Commerce City Sentinel Express 022323

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WEEKOF FEBRUARY 23, 2023

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2020

New COVID-19 restrictions will prohibit indoor dining, personal gatherings

Rethinking the four-day school week

Study finds 27J schedule change hurt housing market, academics in the district

BY YESENIA ROBLES

Homeowners in the 27J school district might have been better o paying a higher property tax rather

than allowing the district to adopt a four-day school week, a new study suggests.

Preliminary results of the study, which has not yet been peer reviewed, suggest that home prices su ered and student achievement in the district may have dropped. Teacher retention, which the district cited as the main reason for moving to the four-day school week, may also have decreased, according to the study.

e 27J school district, which serves more than 22,600 students this year, is based north of Denver, covering Brighton and parts of Commerce City and ornton. Leaders rolled out the four-day school week in the fall of 2018, after having failed a sixth time to pass a local tax increase to pay teachers more.

District Superintendent Chris Fiedler disputes the ndings, citing higher-than-ever graduation rates and lower overall teacher turnover.

e authors of the study acknowledge there were limitations in the way they examined student achievement and teacher retention pieces. ey didn’t want to look at years a ected by COVID, so they only examined student achievement data through the 2019-20 school year. For teacher retention data they examined data through the 202021 school year. So it’s possible the

Adams 14 to consolidate schools

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e Adams 14 School District board of education voted Feb. 14 to consolidate two schools and move Lester Arnold High School due to declining enrollment e vote was 3-2.

celebration

winning the 165-pound

As Denver metro counties continue to under Colorado’s system of coronavirusrelated restrictions, the state announced a new level of rules that prohibits indoor change that applies to the majority of the Denver metro area and many counties in e state’s COVID-19 dial, which has been in e ect since September, is the set of di erent levels of restrictions that each

county is required to follow based on the severity of a county’s local virus spread. e dial grew out of the state’s safer-athome order — the policy that came a er the statewide stay-at-home order this spring and allowed numerous types of businesses to reopen.

e decision means Hanson and Monaco elementary schools will merge and be located at the Monaco facility, 7631 Monaco St. In addition, Lester Arnold High School students will move into the former Hanson building, 7133 E. 73rd Ave. e deadline for these moves is August.

A press statement said the decision also means construction of new classrooms in the Hanson building to make room for the Health Professions and Human Services Academy at Adams City High School.

e state recently switched to color identi ers — 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-

It’s not clear if the decision is related to the ongoing dispute between

SEE CONSOLIDATE, P3

Please see

, Page 2

Adams City’s Levi Deaguero begins his state championship

after

match over Pomona’s Dante Hutchings Feb. 18 at Ball Arena. See story on Page 11.

PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH

SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Split vote merges two schools, moves one high school

Commerce City considering virtual meeting policy

hearing agenda soon.

“If that’s okay, we’ll put this on a regular meeting to some point soon,” Hader said. “I’ll work with the clerk’s o ce get this on the agenda.”

BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Nearly three years after allowing city council meetings via virtual methods, Commerce City is poised to make the practice permanent.

Interim City Attorney Matt Hader briefed councilors on what rules they’d need to adopt to make virtual meetings, with both City Councilors and residents able to appear in person or virtually via an online networking service like Zoom, a permanent part of the city government. Commerce City has been hosting virtual meetings via networking applications since the COVID pandemic started in 2020.

“As you know, our code requires our meetings to be in person,” Hader said. “But the trend around the country, especially during this past year, has been to establish permanent policies and make changes to codes and resolutions to allow electronic meetings to continue in the absence of a public health emergency.”

Councilors had no comments on the issue and Hader said he expects it will be on the council’s public

Councilors need to amend their meeting policies, adopt an ordinance to allow for electronic meetings and adopt a resolution allowing public hearing to be hosted virtually.

e rst step would be the changes to the city’s policies regarding electronic meetings. e proposed policy would allow any councilor, board member, city sta er as well as applicants and contractors to attend meetings electronically. It would count towards City Council quorums but allows the mayor or meeting chair to act if virtual attendee causes interference in the meeting - for example having a connection that is especially noisy or keeps disconnecting. In the case that a City Councilor attending virtually drops or is forced o of the meeting feed, the remaining councilors can choose to continue as long as there are enough of them present to constitute a quorum.

e proposed policy also allows virtual closed door executive sessions via electronic networking but requires all other meetings to be recorded.

“It basically sets forth the policy ythat in many ways mirrors what we have been doing over the last two and a-half years,” Hader said. “It allows everybody to participate electronically. at includes councilors,

board members, the city manager, the clerk, city attorney, city sta , applicants and consultants.”

e proposed ordinance changes the city code to allow the meetings, Hader said, allowing all meetings to be conducted electronically.

