Brighton Standard Blade 020223

Our in-depth look at the housing crisis

High home prices, lack of supply sever metro residents from communities

tender nally has a house to call his own.

“I almost feel guilty that I have it,” said Laney, 49.

Adams County celebrates health department Commissioners, health board notes opening of five locations, website

Adams County o cially opened the doors to its ve new health department o ces Jan. 3 but o cials celebrated the new department Jan. 24.

“Building a Health Department from the ground up is a monumental task, but with the dedication and hard work of our team, we were able to accomplish it in just nine months,” said County Manager Noel Bernal. “It required diligent planning, strong leadership, and a relentless focus on our collective goal: onboarding nearly 200 employees, launching ve locations, and investing in this new department through a $27 million budget. is herculean undertaking is a testament to our commitment and to providing quality public health services for our community.”

BY ROBERT TANN COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

When Chris Laney moved into his new three-bedroom home last summer, he felt like he’d won the lottery. After more than a decade of chasing the cheapest rent across the metro area, the Littleton bar-

Laney is one of a handful of residents who have secured housing through a subsidized program aimed at helping lower- and middle-income people live where they work. But as cities and towns contend with historically high home costs and a lack of supply, residents like Laney have struggled to live in their communities.

“I’ve always felt like I was just passing through instead of living

somewhere, putting down roots,” said Laney. He has worked at Jake’s Brew Bar in Littleton since 2012.

“ is is where I want to be,” Laney said. “My friends and family are Jake’s.”

In numerous counties, residents — spanning a range of employment from the service industry to teaching — have faced the brunt of what many o cials are calling a housing crisis.

e median price of a single-

e new department is responsible for promoting and protecting the health of all residents in Adams County through a variety of programs.

Adams County Health debuted its new website at https://adamscountyhealthdepartment.org/ on Dec. 23 and o cially launched on Jan. 1, opening the doors to ve locations on Jan. 3.

“But we were focused on onboarding over 200 employees on Jan. 3 and delivering services and programs immediately,” Public Information O cer William Porter said. “We wanted to have this celebration

Lower- and middleincome people struggle to live where they work

STAFF REPORT

Sheri , family remember Heath Gumm

Police remember deputy on fifth anniversary of his shooting

BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Family members and rst responders lled the plaza outside of the Adams County sheri ’s department o ces in Brighton Jan. 24 to memorialize one of their own who died ve years ago.

“Detective Heath Gumm made the ultimate sacri ce,” Adams County Sheri Gene Claps said at the veyear anniversary memorial ceremony. “It takes a very special individual to perform these duties of law enforcement o cer, to answer the calls for helps and stand in harm’s way to protect our community. Each year we re ect and grieve the loss of Detective Heath Gumm. Heath’s memory lives on and will never be forgotten.”

Gumm was 31 in January 2018 when he joined other deputies responding to a report of an assault in progress at about 87th and Dawson in unincorporated Adams County.

e deputies searched the area, making contact with a man who ed, leading the chase behind a house in the neighborhood. Gumm was chasing the man, who turned, drew a weapon and red, striking Gumm in the chest and killing him.

Dreion Dearing, then 22, was later convicted of killing Gumm.

But the 2023 ceremony marking the fth anniversary of the shooting had little to do with the shooting itself. Instead, Sheri Claps, former Sheri Mike McIntosh, prosecutor Jess Redman and Gumm’s father Jim thanked the o cer for what he did, extending that gratitude to others police o cers and deputies.

“I went through many di erent thoughts in my mind while trying to come up with this speech, but most of them ended up being sad and depressing. But I knew there would already be too much sadness and too many tears today,” Jim Gumm said. “So I started thinking about what Heath would want. He would not everyone being down today. He would want you to ll your thoughts with his memories and happy stories.”

Gumm had earned a reputation as a playful prankster and friend, something his father noted.

“He was the smartest person I have ever known and I believe that’s what gave him the amazing ability to come up with the most inappropriate comments at the most inappropriate times,” Jim Gumm said.

“And I’m sure right now that all of you have one of those inappropriate comments in your minds.”

e memorial ceremony was bracketed with music, a Tom Petty playlist to open the memorial and the bagpipe dirge of “Amazing Grace” to close it.

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Former Adams County Sheri Mike McIntosh, now wearing his uniform as a Douglas County Chief Deputy, said he can no longer listen to one Tom Petty song, “I Wont Back Down,” without thinking of Gumm.

e song was playing nearly ve years ago as the pallbearers carried Gumm’s casket into Lafayette church for the former deputy’s funeral.

“I can’t hear that song anymore

without thinking about Heath and thinking about the sacri ce he made and the fact that he didn’t back down,” McIntosh said. “He went into the face of danger not knowing what the outcome was going to be. He stood his ground and he didn’t back down.”

e memorial service was also shown live on the Adams County Sheri ’s Facebook page.

E AGLE VIEW A DULT C ENTER

Eagle View Adult Center Update –Feb 1 - 8, 2023

Eagle View Adult Center is open Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 303-655-2075 for more information. e January and February Newsletter is available.

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

Stay Young at Heart

Join retired Dietitian Diana Berkland for a program exploring the many ways to stay young at heart and improve your heart health with an emphasis on diet, exercise, and lifestyle. 1:30 p.m. Mon. Feb 6 Free

Deadline: Fri. Feb 3

Safety in the Snow

Representatives from Platte Valley Medical Center will discuss winter safety tips including information about hypothermia, frostbite, items to have in your vehicle, and snow/ice fall prevention. 1:30 p.m. Tues. Feb 7 Free Deadline: Mon. Feb 6 e Heartstrings Attached to Reorganizing

Whether one doesn’t know where to begin with purging, downsizing or emotional di culties a er losing someone, learn the power of prioritizing and facing the emotions of letting go. Presenters Karri Williams and Susan Chavez 1:30 p.m. urs. Feb 9 $2 Deadline: Tues. Feb 7

Acrylic Paint: Eagle in Landscape

Some painting skills are helpful for this class. All supplies and instruction provided for you to have fun painting and nishing a beautiful canvas picture. Instructor: Judy Schissler. 8:30 - 11:00 a.m. ursdays Feb. 9 & 16 $30 (2 wks) Deadline: Tues. Feb 7

The family of slain Deputy Heath Gumm listen during a ceremony honoring the police o cer Jan. 24 at the Adams County Building.

PHOTO BY SCOTT TAYLOR

Dogs, snow and endurance: The sport of mushing

Iditarod racer brings her story and her dogs to Anythink

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Karen Land has an affinity for endurance sports, and for dogs.

Land was hiking the Appalachian Trail with her dog Kirby when she stopped to rest, shower and visit a small library to get a book to read in her tent.

She did, and it changed her life forever.

“The book was called ‘Winter Dance’ by Gary Paulsen. It’s when I got inspired for the sport of dog mushing,” Land said.

Land has participated in the sport of sled dog racing and dog mushing for about 25 years and has participated multiple times in the grueling Iditarod Sled Dog race across Alaska. In her 2004 outing, she finished the course in just more than 12 days.

Land brought her story and two of her dogs, Noggin and Chloe, to Brighton’s Anythink Library

Jan. 23. She visited the Perl Mack branch in Denver, York Street branch in Thornton and the Commerce City branch later in the week.

Starting without good snow

Land grew up in Indianapolis and hadn’t heard of the sport of dog mushing or the Iditarod.

“We never had good snow in Indianapolis, so I learned about mushing later in life,” Land said.

But snow was just one ingredient. Another was a love for animals, and she had that. She began working in a veterinary hospital and clinic in Indianapolis when she finished high school. That’s when she met her eventual Appalachian Trail companion, Kirby.

“A stray dog showed up at the door, and we couldn’t find its owner, so I decided to keep it,” she said.

Kirby was a Louisiana Catahoula mix, an energetic breed meant to hunt bears. The duo started hiking to stay busy, eventually hiking Indiana’s Nob Stone trail. They moved to Montana where she finished college and decided to take on the Appalachian Trail – a feat in itself. The hiking trail is 2,100 miles between Georgia and Maine. She had a new obsession when she returned.

“I got a job working for a dog musher because the sport is costly and requires lots of dogs,” Land said.

Dogs and Iditarod

The Iditarod race, her new obsession, startseach March in downtown Anchorage and ends in Nome, some 983 miles. Racers and their teams of dogs face blizzard conditions, winds of 90 miles per hour and windchills of 100 degrees below zero.

Land said that when she started in 1973 there were no rules as to how many dogs were in the race, so some people showed up with 20 dogs.

“Then the officials decided 20 dogs was much power, so they dropped it to 16, and in the last several years, it’s down to 14 dogs, “ Land said.

The dogs are monitored throughout, with EKGs, blood workups, and drug testing before the race. During the race, they stop at regular checkpoints where veterinarians look over the dogs and sleds. While racing, Land said she carries bags of frozen meat under her parka to keep her team fed. Sled dogs need to eat 10,000 calories a day when running.

“We have the best veterinarians in the world, and they do lots of research on the diet of a sled dog,” Land said.

Land said much of what the Iditarod veterinarians have learned has changed the modern diet for all dogs.

“In Montana, my dogs are fed a high protein diet, mostly meat from hunters and trappers such as

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elk, antelope, deer, buffalo, moose, beaver, fish, pork, chicken, and beef,” she said.

Dogs can get injured or tired during the race and the musher will remove them from the team, dropping them off at the next checkpoint. Called “dropping a dog”, the team must continue one dog short. They can’t add another, and the dog will be flown back to its handler once the race is complete.

Smaller, faster lighter

Mushers prefer slimmer Alaskan Huskies with an Inuit Yupik Athabascan bloodline, which is native to Alaska. They have a good disposition and make the perfect sled dog, she said. Larger Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes are too big and heavy and are not as fast. They are also more likely to have injuries from pounding and sinking in the deeper snow.

Land said she prefers mixed breed dogs, such as her dog Noggin, an Alaskan Huskie-Greyhound mix.

“We also use German Shorthaired Pointers, Labrador Retrievers and hound dog mixes,” she said. “So if you see dogs with big floppy ears, it’s because they have hound dog mix. We don’t care what the dog looks like; they are bred for exceptional health, great endurance and are super intelligent dogs.”

They also breed for disposition and friendliness.

“We can’t hook up 14 dogs together that fight, and you’ll never get anywhere,” she said.

The dogs train year around daily, running miles following bikes or four-wheelers; some people use a cart. Each dog they learn likes a particular position but is trained in all positions. The dogs learn by voice command training to turn and stop.

“The sled dog engine – running 1,000 miles or 200 miles or 20 miles – is based on the dog’s pure joy, love, enthusiasm, the desire to run,” Land said.

Gearing up

Their coats are another concern. They don’t breed dogs with long fur coats but for excellent medium coats and dense undercoats. They don’t want the dogs overheating when racing.

Mushers have to stock up for their dogs, too, packing coats, leggings for deep snow and booties to protect their feet. The dog’s weight forces its feet to splay in the snow. Ice crystals can leave painful cuts in between the pads if the feet are not protected.

It’s grueling for the mushers as well. When the dogs climb up a mountain, the musher must jump off the sled and run up the mountain with the dogs, hopping back on when they head back downhill.

Land said they always wear a rope around their wrist to stay connected to the sled. If they sled crashes or flips – which happens regularly – the wrist strap can be a lifesaver.

“The rope is my safety,” she said. “If I accidentally let go of the handlebars, I can drag from the rope instead. The golden rule on mushing is never to let go because if you let go the dogs could run off and could get lost. So you want to make sure you hold on at all costs,” Land said.

The race continues from checkpoint to checkpoint, with the teams camping on the trails along the way. If the weather is severe, she digs a hole, fills it with straw and the team – the dogs and Land – sleep in the hole together.

“During the race, we run for six hours and rest for six hours and the dog are trained for this process,” Land said.

And while wild animals might seem like a concern, they are not.

“Coyotes and elk run away. When the dogs are running, it’s silent so going around the corner and a moose is standing there, I carry a gun to make a big bang to get the animal to run in a different direction. But then you have 16 dogs that want to chase a moose, adding to the danger factor,” Land said.

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Dog trainer opens 11,200 square foot facility

Complete

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As a new pet owner, Chris Pelle wanted to train his young German Shepherd for personal protection. At rst, he did it as a hobby, working with friends and acquaintances.

“I’ve always been very business minded and saw a potential need for it,” Pelle said. “I developed my skill set and started taking clients, working for free with family and friends.”

No longer a hobby, Pelle celebrated the opening of his Complete Canine Training at 695 N. 7th Ave. in Brighton Jan 26.

Pelle initially took to dog training as a side job, perfecting his skill set and expanding a client base which turned into a full-time job working on his property.

His training facility is 11,200 square feet and fully equipped with a training room for K-9 police dogs not only for obedience but also nose work – sniing out drugs and tracking to locate missing humans. e facility has a large kennel, several training rooms and outdoor training spaces to take the dogs on runs. He is also building a 7,000 square foot’s agility training center, he said.

But Pelle said they also do general

pet obedience and other issues dog owners have with their furry friends at home, including urinating on the carpet or not listening.

“We do behavior modi cation so bad behaviors such dog reactivity, or some light dog aggression,” Pelle said. “We can rehabilitate the dog to change their behavior set, so they understand that those behaviors are no longer acceptable. en we move into teaching them acceptable behaviors and how to win at life.”

Tips from a trainer

Pelle said high-energy dogs are hard to control in the home, so putting an obedience foundation brings it down to a manageable level.

“A timid dog rebuilds con dence through obedience, so once the dog understands the structure and how to win, they sit down they get paid,” Pelle

said. “Once they understand how to get paid, and you start winning their con dence level and it increases, by creating structure around it.”

Pelle said owners can correct destructive behaviors, such as a dog jumping, by not giving a ection, love, or attention.

“To correct the behavior, tell them no, as they are coming towards you, command them to sit then they get paid,” Pelle said. “We start paying them with food and then we pull food away throughout the process, then give the pets and praise and a ection.”

Pelle was never able to rehabilitate the dog fully; training only goes so far, coupled with owner management.

“ ose two combined can limit or minimize the chances of something negative happening. But at the end of the day, there’s always the possibility because they are animals, and going to make their own decisions with what suits them best in their brain at that moment,” Pelle said.

Training only goes so far

Pelle said the genetics of breed plays a factor in behavior and some dogs’ breeding is for something other than a pet. Some breeding is for working dogs, herding, or hunting because it is their original purpose.

“So those genetic factors come out di erently in every single dog. Some Labrador retrievers are great hunting dogs and other labs are terrible hunting dogs, depending on how their genetics have been modi ed over the years,” Pelle said.

