40 minute read
SPORTS
Jayden Perez, left and Daniel Hoodak meet at third (or is that fi rst?) base during an Oct. 31 costumed softball/baseball game at Riverdale Ridge High School. Players ran the bases counterclockwise. When was the last time you saw something like this? A scarecrow (Ty Thompson) successfully tags out a banana (Caden Beall-Steiner) during an Oct. 31 game involving players from Riverdale Ridge’s softball and baseball teams. Riverdale Ridge’s Zoie Linville takes her swings Oct.
31 on her school’s softball fi eld. PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH
It was off with the team uniforms and into every costume imaginable Oct. 31 at Riverdale Ridge High School.
Players from the school’s softball and baseball teams -- attired in everything from hot dogs to a priest’s smock to a human hot dog to a policeman to a farmer -- took to the softball field for some Halloween fun. Players ran the bases counterclockwise.
The teams carved pumpkins before the game and handed out Halloween candy afterward.
Big send-o for Thimmig student, big Tampa Bay Bucs fan
BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
THORNTON – Members of the Brighton, Commerce City and Thornton police departments were on hand at Thimmig Elementary School Nov. 3.
Students from all three 27J Schools’ high schools – Riverdale Ridge, Brighton and Prairie View – lined Thimmig’s hallways. So did members of Prairie View’s band.
Outside waiting their turn in the celebration were an ambulance crew, the South Adams County Fire Department, two school mascots, 27J School District administrators and a 27J Schools board of education member.
And a lot of Dorian Hernandez’s classmates and friends, many of whom he sees in the hallway as he rolls by in his wheelchair. They were in the halls at fi rst, then crowded into the school gym.
Big trip
Hernandez. a second-grader at Henderson’s Thimmig Elementary, suffers from leukodystrophy, a genetic disease affecting the tissue that bundles nerve fi bers connected to nerve cells in the central nervous system. A statement from 27J Schools said the 7-year-old has “already outlived his doctors’ estimated life expectancy.”
He’s also a big fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League and, perhaps, a bigger fan of the Bucs quarterback, Tom Brady.
Dream On 3, an organization that grants sports-related wishes to youngsters with life-altering conditions, nominated Hernandez and his family for a special trip over the weekend. It included a limo ride to the Gaylord Hotel near Denver International Airport and a trip to Tampa Bay, Florida, over the weekend. It included a chance to go to a Bucs’ practice and to go to the Bucs’ game against the Los Angeles Rams Nov. 6.
Dream On 3’s Noelle Colligan presented Dorian with his own Tampa Bay jersey and his own number, 22.
School Principal Cindy Ritter read a number of tributes from Hernandez’s classmates.
“You’re kind. You’re funny. You have soft hair. You’re good at basketball,” she read. “You’re a big fan of Tom Brady. You care about people. You’re aware of other people and of students’ needs.
Young Dorian didn’t go on the weekend trip without some prep work ahead of time.
Once the assembled parents and press got their pictures, it was time for Hernandez and his family to head for the limo ride to the hotel and the beginning of his weekend. The limo left the school parking lot with an escort of police department motorcycle offi cers and squad cars, plus the South Adams County Fire Department.
27J School board member Tom Green, far left, and cheerleaders from Prairie View High School lead the applause for 7-year-old Dorian Hernandez during a send-o event at Thimmig Elementary School Nov. 3. PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH
BEST
consultant, reports 3,000 gigawatt-hours being planned or under construction.
In “The Big Fix,” Aspen-reared Hal Harvey and co-author Justin Gillis describe how scaling up of industrial process has caused prices of everything from Model T’s to computer chips to tumble. They call it “the learning curve.” The most recent examples were wind and then solar.
Cheaper lithium-ion batteries alone will not alone allow Holy Cross and other utilities to realize their goals of 100% emissions-free electricity by 2030. We also need longer-term storage. Options include molten salt, hydrogen and pumped storage-hydro, the latter a technology use in Colorado since the 1950s that remains the state’s largest “battery.” Nuclear and geothermal are other options. All will take time to deploy. Likely a decade.