“And then have a third document to consider, a resolution for conducting public hearings,” Hader said. “One issue we’ve had is with quasijudicial hearings where you are asked to decide facts and apply the law or see if someone has meet legal requirements. One of the things you do when you are assessing a witness is consider their demeanor and making a decision about their credibility and truthfulness. at’s always di cult to do in electronic media when somebody is appearing via video.”

Hader said it’s up to councilors to decide if the bene ts of convenience and access outweigh that ability.

“We have had a long-term policy where people appearing electronically in a quasi-judicial manner have had to sign a waiver, waiving any kinds of challenge because the meeting was conducted electronically. is policy incorporates that and keeps it going.”

Standards of conduct

In other business, Hader also briefed councilors on the standards code of conduct.

“ is is in regard to handling complaints, mediations and investigations really of yourselves and each

other,” Hader said. “ is is focused on holding yourselves accountable. You are your brother’s keeper, so to speak.”

e policy makes councilors liable for penalties if they break the code. Penalties could include being removed from o ce, made ineligible for future o ce or city employment or civil or criminal penalties.

Hader presented a list of 18 standards that could lead to penalties, including misusing con dential information - either for personal gain or disclosing it - violating the city charter, acting on and failing to disclose a con ict of interest, acting in a way that’s unbecoming to a city o cial, using city resources for personal gain, interfering with city business, demanding political contributions, nepotism and accepting gifts worth more than $53 if they are meant to in uence a decision.

Commerce City is looking to make virtual meetings standard.

Electronic attendance would become regular options for council, sta , applicants

FROM PAGE 1 RETHINKING

ndings were short-term impacts, said Frank James Perrone, one of the study’s authors.

When it comes to student achievement, research would ideally track individual students, said Perrone, assistant professor of educational leadership at Indiana University. Since the researchers couldn’t access that level of data, it’s unknown if some of the ndings could have been a result of higher-performing students leaving the district.

e research is more comprehensive and based on more data when it comes to the housing ndings. While housing prices in 27J haven’t dropped, home values stopped growing at the same rate relative to its most comparable neighboring district. erefore, homeowners lost out on growth that they likely would have seen without the change, according to the study.

e researchers calculated those losses compared to the cost of paying for the mill levy override and found that, nancially, conservative estimates suggest homeowners would have been better o approving the tax measure.

“ ese results suggest the decision to adopt a 4-day school week in a metropolitan setting should not be taken lightly,” the study states. Voters should be aware of possible tradeo s when voting against local tax measures that can drive a district to switch to a four-day school week, Perrone said.

Teacher retention was goal of shorter school week

In years past, 27J has made other drastic changes as a result of the failure to pass local tax measures to increase its revenue. For instance, when the district faced overcrowding and was unable to build new schools, it had to move the high schools to a split schedule from 2015 to 2018. Some students were on campus in the mornings and some attended school later in the day to reduce the amount of people in the

CONSOLIDATE

FROM PAGE 1

school buildings at one time. is past November, in the eighth attempt to pass a mill levy override, 27J nally succeeded. e measure will allow the district to raise teacher salaries starting this fall. at, together with more funding from the governor’s proposed budget, could get starting pay to $50,000, Fiedler said, but that’s still lower than in many metro area districts.

Fiedler believes that the four-day school week, while an e ective incentive for some teachers, is not as e ective when the pay gap with other districts grows too wide. He said he hopes next year’s raises will make his district attractive again.

“It is a total tradeo ,” Fiedler said. “ at gap eventually becomes so large that it’s not worth the tradeo .”

Kathey Ruybal, president of the teachers union in the district, said teachers and sta overwhelmingly support the four-day school week. Some sta members opposed to the change left in the rst year, but sta who leave now leave because of low pay, she said According to state data, turnover rates for teachers in 27J have dropped to 14.6% — a lower rate than many neighboring districts. And when compared to the nearly 17% rate in 2017, it’s a drop of 14%. But other nearby districts had steeper drops in turnover rates in the same time period.

For the study, the researchers went deeper, using sta -level data from the state to look at years of experience, salary, and whether teachers had advanced degrees. Teachers with between 5 and 15 years of experience were 5% less likely to return to the district after the four-day switch.

“We can only see experience level, but we don’t have e ectiveness ratings,” Perrone said. “It’s possible they kept the best teachers.”

Perrone, who worked on the study with Adam D. Nowak of West Virginia University and Patrick S. Smith of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, said he hopes other researchers will take another look in the future at how the four-day switch changes the workforce in the long term. How districts use the fth o day for professional development or

e statement said Hudson and Monaco elementary schools have the lowest enrollment in the district. ey aren’t the only schools to see declining enrollment. e district’s statement said the moves “allow the district to continue providing students with a high-quality education while mitigating the adverse nancial and educational e ects of lower student enrollment.”