Pelle said, always get a dog that suits your lifestyle. For example, getting a working dog, such as a cattle dog, for an apartment is not a good t genetically.

“If you work at home all day, and never get out of the house, don’t get a Belgian Malinois, they are going to run you crazy inside the house. Get an English bulldog, who’s happy to lay down on the couch next to you while you work at your desk job,” Pelle said.

On the other hand, Pelle suggests that super active owners should get a super active pet like a Malinois that can keep up with you, and not an English bulldog. ey’ll never keep up with you trying to hike a Fourteener, he said.

“So nd the dog that ts your lifestyle, not the doggies you think are cool, because it’s ultimately its a disservice to the dog if you get the wrong dog,” Pelle said.

Pelle said it is also s all about communication; we have to learn how to communicate with our dogs, and they have to understand how we communicate.

“ e dog will not change their language. ey speak dog. So we have to teach our owners how to speak dog, and each dog has some di erences,” Pelle said.

“ e best training is through clear communication. It’s not necessarily any one speci c training methodology is going to work with that dog or the next dog. We have to understand how to communicate to dogs, so they get it and then we can then teach the clients how to work with the dog.”

Pelle and his team’s focus is to educate owners and train dogs. Once the dogs complete the training program, the owners gain knowledge and education because each dog has di erent issues, problems, or personalities. To e ectively train the customers, they ensure that the clients understand the dogs relaying information to the customers and the best management techniques.

“ ere are several ways to interact with this dog, some dogs are food motivated, some dogs are praised and a ection motivated or a dog is not motivated- give him a hot dog- pet him,” Pelle said.

Chris Pelle cutting the ribbon with his sta and the community members of Brighton.

PHOTO BY BELEN WARD

Canine includes police, family pet behavior options

later and invite not just the County Commissioners but the community partners for the huge administrative lift and cooperation needed to make this possible.”

e new department has ve o ces, in Brighton, Commerce City, Denver and Westminster. e department’s administrative o ces will be located at the County Government Center, 4430 S. Adams Parkway in Brighton.

e o ces at 30 S. 20th Ave. in Brighton and 7190 Colorado Blvd. in Commerce City will focus on nutritional help and administering the Women and Infant Children food program. e Commerce City o ce will also be the location for County Vital Records and for environmental health services.

Our Family Helping Your Family

HAMMERLUND

e o ces at 7000 Broadway in Denver and 1401 W. 122nd Ave in Westminster will host sexual health services. e Westminster o ce will also be the location for immunization services.

“Investing in public health is not just a moral imperative, it is an investment in the future of our society,” said Executive Director Dr. Kelly Weidenbach. “We are excited to launch this new department and are con dent it will have a positive impact on the health and well-being of our residents for decades to come.”

Specific needs

e Adams County Board of Commission ended its partnership with TriCounty Health Department in October 2021 and began work designing a new health department to provide services to 520,000 residents and businesses in Adams.

“ is new structure will give us the opportunity to focus on the speci c needs of our community for our residents and invest dollars where we think we need it most,” Commission Chair Steve O’Dorisio said at the grand opening ceremony. “For too long, Adams County was part of a health department that was a one size ts all approach. Now we can conduct targeted outreach and education for our folks. We can invest in programs and services speci cally designed to address the health concerns of our community.”

e department will focus on a wide range of public health issues, including disease prevention and control, maternal and child health, mental and behavioral health, food access and environmental health. e department will also work closely with community partners to address speci c health concerns and improve overall health outcomes for residents.

24-Hour Phone Lines 303-654-0112 • 303-857-2290

Brighton: 75 S. 13th Avenue

Obituaries, Arrangements and Resources Online at taborfuneralhome.com

George Hammerlund

April 8, 1924 - December 4, 2022

George H. Hammerlund of Brighton Colo. He was laid to rest along with Harriet Hammerlund Dec.27th 2022 at Fort Logan National Cemetery.

George and Harriet are survived by their 5 children , 9 grand children , 17 great grand children and 3 great great grand children. ey will be greatly missed.

On January 11, 2023, Andrea P. orpe was called up to heaven while peacefully surrounded by loved ones and family.

Andi orpe (76) was born on July 17, 1946, in Duluth, Minnesota. She grew up in various areas until her family settled in Des Moines, Iowa, with a father who was a major in the Air Force and a mother who owned a stationery shop that she would help in after school. She went on to graduate with her teaching degree and an emphasis in both Spanish and English. While in college, she became a foreign exchange student in Argentina, where she fell in love with the culture and learned to speak Spanish uently.

Andi took her rst position as a teacher in Gresham, Nebraska, in 1968 as a Spanish teacher, where she met her best friend, soul mate, and love of her life, Jack orpe, who was an English teacher as well as a basketball coach. ey were married at Saint Andrew’s Church in Nebraska in December of 1969.

Both Jack and Andi moved to Stromsburg, Nebraska, where they taught for two years and then moved on to Wymore, Nebraska, to teach for three more years. is is where Andi rst fell in love with exposing students to culture and the outside world when she and Jack took twenty students from a small farm town in Nebraska throughout Mexico and ended the trip in Acapulco. She found her passion and her life’s calling while exposing these students to a culture and the world that they may not have been able to see otherwise.

In 1974, Andi was o ered a position as the rst Anglo Spanish teacher in Fort Lupton, Colorado, and took the position without hesitation, so she and Jack moved to Denver, Colorado, to start their own lives there. She started teaching during a time when Fort Lupton was going through hardship and gang riots, but she found a way to make a di erence in her students’ lives. Her husband Jack went on to become an 8th grade English teacher a year later. Mr. and Mrs. orpe were able to nd a special home within the Fort Lupton community. It was well known that Mrs. orpe’s door was always open for anyone in need, whether it was during school hours or not.

Andi was much more than a teacher; she was the yearbook advisor for most of her time at

Fort Lupton High School, as well as the student council advisor, Spanish teacher, and English teacher. From chili and study nights in their home for students, trips to the mountains for student retreats and shing trips, homecoming dance decorating and planning, and trips to England, Italy, and Greece with students, there were few that went to Fort Lupton High School that didn’t know the orpe name. Andi created friendships and connections that lasted for years and generations. She taught multiple generations of families, watching students grow from teenagers to parents and, in some cases, grandparents. After 31 years working at Fort Lupton High School, Andi retired to spend more time shing, sewing, knitting, and being with her family, with her true passion being playing with her grandchildren. She will be remembered by many as a wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, mentor, and great friend. Her hugs were there to always comfort you in a time of need; she would always have an ear to listen to anything you needed and advice that would touch your soul. She will be remembered by many as a calming light in the storm to help guide those who needed her. She will be profoundly missed by all.

Andi is survived by her husband, Jack orpe, of Fort Lupton, CO, her son, Dan (Laura) orpe, her daughter, NaSeana (John) Flores, and her son-in-law Greg Flores. along with her grandchildren: Landon, Kinsley, Odi, Devina, Spencer, Hayden, and Tanner. Andi is also survived by her brotherin-law Bobb (Anne) orpe, their sons Brook and James orpe, as well as her sister-inlaw Dee (Larry) Frost and their son David (Ti any) orpe.

Andi was preceded in death by her mother, Norma June Anderson, her father, Herbert Anderson, and her brother, Kirk Anderson. ere will be a Celebration of Life Memorial Service held at Fort Lupton High School on Saturday, February 4th, starting with a gathering at 11:30, Memorial Service at 12:00, and a reception with food to follow.

In lieu of owers, donations can be made to the scholarship fund in both Jack and Andi orpe’s names at the Bank of Colorado in Fort Lupton.

Adams County Commission Chair Steve O’Odorisio helps mark the opening of the county’s new health department Jan. 24 at the Adams County building in Brighton.

THORPE

Andrea P. Thorpe July 17, 1946 - January 11, 2023

The game was close, there was less than two minutes to go, and the eld was a mix of snow and slush. On the previous play, his hand had been caught between two helmets as he attempted to make the tackle. When the play was over and he made his way back to the defensive huddle, he refused to look at his hand because he knew it had been broken. He didn’t want to come out of the game. As he took up his position as an outside linebacker, the opposing team threw a pass play in his direction, and with his good hand he was still able to make a play on the ball and de ect the pass. He played through the pain. at story was shared with me about a high school athlete who had the heart of a lion. After that last play his coach called him to the sideline as he knew something wasn’t right and he took him out of the game. And indeed, his hand was broken.

Each of us has probably lived through at least one season of life, if not many where we also played through the pain. It might have been personally or professionally, but we knew that no

Playing through the pain

WINNING WORDS

matter how much it hurt, we had to rise to the occasion and play through the pain for those around us.

in charge to come up with a better plan and get things moving in the right direction?

We start playing through the pain.

Will this smooth the renewable highs and lows?

Holy Cross Energy aims to distribute 100% emissionfree electricity to its 55,000 members in the Aspen, Ri e, and Vail areas by 2030. How will it do that?

Tri-State Generation and Transmission, Colorado’s second largest utility, has a di erent but related problem. It wants to best use infrastructure associated with its coal-burning operations at Craig after the last unit closes before 2030.

One clue may lie in Pueblo. ere a pilot program testing a new technology for long-duration energy storage will be deployed by Xcel Energy and Form Energy by the end of 2025. e new ironair batteries will be able to use chemical processes to store electricity and then discharge it for up to 100 hours.

e new battery technology has been reported to be 10 times less expensive than lithium-ion batteries. Iron is abundant in the United States, and the batteries are non- ammable.

In announcing the pilot projects, Bob Frenzel, the chief executive of Xcel, said the 100-hour batteries at Pueblo and at a coal site in Minnesota “will strengthen the grid against normal day-to-day, week-to-week, and season-to-season weather variability, in addition to extreme weather events, including severe winter storms and polar vortex events.”

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Michael Norton

If these last few years have taught us anything, they have taught us that things in life are broken. Education, healthcare, the economy, relationships, things at work and just about every other part of life. Some things just aren’t working the way we would want them to. And it becomes frustrating as we do our best to muddle through only to hit the wall again and again. We think that there must be a better way. We believe that there must be someone somewhere who has the insight and intelligence to x the problems in our government, in society, in the workplace, and even at home. We ask ourselves, who is that person or where are those people who are supposed to have all the answers? And what can we do while we wait for those

Soon enough we will realize that the people who we believe have the solutions to our problems and challenges might be struggling themselves. And it’s not that they don’t know what they are doing, it’s simply that the problems and challenges require more time, money, resources, planning and processes to get some resolutions and to turn things around for the better. And while that is going on, we need to do our very best to do what we are in control of doing, making a play, even if it means playing through the pain.

We can remain optimistic in the face of negativity and pessimism. We can look at our stack of to-do items and get after it without looking over at others who are paralyzed by the dysfunction. We can help those in our community who need help and do it generously and cheerfully knowing we are serving the greater good. Now don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t mean we don’t also feel the frustration and the challenges.

It doesn’t mean the pain and the problems aren’t just as real for us. It just means that we have a choice to make, we can choose to get sucked into the vortex of doom and gloom, pointing to all the reasons why we cannot be successful, or we can choose to do our part in playing our position as best as we possibly can, even if it means playing through the pain at times.

We are all part of a team somewhere. At work, home, school, church, in our community and in society. And it will never be perfect and will often be frustrating. As a part of a team or family, I would love to hear your story of how you deal with staying motivated in the face of frustration at gotonorton@ gmail.com. And when we can grit and smile, and play through the pain when we need to, it really will be a better than good life.

Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

Can new batteries help Aspen and Vail climate goals?

Duration of storage matters entirely as electric utilities add low-cost and emissions-free renewables. Short-duration storage, such as the lithium-ion batteries installed in conjunction with a new solar farm near Glenwood Springs in 2022, can help. ey provide two to four hours of storage.

With 100 hours of storage, utilities can smooth the highs and the lows of renewables. Consider Uri, the week of cold in 2022 when wind on Colorado’s eastern plains ceased for several days. Utilities cranked up turbines burning natural gas that was suddenly in high demand. Consumers are still paying o those bills. Tri-State even resorted to burning oil.

Summers have brought inverse problems of spiking demand caused by heat. In 2021, it got so hot in Portland that electric lines for trains melted, and some people without air conditioning literally baked to death in apartments. Colorado regulators worry whether the state’s utilities can handle such weather extremes.

Iron-air batteries alone are unlikely to solve the intermittencies of renewable energy or the havoc produced by a warming and more erratic climate. is

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pilot project does represent a notable e ort to explore whether they can be scaled.

“ is is an exciting new frontier for energy storage in Colorado,” said Mike Kruger, chief executive of the Colorado Solar and Storage Association, a trade group of 275 members. “ is announcement goes to show that when there is clear policy, American companies can innovate to meet the electric power sector’s needs.”

Holy Cross Energy has been diversifying its supplies, both locally and regionally, but still depends largely upon wholesale deliveries from Xcel. e Glenwood Springs-based cooperative in 2022 delivered 50% emissions free electricity but has a goal of 100% just seven years from now.

Sam Whelan, the vice president fornance at Holy Cross, said that increased reliability by Xcel will help Holy Cross reliably deliver electricity to its members.

Holy Cross has been investigating its own options—and has had conversations with Form Energy. It will look at many alternatives, including green hydrogen and pumped-storage hydro, each with problems but also promise.

“You have to start something, and you have to start in small increments as well,” says Whelan. e solar industry, he also started small. “It was not that long ago that solar costs were signi cantly higher,” he

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observed. Now, solar has become competitive. “It will take these incremental storage projects to prove out and hopefully pave the way.”

Tri-State, at a recent meeting with stakeholders, also reported that iron-air storage technology was among several options for Craig being studied once the coal plants there close. Transmission lines already exist, capable of carrying renewable energy to the site to be stored - and then released as needed.

Xcel may have gleanings about how they will act at scale and be used to manage the grid by 2026.

Will these new batteries eliminate need for expensive natural gas plants designed for use to meet peak demands? Such plants are expensive to build, and they do produce emissions. Too soon to tell, says Robert Kenney, the president of Xcel Energy’s Colorado division.

“If we see success with this program, we will explore how we can expand it and scale it up further. But to what extent it will displace `peaker’ plants or any other technology, that would be the learning that we would expect to come out of the pilot itself. So stay tuned.”

Allen Best publishes Big Pivots, which covers energy and water transitions in Colorado made necessary by climate change. See bigpivots.com

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The most vulnerable of the housing crisis The Long Way Home

BY MICHAEL DE YOANNA MICHAEL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Our monthlong series exploring the affordability and accessibility of housing in the Denver area takes a turn to one of the most perplexing issues facing our communities: the lives of those who have no homes. Point-in-time counts in Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties find 2,000 people living unsheltered and 3,000 in emergency shelters. Most of those people were found in Denver but many live in our communities and neighborhoods.

