Clear Creek Courant 121521

INSIDE Clear Creek County peak gets new name PAGE 7

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A brisk celebration in Empire

75 CENTS

Former ISPD officer pleads guilty to misdemeanor assault

Sentencing scheduled for Jan. 27

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

But there was coffee, hot chocolate and brownies, plus bags of goodies for the kids. In addition, each child received a $50 gift card to Walmart, courtesy of the town and donations from businesses.

Rather than asking businesses for door prizes, Piel said, the town gave businesses $25 to help pay for the door prizes that included hot chocolate-making kits, flavored pop-

Former Idaho Springs police officer Nicholas Hanning has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge for deploying a stun-gun against 75-year-old Michael Clark.

As part of his guilty plea, he must also give up his Colorado peace officer’s certificaHanning tion, and can never serve in Colorado law enforcement again.

Hanning is scheduled to be sentenced at 2 p.m. on Jan. 27.

On May 30, Hanning and another ISPD officer responded to Clark’s Idaho Springs home for a reported assault. Clark was standing in his doorway, unarmed, and complaining about his loud neighbors when Hanning deployed the stun-gun.

Since then, Michael Clark has suffered serious health complications, including loss of mobility and

SEE EMPIRE, P4

SEE HANNING, P6

The Hailpern children, from left, Kaison, 6, Decklynn, 3, and Kyaler, 5, open the bags of goodies they received at the Empire Christmas celebration at Minton Park on Dec. 11. The gusting winds made the outdoor party frigid but fun for kids and parents alike.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Spirits high despite winds that changed annual Christmas party

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

While the weather may not have cooperated, the Empire Christmas celebration at Minton Park on Dec. JoshSpinner- Broker, Owner Local Expert since1999

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The howling winds made holiday decorations and kazoo caroling impossible, yet kids received gifts and adults received door prizes — and the families gathered under the pavilion at the park still enjoyed themselves.

Town Clerk Jeannette Piel called Empire residents a hardy bunch, and hardy they were as they dressed in layers to battle the harsh wind.

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December 15, 2021

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the period 1893-2019). Any weather records noted are based on a comparison of the observed value with the historical dataCourant set.

Clear Creek

December 15, 2021

Weather Observations for Georgetown, Colorado

Day and date of observation (2021)

Week of December 6, 2021

Monday, 12/6 Tuesday, 12/7 Wednesday, 12/8 Thursday, 12/9 Friday, 12/10 Saturday, 12/11 Sunday, 12/12 Summary

A local National Weather Service volunteer observer makes temperature and precipitation observations each day at about 8 a.m. at the Georgetown Weather Station. Wind observations are made at Georgetown Lake. “Max” and “Min” temperatures are from digital displays of a “MMTS” (“Maximum/Minimum Temperature System”); “Mean daily” temperature is the calculated average of the max and min. “Total Precipitation” is inches of rainfall plus melted snow. “Snowfall” is inches of snow that accumulated during the preceding 24 hours. T = Trace of precipitation. NR = Not Reported. “Peak wind gust at Georgetown Lake” is the velocity in miles per hour and the time of the maximum wind gust that occurred during the calendar day preceding the date of observation. Historic data are based on the period of record for which statistical data have been compiled (about 52 years within the period 1893-2019). Any weather records noted are based on a comparison of the observed value with the historical data set.

Temperature (T) (degrees F) Max Min Mean daily

Week’s avg max, min, mean daily T; sum of TP, SF Historic week’s avg max, min, mean daily T; avg sum of TP, SF

54 44 40 48 42 23 42

Precipitation (P) (inches) Total Snowfall (TP) (SF)

During the 24 hours prior to 8 a.m.

18 36.0 0.00 0.0 31 37.5 0.00 0.0 27 33.5 0.00 0.0 32 40.0 T T 22 32.0 0.01 0.2 11 17.0 0.00 0.0 23 32.5 0.00 0.0

41.9

23.4

32.6

0.01

0.2

36.3

16.1

26.2

0.15

2.2

3

Peak wind gust at Georgetown Lake Velocity Time (mph) (24 hr) During the previous calendar day 78 0140 74 0240 54 1250 67 2110 54 0420 68 2320 75 1350

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December 15, 2021

Andrew Ratliff with Chase Fabrications in Empire with his son Griffin, 2.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Nate Hailpern pushes his son, Kyaler, 5, in a swing at Minton Park while waiting for gifts PHOTOS BY DEB HURLEY BROBST to be distributed.

Volunteer Bob Wise holds a door prize as Empire Town Clerk Jeannette Piel calls out the name of the winner.

EMPIRE FROM PAGE 1

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corn, gift certificates and more. Piel called the money a small gesture to thank businesses for supporting the town.

She hoped the prizes might get locals to shop local, noting that there was a symbiotic relationship between the townspeople and the shops and restaurants.

“At Christmas, we want to give to the shops, too,” she said.

The town was prepared for 50 to 60 children to attend, which has been the average in recent years, but the weather kept some families away. Empire has had a Christmas celebration in some form for at least 40 years, with a gift going to every child under 17 in the town.

Brittany and Nate Hailpern brough their three sons, Kaison, 6, Kyaler, 5, and Decklynn, 3, to the event, and they had fun playing on the swings before getting their bags of goodies. Brittany said she dressed everyone in layers to keep out the biting wind, and the boys didn’t seem to mind.

The family moved to Empire from Georgetown two months ago, and Brittany was impressed that the celebration went on despite the weather.

Amber Bielz sat at a picnic table with the flavored popcorn door prize she received, watching the two-

EMPIRE BUSINESSES THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION: Yogi at Phillips 66 Gas Station: flavored popcorn Amy Phan Widencamp at Pheastly Ltd.: homemade hot chocolate mix Emily Ratliff at Freewheel Coffee: roasted coffee beans Andrew Ratliff at Chase Fabrications: Metal cutout artwork of a moose and mountains Steven at The Backwaters Café: $25 gift certificate and coffee at the event Steve Skalski at Guanella Brewery: $25 gift card and pizza for the event staff Safeway in Idaho Springs: candy, water and coffee cups dozen attendees and waiting for her son, Chance, 7, to finish playing on the playground. She liked the celebration and said she came because Chance wanted to attend.

Town Board member Linda Robertson selected the door prize winners, while the Empire Police Department attended in full force, bringing a squad car with flashing lights.

Police Officer Andrew Lorenz said town officials and volunteers switched gears to make the celebration happen, though it was not as elaborate as they had hoped.

“Today we’re just winging it,” he said.

Clear Creek Courant 5

December 15, 2021

Miners Candle Fire 100% contained 15-acre blaze destroyed two homes, a few outbuildings

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The Miners Candle Fire southeast of Dumont was reported 100% contained on Dec. 7.

The fire started around 5 a.m. on Dec. 5. It completely destroyed two residences, three or four outbuildings, and about 15 acres total.

Officials evacuated 20-25 residences in the Miners Candle, Lamartine Road, Sunny Skies Trail and Trail Creek Road areas on Dec. 5, but those evacuation orders were lifted 11 a.m. Dec. 6.

During a Dec. 6 public meeting, Clear Creek Sheriff Rick Albers and Assitant Fire Chief Jeremy Jones said the incident started as a house fire in the 700 block of Miners Candle Road around 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. on Dec. 5. However, it wasn’t reported until around 6:15 a.m., when a Mill Creek resident across the valley called in a possible campfire.

The exact cause of the initial structure fire is still under investigation, Undersheriff Bruce Snelling confirmed on Dec. 7.

Jones said by the time firefighters arrived, the fire had spread to a second residence and it wasn’t defendable.

Residents of both homes were evacuated and no injuries were reported.

Dec. 5’s dry and windy conditions put much of the Front Range under a Red Flag Warning, and the Dumont area experienced wind speeds over 50 mph.

First responders went door-to-door in the surrounding area to evacuate residents around 8 a.m. on Dec. 5.

An evacuation center was set up at the former middle school building along Highway 103, and approximately 10 residents reported there.

Ultimately, three households were provided overnight accommodations by the Red Cross.

Albers also said all the evacuees’ pets and livestock had been accounted for.

Fourty-five firefighters from at least six agencies responded to the scene on Dec. 5, Albers said, and 35 firefighters continued working the next day.

Snelling said that while initial

The Miners Candle Fire can be seen from Highway 308 on Sunday morning. Evacuees were being sent to the former middle school on COURTESY OF SARAH MARIE CALHOUN Highway 103 in Idaho Springs.

weather conditions were frightening, the cooler temperatures that arrived later in the day on Dec. 5 and lasted into Dec. 6 ultimately helped.

By afternoon on Dec. 5, he said the fire had “laid down” and was burning more undergrowth and things closer to the ground.

“We appreciate everyone’s cooperation,” Snellilng said on Dec. 7. “A big thanks to the Clear Creek Fire Authority and all its partners for their quick response, for getting this under control and contained.”

Albers commended the community and local businesses for donating food to the first responders, saying, “When you’re fighting a fire, sandwiches are good anywhere you can get them.”

Evacuated residents Doug Glidden and Dave Mosch were grateful to the firefighters and dispatchers for all their work.

Mosch said he called dispatch after seeing smoke around 7 a.m. that Sunday and he was told to prepare for an evacuation. Meanwhile, Glidden recalled how three first responders showed up to his home around 8:30 a.m. to tell him to evacuate.

Glidden described how he has nine animals at home and evacuating all of them on Dec. 5 was stressful. Glidden said friends let them stay overnight in Idaho Springs.

While the animals were somewhat restless, Glidden said they were

safe, which was the most important thing.

“It was terrifying,” Glidden said of being evacuated, adding that this was the third fire he’s dealt with in 10 years.

Glidden lost his Idaho Springsarea home in a fire three years ago, and he said Dec. 5’s dry and windy conditions were horrifying. The high country desperately needs more snow, because without it, the area is on the verge of a major disaster, Glidden continued.

Meanwhile, Mosch commented how his family owns the nearby Phoenix Mine and just moved into a house along Trail Creek Road two weeks ago.

While other Americans have to deal with hurricanes or tornadoes, Coloradans have to deal with wildfires, Mosch described. Even so, he felt that dealing with wildfire dangers was worth living in such a beautiful place.

“It is what it is,” Mosch said of dealing with wildfires.

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PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN

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6 Clear Creek Courant

December 15, 2021

HANNING FROM PAGE 1

difficulty speaking.

Hanning was initially charged with third-degree assault of an at-risk person, a class 6 felony, and Michael Clark’s family members spoke against allowing Hanning to plea only to a misdemeanor.

Sarah Schielke, Michael Clark’s attorney, has filed a motion with the court asking that a special prosecutor be appointed to the case. Michael Clark and his family felt that Hanning was receiving special treatment from the Fifth Judicial District Attorney’s Office, as any other citizen would’ve received more and harsher charges.

During a Dec. 9 hearing, Schielke felt that charges of second-degree assault of an at-risk person, harassment, official misconduct, and others would’ve been appropriate.

“Instead of any of those offenses, we’re looking at just a misdemeanor assault,” Schielke told County Court Judge Cynthia Jones. “Mr. Clark is fighting for his life and will likely die as a result of what Officer Hanning did.”

Jones scheduled a Jan. 6 hearing to discuss Schielke’s motion, saying that Schielke didn’t file the motion in time for either the prosecution or defense to respond.

Jones accepted Hanning’s plea on the condition that, if the Jan. 6 motions hearing does find that a special prosecutor is warranted, that the misdemeanor plea is void and the entire process will start over.

The misdemeanor assault charge

Former Idaho Springs police officer Nicholas Hanning sits in court to the left of his defense attorney during his Dec. 9 hearing in Clear Creek County court.

POOL PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF KDVR

carries a possible sentence of six to 24 months in the county jail and $500-$5,000 in fines. Jones noted that the jail time for the misdemeanor is longer than the felony assault charge is. `His life has been destroyed’ During the hearing, after Schielke played a video message from Michael Clark, his children asked the court to not accept the plea deal and to allow the felony charge to go to trial, if need be.

Jeremy Clark said that if his dad had put Hanning in the hospital — rather than the other way around — he wouldn’t be pleading to a single misdemeanor.

“You’re the only person who can stop complete injustice from happening,” Jeremy Clark told Jones. “ …

Please ensure that justice is seen in this case, for my dad as for anybody else.”

Cynthia Flageolle noted how it’s been 193 days since Hanning stunned her dad, and since then, Michael Clark has only spent 49 of those days outside a care facility. He can’t feed himself; he can’t sit up on his own; he may never walk again; and his life span has been considerably shortened, Flageolle continued.

“My dad has been a provider, a caretaker and an amazing human being and has never hurt anybody,”

Flageolle continued. “ … His life has been destroyed. It’s an insult to us, and mainly my father, for this plea deal to go through.”

Steve Potts, deputy district attorney, assured the court that Hanning wasn’t receiving any favoritism in the plea agreement. The misdemeanor charge was based on several factors, including a lack of criminal history and Hanning agreeing to relinquish his peace officer certification.

