SENTINEL EXPRESS C O M M E R C E
VOLUME 34 32
C I T Y
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SSUE 48 28 ISSUE
WEEK, N OFOVEMBER JULY 14,24, 2022 TUESDAY 2020
New COVID-19 EYES restrictions willBUBBLE prohibit indoor dining, personal gatherings ON THE Median home
values haven’t fallen in Colorado BY TAMARA CHUANG, BRAMMHI BALARAJAN, AND MARVIS GUTIERREZ THE COLORADO SUN
As average 30-year fixed mortgage rates continue to hover around 6%, there’s an expectation that prices of homes for sale will fall. It’s only been a few weeks since the Fed increased interest rates so it’s too soon to see the impact.
Alison Breske, 4, of Wadley Farms has her eyes on a big bunch of bubbles July 4 at Brighton’s July 4 festival at Carmichael Park. A towering bubble maker on the south end of the park was just one of the attractions at the laid-back celebration, PHOTO BY SCOTT TAYLOR which included live music and fireworks display.
Unaffiliated voters cast most-ever ballots in GOP primaries In some counties, unaffiliated voters cast more than half of the ballots
Engen said that could be an ballots in partisan primaries for indication that unaffiliated voters three election cycles. are leaning toward GOP candiBut they have never voted in a Republican primary as they did in dates heading into November. “We all know how Republicans fared 2022. among unaffiliated voters and in More than 231,000 unaffiliated the elections of 2018,” he said. voters cast Republican primary Ian Silverii, a Democratic ballots this year, about 100,000 political strategist whose wife, more than chose to vote in the state Sen. Brittany Pettersen, is GOP primary in 2020 and 130,000 BY JESSE PAUL AND MARVIS GUTIERREZ running in the 7th Congressional more than voted in the 2018 GOP THE COLORADO SUN District, disagrees withArnold Engen’s primary. By Ellis analysis. Ben Engen, a conservative liated voters in Colorado, A Unaffi long line of cars outside the city of Brighton’s rapid testing site at Colorado Community Media political strategist, said the script who make up 45% of the state’s Riverdale Regional Park. The site has had to close early many days in recent flipped this year from 2018. electorate, have been able to cast SEE PRIMARIES, P7
weeks due to high demand. Adams County’s 14-day test positivity rate was 15.9 percent, as of Nov. 17, according to Tri-County Health Department. Brighton and Commerce City’s test positivity rates were both higher than 13 percent. Forty-five people in Brighton and 29 in Commerce City have died from COVID-19 related health issues. To limit the spread of COVID-19, at least 15 counties moved to tighter restrictions that prohibits indoor and personal gatherings.
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As Denver metro counties continue to inch closer to local stay-at-home orders under Colorado’s system of coronavirusrelated restrictions, the state announced a new level of rules that prohibits indoor dining and personal gatherings — a change that applies to the majority of the Denver metro area and many counties in other regions. The state’s COVID-19 dial, which has been in effect since September, is the set of different levels of restrictions that each
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Or is it? There’s still job news below, so scroll down if local housing costs aren’t a concern. See below for … robot jobs! On June 27, the average list price for a house for sale in Denver was $742,773. Three days later it dropped 2.9% to $721,517, according to multiple listing data provided by Opendoor. Meanwhile, during the same three days, the median closing price fell $26,000, or 4%, to $619,000. But pay close attention homeowners: The $619,000 price tag in June is still 13.6% higher than median closing prices a year ago in June. And, added a spokesperson for Opendoor, “It’s important to note that the median price hasn’t changed.” Things are moving so quickly, said Nicole Bachaud, a senior economist at housing site Zillow. “We had this huge acceleration, this huge boost in spring of 2020 that continued into 2021 wastothe strongest year county is that required follow based on the for housing we’ve really everspread. seen,” severity that of a county’s local virus
The dial grewSEEout of the state’s safer-atPRICES, P6 home order — the policy that came after the statewide stay-at-home order this spring and allowed numerous types of businesses to reopen. The state recently switched to color identifiers — levels blue, yellow and orange rather than numbered levels — to avoid confusion. Until Nov. 17, level red meant a stay-at-home order. Now, level red — “severe risk” — is the second-
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July 14, 2022
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FALCON
Madelyn Falcon
July 22, 1946 - May 8, 2022
Madelyn Falcon, 75 passed away May
husband, Marty Marquez, 5 sisters; Rachel,
8, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. Madelyn
Gloria, Kris, Patrica, and Regina, and many
graduated from Ft Lupton High School in
nieces and nephews. Graveyard services will
1964. She went on to be an accomplished
be held at Hillside Cemetary in Ft Lupton,
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Commerce City Sentinel Express 3
July 14, 2022
Commerce City, other cities, sue state New law ‘violates homerule status,’ cities claim BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
COMMERCE CITY — Commerce City joined other area cities in challenging a new law that could have an impact on city coffers and the construction of public schools. The new law expands an existing sales and use tax exemption to home-rule cities for construction and building materials used for public school construction. It takes effect in August. Under existing law, the sales of those materials were exempt from state tax and from taxes “from cer-
tain local governments.” Commerce City, the city and county of Denver and the cities of Boulder, Pueblo and Westminster filed the suit in Denver District Court. Fort Lupton Mayor Zo StieberHubbard and city of Brighton spokeswoman Linda Ong said their cities were not a party to the claim. “Commerce City opposes this new law due to its unconstitutionality in forcing home rule municipalities to follow a state-imposed use tax exemption for projects involving the construction of public schools,” Mayor Benjamin Huseman said in a statement. Commerce City requires contractors pay a use tax to be consistent, Huseman said. “The city’s tax code requires
contractors to pay use tax on any construction project for consistency of enforcement. The city does not oppose the concept of exempting public school construction from such tax and already shares use tax back with the school district,” he said. “However, the city has serious concerns about this new legislation dismissing settled law and the taxing authority of Colorado’s home rule municipalities, including ours.” In the statement, Huseman also noted that the city doesn’t want to see the Adams 14 School District “incur additional costs from use tax.” “The city’s stance on this matter does not reflect a desire to tax or otherwise impede public school construction,” he said in the statement.