While panhandlers and tent cities are visible across the metro area, many of the unhoused are unseen and may not even be included in the numbers because they are sleeping on a friend’s couch or a family that’s living in a relative’s extra room. The federal government includes this status in its definition of homelessness, along with those who are at imminent risk of losing a roof over their heads.

Homelessness has long been a problem in the metro area and the soaring housing costs that we’ve tracked in our series certainly don’t help. Typically, a family shouldn’t spend more than 30% of their wages on rent and utilities. Elsewhere in our series, we’ve found that many people across the metro area are living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to afford a place to live. Minimum wage earners might spend upward of 60% of their paychecks on rent.

Across the Front Range, rising housing costs are worsening the problem. In Littleton, south of Denver, the price of single-family homes has jumped roughly $300,000 since 2017. Lone Tree saw increases in excess of $473,000. In Brighton, $225,000.

Apartment rents have followed in recent years, part of a trend spanning the last two decades where median prices rose faster than median household incomes “in every Colorado county and city with 50,000+ residents,” according to Denver-based Root Policy Research, which analyzes

housing affordability issues.

Some of the most needy in our communities find homes through federal funding, like vouchers. But the system, reporter Nina Joss finds, is based on lotteries, where people in need of housing may wait for years before winning. Others wind up roughing it on the streets, as reporters Andrew Fraieli and Olivia Love discovered in an interview of a man who lost his legs sleeping under a highway bridge during a horrific snowstorm.

There are consequences to it all, like how the mentally ill are especially vulnerable to homelessness and highly likely to find themselves in the criminal-justice system — meaning a record of police contacts for crimes connected to their situation, such as trespassing, becomes a barrier that prevents them from turning their lives around. There are costs associated with this to taxpayers, like those associated with providing more policing and beds in jails. Trends like those will be on Colorado Community Media’s newsroom in the months ahead.

Contributors to the project include:

family home in the metro area has roughly tripled since 2010, according to an August 2022 report by the Colorado Association of Realtors. Back in 2010, the median price was about $200,000.

And wages have not kept up with home costs. Between 2000 and 2019, median rents rose at a faster rate than household incomes “in every Colorado county and city with 50,000+ residents,” according to a November 2021 report from Denver-based consulting rm Root Policy Research. e report also said that, as of June 2021, Colorado’s overall housing inventory was 13% of what is needed for a functioning sales market.

“Quite honestly, we just don’t have enough housing, whether it’s a ordable or otherwise,” said Kelly Milliman, city council member for Littleton’s District 4 and a member of the city’s housing task force. “It’s really vitally important to the overall health of our community going forward.”

e sentiment is similar for leaders in the neighboring cities of Englewood and Sheridan. ere, o cials said a ordable home options used to be more common.

“For the people that can a ord it, they have lots of choices in the metro area,” said Brad Power,

Englewood’s director of community development. “But we’re starting to see more gaps with people who are on the other side of the income spectrum.”

Devin Granberry, city manager for Sheridan, said higher home costs have driven workers out

of what he described as a historically blue-collar area.

“It leads to a very transient pipeline of citizenry and workforce,” he said. “ ere’s no sense of

Orchard Crossing Apartments in Westminster is an a ordable housing community that also includes housing for people with vouchers. PHOTO BY ANDREW FRAIELI

Homelessness is a series of trapdoors and obstacles

BY ANDREW FRAIELI AND OLIVIA LOVE COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Jonathan Townshend Garner spent nine sleepless nights in 2017 covered in snow staring up at the bottom of a frozen overpass in Aurora. Just a few short months before, the 35-year-old was planning to purchase a condo with his girlfriend.

He never expected that a breakup would send him down a series of increasingly di cult trapdoors — without housing or insurance, each door became harder to climb through. Because of those cold nights in 2017, Garner even lost his legs.

What led Garner to homelessness is not unique. As homeless rates continue to climb in this country for people in many di erent situations, the causes can range from one lost paycheck to addiction or mental health issues with no money to support treatment.

In Garner’s case, he was in a stable housing situation that was reliant on two incomes. e loss of a girlfriend meant the loss of a second, necessary paycheck.

“I’m all of a sudden in a situation where I’ve lost half my income in regards to what’s going towards payments,” Garner said.

Homelessness a ects many types of people. It also comes in all forms from living on the streets to couch sur ng or sleeping in a car. Common among all situations that have forced someone into homelessness is the world around them not being designed to help.

According to HUD fair market rent data, rent for a studio apartment in the metro area has increased by more than $300 per month since 2019, but minimum wages have only increased by about $2.50 an hour — increasing the percent of wages needed to be put towards housing from 54 to almost 60%.

e National Low Income Housing Coalition — a nonpro t that aims to end the a ordable housing crisis through policy and data research — deems housing costing more than 30% of wages spent on rent and utilities as una ordable, placing workers at risk for homelessness.

is lack of a ordable housing acts doubly as a factor for becoming homeless and a barrier from escaping it.

Unable to deal with the breakup and loss of income, Garner said it triggered a dormant alcohol addiction.

“As soon as she left, I started drinking again too, which was probably one of the worst decisions that I made,” he said. “And I’m a hell of a drinker. It took me no time before I was drinking before work every day.”

His addiction became another trapdoor. He was evicted from his home as his costly addiction grew, losing his job within a few months, and he continued falling until he landed on the streets.

In 2017, he found himself buried by snowdrifts, numbed to the elements by frostbite and an empty bottle.

Over the next three and a half months, he was in an ICU burn unit, where his legs were amputated for frostbite. What happened to land him there remains a blur, with Garner saying he was just lost in a blizzard of snow and substance abuse.

Garner had not looked for a shelter because he felt he deserved what he was experiencing on the street, his addiction giving him too much bluster to ask for help.

“And so when things have gotten so bad for me, I was like, ‘I guess that’s where you go when you’re at this place,’” Garner said.

But from Aurora to Lakewood, many who look for shelter have a hard time nding it — especially in winter.

The stick and carrot of winter shelter

“Police show up to tell you to leave, but don’t have an answer as to where we can go,” said Marshall Moody, who experienced homelessness in Lakewood over the summer.

He wasn’t hunting for winter shelter, but acknowledging how there were no shelter options in Lakewood, and describing how he felt harassed by police telling him to move along.

In Aurora, one of the only overnight shelter spaces is the Comitis Crisis Center.

“Comitis has, what, 30 beds?

I’m sure there’s easily 200 homeless people in Aurora. Easily,” said Jason, 40, who declined to give his last name, pointing out the lack of shelter options.

Jason has been homeless since 2019, falling on hard times after breaking his back and not having the ability to a ord medical care.

Anna Miller, director of business development and public relations at Mile High Behavioral Healthcare

— which Comitis Crisis Center falls under — has said before that the center has an outreach team that goes out every day working with the

city and police department to inform people on the streets about available resources. e organization was supportive of Aurora’s camping ban passed last summer.

But like the ban, these opinions are from the summer.

During the winter, many more people experiencing homelessness look for indoor shelter due to low temperatures, snow, rain and windchills causing regular, local shelters to ll up fast.  is is where short-term emergency weather shelters come in.

For much of the metro area, the “extreme weather” needed to open these emergency shelters — which vary from the Severe Weather Shelter Network across Je erson County that uses a network of churches, to opening some day-only centers for overnight stays — requires the temperature to be freezing or below with moisture, and 20 degrees or below without moisture.

In Denver, the required cuto is 10 degrees or six inches of snow — though, according to Sabrina Allie, the communications and engagement director for the Department of Housing Stability — or HOST — in Denver, the city council has asked the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, which created the cuto , to revisit these regulations.

e issue is that cold-weather injuries like frostbite and hypothermia can set in as high as 45 degrees depending on wind and moisture. is is according to doctors from Denver Health and the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, which sent a joint letter to HOST and DDPHE asking the city to raise their cuto .

“Hypothermia and frostbite may develop in minutes and often occur in the setting of risk factors for heat loss or decreased heat production including pre-existing medical conditions, exhaustion, dehydration, substance use and malnutrition, all

of which are common among people experiencing homelessness,” doctors said in the letter.

Some see winter shelter as a carrot-and-stick situation though, requiring the cuto to not be too comfortable for those experiencing homelessness.

“We do not want to enable, we want to empower,” said Lynn Ann Huizingh, executive director of development at Je erson County’s Severe Weather Shelter Network.

“We do the best we can to provide some good relational development, but we also want to encourage people to pursue answers that would lead them o the street, and if they get too comfortable, they just don’t have any reason to try and pursue anything else.”

However, at all times, the goal is to keep people from freezing to death, Huizingh added.

Aurora’s policy, according to Emma Knight, manager of homelessness for the city’s Division of Housing and Community Services, is to open emergency cold-weather shelters at 32 degrees during wet weather, and 20 degrees otherwise.

In Garner’s case, freezing to death almost became a reality. Instead, he left the hospital as a double amputee — disabled, homeless, and penniless.

“And I wish I could have said that that was my rock bottom as well. But it wasn’t,” Garner said.

Police interactions and laws against homelessness

Over the next nine months, Garner continued drinking and using drugs while trying to condition himself to his surroundings.

“ ere isn’t a rock bottom, there isn’t some stable ground that you hit. It is a series of trapdoors that gets progressively lower on to in nity,” Garner said.

Some of these trapdoors take the shape of police interactions and the possibility of jail time due to criminalization of homelessness. In the summer of 2022, Aurora passed a camping ban, following in the footsteps of Denver, which passed a similar measure a decade ago.

“Can’t camp, but you have only one shelter in the city of Aurora,” Jason said, referring to the Comitis Crisis Center. “ e camping ban doesn’t mean we can’t be outside — that’s really the main point — the camping ban means we can’t be safe outside.”

Terese Howard, homeless advocate and founder of Housekeys Action Network Denver, said these bans just push people around, possibly into more dangerous and secluded areas if they don’t just move a block away from where they were before.

Police harassment often comes out of these laws as well, Howard said. O cers will tell people experiencing homelessness to “move along” without o ering alternatives, according to Howard.

Denver’s camping ban speci es “shelter” to include “blankets, or any

Jonathan Townshend Garner, 35, lost his legs to frostbite after spending days covered in snow while homeless.

PHOTO BY ANDREW FRAIELI

The di culties of using housing choice vouchers

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

About a year and a half ago, David Hernandez received a call from a number he did not recognize. When he called the number back, he heard news that would drastically change his housing situation.

“I was confused,” he said. “At rst I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ She’s like, ‘You got chose (from the) lottery, so we’d like to go forward with it.’”

At the time, Hernandez was living with his grandmother in Westminster. But then, after spending years unmoored, moving between states and staying with family members, Hernandez got approved for a voucher for government-subsidized housing.

“When I got it, it was a big relief,” he said. “It was so much stress that was taken o my conscience … It was kind of lifesaving, to be honest.”

e news was a complete surprise to him. What Hernandez didn’t know is that it took ve years for that call to come. His aunt had signed him up for a housing choice voucher lottery at Maiker Housing Partners, the public housing authority in Adams County, without telling him.

anks to her action, his unknowing patience, and, some would say, his luck, Hernandez became one of 2.3 million families and individuals in the United States to bene t from a housing choice voucher program, federally funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD.

Formerly, housing choice voucher programs were known as Section 8, but experts have widely replaced this language in an e ort to be more accurate about the type of rental assistance and to avoid the stigma the term carries with it.

Housing choice voucher programs, which are implemented by local authorities like Maiker, subsidize rent to help “very low-income families, the elderly and the disabled a ord decent, safe and sanitary housing,” according to HUD.

On one hand, vouchers make it possible for those without other options to have a roof over their heads. But, according to housing experts, the program is not a fast-track to housing for many people in need, as it faces a range of issues from lack of funding to scarcity of units.

Eligibility

Within housing choice voucher programs, vouchers may be earmarked by local authorities for di erent types of rental assistance.

For example, some public housing authorities o er vouchers speci cally for veterans or for families whose lack of adequate housing is the primary cause of the separation of a child from their family.

Another type is what HUD calls “project-based” vouchers. ese offer rental assistance that can only be used for speci c properties approved by the public housing authority. is is the type of voucher Hernandez received.

Hernandez said the voucher helped him nancially, emotionally, physi-

cally and mentally, but being tied to one apartment complex has its downfalls. If he could choose, he said, he would rather live in a place with different management. In his complex, he feels like he and his neighbors are treated poorly, partially because they have low incomes.

But the most common type of housing choice voucher allows a recipient to choose where they want to live among properties in the private market. A HUD senior o cial told Colorado Community Media in a call that after 12 months, participants in the project-based voucher program can typically request to have this type of voucher, which is more open-ended.

Properties for a typical housing choice voucher must meet standards of health and safety before a tenant can move forward with a lease. In addition, public housing authorities review rents to ensure they are reasonable for the speci c housing market, according to HUD.

Families with vouchers generally pay 30%-40% of their monthly adjusted gross income for rent and utilities, according to HUD. e public housing authority covers the rest.

In Colorado, landlords are required to accept housing choice vouchers and are not allowed to discriminate against rental applicants based on source of income, per a 2021 law.

e voucher approval process begins with an application, said Brenda Mascarenas, director of housing services and programs at Maiker.

“ e couple of things we look at under formal eligibility (are) background, income, and citizenship,” she said.

Generally, a household’s income may not exceed 50% of the median income for the county or metropolitan area. But most vouchers go to applicants with incomes much lower than that. By law, a public housing authority must provide three quarters of its vouchers to applicants whose incomes do not exceed 30% of the area median income, according to HUD.

In Adams and Arapahoe counties, a single person who earned no more

than $41,050 was eligible for a housing choice voucher in 2022, according to Maiker and South Metro Housing Options, a public housing authority in Littleton.

Wait times and lotteries

Unfortunately, the likelihood of getting a voucher is not solely dependent on whether a person is eligible.

Because of lack of funding for the program, HUD acknowledges “long waiting periods are common.” e o cial with HUD, speaking generally about the department, told Colorado Community Media that for households that receive a voucher, the average wait time is 28 months. e o cial noted that this number only includes people who actually receive a voucher, so the true average wait time is likely signi cantly longer.

Some public housing authorities use a lottery system to select voucher recipients. At Maiker, Mascarenas said the team aims to open their lottery pool every other year, meaning applicants could wait up to two years if they are selected from the lottery their rst time. If not, they might wait through several cycles.

At South Metro Housing Options, the voucher waitlist was last open in 2012, Executive Director Corey Reitz said. ey anticipate it opening again this year, more than 11 years later. ese long wait times are not unique. Only two housing agencies among the 50 largest in the U.S. have average wait times of under one year for families that make it o of wait lists for vouchers, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan research and policy institute based in Washington, D.C.