Thus, while he recognized the Clark family disagreed with the plea agreement, Potts felt it would bring “finality” to the case.

Jones described how she’d received letters from the public, many of which asked her to levy harsher charges against Hanning for the May 30 incident. Jones explained she was unable to do so, as it was outside the role of the judicial branch. She said filing charges and making plea agreements is the District Attorney’s role.

Jones also noted that going to trial carries a certain amount of risk.

She said it could be delayed significantly, as a trial would likely be heard outside Clear Creek County. Plus, if there was a conviction, it wouldn’t automatically mean a prison sentence, she detailed.

Jones also explained that even a misdemeanor assault means Hanning can’t serve as an officer in Colorado and many other states.

“I know it’s been difficult and challenging,” she told the Clark family and others in the courtroom. “… I’m very sorry that this happened and you have to go through this. I have to consider whether this is an appropriate plea agreement within the bounds of the law.”

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Clear Creek Courant 7

December 15, 2021

Local peak renamed Mestaa’ehehe Mountain George Frederic Handel’s

MESSIAH Mestaa’ehehe Mountain, at right, is surrounded by clouds during sunset on Dec. 8. The mountain along Highway 103 was renamed in honor of Owl Woman, a Cheyenne figure and member of the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame. The mountain’s previous name was considered derogatory by locals and government bodies, and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names approved the Mestaa’ehehe Mountain petition on Dec. 9.

PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The U.S. Board on Geographic Names has approved petition to rename a Clear Creek County peak Mestaa’ehehe Mountain.

During a Dec. 9 meeting in Washington, D.C., the board approved changing the name from Squaw Mountain, a name government bodies have recognized as derogatory.

The Mestaa’ehehe Coalition — a group of name-change proponents — noted in an email that no public comment was required at the meeting, as stakeholders were unanimously supported the petition.

The mountain, which is along Highway 103 near Echo Mountain ski resort, has been renamed for Owl Woman, a notable Cheyenne figure. She helped maintain peaceful relations between local tribes and new settlers until she died in 1847.

Owl Woman was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in 1985.

In Oct. 2020, representatives from the Northern Cheyenne Tribe and the U.S. Forest Service filed a joint federal petition to rename the peak Mestaa’ehehe Mountain in her honor.

Over the summer, Clear Creek officials, Evergreen-and Idaho Springs-area residents, tribal representatives and people of indigenous descent discussed the merits of the Mestaa’ehehe Mountain petition.

Many who spoke at a June 1 county commissioners meeting described how disgusting the former name was. Many compared it to other gender-and race-based slurs, saying it’s unacceptable for such a beautiful area to have such an offensive name.

Clear Creek County ultimately told state officials it supported the Mestaa’ehehe Mountain petition.

In mid-September, the Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board recommended renaming the peak to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, which had final say on the matter.

Then, on Nov. 19, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland issued orders that would streamline the renaming process for all derogatory names, including an order assembling a task force to rename all federal lands that share the mountain’s former name.

Making the physical change While the name Mestaa’ehehe Mountain is official on paper, changing all the local items that bears the peak’s former name will take some time.

The mountain is on U.S. Forest Service land, and has a fire tower and telecommunications equipment at the summit, USFS spokeswoman K. Reid Armstrong described. The U.S. Forest Service will have to change its signage for the mountain, and Armstrong didn’t have an estimate on how long that will take.

The agency will also have to rename its fire tower and telecommunications equipment, which she said will be an internal process that will likely take several months.

Clear Creek County also has several roads that bear the mountain’s former name, and several locals have voiced their support for changing the roads’ names as well.

County officials previously explained that the roads bearing the peak’s previous name wouldn’t automatically change if the mountain’s did.

Now that the petition’s been approved, officials will have to decide whether and how to rename those roads, but there’s no formal proposal or process yet.

County Commissioner Randy Wheelock said the county will likely discuss that topic in 2022 now that the USBGN has approved the Mestaa’ehehe Mountain petition.

“I think a dialogue between local stakeholders and the indigenous community will help inform those decisions,” Wheelock said of the renaming the roads.

Residents have also wondered SEE RENAMING, P28

December 17 Friday, 7:30PM

December 19 Sunday, 4:30PM

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8 Clear Creek Courant

LOCAL

December 15, 2021

VOICES

It’s goodbye, again, and I have a favor to ask I’m not exactly sure what you’re supposed to do when you retire. I hear that often it involves hikes and beers with friends and reading the great books and binge-watching Marvel movies. Those all sound rewarding. But I’m not sure that’s going to hold me for long.

So for now at least, I’m staying away from using the word “retire” in referring to what’s happening to me this week. I’ll just call it a transition from one state of being to another.

After Dec.16, I am stepping down as editor of Colorado Community Media, the publisher of 24 weekly newspapers, of which this is one, across eight counties.

I’m a lucky guy to have been working full time for newspapers for almost all of the last 40 years.

Every stop on my professional train ride has been fulfilling and, for the most part, big fun. And I feel like I’ve played a small role in a great endeavor serving a vital public need: Providing honest news and information.

Actually, I first exited this job last fall – I called it “semi-retiring” at the time — as I approached 65. I settled into freelance writing and reporting for various outlets along with contract editing for The Colorado Sun.

Then, early this year, The Sun became co-owner of Colorado Community Media as a FROM partner in the ColoTHE EDITOR rado News Conservancy. Not long after that, Larry Ryckman, editor and co-founder of The Sun, asked if I would step back in for a few months while the hunt was underway for a new CCM publisher and Mark Harden permanent editor.

I’m grateful to Larry for the chance to work once again with our talented and enthusiastic crew of journalists. I’m also thankful that our new owners hired Linda Shapley, my former Denver Post colleague, as our publisher. She has worked tirelessly to bolster our business and to steer our company toward quality journalism and community service.

And come January, my role as CCM editor will be filled by Lisa Schlichtman, a veteran Colorado editor and a resourceful newsroom leader. I wish her great success.

The talented Thelma Grimes, who has been helping us cover Douglas County communities, has already

assumed my other role, as the regional editor overseeing our weekly newspapers in Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas and Elbert counties, with help from copy editor Scott Gilbert.

Thelma joins our regional editing team of Kristen Fiore (Jefferson and Clear Creek counties), Scott Taylor (Adams and Weld counties) and Christy Steadman (Denver neighborhood monthlies). Thanks to all of them for their efforts.

As you know, it’s been a tumultuous year amid the pandemic, with debates over masks, schools grappling with COVID-19 and race education, packed hospitals, contentious elections and businesses struggling to thrive again. Our reporters have shown dedication, creativity and courage in keeping you informed, in many cases covering stories that no one else is covering.

As I step away, I have a favor to ask. It’s expensive to bring you the news you need. So I’m hoping you will help CCM continue as an honest, independent, locally-focused information source with a contribution.

Consider it an investment in democracy.

Through an initiative called #newsCOneeds, in collaboration with the Colorado Media Project,

if you contribute to CCM from now until Dec. 31, your money will be doubled, up to $1,000, for a total of $5,000 in matching funds.

For information on how to support us, go online to coloradocommunitymedia.com/readers-care, or call 303-566-4100.

If you’re a business, you can help underwrite our community journalism by advertising. Visit ccmengage. com for information. If you’re a reader, please patronize businesses that advertise in this newspaper and thank them for their support.

CCM is headed to a bright future under Linda and Lisa’s leadership and with ownership committed to the best in community news. I will be watching closely from the sidelines and cheering on CCM’s successes. And I will be unfolding my hometown Centennial Citizen each week and clicking on ColoradoCommunityMedia.com to keep current.

It’s been a pleasure helping to bring you news. Thank you for reading, now and always. I wish you joyful holidays and a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

After Dec. 16, reach Mark at mhardenpro@gmail.com. On Twitter: @MarkHardenNews

County’s mask mandate does more harm than good After the greedy guy chooses and drinks from the wrong cup and gets vaporized in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” the 700-year-old knight drolly states, “He chose poorly.” Indeed, like so many others today with regard to vaccination.

When one chooses poorly despite clear evidence, dastardly things can happen, and it is reasonable and ethically fitting that they accept the consequences.

As I wryly said to recalcitrant students grousing about consequences they got for not meeting expectations, “Bummer, dude.”

The county commissioners imposing another mask mandate is a case of choosing poorly. Mask wearing is more than an inconvenience, as Commissioner Marlin flippantly dismissed it. It is deleterious to the health of local businesses and the mental health of many seniors and young adults.

The decision to impose the mandate in the midst of the Georgetown Christmas Market, upon which Georgetown businesses heavily depend, was arbitrary and capricious. It was a betrayal of trust for vendors, artisans and writers who invested good money for the opportunity to market their wares after a year hiatus.

(Full disclosure: I organize the Bighorn Book Nook.) Simply put, the commissioners changed the rules in the middle of the game.

For seniors already isolated and feeling alone, seeing their fellow

humans’ smiles and frowns helps compensate for the long hours they’re alone. For young adults, social interaction and development are oxygen and water. As Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone.”

Columnist Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy recently addressed the worsening mental health crisis among young adults, which had increased dramatically before the pandemic. The findings, detailed in a 53-page Health and Human Services report, are disturbing. Dr. Murthy cited, wrote the New York Times, “significant increases in self-reports of depression, anxiety and emergency-room visits for mental health challenges.”

School shootings make the headlines as they should, but there’s another crisis that doesn’t get the print: teen suicide. The thought of it makes people squeamish. Yet, it is real. The HHS report shows emergency room visits for suicide attempts rose 51% for adolescent girls and 4% for boys in early 2021 compared with 2019.

Increasing depression and suicide are also major concerns for America’s oldest generation.

The primary cause: Loneliness. It is, as Hawkeye said on M*A*S*H,

JERRY FABYANIC

everything it’s cracked up to be.

Loneliness is not being physically alone. Rather, it’s the feeling of being separate, irrelevant and uncared for. One can feel lonely in a crowd, even within familial gatherings, but not while hiking alone in the mountains. Unloneliness is about connectedness and feeling one is important to others. Lonely people need to see faces, literally not virtually via Zoom or Facetime, to feel part of a community.

A lingering personal devastation is the suicide of my friend.

The pain of isolation and loneliness became more than he could bear.

The elixir for loneliness is getting out and mingling with others, whether friends or strangers.

Masks sabotage that. They act as barriers to interpersonal communication and relationships.

The medical and scientific evidence is clear: The only thing that will stay the virus and cause diminution of its spread is vaccination.

The county did an amazing job getting vaccines into arms. I offer gratitude daily for the vaccine and for the many selfless volunteers who got the job done.

The mandate, however, is a classic example of myopic, pearl-clutching, knee-jerk wehave-to-do-something. It won’t be effective because those who should wear them won’t. In time, transmission will diminish but

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please keep in mind the following rules: • Email your letter to kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line.

• Letters must be no longer than 250 words.

• Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and should not submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.

• We will edit letters for clarity, grammar, punctuation and length and write headlines (titles) at our discretion.

• Submit your letter in a Word document or in the body of an email. No PDFs or Google Docs, please.

• Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Wednesday in order to have it considered for publication in the following week’s newspaper.

• Include your full name, address and phone number. We will publish only your name and city or town of residence, but all of the information requested is needed for us to verify you are who you say you are. not because of masking. Instead, it will be because of fewer visitors and patrons, which in turn will slay the goose that lays the silver eggs.

Clear Creek Courant 9

December 15, 2021

Year-round wildfire in the foothills Fire plays an important role in the life of a forest, clearing away dead wood and undergrowth to make way for younger trees. But for much of the last century, fire-suppression policies have sought to extinguish wildfires as quickly as possible to preserve timber and real estate. This approach has led to the accumulation of brush and other vegetation that is easily ignited and serves as fuel for wildfires.

Most of the large fires with significant property damage have occurred in Colorado where some of the fastest developing counties are in forested areas that were once largely uninhabited. These areas, known as the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), contained about a third of all housing units in the United States in 2017, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Fast-growing areas with moderate to high wildland fire potential range from parts of the South to large parts of the West. Rising temperatures and more intense droughts are also believed to contribute to large, destructive blazes. Warmer weather contributes to wildfire conditions in many ways: dryer and more combustible vegetation, more frequent lightning strikes, an extended fire season, more intense winds and earlier spring snowmelt in mountainous areas leading to dry vegetation earlier in the wildfire season. A typical wildfire season would run from mid-summer to early autumn, but with these changing conditions wildfires are becoming a year-round occurrence.

In recent decades the number, severity and overall size of wildfires has increased across much of the U.S. In fact, the 2020 wildfire season in Colorado recorded the three largest fires in acres in acres burned.

For many wildland firefighters, fire season is something they remember from the start of their careers, when they quickly learned there were five seasons: winter, spring, summer, fall and fire season. However, wildfire is now year-round for much of the United States and the firefighters are now prepared for to the concept of a fire year.

