NORTON

Reading so many di erent types of books also inspires tremendous creativity.

So here is my current reading list, hopefully one or two may be of interest to you.

Faith-based books: “Mission Possible” by Tim Tebow, “All ings New” by John Eldridge, “If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat” by John Ortberg, “Let the Journey Begin” by Max Lucado, “ e Carpenter” by Jon Gordon

History or biography books: “ e Forgotten 500” by Gregory A. Freeman, “ e Last Stand” by Nathaniel Philbrick, “George Washington’s Secret Six” by Brian Kilmead and Don Yaeger, “ e Nine” by Gwen Strauss

Business books: “How to Sell to the Modern Buyer” by David Mattson, “10 Leadership Virtues for Disruptive Times” by Tom Ziglar, “Smart Brevity” by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, Roy Schwartz, “Traction” by Gino Wickman

Personal development books: “ e Power of Who” by Bob Beaudine, “ e Power of Community” by Howard Partridge, “Becoming a Master Communicator” by Renee Marino, “What Drives You” by Kevin Miller, “Growth with Goals” by Jill Hellwig

Fiction books: “Dark Vector” by

Guest Column

David L. Corliss

try parking at the Encore garage at Perry and South streets and riding the Town Trolley to this event. e trolley will run between the garage and school through 7:45 p.m.

Budget open house

Major initiatives anticipated in 2024 will be the focus of our Aug. 22 budget open house, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Festival Park, 300 Second St. Come learn how Town services are funded and what resources are expected to be available. en, share your thoughts on what the Town’s priorities should be for next year and beyond.

Town Council will consider the 2024 budget and ve-year nancial plan later this fall. View the latest Council meeting agenda at CRgov. com/CouncilMeeting

Councilmember open houses

Your Town Councilmembers will host a series of open houses this

Clive Cussler, “Wild Fire” by Nelson DeMille, “ e Lion” by Nelson DeMille, “American Assassin” by Vince Flynn, “Transfer of Power” by Vince Flynn fall. Residents are encouraged to attend, ask questions and share their thoughts about Town topics.

Again, those are just my recent favorites and if you are looking for a good book in a speci c genre, hopefully this list helps or inspires you to look at similar titles.

And remember what Mary Schmich says about reading, “Reading is a discount ticket to everywhere.” It is so true, we can let whatever it is we read to lead us into a new paradigm and bring us into a new place mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Reading broadens our knowledge and leads us to new horizons. And the only thing that we are bound by is our own time and willingness to commit to making the e ort to read and read more often.

How about you? What are you reading these days? I always love getting fantastic book recommendations from our community and sharing what we both get out of the reading. I would love to see your list at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can read to learn, grow, imagine and escape it really will be a better than good life.

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

No formal presentations are planned, but Town sta members will be present in addition to Councilmembers.

Each open house will run from 4 to 6 p.m. Dates and locations are as follows:

• Tuesday, Aug. 29, Fire Station 153, 5463 E. Sovereign St., hosted by District 5 Councilmember Max Brooks

• Wednesday, Sept. 20, Cantril School, 312 Cantril St., hosted by District 4 Councilmember Desiree LaFleur

• Tuesday, Sept. 26, e Oaks at Plum Creek, 321 Players Club Drive, hosted by District 6 Councilmember Tim Dietz

• Tuesday, Oct. 24, e Grange,

3692 Meadows Blvd., hosted by District 1 Councilmember Ryan Hollingshead and Mayor Pro Tem/ District 3 Councilmember Kevin Bracken

• Monday, Oct. 30, Fire Station 155, 3833 Crowfoot Valley Road, hosted by District 2 Councilmember Laura Cavey

Find your Council district at CRgov.com/ElectionDistricts. Speaking of nding things, you’re likely to nd cold treats being handed out by helpful heroes during these events. And, once the weather turns colder, they are planning to share something to help warm us up. I’ll leave it to you readers to decipher what this might mean. Or, better yet, come see for yourself.

David L. Corliss is the town manager of Castle Rock

Ann Louise Jones, age 73, of Castle Rock, Colorado passed away on Saturday, July 22, 2023. She was born at St. Francis Hospital in Colorado Springs, CO on April 10, 1950 to Arthur and Agnes Jacobs.

Ann attended Mountain View High School in Missouri and received her GED in 1978 after getting married and having her two children. She married William D. Jones on May 6, 1967 and was a homemaker during her children’s early years. She then worked at Douglas County High School in the o ce as well as several other small jobs in town.

Ann had a passion for helping others. She would make beautiful wedding cakes for family and friends as well as birthday cakes. She adored her grandkids and was very involved in their lives.