To Hernandez’s bene t, he wasn’t aware he was waiting for his voucher. He said it would have been challenging to be in “limbo” for so long.

“If I would have known I’d have to wait ve years for that, I probably personally wouldn’t have done it,” he said.

Peter LiFari, executive director at Maiker,  attributes long waitlists at public housing authorities to lack of federal funding and a massive de-

mand for housing vouchers.

“It’s a program designed to exist in scarcity, which is really disappointing,” he said. “I get emails every day, basically from folks (saying) ‘How do I sign up?’ and ‘I’m homeless and I’ve never asked for help before and I’m ready now,’ and it’s like, unfortunately we don’t we don’t have the vouchers to be able to meet the need.”

Because of limited funding for HUD, designated by Congress each year, only 1 in 4 households eligible for a housing voucher receive any federal rental assistance, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

e HUD o cial interviewed by CCM agreed that a main shortcoming of the program is that there are not enough vouchers. e o cial said rental assistance programs are an outlier compared to other federal safety net programs in that many people qualify but do not receive the support. e o cial attributed the lack of funding to the fact that the voucher program was created in the 1970s, after other programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program were already underway.

Congress increased funding into the voucher program throughout the pandemic, but the funding generally went to special populations as opposed to the entire program, LiFari said. e American Rescue Plan Act, for example, provided 70,000 emergency vouchers to assist individuals in violent, dangerous or homeless situations. Mascarenas said Maiker received 46 vouchers from the funding.

Last year, the Biden administration awarded more than 19,000 housing choice vouchers to more than 2,000 public housing authorities. Twentynine of the authorities are in Colorado, including agencies in Adams County, Je erson County, Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Englewood and Arvada.

But even with the extra funding, housing authority employees say it is challenging to keep up with the demand.

“One of the challenges with any … new sources of funding to support housing, it’s still administering the money and the funds and the vouchers,” said Reitz from South Metro. “So we still need sta to do so. And we’re no di erent than most other agencies or industries right now in terms of sta ng, so that’s a challenge.”

e demand for vouchers in Adams County is higher than Mascarenas has ever seen.

“I’ve been with Maiker for 30 years and I’ve never seen the market in such a bad condition,” she said. “I’ve never seen the need grow so great.”

Maiker has about 1,625 housing choice vouchers to distribute in Adams County. In July 2022, the last time their lottery was open for applications, over 3,500 people applied.

“Even two-parent households are still nding it very di cult to make ends meet with two incomes coming into the home,” Mascarenas said.

Next to his kitchen, David Hernandez has a DJ setup where he likes to mix music for fun.

PHOTO BY ANDREW FRAIELI

belonging, there’s no sense of ownership, and all of those are negative impacts on a community, the wellbeing of a community.”

Searching for a home

After leaving the house he owned near Houston, Texas, more than a decade ago, Laney knew buying a home in Denver would be a nearimpossible feat.

He was making good money at a medical diagnostics company and had been able to purchase a brandnew home in a Houston suburb for less than $150,000. But his mental health was su ering and he knew he needed a change. With friends living in Colorado at the time, Laney decided to move more than 1,000 miles north to Denver.

With his fresh start came the opportunity to dive into a longtime passion: wine. He took classes to become a sommelier — a trained wine professional. He sold wine to businesses across the metro area, worked parttime at a cozy wine bar and restaurant in the heart of Littleton’s historic downtown, and eventually landed a full-time job at Jake’s.

Laney settled on wherever he could nd the most a ordable apartment — something hovering around $1,000 per month, in places around Denver. e ones he found in Littleton were too run-down. As rents around the region rose, Laney moved ve times in six years.

“During this whole process I knew I wanted a house,” Laney said. “I wanted something that was my own, and it’s hard to build a home in an apartment, especially when you keep moving.”

Laney’s experiences came as Littleton residents expressed less condence that their city was a ordable.

From 2012 to 2022, residents who cited a ordable cost of living as a reason for living in Littleton declined from 30% to 14%, according to biennial city-issued surveys of hundreds of residents. Over those same years, residents who said a ordable housing and rental rates were a reason for living in the city went from 20% to 9%.

Laney said he worked, saved and kept his spending habits to a minimum during those years, staying laser-focused on his ultimate prize. Credit-card debt from college “really destroyed a lot of opportunities,” he said, but he kept “working, working, working.”

Even though Laney estimates he was making about $48,000 yearly, he says he was far short of what he needed for a down payment on even the least expensive of homes in Littleton.

He wasn’t alone. A 2020 analysis from Denver-based contractor Root Policy showed that individuals who earned $29,000 to $95,000 yearly in the metro area could not a ord the average price of a home, which was nearly $420,000 that year.

“It’s a pretty serious situation,” said Corey Reitz, executive director of Littleton’s housing authority, South Metro Housing Options. “ e list of folks who can’t continue to live here continues to grow.”

at list, according to Root’s analysis, includes workers in health care, education, construction, food service

and more.

Essential workers risk being priced out Sta ers at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood say the housing problem also a ects them. ey blame the shortage of essential hospital workers they’re contending with, in part, on the cost of housing.

“Absolutely the rising cost of housing here in Colorado is a topic,” said Dena Schmaedecke, the hospital’s vice president of human resources. “Colleagues are often bringing up those stresses.”

at housing-cost factor has caused hospital leaders to o er a $10,000 housing stipend to incentivize new employees, Schmaedecke said.

In Brighton, northeast of Denver, Michael Clow, chief human resources o cer for 27J Schools, said the cost of housing has impacted the district’s ability to maintain and support sta .

“We hear from candidates and from our new hires that the cost of housing and their ability to nd housing is a real problem,” Clow said. “

We recently had two math teachers (husband and wife) join us. ey were excited to live their dream and move to Colorado. After just one year and realizing they could not a ord to raise a family here, they moved back to their home state.”

Clow said the crisis has restricted the district’s pool of applicants graduating with teaching degrees, creating intense competition for sta and teachers.

“ e cost of housing is becoming a serious obstacle for us to maintain service levels and serve our mission,” he said.

Farther north, in Fort Lupton, the Weld R-8 School District has faced similar pressures. Superintendent

Alan Kaylor said the annual salary for a rst-year teacher in the district is about $41,000.

Kaylor bought his home in 1995 for $72,000. He said a home across the street from his was recently listed at $685,000. e price of that house across the street rose more than four times faster than the pace of in ation, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ in ation calculator.

“How can any family a ord that?” he asked. “Something has to give. After a while, you have to wonder how long people will tolerate living on teachers’ wages.”

Even for some residents making a larger income, housing remains elusive.

West of Denver, in Evergreen, hus-

band and wife Bill and Charm Connelly bring in a combined six- gure salary.

Bill Connelly is an insurance agent and blackjack dealer for a Black Hawk casino. Charm is the front-house general manager for Cactus Jack’s, a bar and restaurant in Evergreen. e two rent a three-bedroom home and are struggling to save for a house. Even downsizing to something smaller, they said, would likely increase their spending by roughly $400 a month.

e two currently pay $2,200 per month on rent.

“I feel like a failure. I nally get a good full-time job making great money, and eight years ago, 10 years ago, we could easily have gotten something,” Bill Connelly said.

“Between the two of us, I see what we make,” Charm said. “We are making decent money, but I want to be able to save money and not blow it all on rent.”

For Adam Galbraith, a Cactus Jack’s bartender, the only way to keep his rent a ordable is to live with others.

“ e only reason I’m able to save money is because it’s a 1,100-squarefoot place and we crammed four people in it,” Galbraith said, adding monthly rent is about $1,500. “If you’ve got roommates, that’s the only way you’re going to save money.”

A housing ‘limbo’

Near the end of 2019, Laney, the Littleton bartender, was beginning to feel more con dent about reaching his goal for a down payment. He’d paid o his car and credit-card debt and said he “worked hard to keep it that way.”

His savings account was beginning to bulk up. en came COVID-19.

Years of careful saving and unyielding restraint on spending evaporated in months. Laney was forced to drain his savings account during the beginning of the pandemic amid lockdowns. He received nothing from the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program, though he would gain $3,200 from stimulus checks in the months to come. Still, he was hanging on.

It was “the community around Jake’s, our regulars, who kept us alive,” Laney said.

“I was there every single day, for damn near a year,” he said, with the bar able to do curbside orders even as its indoors remained shuttered.

Before the pandemic, Laney estimates he brought in about $4,000 each month before taxes. By the end

of the month, after paying for rent, utilities, groceries and gas, he would be left with just $200 to $300, which usually went into his savings.

Living that way was “terrifying,” said Laney, who always felt he could be on the edge of losing his housing should he have a bad month. e pandemic only exacerbated the uncertainty.

As his savings depleted, Laney’s dream of owning a home never seemed further away.

But his resolve didn’t waver and he used what federal relief he had to rebuild his savings because, as he put it, “I had a goal: I wanted a house. When I came out of the tunnel I knew what I wanted.”

By 2021, he started looking again. A townhome might come up on the market — far from perfect, but within Laney’s means — and he would ready himself to put down an o er. It never was enough.

“Someone comes in and puts 20k cash on the o er, or 30k or 40k,” Laney said. “I went through about a year and a half of that and I knew in my head I was not going to be able to get a house.”

A real-estate agent who came into his bar told Laney to apply for a $300,000 bank loan. He had good credit, the agent told him, and would be a shoo-in for the money.

“ ree hundred thousand dollars does not get you a townhome,” Laney thought to himself.

He was frustrated. More than frustrated. He felt depressed.

“I’d done everything right, everything I was supposed to do and it still didn’t matter,” he said. “I’m just stuck, like the hundreds of thousands of other people, in limbo.”

Laney’s luck began to turn near the end of 2021 when he heard there were about to be dozens of singlefamily homes for sale in Littleton for less than $300,000. He thought it was too good to be true.

‘We can’t all win the lottery’ at year, South Metro Housing Options, which manages a ordable properties throughout Littleton, sold 59 of its single-family homes to Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver, which pledged to renovate the units and sell them at a below-market price.

Laney’s hourly wage had slightly increased since the pandemic from $8 to $10, though 90% of his income still came from tips, he said. Still, Laney believed he met the nancial requirements for a Habitat home, which would only sell to people who earn no more than 80% of the area’s median income.

But when Laney applied to be on a waitlist at the beginning of 2022, he was quickly denied. He was told his income, roughly $56,000 when he applied, exceeded the cap by less than $1,000.

Laney said he was actually making less than that, about $54,000, but because Habitat counted his “unrealized interest gains,” such as money held in stocks, Laney was over the threshold.

Habitat was also only looking at the income of recent months, Laney said, rather than his income over the past year. is made it look like he made more than he did because his monthto-month income would uctuate dramatically based on tips.

He applied again and was denied

The view of Lone Tree homes from Blu s Regional Park and Trail on Oct. 21, 2022.

PHOTO BY TAYLER SHAW

form of cover or protection from the elements other than clothing.”

“ ere’s this illusion that you need this stick to connect people to services,” Howard said. “ at’s a lie, it doesn’t work. You can just look back at the last 10 years of Denver to see the reality of that lie. It’s meant, rst and foremost, to push people out of sight, out of mind.”

According to one national study from 2013, criminalization can create a cycle of incarceration that perpetuates itself.

Noting a loop of jail time and homelessness, the report says: “Incarceration has been noted to increase the risk of homelessness” as it can weaken community ties, limit employment opportunities and make it more di cult to get public housing.

“ is bidirectional association between homelessness and incarceration may result in a certain amount of cycling between public psychiatric hospitals, jails and prisons, and homeless shelters or the street,” the report concludes.

A homeless count across the metro area

Nationwide, at the start of every year, a count is taken to try and estimate the unsheltered homeless population.

At the same time, a count is made of people who have stayed in a participating shelter at some point across the country. ese counts are run by HUD through volunteering shelters and local governments.

In the 2022 point-in-time count across Je erson, Broom eld, Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas and Denver counties, there were nearly 2,000 people living unsheltered, and just over 3,000 in emergency shelters.

According to the data, most of the homeless population is in Denver.  HUD’s de nition of homelessness includes those who are in imminent risk of losing their housing. However, the annual report does not include that data or consider people who are couch sur ng, or temporarily living at a friend or family member’s home.

Jason had been working, but with a broken back, he could no longer work or a ord needed medical care.

Like Garner, Jason requires a wheelchair to get around, which creates another level of di culties for those experiencing homelessness.

The cost of a disability

One day in the spring of 2018, Gar-

VOUCHERS

She attributed part of the higher demand to the pandemic, which impacted many workers and families.

Another theory comes from Reitz, who said higher demand could be because salaries and wages have not kept up with rising housing costs.

Unit scarcity

In addition to the lack of funding, LiFari said the lack of physical housing supply is a detriment to the function of housing voucher program.

“We just don’t have enough units,” he said. “We don’t even have enough housing to support folks that are above the poverty line … because we just abandoned building for one another.”

ner’s wheelchair got caught in some weeds in a eld. He spent hours there, yelling for help, until a couple happened upon him.

e couple befriended Garner, brought him some basic necessities, and got him into a detox facility. After a few stints, Garner has now been sober for more than four years.

“But the patience that these strangers showed me was something that was unbelievable to me,” Garner said. “I will never forget before they took me in the third time telling them: ‘Well, what if I just do this again? You know, what if I, what if you take me to this detox, you come pick me up, and I just start drinking again?’”

Garner said the couple told him they would keep trying. Services like detox are di cult to use for people with addictions and mental health issues, as they often have no support system to encourage them to go, as well as there often being little state support.

In 2019, a study showed that about 20% of all Americans were a ected by mental illness in the past year. According to e National Coalition for Homelessness the general e ects of various mental illnesses “disrupt people’s ability to carry out essential aspects of daily life,” as well as make social bonds.

“ is often results in pushing away caregivers, family, and friends who may be the force keeping that person from becoming homeless,” the report elaborated.

But the couple that helped Garner in

e lack of units creates scarcity in the housing market, LiFari said. With high demand, competition and rents increase across the region.

As a result, “lower-income Coloradans are left on the outside looking in,” he said.

“ e program can’t run unless there’s houses and units where people live, right?” he said. “So, without that, we’re just creating this ‘Hunger Games’ construct.”

After being chosen for a voucher, the competition begins. People have about two months to nd a home to rent and sign the lease. But that’s not enough time for many folks to nd homes and Maracenas elds many requests for extensions for as many as four more months.

Even with these extensions, LiFari said the highly competitive market presents a challenging dynamic for

that eld became his support, hosting him until they fell on hard times and divorced.