Wildfire season has become longer based on conditions that allow fires to start and to burn —winter snows are melting earlier and rain is coming later in the fall. What was once a four-month fire season now lasts six to eight months. Fires in the winter months are becoming part of the norm. Just in recent weeks, there have been small wildfires in the Conifer and Ken Caryl area. Other factors contributing to longer fire seasons include extended drought, tree mortality from pine beetles

and invasive species such as cheat grass that allow fire to ignite easily and spread rapidly. Added to all this were policies that DAN encouraged aggresHATLESTAD sive fire suppression for more than a century. These policies had the effect of allowing fuels to accumulate, leading fires to grow in size and intensity.

All these conditions are making wildfires harder to Columnist control and allowing forests to hold fire longer. For years, agencies relied on seasonal firefighters for summer months, but now that wildfires are burning into the winter, they need to reevaluate their hiring plans. Wildland firefighting agencies also need to evaluate the way they conduct training for year-round fire, as well as how to handle the inevitable workforce fatigue, combined with the challenge of keeping crews safe and healthy in the face of the coronavirus.

Firefighters now plan for wildfire year-round. They know that it isn’t a matter of if there will be a fire, but when. Firefighters proactively pursue fuel reduction treatments like homeowner mitigation, mechanical thinning and prescribed fires. When conditions are favorable, options such as these reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. Even in the winter environment with snow on the ground, fire managers see opportunities to prepare for wildfires.

Residents who live in fire-prone areas must also plan and live in fire adapted communities. Defensible space, structure hardening and family plans for a possible evacuation, including pets, should be part of living in the wildland-urban interface.

Nearly 90% of wildfires are humancaused, so preventing wildfire is important. It is possible for wildfires to break out anywhere if conditions permit. They are most prevalent in rural areas with prolonged dry seasons yet dense vegetation. These factors, along with high winds, enable wildfires to spread and can lead to catastrophic events in the surrounding areas. In the U.S., several states have provided these ideal conditions, and have seen some of the highest levels of wildfire activity.

While the winter months bring some moisture and make fires less likely and more manageable, it doesn’t stop them from igniting completely.

1. Climate Change Is Causing More Droughts Many parts of the Earth have new

normal temperatures 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit higher than pre-industrial levels. That might not seem like much, but that amount of warming creates a lot of change: heat waves, droughts, water shortages, extreme precipitation, rising sea levels, and fires, to name a few. Lack of moisture increases fuel flammability and availability, making a clear link between increased drought and increased fire risk. Drier conditions also increase forest pests, such as the mountain pine beetle, that can weaken or kill trees. Dead trees become ready-to-burn fuel.

2. There’s A Lot of Fuel for Massive Fires Tree mortality in Colorado is high thanks to climate change, unprecedented drought, high tree densities, and a bark beetle infestation. That’s ready-made fuel that even the tiniest spark can ignite. Wildfire behavior depends on fuel, weather, and topography. The extreme heat of summer causes more thunderstorms and lightning strikes, offering the initial spark for many fires.

3. Wildfires Are Spreading Faster Not only is it easier for wildfires to start in dry conditions, but they spread faster, too. The East Troublesome Fire in Colorado in the fall of 2020 grew 100,000 acres in 24 hours.

And it’s not only acreage that’s in jeopardy – many homes and communities are nestled within the Wildland Urban Interface and may not have much notice when they need to evacuate.

4. Wildfires Are Getting Harder to Contain Wildfires are getting more difficult to put out in part because of the abundance of ladder fuels in overgrown forests. These are low-lying tree branches, shrubs, and small and medium trees under the canopy of larger trees. Once a slow-burning surface fire on the ground reaches these ladder fuels, fires can spread rapidly to the entire top canopy.

When those big trees are burning, embers blown by the wind can ignite neighboring trees and can be spread further downwind.

Now that we must plan for a fire year, we all have roles to play. Mitigation of risks around your home, creating defensible space, hardening of your house and preparing for early evacuation are critical to reducing the risks of wildfire in the foothills of Jefferson County.

Daniel Hatlestad is the battalion chief for the Inter-Canyon Fire Protection District.

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10 Clear Creek Courant

December 15, 2021

Reimagining ‘Nutcracker’ The pandemic posed both a challenge and an opportunity

BY MARK JAFFE SPECIAL TO THE COLORADO SUN

When Holly Hynes, the internationally renowned costume designer, sat in the Ellie Caulkins Opera House watching the Colorado Ballet’s “Nutcracker,” she thought that it looked “pretty gorgeous.” Then she got a closer look at the wardrobe backstage.

The 33-year-old costumes — handme-downs from the San Francisco Ballet — were definitely showing their age. “They were worn … patched,” Hynes said. “The capes were so heavy.”

It was time for new “Nutcracker” duds and Hynes, who has created tutus and tights for the New York City Ballet, the Bolshoi Ballet, London’s Royal Ballet and La Scala in Milan, was commissioned to design them.

It was part of a $1.5 million revamp of the company’s production with all new sets and 177 new costumes. But not long after Hynes saw “The Nutcracker” in Denver, the plans were almost upended, as were

Colorado Ballet wardrobe manager Shirin Lankarani hangs part of a brand new costume at the Colorado Ballet Academy building in Denver on Nov. 16, 2021, where work was underway on the wardrobe for the 2021 production of “The Nutcracker.”

PHOTO BY KATHRYN SCOTT

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so many things, by the pandemic.

As theaters closed and new productions were postponed, all the shops that depend on supporting plays and dance saw their work evaporate.

“I had 17 projects that came to a screeching halt,” Hynes said. “It was great that the Colorado Ballet decided to go ahead. It made a huge difference to 18 shops in this project.

Many of them would have folded if they hadn’t had the Colorado Bal-

let.”

In effect, the Colorado Ballet created its own stimulus package for costume designers and makers in the depths of the pandemic.

“We started talking to the shops in New York and here in Colorado and they were very anxious to do the work, because they had none,” Gil Boggs, the Colorado Ballet’s artistic director, said. “We got some benefit SEE NUTCRACKER, P14

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Clear CreekMarch Courant 11 18, 2021

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12 Clear Creek Courant

December 15, 2021

Lend a hand to reliable, local news!

The importance of local journalism cannot be overstated — it’s what keeps our community informed and connected, day after day, and is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy.

That’s why we’re excited to be one of 26 Colorado newsrooms joining forces to amplify the impact of local journalism — not just in our newsroom, but in communities across our state — thanks to the generosity of the Colorado Media Project and their matching gift campaign.

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Linda Shapley Publisher

Thank you for your continued support for our journalists and for supporting the businesses that advertise with us. A local newspaper keeps a local community strong, and we’re proud to perform this service.

With gratitude, Linda Shapley, publisher

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December 15, 2021

Clear Creek Courant 13

LOCAL

SPORTS A Game of Runs

West Grand’s Allie Daly, left, tries to dribble past Clear Creek’s Loralei Murphy (1) during the Dec. 8 game at Clear Creek High School.

West Grand’s Morgan Nelson, center right, dribbles the ball during a fast break as West Grand coach James Holmes, center left, gives PHOTOS BY CORINNE WESTEMAN instructions during the team’s Dec. 8 away game at Clear Creek High School.

Clear Creek’s Loralei Murphy, right, recovers a loose ball during the Dec. 8 home game against West Grand.

Clear Creek girls basketball loses last-minute heartbreaker to West Grand

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Clear Creek was coming off a 15-3 third-quarter run; the bigs on both teams had fouled out; and Aiden Kocol’s three-pointer ended Clear Creek’s scoring drought and gave the Golddiggers a four-point lead with a few minutes left in the game.

But, West Grand went on an 8-0 run in the final two minutes thanks to a combination of made free throws, steals and fast-break points.

The Mustangs ultimately beat the Golddiggers 39-33 during the Dec. 8 game at Clear Creek High School.

“It was a game of runs,” Clear

Creek coach Emily Buikema said. “… We lost a lot of energy and got sloppy at the end.”

Sophomore shooting guard Rylie Young expressed how she and her teammates were frustrated by the outcome. Young took some of the blame on herself, saying she made mistakes on defense in the final three minutes.

Senior forward Aiden Kocol described how the Dec. 8 loss was the team’s second of the season, saying its first one in Vail was also close.

She was looking forward to the Golddiggers’ remaining December games at Flatirons Academy and Middle Park. After that, Kocol said, the winter break will be an important time for team development before league play starts in January.

While she felt like they gave away the game at the end, Kocol was still proud of how she and her teammates played in the second half.

“We need to play harder and hustle more,” she continued. “ …

West Grand’s a very intense team.

They’re hard and scrappy.”

Both teams’ hustle and scrappiness were on display throughout the Dec. 8 game. Mustangs and Golddiggers alike scrambled after every loose ball, forcing steals and jump-ball calls. They also took turns putting their opponents off-rhythm, causing long scoring droughts on both sides.

Buikema described how West Grand went up early with an 8-0 run, and Clear Creek answered with a run of its own.

The Mustangs were only up 9-8 at the end of the first quarter, but they found separation again thanks to an 11-0 run off Golddigger fouls and turnovers. Clear Creek ended the second quarter with a free throw and jump shot, and went into the locker room down 20-11.

West Grand’s Audrey Wheatley, left, looks to pass the ball over Clear Creek’s Loralei Murphy, center, during the Dec. 8 game at Clear Creek High School.

Along with their general scrappiness, Clear Creek had several bright spots on the night.

Kocol hit at least three treys; senior point guard Loralei Murphy had several steals; senior Annika McKown fought hard inside, drawing fouls and making subsequent free throws; and Young and junior Campbell Hargitt had critical plays during the team’s 15-3 third-quarter run.

Buikema summarized it as a fun game and a fun third quarter.

She commended her players’ scrappiness and hard work, saying now they simply need to balance it with mental toughness.

“This loss really feels tough — we had them,” she said. “ … It was all mental.”

The Golddiggers’ next game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Friday at Middle Park.

14 Clear Creek Courant

December 15, 2021

NUTCRACKER FROM PAGE 10

on price and we weren’t rushed.”

And the shops poured more effort into the project, Hynes said. “The work that came out of them was three times what we would have gotten if they had other projects.”

One of the workshops that was thrown a lifeline was ParsonMeares, in Long Island City, New York. In its four decades, the shop has made the costumes for a legion of Broadway shows, including “Phantom of the Opera,” “The Lion King,” “Cats” and “Hamilton.”

But in early 2020 it had no work and its 58 employees were furloughed. Then the Colorado Ballet came knocking.

“The Colorado Ballet gave us work at a time when we would have had none,” said Sally Ann Parsons, owner of the workshop. The contract enabled Parsons to bring back 35 employees, split up into three shifts so there would never be too many people in the studio.

Among the costumes ParsonsMeares was asked to make were the tutu for the Sugar Plum Fairy, the mice – very important in the “Nutcracker,” for those not versed in it – the toy soldiers and the jester-like polichinelles, who spill from under Mother Ginger’s huge skirt.

Then the difficult part of crafting and fitting the costumes began. Normally the designer is very hands-on with the workshops and the ballet company and the costumes are fit to the dancers who will wear them.

But now everyone was isolated.

Hynes’ assistant drove into New

York City and came back with loads of swatches and trim and over five days she selected the fabrics while sitting on her back porch. “There was a sense of urgency because we were worried whether we’d be able to get everything, whether there would be supply-chain issues,” she said.

Designs and cloth were distributed to the workshops and they began sewing. But the dancers who would be wearing them were back in Colorado. Measurements for each dancer had been sent along.

“We did fittings on dancers we knew, or Holly knew” that were about the same size, Parsons said.

Hynes borrowed neighborhood kids for the children’s costumes. Her assistant had a camera so she could view the fittings remotely. “Holly didn’t see costumes close up until last spring,” Parsons said.

And while the new costumes may not last another three decades, they were built to stand up to time.

“The costumes in a ballet like ‘Nutcracker’ are used for years and years, so you need to think about how you can make them adjustable,” Parsons said. There is extra material in the side seams and extra material in the bodices.

“Stretch is our friend so we want to incorporate it into jackets, bodices,” Hynes said. “The good thing about ‘The Nutcracker’ is that it fills the seats. The bad thing is it always needs to be continually upgraded and refurbished. It is never-ending.”

Boggs wanted to keep the ballet in its Victorian setting, as it was in the original production – no modern adaptation, he said. “I am a little anxious to see the audience’s reaction to changing something that was

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A member of the wardrobe staff, Kathy Scoggins, places finish touches on one of the new “Nutcracker” costumes inside the costume department at the Colorado Ballet PHOTOS BY KATHRYN SCOTT Academy building in Denver on Nov. 16, 2021.

A new military hat rests on storage bins that contain elements of “Nutcracker” costumes in the costume department at the Colorado Ballet Academy building in Denver on Nov. 16, 2021.

working well.”

For Hynes the costumes are, in the spirit of ballet, an exercise of theme and variation. “The first act is a period piece and in the second act you can let your imagination go wild,” she said.