For now, it’s time to charge the batteries.
Allen Best publishes Big Pivots, an e-journal from which this was extracted. See BigPivots.com.
Celebrating Native American Indian Heritage Month in November is a pathway to honoring Indigenous people year-round
The Denver area today is a hub for Native Americans.
It was approximately between 1945 and 1965 when Native Americans found Denver to be a desirable place to find work, said Cheryl Crazy Bull, president of the Denver-based American Indian College Fund. This time period is known as the Relocation and Termination period, when Native Americans were removed from reservations and relocated to urban areas, Crazy Bull said.
Awareness of the plight of Native American communities rose in the 1960s and `70s, and this included concern for the lack of representation and visibility of tribal members in every corner of American life, Crazy Bull said.
In 1990, President George H. W. Bush established Native American Indian Heritage Month, which is celebrated every November.
“Native American Indian Heritage Month is a focused educational time,” Crazy Bull said.
Crazy Bull grew up in South Dakota and takes pride in being a citizen of the Sicangu Lakota nation, part of the Seven Council Fires. Each of the Council Fires is made up of individual tribal bands, based on kinship, dialect and geographic proximity.
How to celebrate Native American Heritage Month
The American Indian College Fund offers a number of ways to celebrate Native American Heritage Month. It begins with IndigeBration, an exclusive virtual concert. The celebration continues with a month-long Facebook challenge that includes a Walk and Learn event, an instructional
social dance video, book clubs, watch parties and panels. Crazy Bull will cap the celebration month with a live discussion.
Recognizing Native Americans during Thanksgiving
“A lot of people have come to learn that the history behind Thanksgiving dinner (and) the stories we learned in school, are not exactly correct,” said NancyJo Houk, chief marketing and development officer for the American Indian College Fund. “I think it’s wonderful that people are starting to hear and understand that the truth behind the story of Thanksgiving isn’t what we all thought that it was.”
Houk said there are ways to celebrate the holiday while also honoring Native Americans. She suggests reciting a land recognition or incorporating a traditional native dish to the meal. The college fund also provides resources of accurate history to share and discuss during the meal.
Beyond Native American Heritage Month
The idea is that Indigenous people will be honored beyond the month of November. That starts with research and self-education, Crazy Bull said. Her suggestions include taking advantage of opportunities to meet people of different cultures at social gatherings, work or club meetings. She said to also pay close attention to how Native American people are represented in schools, and take note of historical references in coursework to ensure there is representation of Indigenous peoples, Crazy Bull said.
Additionally, the Front Range boasts many nonprofits that serve Indigenous communities across the U.S. that people can learn more about. For example, the American Indian Science and Engineering Society on the University of Colorado-Denver campus and the American Indian Academy of Denver. And, there’s the Native American Rights Fund based in Boulder and Longmont’s First Nations Development Institute.
There’s also the American Indian Academy of Denver, a free charter school focused on student-driven STEAM curriculum that was established to support Native American and Latinx students.
It provides a “learning in an environment where children get a lot of opportunity to honor their Indigenious community,” Crazy Bull said.
Also in Denver, the city and county’s Commission of Indian Affairs “strives to support visibility of Native people in Denver, and also legislation,” Crazy Bull said, adding that “Colorado itself has passed some laws that were really important, like banning mascots, (and) legislation supporting tuition support of members of tribes.”
For the arts, Crazy Bull points to the North American Indian Cultures exhibition hall at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and the Denver Art Museum’s Indigenous Arts of North America gallery. Both offer opportunities to experience Native American culture any time of the year.
Another resource is the NativeLands app, which helps people discover what lands were the traditional homes of specific Indengous peoples.
Other suggestions to celebrate and honor Native Americans include learning how to cook traditional native foods and supporting Native American-owned businesses, such as Denver’s own Tocabe, an American Indian eatery. There are also volunteer opportunities with organizations such as the Denver Indian Resource Center, the Denver Indian Center or Spirit of the Sun.