Eventually, Garner’s friend helped him get a studio apartment in Evergreen, helping to pay rent for the rst three months.

“So I stayed those rst three months and realized I didn’t want to leave,” Garner said.

Garner said without his friend helping with rst and last month’s rent and more in those rst three months, he wouldn’t have been able to a ord it. After the rst three months, Garner continued to stay in the apartment, getting help from friends. He got what he needed, he said, but it wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t how he wanted to live.

“I come from the salt of the earth, blue collar, working folk, you know, and really, at the bottom line, I’m just trying to work in any way I can,” he said. “All I’m trying to do is provide for myself.”

The housing and wage gap

Part of this di culty, especially in Evergreen, is the gap between wages and housing costs.  is lack of a ordable housing acts doubly as a factor for becoming homeless and a barrier from escaping it.

Adam Galbraith works as a bartender at Cactus Jack’s in Evergreen. He said the only reason he can save money at all is because his 1,100-square-foot apartment has four people in it.

“If you’ve got roommates, that’s the only way you’re going to save money,”

people to nd vacant units within the time frame. Part of this is because renters must be approved for leases by landlords and there are many barriers that can work against voucher holders – from the potential for discrimination to criminal records

Is it a solution?

In LiFari’s eyes, the housing choice voucher program “only exists as medicine for a misdiagnosed illness.”

Although it certainly makes a difference in combating homelessness, he said American society and government need to focus more on the root of the problem.

“ e program is a function of how we value people and how we value where they live,” he said. “We refuse to address the root cause of the illness because then we have to view how we view poverty.”

For Hernandez, viewing poverty

he said. It’s also the only reason he can live in Evergreen, along with his landlord keeping rent lower than it could be at $1,500, “so locals would rent it.” Others he knows have seen their landlord sell the property and give them two months to get out — he’s had it happen to himself twice.

Evergreen isn’t really the place to perform hip hop on the corner, but Garner had a background in performance and music — participating in rap battles and the underground scene in his younger years under his stage name, LaKryth. After practicing, studying and preparing, he took to the streets with his guitar, not in his wheelchair, but instead standing on prosthetic legs.

“I’m a pretty damn good musician, you know, and I can sing pretty damn good too, but I’m not going to pretend like I’m oblivious to the fact that my disability and my prosthetics aren’t a contributing factor to the response that I’ve made in the community,” Garner said.

After getting attention on social media, he began to book more gigs, participate in rap battles, and through participating in Colorado Community Media’s housing series panel discussion, met the owner of Cactus Jack’s Saloon, where he is now host of the weekly open-mic night.

He said he can’t work a job “on paper,” and he still faces struggles with his health and well-being. Garner has a roof over his head and food to eat. He says that’s all he can ask for.

realistically is important.

“Believe me — a lot of people don’t want to be depending on the government,” Hernandez said. “But at the same time, they need (vouchers) because it’s crazy out there.”

Although the housing choice voucher program is not perfect, LiFari said it still makes an impact.

“We have no other way that reaches the scale and has the complexity to be able to address individual housing markets, to drive housing stability and stave o extreme poverty and homelessness than this program,” he said.

And on top of that, Hernandez said it makes an important di erence in people’s spirits.

“It’s good for people to get (themselves) on the right track,” he said. “It’s a good thing to get your sense of, you know, you’re involved in society, you’re part of something.”

Jonathan Townshend Garner hosts an open mic night at Cactus Jack’s Saloon in Evergreen where he also performs.

PHOTO BY ANDREW FRAIELI

High-school o cials’ fees to increase

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e long, sought-after pay increases for high-school game o cials are ofcially in play.

e Colorado High School Activities Association’s legislative council, which makes CHSAA’s decisions, voted overwhelmingly Jan. 24 to increase o cials’ pay by $10 over the next three years. With it comes an increase in mileage fees for o cials. It’s 40 cents now, increasing to 50 cents a mile for the 20232024 school year and up to 60 cents per mile in the 2025-2026 school year.

CHSAA’s new commissioner, Mike Krueger, said Colorado has been in the bottom third nationally and regionally in o cials’ pay for several years.

“It’s a crisis situation,” he told the council before its vote. “A lot of older o cials are retiring, and we have a lack of a personnel pool.”

Schools will feel a sizable budget increase, but Krueger said that would apply to just the rst year of pay increases. He thought the impact would be somewhere north of 30 percent.

Krueger also told the council more pay for o cials means higher expectations.

“We’ll work with them to make sure they have the education and the memberships they need,” he told the council. “One area where we have fallen behind is hospitality. We have to support each other. We’ve got to unite around that shared responsibility.”

CSHAA’s o cials’ fee committee will take another look at the pay scale in three to four years. Chairman Eric Johnson, the athletic director at Windsor High School, said the time frame was about the same for other states when they discuss pay rates for game

PRICES

FROM PAGE 10

again, this time for making just $300 more than the cut-o . But, a slow month at work turned out to be a good thing. His income dipped just enough that by the third time he applied he made it on the waitlist.  at did not come with the guarantee of a home. Laney was in a line of people just like him and demand far outweighed supply. Number 10 was his position. Who knew how many more were behind him, he thought. en it happened. Laney was made an o er, a 1,275-square-foot detached home near Ketring Park in central Littleton valued at $285,000, roughly a third of what similar properties sold for.

“I can’t even express how happy I was,” Laney said. “I’ve been living and serving this community for 10 years and I want to live here.”

Still, the program has some drawbacks compared to traditional homeownership. Laney cannot build as much equity as many of his neighbors because he does not own the property the home sits on. Instead, it is owned by something called a land trust — a collection of entities.

“ e beauty of the land trust is it removes the cost of the land from the equation from the cost of the home,” said Kate Hilberg, director of real estate development for Habitat for Hu-

o cials.

“It’s the rst step of an ongoing process,” Krueger said. “We aren’t competing with club teams for o cials’ pay. It helps get us to where we need to be but it doesn’t put us so far ahead that we put a strain on the budget numbers.”

Treatment of o cials

e council also agreed to amend CHSAA bylaws to include a piece on intimidation of or physical threats to game o cials.

Sta notes de ned game o cials as referees, judges, umpires, linesmen and those serving in similar capacities. e agenda de ned an assault as “an intentional act, or threat ... that puts another person in reasonable belief of imminent harmful or o ensive conduct.” reatening behavior can include words, actions or behaviors that can cause others to be concerned for their safety.

e consequences for violators can include permanent exclusion from CHSAA events, It will be up to the commissioner and the a ected school’s administration to decide the penalties.

Golf changes

e legislative council also approved a couple of changes in high-school golf. One was to add a 2A classi cation for both boys and girls golf, beginning in the 2024 cycle.

e other is to seed 5A regional tournaments two weeks before regionals. Locations will be determined by league rotation. e golf committee said each league will have one team per regional to act as host.

“ e goal is to have a four-way rotation for 5A state sites with a Western state host every six years,” sta notes said.

manity. “It allows the homeowners to pay on that mortgage for that home and improvements to that home but not the land.”

Land trusts are crucial tools organizations like Habitat use to lock in the a ordability of homes even as property values rise elsewhere. e owners of these units will see some equity from their homes, Hilberg said, about 2% each year. But it won’t be enough to match the likes of homeowners who have used their growing property values to build decades of generational wealth.

“A lot of families use this as a starter home option and they do gain enough equity and stability to turn that into a down payment on a home in the open market,” Hilberg said of homes under land trusts.

But fathoming a concept like equity is a luxury for those who still can’t buy a house on the market, Laney said.

While he’s thankful for what Habitat did for him, he fears the few dozen homes it manages in Littleton can only go so far to meet the demand of hundreds, if not thousands, of residents who have struggled as he has.

“ ere isn’t enough income-based housing for people … the people who live and work in this community can’t a ord a house,” Laney said. “We can’t all win the lottery.”

Colorado Community Reporters Andrew Fraieli, Steve Smith, Tayler Shaw and Ellis Arnold contributed reporting to this story.

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711).

Brighton High School captures Front Range League tournament crown

Six wrestlers capture league championships

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Brighton High School beat out Poudre High School for the team championship at this year’s Front Range League tournament, contested at Prairie View High School Jan. 28. e host underHawks nished fth.

Four Bulldogs captured league titles. Ethan Mora took rst place at 106 pounds. Soloman Smouse was the winner at 126 pounds, and Izaiah Schoepp was the winner at 165 pounds. Dylan BravoPacker pinned all three of his opponents en route to a league title at 285 pounds.

Braaden Heinz was the runnerup at 126 pounds, and Ryan Cholas took second at 157 pounds. Josiah Gallegos wound up third at 132 pounds, Kaden Housego was third at 144 pounds, and Daxton Hruby was third at 175 pounds. Keagan D’amico took fifth at 138 pounds.

Prairie View took home a pair of league titles Ane’e Vigil won the 120-pound league title by pinning three of his four opponents and

earning a technical fall win in the semifinals. Lukas Villalobos won the 215-pound title. He pinned all three of his opponents.

Benjamin Nichols was the runner-up at 165 pounds. Daniel Ronquillo Monejano was fifth at 190 pounds.

Brighton’s Alex Eversman tries to turn Loveland’s Sam Jackson durin a 113-pound, first-round match at the Front Range League wrestling tournament Jan. 28. Jackson earned the win by a score of 7-5.

PHOTOS BY STEVE SMITH

Prairie View’s Juell Sanchez tries to hoist Loveland’s Ghage Celestino of Loveland during their 144-pound, first-round match at the Front Range League wrestling tournament Jan. 28 at Prairie View High School. Sanchez won by pinfall in 3:01.

Eagle Ridge Academy

Boys basketball

Eagle Ridge beat e Academy

68-21 in Brighton Jan. 27. It was the Warriors’ fth straight win.

Frank Fabian and Trey Boychuck led the Wildcats in scoring with eight points. No stats were available for Eagle Ridge.

Girls basketball Eagle Ridge turned back the Academy 37-29 in Westminster Jan. 27. Madi DiLorenzo paced the Warriors with 15 points. Jaz Greenwood scored nine. No stats were available for the Wildcats.

Riverdale Ridge High School

Boys wrestling

Riverdale Ridge’s Mikey Medina (106 pounds) and AJ Hague (120) won tournament titles at the Bear Creek Wrestling Invitational Jan. 28 in Lakewood.

Ariel Villalobos took second at 132 pounds. Ian Ingalls was second at 126 pounds. RRHS nished third in the team standings.

Riverdale Ridge downed Frederick 47-36 on the Golden Eagles’ mats Jan. 24.

e Ravens’ on-mat winners were Medina, Hague, Ian Ingalls (126), Ariel Villalobos (132), Nathan Salazar (144) and Connor Murphy (215).

Girls basketball

Riverdale Ridge rolled over Niwot 83-16 on the Cougars’ oor Jan. 26. Brihanna Crittendon scored 32 points for the Ravens. Macayla Stark added 12, and Cimonie Martinez

Brighton Scoreboard

scored 10.

Riverdale Ridge beat Fort Morgan

86-6 in Fort Morgan Jan. 24. Crittendon scored a team-high 32 points for the Ravens. Danicka Rojas scored 14, and Macayla Stark added 10.

Boys basketball

Resurrection Christian topped Riverdale Ridge 57-47 in ornton Jan. 28. No stats were available for either team.

e Ravens rallied in the fourth quarter to top Niwot 78-72 in Niwot Jan. 26. No stats were available for RRHS. Jerek Funkhouser scored 25 for the Cougars.

Riverdale Ridge beat Fort Morgan 82-46 on the Mustangs’ oor Jan. 25. Wesley Carnes had 17 points for Fort Morgan. Nathan Gerken tossed in 10. No stats were available for the Ravens.

Severance stopped Riverdale Ridge 78-71 in ornton Jan. 24. No stats were available.

Girls wrestling

Riverdale Ridge beat Broom eld

6-0 in atriangular meet Jan., 25 on the Eagles’ mats. Natasha Kuberski won the only contested match.

Riverdale Ridge beat Fort Lupton

6-0 in one piece of a three-way meet in Fort Lupton Jan. 24 e Ravens’ Kuberski won the only contested match.

Prairie View High School

Girls wrestling

Two Prairie View wrestlers took third in their respective weight classes at the Chat eld Girls War Horse

Invitational Jan. 28 at Chat eld High School

e two were Anastasia Martinez (100 pounds) and PVHS’ 170-pounder, Raquel Rios-Paiz.

PVHS tied for 18th in the team standings.

Boys basketball

Mountain Range beat PVHS 64-46 in Brighton Jan. 26. No stats were available for the Mustangs. Rashawn Salinas scored 20 points for Prairie View. Angel Rodriguez added eight.

Fossil Ridge beat Prairie View 7237 in Brighton Jan. 24.Salinas scored 20 of PVHS’ points. Eric Allee was next with eight. Nick Randall led the Sabercats with 18 points. Domenic Leone added 13.

Brighton High School

Girls wrestling

Isabella Smouse of the Bulldogs took fourth at 105 pounds at the Chat eld Girls War Horse Invitational Jan. 28 at Chat eld High School. Kiahna Spellman was fth at 100 pounds.

BHS was 16th in the team standings.

Girls basketball

Legacy stopped Brighton 54-34 in Broom eld Jan. 27.No stats were available for either team.

Poudre rallied from a seven-point halftime de cit to beat Brighton 3531 on the Bulldogs’ oor Jan. 24.

BHS scored 23 points in the rst half, but the Impalas’ defense held the Bulldogs to four points in both the third and fourth quarters.

No stats were available for BHS. Kavi Voglund scored 11 for Poudre. Jacqui Wilson contributed eight, Jaque Forrest and Cate Schelly added six.

Before the game, the Bulldogs saluted rst responders health-care workers and members of the military as part of Heroes Night.

Boys basketball Legacy used a 27-point third quarter to beat Brighton 57-43 on the Bulldogs’ oor Jan. 27u. No stats were available for Brighton. Brandon Domsch led Legacy with 15 points. Bryce Spradling added 12.

Poudre stopped Brighton 73-60 in Fort Collins Jan. 24. No stats were available for either team.

Wrestling Brighton beat Monarch 69-10 in Brighton Jan. 26. On-mat winners for the Bulldogs were Alex Eversman (113 pounds_, Braaden Heinz (120), Solo;man Smouse (126), Josiah Gallegos (132), Ryan Cholas (157), Izaiah Schoepp (165), Daxton Hruby (175), Keith Robertson (215) and Dylan BravoPacker (285).

Girls basketball

Legacy stopped Brighton 54-34 in Broom eld Jan. 27.No stats were available for either team.

Poudre rallied from a seven-point halftime de cit to beat Brighton 3531 on the Bulldogs’ oor Jan. 24.