“We try to carry something from the party scene that has stuck in Clara’s brain that carries over to the Land of Sweets,” Hynes said. One of those is her mother’s plum-colored dress transformed into the Sugar Plum Fairy’s tutu.

Another is a fabric print on a couch in the party scene that becomes the massive tent-like dress of Mother Ginger in the second act.

“I don’t know if the audience will catch it, but it is fun for us,” Hynes said.

One ballet tradition is that the dancer who first dances in a costume has his or her name sewn into it. When the Colorado Ballet would rent costumes from a big company, like American Ballet Theater, Ramos said he’d sometimes find the names of great dancers, like Mikhail Baryshnikov or Angel Corella, in his costume.

“It is very rare to have a costume made on you,” Ramos said. “It is so special to have your name in a costume. We are the first.”

Colorado Ballet’s “Nutcracker” runs through Dec. 24 at the Ellie

The New York Broadway costume shop Parsons-Meares, Ltd. paid special attention to the details in the new Colorado Ballet “Nutcracker” costumes they made, like these compass buttons sewn on the vest of the Drosselmeyer character.

Caulkins Opera House in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. For information and tickets, visit coloradoballet.org/The-Nutcracker. You’ll also find special COVID safety rules.

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.

Clear Creek Courant 15

December 15, 2021

Clear Creek school board hires bond management firm Jacobs promises to aid the district in transparency as it spends $33 million

BY DEB BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A firm called Jacobs will be hired to administer the bond approved by voters in November.

On Nov. 30, the Clear Creek school board tasked Superintendent Karen Quanbeck and Facilities Director Justin Watanabe to negotiate a contract with the firm for no more than $1.7 million to administer the $33 million bond.

Mike Lopez, senior program director with Jacobs, said while $1.7 million seemed like a lot of money, with the firm’s attention to construction and contract details, “we hope that we will save (the district) the equivalent of our fee.”

The week before, the school board also hired Jacobs to manage the

district’s plan to build a new bus maintenance facility with proceeds it will receive when the former football field is sold to 4 Points Funding.

That contract is for $145,000.

Jacobs most recently has been the bond project manager for the Littleton, Durango and Cherry Creek school districts.

Watanabe said Jacobs had that ability to monitor the construction, help with transparency, create budgets and define the scope of each project.

“We need help and expertise to define the scope for each project,” Watanbe said. “We have a general idea of what we want. Being a smaller district, we don’t have the resources or time to handle this on our own.

We want to make sure the quality of our projects is really high, and Jacobs will help with quality.”

School board members talked about the need for transparency to assure those who voted in favor of the bond — and those who didn’t — that the money was improving

students’ educational experiences.

“This is a long time coming, and we’re excited to see shovels in the ground,” board member Kelly Flenniken said. “But our community is a little apprehensive. We want citizens to find information really easily.”

Jacobs representatives told the Clear Creek board that they could manage the projects and the finances, providing reports and giving presentations to assure the community that the money was being spent on the projects listed in the ballot question.

About $25 million would be used to renovate the former middle school for a new Carlson Elementary School. Money also will be spent at King-Murphy Elementary School to expand the pre-kindergarten rooms, gymnasium floor renovation, security improvements, exterior repairs and more; at the middle/high school for athletic field lights, gymnasium floor improvements and security improvements; at Georgetown Community School to finish replacing the

roof, install a commercial kitchen, and exterior and interior improvements.

Rachel Rubenstein, K-12 program manager with Jacobs, told the board that the firm was there to support the school district.

“The main thing that we want you to know is that … we really want to support you in the bond because it’s a lot of work,” she said. “Transparency, process and communication are all extremely important.”

She said the school district needs to stretch its dollars to accomplish as much as it can.

“We might have to think out of the box and look at some new ideas to accomplish what we promised the voters,” she said.

Quanbeck suggested creating a Citizens Bond Oversight Committee made up of community members to advise the district on the bond projects and also to act as a liaison with the community.

person was in a verbal dispute with a girlfriend, who left and returned the next day with a restraining order. No charges were filed, as the matter was a civil issue.

and other tools were stolen. A offhighway vehicle was also removed from a trailer and stolen. There are no suspects at this time.

unknown at this time.

POLICE BLOTTER

Crime Calls from Nov. 29-Dec. 5

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Monday, Nov. 29 — Empire police responded to a call about a drunk person along West Park Avenue. The

n i o

! s U

Wednesday, Dec. 1 — Empire police responded to a theft along South Main Street. Multiple landscaping trucks were broken into near Minton Park, and chainsaws

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Thursday, Dec. 2 — Idaho Springs officers took reports of a home burglary in the 2900 block of Riverside Drive. Two guns and valuables were reportedly stolen from the residence. Suspects are

Thursday, Dec. 2 — Idaho Springs officers conducted a welfare check on a man living in his vehicle.

During the check, officers found the man had a warrant for failure to appear on assault charges. He was arrested on the warrant.

SEE BLOTTER, P16

16 Clear Creek Courant

December 15, 2021

County places cap on short-term rentals

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The county is limiting the number of short-term rental permits to 4.5% of unincorporated Clear Creek’s housing stock. Primary-residence rentals are excluded from this cap.

After several weeks’ discussion, the Clear Creek Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 7 unanimously approved new regulations on short-term rentals. Along with the 4.5% cap, occupancy was limited to two people per bedroom if the residence has an onsite septic system. If the residence is on a sewer system, occupancy is limited to two people per bedroom plus two additional people.

With local employees struggling to find housing, officials have worried that short-term rentals are taking properties off the market for buyers or long-term tenants.

A 4.5% cap would preserve most of the housing stock while still allowing for some growth in the local STR industry, the commissioners noted.

Clear Creek currently has 127 STR permits — about 3.7% of unincorporated residences. Staff estimated this also includes about 10 permits for primary residences.

Under the 4.5% cap, the county could issue up to 154 permits for rentals that aren’t primary residences. STR permits are renewed annually.

Commissioner Sean Wood recommended that officials review its 4.5%

cap when the county reaches its new 154-permit maximum.

St. Mary’s rental owners and operators have been vocal as county officials considered these new regulations. The residents have explained how the high-altitude environment makes it difficult to commute to work physically and electronically, so their STR properties wouldn’t make for good year-round housing anyway.

Plus, they said the area doesn’t have another industry, and income from rentals will be critical for financing infrastructure repairs.

Fred Rollenhagen, the county’s planning director, outlined several regulation possibilities for the commissioners’ consideration, such as a 5% cap, having primaryresidence rentals only, or creating a “St. Mary’s zone” to exclude it from further restriction.

Wood said he favored maintaining the status quo, but his secondary choice would be the Planning Commission’s recommendation of a 5% cap.

Under a 5% cap, the county could issue a maximum of 171 STR permits annually.

Commissioner George Marlin described how the county lost several STR operators in 2020 but has since seen new ones take their place in 2021.

“I won’t argue that that’s a trend that will continue,” Marlin said.

“But it is a trend, and it seems more likely to continue than not.”

He also noted how the local hous-

Doug Spencer Past Board Chair

Clear Creek County has approved a cap on short-term rentals, limiting the number of permits issued to 4.5% of the residences in unincorporated Clear Creek. Under the cap, the county can issue up to 154 permits. Primary-residence rentals are excepted.

As of Dec. 6, the county has issued 127 STR permits, which renew annually. COURTESY GRAPHIC

ing stock has increased since he graduated from Clear Creek High School in 2004, but school enrollment has dropped significantly.

Even marginally, Marlin described, every time a home is converted to a short-term rental, it won’t house a Clear Creek student.

Wheelock suggested a 4% cap, excluding primary-residence rentals, but Rollenhagen noted that’d only allow for an additional 10 permits over the county’s current 127.

Wood wondered whether picking 4% over 5% might have unintended consequences, such as creating a rush on the final available permits.

The commissioners felt 4.5%

would be a fair compromise. The number would accommodate those currently buying residences with intent to short-term rent them and generally allow for some growth in the industry, while still limiting the number of STR permits.

Regarding enforcing the rentals, County Manager Brian Bosshardt and Rollenhagen noted that the county collects about $165,000 in sales tax from local rentals. Bosshardt suggested the county could use those revenues to hire a fulltime code enforcement officer.

“That’s real money to us,” Bosshardt said. “ … There’s some opportunity there.”

BLOTTER

along East Park Avenue. The officer reported that a “Scrooge” cut a resident’s Christmas lights.

FROM PAGE 15

“

Friday, Dec. 3 — Georgetown police responded to a break-in along Third Street. Property owners were unsure when the break-in occurred.

I

n my experience, it’s rare to find an organization where 100% of the team is so passionately committed to the work of the organization and that is just remarkable. When we bring the passion, the commitment, the kindness, the care — that has an impression on people.

We work for the community, we serve the community, and we’re supported by the community, and I just think that’s kind of the heartbeat of Mount Evans and our mountain community.”

Friday, Dec. 3 — Idaho Springs police was made aware of a felony menacing incident west of the city.

A woman reportedly brandished a weapon at another vehicle in a neighboring jurisdiction. ISPD officers located the suspect vehicle and conducted a traffic stop along eastbound Interstate 70. The Sheriff’s Office ultimately arrested the woman on suspicion of felony menacing.

Saturday, Dec. 4 — Empire police responded to a call about criminal mischief and property damage

To read more about Doug, visit www.MountEvans.org/OurHeart

Saturday, Dec. 4 — Georgetown police conducted a traffic stop at the eastbound Interstate 70 on-ramp, and found the driver had a warrant for his arrest. He was taken into custody.

Sunday, Dec. 5 — Idaho Springs police responded to a motor vehicle crash in the 2100 block of Miner Street. While investigating, officers detected a strong odor of alcohol on the at-fault driver, who was later arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.

Sunday, Dec. 5 — Georgetown police responded to a theft report at a hotel along Argentine Street. A guest reported that the license plate on their rental car had been stolen sometime the previous night.

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Clear Creek Courant 17

December 15, 2021

CURRENTS We’d like to know about events or activities of interest to the community. Visit www.clearcreekcourant. com/calendar/ and post your event online for free. Items will appear in print on a space-available basis.

DEC. 18 Historic Georgetown will host A Snow Globe Christmas in the open-air Carriage House at the Hamill House from 5:30-7 p.m. Dec. 18. Learn about the history of the yule log with St. Nicholas, toast to friends and good cheer with a warm cup of wassail and hear the cherished story “T’was the Night Before Christmas.” Then, stroll to the library windows as we watch the candle lighting on the Christmas Tree. Tickets are $35 to $45 and available at tinyurl.com/yckyjvjv.

ONGOING MUSIC WITH MARY is at noon on Wednesdays at the Project Support Senior Center, 1402 Miner St., Idaho Springs.

SOAR — Supporting Others in Addiction and Recovery — meets virtually for those age 14-20 who are living with addiction in their lives in any way. The group meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays. For Zoom meeting information, contact Andrea Black at 719-838-0344 or email blackmountaincounselingllc@gmail.com.

THE PROJECT SUPPORT SENIOR CENTER offers chair yoga the first and third Wednesday of the month at the center, 1402 Miner St., Idaho Springs. A $3 donation is suggested.

COVID-19 TESTING is available from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays in the dirt lot by Mount Buzz near the corner of Argentine and 11th Street, and from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Clear Creek Health and Wellness Center, 1969 Miner St., Idaho Springs. Appointments are recommended by visiting covidcheckcolorado.org/find-our-sites.

VOA TRANSPORTATION is available on Fridays to the Idaho Springs Safeway and the post office.

The van leaves at 12:30 p.m. from 1402 Miner St., Idaho Springs.

COVID-19 VACCINES for adults and children 5-17, flu vaccines and other children’s vaccines are available from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesdays at the Clear Creek Health and Wellness Center, 1969 Miner St., Idaho Springs. Appointments are encouraged for COVID vaccines and boosters at www.comassvax.org/ clinic/search, enter CLEAR CREEK in the Location Box, and there is no need to add any other information.

No appointments required for flu and childhood vaccines.

YOUNG PEOPLE 12 TO 20 can get free counseling through an Evergreen-based organization called Resilience1220. Comprised of licensed therapists, Resilience1220 serves individuals and groups in the foothills including Clear Creek

County. They also facilitate school and community groups to build life skills in wellness and resilience among youth. For more information or to schedule a counseling session, visit resilience1220.org, email resilience1220@gmail.com or call 720-282-1164.

RESILIENCE120 HAS STARTED a support group called College Age Community that meets from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays. For information and the Zoom link, email lior@wisetreewellness.com.

WELLNESS CHECK TUESDAYS are the last Tuesday of the month from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. for free blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol screenings at the Clear Creek Health and Wellness Center, 1969 Miner St., Idaho Springs. For more information, additional help or a ride to the clinic, call 303-670-7528.

In rare move, 2 statewide GOP candidates to cap spending That means Ganahl, Anderson can sidestep donation limits

Every time a new candidate enters their contest and doesn’t accept the voluntary spending limits, candidates who have accepted the constraints receive a letter from the secretary of state letting them know they have 10 days to back out of their pledge.