“Rather, this lawsuit challenges the notion that the state of Colorado has grounds to dictate such decisions in our home rule city when those decisions rightfully should remain with local voters through their local elected officials.” Huseman said voters added the home-rule concept to the Constitution “to preserve the ability of municipalities to self-govern without having the state dictate matters of local and municipal concern.” “The city’s ability to set its own sales and use tax policies is central to our home rule status, which is undermined by a law that gives the state authority to dictate such matters to municipal governments,” Huseman said in the statement.
Full house at Riverdale Animal Shelter Staff thinks financial stress adding to annual summer increases BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Riverdale Animal Shelter officials are seeing an uptick of animals this year due to the housing crisis and
financial stress people are experiencing. “The most common trend we see is that financial stress is one of the top reasons. It seems situations are changing, having to move in with other relatives or getting a job somewhere else or being out of a job or housing issues,” said Stephanie Wilde, director of the county’s shelter. ‘We are seeing an uptick beyond the busy summer season, and other
shelters we communicate with are increasing too – almost 35% higher intakes year to date from last year,” said Angel Williams, deputy director of the shelter. The shelter also sees lost animals without microchips, tags or collars. To help reduce the number of pets dropped off at a shelter, they recommend making sure pets are wearing a collar with an ID tag and that microchip contact information is updated.
Also, if it’s not urgent to give up a pet, call the shelter first. Officials, there could help with other resources, Wilde said. If it’s an emergency, the shelter can help. Wilde said summers are always busy in animal shelters because many lost pets come in, so they expect to see some increases. “There are more outdoor gatherings where that pet can slip out the SEE SHELTER, P9
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4 Commerce City Sentinel Express
July 14, 2022
Homeless camping ban policies differ widely across Denver Other laws can affect where unhoused people may be forced to move BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The sight of a person pushing a shopping cart full of belongings, begging for money on major streets or sleeping outdoors is common in many places around the Denver metro area, and the laws that dictate where unhoused people can’t rest differ across the many cities and towns in the region. At least several jurisdictions have no formal camping ban on the books, and Aurora’s new camping ban, which could push people into other areas, illustrates the complexity of laws that affect the unhoused: Whether a person gets moved doesn’t just come down to whether a city has a formal ban or not. Meanwhile, several cities in the Denver suburbs continue to take steps to address homelessness while a pattern of increasing homelessness in the Denver metro area continues. “Camping bans do absolutely nothing to resolve homelessness,” said Cathy Alderman, spokesperson for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. “They may eliminate the visibility of homelessness for a period of time, but they certainly don’t help people get out of the situation of homelessness.” Some cities make an effort to con-
nect unhoused people with services that can help them, but whether a city extends that hand alongside potential law enforcement can be unclear. Here’s a look at camping ban policies across many parts of the metro area — and what some cities are doing to help the unhoused. Enforcement in Aurora unclear After the Aurora City Council passed the city’s camping ban ordinance March 28, questions have remained about whether people in camps would always be connected with services in tandem with enforcement of the ban. “There must be a shelter option available for every individual in the camp on the date of an abatement or the abatement of the camp cannot take place,” says an Aurora policy document, using a term for the removal of camps. The May 19 Aurora policy document, called a “business policy memorandum,” also outlines the city’s homelessness outreach team can offer transportation for people who want shelter. But Aurora’s process of contacting a person at an encampment — involving providing verbal notice and a written notice that camping is not permitted — could cause some people to immediately move due to fear of police enforcement, meaning they could be gone before outreach workers can arrive or provide services. The city is not required to do anything to ensure people don’t move from a camp before city staff or the
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city’s homeless outreach team can arrive and provide resources, including transportation to a shelter, Ryan Luby, an Aurora spokesperson, confirmed to Colorado Community Media. The city is not required to inform campers that they can remain at the encampment for up to 10 days until the day of abatement, Luby said. But in practice, Luby said, community partners offer transportation to resources and shelter “well before an abatement occurs.” “Staff and community partners provide campers with information about shelter options and other resources from the outset,” Luby said. “That is the expectation.” Non-police city staff are “almost exclusively” the ones who enforce the camping ban ordinance, according to Luby. The way Aurora’s camping ban is written appears to leave open the possibility that police can give a verbal “move on” order to tell campers to leave, regardless of whether the city plans to “abate” — meaning “clean and restore” — a camp area. But in practice, Aurora police and other city staff do not give “verbal or written orders” for people to move from encampments without offering them shelter space, according to Luby. “Staff’s priority is to connect people in encampments with community partner resources and sheltering options,” Luby said. If the city has offered a person a shelter space and the person refuses to go to the shelter option or move to another area, the person could see legal consequences. People who have experienced homelessness told Colorado Community
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Media in recent years they’ve had concerns that led them to avoid shelters, including worries about safety or being separated from a companion. The advocacy group Denver Homeless Out Loud has also expressed those concerns. “If someone in an encampment refuses to move after they have been given a verbal or written order to leave an encampment in accordance with policies and the ordinance, they could face a citation or arrest. To date, that has not occurred,” Luby said in early July. Shelter space at the Comitis Crisis Center and other shelters in Aurora are usually full, Michael Brannen, another Aurora spokesperson, said in March. Aurora’s new camping ordinance has garnered much attention, but it wasn’t the start of Aurora removing homeless encampments on public property. Aurora had enacted a policy memorandum in September that outlined when the city can remove encampments on public property based on existing law at the time. The policy memo was written last summer, when a previously proposed camping ban ordinance did not pass a city council vote in August. Under the policy memo, Aurora had already been able to abate unauthorized camps as long as there was a shelter option for all the individuals in each camp. Denver in 2012 banned staying in an outdoor place with a tent, sleeping bag or other shelter, a policy that advocates for the homeless have said may be
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July 14, 2022