“In the U.S., there’s this practice of trying to celebrate diversity in framed ways, so Native American Heritage Month is an example of that social practice of drawing attention to groups of people by setting aside time for them to be recognized,” Crazy Bull said. “But we are here everyday. And we view Native American Heritage Month as just an opportunity to showcase the different accomplishments and different challenges Native Americans face.”
Cheryl Crazy Bull is a citizen of the Sicangu Lakota nation and serves as the president and CEO of the American
Indian College Fund. COURTESY PHOTO
To learn more about the American Indian College Fund, visit collegefund.org.
Coloradan organizing national Christmas ornament drive for Marshall Fire victims
Operation Christmas Ornaments from Near and Far hopes to provide 12 ornaments each to 500 Colorado families
BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Two years ago, Carolyn Nicolaysen rallied friends and family members to collect and donate homemade Christmas ornaments to families impacted by wildfi res in Oregon, where her daughter lives.
Since then, Nicolaysen founded the Facebook group Operation Christmas Ornaments From Near and Far, and this year is collecting ornaments from folks across the country to donate to victims of the Marshall Fire.
The group accepts handmade ornaments from across the country and beyond — they received one donation from Japan this year — and organizes them into dozen-each sets before working with local organizations to distribute the ornaments to affected families.
Carol Burton, a Colorado resident, is heading up the local charge to get ornaments to Marshall Fire victims this year, and said that she and Nicolaysen found that the sentimental value of Christmas ornaments makes losing them in a natural disaster especially painful.
“From with talking to people, one of the things people really missed after a disaster were their Christmas ornaments and all of the memories tied up in those,” Burton said.
The group – which now contains over 700 members — had a goal to collect 6,000 ornaments for 500 families impacted by the Marshall Fires. On Oct. 27, Nicolaysen posted to say that reached their goal for the year, but are still accepting donations of ornaments for Marshall Fire victims and victims of other tragedies, including the tornadoes that damaged parts of Kentucky last year.
Folks interested in donating or receiving Christmas ornaments can join the group by searching ‘Operation Christmas Ornaments from Near and Far’ on Facebook.
Handmade ornaments made by a member of Operation Christmas Ornaments Near and Far. COURTESY OF OPERATION CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS NEAR AND FAR
of Colorado. They’ve been tracking Colorado’s GDP since 2005, and Colorado’s economic change has been very similar to the nation’s.
He also charted 17 years of GDP data for The Colorado Sun, comparing quarterly changes by the state and U.S.:
“Our job growth and income growth has been outperforming,” he added.
As What’s Working readers may recall from last week’s report, Colorado continues to add jobs, even if it’s at a slower rate than earlier in the year. Historically, the state’s labor force is one of the largest it has ever been.
Income continues to rise, according to monthly estimates from the U.S. Census Business Establishment Survey and state labor department. Colorado’s average hourly pay has increased 10.9% since January 2021 to $34.43 in September. In the same period, U.S. wages have grown 8.4% to $32.46.
Area economists however have already said job growth will continue to slow in Colorado.
“The annual employment totals for 2022 will be deceptively stellar,” said Gary Horvath, a Denver-based economist at Cbre.co in his monthly economic update. “During Q1, Colorado employment was strong and broad-based. By Q4, minimal growth or job losses will be more common as the country moves into a recession. The slowdown will carry into 2023.”
Colorado is not without job losses
In the past two months, three companies have fi led notices with the state warning that layoffs are on the way, as part of the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notifi cation.
Starry Inc., an internet provider, began laying off 41 workers on Oct. 21 due to “changes in its business,” according to the notice sent to Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. The company said the cuts are at its Centennial offi ce on Arapahoe Street. Starry earlier told shareholders it would cut half of its workforce “to conserve capital,” or 508 jobs, reported FierceWireless. • Chord Energy, the result of Denver’s Whiting Petroleum Corp and Houston’s Oasis Petroleum merger in July, will lay off 104 workers in December due to its decision to close the offi ce at 1700 Lincoln St. in Denver. • Planterra, a plant-protein food maker owned by JBS, is closing its corporate offi ce in Lafayette and manufacturing plant it opened in Denver less than a year ago, The Denver Business Journal reported. Approximately 121 employees will lose their jobs after meatpacker JBS decided to end its foray into plant protein. The layoffs are expected to be completed in December, according to its WARN letter.