If they do abandon the spending

BY SANDRA FISH THE COLORADO SUN

Two Republican candidates running for statewide office in Colorado next year have agreed to limit their campaign spending, a rare move that allows them to accept up to twice as much money from their donors.

Heidi Ganahl, a University of Colorado regent running for governor, and Pam Anderson, a former Jefferson County clerk running for secretary of state, both agreed to the voluntary spending constraints.

The candidates can now accept up to $2,500 from individual donors, up to $27,000 from small-donor committees and up to $271,550 from the state Republican Party.

“We can spend less time fundraising, more time talking to voters and talking about the hyper-partisan nature of that office right now,” said Anderson, who is a former executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association.

Asked about the decision, Ganahl’s campaign did not address their strategy. But a spokeswoman said that “governorships cannot be bought at an auction.”

Voters approved Amendment 27, a constitutional campaign finance overhaul, in 2002. It included limits on how much money candidates could accept from donors. But the amendment also included a loophole to those limits for candidates who agreed to keep their spending below a certain threshold.

A candidate for statewide office, legislature and a few other offices may agree to the voluntary spending limits when they first declare their candidacy. For candidates running in 2022, the limits range from $88,225 for state House candidates to

limits, they don’t have to return any excess contributions they’ve already received. Colorado’s donation limits were second-lowest in the nation in 2018.

Anderson said she has no intention of revoking the spending limits SEE POLITICS, P18

Heidi Ganahl announces her run for governor on Sept. 14, 2021, at Rosie’s Diner in PHOTO BY OLIVIA SUN / THE COLORADO SUN Monument.

$3,395,275 for candidates running for governor.

Candidates can’t raise more than the traditional limit right away, however. They must wait until an opponent raises 10% of the spending limit.

So, in the governor’s race, Ganahl could not start accepting larger donations until Gov. Jared Polis raised about $340,000. (Polis has raised $626,000 for his reelection campaign so far.)

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, has already raised about $1.3 million, far more than 10% of the voluntary spending limit.

Ganahl raised about $135,000 in the three weeks after announcing her candidacy. About 10% of her 300-plus donations during that time exceeded the $1,250 individual donation limit for other statewide candidates.

Anderson didn’t announce her candidacy until after the last quarterly fundraising reporting deadline, so her donor information isn’t yet public.

Candidates who accept the voluntary spending limits have an out.

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POLITICS FROM PAGE 17

if other candidates get in the race, but sees the spending pledge as central to her campaign for secretary of state.

Ganahl’s campaign didn’t respond about whether it would reconsider the spending limits at some point.

The Colorado Sun reviewed campaign accounts for primary candidates for governor, attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer in 2014 and 2018 and found none accepted the voluntary spending limits.

Brad Levin, a Democrat who competed for attorney general but failed to make the primary ballot, originally accepted the limits. But David Fine, his attorney, wrote to the Secretary of State’s Office that the acceptance was an error by Fine in filling out forms.

Legislative candidates more often accept the limits, but, like in Levin’s case, some have done so in error.

State Rep. Tom Sullivan, a Centennial Democrat, initially accepted the limits for his 2018 campaign in error.

December 15, 2021 He was able to withdraw from the limits when another candidate filed to run for the House seat.

Sullivan is running for a state Senate seat in 2022, but isn’t accepting the voluntary limits.

“I’ll never do that again,” he said.

“It doesn’t do you any good if you’re the only one trying to fight the righteous fight.”

Suzanne Taheri, a Republican and former deputy secretary of state, accepted the limits when she ran unsuccessfully for state Senate in 2020.

But she never raised money over the contribution limits.

“I never asked people for (more money) or advertised that I did it,” she said. “Part of it is, just a lot of people don’t understand what voluntary limits are. Most consultants will tell you not to take them.

They’re focused on how much money you’re going to raise, so they’re trying to get you to not limit yourself.”

Successful candidates, who did not accept the spending limits, often outspent them, a Colorado Sun analysis found.

In 2010, former Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, spent $3.9

million on his campaign, when the voluntary cap was about $2.7 million. Two candidates who didn’t make the general election ballot that year, former Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat who opted not to run, and former U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis, a Republican who lost the primary, each spent $2 million.

In 2014, Hickenlooper spent nearly $5.5 million on his gubernatorial reelection campaign, while his Republican opponent Bob Beauprez spent $2.9 million, about the same amount as that year’s voluntary limit.

In 2018, GOP gubernatorial candidate Walker Stapleton spent about $4 million on his campaign, well over the $3.1 million voluntary limit.

Victor Mitchell, one of Stapleton’s three unsuccessful primary opponents, spent $5 million, most of it his own money.

The Polis campaign spent $23.8 million, almost all of it the candidate’s own money, to win in 2018.

He’s already given $438,000 from his personal fortune into his 2022 campaign.

Polis limits his individual campaign contributions to $200, but his personal wealth means he’s got

millions to spend on next year’s campaign.

Taheri said she thinks it makes sense for Ganahl and Anderson to accept the voluntary spending limits.

“I think it makes sense in the governor’s race and the secretary of state’s race,” Taheri said. “You can’t raise that much money. It’s hard to raise $3.4 million. Then you don’t have to spend as much time fundraising if your donor base has the capacity to give you bigger donations.”

And outside groups often spend more than candidates in statewide contests. In the 2018 gubernatorial contest, for instance, Republican outside groups spent $14.5 million while Democratic groups spent $10.5 million.

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.

Check out our business directories!

Clear Creek Courant 19

December 15, 2021

In Colorado schools, scenes of disruption, destruction Kids are acting out in class while struggling to cope

BY ERICA BREUNLIN AND JENNIFER BROWN THE COLORADO SUN

Veronica Bell’s classroom devolved into a place of destruction this school year, with kids snapping pencils out of frustration, tearing up decorations and bulletin boards, and ripping math books to shreds.

“Then they would say, ‘Oh, I don’t have a math book anymore,’” said Bell, who left her teaching post at KIPP Sunshine Peak Elementary in Denver at the end of October.

The chaos escalated into violence at times, including the day a child grabbed two other students and dug his nails into their arms until they bled, leaving scratch marks on their wrists. The fight was over a stolen pencil. In a different incident, a student threatened to stab other kids and staff with scissors.

They’re in third grade.

As teachers returned to the classroom this year, determined to help catch kids up on academics, they were met with another challenge: students with more severe behavioral problems than many had seen before.

Teachers interviewed by The Colorado Sun said there are more outbursts and more cussing in class.

Kids are set off by schoolwork that feels overwhelming, and sometimes bolt from the classroom.

More than a year of pandemic uncertainty, and less structured time spent learning at home, have taken a toll on kids’ emotional wellbeing — and it shows in students’ lack of ability to interact with classmates, respect school staff and avoid succumbing to peers who are stirring up trouble.

The state Department of Education tracks the number of suspensions and expulsions in districts but won’t collect that data for this school year until the end of the year.

The classroom chaos comes as the state tries to offer more kids better access to mental health support, with a $9 million effort to connect kids in distress with three free mental health sessions.

All the volatility among young learners shouldn’t come as a shock, said Rebecca Holmes, president and CEO of the Colorado Education Initiative, which focuses on improving Colorado’s public education system and creating greater equity.

Prolonged school closures, adults clashing over political debates and families suffering job loss or the death of a loved one have all contributed to students misbehaving in school, said Holmes, whose non-

profit has worked with 35 districts this fall.

“Before we pathologize the behaviors of young people, let’s be honest about the state of the adults around them,” she said. “Modern humans aren’t great at managing the stress of prolonged uncertainty.

In many cases, workplaces have changed policies and practices to accommodate our current realities.

But we put young people back into schools, applied the old norms and schedules and ways of being, and are surprised that it appears to not be serving them.”

Rather than blame students, Holmes emphasizes the need for schools to reflect on the disciplinary systems they have in place and assess whether they’re effective for kids who have experienced 19 months of a pandemic.

Teresa Haynes, clinical director of a nonprofit that provides mental health support to 15 schools in Eagle County, is hearing from teachers about “some of the most extreme acting-out behaviors that they’ve ever seen in their careers.” Kids have thrown things, hidden under tables and destroyed property, she said.

The mental health pressures are manifesting as destruction and outbursts in the younger grades, and as a quieter, more subtle uptick in depression and suicidal thoughts in the older grades, she said.

Haynes, clinical director of Hope Center of Eagle River Valley, oversees a team of therapists who work inside schools as well as a mobile, 24/7 crisis unit that is regularly dispatched to school campuses. This school year, not quite half over, is on track to surpass last year’s record in terms of the number of students who received support and the number of interactions between students and Hope Center clinicians.

Already this school year, the nonprofit has connected with 485 students and logged 4,551 interactions, she said.

Many of those have been suiciderisk assessments for middle and high schoolers, but also for children as young as 6 and 7, Haynes said.

Coronavirus conflict wearing on kids Behavioral problems at school have been escalating for years, but the “prolonged period of stress on families” during the pandemic has made things worse, Haynes said. “I think it’s trickling down to younger kids,” she said.

Children are struggling because families are in stress — financial hardship, difficulty in paying mortgages and rent, and in some cases, more fighting at home. On top of that, kids who spent less time in the classroom last year and more time

in Zoom or Google Meet are behind on social skills, including making friends and dealing with other kids they might find difficult.

“Some day, there will be some fascinating research,” Haynes said.

“There is a lot of division in our

country about vaccination status.

Political division. It impacts families and it trickles down to kids.

Sometimes, people don’t seem as nice to each other as they used to SEE BEHAVIOR, P21

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December 15, 2021

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Clear Creek Courant 21

December 15, 2021

’Tis the season for injuries Local ERs see increase in holiday-related cases

BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Dr. Ben Usatch said while the holidays are all about joy and bringing good cheer, no member of the family is immune to accidents that can result in an unplanned visit to the local ER. Usatch, an emergency medicine physician and medical director for UCHealth Hospital Highlands Ranch, said holiday injuries start early with the cold weather and continue with holiday decoration hanging through to Christmas, when presents are opened and can cause unexpected injuries.

Dr. Eric Hill, a HealthOne emergency room physician at the Medical Center of Aurora, said the holiday season is the start of winter, which means more ER visits with people who have slipped and fallen on icy, slippery surfaces.

BEHAVIOR FROM PAGE 19

be. And I continue to hear, ‘I can’t take another thing’ and ‘Now there’s another variant.’ It seems neverending.”

Don’t think those big-world conflicts aren’t affecting young people, said Sorin Thomas, founder of Queer Asterisk, a nonprofit that provides counseling for queer and transgender youth and adults in Denver, Boulder, Longmont and Fort Collins.

Too often, people are arguing about the effects on kids from masks or the virtual school year but avoiding the bigger picture, Thomas said.

Psychologists know how fighting and stress within a family affect a child’s mental health — now put that on the scale of the country, where national and local leaders are frightened and arguing about how best to stop a deadly virus.

It’s the macrocosm of a dysfunctional family, said Thomas, who uses they/them pronouns.

“It’s quite frightening,” they said.

“The pandemic in and of itself is scary, and then the way that leaders and adults have handled it, that’s scary. These are things that are impacting young people.”

And while trying to grapple with their fear, kids have largely been robbed of the coping strategies they depend on to preserve their mental wellbeing — such as spending time with family members and friends, said Jenna Glover, a child clinical psychologist and the director of psychology training at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Many kids have also lost a sense of hope as they’ve been deprived of coming-of-age moments like school dances, graduations, continuation ceremonies and first-day-of-kindergarten pictures, Glover said.

“There’s a grief that comes with that,” Glover said, noting that people often thrive when they have something to look forward to.

While the Front Range has not had a lot of snowfall and cold weather so far this autumn, Hall said as more snowstorms and cold weather come in early 2022, doctors always anticipate an uptick in urgent care visits.

Besides cold weather bringing winter injuries, holiday-related injuries ramp up around Thanksgiving, which is the start of the holiday season, Usatch said. This is the time when families start putting out holiday decorations, hanging lights and signs.

Usatch said it is common for family members to venture into hanging lights and signs without someone serving as a spotter under the ladder. Common injuries associated with decoration hanging includes bruises, lacerations and broken bones.

“Just be safe and ask someone to serve as a spotter,” Usatch said. “It is easier to have the help there than to fall and break something, get a concussion or have lacerations.”

Hill said as Christmas celebrations are held and gifts are given throughout the season, hospitals see “Kids’ lives are really marked in huge milestones year by year in a way that when you enter adulthood are not, and that is hugely disruptive for their wellbeing when they miss these traditions and huge rites of passage,” she said.

Children also need routine and predictability to excel, she added.

“Life is never fully predictable, but over the last two years life has been unpredictable in a way that has caused so much stress in kids’ lives that it’s causing mental health problems,” Glover said.

But those mental health problems aren’t always easily identifiable.