BHS scored 23 points in the rst half, but the Impalas’ defense held the Bulldogs to four points in both the third and fourth quarters.

CROWSSUPDRO ELZZ

©

TRIVIA

2. MOVIES: What is the material used in Captain America’s shield?

3. MUSIC: Who wrote the lyrics to the 1961 “West Side Story” movie?

4. SCIENCE: Which color has the longest wavelength?

5. HISTORY: When did the United States outlaw child labor?

6. TELEVISION: Who played the leading role in the legal series “Ally McBeal”?

7. AD SLOGANS: Which fastfood chain tells customers that “We have the meats”?

8. LITERATURE: What is the setting for the “Divergent” novel series?

9. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which animal represents the 2023 Chinese zodiac year?

Solution

10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of butter ies called?

Answers

1. Japan.

2. Vibranium.

3. Stephen Sondheim.

4. Red.

5. 1938.

6. Calista Flockhart.

7. Arby’s.

8. Chicago.

9. e rabbit.

10. A kaleidoscope.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Help Wanted Director of Physical Therapist Assistant Program

Full-time faculty. The Director of the PTA Program manages the program in accordance with the mission, core values, and purposes of MCC. The individual serves in both an administrative position and faculty position. The Program Director is responsible for administrative and scal management of the PTA program, marketing, and recruitment, mentoring part-time instructors/faculty, accreditation compliance, revising program layout and delivery as appropriate to expand the program.

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PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Notices call

Legals City and County

Public Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC COMMENT REVIEW PERIOD & PUBLIC HEARING

DRAFT PY 2020 CONSOLIDATED

ANNUAL PERFORMANCE

EVALUATION REPORT (CAPER)

NOTICE is given that a draft of the PY 2021 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for Adams County has been completed and will be available for the public to review period.

The CAPER reports on accomplishments and expenditures for the County’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Funded activities such as affordable housing programs, public services and public facilities and infrastructure improvements were intended to benefit low- to moderate-income persons. PY 2021 ran from October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: The draft PY 2021 CAPER will be available to review for 20-days starting from February 2, 2023 to February 21, 2023. The draft CAPER can be viewed at the Community & Economic Development Department offices at 4430 S. Adams County Parkway, Brighton, CO 80601, and can also be viewed and downloaded from the County’s website at https:// adcogov.org/resources-reports. Public comments regarding the draft PY 2021 CAPER can be submitted by mail, delivered to the address above, or via email at rreed@adcogov.org.

PUBLIC HEARING: A public hearing will be held to review and discuss the draft PY 2021 CAPER. The public hearing will be held on February 21, 2023 at 9:30AM. The public hearing will be held in the First Floor Public Hearing Room at the Adams County Government Center located at 4430 S. Adams County Parkway, Brighton, CO 80601. Residents are encouraged to attend and participate.

For further information, please contact the Community Development Division at (720) 523-6200.

ACCESSIBILITY: Adams County does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission to, access to, or operations of programs, services, or activities, including the public participation process. Adams County makes reasonable accommodations for disabilities that interfere with full access to any program, service, or activity, including the public participation process. You may contact the Community Development Division at (720) 523-6200 (or 711 for the state relay service) or write to 4430 S. Adams County Parkway, Brighton, CO 80601 to make a reasonable accommodation request. Para interpretar la información en español, llame al (720) 523-6200.

Legal Notice No. BSB2141

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Public Notice

TOWN OF LOCHBUIE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROV-

ING A PRELIMINARY PLAT OF OUTLOTS G THROUGH N OF HIGHPLAINS FILING NO. 1

The Board of Trustees will hold a public hearing at a Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, February 21, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall at 703 Weld County Road 37, Lochbuie, CO. The purpose of the public hearing will be to consider a Resolution approving a preliminary plat, entitled Highplains Filing No. 1 Amendment No. 1, to modify current lot boundaries to create more uniform-shaped lots that encourage commercial development. The public is encouraged to attend and participate.

Copies of the Resolution are available for inspection and review at the Town Hall. Further information about the Resolution may be obtained by calling the Town at 303-990-5773.

Legal Notice No. BSB2128

First Publication: February 2, 2023 Last Publication: February 2, 2023 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

303-566-4123

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that information on obtaining an absentee ballot may be obtained from the DEO, and applications for an absentee ballot must be filed with the DEO no later than the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on April 25, 2023.

TODD CREEK VILLAGE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

By: Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. BSB2115

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Public Notice

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

§§ 1-13.5-501; 1-13.5-303, C.R.S.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and, particularly, to the eligible electors of the Brighton Crossing Metropolitan District No. 4, City of Brighton, Adams County, Colorado (the “District”).

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an election will be held on May 2, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At that time, two (2) directors will be elected to serve until May 2027. Eligible electors of the District interested in serving on the board of directors may obtain a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form from the Designated Election Official (“DEO”) at 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 2000, Centennial, CO 80122 or via telephone at 303-858-1800, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Self-Nomination and Acceptance Forms are also available online at https://whitebearankele. com/.

District No. 5 (the “District”), Town of Lochbuie, Weld County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a regular election for the District will be conducted by independent mail ballot on May 2, 2023. At that time 3 director(s) may be elected to serve until May 2027, and 0 director(s) may be elected to serve until May 2025. Eligible electors of the District interested in serving on a board of directors may obtain SelfNomination and Acceptance Forms by sending a request to the Designated Election Official (“DEO”) of the District. Such requests may be sent by email to SpecialDistricts@mdavislawoffice.com.

The deadline to file a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form with the DEO, or a letter that meets the requirements of § 1-13.5-501, C.R.S., is 5:00 p.m. (“Close of Business”) on Friday, February 24, 2023. If the DEO determines that a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form or letter is not sufficient, the eligible elector who filed the form or letter may amend the form or letter prior to Close of Business on February 24, 2023. Early filing is encouraged as the deadline will not permit curing an insufficient form after this date and time.

A person who wishes to be a write-in candidate must file an Affidavit of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate with the office of the DEO by Close of Business on Monday, February 27, 2023.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that information on obtaining an absentee ballot may be obtained from the DEO, and applications for an absentee ballot must be filed with the DEO no later than Close of Business on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.

Altamira Metropolitan District No. 5

By: /s/ Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. BSB2130

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Legal Notice No. BSB2133

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Public Notice

LLAMADO DE CANDIDATURAS §§ 1-13.5-501; 1-13.5-303, C.R.S.

A QUIEN CORRESPONDA, y, en particular, a los votantes del distrito metropolitano de The Lakes Nos. 5 y 6, ciudad de Brighton, condado de Adams, Colorado (cada uno un “Distrito” y, colectivamente, los “Distritos”).

POR LA PRESENTE SE DARÁ AVISO que se hará una elección el 2 de mayo de 2023, entre las 7:00 a. m. y las 7:00 p. m. En ese momento, y para cada Distrito, se elegirán dos (2) directores para servir hasta mayo de 2027.

Los votantes de los Distritos interesados en formar parte en las juntas directivas pueden obtener un formulario de autonominación y aceptación del representante electoral designado (Designated Election Official, “DEO”) en 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 2000, Centennial, CO 80122 o por teléfono al 303-858-1800, entre las 8:00 a. m. y las 5:00 p. m., de lunes a viernes. Los formularios de autonominación y aceptación también están disponibles en línea en https://whitebearankele. com/.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly to the electors of the Prairie Corner Metropolitan District of County of Adams, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a regular election will be held on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At that time, three (3) directors will be elected to serve a four-year term.

Self-Nomination and Acceptance forms are available from Sarah H. Luetjen, the Designated Election Official for the District, at email: sluetjen@ cegrlaw.com. Self-Nomination and Acceptance forms must be filed with the Designated Election Official for the District at the above email address not less than 67 days prior to the election (Friday, February 24, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.).

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that applications for absentee ballots may be filed with the Designated Election Official of the District at the above address during normal business hours, until the close of business on the Tuesday immediately preceding the election (Tuesday, April 25, 2023). All absentee ballots must be returned to the Designated Election Official by 7:00 p.m. on election day.

PRAIRIE CORNER METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

By:/s/ Sarah H. Luetjen

Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. BSB2119

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS §§ 1-13.5-501; 1-13.5-303, C.R.S.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and, particularly, to the eligible electors of the Todd Creek Village Metropolitan District, Adams County, Colorado (the “District”).

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an election will be held on May 2, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At that time, one (1) director will be elected to serve until May 2025 and three (3) directors will be elected to serve until May 2027. Eligible electors of the District interested in serving on the board of directors may obtain a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form from the Designated Election Official (“DEO”) at 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 2000, Centennial, CO 80122 or via telephone at 303-858-1800, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Self-Nomination and Acceptance Forms are also available online at https://whitebearankele.com/.

The deadline to submit a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form is the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Friday, February 24, 2023. If the DEO determines a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form is not sufficient, the form may be amended prior to 5:00 p.m. on February 24, 2023. Earlier submittal is encouraged as the deadline will not permit curing of an insufficient form after this date and

(5:00

The deadline to submit a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form is the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Friday, February 24, 2023. If the DEO determines a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form is not sufficient, the form may be amended prior to 5:00 p.m. on February 24, 2023. Earlier submittal is encouraged as the deadline will not permit curing of an insufficient form after this date and time. An Affidavit of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate must be submitted to the office of the DEO by the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Monday, February 27, 2023.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that information on obtaining an absentee ballot may be obtained from the DEO, and applications for an absentee ballot must be filed with the DEO no later than the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on April 25, 2023.

BRIGHTON CROSSING

METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 4

By: Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. BSB2112

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice CALL FOR NOMINATIONS §§ 1-13.5-501, 1-13.5-303, C.R.S.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly to the eligible electors of the Bromley Park Metropolitan District No. 5 (the “District”), Adams County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a regular election for the District will be conducted by independent mail ballot on May 2, 2023. At that time 3 director(s) may be elected to serve until May 2027, and 0 director(s) may be elected to serve until May 2025. Eligible electors of the District interested in serving on a board of directors may obtain SelfNomination and Acceptance Forms by sending a request to the Designated Election Official (“DEO”) of the District. Such requests may be sent by email to SpecialDistricts@mdavislawoffice.com.

The deadline to file a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form with the DEO, or a letter that meets the requirements of § 1-13.5-501, C.R.S., is 5:00 p.m. (“Close of Business”) on Friday, February 24, 2023. If the DEO determines that a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form or letter is not sufficient, the eligible elector who filed the form or letter may amend the form or letter prior to Close of Business on February 24, 2023. Early filing is encouraged as the deadline will not permit curing an insufficient form after this date and time.

A person who wishes to be a write-in candidate must file an Affidavit of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate with the office of the DEO by Close of Business on Monday, February 27, 2023.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that information on obtaining an absentee ballot may be obtained from the DEO, and applications for an absentee ballot must be filed with the DEO no later than Close of Business on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Bromley

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Public Notice

NOTICE OF VACANCY ON THE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS OF BRIGHTON CROSSING METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 5-8

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly to the electors of the Brighton Crossing Metropolitan District Nos. 5-8 (the “Districts”), City of Brighton, Adams County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Section 32-1-808, C.R.S., that one or more vacancies currently exist on the Boards of Directors of the Districts. Any qualified, eligible elector of the Districts interested in serving on the Boards of Directors for the Districts should file a Letter of Interest with the Boards by 5:00 p.m., on February 13, 2023.

Letters of Interest should be sent to Brighton Crossing Metropolitan District Nos. 5-8, c/o WHITE BEAR ANKELE TANAKA & WALDRON, 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 2000, Centennial, CO 80122.

BRIGHTON CROSSING METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 5-8

By:/s/ WHITE BEAR ANKELE TANAKA & WALDRON Attorneys at Law

Legal Notice No. BSB2127

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Public Notice

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

§§ 1-13.5-501, 1-13.5-303, C.R.S.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly to the eligible electors of the Bromley Park Metropolitan District No. 6 (the “District”), Adams County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a regular election for the District will be conducted by independent mail ballot on May 2, 2023. At that time 3 director(s) may be elected to serve until May 2027, and 0 director(s) may be elected to serve until May 2025. Eligible electors of the District interested in serving on a board of directors may obtain SelfNomination and Acceptance Forms by sending a request to the Designated Election Official (“DEO”) of the District. Such requests may be sent by email to SpecialDistricts@mdavislawoffice.com.

The deadline to file a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form with the DEO, or a letter that meets the requirements of § 1-13.5-501, C.R.S., is 5:00 p.m. (“Close of Business”) on Friday, February 24, 2023. If the DEO determines that a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form or letter is not sufficient, the eligible elector who filed the form or letter may amend the form or letter prior to Close of Business on February 24, 2023. Early filing is encouraged as the deadline will not permit curing an insufficient form after this date and time.

A person who wishes to be a write-in candidate must file an Affidavit of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate with the office of the DEO by Close of Business on Monday, February 27, 2023.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that information on obtaining an absentee ballot may be obtained from the DEO, and applications for an absentee ballot must be filed with the DEO no later than Close of Business on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Bromley

La fecha límite para enviar un formulario de autonominación y aceptación es al cierre de operaciones (5:00 p. m.) el viernes 24 de febrero de 2023. Si el DEO determina que un formulario de autonominación y aceptación no es suficiente, el formulario puede modificarse antes de las 5:00 p. m. del 24 de febrero de 2023. Se anima a presentar el formulario anticipadamente, ya que la fecha límite no permitirá corregir un formulario insuficiente después de esta fecha y hora. Se debe presentar una declaración jurada de intención para ser un candidato en la oficina del DEO antes del cierre de operaciones (5:00 p. m.) el lunes 27 de febrero de 2023

ADEMÁS, SE DARÁ UN AVISO que puede obtenerse información de cómo obtener una boleta de voto en ausencia del DEO, y que las solicitudes de una boleta de voto en ausencia deben presentarse ante el DEO a más tardar al cierre de operaciones (5:00 p. m.) del 25 de abril de 2023.

DISTRITO METROPOLITANO

THE LAKES NOS. 5 & 6

Por: Representante electoral designado

Legal Notice No. BSB2108

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS §§ 1-13.5-501, 1-13.5-303, C.R.S.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly to the eligible electors of the Adams East Metropolitan District (the “District”), Adams County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a regular election for the District will be conducted by independent mail ballot on May 2, 2023. At that time 2 director(s) may be elected to serve until May 2027, and 0 director(s) may be elected to serve until May 2025. Eligible electors of the District interested in serving on a board of directors may obtain SelfNomination and Acceptance Forms by sending a request to the Designated Election Official (“DEO”) of the District. Such requests may be sent by email to SpecialDistricts@mdavislawoffice.com.