Colorado infl ation gets political
Infl ation has become a political issue, which I tackled in a story earlier this week. It investigated the data behind one candidate’s claim that Colorado has the nation’s highest infl ation rate, at 16%. The number came from a Republican committee report that looked at the 21 months since President Joe Biden took offi ce. It also put Colorado in an eight-way tie with Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming for the highest infl ation over that period.
But the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tracks infl ation via the consumer price index, does not track the rate by each state. It doesn’t have the budget to be that detailed, apparently. Instead, BLS tracks infl ation by subregion — and that includes splitting up the U.S. into nine census divisions or by 23 metro areas. The Republican report used the nine census divisions.
In checking with area economists on how they calculate the Colorado rate, they lean toward the DenverAurora-Lakewood rate, which is one of the 23 metro areas where more detail is provided.
“In Colorado we can rely on the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood CPI, but for states like Utah and Wyoming they may have to defer to regional or census division CPI,” said Ryan Gedney, senior economist with the state Department of Labor and Employment. “To the best of my knowledge, there are no real substitutes for state-level measures of infl ation.”
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Eagle View Adult Center is open Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 303-655-2075 for more information. e September & October Newsletter will be mailed out Aug 23. Registration begins September 1, by appointment, open registration September 2.
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If you like to play games like bridge, pinochle, dominos, scrabble and pool… Eagle View is the place to get connected. Check out the newsletter for playing times.
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Movie: Poms
A er moving to a retirement community, Martha (Diane Keaton) hopes to be le alone but, instead, befriends a fun-loving neighbor. e two form a cheerleading squad with fellow seniors and learn it’s never too late to follow your dreams, even when the odds are stacked against you. Rated PG-13. 1 hr/31min. Free, but please register. 1:00 p.m. Wed. Sept 7. Deadline: Tues. Sept 6 SEE GROWTH, P16
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2023-24 budget unveiled
THE COLORADO SUN
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis unveiled his fi scal year 2023-24 budget proposal on Nov. 2 as constitutionally required, warning that the legislature will have little money available for new spending when it reconvenes in January and that the state needs to beef up its reserves given the strong possibility of a national economic downturn.
“There’s very little room in this budget for new programs,” Polis told reporters during a news conference at the governor’s mansion in downtown Denver. “We need to maintain strong reserves, more than ever before, in the face of global economic uncertainty. Otherwise, the legislature will be in a position to make major slashes to the budget should a recession occur.”
The proposal — which focused on public safety and affordable housing but doesn’t continue all of the government fee relief adopted by lawmakers this year — comes a week before the Democrat hopes to win reelection to another four-year term. Polling indicates he’s headed toward victory.
The $40 billion-plus budget plan for the fi scal year beginning July 1, 2023, will be presented to the legislature in the coming weeks, which will decide how much — or how little — of the governor’s wishes to pursue. If Republicans win back power in the Colorado General Assembly — it’s possible they secure a majority in the Senate — the likelihood of state lawmakers going along with Polis’ proposal will be greatly diminished.
Here are six big takeaways from Polis’ plan:
A $2.2 billion rainy day fund
The governor’s proposal calls for setting aside 15% of the state’s budget, or $2.17 billion, as a reserve that can be used as a rainy day fund.
The legislature’s Joint Budget Committee, a bipartisan panel that drafts the state budget, was told in September by nonpartisan legislative staff and the governor’s offi ce that the risk of a recession is high. The JBC was also informed that it’s facing an infl ationary budget crunch and that it may have less than $100 million to allocate to new programs next year not because of limited cash fl ow but because of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights cap on government growth and spending.