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pushing more homeless individuals into the suburbs. Alderman in March pointed to what she called “the unproductiveness of having competing camping bans between cities,” arguing that camping bans will push people back and forth across city and county lines. Adams County areas Part of Aurora sits in Adams County, not far from several other suburbs with their own varying rules. Northglenn City Council in 2013 passed a camping ban that applies to public property, such as streets, alleys, sidewalks, park or other recreation areas, or other public property. Northglenn’s camping ban outlined that police officers can’t issue a citation, or ticket, or make an arrest unless the person has been given a warning order and the officer “attempts to ascertain” whether the person is in need of mental health treatment or homelessness service assistance. If so, the officer must make “reasonable efforts” to contact an outreach worker who will assess the person’s needs. Asked whether Northglenn police are instructed to always wait until a worker, or “co-responder,” has spoken with the person before issuing a ticket or arresting the person for camping, Northglenn spokesperson Diana Wilson said they are not. “All staff, whether coresponder or police officer or another department, respond as is appropriate to the situation,” Wilson said. But she said in practice, a coresponder generally will respond to the camper. “Due to Northglenn’s creative approach with the (city’s) temporary housing program, we have been able to offer a place to go when letting the person know they cannot be camping outside,” Wilson said. Nearby, Thornton doesn’t have a camping ban ordinance, but its city code says: “No tents or any other types of shelters or structures shall be erected upon any park, parkway, cityowned open space or recreation facility,” except as part of a city-approved activity. But Thornton Police Department “does not write many summonses” for the tents ordinance, according to the city. “We have officers who … serve on the Thornton HOT (Homeless Outreach Team) Team that work to get resources to those experiencing homelessness,” Officer Jesus Mendez said through a city spokesperson. To the east, Commerce City does not have an overall camping ban ordinance but may be looking into issuing one. “The topic was discussed at the April 18 city council meeting this year,
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and staff was directed to explore an ordinance for our council to consider,” Travis Huntington, city spokesperson, said in early July. “Staff is currently researching language and regulations from other municipalities, but no proposed ordinance has been drafted or brought to the city council as of yet.” Up north, Brighton bans camping in open space and parks. But its city code also prohibits maintaining any structure, encroachment or “obstruction of whatever nature” on any public property, right-of-way, sidewalks, parks and other public places. Asked how the city code provisions affect people who are sitting or lying along rights-of-way or other public property, the city provided a statement from the Brighton Police Department that said: “Generally speaking, our approach to violations of these sections would be handled initially by trying to achieve voluntary compliance, issuing a warning and connecting them with available resources to address the contributing factors.” Westminster does not have a camping ban, according to spokesperson Andy Le. A large portion of Adams County immediately north of Denver is “unincorporated,” meaning it is not within a city or town. Adams County does not have a camping ban in unincorporated areas, according to county spokesperson Christa Bruning. But the county does have regulations prohibiting obstruction of the public rights-of-way, such as the street, sidewalks or alleys. “This includes all obstructions — trees, bushes, basketball hoops, large landscaping boulders, etc. — and is not specific to people experiencing homelessness,” Bruning added. Adams County prohibits all camping in its park areas, Bruning said. Arapahoe County areas In Arapahoe County, Centennial’s law bans camping on city-owned roads, sidewalks, trails, parks and city buildings or other city property. The ban also applies to property overseen by the Southeast Metro Stormwater Authority — often called SEMSWA — which generally manages waterways in Centennial. That includes creeks, streams and other drainage areas. Many park and open space areas in Centennial aren’t city property and still operate under their own rules. An ordinance banning camping in the City of Sheridan was passed in 2012, according to Arlene Sagee, Sheridan city clerk. Englewood doesn’t have a camping ban for public property in general, but the city’s parks and open space rules say overnight camping is prohibited in all parks and areas that are designated for park usage. That includes parking vehicles, trailers or campers used for overnight parking. Parks are closed between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
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Littleton has no specific “nocamping code,” but that city enforces certain codes — meaning laws or regulations — to the same effect on public property, city spokesperson Kelli Narde said in an April statement. But if a person is lying or sleeping with a blanket or a backpack in a park area, they generally wouldn’t be breaking Littleton city code until the park closes at night, Littleton City Attorney Reid Betzing confirmed in April. Aside from a rule about county-managed open spaces, Arapahoe County does not have a camping ban that applies to all types of public property in unincorporated areas in general, said Luc Hatlestad, county spokesperson. For open spaces managed by Arapahoe County, a resolution approved in 1996 by the county commissioners says it is unlawful to camp or park a trailer or camper for camping purposes in areas that are not specifically designated for camping. “We do not have any specific ordinances about sidewalks and alleyways, of which there are relatively few in the unincorporated areas,” Hatlestad said. Jefferson County areas Lakewood does not have a citywide camping ban, but other city policies can still affect the unhoused. “Rather than a camping ban, Lakewood has an ordinance addressing obstructing sidewalks, building entrances and similar locations used for public access. The city also has other ordinances that address other issues or behaviors such as trespassing,” said Stacie Oulton, city spokesperson. Camping is prohibited in all areas of parks except for designated locations such as Bear Creek Lake Park’s campground, which also requires a park entrance fee and a camping permit, Oulton added. In Golden, a city ordinance outlined that it is unlawful for any person to camp, sleep overnight, “or in conjunction with such activities, place any tent or construct any type of living quarters or structure upon any property owned by the city.” Golden also has a city ordinance that prohibits obstructing a roadway, sidewalk, waterway or other passageway. But “it is the practice of the Golden Police Department to use discretion when responding to calls for service regarding camping,” said Emily Gedeon, city spokesperson. “Specifically, Golden police will most often not cite an individual and instead seek voluntary compliance and provide education on the ordinances in the city and direct them to the nearest resources.” Wheat Ridge uses a similar approach with its city codes. A person who is sitting, lying or sleeping on a sidewalk or alley with their belongings or with a blanket, tent, tarp or other shelter would be violating city code, said Joanna Small, city spokesperson. Similarly, a person who is sitting,
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lying or sleeping on any type of public property — such as, for example, a waterway or storm drainageway — in the same way would also be violating the city code, Small said. “Although we may eventually issue citations to people who repeatedly violate these ordinances, we are always willing to work with people first,” Small said. “We have both a coresponder — mental health professional who can come out with our officers and determine if they are in need of some kind of mental health services — and the city also has a housing navigator who can connect them with housing options. Issuing a citation is a last resort.”