“ e consolidation of the two schools, Hanson and Monaco, will be the rst step in the district’s 10year strategic plan, which is academically robust, helps to achieve

whether that gives teachers more planning time might change the culture of the workplace or encourage more e ectiveness, he said.

In 27J, teachers have training on one free Monday each month. A second Monday each month is used for principal training and district meetings. at means principals and school leaders rarely have to leave schools for meetings when students are in class, Fiedler said.

Ruybal said she doesn’t think the four-day school week has had much impact on culture or planning time. However, additional planning time during the four-day school week that her union won in negotiations is helpful, she said.

Findings match other research on fourday school weeks

Traditionally, most four-day school districts have served rural communities. Recently, more large, urban districts have made the switch, including the 14,000-student Independence School District neighboring Kansas City, Missouri. But research that isn’t focused on rural districts is limited — making this study signi cant as researchers look to better understand the impacts.

Paul ompson, an associate professor of economics at Oregon State University who reviewed the study, said the academic ndings echo what research has found elsewhere: Academic achievement generally declines when schools switch to a four-day week.

e nding, he says, seems related to how much time is actually lost. In districts that make up most of the instructional time, the decline is smaller or not there.

In 27J, Superintendent Fiedler said, the district continued to meet the state’s instructional time requirements by lengthening the school day and eliminating early release or other time o for planning.

Research on four-day school weeks has started looking at impacts beyond test scores, ompson said.

“Most educational interventions are happening within the schools,” ompson said. “But there’s many

equity for all students, and is nancially stable,” the statement said.

“We know that tonight’s decision will be heartbreaking and di cult to understand for some of our families,” said Reneé Lovato, Adams 14 board of education president, in the statement. “We just hope that our families trust that this long-term vision is in the best interests of our students, community, and district –providing an equitable high-quality education and additional programs and services to support all of our students’ needs.”

During its Feb. 14 meeting, the

more outcomes that can be a ected by this choice.”

Previous research, for example, found an increase in juvenile delinquency in Colorado communities with four-day school weeks, perhaps because teenagers spent more time unsupervised. Looking at the impact on housing makes sense, ompson said.

Oded Gurantz, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, said other research nds that educational policies can have a quick and observable impact on the local housing market.

In the case of 27J’s four-day school week, families may have to consider the cost of childcare on the fth day. Local realtors, including Alan Strange, said they haven’t noticed potential home buyers talking about the four-day week recently, but did notice it when the district rolled out a split schedule for the high school.

With more families working from home since the start of COVID, Strange said, the impact may have since dissipated.

Fiedler said that when the district rst moved to four-day weeks, about 1,000 families signed up for the district’s childcare option for about $30 per day. Now, only about 300 families use the childcare option. In 2020, after the start of COVID, some government agencies including the Adams County government o ces, moved to a matching four-day work schedule.

Fiedler agrees that moving to a four-day school week is not a decision to be made lightly.

It was the necessary and right thing to do for his district, he said to Chalkbeat. “We had to do something,” Fiedler said.

But when other school district leaders ask whether he would still make the switch if he had the money to just pay teachers more, his answer is no.

is story is from Chalkbeat Colorado, a nonpro t news site covering educational change in public schools. Used by permission. For more, and to support Chalkbeat, visit co.chalkbeat.org.

board also instructed Superintendent Karla Loria to make several other changes.

One is to come up with a prekindergarten to grade 6 or K-6 curriculum for all elementary schools by August 2024. Another is to have each elementary school adopt an academy theme by 2025.

A third is to begin the process to merging the two district’s middle schools – Adams City and Kearney middle schools – into one junior high school for seventh- and eighthgraders by the 2027-2028 school year.

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New internet provider comes to Brighton

Nebraska-based Allo beginning work to build fiberoptic-based network in city

BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Crews from Nebraska-based internet provider Allo Fiber will begin work this week installing their highspeed internet, telephone and TV services in Brighton.

Allo Fiber representative Nichole Spady said the company plans a groundbreaking ceremony at noon Feb. 22, at Barr Lake State Park. Spady said the company hopes to begin o ering high-speed internet to portions of the city this year.

“We have been experiencing growth in a lot of di erent directions, in our home state as well as Colorado and Arizona,” Spady said. “We have been in the business of bringing ber to homes for at least 20 years.”

e company, which started in Scottsblu , Nebraska in 2003, currently o ers its services in a handful of Colorado communities, including Erie, Greeley and Breckenridge.

