Clear Creek Courant 111722

Marlin wins Clear Creek Commissioners race

BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE OLOVE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Democrat George Marlin came out as winner over unaffiliated Hunter Shriner in the Clear Creek County Commissioners race, according to unofficial results on Nov. 9.

As of Nov 9., Marlin leads the commissioners race with 2,969 votes. Shriner trails Marlin with 1,936 votes. This is the final count released by the county for the evening, though the county will receive ballots from other counties and military and overseas voters for the next 8 days.

George Marlin, born and raised in Idaho Springs, was elected to the Board of County Commissioners in 2018. Marlin was instrumental in hiring a public information officer for the county during his first term,

as public knowledge of county affairs is one of his goals as a commissioner.

Marlin hopes in his next term to continue his work on affordable housing, securing broadband for different areas in the county and improving behavioral health programs.

With his early lead, Marlin hopes the numbers continue to favor him. If he should pull out a win, he has plans for his next steps.

“The first order of business is to finish out my first term...so I’m going to wake up [tomorrow] and get to work,” Marlin said. “I’ll be excited to start my second term and keep working to solve the problems we face as a community.”

Going into the night, Marlin had a strong lead over Shriner.

Hunter Shriner currently lives

in Beaver Brook Canyon, and is running to unseat Marlin as County Commissioner. Shriner aims to refocus local efforts on the core responsibilities of government that makes the county unique. Shriner is a proponent for personal responsibility, individual freedom and government accountability.

Shriner supports more parental input in curriculum planning for schools, and hopes to give more individual autonomy to businesses to make decisions around COVID and other health crises.

Looking at the results, Shriner has not officially conceded but recognized the numbers are not in his favor.

“I would say that the differential is insurmountable,” Shriner said. “I’m proud of the campaign I led.”

Results show voters favoring Clear Creek County ballot measures

BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE OLOVE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Clear Creek County voters cast votes on multiple ballot issues, and the most recent polling numbers show that votes will pass ballot issue 1A, ballot issue 2B and ballot issue 2A.

As of the evening of Nov. 9, ballot issue 1A has 3,212 yes votes. Passing this measure will allow the county to use a minimum of 60% of the revenue from the existing lodging tax to support housing and childcare for

the tourism-related workforce, including seasonal and other community employees. A maximum of 40% of this tax revenue will continue to be used for advertising and marketing local tourism.

Ballot issue 2B currently has 464 votes in favor. If passed, the measure will increase taxes in Idaho Springs $900,000 in 2023 and by whatever additional amounts are raised annually in each subsequent year through a one percent increase in the city sales tax rate. Starting on Jan. 1, 2023, the revenues from the

one percent increase will be used for the purpose of funding water and wastewater capital improvement projects and reducing the impacts of potential future rate increases to customers, and all tax revenues will be collected, retained and spent as a voter-approved revenue change.

Ballot issue 2A is the closest race so far, with 464 yes votes and 301 no votes. Passing this measure will increase taxes in Georgetown $225,000 in 2023 and by whatever additional amounts are raised annually in each subsequent year through a two

percent town sales tax on lodging services. Starting on Jan. 1 2023, the revenues from the two percent increase will be solely used to support activities of the town’s business promotion commission, organization, promotion, marketing and management of public events, as well as supporting the tourism industry in numerous ways.

These ballot measures could mean more support for the county that is struggling to attract and retain workers.

George Marlin

How sober curiosity can turn into a lifestyle change

Movement has grown after influential book

BY DANA KNOWLES ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

Sydney Golden battled various unknown health issues for 20 years; everything from allergies, headaches, bloating, joint pain, fatigue, depression and anxiety. Visits to medical specialists didn’t give her any concrete answers and she was repeatedly told nothing was wrong with her.

“I would walk around as a healthylooking person, but I felt horrible,” Golden said.

Even though Golden was never a heavy drinker, she decided to make a lifestyle change and stop consuming alcohol four years ago, and the results were surprising. Golden emphasizes that even when she would have only one or two drinks, her body always felt it the next day, but not anymore.

“When I don’t drink, there’s no brain fog, there’s no lethargy, there’s no fatigue. There’s a totally different feeling,” she added, saying that her mood immediately improved. “I have motivation, I have no aches, I have no pains in my body. I have no more bloating, no more stomach issues. It’s just better for me.”

Caitlin Opland is a licensed clinical social worker who works for Thriveworks, a mental health com-

Weather Observations for Georgetown, Colorado

Week of November 7, 2022

Weather Observations for Georgetown, Colorado

Week of October7, 2022

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 24 hours preceding the observation time. Historic data are based on the period of record for which statistical data have been compiled (about 53 years within the period 1893-2021). Any weather records noted are based on a comparison of the observed value with the historical data set.