She is survived by her husband of 56 years William Jones; children: Christopher Jones and his wife Stacey, Kimberly (Jones)

Wallace and her husband Brian; grandchildren: Kelsea Wallace, Tanner Jones, Gabrielle Wallace, Elisabeth (Wallace) Gonzalez, Zach Remer, Sierra Remer; greatgrandchildren: Beckham Proctor, Zeke Proctor; siblings: Alice Jones, Alan Wills, Amy Smith, Abby Mosher, Alma Aragon, Andy Wills, Sherry Jacobs and Robert Jacobs.

In lieu of owers please make a donation to Alzheimer’s Association or National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Ann’s name.

Our beloved mother was instrumental in prayer for her family. Because of her, our family has a rm spiritual life. We are so thankful for the gift of Ann and the love and support that she continually provided.

A Celebration of life will be held on Saturday, September 9, 2023 from 1-4pm at Chris Jones’ home.

Www.OlingerAndrews.Com

Samera Major Baird, was born in Tennessee and passed away in Castle Rock, Colorado on July 27, 2023. She was a beloved member of his family and community and will be dearly missed. For more information on services, where to send donations, or to read a full-length obituary, please visit: thenaturalfuneral.com/obituaries

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

For those who haven’t stopped by their local library in recent years, it’s not just a place to pick up and drop o books anymore.

In the post-pandemic era, libraries have become meeting places, remote work spaces, play areas and more. Rather than the repositories of books and other print media they once were, libraries are taking on more of a community center role, sta members at Denverarea library districts explained.

“ ey’ve always had that role,” said Holly Grant of the Clear Creek County Library District. “But now, it’s about … not just seeing (a library) as a storehouse of knowledge and scholarship.”

To that end, libraries have diversi ed the items and programs they o er to address community needs. Depending on the district, patrons can check out everything from camping equipment to virtual reality headsets. Additionally, patrons can access video- and audiobook-streaming services for free with their library cards.

Plus, along with children’s storytime and book clubs, library events and programs can range from puppy yoga to snowshoe hikes.

“It’s a very di erent library than what many of us grew up with,” Holly Whelan of Arapahoe Libraries said. “ … We have everything, everything, everything.”

Items and resources aplenty

Whelan’s words aren’t an exaggeration, as sta members from multiple districts said their libraries o er so much it’s hard for them to remember everything. So, before buying, renting or downloading something, check the library rst.

Along with books, movies and comics, districts have nontraditional items for check-out. Many o er laptops, iPads, Kindles, mobile WiFi hotspots, passes to local museums, cookware, GoPro cameras and science kits.

Mark Fink, executive director of Anythink Libraries — which has branches from ornton to Bennett — said his district’s TryIts collection includes musical instruments for various experience levels; lawn games; outdoor gear like snowshoes and backpacks; 3-D printers; sewing machines and crafting kits; and microscopes.

People have borrowed them for weekend barbecues, camping trips, one-o projects, or to see whether they’d want to buy their own. Fink said the TryIts collection has been so popular, Anythink Libraries has “expanded the level of items we provide.”

O ering items like these saves patrons money and helps the environment too, Grant pointed out, as people aren’t buying things they might only use once.

Along with physical items, districts have several online resources patrons can access with their library cards. rough these apps and online services, patrons can download e-books and audiobooks, stream movies and TV shows, and access tutoring services and online classes — all for free.

Lizzie Gall of Je erson County Public Library said patrons who used to spend money on Audible and Net ix have saved money by nding their items through the library instead.

In-person services are also crucial, whether it’s answering technological questions or notarizing documents. Grant said Clear Creek patrons have asked for help setting up their Kindles and reviewing their emails, and tourists often stop into the Idaho Springs and Georgetown branches to ask questions about local sites and museums.

As Whelan summarized it: “If you think the library isn’t for you, or we don’t have anything to o er, think again. … We have something for everybody.”

Unique programs, events

Beyond summer reading and book clubs, libraries have expanded the type of events and programs they o er — ranging from outdoor and out-of-library adventures, to arts and culture, to physical and mental health. Almost all are free and open to everyone, including out-of-district attendees. Some may require preregistration and/or tickets to cover event costs.

Clear Creek has hosted everything from snowshoe hikes to American Sign Language classes. It also has free present-wrapping stations in December, which are immensely popular, Grant said.

Both Je erson County and Arapahoe libraries have hosted after-hours laser tag for teens, which are well-attended and sometimes have fun themes like “Star Wars.” Gall highlighted other teen events, like this August’s Teen Iron Chef and the ongoing Coding Camp, which has expanded to include preteens.

Summertime outdoor concert series are a seed library at one of its