, seasonal position working 40 hours per week during the summer with occasional weekend work required. Minimum 16 years of age; Valid Colorado Driver License; Acceptable Drug Test.
or GED required. Minimum 18 years of age. Valid Colorado Driver License. Acceptable drug test. Hiring ranges: Maintenance Worker I -$20.79-$23.91 per hour. Maintenance Worker II$22.92-$26.36 per hour with comprehensive benefit options including health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance plans, retirement plan, deferred compensation plan, employee assistance program, and recreation center passes. Apply by June 30, 2025 with completed City job application to the Acting Public Works Superintendent at esigward@idahospringsco.com or City Hall, 1711 Miner St., P.O. Box 907, Idaho Springs, CO 80452. Required City application available on-line at www.idahospringsco.com. The City of Idaho Springs is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).
$20.04/hour. Apply by June 30, 2025 with completed City job application to the Acting Public Works Superintendent at esigward@idahospringsco.com or City Hall, 1711 Miner St., P.O. Box 907, Idaho Springs, CO 80452. Required City application available on-line at www.idahospringsco.com . The City of Idaho Springs is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).
Metal Sculpture by BenJamin Stielow, Painting by Arturo Garcia, Jewelry by Zac Kothrade. Meet them at the show!