The deadline to file a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form with the DEO, or a letter that meets the requirements of § 1-13.5-501, C.R.S., is 5:00 p.m. (“Close of Business”) on Friday, February 24, 2023. If the DEO determines that a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form or letter is not sufficient, the eligible elector who filed the form or letter may amend the form or letter prior to Close of Business on February 24, 2023. Early filing is encouraged as the deadline will not permit curing an insufficient form after this date and time.

A person who wishes to be a write-in candidate must file an Affidavit of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate with the office of the DEO by Close of Business on Monday, February 27, 2023.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that information on obtaining an absentee ballot may be obtained from the DEO, and applications for an absentee ballot must be filed with the DEO no later than Close of Business on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.

Adams East Metropolitan District

By: /s/ Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. BSB2129

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

§§ 1-13.5-501, 1-13.5-303, C.R.S.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly to the eligible electors of the South Beebe Draw Metropolitan District (the “District”), Adams and Weld Counties, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a regular election for the District will be conducted by independent mail ballot on May 2, 2023. At that time 2

on obtaining an absentee ballot may be obtained from the DEO, and applications for an absentee ballot must be filed with the DEO no later than the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on April 25, 2023.

THE LAKES METROPOLITAN

DISTRICT NOS. 5 & 6

By: Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. BSB2107

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly to the electors of the Bromley Park Metropolitan District No. 2 of Adams and Weld County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to Section 1-13.5-501, C.R.S., that an election will be held on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At that time and three (3) Directors will be elected to serve 4-year terms to May 4, 2027.

Self-Nomination and Acceptance Forms are available and can be obtained from Lisa Jacoby, the Designated Election Official for the Bromley Park Metropolitan District No. 2, c/o McGeady Becher P.C., 450 E. 17th Avenue, Suite 400, Denver, Colorado 80203, Phone: 303-592-4380, email: DEO@specialdistrictlaw.com and on the District’s website at http://bromleyparkmd2.com/.

The Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form or letter is to be submitted to the Designated Election Official no later than the close of business (5:00 p.m. MST) on February 24, 2023, sixty-seven (67) days prior to the regular election. Affidavits of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate must be submitted to the Designated Election Official by the close of business (5:00 p.m. MST) on February 27, 2023, sixty-four (64) days prior to the regular election.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, pursuant to Section 1-13.5-1002, C.R.S., that applications for and return of absentee voters’ ballots may be obtained from / filed with Lisa Jacoby, the Designated Election Official of the District (at the address/phone/ email address noted above), between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. until the close of business on the Tuesday immediately preceding the election (Tuesday, April 25, 2023).

BROMLEY PARK METROPOLITAN

DISTRICT NO. 2

By: /s/ Lisa Jacoby

Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. BSB2121

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

§§ 1-13.5-501, 1-13.5-303, C.R.S.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly to the eligible electors of the Bromley Park Metropolitan District No. 3 (the “District”), Adams County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a regular election for the District will be conducted by independent mail ballot on May 2, 2023. At that time 2 director(s) may be elected to serve until May 2027, and 0 director(s) may be elected to serve until May 2025. Eligible electors of the District interested in serving on a board of directors may obtain Self-Nomination and Acceptance Forms by visiting: https://www.cospecialdistricts.com/ bromley-park-metropolitan-district-no-3.

The deadline to file a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form with the DEO, or a letter that meets the requirements of § 1-13.5-501, C.R.S., is 5:00 p.m. (“Close of Business”) on Friday, February 24, 2023. If the DEO determines that a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form or letter is not sufficient, the eligible elector who filed the form or letter may amend the form or letter prior to Close of Business on February 24, 2023. Early filing is encouraged as the deadline will not permit curing an insufficient form after this date and time. A person who wishes to be a write-in candidate must file an Affidavit of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate with the office of the DEO by Close of Business on Monday, February 27, 2023.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that information on obtaining an absentee ballot may be obtained from the DEO, and applications for an absentee ballot must be filed with the DEO no later than Close of Business on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.

Bromley Park Metropolitan District No. 3

By: /s/ Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. BSB2131

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Bids and Settlements

Public Notice City of Thornton BID NOTICE

The City of Thornton, Colorado, requests bids for the leasing of certain shares in the following ditch company for the 2023 Irrigation Season: Kershaw Ditch.

Bids will be accepted until 4:00 p.m. on March 9, 2023, in the Water Resources Division Office, 12450 Washington Street, Thornton, CO 802412405. No bids will be accepted beyond this date.

Bids shall be in a sealed envelope plainly marked

“City of Thornton, Water Resources Division, ATTN: Share Leases/Ruthanne Moore.” Bids received after 4:00 p.m. on March 9, 2023, shall be returned to the Bidder unopened and will not be considered under any circumstances. Sole responsibility rests with the Bidder to see that the bid is received on time.

Bids shall contain the following information: (1) the ditch company and division, if applicable, in which the shares are to be leased; (2) the numbers of shares to be leased; (3) the ditch and headgate through which the shares are to be delivered; (4) the name, address, phone number and email address of the potential lessee; and (5) the bid price per ditch company share for the potential lease. Minimum bids are: $390 per share.

The City of Thornton has the right to reject any and all Bids, or any part thereof, to waive any formalities or informalities contained in said Bid, and to award the Bid to the highest responsive and responsible Bidder, as deemed in the best interest of the City of Thornton. No Bids will be accepted from Bidders wishing to sub-lease.

Any questions concerning this Bid shall be directed to Ruthanne Moore, Water Resources Division, City of Thornton, (720) 977-6509.

Legal Notice No. BSB2143

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 9, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice City of Thornton BID NOTICE

The City of Thornton, Colorado, requests separate bids for the leasing of certain shares in the following ditch companies for the 2023 Irrigation

Season: Farmers Reservoir and Irrigation Company (FRICO Barr Division) and Burlington Ditch and Reservoir Company (Burlington Barr Division).

Bids will be accepted until 4:00 p.m. on March 9, 2023, in the Water Resources Division Office, 12450 Washington Street, Thornton, CO 802412405. No bids will be accepted beyond this date.

Bids shall be in a sealed envelope plainly marked “City of Thornton, Water Resources Division,

ATTN: Share Leases/Ruthanne Moore.” Bids received after 4:00 p.m. on March 9, 2023, shall be returned to the Bidder unopened and will not be considered under any circumstances. Sole responsibility rests with the Bidder to see that the Bid is received on time.

Bids shall contain the following information: (1) the ditch company and division, if applicable, in which the shares are to be leased; (2) the numbers of shares to be leased; (3) the ditch and headgate through which the shares are to be delivered;

(4) the name, address phone number, and email address of the potential lessee; and (5) the bid price per ditch company share for the potential lease. Minimum bids are as follows: $100 per share for FRICO-Barr shares and $100 per share for Burlington-Barr shares.

The City of Thornton has the right to reject any and all Bids, or any part thereof, to waive any formalities or informalities contained in said Bid, and to award the Bid to the highest responsive and responsible Bidder, as deemed in the best interest of the City of Thornton. No Bids will be accepted from Bidders wishing to sub-lease.

Any questions concerning this Bid shall be directed to Ruthanne Moore, Water Resources Division, City of Thornton, (720) 977-6509.

Legal Notice No. BSB2142

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 9, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Summons and Sheriff Sale

Public Notice DISTRICT COURT, Adams COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO

CIVIL ACTION NO. 2021CV030639 DIVISION NO. W

INITIAL COMBINED NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE OF REAL PROPERTY AND RIGHT TO CURE AND REDEEM

Plaintiff, Riverdale Farm Homeowners’ Association

v.

RE: Sheriff’s Sale of Real Property pursuant to Order and Decree of Foreclosure and C.R.S. 38-38-101 et seq.

This is to advise you that a Sheriff sale proceeding has been commenced through the office of the undersigned Sheriff pursuant to a Court Order and Decree dated September 21, 2022, and C.R.S. 3838-101 et seq., by Riverdale Farm Homeowners’ Association, the current holder of a lien recorded on June 16, 2017 at Rec. No. 2017000051951, in the records of the Clerk and Recorder of the County of Adams, State of Colorado. The judicial foreclosure is based on a default under the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions of Riverdale Farm Homeowners’ Association, recorded on 08/12/2010 at Reception No. B592466 in the records of the Clerk and Recorder of the County of Adams, State of Colorado. The Declaration and notices, as recorded, establish a lien for the benefit of Riverdale Farm Homeowners’ Association, WHICH LIEN BEING FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN ON THE SUBJECT PROPERTY AND IMPROVEMENTS.

You may have an interest in the real property being affected, or have certain rights or suffer certain liabilities or loss of your interest in the subject property as a result of said foreclosure. You may have the right to redeem the real property or you may have the right to cure a default under the instrument being foreclosed. Any Notice of Intent to Cure must be filed no later than fifteen (15) calendar days prior to the date of the foreclosure sale. A notice of intent to cure filed pursuant to section 38-38-104 shall be filed with the officer at least fifteen (15) calendar days prior to the first scheduled sale date or any date to which the sale is continued.

If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

A notice of intent to redeem filed pursuant to section 38-38-302 shall be filed with the officer no later than eight (8) business days after the sale.

In this regard, you may desire and are advised to consult with your own private attorney.

IF THE BORROWER BELIEVES THAT A LENDER OR SERVICER HAS VIOLATED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT IN SECTION 38-38-103.1 OR THE PROHIBITION ON DUAL TRACKING IN SECTION 38-38-103.2, THE BORROWER MAY FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE COLORADO ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE FEDERAL CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BURAU (CFBP), OR BOTH. THE FILING OF A COMPLAINT WILL NOT STOP THE FORECLOSUE PROCESS.

Colorado Attorney General 1300 Broadway, 10th Floor Denver, Colorado 80203 (800) 222-4444 www.coloradoattorneygeneral.gov

Federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

P.O. Box 4503 Iowa City, Iowa 52244 (855) 411-2372 www.consumerfinance.gov

Further, you are advised that the parties liable thereon, the owner of the property described above, or those with an interest in the subject property, may take appropriate and timely action under Colorado statutes, certain sections of which are attached hereto.

In order to be entitled to take advantage of any rights provided for under Colorado law, you must strictly comply and adhere to the provisions of the law. Further, you are advised that the attached Colorado statutes merely set forth the applicable portions of Colorado statutory law relating to curative and redemption rights; therefore, you should read and review all the applicable statutes and laws in order to determine the requisite procedures and provisions which control your rights in the subject property.

DATED in Colorado this 6th day of December 2022.

Sheriff of Adams County, Colorado

You are hereby summoned and required to file with the Clerk of the Court an answer or other response to the complaint filed against you in this case. You are required to file your answer or other response on or before:

March 23, 2023 at 8:00 A.M., in the Adams County Court, 1100 Judicial Center Drive, Brighton, CO 80601.

The nature of this action is a proceeding in rem.

The relief sought by the Plaintiff(s) is an Injunction which will affect the following property:

1218 Bluejay Ave., Brighton, CO 80601-7394, also known as SUB:PLATTE RIVER RANCH

FILING NO 3 BLK:5 LOT:1, Adams County, State of Colorado. (the “Property”).

If you fail to file your answer or other response on or before the date and time shown above, the relief sought may be granted by default by the Court without further notice.

Dated at , Colorado, this day of , 2023.

CLERK OF THE COURT

By: Deputy Clerk

This summons is issued pursuant to Rule 304(e), Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure. This form should not be used where personal service is desired.

WARNING: ALL FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE. IN SOME CASES, A REQUEST FOR A JURY TRIAL MAY BE DENIED PURSUANT

TO LAW EVEN THOUGH A JURY FEE HAS BEEN PAID.

Legal Notice No. BSB2124

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: March 2, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice

COUNTY COURT, COUNTY OF ADAMS, STATE OF COLORADO

Court Address: 1100 Judicial Center Drive Brighton, CO 80601 Phone Number: 303-659-1161x143

Plaintiff: PLATTE RIVER RANCH SOUTH

METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

v.

Farmers’ High Line Canal and Reservoir Company will issue on or after March 19, 2023, a duplicate certificate to Howard and Irene Doughman or their legal representative or assignee, unless a contrary claim is filed with the Farmers’ High Line Canal and Reservoir Company, prior to March 19, 2023.

Legal Notice No. BSB2074

First Publication: January 19, 2023

Last Publication: February 16, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Public Notice

BEFORE THE OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

IN THE MATTER OF AN APPLICATION FOR A RULE 702.b FINANCIAL ASSURANCE PLAN, ADAMS, ARAPAHOE, BENT, ELBERT, KIOWA, MOFFAT, PROWERS, WASHINGTON, AND WELD COUNTIES, COLORADO CAUSE NO. 1 DOCKET NO. 221200345

TYPE: FINANCIAL ASSURANCE PLAN

NOTICE OF HEARING

Renegade Oil & Gas Company, LLC (Operator No. 74165) (“Renegade” or “Applicant”) filed an Application for a Rule 702.b Financial Assurance Plan. This Notice was sent to you because the Applicant believes you are an interested party entitled to notice pursuant to Rule 504.b.(10).

DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION OF HEARING (Subject to change)

The Commission will hold a hearing only on the above-referenced docket number at the following date, time, and location:

Date: April 12, 2023

Time: 9:00 a.m.

Place: Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission

The Chancery Building 1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 801 Denver, CO 80203

PETITIONS

DEADLINE FOR PETITIONS BY AFFECTED PERSONS: March 13, 2023

Defendant(s): ANTHONY J HEPP

Case No.: 2022C037257

Div: 1

Attorney: Jeffrey B. Smith, Esq.

Firm Name: Altitude Community Law P.C.

Address: 555 Zang Street, Suite 100 Lakewood, Colorado 80228-1011 Phone Number: 303.432.9999

email: jsmith@altitude.law

Atty. Reg. #:40490

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

TO: ANTHONY J HEPP

You are hereby summoned and required to file with the Clerk of the Court an answer or other response to the complaint filed against you in this case. You are required to file your answer or other response on or before:

March 23, 2023 at 8:00 A.M., in the Adams County Court, 1100 Judicial Center Drive, Brighton, CO 80601.

The nature of this action is a proceeding in rem. The relief sought by the Plaintiff(s) is an Injunction which will affect the following property:

1420 Swan Ave., Brighton, CO 80601-4344, also known as SUB:PLATTE RIVER RANCH FILING NO 5 BLK:14 LOT:23, Adams County, State of Colorado. (the “Property”).

If you fail to file your answer or other response on or before the date and time shown above, the relief sought may be granted by default by the Court without further notice.

Dated at , Colorado, this day of , 2023.

Any interested party who wishes to participate formally must file a written petition with the Commission no later than the deadline provided above.