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 24 hours preceding the observation time. Historic data are based on the period of record for which statistical data have been compiled (about 53 years within the period 1893 2021). Any weather records noted are based on a comparison of the observed value with the historical data set. Day and date of observation (2022)

Monday,

Wednesday, 11/9 58 31 44.5 0 0 25 1325 Thursday, 11/10 57 21 39.0 0.01 T 37 0010 Friday, 11/11 32 12 22.0 0 0 27 0910 Saturday, 11/12 31 13 22.0 0 0 19 2105 Sunday, 11/13 47 16 31.5 0 0 13 2315

Week’s avg max, min, mean daily T; sum of TP, SF 45.619.632.60.01T Historic week’s avg max, min, mean daily T; avg sum of TP, SF 47.324.435.90.192.4

pany. Opland says over the last few months, she has been working with more and more clients who are on a similar journey of wanting to cut out alcohol, not because of a problem, but because they want explore a different way of living.

“I’ve had many clients come to me and say, ‘I don’t think it’s a problem, but …,’” she explained, adding that she typically asks clients what’s influencing their curiosity about sobriety and the possibility of no longer drinking. “Many people hesitate because they don’t want to have to label themselves as an alcoholic, but they still want to make a lifestyle change.”

The “Sober Curious” movement has grown in recent years after author Ruby Warrington published the book called “Sober Curious” in late 2018. A CivicScience survey published last month, shows a greater percentage of people report they are curious about living a sober lifestyle, from 12% in 2020 to 19% this year.

Opland feels that educating her clients about what’s considered too much alcohol according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, helps people make more informed decisions. “The guide for healthy drinking limitsfor women is eight drinks a week and for men it is 15,” she added, saying that most people are surprised when she tells them. “That educational piece actually tips them over from being curious to actually taking that first step.”

The Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention, or CDC, also says that even minimal amounts of alcohol of any kind increase a person’s risk for several types of cancer.

“The benefits [of being alcohol-free] are it’s better for your kidneys, your liver, your skin. You’ll feel better, but you’ll also sleep better and eat better,” said Opland.

Opland added that one of the biggest barriers to people exploring an alcohol-free lifestyle is peer pressure from society itself.

“The media influences us, families influence us, holidays coming up influence us, work influences us,” Opland said.

Both Golden and Opland say the best advice they can give anyone who might be sober-curious is to start by setting boundaries.

“You can have a mocktail or a club soda,” said Golden. “It looks like a drink, in case you’re not ready to tell people you don’t want to drink anymore.”

“Is it a last family gathering? Is it Grandpa’s last visit? Do you actually want to go? Is it a champagne toast at a wedding where you can just put Sprite in the glass?” Opland added, explaining that she encourages her clients to ask themselves these types of questions. “Are there alterations to drinks so you can still participate? Sometimes the temptation is too big, and that’s okay.”

This story is from Rocky Mountain PBS, a nonprofit public broadcaster providing community stories across Colorado over the air and online. Used by permission. For more, and to support Rocky Mountain PBS, visit rmpbs.org.

Draft beer

PHOTO COURTESY OF HOPS N DROPS

Three dogs in tuxedos watch their parents get married

leigh, and the mother of the bride, Crystal Vo Petrzilek, as well as their three dogs, Richard Burleigh, also known as Lil D, Chai and Louie.

BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE OLOVE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Clad in glittery cowgirl boots, a shimmery fringed jacket and red lipstick, Anna Quach Burleigh married Imad Burleigh on Nov. 8 in the Clear Creek County Courthouse.

The couple was joined by the mother of the groom, Susan Bur-

Louie the Basset mix had trouble containing his excitement and let out a few howls of joy in the courthouse. Lil D the Dachshund was not keen on having his picture taken and was unsure of how to pose. Chai the Shiba seemed a bit camera shy but wore the tuxedo proudly.

The couple lives in Fort Collins but came to Georgetown to tie the knot. They garnered plenty of attention among voters turning in ballots at the Clear Creek County Courthouse on Nov. 8.

The family poses for a picture after the newly-weds exchange rings. PHOTOS BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE

The tuxedo-clad pups wait (impatiently) outside for mom and dad to sign the papers.

The married couple share a kiss in Georgetown.

Voters approve free school meals program

Plan will reduce tax breaks for wealthy

BY ERICA BREUNLIN THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado public school students will have access to free school meals after voters approved Proposition FF on Nov. 8, slashing tax breaks for households that earn more than $300,000 in federal adjusted gross income starting in tax year 2023 to help pay for a new school meals program.