“We are always looking to grow,” Spady said. “We have conversations ongoing with other community leaders through various regions. If they are interested, we have a page on our website where people can ll out a form requesting we come to their

city, and we recommend they send that along to their leaders.”

e company website puts the company’s Brighton o ce location at 139 N. Main St.

Higher speeds, up and down

Fiber optic internet service uses cables that are thinner than standard cable TV coaxial cables with potentially faster speeds across the internet, but uploads and download speeds.

“I can’t speak to the speeds that coaxial cable o ers but ours starts at one gig, with symmetrical speeds in either direction — uploads or downloads,” she said. “ at really is something we can brag about.”

Brighton councilors discussed a land lease agreement at their Feb. 7 meeting with Allo for a 1,250 squarefoot portion of the city-owned lot at 14950 Brighton Road. e company is building a central hub for the new ber optic network in Brighton there, Deputy City Manager Marv Falconberg said.

Falconberg said the construction work across Brighton should take 18 months to complete.

Allo representative Jacob Higashi told councilors the work will start on the western side of the city along Interstate 76 before moving east. e company will place signs along construction sites and plans to mail information about their service to Brighton residents.

e company is paying Brighton $700 per month to lease the land for

their hub. It’s a ten-year lease with options to extend it.

e company has not released price packages for Brighton. In other markets, Allo o ers telephone, internet and television services all bundled together or individually. In Greeley, the company charges up to $185 per month for the fastest 2.3-gigabit internet and $105 per month for single gigabit internet speeds.

Television service in Greeley begins at $26 per month for local channels and $81 for local and basic TV channels like ESPN, Discovery, A&E, TBS and the like. Premium channels like HBO and Apple TV are also available.

“We are di erent than a cable TV provider, in that it’s not via coaxial cable,” Spady said. “We actually bring ber-optics into the home but

everything is available.”

SCOTT TAYLOR

Phone service in Greeley currently costs $15 per month.

Packages for all three in Greeley cost $190 and $186 for gigabit internet and television.

e company is designing its network in Erie now, with actual construction underway in the neighborhood south of Isabelle Road and east of 111th St.

Councilors were generally pleased to have a new internet provider for residents.

“I’m glad that you’re here,” Councilor Peter Padilla said. “I think competition is a good thing and this helps to begin advance technology and availability across the city. Competition for companies that have been at it a long time is always a good thing.”

Allo Fiber plans to make this o ce, at 139 Main St. in Brighton, its new location.

Centura Health announces its breakup with others

AdventHealth, CommonSpirit to go alone

BY JOHN INGOLD THE COLORADO SUN

On Valentine’s Day, one of the largest hospital systems in Colorado announced that it is getting a divorce.

For more than a quarter-century, Centura Health has operated as a partnership between CommonSpirit Health and AdventHealth. Centura announced that CommonSpirit Health, which is Catholic-a liated, and AdventHealth, which is a liated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, will split, with each planning to manage their respective hospitals separately.

“CommonSpirit Health and AdventHealth have collaboratively agreed that they can best serve their communities and health care ministries without a partnership,” a news release announced.

Centura will continue to manage all 20 hospitals until the dissolution is nalized. e news release stated that there will not be any disruption to patient care, and the two divorcing systems said they are committed to their employees and patients during

Family Helping Your Family

ANDREWS

the transition.

“CommonSpirit Health and AdventHealth maintain a strong relationship and are united in their commitment to the caregivers and ensuring the communities they serve have access to the best health care during and well beyond this transition,” the news release stated.

e release provided few details about the split, and contained no statements by executives explaining the decision. It did not provide a timeframe for how long it will take to unwind the partnership. A Centura spokeswoman would not even con rm if this announcement means that the Centura Health name will disappear.

“We will only be issuing the release at this time,” she wrote in a text message. Combined, Centura manages 20 hospitals in Colorado and Kansas, and it ranks as the second-largest hospital system in Colorado in terms of revenue. In 2020, Centura Health hospitals statewide brought in more than $3 billion in net patient revenue, according to a report by independent health care consultant Allan Baumgarten. at ranked it behind only UCHealth in terms of statewide net patient revenue.

In the Centura Health marriage, CommonSpirit was the heavyweight, owning 15 of the 20 hospitals. Once

Barry Leon Andrews August 8, 1951 - February 14, 2023

IN THE CARE OF Forest Lawn Funeral Home & Memorial Park

Barry Leon Andrews, 71, of Orange, Texas., died Tuesday, February 14, 2023, at Harbor Hospice House in Beaumont, Texas. Barry was a longtime resident of Brighton, CO. before moving to Orange, TX. 6 years ago. Barry enjoyed watching baseball, shing, riding his Harley, and loved to travel.

Cremation arrangements were entrusted with Forest Lawn Funeral Home in Beaumont, Texas.