Douglas County areas Parker approved a camping ban in June 2018. Overnight camping on public property is not allowed in the City of Lone Tree, according to the city’s website. The Highlands Ranch Metro District is a type of government body called a special district — not a municipality — and is located in unincorporated Douglas County, and thus has different authority than a city would. A rule related to parks and open space says camping is prohibited without a permit. That rule was added in 2018, according to Sherry Eppers, metro district spokesperson. The rule applies to all Highlands Ranch Metro District-owned property — that includes parks, open space, parking lots, parkways and property surrounding office buildings, Eppers said. Castle Rock’s town code says: “It shall be unlawful to camp overnight in any recreation area, except in areas which are designated for camping.” Similar to other municipalities, the town’s code also says: “It is unlawful for any person to obstruct in any manner any sidewalk, public highway, street or alley in the Town.” Regarding the town’s limited camping ban, town spokesperson Melissa Hoelting said, “The town is not currently issuing citations under the provision because of continuing legal concerns.” She added, “Castle Rock is aware of the current legal climate and the various lawsuits filed against other Front Range municipalities regarding the enforcement of criminal laws against those individuals in our communities who are experiencing homelessness … the Community Partnership Unit of our police department reaches out, when feasible, to these individuals to help ensure their safety by connecting them to available resources in our community.” Spokespersons for Douglas and Jefferson counties did not provide comment by press time regarding policy in unincorporated areas. Arvada and the Town of Morrison also didn’t respond for comment by press time about their policies.
Columnists & Guest Commentaries Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Sentinel Express. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone. Email letters to staylor@coloradocommunitymedia.com Deadline Wed. for the following week’s paper.
Commerce City Sentinel Express (USPS 3886) A legal newspaper of general circulation in Commerce City, Colorado, Commerce City Sentinel Express is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 143 S. 2nd Pl., Brighton CO 80601. PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID AT Commerce City and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Commerce City Sentinel Express, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110
6 Commerce City Sentinel Express
July 14, 2022
PRICES FROM PAGE 1
Bachaud said. “Now we’re coming to this period where things are going to cool down really fast as well. And that’s going to look like whiplash for a lot of buyers and sellers in the market.” However, she added, “the markets are not going to crash, we’re not going to see this huge drop in home values across the board. But it’s gonna look very different than it did in December of 2021.” And why is that? There’s still demand from consumers to buy a house. Also the number of new homes getting started has dropped off. “What we really need in order to curb this home-price growth is more homes,” she said. “And (would-be) sellers are feeling locked into their current interest rate. If you refinanced at 3%, selling and buying at a 6% rate doesn’t seem like such a good deal right now.” Price cuts in for-sale houses have been happening for weeks, months and even years in Colorado, according to Zillow data. Even when sales were the strongest last year, there were still houses that cut their price for one reason or another, likely because they were asking too much. Zillow data for the Colorado Springs, Denver and Fort Collins markets do show that there’s been a sharp increase in the number of houses that cut the list price within the past month. The chart below shows that in early June, 9.17% of the homes for sale in Denver dropped
their price in the past month, while 9.1% did in Colorado Springs and 3.37% did in Fort Collins: Those price discounts in Denver rose to a median of $19,000 in early June, nearly double the amount in January. Colorado Springs price cuts weren’t as sharp and had dropped to $11,050 in early June, while Fort Collins hit $19,201. Consider it an interest rate silver lining for house hunters forced to save their money after getting outbid on every house in the past year. But it’s not like house prices are falling. They’re just not growing as fast as last year and the real estate industry already expects that the days of multiple offers on a house are over for now. 6%? Bah! Interest rates have been higher “My first house mortgage was at 14%,” Craig Aberle, a reader who wrote this week in response to last week’s story that renting is cheaper than buying. “It was still a good deal financially.” Aberle, who lives in Denver, pointed out the many benefits of owning a house today even as interest rates rise. There are tax deductions, equity and loan refinancing when rates do fall, as they did last year when they dipped below 3%. “Rates at 5% or 6% are modest,” he said. This isn’t the first time in recent history that mortgage rates hit 6%. A notable period for mortgage rates were the 1980s, when rates were super high — in the teens, according to the Federal Reserve economic data. The
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peak of 16.64% in 1981 makes today’s 6% a bargain. For people who bought homes in 2018 or earlier, current interest rates are just a return to earlier times. However, new budgets and increasing housing prices make buying homes for new homeowners nonetheless inaccessible. Housing prices have gone way up in the past five decades. “Homes were a lot cheaper back then. So a 16% interest rate was maybe the difference of tens or hundreds of dollars a month, and not thousands of dollars a month,” Bachaud said. “A home is a very different type of purchase than it was decades ago.” The typical Colorado home value of $126,900 in the 1980s is drastically different from the typical home value of $604,065 reported in May Zillow data. That’s a 376% increase. After running it through a quick inflation calculator, that $126,900 home would be roughly $408,057 now considering recent inflation — a relative steal in a housing market seeing prices upward of $700,000. Historic developments in homeownership add another dimension to the story. In the years after the hike in interest rates in the 80s, homeownership rates in Colorado dipped to a historic low of 58.6%. That’s little more than half of tracked Colorodans living and owning a home according to U.S. Census data. The most recent data show homeownership rates slowly rising to a rate 64.9% in 2020. With how volatile the housing market has been recently, and as many communities are unable to catch up with zooming home prices, we’ll see how homeownership rates change in coming months. The benefits of owning are certainly more than what the monthly mortgage payment is. But buyers may not see those for several years, said Bachaud, with Zillow. “If you’re going to buy something or rent something for two years, the cost of purchasing and selling real estate is pretty high. You’re dealing with transfer taxes, real estate taxes, closing costs and buyer and seller commissions. All of those things make it really expensive,” she said. “For the short term, renting is