The measure passed with more than 55% of voters approving it.

The success of the measure means that all kids in public schools, no matter their family’s income, will be able to eat free school breakfasts and lunches, reflecting the critical role schools play in helping students facing food insecurity. The state’s new school meals program — the Healthy School Meals for All program — will take the place of a federal initiative that provided free meals to all kids through the first two years of the pandemic.

“This is a win for our fight against childhood hunger,” said Ashley Wheeland, director of public policy for Hunger Free Colorado, a nonprofit that helps people struggling with hunger. “Many more children that need food will now have access to it with their learning, and this is something that we’ve needed for a long time.”

The demand for food assistance

swelled during the pandemic, with 68,000 more Colorado kids participating in school lunch programs supported by federal funds, said Wheeland, whose organization has supported the ballot measure since it was first referred by Democrats in the Colorado legislature this year through the passage of House Bill 1414. This school year, with the federal initiative no longer in place, school meals are reaching fewer students, she said.

Proposition FF will limit the amount that households earning more than $300,000 can claim in state income tax deductions to cover many of the costs of the new school meals program. It will also require school meal providers to take advantage of federal reimbursements to help ease program costs for the state.

The restriction will impact a taxpayer’s standard deduction or itemized deductions, which include charitable contributions, state and local taxes and mortgage interest.

Taxpayers who make more than $300,000 will be able to deduct no more than $12,000 for single filers and no more than $16,000 for joint filers. Currently, taxpayers who earn more than $400,000 can claim a maximum of $60,000 in state income tax deductions for a joint filer and a maximum of $30,000 for a single filer, caps that were passed under House Bill 1311. Taxpayers whose income is between $300,000 and $400,000 are not limited in how much they can deduct from their state taxable income.

Proposition FF will increase income tax revenue in the state by an estimated $100.7 million during the first full year of the tax change, fiscal year 2023-24, which begins on July 1, 2023.

School meal providers will be reimbursed for providing meals to all kids, and any school meal provider can benefit, whether they serve one

or more school districts or charter schools. Currently, 183 school meal providers serve kids throughout the state and cover the costs of providing free and reduced-price lunches with state and federal funds and by charging families whose income exceeds federal poverty levels.

Students could choose from pears, apples, carrots and tomatoes for their hot lunches.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Students might qualify for free or reduced-price meals, depending on their household income, but Colorado students who are eligible for reduced-price meals get free meals instead because the state funds their portion of the meal cost.

Denver resident Noah Hayden, 25, voted in favor of Proposition FF so that all students have enough to eat while trying to learn.

Hayden, an unaffiliated voter, teaches social studies at a charter school in Broomfield, and while most of his students come from families who can afford meals, he knows not all kids have the same resources.

“I just think it’s better that every kid is always ensured a lunch throughout the day,” Hayden said after voting at ReelWorks Denver

Tuesday evening.

Joey Chester, 30, an unaffiliated voter from Westminster, came to the polls with at least one thing in mind: school lunches.

Chester, who grew up in Aurora, voted “yes” on Proposition FF. He said he sees hope in the proposition.

“When I grew up, my mom gave us 40 bucks a month for school lunches, and I got lazy and would just burn it out and then have to make my own lunch finally for the rest of the year.

I knew kids that didn’t always get meals, and I know things have gotten worse,” Chester said.

He added: “I hope it’s going to pass and the people that it’s going to tax are not going to be whiny about it.”

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.

SHUTTERSTOCK

Colorado is second state to legalize ‘magic mushrooms’

Measure passed by thin margin

BY JENNIFER BROWN THE COLORADO SUN

Ten years after legalizing the use and sale of marijuana, Colorado became only the second state in the U.S. to legalize the use of psilocybin mushrooms.

The ballot measure, Proposition 122, squeaked across the finish line as ballots were tallied the day after Election Day, receiving 51% of the vote.

Proponents called it a “truly historic moment.”

“Colorado voters saw the benefit of regulated access to natural medicines, including psilocybin, so people with PTSD, terminal illness, depression, anxiety and other mental health issues can heal,” co-proponents, Kevin Matthews and Veronica Lightening Horse Perez said in emailed statement Wednesday evening.

Natural Medicine Colorado, which got Proposition 122 on the ballot, spent nearly $4.5 million to promote the measure. In contrast, the primary opposition, Protect Colorado’s Kids, raised about $51,000.

The measure will allow people 21 and older to grow and share psychedelic mushrooms, as well as create state-regulated centers where people could make appointments to consume psilocybin, the hallucination-

psychedelic mushrooms. It calls for licensed “healing centers” to give clients mushrooms in a supervised setting, but — unlike marijuana — does not include an option for retail sales.