Barry was preceded in death by his father Delbert Dean Andrews, and grandsons, Jesse James Watson, and Jase Watson.

Barry is survived by his daughter Jacey Smith of Brighton, CO., mother Vera Maxine Kramer Andrews of Windsor, CO., brothers, Larry Andrews of Brighton, CO., and Darry Andrews and his wife Becky of Greeley,

CO., sister, Karry Kallsen of Berthoud, CO., granddaughter, Jondra Watson of Brighton, CO., nieces Heather Hawkins and her husband Dave of Eaton, CO., Whitney Jaramillo and her husband Dominic of Los Lunas, NM., Candace Andrews and her husband Devin O’Neil of Loveland, CO., Amy Hill and her signi cant other Brian of Brighton, CO. and Nicole Fye of Seattle WA., nephews Andy Kallsen and his wife Sarah of Parker, CO., Josh Kallsen and his wife Cindy of Castle Rock, CO., Nicholaus Kallsen and his wife Debra of Berthoud, CO., Chad Kallsen and his wife Nicole of Greeley, CO., Cli Kallsen and his wife Carrie of Bloomington, IL., Brett Stetzel and his signi cant other Cheri Cervantes of Greeley, CO., Aaron Fye and his wife Carrie of Brighton, CO., Ryan Fye and his wife Erica of ornton, CO., and numerous great nieces and nephews.

Barry will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

the partnership is dissolved, CommonSpirit will independently manage: Longmont United Hospital; OrthoColorado Hospital in Lakewood; Mercy Hospital in Durango; Penrose Hospital and St. Francis Hospital, both in Colorado Springs; St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood; St. Anthony North Hospital in Westminster; St. Anthony Summit Hospital in Frisco; St. Elizabeth Hospital in Fort Morgan; St. Mary-Corwin Hospital in Pueblo; and St. omas More Hospital in Cañon City. e chain will also manage three hospitals in Kansas — Bob Wilson Memorial Hospital in Ulysses; St. Catherine Hospital in Dodge City; and St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City — as well as a new hospital opening this summer in Colorado Springs.

AdventHealth owned the other ve hospitals currently part of Centura: Avista Adventist Hospital in Louisville; Castle Rock Adventist Hospital; Littleton Adventist Hospital; Parker Adventist Hospital; and Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver.

Baumgarten, the health care consultant, said the news reminded him of a similar breakup that happened in Illinois in 2021, when AdventHealth and the Catholic-a liated Ascension broke up a partnership they had formed named Amita. In that divorce,

Baumgarten said it was likely that the two sides disagreed about how to grow the joint company.

Centura has been around longer, though, Baumgarten said, and it was not immediately clear to him what might be driving the split. He mentioned possible tensions over Catholic health directives, especially in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. e Catholic hospitals in the Centura system do not perform abortions and will perform sterilization procedures only rarely — something that Centura had recently re-emphasized at Mercy Hospital in Durango.

“It’s also not unusual to have disputes about money,” he added. e news release contained no mention of what will happen with people employed directly by Centura Health, as opposed to an individual hospital. at includes CEO Peter Banko, who has led Centura since 2007.

is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

Grace Geneveve (Flynn) Russell

March 13, 1928 - February 14, 2023

Grace Genevieve Russell Scott was born March 13, 1928 in Mission, South Dakota and passed away peacefully on February 14, 2023 in Brighton Colorado.

Grace spent many happy years at Dog Ear Lake, Winner, South Dakota where she enjoyed outdoor sports eventually working as a pheasant hunting guide.

Grace’s life would revolve around her love of ying starting in her teen years wiring B29s for the war e ort. After earning her private pilot license, Grace and her rst husband Jack Russell managed the Gregory SD airport from 1952 to 1956. She spent some years as a ight instructor in Longmont CO. Grace’s business, Russell Aircraft, received the #1 sales award covering the Rocky Mountain zone of ve states in 1966. Grace completed an Atlantic crossing from Colorado, through Iceland, and on to Germany to deliver a Cessna 310 aircraft in 1985.

Always extremely creative and an entrepreneur, Grace eventually opened the Fountain of Health artesian water business in Brighton CO which she ran for over 30 years. e “Water Lady” as she was known, enjoyed visiting with her customers and handing out candies to the children. Grace was an incredible woman who touched the lives of everyone she met.

She was also a very talented artist who enjoyed painting and sketching.

Grace will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed by her family. Grace was predeceased by her husband S.H. “Bud” Scott in 2022, her grandson Christopher Russell and her son-in-law Mark Flynn. She is survived by her two children Kenneth (Jovita) Russell of Brighton, CO, and Evelyn Flynn, Saskatoon, SK Canada, three grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. ere will be a service at a later date in South

RUSSELL

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United Power will host four Meet the Candidate forums throughout its Colorado service territory so members can learn more about the candidates vying to serve on the board of directors.