When teenagers and tweens are angry or irritable or lash out, that’s typically indicative of depression, Glover said.

Similarly, when children erupt in a temper tantrum, they’re trying to communicate their stress and find a way to cope. Kids may scream or tear something up because they feel so overwhelmed and they’re attempting to soothe themselves, she said, particularly as they lack the emotional maturity or vocabulary to fully express how they feel.

She recommends parents re-introduce routines into their kids’ lives, with a consistent bedtime, adequate meals and safe social interactions, like socially distanced playdates.

“It’s a really small thing but the foundation of physical and mental health,” Glover said.

Reteaching kids how to think about others In Bell’s classroom at KIPP Sunshine Peak Elementary, she picked up on behaviors from kids “trying to avoid work” and others seeking attention. She recalls one student who would lean far back in his chair, jump off swings or injure himself with a pencil to draw attention from the two teachers in the room. She also found students’ interactions became more aggressive, with a lot of roughhousing, and observed students missing some social cues.

“I think kids have been isolated for so long that they really haven’t

The emergency room entrance to Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver, photographed in PHOTO BY JOHN INGOLD/THE COLORADO SUN 2019.

a variety of toy-related injuries and issues.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in 2020 there were 198,000 toy-related injuries that required a visit to a

U.S. hospital. Of those, males accounted for 57% of those injured and 75% of the total injured people were under age 14.

had to think about other people in that way,” she said.

Bell realized the social emotional skills of her third grade students, who she also taught in first and second grade, had grown rusty and spent more time on those lessons.

“They’re still lagging because they haven’t had time to practice those skills,” she said.

About half the students in Bell’s class — 28 total — had a specialized learning plan or behavior plan and, even with a second teacher helping her, she struggled to give them all the support they needed.

Bell and her co-teacher did what they could to create a better classroom environment for students, rearranging their classroom schedule so that kids were tackling harder subjects, like math, when they were fresh in the day.

But by the end of October, she was still overwhelmed and feeling like she needed more support from her administrators. Suffering scalp pain and tension in her neck and back, she made the hard decision to leave teaching. The elevated behavioral issues, along with the lack of support from school leaders, contributed to her health issues, which ultimately propelled her decision to quit.

Gerardo Muñoz, a social studies teacher at the Denver Center for International Studies at Baker, pins part of students’ behavioral challenges this year on their struggle to adjust to classroom expectations.

Many students have experienced more freedom in their learning environment amid the pandemic, working on assignments from their bed and getting up to grab a snack without asking.

“Now we’re asking them to come back as if the whole year and a half didn’t happen, as if they just know how to be in school,” said Muñoz, who is Colorado’s 2021 Teacher of the Year.

He urges schools to reflect on how much they’re listening to students amid the pandemic.

Madison Stockton, who teaches third grade literacy at Southmoor

Elementary School in Denver, hasn’t experienced much chaos at school, but she recognizes that kids need a reminder of how to be respectful of adults and consider other people’s feelings. They’re not trying to be malicious, she said, but are “out of practice.”

“Those are just skills that now need to be explicitly taught because we can’t really trust that they’re getting these skills elsewhere since we’re still in this kind of apocalyptic pandemic world,” Stockton said.

Students’ emotions have grown more intense amid the pandemic, she said, and while they’re able to better name their feelings this year, they’re having a harder time managing them.

She’s shifted her approach with students, starting the day with an exercise in which kids write down something kind someone did for them the day before and having kids rate themselves and the whole class on how they conducted themselves during recess. She also awards students for good behavior with raffle tickets they can use to enter a class lottery and win prizes, and she gives the entire class points that they can use to earn class spirit days or extra recess time.

Those strategies have all helped.

But they can’t solve one problem still hanging over Stockton and her colleagues: a growing list of work responsibilities that cut into teachers’ time to thoroughly address behavior management.

“If we’re not given that time and given that space to really focus on classroom community,” she said, “then the kids are not going to feel safe and they’re going to act out.”

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.

SEE INJURIES, P22

22 Clear Creek Courant

BIZ

December 15, 2021

BEAT

Foothills see array of new businesses Gaia’s Remedy adds holistic healing to assisted living With a smaller home environment boasting holistic healing and comforts from home, Gaia’s Remedy Assisted Living in Evergreen is setting itself apart from traditional assisted living facilities.

Gaia’s opened in May 2021 with 11 bedrooms, a sunroom and a back deck for elderly and physically disabled residents to view wildlife.

“We are a holistic assisted living,” said founder Amanda Lagman. “The primary thing we do is offer an organic food menu.”

Aside from the menu, the facility also offers acupuncture, CBD massages, aromatherapy, art therapy, therapeutic gardening and more treatments. It also has an emphasis on exercise and daily activities,

INJURIES FROM PAGE 21

Hill said one of his biggest concerns around the holidays is with babies and toddlers who regularly stick something in their mouth, ear or nose.

“Kids tend to put the small pieces from toys in various places,” Hill said. “Kids will start complaining about pain and problems. When they come to us, we find the pieces in the nose, ears or throat. These cases need special tools to fish them out.”

In situations where the child swallows a toy, Hill said the customary response from doctors is to wait.

Doctors wait to see if the child can pass it naturally through a bowel

One of the common areas at Gaia’s Remedy has a homey touch to make the space invitPHOTO PROVIDED BY GAIA’S REMEDY ASSISTED LIVING ing for residents.

movement.

In situations where a child swallows a magnet, such as the popular ball magnet toys, or a button battery, Hill said there is more concern.

“The button batteries cause more concern because their makeup can cause burning and pain inside the stomach,” Hill said. “The magnetic balls can attach and pinch the inside the intestine, causing bowel perforation. This can require surgery to fix.”

Usatch and Hill said hospitals also see patients who are not used to the new toys and gadgets they get for Christmas. Without being used to a new bike, electric scooter, hover board or other riding toys, kids often fall and get hurt. Common injuries associated with riding toys can start with minor cuts and bruises or lead to more serious concerns with

concussions and broken bones.

Usatch said a common rule of thumb for parents to follow with any riding toy is to make the helmet an accompanying gift.

Hill said he is always surprised with the older patients that come in on Christmas. It’s not just kids playing on the riding toys, he said.

“We have seen cases where grandparents will be out having fun and trying to ride the toys too,” Hill said.

“This leads to them falling and getting hurt.”

Hill said in one case he managed, a 72-year-old grandmother tried to ride a hover board and ended up falling and breaking her hip.

Both Usatch and Hill said parents should read consumer studies on toys and gadgets, making sure they are age-appropriate and understanding the common injuries that are

and offers physical and occupational therapy through Mount Evans Home Health Care & Hospice.

Another unique part of Gaia’s Remedy is that it is pet friendly for residents and staff, which Lagman says makes the transition into assisted living easier for some.

The facility’s small size allows the staff to get to know residents and understand their wants and needs.

“We pride ourselves in being able to provide individualized care,” Lagman says.

The home at 6450 Highway 73 has four residents with openings for more. For more information, visit coassistedliving.com or call 303674-6139.

— Olivia Jewell Love SEE BIZ BEAT, P23

reported with each item.

Over the last few years, drones and flying toys have become a popular item. Either flying them inside or outside, Usatch and Hill said, inexperienced users can mismanage them and either hurt themselves or others in the process. Eye injuries are common with some of the flying toys, Usatch said.

This year, due to supply-chain issues, Hill said parents might be trying to find whatever they can, which means buying more generic, knockoff items that may be more unsafe than the name-brand options.

In this case, Hill stressed parents should pay attention to the consumer reports because generic versions could be more dangerous.

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Clear Creek Courant 23

December 15, 2021

BIZ BEAT FROM PAGE 22

IcelandX provides tours to Nordic country Is traveling to Iceland on your bucket list?

Evergreen-based IcelandX may be able to plan that trip. Husband and wife G.B. and Ivy Heidarsson organize tours for small and large groups to Iceland with what they call the personal touch. Tour guides take the groups to places off the beaten path.

IcelandX has offices here and in Iceland, which means travelers can find someone to answer questions and solve issues no matter which country they are in. Ivy explained that the tour guides and workers in Iceland speak English, making it easier for travelers.

G.B. has been in the travel industry his whole life, Ivy said, and previously, he served as the chief of tourism for Northern Iceland.

IslandX’s signature tours have no less than six tourists and no more than 16 tourists, Ivy said.

“We pride ourselves that we have small tours: no big buses, no one else other than Americans on tours,” she said. “People appreciate having certified guides who speak English. That requires special education in Iceland.”

Ivy said the business is finally taking off after COVID-19, and IcelandX will host an event to talk about tour options from 4-6 p.m.

Feb. 5 at El Rancho Brewing. Visit icelandx.com for more information, and visit IcelandX’s Facebook page @icelandxtravel to RSVP. — Deb Hurley Brobst Edelweiss Ski takes over where Musser left off Edelweiss Ski and Paddle is keeping the memory of ski legend Jimmy Musser alive by continuing his shop in Evergreen.

Musser owned and operated Musser’s Ski Shop, the first ski repair shop in Evergreen in the `60s. He is remembered as a USA ski team athlete who “liked to ski off the roof of The Little Bear in

Tyler Albertson of Edelweiss Ski and Paddle in Evergreen works on a pair of skis.

and is excited to be in the very same shop. With updated equipment, the shop is ready to be competitive with other ski shops around the mountains.

The shop has started to have a flow of customers, but it is early in the ski season.

“We’ve mostly gotten locals, (though) we’ve had a couple Denver people come up,” Albertson said.

The shop offers a three-day turnaround guarantee on tune-ups, next-day services to get skiers out on the slopes quicker and door-todoor delivery service for equipment tunes in the Denver metro area and within 30 miles of Evergreen.

To find out more about services at Edelweiss Ski and Paddle, located next to the Evergreen Conoco station, visit edelweiss. ski or call 303-670-7778.

— Olivia Jewell Love

PHOTOS BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE

Leleszi

Sparks fly as Albertson tunes skis at the newly owned repair shop.

downtown Evergreen,” according to the shop’s website.

Opening Nov. 9, Edelweiss is now manned by Karl Fredell and Tyler Albertson, who both grew

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up in the ski-tuning industry. Both former pro skiers, the pair aims to keep high quality tuning affordable for the local community.

Albertson trained under Musser

Leleszi’s passion.

Leleszi, who has been a physical therapist for 21 years, is one of several physical therapists in the Evergreen/Conifer area, but said what makes her different is the exercise-based physical therapy, plus trigger-point dry needling, cold laser therapy, cupping and massage therapy. She said she’s a one-stop shop to try to help people with pain, especially in the spine.

Leleszi is the only person in her office Physical Freedom Physical Therapy at 32145 Castle Court, Suite 101, so it’s just her and the patient working on issues.

Visit Leleszi’s website at physicalfreedompt.com or email physicalfreedompt@yahoo.com for more information.

— Deb Hurley Brobst

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24 Clear Creek Courant

December 15, 2021

C R O S SWO R D P U Z Z L E

© 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.

Solution

TRIVIA 1. SCIENCE: How long does it take for light to travel from the Sun to Earth?

2. TELEVISION: Which comedian used the catchphrase “one ringie dingie, two ringie dingies” in a TV character sketch?

3. MEASUREMENTS: How many centimeters are equivalent to 100 inches?

4. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who is the only president to serve nonconsecutive terms?

5. LANGUAGE: How many languages are spoken in the world today?

6. GOVERNMENT: Which branch of U.S. government is responsible for making laws?

7. SPORTS: Which famous baseball pitcher’s nickname is “The Chairman of the Board”?

8. FOOD & DRINK: What type of food do the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles love?

9. GEOGRAPHY: Which ocean does Bermuda lie in?

10. MATH: What is a prime number?

Answers 1. Eight minutes, 20 seconds 2. Lily Tomlin, as telephone operator Ernestine 3. 254 4. Grover Cleveland 5. More than 7,000 6. The legislative branch -- U.S. House and Senate 7. Whitey Ford 8. Pizza 9. Atlantic 10. A number that is only divisible by itself and 1 (c) 2021 King Features Synd., Inc.

Crossword Solution

December 15, 2021

Home-cleaning tips for the holidays

“It’s dirty work, but someone has to do it!” Now that we’re in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, with guests coming and going in our homes, here are some practical and easy cleaning strategies for busy families: Start with the front door To keep dirt and grime out of the house before it gets tracked in, remind kids to leave their boots, shoes, and wet and muddy winter gear at the entryway. When guests pop by, I like to add a bit of humor

W, N , 



Clear Creek Courant 25

NOW HERE’S A TIP * Save the peel on oranges and grapefruits.

You can toss them on a fire for a nice smell. * Fold and snip a coffee filter into a paper snowflake. Lay over an iced cookie or cake to sift a sugar design on top. * “When planning to visit my hometown for the holidays, I set aside a few hours to take the kids to the park or a nice playground. I message all my old friends and classmates with kids (Facebook is great for this) a few weeks ahead of time and let them know when I’ll be there. It’s great to catch up while the kids play, and even if no one shows up, we still have a fun break.” -- F.L. in California * “When there are big family jobs to be done (like getting ready for the holidays), we write

CREATIVE FAMILY FUN

and suggest that they do the “Cha, Cha, Cha” on the entry mat when they arrive.