Once again, Colorado passed a drug measure that’s illegal under federal law. Psychedelic mushrooms became illegal in the U.S. in 1970 under the Controlled Substances Act.

sage, psilocybin remains federally classified as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, like heroin, for which there is no current medical use.

Colorado became the first to legalize marijuana a decade ago, and is second only to Oregon in legalizing psilocybin.

Luke Niforatos, chairman of Protect Colorado’s Kids, said he was concerned as a parent and for Colo-

“We now need to have a very frank and public conversation about who is in charge of medicine,” he said.

“This is now the second time our state has rejected the FDA process.”

Niforatos, who is also executive vice president of the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions, said Colorado has allowed “billionaires,

By a thin margin, Colorado voters to make the state only the second in the nation to legalize use of psychedelic mushrooms.

SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

Coloradans vote to cut income taxes, limit liquor chains

BY MARK HARDEN ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

Coloradans gave themselves a tax break in the Nov. 8 election, while also blocking a proposal to let liquor-store operators add more locations.

Voters also agreed to raise taxes on high-income Coloradans to support free school meals, refused to relax rules for charity bingo games and raffles, and expanded property tax exemptions for the surviving spouses of fallen military service members.

By nearly a 2-1 margin, Colorado voters approved Proposition 121, reducing the state income tax rate from 4.55% to 4.4%. The measure is projected to reduce state tax revenue by $412.6 million, a cut of about 2.4% to the state’s general fund, while saving the average Colorado

taxpayer $119 in fiscal-year 2023-24. And nearly two-thirds of voters opposed Proposition 124, which would have let retail liquor chains grow from a limit of three stores statewide now to a maximum of eight, and then to 13 in 2027, 20 in 2032 and an unlimited number in 2037. Under existing law, liquor chains will be allowed a four-store maximum in 2027 but not more. The Colorado Licensed Beverage Association, representing independent liquor stores,had saidProp 124 would let big chains drive its members out of business.

This story is from Rocky Mountain PBS, a nonprofit public broadcaster providing community stories across Colorado over the air and online. Used by permission. For more, and to support Rocky Mountain PBS, visit rmpbs.org.

Colorado wants to be the best in outdoor recreation

Outdoor trade show opens in Colorado

BY JASON BLEVINS THE COLORADO SUN

When the Outdoor Retailer trade show pulled out of Denver this year to return to its longtime home in Utah, Colorado’s outdoor industry

leaders promised the departure would be a good thing.

The loss of the twice-a-year trade shows — which irked brands that have been battling with Utah politicians over the state’s opposition to expansions of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments — was an opportunity to create a new type of event for the outdoor industry. Conor Hall, the director of Colorado’s outdoor

recreation office, suggested maybe the state could host a business trade show that also worked as a consumer-friendly festival; a “South by Southwest” for the outdoor industry and its passionate fans.

The seed of that new event was planted this week as the nascent Big Gear Show announced plans to move from Park City, Utah, to downtown Denver alongside the first-ever (e)revolution e-bike trade show. The

June 8-11 event at the Colorado Convention Center next year will host not just brands, manufacturers and retailers with two days of businessto-business wheeling and dealing, but will open to consumers for the final two days of the event.

The plan includes an entry fee, outdoor trails for e-bikes and climbing walls for testing equipment and,

Jazz Singh, owner of Pecos Liquors, is a well-known liquor store owner in Westminster.

PHOTO BY LUKE ZARZECKI

LOCAL

VOICES

What parents should know about RSV

DR. MATTHEW HUSA

RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, can include symptoms similar to a common cold. However, the virus can develop into something more serious. RSV can infect people of all ages but is most severe for older adults and young children.

Usually almost every child under the age of 2 has been exposed to RSV, but due to all the pandemic response over the last few years, kids have not been exposed as much to RSV. That is one of the reasons why we are seeing such a spike this year, as well as RSV in children older than 2.

Symptoms

RSV symptoms may vary and typically begin four to six days after infection. The most common symptoms might include:

Runny nose

Low appetite

Coughing

Sneezing Fever

Wheezing

For young infants with RSV, they might be irritable, sluggish or find it harder to breathe.

or alertness

Even though RSV is common, and it might seem difficult to figure out how severe it will become, there are some risk factors parents should be aware of.

surface that has the virus on it and then touches their face, before washing their hands.