United Power will host events in Brighton, Golden, Longmont and Fort Lupton in March to introduce the candidates.

Nine candidates are running for election to the United Power Board of Directors in 2023 with four positions on the board up for election.

e director candidates are Tamra

“Tami” Waltemath in the Mountain District; Jamie Klein, Ken Kreutzer, Katherine “Kathy” Mills, and James Vigesaa in the South District; Virginia A. “Ginny” Buczek and omas “Tom” Hogan in the West District; and Steven “Steve” Douglas and Robert “Rob” Masden in the East District.

-

CROWSSUPDRO ELZZ

©

TRIVIA

2. MOVIES: What subject does Professor Minerva McGonagall teach at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?

3. HISTORY: Where was civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated?

4. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president had a sign on his desk that read, “ e Buck Stops Here”?

5. GEOGRAPHY: Where is the world’s largest desert?

6. LITERATURE: What is the real name of the author Lemony Snicket?

7. FOOD & DRINK: What is the fruit that gives the liqueur creme de cassis its avor?

8. MUSIC: What inspired the Beatles’ song “Blackbird”?

Solution

9. CELEBRITIES: What is singer/actress Judy Garland’s birth name?

10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What are squirrels’ nests called?

Answers

1. “Mad Men.”

2. Trans guration.

3. Memphis, Tennessee.

4. Harry Truman.

5. Antarctica.

6. Daniel Handler.

7. Black currants.

8. Civil rights unrest in Little Rock, Arkansas, according to Paul McCartney.

9. Frances Ethel Gumm.

10. Dreys.

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Public Notices call

303-566-4123

Legals

City and County

Public Notice

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PLANNING COMMISSION

COMMERCE CITY, COLORADO

Notice is hereby given that this public hearing will be conducted on March 7, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. at the Commerce City Civic Center, 7887 East 60th Avenue. The Planning Commission will consider:

1. CU-91-10-15-23: CoreCivic is requesting a Conditional Use Permit Renewal to allow the continued operation of an existing community corrections facility at 4901 Krameria Street.

2.Z-962-20-23: QuikTrip Corporation is requesting an Annexation Zone Change from ADCO PUD (Adams County Planned Unit Development) to Commerce City PUD (for commercial development) located at the southwest corner of East 81st Avenue and Tower Road.

3.CU-133-23: Doka USA is requesting the approval of a Conditional Use Permit in order to allow outdoor storage of scaffolding and related equipment up to 30-feet in height for the approx. 11.8 acre property located at 8780 E. 93rd Street, zoned (PUD) Marty Farms Planned Unit Development District.

Advance registration for virtual testimony/ public input is required. Additional information and instructions to register for testimony can be found in the published agenda at https://commerce.legistar.com and at www.c3gov.com/PC or by contacting staff at 303-227-8847 or eflores@c3gov.com.

Notificatcion de un Proyecto de Desarrollo potencial cerca de su propiedad. Para servicios de traduccion en espanol, llame a Evelyn Flores 303-227-8847.

Andrew Amador

Planning Commission Acting Chairman

Legal Notice No. CCX907

First Publication: February 23, 2023

Last Publication: February 23, 2023

Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel

Express

PUBLIC NOTICE

Public notice is hereby given that the following ordinances were introduced on first reading on the 6th day of February 2023, by the City Council of Commerce City and will be considered on second and final reading on the 6th day of March 2023.

INTRODUCED BY:ALLEN-THOMAS, DOUGLAS, FORD, HURST, HUSEMAN, KIM, MADERA, MILLARD-CHACON, NOBLE

Ordinance 2390 – FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE OF THE CITY OF COMMERCE CITY BY UPDATING THE ROAD IMPACT FEES BASED ON THE RECENT IMPACT FEE STUDY

Ordinance 2391 – FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE OF THE CITY OF COMMERCE CITY BY UPDATING THE DRAINAGE IMPACT FEES BASED ON THE RECENT IMPACT FEE STUDY

Ordinance 2460 – AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ARTICLE II OF CHAPTER 3 OF THE COMMERCE CITY REVISED MUNICIPAL CODE TO FIX ERRORS CREATED BY AMENDMENTS THAT INADVERTENTLY OMITTED FINES FOR CERTAIN CODE VIOLATIONS AND RE-ENACTS PENALTIES ASSOCIATED WITH OIL AND GAS OPERATIONS, WEEDS, AND PROPERTY MAINTENANCE VIOLATIONS

Copies of said ordinance are on file in the Office of the City Clerk, City of Commerce City at 7887 E. 60th Ave., Commerce City, CO 80022, for public inspection during the hours 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. During instances of the city facilities being closed, electronic copies may be requested via email to dgibson@ c3gov.com.