TABOR, the 1992 constitutional amendment passed by Colorado voters, limits increases in government growth and spending each year to the rates of infl ation and population growth. But the infl ation rate used to determine the cap comes from the previous calendar year, or six months before the start of each fi scal year.
The TABOR cap for the 2022-23 fi scal year, which began July 1, was set using a 3.5% infl ation rate when the infl ation rate in the 2021 calendar year in the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood area is more like 8%. While the 202324 fi scal year TABOR cap will refl ect that higher rate, it only builds off the TABOR cap set using the 3.5% rate.
Given high infl ation rates, some JBC members have complained that the TABOR cap is lagging and thus constraining the budget, a problem that compounds over time as infl ation keeps rising. There is interest among lawmakers in decoupling infl ation from the TABOR cap formula, but Polis said Tuesday he wasn’t aware of such a push and thus couldn’t comment on it.
“I would really recommend that if legislators have ideas for new programs, they offset them by eliminating or reducing (existing) programs,” Polis said Tuesday. “If legislators from both sides of the aisle have ideas we can work with them to fi nd potential offsets if they can show that their ideas will drive success more for the state of Colorado.”
The legislature this year spent $45 million to delay implementation of a new, 2-cent-per-gallon fee on gasoline purchases enacted through a measure championed by Polis and Democrats at the Capitol in 2021. The bill raised more than $5 billion over 11 years for transportation projects.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis.
PHOTO BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE
SEE POLIS, P15
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EAGLE VIEWADULT CENTER
Eagle View Adult Center Update –Nov 9-16, 2022 Eagle View Adult Center is open Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 303-655-2075 for more information. e November & December Newsletter is available. Eagle View is closed Nov 11, 24, 25. Cards, Games and Pool If you like to play games like bridge, pinochle, dominos, scrabble and pool… Eagle View is the place to get connected. Check out the newsletter for playing times. VOA Lunch A hot, nutritious lunch is provided by Volunteers of America, Mondays and ursdays at 11:30 a.m. Please reserve your VOA meal in advance: For Mondays reserve the ursday before, for ursdays reserve the Monday before.! Call Eleanor at 303-655-2271 between 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Mon. & urs. Daily meal donations are appreciated. $2.50 Donation per meal if age 60+ $8.50 Mandatory charge if under 60 Setting Your Boundaries 2 Boundary setting is a learned skill that prevents resentment and improves relationships. Join this onetime class to learn more. Facilitated by Rian Razo from Pennock Center for Counseling. 1:30 p.m. urs. Nov 10 $2 Deadline: Tues. Nov 7 Sterling Heroes of World War II A unique collection of rst-person accounts of World War II service - each one unique yet representative of America’s wartime experiences. All of the heroes are Colorado natives! Author Denny Dressman will discuss these adventures. 1:30 p.m. urs. Nov 10 $5 Deadline: Mon. Nov 7 Medicare Series: Advantage Plans Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C) provides additional coverage to that o ered by original Medicare. Learn which plans operate in Colorado and which will be best for your situation. 1:30 p.m. Tues. Nov 15 Free Deadline: Mon. Nov 14 Medicare Open Enrollment Schedule an appointment with a Bene ts in Action certi ed Medicare counselor for one-on-one assistance in determining which plans are best for you. Counselors are SHIP certi ed by the Colorado Division of Insurance, unbiased and professional. Call Evon at 303-655-2079 to make an appointment. 12:00 noon - 3:00 p.m. Tuesdays Nov. 15 - 29 Free Deadline: Fri. before
To Schedule a Virtual Tour or for more info call Nellie at: 303-659-4148
The governor and Democrats used the $45 million to pause the fee until April. Polis’ budget proposal unveiled Tuesday didn’t include money to keep it going beyond then. (The fee is set to go up to 3 cents per gallon in July.)
Polis said Tuesday that he’s “very open” to extending the gas fee delay.
Colorado businesses are required to begin charging a 10-cent fee on plastic and paper bags starting in January. The governor’s proposal didn’t include any relief for that new charge.
Polis’ plan does call for setting aside $8 million to continue making it nearly free for people to start businesses in Colorado, as well as to reduce background check fees for people becoming licensed child care providers or trying to expand a child care business.