After a few steps, wiggles and laughs, their shoes are clean before they step inside.

Think of cleaning as exercise It can be hard to get everything you want done during these busy days, so make cleaning do double duty when you can’t squeeze in time at the gym. An active  minutes of cleaning can get the blood pumping and heart racing. Add music to the mix, and it will be done before you know it.

Clear the clutter Just before guests arrive at a dinner party, wash and put away mixing bowls and utensils, and be sure the counters are sparkling clean. A clutter-free kitchen makes you feel organized and relaxed.

Save the night with candlelight Perfection isn’t everything. If you throw a last-minute get-together, don’t worry about dusting every corner. Simply dim lamps and light candles. There is something about candlelight that makes everything glow.

all the tasks down on slips of paper and put them in a hat. We take turns choosing tasks until all the paper is divvied out. Sometimes we trade, but we all get a fair chore list.” -- V.O. in Oregon * Make a holiday cheese ball simply: Combine a package of cream cheese with a cup of finely shredded cheese (your choice) and / cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt. Form into a ball, roll in coating of your choice (dried fruit pieces, chopped nuts, spices, etc.) and chill. Wrap in a pretty cellophane bag and bring with pita chips, crackers or pretzels as a hostess gift. * “Wax drippings from candles can be scraped off of most hard surfaces with the side of a credit card.” -- T.E. in Kansas

Get kids to help You don’t have to do all the tasks alone, especially kid-friendly jobs like shaking rugs, taking out the trash and cleaning the bathroom mirrors.

Helpers ring in the new year When packing holiday decorations in boxes until next year, make it a family affair. Laugh together, tell stories and share cups of cocoa while you get another cleanup job done!

F  G 24 26 Clear Creek Courant

W, A , 

FLASHBACK . Who first released “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me,” and when? . Name the group that had a hit with “Ms. Grace.” . How many Billy Joe Royal songs topped the charts in the U.S.? . Belinda Carlisle was the lead singer for which band? . Name the song that contains this lyric: “’Cause I have wandered through this world, And as each moment has unfurled, I’ve been waiting to awaken from these dreams.”

Answers . Karen Chandler, in . However, it was Mel Carter’s  cover that topped the charts,

spending  weeks on the Billboard Hot . . The Tymes, in . The song was a hit in the U.K. while not getting much notice in the U.S. -- until it was discovered by Carolina beach shag dancers and became a popular staple. . None. “Down in the Boondocks,” however, reached No.  in Canada. . The Go-Go’s, the only female group to write their own material and play their own instruments. . “Doctor, My Eyes,” by Jackson Browne in . The song was written with a third verse that wasn’t recorded but can be found on bootleg copies of the demo. (c)  King Features Syndicate

.CCC. December 15, 2021

December .H. 15, 2021

W, N , 

Clear Creek Courant 27

PAW’S CORNER Visiting yap dog ruins holidays

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My sister-in-law insists on bringing her yappy, ill-tempered lap dog, “Mitsi,” to our house every Christmas through New Year’s. Mitsi gets along with no one but her owner, frightens our two cats and barks at everyone in the house during dinner, nonstop. I love having my brother and his wife over, but Mitsi is making things hellish. How can I politely ask her to leave Mitsi in a kennel during visits? -- Barked Out in Birmingham DEAR BARKED OUT: I don’t know that there’s a way to tell your sister-in-law to leave her dog at home that would be taken well. Mitsi clearly is a full member of their family and travels with her.

Can a compromise be reached instead?

Ask her if Mitsi can be placed in a separate

SPORTS QUIZ

. In , Ray Rhodes compiled a record of - in his only season as head coach of what NFL team? . Name the NHL player from Sweden who served as captain of the Ottawa Senators from -. . What punch -- illegal in most combat sports -- is a blow to the back of the head or neck, or the base of the skull? . Who scored  points to lead the Texas Tech Lady Raiders to an - win versus Ohio State in the  NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament championship game? . What university’s basketball arena has an unoccupied seat reserved in honor of coaching legend Henry Iba? . What is the name of the slow, high-

arcing, off-speed pitch developed in the s by Pittsburgh Pirates righthander Rip Sewell? . Name the Basketball Hall of Famer from Serbia who had his No.  jersey retired by the Sacramento Kings.

Answers

. The Green Bay Packers. . Daniel Alfredsson. . A rabbit punch. . Sheryl Swoopes. . Oklahoma State University. . The Eephus pitch. . Vlade Divac. (c)  King Features Syndicate

room during mealtimes while they are visiting. She’ll probably still bark, but at least it won’t be right in your ear.

You also need to discuss how Mitsi is stressing out the cats. Sometimes people think it’s funny when a visiting dog chases the family pets around, but it’s not fun for those pets. It’s like having a schoolyard bully walk right into your home. Try to keep the discussion civil.

Ultimately, you’ll have to decide what level of compromise to ask for in order to keep peace in your house, and you’ll have to be firm. Your sister-in-law takes her relationship with her dog seriously; she should respect your concerns as well. That discussion probably won’t be comfortable, but if Mitsi’s barking and bullying are making the holidays a living hell, you need to speak up. (c)  King Features Syndicate

28 Clear Creek Courant

December 15, 2021

RENAMING FROM PAGE 7

whether nearby peaks of Chief, Warrior and Papoose should be renamed as well. Wheelock previously described how the topic’s come up in discussions with tribal representatives, but hasn’t been revisited in several months.

Is Mount Evans next?

There are also several petitions to rename Mount Evans. Its namesake, Colorado Territorial Governor John

Evans, is believed to have authorized the U.S. Army’s attack on Cheyenne and Arapaho people at Sand Creek.

There are at least four petitions to rename the peak: Mount Blue Sky would honor the Arapaho and Cheyenne peoples. The Arapaho were known as the Blue Sky People among other tribes, and the Cheyenne have an annual renewal of life ceremony called Blue Sky. Both the Northern and Southern Arapaho Tribes, the Southern Cheyenne Tribe, and conservation-focused nonprofit The Wilderness Society support this petition, according to Wheelock.

Mount Cheyenne-Arapaho would

honor the tribes who once called Colorado home and who were devastated by the Sand Creek Massacre. The Northern Cheyenne Tribe supports this petition, according to Wheelock.

Mount Rosalie was the name Albert Bierstadt, a landscape painter and the peak’s first-known summiter, gave the mountain in honor of his future wife. It was the mountain’s unofficial name until 1895. The name Rosalie was given to a nearby peak after the mountain was renamed for Evans.

Mount Soule would be in honor of U.S. Army Captain Silas Soule, who refused to participate in the Sand Creek Massacre.

Clear Creek County can register support or non-support for any petition to rename Mount Evans.

Wheelock emphasized that the county hasn’t taken a position yet on which petition, if any, to support.

Thus far, the state advisory board has not made a recommendation on any of the petitions.

Last December, residents in Clear Creek and beyond expressed mixed opinions on renaming Mount Evans.

Some were in favor of a new name that honored Colorado’s first peoples, while others said it would always be Mount Evans to them.

WORSHIP DIRECTORY

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF GEORGETOWN 812 Taos St., Georgetown • 303-569-2360 Serving the community since 1874.

Sunday worship 10:00 am.

Please join us!

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF IDAHO SPRINGS 100 Colorado Blvd., PO Box 840, Idaho Springs, CO 80452

THE UNITED CHURCH OF IDAHO SPRINGS AND CLEAR CREEK COUNTY 1410 Colorado Blvd., Idaho Springs (303) 567-2057 Sunday Worship Service – 10:00 AM PASTOR BILL ROBERTSON Taste and See Tuesdays - 5:30-7:00pm Good food and good conversation - Building community by bringing hope and encouragement to our town and county.

Moly Room in the Clear Creek Rec Center in Idaho Springs

ALL ARE WELCOME! Come, join us for live worship on Sundays at 10:00 AM! Face Coverings Optional We livestream on Facebook at 10:00 AM on Sundays.

Recorded sermons are available on Facebook and YouTube.

Join Our Worship Directory!

Call Donna at 303-566-4114

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PUBLIC NOTICES

legals2@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Public Notices call Marley 303-566-4123 Legals City and County Public Notice CITY OF IDAHO SPRINGS SEEKING BOARD AND COMMISSION MEMBERS The City of Idaho Springs has several vacancies on its City Council-appointed board and commissions. The City is seeking individuals who are interested in serving on the Planning Commission, Variance Board, and Historic Preservation Review Commission (HPRC). The Planning Commission is a recommending body to the City Council that reviews and revises the Comprehensive Plan, reviews subdivision requests, recommends annexations and final development plans for new developments, and amends the zoning map.

The Variance Board decides on requests for variances to the Zoning Code and on appeals to staff interpretations of the adopted codes. The HPRC decides on requests to conduct work on a historic structure for the purpose of determining if the proposed work is historically appropriate.

Members of the HPRC are not required to live in Idaho Springs and are required to be knowledgeable in history or architecture. Members of the Planning Commission and Variance Board are required to be residents of the City. Please submit your letter of interest to Deputy City Clerk Wonder Martell by 5:00 P.M. January 3, 2022 at City Hall, 1711 Miner St., PO BOX 907, Idaho Springs, CO 80452 or via email at cityclerk@ idahospringsco.com. Please call Community Development Planner Jerad Chipman with any questions at 303.567.4421 ext. 118.

Legal Notice No. CCC262 First Publication: December 15, 2021 Last Publication: December 15, 2021 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

Summons and Sheriff Sale Public Notice

CLEAR CREEK COUNTY, COUNTY COURT, COLORADO 405 Argentine Street Georgetown, CO 80444 (303) 569-0820 Case Number: 2021CV30038 Plaintiff(s): THOMAS MEOLA, v.

Defendant(s): DEAN E. MATTHEWS CO-TRUSTEE; HELEN MATTHEWS CO-TRUSTEE and ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN INDIVIDUALS CLAIMING AN INTEREST IN AND TO THE SUBJECT PROPERTY. Attorney for Plaintiff: Jordan C. May, Atty. Reg. No. 38734 Ekaterina Kamenetsky, Atty. Reg. No. 55710 Frascona, Joiner, Goodman and Greenstein, P.C. 4750 Table Mesa Drive Boulder CO 80305 (303) 494-3000 jordan@frascona.com, katie@frascona.com THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANT(S): You are hereby summoned and required to appear and defend against the claims of the complaint filed with the court in this action, by filing with the clerk of this court an answer or other response.

You are required to file your answer or other response within 35 days after the service of this summons upon you. Service of this summons shall be complete on the day of the last publication. A copy of the complaint may be obtained from the clerk of the court.

If you fail to file your answer or other response to the complaint in writing within 35 days after the date of the last publication, judgment by default may be rendered against you by the court for the relief demanded in the complaint without further notice.

This is an action for: QUIET TITLE Dated: November 15, 2021 Respectfully submitted, Frascona, Joiner, Goodman and Greenstein, P.C.

/s/ Ekaterina Kamenetsky Katie Kamenetsky 4750 Table Mesa Drive Boulder, CO 80305-5541 (303) 494-3000 Attorney for Plaintiff Legal Notice No. CCC250 First Publication: November 24, 2021 Last Publication: December 22, 2021 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

Notice to Creditors Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Lara Mould, Deceased Case Number: 2021 PR 8 All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Clear Creek County, Colorado on or before April 15, 2022, or the claims may be forever barred. c/o Erica Gajda, Robinson and Henry, Personal Representative 11080 Circle Point Road, Suite 140 Westminster, CO 80231 Legal Notice No. CCC263 First Publication: December 15, 2021 Last Publication: December 29, 2021 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of KEITH L. MAYBERRY, also known as KEITH LYNN MAYBERRY, also known as KEITH MAYBERRY, Deceased Case Number: 2021 PR 30020

The petition requests that the name of Hana Marie Sacharuk be changed to Hana Marie Sparks

Legal Notice No. CCC258 First Publication: December 8, 2021 Last Publication: December 22, 2021 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

By: Deputy Clerk

Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS In the Matter of the Estate of JAMES H. MIMS, a/k/a JAMES HOWARD MIMS, a/k/a JIM MIMS, Deceased Case Number: 2021PR30022 All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Clear Creek County, Colorado on or before April 8, 2022, or the claims may be forever barred.

Eve Montgomery, Personal Representative 5906 Taft Blvd.

Wichita Falls, TX 76308 Legal Notice No. CCC260 First Publication: December 8, 2021 Last Publication: December 22, 2021 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

Legal Notice No. CCC253 First Publication: December 1, 2021 Last Publication: December 15, 2021 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant Public Notice PUBLIC NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME Public notice is given on November 23, 2021 that a Petition for a Change of Name of an adult has been filed with the Clear Creek Court.