BY ORDER OF CITY COUNCIL CITY OF COMMERCE CITY

TRANSFERRING PORTIONS OF THE UNENCUMBERED FUND BALANCES IN THE POLICE FORFEITURE - FEDERAL A ND POLICE FORFEITURE - STATE FUNDS TO THE FLEET MANAGEMENT FUND TO BE USED FOR THE PURCHASE OF A BEARCAT FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $280,000 AND AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE THEREOF

Ordinance 2456 – SECOND AND FINAL READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2023 BUDGET OF THE CITY OF COMMERCE CITY, COLORADO BY THE RECOGNITION OF THE ADAMS COUNTY OPEN SPACE GRANT FOR FAIRFAX PARK IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $700,000 AND THE A UTHORIZATIONOF THE EXPENDITURE THEREOF.

Ordinance 2457 – SECOND AND FINAL READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2023 BUDGET OF THE CITY OF COMMERCE CITY, COLORADO BY THE RECOGNITION OF THE ADAMS COUNTY OPEN SPACE GRANT FOR STAMPEDE PARK IMPROVEMENTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $375,000 AND THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE EXPENDITURE THEREOF

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON INCLUSION OF PROPERTY INTO BNC METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 2

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that there has been filed with the Board of Directors of BNC Metropolitan District No. 2 (the “District”), County of Adams, a petition from a landowner praying that certain property, which is described below, be included into the boundaries of the District. One hundred percent (100%) of the owners of the property identified in the petition have given their consent to the inclusion of the property into the District’s boundaries. Accordingly, notice is hereby given to all interested persons that they shall appear at a public hearing at 6:00 P.M. on Tuesday February 21, 2023 to be held at the Bison Ridge Recreation Center (13905 E 112th Ave, Commerce City, CO 80022). Interested persons must also show cause in writing why the petition should not be granted. The Board of Directors of the District, in its own discretion, may continue the hearing(s) to a subsequent meeting.

The name and address of the petitioner is as follows:

KB Home Colorado, Inc located at 7807 E Peakview Ave, Suite 100 Centennial, CO 80111. The property for which exclusion is sought is generally described as all land – approximately 31.149 acres – located within Turnberry Subdivison Filing No 8, which is located in Commerce City, Colorado in the southeast corner of the intersection of Highway 2 and 112th Avenue.

BY: Brittany Rodriguez, Assistant

City Clerk

Legal Notice No. CCX904

First Publication: February 23, 2023

Last Publication: February 23, 2023 Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express

Public Notice

Public notice is hereby given that the following ordinances passed on second and final reading on the 6th day of February, 2023, by the City Council of Commerce City, Colorado and will be in full force and effect five days after publication.

Ordinance 2451 – SECOND AND FINAL READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2023 BUDGET OF THE CITY OF COMMERCE CITY, COLORADO, BY APPROPRIATING A PORTION OF THE UNENCUMBERED FUND BALANCE OF THE FLEET MANAGEMENT FUND AND

Ordinance 2459 – SECOND AND FINAL READING OF AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2023 BUDGET OF THE CITY OF COM ME RCE CIT Y, COLORA DO, BY APPROPRIATING A PORTION OF THE UNENCUMBERED FUND BALANCE OF THE GENERAL FUND AND TRANSFERRING TO DESIGNATED FUNDS PORTIONS OF THE UNENCUMBERED FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $1,353,241 TO BE USED FOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH MYC3 PROGRAMMING AND AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE THEREOF

Copies of said ordinances are on file in the Office of the City Clerk, City of Commerce City, 7887 E. 60th Ave., Commerce City, CO 80022, for public inspection during the hours 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. During instances of the city facilities being closed, electronic copies may be requested via email to dgibson@ c3gov.com.

BY ORDER OF CITY COUNCIL CITY OF COMMERCE CITY

Legal Notice No. CCX905

First Publication: February 23, 2023

Last Publication: February 23, 2023

P ublisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express Metropolitan Districts

Notice

A full and complete legal description of the property petitioned for exclusion is on file at the offices of the District Manager, Charles Wolfersberger, 8354 Northfield Blvd Building G, Suite 3700 Denver, CO 80238 and is available for public inspection during regular business hours 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Such legal description can also be provided upon request by emailing the District Manager at charles@ wolfersbergerLLC.com.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF:

BNC METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 2 ADAMS COUNTY, COLORADO

By: Charles Wolfersberger District Manager

Legal Notice No. CCX903

First Publication: February 23, 2023

Last Publication: February 23, 2023

Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express

Adams City’s Gutierrez takes second

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

DENVER -- Doherty’s Katey Roybal needed overtime to beat Adams City’s Phoebe Gutierrez

9-7 in the nals of the 100-pound weight class at the state girls wrestling tournament at Ball Arena

Feb. 18.