cheaper.” Workers are being priced out of their homes, according to a recent report by the Regional Economic Development Institute at Colorado State University, which measured workers’ abilities to afford two-bedroom apartments without becoming rent burdened. That’s when individuals need to spend more than a third of their income to pay for rent. Thanks to Kendall Stephenson, one of the authors of the report, for sending this along! Workers in Fort Collins, a city with a population of around 170,000, have become increasingly rent burdened over the past decade. In 2010, 36% of all occupations could not afford fair market rent. Now, as of 2020, it’s 52%. In particular, food preparation and serving occupations face one of the greatest disparities in keeping up with fair market rent. Waiters and waitresses in Fort Collins have a median hourly wage of $12.01. If they wanted to afford rent at fair market prices, they’d need to make almost double their current wages, or $23.92 per hour. Conversely, in 2010 waiters and waitresses would have needed only an hourly increase of about $2 to afford fair market rent. Health care support occupations are another group that saw a hit at housing affordability. Not only that, but women are disproportionately impacted. Over 70% of people within these jobs are female, and employees would need to see raises of about 50% to be able to afford fair market rent in Fort Collins. Fort Collins workers’ wages are not keeping up with the increase in fair market rent, and as a result many lowwage earners are forced to commute into Fort Collins for work, the REDI report showed. Although workers are able to save on housing, skyrocketing fuel prices take a toll on their expenses. This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.
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Commerce City Sentinel Express 7
July 14, 2022
PRIMARIES FROM PAGE 1
Silverii points out there were no contested statewide Democratic primaries this year, while there were fierce battles for the Republican nominations for U.S. Senate, governor and secretary of state. Simply put, the GOP primaries were more competitive, and that could be why so many more unaffiliated voters decided to cast Republican primary ballots this year. “There’s no evidence at all that primary votes with an uncontested
Democratic ballot and an almost completely contested Republican ballot will have any bearing on the general election whatsoever,” he said. The number of unaffiliated ballots cast for Republicans is expected to rise as more ballots are processed in the coming days. There were about 40,000 unaffiliated ballots across the state that still had to be tabulated as of Friday morning, according to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office. Meanwhile, it looks like 2022 may be the year with the lowest number of Democratic primary ballots cast by unaffiliated voters. Only about 161,000 unaffiliated voters’ ballots processed through Friday
morning were cast in the Democratic primary. The previous low was in 2018, the first year unaffiliated voters could cast ballots in partisan primaries, when 179,742 voted Democratic ballots. In some counties, unaffiliated voters cast more than half of all GOP primary ballots Unaffiliated voters were the deciding factor in some counties’ GOP primaries, accounting for more than half of all the Republican primary votes cast. San Miguel County, for instance, had the highest percentage of Republican primary ballots cast by unaffiliated voters, at 70%. Of the 1,191 GOP
primary votes cast this year in the county, 836 were cast by unaffiliated voters. Ouray County came in second at 60% of the GOP primary votes being cast by unaffiliated voters, while Pitkin and Gunnison counties weren’t far behind, at 59% each.. All of those counties are in the 3rd Congressional District, where there was a loosely organized effort to get Democrats to switch their voter affiliation to unaffiliated to cast ballots in the Republican primary for state Sen. Don Coram as part of an unsuccessful effort to block U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert from winning a second term.
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8 Commerce City Sentinel Express
July 14, 2022
BRIEFS Teen police academy The Brighton Police Department and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office are co-sponsoring a teen academy for four days starting Tuesday, July 26, at the police department and the sheriff’s office’s FlatRock Regional Training Center. Participants have to be sophomores, juniors or seniors in high school, and they have to pass a modified background check. Call 303-288-1535 or 303-655-2300. Summer lunch program The Adams County 14 School District will provide free meals this summer through its Summer Food Service Program. Through July 29, meals will be available four days a week at Central Elementary School (noon to 1 p.m.) and the Suncor Boys & Girls Club (noon to 12:30 p.,m. Call 303-853-7929. Music in the Park Commerce City’s Music in the Park series returns in 2022. Scheduled concerts include Quemando Salsa (Thursday, July 28, Turnberry Park, 10725 Wheeling St.), Chris Daniels and the Kings, Thursday, Aug. 4, at Alsup Elementary School Park, 4413 E. 68th Ave.) and Groove n Motion (Thursday, Aug. 11, Fronterra Park, 10020 Joplin St.). Gummball 5K The fifth annual Gummball Rally will be Saturday, Oct. 1 at Adams County Regional Park, 9755 Henderson Road, Brighton. The 5K walk/
run is in honor of former Adams County sheriff’s deputy Heath Gumm, who died in the line of duty in 2018. The cost is $30 for racers 13 and older and $10 for 12 and younger. Those 12 and younger get in free. Each includes a shirt/swag bag guaranteed with entrry by Sept. 14. Packets will be available for pickup at 4201 E. 72nd Ave. from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30. Proceeds benefit a nonprofit that supports law enforcement and first responders. Questions? Email tracykilgore71@gmail.com. ONGOING
Boards/commissions’ openings Commerce City has openings for several of its boards and commissions, including the city’s cultural council, the housing authority and the Derby review board. Visit https://www.c3gov.com/Home/ Components/Form/Form/70316b054 22c448492c51da0f0e0fd86/ to sign up.