More K-12 dollars, but college tuition would go up
The governor’s budget proposal calls for a $705 million increase in K-12 education funding, which would represent a 3% reduction in the budget-stabilization factor, the Great Recession-era defi cit owed to Colorado schools.
The spending would represent an increase in the state’s average perpupil funding by $861.
When it comes to higher education, Polis is recommending the legislature spend $86 million. That would lead to a tuition increase at state-run institutions of about 4%.
The governor also wants the legislature to spend $6 million to extend an initiative offering children free sessions with a mental health care provider, known as the “I Matter” program.
State employees
The governor’s budget proposal calls for a 5% raise for all state employees, with targeted base pay increases for workers at agencies that are struggling to recruit workers.
“Department of Corrections, our 24/7 facilities, State Patrol, we have signifi cant increases in the 10% to 15% range,” the governor said.
The budget specifi cally calls for $7.3 million to boost state trooper pay.
Affordable housing and public safety
The governor wants the legislature to spend $42.1 on public safety, specifi cally aimed at combating car theft and recruiting and retaining offi cers.
The proposal calls for spending $12.6 million over two years to boost car theft-prevention technology and support task forces and prosecutors in areas of the state where car theft has been particularly bad. More than $5 million would go under the governor’s plan to bolster the state’s investigative capacity, including through the creation of two new Colorado Bureau of Investigations units that would have an emphasis on fentanyl investigations and for an expansion of the state’s toxicology lab.
The governor also wants to spend $38.3 million on wildfi re prevention and response, including $13.8 million on bolstering seasonal aerial resources and to purchase a second fi refi ghting helicopter for the state, as well as $3.2 million to boost the state’s fi re investigations capability.
Polis wants the legislature to spend $15 million on public-private affordable housing projects, including a plan to build 80 affordable housing units on state-owned land near Vail.
TABOR refunds
In this Nov. 3, 2015, fi le photo, the gold-covered dome on the state Capitol shines in the late afternoon sun in downtown Denver. (David Zalubowski, AP Photo, File)
It’s possible that the legislature will have a lot of money in excess of the TABOR cap to refund to taxpayers again this year. That’s where the money came from for those $750 or $1,500 checks you received in the mail in recent weeks.
Legislative Council Staff expects revenue above the TABOR cap to be $3.63 billion in the current 2022-23 fi scal year, while the governor’s Offi ce of State Planning and Budgeting expects the cap to be exceeded by $1.9 billion in the current fi scal year.
The governor’s budget proposal Tuesday did not include plans for how to refund that money.
If the legislature doesn’t act, the money would fi rst be refunded by reimbursing local governments for property tax exemptions for seniors and disabled veterans. Then, if there’s still TABOR surplus, the state income tax rate would be temporarily slashed. Finally, if there’s still money to be refunded, it would be distributed through checks to taxpayers based on six income tiers, with higher earners getting a larger refund and lower earners getting a smaller refund.
The legislature and Polis last year changed the fi nal refund mechanism to make the checks fl at — $750 for single fi lers and $1,500 for joint fi lers. Polis didn’t commit to trying to pass that change again should there be enough TABOR surplus this fi scal year or next for checks to be sent out.
“My priority would be to reduce the income tax rate,” he said Nov. 2.
The governor now has to present his budget to the JBC on Nov. 15. Amendments to his proposal are due to the committee Jan. 2.
The next economic and tax revenue forecasts will be presented to the JBC by the governor’s offi ce and nonpartisan staff Dec. 20.
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Water tank christened
City of Brighton offi cials cut the ribbon Nov. 1 on its new, 2 million gallon elevated tank at Water Tower Park. It’s in operation -- two months ahead of schedule -- storing treated water for the city. Construction started in June 2021.
A city statement said the new tank “adds support to the existing fi ve water storage tanks that are used to store treated water from the water treatment plant prior to distribution to customers.”.