The petition requests that the name of Yvonne Nicole DelZenero be changed to Yvonne Nicole DelZenero-Mehlberg Case No.: 21C48 By: Deputy Clerk Legal Notice No. CCC257 First Publication: December 8, 2021 Last Publication: December 22, 2021 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

Name Changes PUBLIC NOTICE Clear Creek Combined Courts 405 Argentine St., PO Box 367 Georgetown, CO 80444 Case number: 21C46 In the Matter of the Petition of: Adult

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to District Court of Clear Creek County, Colorado on or before April 8, 2022, or the claims may be forever barred.

For a Change of Name to: Hana Marie Sparks

Joyce K. Livingston, Personal Representative 2827 Curacao Lane Thompson’s Station, TN 37179

Public notice is given on November 16, 2021 that a Petition for a Change of Name of an adult has been filed with the Clear Creek County Court.

PUBLIC NOTICE FOR PETITION OF CHANGE OF NAME

Clear Creek Legals 12.15.21 * 1

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Clear Creek Courant 29

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CLEAR CREEK COUNTY *Control Tech: Hiring wage is $20.14 - $22.15/hr DOQ *Detentions Deputy: Hiring wage is $29.23 - $30.11/hr DOQ *Dispatcher: Hiring wage is $24.62 - $25.35/hr DOQ *Equipment Operator I for the Transfer Station: CDL; Hiring wage is $18.00 - $19.80/hr DOQ *Equipment Operator II for Road and Bridge: CDL; Hiring wage is $21.00 - $23.10/hr DOQ *Kitchen Manager: Hiring wage is $22.40 - $24.64/hour DOQ *Part Time Animal Shelter Assistant: Hiring wage is $16.50 - $18.15/hr DOQ *Part Time EMT: Hiring wage is $20.14 - $22.15/hr DOQ *Part Time Paramedic: Hiring wage is $23.27 - $25.60/hr DOQ *Recreation Facilities Manager: Hiring wage is $29.66 to $32.63/hour DOQ *Senior Accountant: Hiring wage is $65,000 to $75,000 annually DOQ *Trails Supervisor (Seasonal): Hiring wage is $25.24 to $27.76/hour DOQ Taking applications until positions are filled

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Please view the HR page on the County Web Site to see benefits offered.

See full job descriptions and application at: https://www.clearcreekcounty.us/ Under I want to - on the left-hand side of the drop down - under Apply For/Register- Click on Jobs in Clear Creek County - This will take you to the job posting site.

Clear Creek County is an ADAAA/EEO employer.

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LEGAL ASSISTANT Centennial Law firm seeks P/T legal assistant. No prior legal experience necessary, Good communication/ typing skills req. Flexible hours work from home or office. $22-30 p/hr Contact info: Tom Arckey 303-9288546 tja@arlaw.us Land & Water Conservation Director Mountain Area Land Trust Evergreen CO Seeking a director with 3-5+ years experience negotiating, writing and closing Conservation Easements.

Apply: https:// savetheland.org/job-opportunities/ Contact info: lindab@savetheland. org A Conifer business is looking for a full time accountant with knowledge of Quickbooks, and part time office help. Please call 303-838-7719 and ask for Dianna.

To advertise your business here,call us at 303-566-4113

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Merchandise

Visit our Website to View All Open Positions Apply at: www.ccsdre1.org

Antiques & Colle ctibles

Clear Creek School District RE1, does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, genetic information, marital status, or disability in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its educational programs or activities.

Set of Beer Steines before Berlin wall came down. Pewter. Art pieces from 1883 signed and dated. Few Chinese artwork from before WWII. Serious inquiries and by appointment only.

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Inquiries may be referred to the Director of Human Resources, Robin Payne, robin.payne@ccsdre1.org 303-567-3851

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VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! 50 Generic Pills SPECIAL $99.00 FREE Shipping! 100% guaranteed.

24/7 CALL NOW! 888-445-5928G p Hablamos Espanol o s Medical F v Enhanced Vision Merlin Magnifier, C 20” screen and all cables. Practically 3 new since it was only used one month. Private party in Centennial.D $1,200. Email Fred at jafb1948@m comcast.net e N Attention oxygen therapy users!

1 Inogen One G4 is capable of full 24/7 oxygen delivery. Only 2.8 pounds.A Free info kit. Call 877-929-9587 w m Miscellaneous G 1 Update your home with beautiful new blinds & shades. Free in-home estimates make it convenient to shopR from home. Professional installation.t Top quality - Made in the USA. Freel consultation: 877-212-7578. Askp about our specials!

CLASSIFIEDS

Clear Creek Courant 31

December 15, 2021

COLORADO COMMUNIT Y MEDIA

CAREERS

MARKETPLACE

REAL ESTATE

Careers

SERVICE DIRECTORY

DENTAL INSURANCE - Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Covers 350 procedures.

Real insurance - not a discount plan. Get your free dental info kit!

1-888-623-3036 www.dental50plus.com/58 #6258.

Wanted to Buy

FOR WINTER 21-22

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS * FREE SEASON PASS * DISCOUNTED LIFT TICKETS OR SEASON PASSES FOR FAMILY MEMBERS * FREE OR DISCOUNTED SKIING & RIDING AT OVER 30 OTHER SKI AREAS (RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY) * FREE EMPLOYEE SHUTTLE FROM THE FRONT RANGE AND CLEAR CREEK COUNTY * ACCESS TO ACCIDENT INSURANCE, HOSPITAL CARE INSURANCE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS * PAID SICK LEAVE FREE SEASON PASS * *POTENTIAL END OF SEASON BONUS UPON COMPLETION OF WORK COMMITMENT * DISCOUNTED LIFT TICKETS OR SEASON PASSES FOR FAMILY MEMBERS * FREE OR DISCOUNTED SKIING & RIDING AT OVER 30 OTHER SKI AREAS

FULL & PART TIME * POSITIONS AVAILABLE (RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY)

I BUY OLD/VINTAGE CHRISTMAS DECOR! If you are purging I am buying.

Happy to dig in closets, sheds, basements Call or text Lisa B. 720-838-4549 Wants to purchase minerals and other oil and gas interests. Send details to P.O. Box 13557 Denver, Co. 80201

Pets Dogs

FREE EMPLOYEE SHUTTLE FROM THE FRONT RANGE AND CLEAR CREEK COUNTY

* ACCESS TO ACCIDENT INSURANCE, HOSPITAL CARE INSURANCE PAID SICK LEAVE * *SKI & RIDE SCHOOL * PARKING LOT ATTENDANTS POTENTIAL END OF SEASON BONUS UPON COMPLETION OF WORK COMMITMENT * *RENTAL SHOP * LIFT OPERATIONS * SPORT SHOP * SHUTTLE DRIVERS FULL & PART TIME * FOOD & BEVERAGE * YEAR-ROUND ROLES

POSITIONS(LIFTAVAILABLE MAINTENANCE) * * * *

SKI & RIDE SCHOOL

* * * *

PARKING LOT ATTENDANTS

APPLY TODAY AT SKILOVELAND.COM/EMPLOYMENT APPLY TODAY AT (303) 571-5580 X140 RENTAL SHOP SPORT SHOP

FOOD & BEVERAGE

LIFT OPERATIONS

SHUTTLE DRIVERS

YEAR-ROUND ROLES

(VEHICLE MAINTENANCE, LIFT MAINTENANCE)

SKILOVELAND.COM/EMPLOYMENT (303) 571-5580 X140

Miscellaneous

21/22

SEASON

Gorgeous AKC mini longhair Dachshunds due in December, ready around Valentines Day. Accepting adoption applications now. Visit www.kirstenawitherell.com Dachshund page or text 720-495-9261.

Miscellaneous

Loveland Ski Area is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity,

disability,internet protected veteran any other status protected by applicable law.

HughesNet – Finally, super-fast no status orDISH TV $64.99 190 matter where you live. 25 Mbps just $59.99/mo! + $14.95 High Speed Unlimited Data is Here. Stream Video. Bundle TV & Internet. Free Installation. Call Free Installation, Smart 866-499-0141

Sound Bar and Sub Wolfer Hayden Pro Cinema HPC-1800 wireless, remote control, new in box, $600.

Call Michael (303) 569-0198.

The Generac PWRcell solar plus battery storage system. Save money, reduce reliance on grid, prepare for outages & power your home. Full installation services. $0 down financing option. Request free no obligation quote. 1-855-2703785 GENERAC Standby Generators provide backup power during power outages, so your home & family stay safe & comfortable. Prepare now.

Free 7-yr extended warranty $695 value! Request a free quote today!

Call for terms & conditions. 1-844334-8353 DIRECTV NOW. No Satellite. $40/ mo. 65 Channels. Stream news, life events, sports & on demand titles.

No contract/commitment. CALL 1-866-825-6523 AT&T Internet. Starting at $40/month w/12-mo agreement. 1 TB of data/ month. Ask how to bundle & SAVE! Geo & service restrictions apply.

1-888-796-8850 PROFESSIONAL WATER JET BACK MASSAGE TABLE: Reconditioned. Chiropractors and therapists use Sidmar tables to loosen patients’ muscles and ease pain. $1250 obo 303 688-9171

Contact Ruth, 303-566-4113 rdaniels@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous

NOW HIRING!

Channels Internet.

HD DVR included, Free Voice remote. Some Restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/21/22. 1-833-872-2545.

Looking for assisted living, memory care, or independent living? A Place for Mom simplifies the process of finding senior living at no cost to your family. Call 1-833-386-1995 today!

Long distance moving: Call for a free quote from America’s Most Trusted Interstate Movers. Let us take the stress out of moving! Speak to a relocation specialist 888-721-2194 Stop worrying! SilverBills eliminates the stress & hassle of bill pmts.

Household bills guaranteed to be paid on time as long as appropriate funds are available. No computer necessary. Free tri-al/custom quote 1-855-703-0555 NEW AUTHORS WANTED! Page Publishing will help you self-publish your book. Free author submission kit! Limited offer! 866-951-7214 BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months!

Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 855-761-1725 Eliminate gutter cleaning forever!

LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking protection. Schedule free LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855-9952490

DEADLINES CLASSIFIED LINE ADS: MONDAY, 11 A.M. SERVICE DIRECTORY: THURSDAY, 5 P.M. LEGALS: THURSDAY, 3 P.M.

CLASSIFIED AD SALES & SERVICE DIRECTORY ADS

Doodle Puppies

Golden Doodles and Bernedoodles Home-Raised Heath Tested and Guaranteed Standard and Mini Size available Schedule a visit today!

(970)215-6860 www.puppylovedoodles.com

Transportation Autos for Sale 2010 Honda Accord Tan 2010 Honda Accord 4-door Sedan with just under 72,400 miles.

Asking price is $8,500. Please call 720-641-5701 for more information.

Wanted Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up.

100% tax deductible. Call 1-800245-0398

To advertise your business, call us at 303-566-4113

Colorado Statewide Network

To place a 25-word COSCAN Network ad in 91 Colorado newspapers for only $300, contact your local newspaper or email Colorado Press Association Network at rtoledo@colopress.net DIRECTV DIRECTV for $69.99/mo for 12 months with CHOICE Package. Watch your favorite live sports, news & entertainment anywhere. One Year of HBO Max FREE. Directv is #1 Customer Satisfaction (JD Power & Assoc.) (some restrictions aplly) Call for more details! 1-888-725-0897 COMPLETE CARE HOME WARRANTY Never Pay for Covered Home Repairs Again!

Complete Care Home Warranty COVERS ALL MAJOR SYSTEMS AND APPLIANCES. 30 DAY RISK FREE! $200 OFF! 2 FREE MONTHS! 1-877-374-4287

HAPPY JACK INC. Happy Jack ® LiquiVict® is recognized safe & effective against hook & round worms in dogs by USCVM. At Tractor Supply® www.fleabeacon.com

LIFE INSURANCE Up to $15,000.00 of GUARANTEED Life Insurance! No Medical exam or health questions. Cash to help pay funeral and other final expenses. Call Physicians Life Insurance Company at 855-595-2161 or visit: www.life55plus.info/copa

DENTAL INSURANCE Dental Insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 350 plus procedures. Real Dental Insurance - NOT just a discount plan. Do NOT WAIT! Call Now! Get your FREE Dental information kit with all the details! Call - 1-855-781-1668 AT&T WIRELESS PHONE SERVICE

Two great new offers from AT&T Wireless!

Ask how to get the new iPhone 11 or Next Generation Samsung Galaxy S10e ON US with AT&T Buy One, Give One Offer.

While Supplies last!

Call: 1-877-384-5339

Do You Need Key Employees? …or Have a Great Business Opportunity?

HIGHLIGHT your Openings HERE

on Evergreen Newspaper’s

Career Page

Call Ruth at 303-350-1036 303-566-4113 or email ruth@evergreenco.com rdaniels@coloradocommunitymedia.com to reserve space!

32 Clear Creek Courant

December 15, 2021