Vaccination clinic Adams County and the Tri-County Health Department are offering free vaccination clinics from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Anythink Commerce City, 7185 Monaco St.
Legal self-help clinic The Access to Justice Committee hosts a free, legal self-help clinic from 2 to 3:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month. The program is for those who don’t have legal representation and need help navigating through legal issues. Volunteer attorneys are available to discuss such topics as family law, civil litigation, property and probate law. Call 303-405-3298 and ask for the Legal Self-Help Clinic at least 24 hours in advance.
Walk with a doc Platte Valley Medical Center’s cardiac rehab team and Walk With A Doc will host monthly walks with Dr. Christopher Cannon, an interventional cardiologist at Brighton Heart and Vascular Institute. This is a walking program for everyone interested in taking steps for a healthier lifestyle. After a few minutes to learn about a current health topic from the doctor, spend the rest of the hour enjoying a healthy walk and fun conversation. It’s a great way to get out, get active and enjoy all the benefits that come from walking.
Help for vets Qualified Listeners, a veteran and family resource hub serving northern Colorado and southern Wyoming, has a number of power chairs, power scooters and electric wheelchairs available. To find the closest facility to you visit www.va.gov/find-locations. Qualified Listeners also need volunteers to drive veterans to and from appointments, run errands for veterans who cannot get out, handyman services, help administer veteran and family resource guide inventory in local libraries and veterans to be trained to become
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qualified listeners. Call 720-600-0860. COVID-19 testing Here’s where you can receive a test for COVID-19: Brighton Advanced Urgent Care, 2801 Purcell St. Call 303-659-9700 or visit https://advurgent.com/locations/brighton/ Brighton Salud, 1860 Egbert St. Testing is available on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Visit https:// www.saludclinic.org/covid-testing Fort Lupton Salud, 1115 Second St. Testing is available on Tuesday and Thursday. Call 303-697-2583 or visit https://www.saludclinic.org/covidtesting online.
Volunteers needed Qualified Listeners needs volunteers to drive veterans to and from appointments, run errands for veterans who cannot get out, handyman services, help administer veteran and family resource guide inventory in local libraries and veterans to be trained to become qualified listeners. Visit qualifiedlisteners.org/volunteerapp and fill out the form or call 720-600-0860. Mental health Community Reach Center offers in-person intake assessments from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesdays at the Brighton Learning and Resource Campus, 1850 E. Egbert St. in Brighton. Call Community Reach Center at 303-8533500. SEE BRIEFS, P9
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Commerce City Sentinel Express 9
July 14, 2022
BRIEFS
Ave., Westminster.
FROM PAGE 8
For walk-in intake, bring an ID and insurance information. For those who would prefer to complete the intake forms and schedule an appointment, the intake forms are available online at www.communityreachcenter.org. There will be a short screening for flu-like symptoms before the entrance to the center to ensure safety and wellness for everyone. Anyone feeling unsafe or suicidal should call Colorado Crisis Services at 1-844-493-8255, text 38255, or visit the Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) Center at 2551 W. 84th
SHELTER FROM PAGE 3
gate, and dogs? They get lost a lot,” Wilde said. Williams said their busy season usually begins in late March. They call it “kitten season.” “Animals are looking to breed, so we receive a lot of litters and puppies too, “ she said. “You have animals running around that are not spayed or neutered enjoying the sun and reproducing during the spring and summertime. Fourth of July into August is typically for most animal shelters is the busiest time due to the season.” There are other standard reasons why people have to give up a pet, she said. They may need to surrender an animal because some situation has changed, such as a new baby, allergy, or an
Warm Line up and running Community Reach Center is offering a Warm Line (303-280-6602) for those who want to talk to mentalhealth professionals about anxiety, lack of sleep and strained relationships, among other topics. The professionals can facilitate referrals to other programs for assistance. A press statement said the line is not for crisis intervention. Those feeling unsafe or suicidal should call Colorado Crisis Services (1-844-493-8255) or text 38255 or visit the Behavioral Urgent Care Center, 2551 W. 84th Ave., Westminster. Also, the center’s COVID-19 Heroes Program is set up to assist healthcare workers during the illness in the family or an older adult that has had to go into elder care. But this year, room at the shelter is at a premium, Wilde said. Riverdale Animal Shelter is a no-kill shelter, meaning they do not euthanize an animal for space. “But sometimes animals come in that no longer have a quality of life; we want to make sure animals not suffering. Those are the only circumstances in which we euthanize but never because they re taking longer to be adopted,” Wilde said. “Another reasons we would euthanize is public safety, the pet is not safe, or something severe as a medical case.” They are making efforts to let people know. The shelter tries to make changes to highlight longterm pets’ uniqueness with cute videos to bring attention to them. Fostering an option The shelter often needs foster
Food distribution 27J Schools have free grab-and-go meals for youngsters up to age 18. Drive-by or walk up between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at Vikan Middle School, 879 Jessup St., Overland Trail Middle School, 455 N. 19th Ave., and at Thimmig Elementary School, 11453 Oswego St. Food for Hope is the sponsor.