“This new tank supports our growing city, but most importantly, helps us to keep our community safe,” said Brighton Utilities Director Marc Johns in the statement.
Email mjohns@brightonco.gov. with questions.
Dia de los Muertos art sought for The Armory
The Art at The Armory annual Dia de los Muertos exhibit seeks local artists to join a show that runs through Nov. 16 at The Armory Performing Arts Center, 300 Strong St.
This exhibit is a collaboration with the Chicano Humanities & Arts Council with support from the Brighton Cultural Arts Commission. The Armory will host a reception Friday, Oct. 28, featuring entertainment and refreshments. If you have questions, contact Armory House Coordinator Marcus Garcia at 303-655-2140.
Armory Performing Arts concerts
Brighton’s lineup for concerts at the Armory Performing Arts Center, 300 Strong St. continues through November.
Nov. 18: The Long Run, performs its “Alter Eagles” set at 8 p.m.
Nov. 19: The Long Run, Colorado’s tribute to the Eagles, at 8 p.m.
Tickets are available at brightonarmory.org. Contact Gary Montoya, events and downtown initiative manager, at gmontoya@ brightonco.gov.
Snowplow naming contest
The city of Brighton announced its second annual Name that Snowplow contest. Elementary school students in Brighton can submit their best and most cre-
GROWTH
By using the Denver infl ation rates since January 2021 and calculating the index change through September 2022, area infl ation came in at 13.25%. That put the region near the middle of the pack of 23. It was also slightly higher than the U.S. infl ation rate of 13.18%. Ultimately, though, prices are higher now than a year ago. The BLS calculated that the Denver area’s infl ation rate had slowed to 7.7% in September, which is still up from a year ago.
Nabbing that statewide rate will always prove to be tricky. Lewandowski, with CU’s Leeds Business School, said he, too, uses the Denver rate for projections. However, he added, “What is diffi cult, though, is (that) many of our mountain resort communities are likely experiencing higher prices and price changes, but they aren’t refl ected in the Denver estimates.”
Personal infl ation
Colorado State University economist Phyllis Resnick said everyone has a unique infl ation rate because we buy different things. Some people traveled less this year because of higher gas prices, but others may not have driven anyway. Some stopped eating meat to save money at the grocery store, but vegetarians didn’t. The New York Times built a personal infl ation calculator last spring. While it hasn’t been updated, it provides users a sense of how your infl ation rate differs from a neighbor’s.
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ative name ideas for the city’s nine snowplows for the 2022-2023 snow season.
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade can submit nominations through Friday, Nov. 11, at brightonco.gov/snowplowcontest. Winners will have an opportunity to take a photo with the snowplow they named and be recognized at a city council meeting.
Additionally, the contest winners will have an opportunity to ride alongside the snowplow they named during the city’s annual Festival of Lights parade Saturday, Dec. 10, weather permitting.
Winners will be notified by Nov. 22. To read the rules of the contest and submit a name, visit brightonco.gov/snowplowcontest.
Turkey Trot
Brighton’s 38th annual Turkey Trot takes off at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, at the pavilions outside the Brighton Recreation Center, 555 N. 11th Ave. The 5k run/walk is a Bolder Boulder qulaifier. First-, second- and thirdplace winners in each age division will receive prizes.
Early bird entry fees are $30 for adults and $20 for youth and seniors. Race day entry fees are $35 for adults and $25 for youth and seniors. Entry fees will include a T-shirt, breakfast, awards, prizes and drawings. .
Packet and bib pick-up will be Nov. 16 and 17 at the recreation center. Those who have not registered by Nov. 14 will have to wait and pick up their bib on the day of the race.
To register, call 303-655-2200 or visit brightonco.gov/turkeytrot
Winter market needs artists, crafters
The city of Brighton is seeking unique artists, crafters, and artisan food vendors to participate in a winter market during the city’s annual tree lighting ceremony.
The arts and crafts “Winter Market” will be from 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, on South Main Street near the city’s Founders Plaza.