Please see Commission Rule 507 at https:// cogcc.state.co.us, under “Regulation,” then select “Rules.” Please note that, under Commission Rule 510.l, the deadline for petitions may only be continued for good cause, even if the hearing is continued beyond the date that is stated above. Pursuant to Commission Rule 507, if you do not file a proper petition, the Hearing Officer will not know that you wish to formally participate in this matter and the date and time of the hearing may change without additional notice to you. Parties wishing to file a petition must register online at https://oitco.hylandcloud.com/DNRCOGExternalAccess/Account/Login.aspx and select “Request Access to Site.” Please refer to our “eFiling Users Guidebook” at http://cogcc/documents/reg/Hearings/External_ Efiling_System_Handbook_December_2021_Final.pdf for more information.

Any Affected Person who files a petition must be able to participate in a prehearing conference during the week of March 13, 2023, if a prehearing conference is requested by the Applicant or by any person who has filed a petition.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For more information, you may review the Application, which was sent to you with this Notice. You may also contact the Applicant at the phone number or email address listed below. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if any party requires special accommodations as a result of a disability for this hearing, please contact Margaret Humecki at Cogcc. Hearings_Unit@state.co.us, prior to the hearing and arrangements will be made.

OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

Defendants, DOUGLAS LEROY ROSE

Regarding: Lot 44, Block 7, Riverdale Farms

Residential Subdivision, 2nd Filing, County of Adams, State of Colorado

Also known as: 8553 Monroe Ct, Denver, CO 80229

TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS, Please take notice:

You and each of you are hereby notified that a Sheriff’s Sale of the referenced property is to be conducted by the Civil Division of the Sheriff’s Office of Adams County, Colorado at 9:00 A.M., on the 2nd day of March 2023, at 1100 Judicial Center Drive, Brighton,

By: Kathy Grosshans Deputy Sheriff

ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF: ORTEN CAVANAGH HOLMES & HUNT, LLC 1445 Market Street, Suite 350 Denver, CO 80202

Statutes attached: §§38-37-108, 38-38-103, 3838-104, 38-38-301, 38-38-304, 38-38-305, and 38-38-306, C.R.S., as amended.

CLERK OF THE COURT

By: Deputy Clerk

This summons is issued pursuant to Rule 304(e), Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure. This form should not be used where personal service is desired.

WARNING: ALL FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE. IN SOME CASES, A REQUEST FOR A JURY TRIAL MAY BE DENIED PURSUANT TO LAW EVEN THOUGH A JURY FEE HAS BEEN PAID.

Legal Notice No. BSB2125

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: March 2, 2023 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Misc. Private Legals Public Notice Notice of Demand

On August 19, 2022, Dale M. Doughman, Personal Representative for Howard and Irene Doughman, did file a notice in accordance with C.R.S. 7-42-114 to 7-42-117 which states the following:

COMES NOW Dale M. Doughman, , Personal Representative for Howard

By Mimi C. Larsen, Commission Secretary

Dated: December 29, 2022

Renegade Oil & Gas Company, LLC

c/o Robert A. Willis Scott M. Campbell Poulson, Odell & Peterson, LLC 6155 S. Main St., Suite 225 Aurora, CO 80016 1660 Lincoln Street, Suite 1500 Denver, CO 80264 303-264-4418 rwillis@popllc.com scampbell@popllc.com

Legal Notice No. BSB2117

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Brighton Standard Blade Storage Liens/Vehicle Titles

CHSAA says goodbye to two departed administrators

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

DENVER – e Colorado High School Activities Association had to take care of some sad business before its legislative council meeting Jan. 24. Association members said goodbye to a pair of administrators, Alamosa High School Athletic Director Erik Melgoza and former CHSAA assistant commissioner Bert Borgmann. Melgoza died over the holidays, while Borgmann passes away from complications of surgery a week or so later.

Melgoza was the girls basketball coach at Lamar High School before becoming the AD at Alamosa High School. He graduated from Eads High School and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Adams State University.

“His focus was always on the student-athlete,” Krueger said.

CHSAA board of directors President Luke DeWolfe said after watching Borgmann at so many state basketball tournaments, he realized that Borgmann was CHSAA.

“Bert believed in education-based

Public Notices

Lien Sale

Notice is hereby given that the personal property described below will be sold to the highest bidder on 2/17/2023 at or after 10:00AM, at Southwest Mobile Storage, Inc. 9595 Brighton Rd. Henderson, CO 80640

Phn. 303-227-3881

Property of: BROKEN BOW ELECTRIC

Last known address: PO BOX 233 PIERCE, CO 80650

Property in Unit(s): 20-209510-8

Misc Household furniture, Desk, T.V

Legal Notice No. BSB2146

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 9, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Notice to Creditors

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Jeanne Ann Off, deceased Case Number: 2022PR439

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before June 02, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Della M. Seaton

Personal Representative 4629 E 115th Court Thornton, Colorado 80233

Legal Notice No. BSB2111

First publication: February 02, 2023

Last publication: February 16, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of KAREN M. BACA aka KAREN MARGARET BACA aka KAREN BACA, Deceased Case Number: 2022 PR 31069

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before May 26, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Mark Katopodes Personal Representative 7278 Secrest Court Arvada, CO 80007

Legal Notice No. BSB2087

First Publication: January 26, 2023

Last Publication: February 9, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Gilbert R. Michaud, a/k/a Gilbert Rene Michaud, a/k/a Gilbert Michaud, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 30004

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before June 3, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Casey L. Williams, #39117

Attorney for Rita I. Fuselier

Personal Representative 203 Telluride Street, #400 Brighton, CO 80601

Legal Notice No. BSB2118

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 16, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Rudolph K. Ulibarri, Sr., deceased

Case Number: 2022PR31071

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before May 26, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred. Karen F. Bath

CO

Legal Notice No. BSB2093

First publication: January 26, 2023

Last publication: February 09, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Steven T. Mascarenaz, aka Steven Tom Mascarenaz, aka Steven Mascarenaz, aka Steven T. Mascarenas, aka Steven Tom Mascarenas, aka Steven Mascarenas, Deceased

Case Number: 2022 PR 31064

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before May 26, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Mathias Mascarenaz

Personal Representative c/o Baker Law Group, LLC 8301 E. Prentice Ave., Suite 405 Greenwood Village, CO 80111

Legal Notice No. BSB2090

First Publication: January 26, 2023

Last Publication: February 9, 2023 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of SEVERN ANN CHUMLEY, a/k/a SEVERN A. CHUMLEY, a/k/a SEVERN CHUMLEY, Deceased Case Number: 2022 PR 31073

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before February 3, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Patricia Rankin, Esq.

Counsel for Alexander Chumley

Personal Representative The Germany Law Firm, P.C. 600 17th Street, Suite 2800 South Denver, Colorado 80202

Legal Notice No. BSB2075

First Publication: January 19, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Norman Pence also known as Norman E. Pence, Norman Eugene Pence, Dr. Norman E. Pence and Norm Pence, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 30037

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before June 2, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Todd A. Bower

Personal Representative 27081 East Long Circle Aurora, CO 80016

Legal Notice No. BSB2114

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 16, 2023 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Joan Cecile DeNovellis, aka Joan C. DeNovellis, Deceased Case Number: 2022 PR 30957

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before May 26, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Rhonda Joanne DeNovellis-Smith and Toni Marie Zuniga, Personal Representatives 1510 28th St. Ste.275 Boulder CO 80303

Legal Notice No. BSB2094

First Publication: January 26, 2023

Last Publication: February 9, 2023 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

athletics, that it was the best place for students to gain skills that will bene t them for the rest of their lives,” DeWolfe said. “ e bylaws he helped create are a collective vision of what he meant to the association.”

“I’ve never known a time when Bert was an integral part of our family,” Krueger said. “We lost two incredible colleagues. It’s a loss we feel in impact and in our hearts.”

Other business e council voted to allow six-man football teams to play a 10-game schedule. Each classi cation of

a/k/a Joseph Gantt

a/k/a Joseph L. Gantt a/k/a Joe L. Gantt, Deceased Case Number: 2022 PR 31055

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before May 26, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Stanley L. Smith

Personal Representative 920 Holly Street Denver, CO 80220

Legal Notice No. BSB2088

First Publication: January 26, 2023

Last Publication: February 9, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of ALAN STEPHEN REEVES, aka ALAN S. REEVES, aka ALAN REEVES, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 30010

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before May 24, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Joan Card Personal Representative 6266 Fenton Street Arvada, CO 80003

Legal Notice No. BSB2073

First Publication: January 19, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Brighton

football has a built-in bye week in the schedule. Agenda notes said the new arrangement will spread out ofcials’ workloads during the season and allows schools more exibility in scheduling games.

e council also agreed to add another classi cation of girls wrestling in time for the 2024 school year. Cora Lanter, the athletic director at Severance High School and former AD at Fort Lupton High School, said as many as 117 teams could eld girls wrestling programs by the time the next two-year enrollment cycle begins.

YOU ARE FURTHER ADVISED that the Motion has been set for hearing in Division S of the District Court in and for the County of Adams, Adams County Justice Center, 1100 Judicial Center Drive, Brighton, Colorado, on the 16th day of March, 2023, at the hour of 1:30 p.m., at which time the Petitioner must prove by clear and convincing evidence 1) It is in the best interests of the child, that the parent-child legal relationship which exists between you and the child be terminated and severed; 2) That the child was adjudicated dependent or neglected; 3) That an appropriate treatment plan has not reasonably been complied with by the parent or has not been successful; 4) That the parents are unfit; 5) That the conduct or condition of the parent or parents is unlikely to change within a reasonable time; OR 1) That the child have been abandoned by their parent or parents in that the parent or parents have surrendered physical custody for a period of six months and during this period have not manifested to the child, the court or to the person having physical custody a firm intention to assume or obtain physical custody or to make permanent legal arrangements for the care of the child and 2) That it is in the best interests of the child that the parent-child legal relationship which exists between the child and the respondents be terminated and severed.

The Court, before it can terminate the parent-child legal relationship, must find that a continuation of the relationship is likely to result in grave risk of death or serious injury to the child or that your conduct or condition as a parent renders you unable or unwilling to give the child reasonable parental care.

YOU ARE FURTHER ADVISED that you have the right to have legal counsel represent you in all matters connected with the Motion to Terminate the Parent-Child Legal Relationship. If you cannot afford to pay the fees of legal counsel, you are advised that the Court will appoint legal counsel to represent you at no cost to you upon your request and upon your showing of an inability to pay.

YOU ARE FURTHER ADVISED that a grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother or sister of the child must file a request for guardianship and legal custody of the child within twenty days of the filing of the motion to terminate parent/child legal relationship.

1100 Judicial Center Drive, Brighton, CO 80601. Witness my hand and seal of said Court this 25th day of January, 2023.

Alana Percy Clerk of the District Court

Legal Notice No. BSB2123

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade Public Notice DISTRICT COURT, ADAMS COUNTY, COLORADO Court Address: 1100 Judicial Center Drive Brighton, CO 80601

Child: Solomon Trayvon Ishmael Jenkins Prince Williams

Respondents: Shamekka Jenkins Prince, John Doe

Special Respondent: Danielle Davis

Case Number: 21JV203

Div: D Ctrm.:

ORDER OF ADVISEMENT

NOTICE TO THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPON-

DENTS: John Doe

YOU ARE HEREBY ADVISED that the Petitioner, has filed a Motion to Terminate the Parent-Child Legal Relationship which now exists between you and the above-named child;

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before May 19, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred. Casey

BSB2084

If you have any questions concerning the foregoing advisement, you should immediately contact either your legal counsel or the Court.

Done and signed this 16th day of January, 2023.

BY THE COURT:

District Court Judge/Magistrate

Legal Notice No. BSB2101

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade

Public Notice STATE OF COLORADO IN THE DISTRICT COURT COUNTY OF ADAMS Division S No. 22JV30065

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO IN THE INTEREST OF:

Ricky James, Hailey James-Vasquez, Elijah James-Vasquez, Isaac James-Torres

Children, and Concerning

Tiffany Lynn James, Joe B. Vasquez, John DoeRespondents

S U M M O N S

To the parents, guardian, or other respondents named above, GREETINGS: John Doe

You are hereby notified that a verified petition has been filed in the above named Court in which it is represented to the Court that said child are alleged to be dependent and neglected; for the reasons set forth more fully in said petition, a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference for greater certainty.

You are further notified that the parent-child legal relationship may be terminated by this action, if prayed for in the petition.

You are further notified that the Court has set said petition for hearing on the 23rd day of March,

2023 at the hour of 4:00 p.m. You are hereby notified to be and appear, at said time, before this Court located at the Adams County Justice Center,

YOU ARE FURTHER ADVISED that the Motion has been set for hearing in Division D of the District Court in and for the County of Adams, Adams County Justice Center, 1100 Judicial Center Drive, Brighton, Colorado, on the 24th day of , February 2023, at the hour of 8:30 am, at which time the Petitioner must prove by clear and convincing evidence 1) It is in the best interests of the child, that the parent-child legal relationship which exists between you and the child be terminated and severed; 2) That the child was adjudicated dependent or neglected; 3) That an appropriate treatment plan has not reasonably been complied with by the parent or has not been successful; 4) That the parents are unfit;

5) That the conduct or condition of the parent or parents is unlikely to change within a reasonable time; OR 1) That the child have been abandoned by their parent or parents in that the parent or parents have surrendered physical custody for a period of six months and during this period have not manifested to the child, the court or to the person having physical custody a firm intention to assume or obtain physical custody or to make permanent legal arrangements for the care of the child and 2) That it is in the best interests of the child that the parent-child legal relationship which exists between the child and the respondents be terminated and severed.

The Court, before it can terminate the parent-child legal relationship, must find that a continuation of the relationship is likely to result in grave risk of death or serious injury to the child or that your conduct or condition as a parent renders you unable or unwilling to give the child reasonable parental care.

YOU ARE FURTHER ADVISED that you have the right to have legal counsel represent you in all matters connected with the Motion to Terminate the Parent-Child Legal Relationship. If you cannot afford to pay the fees of legal counsel, you are advised that the Court will appoint legal counsel to represent you at no cost to you upon your request and upon your showing of an inability to pay.

YOU ARE FURTHER ADVISED that a grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother or sister of the child must file a request for guardianship and legal custody of the child within twenty days of the filing of the motion to terminate parent/child legal relationship.

If you have any questions concerning the foregoing advisement, you should immediately contact either your legal counsel or the Court.

Done and signed this 21st day of January, 2023.

BY THE COURT: District Court Judge/Magistrate

Legal Notice No. BSB2110

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023 Publisher: Brighton Standard Blade ###