St. Augustine food pantry, 129 S. Sixth Ave., offers food Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Brighton residents who love between Quebec St. and Cavanaugh Road and between Weld County Road 4 1/2 and 96th Ave. Chapel Hill Church, 10 Chapel Hill Drive, Brighton, hands out one box of food per family the second and fourth Wednesdays from 4 to 5:30 p.m. and alternating Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. Calvary Chapel Brighton Food Pantry, 103 E. Bridge St., Brighton. Open from 4 to 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. Community Baptist Church Food Pantry, 15559 Weld County Road 2, Brighton. Open from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays.
parents until a pet finds a permanent home, as well. Foster care gives a pet a break from living in a shelter that could be stressful. During the spring and summer, young kittens and puppies benefit from foster parenting. Williams said it’s a safe home environment, and they engaged in socialization. Also, they collect behavior information and cute things they do in the home that you don’t see in the shelter, which is helpful when they get adopted. “We send those pets to foster care to see how they behave outside of the shelter. “If you work from home or retire, those are great things to know to be a foster parent with us,” she said. Riverdale Animal Shelter was built in 2020 with full-service care for pets. They have a medical team with veterinarians and technicians to treat and save all kinds of animals in the shelter.
“The clinic has a dental suite and surgery suite for the sheltered animals. They take care of the pets that come in that are injured or ill,” Williams said. Last year, Riverdale spayed and neutered 2,300 animals and vaccinated more than 7,000 others between the animals that come in and those that serve through the low-cost clinics. “The shelter was built to serve pets people in the community so we look at the synergy of serving in that way through all those lenses,” Wilde said. Riverdale Animal Shelter is at the south end of Riverdale Regional Park in Brighton at East 120th Avenue and Park Boulevard. They provide safe shelter and care to more than 6,000 animals per year. The shelter also offers low costs, vaccinations, and animal microchips every Wednesday. The website is updated every 30 minutes with new pets up for adoption.
pandemic. Those who live or work in Adams County can receive up to six free counseling sessions. Use the Warm Line for support and free counseling. Brighton’s community intake location is at 1850 E. Egbert St., on the second floor. It’s open from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesdays.
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PUBLIC NOTICES ernment Center, 4430 S. Adams County Parkway,
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City and County Public Notice PUBLIC NOTICE TO ADAMS COUNTY PROPERTY OWNERS FILING PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION APPEALS WITH THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that starting on August 2, 2022, the Adams County Board of Equalization shall sit at the Adams County Government Center, 4430 South Adams County Parkway, Brighton, Colorado, to hear contests of property tax exemption denials by an authorized independent referee. NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, that the deadline for filing appeals with the Board of Equalization for Property Tax Exemption Appeal is August 15, 2022. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS JOSH ZYGIELBAUM, CLERK OF THE BOARD Legal Notice No. CCX643 First Publication: July 14, 2022 Last Publication: July 14, 2022 Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express Public Notice PUBLIC NOTICE TO ADAMS COUNTY REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY OWNERS FILING APPEALS WITH THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that commencing September 1, 2022 the Adams County Board of Equalization shall sit at the Adams County Gov-
in the County, as prepared by the Assessor, and to hear appeals from determinations of the Assessor, sitting by itself or by authorized independent referees. NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, the deadline for filing appeals with the Board of Equalization for real and personal property is September 15, 2022. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS JOSH ZYGIELBAUM, CLERK OF THE BOARD Legal Notice No. CCX644 First Publication: July 14, 2022 Last Publication: July 14, 2022 Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express Public Notice NOTICE OF SUBDIVISION PLAT APPROVAL COMMERCE CITY, COLORADO Notice is hereby given that the following subdivision(s) will be considered for approval by the City of Commerce City Community Development Director on Tuesday, July 26th, 2022. S-801-21: Plan West requests approval of the Urban Collection at Settlers Crossing Subdivision Final Plat, a plat creating 108 new residential lots and 12 tracts for open space, drainage, utilities, access, and park. The plat contains approximately 11 acres located at the northeast corner of Settlers Lane and E. 96th Avenue, currently zoned PUD (Planned Unit Development District). The case file(s) and a copy of the Land Development Code of the City and the subdivision plat are on file for review by emailing the Community Development Department at cdplanner@c3gov. com. Any property owner within 300 feet of the property who objects must submit a written objection request to the director by the
date scheduled for department approval. This written objection request must be directly related to the proposed subdivision per Sec. 21-3241(4)(a) and be received no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, July 25th, 2022.
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Director of Community Development Para más información, contacta 303-227-8818 Legal Notice No.CCX646 First Publication: July 14, 2022 Last Publication: July 14, 2022 Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express
Notice to Creditors Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of JOSEPH RALPH BACA, A/K/A JOE RALPH BACA, Deceased Case Number: 2022 PR 188 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 November 7, 2022, or the claims may be forever barred. ANDREA WHITE, Personal Representative 3074 GRAND MARIAS RD JENNINGS. LA 70546 Legal Notice No. CCSX01 First Publication: July 7, 2022 Last Publication: July 21, 2022 Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Ella Alena Brandmeir, a/k/a Ella A. Brandmeir, and Ella Brandmeir, Deceased
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to: District Court, Adams County, Colorado Arapahoe County Justice Center 7325 S. Potomac Street, #100 Centennial, CO 80112 on or before October 31, 2022, or the claims may be forever barred.