No resale, wholesale or direct sales are allowed. Seasonal arts and crafts are preferred. Vendor applications will be accepted until Nov. 25. The fee for a vendor space is $25. Registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis as space is limited. Vendors must provide their own tent as well as tables and chairs if needed.
To learn more and to apply, visit www.brightonco.gov/459/ Tree-Lighting-Winter-Market. For more information, contact Susie O’Connor at soconnor@brightonco.gov.
Holiday season begins Dec. 3
The holiday season begins in earnest in downtown Brighton Saturday, Dec. 3, and Saturday, Dec. 10.
The annual tree-lighting ceremony is from 2 to 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at Founders Plaza, 5 S. Main St.
New to the event is a winter market on South Main Street, near the plaza, that will feature artists, crafters and artisan food vendors. Vendor applications will be accepted until Friday, Nov. 25. Visit https://www.brightonco. gov/FormCenter/Public-Information-22/Winter-Market-VendorApplication-134.
Santa will be on hand. There will be face painting and the Teddy Bear & Friends Tree (from 2 to 4:30 p.m.) Face Vocal Band. an all-vocal rock band, will perform on the FNBO stage from 5 to 7 p.m. The tree lighting is set for 5 p.m.
The 27th annual Festival of Lights parade starts at 5 p.m. Dec. 10. The theme is “A Hometown Holiday Tradition,” featuring almost 65 entries. Those who would like to enter, visit https:// www.brightonco.gov/470/Festivalof-Lights-Parade. The deadline is Nov. 25. Call Amy Porter at 303-655-2126.
Colorado Gives Day
The Adams and Broomfield counties’ chapter of Court Appointed Special Advocates is observing Colorado Gives Day Tuesday, Dec. 6.
A press statement said donations to CASA help provide volunteers to children and youth in the child welfare system. Donations will be doubled by matching funds up to $100,000, thanks to support from the Lembke Family. Donations ar tax-deductible and qulaify for the Colorado child Care Contribution Tax Credit.
DA Academy
The 17th Juidicial District Attorney’s Office is offering a free, eight-week program to explain the workings of the office and the criminal justice system.
It starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, at the DA’s office, 1000 Judicial Center Drive, Brighton. The registration deadline is Friday, Dec. 1. Info? Email chopper@da17.state. co.us.
ONGOING
Brighton adds new ChargePoint stations
The city of Brighton announced it was opening three new charging stations for electric vehicles.
The stations are at the Brighton Recreation Center at 555 N. 11th Ave. Eagle View Adult Center at 1150 Prairie Center Parkway. and Platte Valley Medical Center at 1610 Prairie Center Parkway.
The first hour of charging is free at each location. The locations have two stalls and two charging stations each that operate much like a parking meter, with a $2-per-hour charging rate after the first hour.
For other ChargePoint station locations, visit https:// uk.chargepoint.com/charge_point. For more information, please contact Assistant Director of Public Works Chris Montoya at cmontoya@ brightonco.gov.
Museum volunteers
The Brighton City Museum needs volunteers to help with visitors, research and collection project-based duties.
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Solution
© 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.
TRIVIA
1. TELEVISION: What was Netfl ix’s fi rst exclusive content series? 2. U.S. STATES: Which state is home to the Grand Canyon? 3. GEOGRAPHY: Where are the famous Moai statues located? 4. MOVIES: Who directed the chilling 2017 movie “Get Out”?
5. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE:
Which country’s largest airline is Aerofl ot? 6. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president was elected to two nonconsecutive terms? 7. ANATOMY: The ossicles are located in what part of the human body? 8. LITERATURE: Which award-winning novel is set in Maycomb, Alabama? 9. MEDICAL: Which international organization declared monkey pox to be a public health emergency?
10. ANIMAL KINGDOM:
What is the only natural predator of great white sharks, aside from humans?
Answers
1. Lillyhammer.
2. Arizona.
3. Easter Island.
4. Jordan Peele.
5. Russia.
6. Grover Cleveland.
7. Middle ear.
8. “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
9. WHO (World Health Organization).
10. Orcas or killer whales.
(c) 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.