Gutierrez picked up an escape as time ran out in the third period to force the overtime.

Gutierrez, who nished with a record of 36-6. pinned one opponent,

earned a major decision win in the semi nals over Bennett’s Marie Jordan and scored a 10-5 decision over Brighton’s Kiahna Spellman in the quarter nals.

Elsewhere, Angelica Quintana-A cial (125 pounds) and Leyla Jaquez (130) are out of the tournament. Quintana-A cial lost both of her matches and nished with a mark of 8-22 this season. Jaquez won one of her three matches and nished with a mark of 15-17.

Adams City’s Deaguero, Long earn 5A titles

BY STAFF REPORT

DENVER -- Adams City took home two state titles from the state wrestling championships and a runner-up crown after the last night of the state tournament Feb. 18 at Ball Arena.

Daniel Long had to go into overtime to beat Rock Canyon’s Sammy Mobly 3-1 for the 157-pound title. Long pinned two opponents and then survived the semi nal match against Fruita Monument’s Dylan Chelewski 5-4.

Levi Deaguero earned a tough, 3-2 decision over Dante Hutchings of Po-

mona in the 165-pound nal. Deaguero pinned his rst three opponents at state in a combined time of about eight minutes.

Seth Deaguero was the runner-up at 150 pounds. Pomona’s Vincent Cabral won the title by a score of 10-5.

Maximus Gutierrez was fourth at 144 pounds. Micah Ortiz (190) nished eighth.

e Eagles’ other quali ers

-- Nicholas Vasquez (106), Marcos LaCrue (113), Azaiah Ortega (126) and Andres Lacrue (175) -- did not place.

Public Notices

Bids and Settlements

Public Notice

FINAL SETTLEMENT

Project Title: Porteos –Phase 6 (Segment 2) Infrastructure

Project Owners: Velocity Metropolitan District

Project Location: City of Aurora, Colorado

The Velocity Metropolitan District plans to accept the above titled project as substantially complete and for Final Settlement to Hudick Excavating Inc. after March 23, 2023. In accordance with the Contract Documents, the Velocity Metropolitan District may withhold a portion of the remaining payment to be made to Hudick Excavating Inc., as necessary, to protect the Velocity Metropolitan District from loss on account of claims filed and failure of Hudick Excavating inc. to make payments properly to subcontractors or suppliers.

Project suppliers and subcontractors of Hudick Excavating Inc. are hereby notified that unresolved outstanding claims must be certified and forwarded to:

Contact Person: BarneyFix, P.E.

Address: 5970 Greenwood Plaza Blvd. Greenwood Village, CO 80111

as soon as possible, but no later than March 16, 2023

Legal Notice No. CCX902

First Publication: February 23, 2023

Last Publication: March 9, 2023

Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel

Express Non-Consecutive Publications

Notice to Creditors

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Patty J. Hiner, aka Patty Jo Hiner, aka Patty Hiner, deceased

Case Number: 2023PR30100

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 23, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Terri Appel and Stacy Kinsella

Personal Representative

6971 Kearney Street Commerce City, Colorado 80022

Legal Notice No.CCX906

First publication: February 23, 2023

Last publication: March 09, 2023

Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of BARTOLO ONTIVEROS SANCHEZ, Deceased

Case Number: 2023 PR 27

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Adams County, Colorado on or before June 16, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Brenda Minette Medina

Personal Representative

13629 W San Miguel Ave Litchfield Park AZ 85340

Legal Notice No. CCX901

First Publication: February 16, 2023

Last Publication: March 2, 2023

Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express

Name Changes

PUBLIC NOTICE

Public Notice of Petition for Change of Name

Public notice is given on January 24, 2023, that a Petition for a Change of Name of an adult has been filed with the Adams County Court.

The petition requests that the name of Jessica Crystal Vinton be changed to Cybil Renee Peck

Case No.: 22 C 1992

By: Deputy Clerk

Legal Notice No. CCX900

First Publication: February 16, 2023

Last Publication: March 2, 2023

Publisher: Commerce City Sentinel Express

###

Adams City’s Phoebe Gutierrez controls the action against Katey Valdez of Doherty in the 100-pound finals of the state girls wrestling tournament Feb. 18 at Ball Arena.

STEVE SMITH

Pomona’s Vincent Cabral tries to flip Adams City’s Seth Deaguero on his head during the 150-pound finals at the state 5A wrestling tournament Feb. 18 at Ball Arena.

PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH

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