Shelley R. Davis, Personal Representative c/o Law Office of Byron K. Hammond, LLC 4500 Cherry Creek Drive South, Suite 960 Denver, CO 80246 Legal Notice No. CCX636 First Publication: June 30, 2022 Last Publication: July 14, 2022 Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of DAVID A. YOST a/k/a DAVID ALAN YOST, Deceased Case Number: 2022 PR 30572 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 November 14, 2022, or the claims may be forever barred. Melissa Yost 620 Cortez Street Denver, Colorado 80221
NORTH METRO TASK FORCE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Governors of the North Metro Task Force, Adams County, Colorado, has been presented a proposed budget for the year 2023. A copy of said budget is available for public inspection at the Adams County Finance Department, 4430 South Adams County Parkway, 4th Floor, Brighton CO 80601. If you would like to request a copy of the proposed budget, please call 720-523-6239 during business hours which are Tuesday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Such proposed budget for 2023 will be considered for adoption by the Board of Governors at a public hearing to be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, July 28th, 2022, at Adams County Government Center, Conference Room 8101, 4430 S. Adams County Parkway, Brighton CO 80601. Any interested elector may inspect the proposed budget and file or register any objections thereto at any time prior to the final adoption thereof. North Metro Task Force By: /s/ Kasandra Carleton Assistant Adams County Attorney Legal Notice No.CCX645 First Publication: July 14, 2022 Last Publication: July 14, 2022 Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express
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Unvaccinated Latino patients advocate for vaccinations BY JOHN DALEY COLORADO PUBLIC MEDIA
A new study finds some unvaccinated Latino patients hospitalized for COVID-19 were motivated to encourage vaccination after their illness. A team of Colorado researchers interviewed 25 unvaccinated hospitalized with the coronavirus and survived. Dr. Lilia Cervantes, one of the researchers, said before they got sick many felt COVID didn’t exist or they didn’t trust information about the virus. “And after being hospitalized, felt like, ‘Wow, yes, I had COVID. I was really sick. I saw other people that had COVID and were also really sick.’ This thing is real,” said Cervantes, an associate professor in the department of medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Latinos in Colorado and nationally have lower COVID-19 vaccination rates than other groups. Why? And do views about the vaccine change after someone gets hospitalized due to the virus? Colorado researchers aimed to find out by asking unvaccinated Latino patients hospitalized with COVID-19 how their views changed and if hospitalization inspired a change of heart about vaccine shots. One of the survey respondents described being scared they were going to die after hearing hospital staff discuss bringing in a machine to intubate them. “I thought, ‘I’m going to die.’ I didn’t believe in COVID,” the patient told researchers. But catching a bad case of the virus changed the patient’s views, encouraging them to get the vaccine. “My opinion changed for the best, because I said, ‘I’ll protect myself with the vaccine.’” The team conducted the survey interviews at Denver Health, a public safetynet hospital that provides healthcare for people regardless of their insurance status. The patients’ perspectives offer insight into what shaped their views before and after getting sick. “The majority do end up getting vaccinated because they don’t want to experience near death again,” Cervantes said. Some got motivated to share positive vaccination messages with friends and family After hospitalization, 18 of the people surveyed received the COVID-19 vaccine. Others in the Latino survey group were in the process of scheduling them, were undecided or declined to get the vaccine. Cervantes says before they got sick many of the Latinos in the survey group felt COVID didn’t exist or they didn’t trust information about the virus. Many, but not all, were motivated to encourage vaccination to their friends and families. “Because so much of this information is word of mouth, they wanted to sort of engage in their own advocacy in sharing positive information,” she said. Cervantes said until now, the hesitancy question had been little studied in the Latino community. The new research was published in JAMA Network Open. It details an array of
familiar explanations people had for opting out of vaccines and reveals their reasoning for deciding whether or not to get one after being hospitalized due to the virus. The question is an important one since less than half of Colorado’s Hispanics — the demographic term used by the state health department — are vaccinated, according to the state’s vaccine dashboard. That vaccination rate is worse than it is for other major demographic groups. More than two-thirds of white, Black, American Indian and Asian Coloradans are now vaccinated with two doses. Hispanics also lag behind for booster shots, state data show. Latino individuals in the U.S. have higher rates of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths than nonLatino white individuals. Life expectancy in Colorado has dropped sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. For Hispanic residents, life expectancy dropped from 81.4 years to 77.3, from 2019 to 2020. ‘I didn’t believe in it.’ Some study participants described sharing their COVID-19 hospitalization experience with friends and family. “Yes, I told them, take care of yourselves, get tested, because look at me, I didn’t believe in it and see where I am now,” one said. Hospitalization scared some of the patients, who reported being afraid of dying or wanting to avoidreinfection or another trip to the hospital. For others, surviving COVID was a close brush with death. The newfound fear of death outweighed concerns about the vaccine. One participant told researchers, “I have a 10-year-old son, and if anything were to happen to me, I don’t know.” “I could have lost my life to COVID,” said another. “And it just changed my whole opinion about the vaccine … I could have ended up dying and then my mom burying her youngest son and leaving behind my friends and family.” ‘We’re coming to them’: One Colorado vaccine activist looks to get shots to every Latino Some study participants said they got their shots mostly due to pressure from others. One participant said, “I still don’t trust the vaccine. I was pressured to get the vaccine by my daughters,” who said you’re selfish if you don’t do it. Some described feeling forced to be vaccinated because their employers required it. Cervantes says the findings suggest low Latino vaccination rates could be improved by addressing mistrust, misinformation and helping recovering patients encourage family and friends to get the vaccine. Why did the patients not get the vaccine originally? The patients expressed concerns about its experimental status and short production timeline, what’s in the vaccine, whether it’s effective, as well as worries about immediate and long-term adverse effects and mixed/ conflicting information. This story is from Colorado Public Radio, a nonprofit news source. Used by permission. For more, and to support CPR News, visit cpr.org.