The following tips may help reduce your family’s risk:

Statistically, being friendless or a minimalist when it comes to interpersonal relationships is more true for men than women, but both genders are finding themselves more and more without when it comes to close friends. In a May 2021 American Perspectives Surveypoll,

Columnist

Your pediatrician will be able to figure out whether it’s a common cold, COVID-19 or RSV, if you have concerns about symptoms your child is showing. They might perform tests, like chest X-rays, to see if pneumonia has developed.

When should you call a doctor?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes an increase in RSV-associated emergency room visits. However, most cases will go away on its own in a week or two. Symptoms are typically at their worst on days three to five of infection. Only 3% of children with RSV will require a hospital stay.

If symptoms become severe, contact your pediatrician right away. This may include:

Symptoms of bronchiolitis

Symptoms of dehydration (only one wet diaper in 8 hours or more)

Difficulty breathing

Gray or blue lips, tongue or skin

A significant decrease in activity

Children who are born premature or are 6 months old or younger are most at-risk for RSV complications. Children with chronic heart or lung disease, or a weaker immune system, can also be susceptible to RSV.

Treatment

There’s currently no vaccine to prevent RSV and no specific treatment for the infection. As stated, most cases will resolve on their own. However, there are a few things you can do to help relieve the symptoms: Manage pain and fever with overthe-counter medications (consult your pediatrician for guidance and never give aspirin to children)

Drink plenty of fluids Nasal saline to help with breathing

Cool-mist humidifier to help break up mucus

Talk to your health care provider before you give any over-the-counter cold medicine to your child.

How it spreads

RSV is typically spread through coughs and sneezes, but can spread when someone touches a

Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your arm, not your hands.

Avoid close contact with others, especially those who are sick. Wash your hands frequently.

Don’t touch your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home.

If you’re sick, stay home.

The best way to avoid transmission of RSV is what we have been doing very well over the last few years: Scrupulous hand hygiene with washing our hands frequently with soap and water, and cleaning the surfaces small hands get to, like doorknobs and handles. Also, wear a mask if you have any respiratory symptoms.

With the knowledge of what RSV may look like — and how it is different from other viruses — you’ll be able to take steps to keep your child as healthy as possible all year round.

For more information, visit the CDC website.

Dr. Matthew Husa is the chief medical officer of UnitedHealthcare of Colorado & Wyoming.

Friendship: We’re killing it

JERRY FABYANIC

ne of the great ironies of this interconnected age when we are wired as never before, when communication with another is merely an email, text, Zoom call, or app away, and when we have a plethora of groups to join and participate in and the time to be involved in them, more and more are finding themselves friendless or their friendships tentative and tenuous. It’s more than a philosophical or psychological condition. It’s a symptom of what ails American culture specifically and our hightech, quick-paced culture writ large.15% of men and 10% of women said they have no close friends. In 1990, at the nascent stage of the internet, that figure for men was about 3%; for women, 2%. That’s a five-fold increase for both. And only about 50% of the entire population said they have four or more close friends. A hard truth is that there is a strong correlation between the size of one’s circle of close friends (three or less) and their experiences of loneliness and depression.

Perplexing to say the least. So, why is that happening especially in context of this age when the opportunity to connect with others is literally at the fingertips of most? As the poll suggests, the tenability

of friendships isn’t just a guy thing. A friend told me about a feature of many women’s friendships that I, being a guy without kids, had no clue about. She talked about “seasons of friendships” and how friends move in and out of their lives due to their roles as mothers. While their kids are growing, they form friendships with the mothers of their children’s friends via school, sports and other circumstances. But when the kids are grown and gone, oftentimes those friendships evaporate.

“I have lost many friends along the way only to realize that all we really had in common was that our children were the same age, at the same school or in the same sport,” she said.

Nevertheless, life goes only this time they find themselves navigating the friend scene not as young 20-somethings but as older women.

She spoke about how her career played a major role in developing

her friendship circle.

“I think especially for women, the current roles you play impact the friendships you are able to sustain and nurture,” she said. “I have been in the same job for 32 years, so my co-workers are much more than friends. I recently added a low pay evening retail job where I have made new, young, poor friends who remind me of my former self.”

There is a fundamental difference between women and men when it comes to sharing personal stuff: Women talk; men get tight-lipped. Which points to a larger problem: Men have just as much need to talk about their stuff as women. But we rarely do. We’re taught from early toddlerhood that we need to put it away, toughen up, and for heaven’s sake, never, ever cry. Which gets at something both telling and ironic about the10-to-15%: The degree that

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attitude plays a role in why so many find themselves friendless, and they are often the ones most in need of close friends.

Certainly, other factors lie at the root of increased friendlessness. The pandemic, for example. But even though the pandemic seemed like an eon to get through, it was relatively short-lived. The increas ing rate of those without friends has been a long-term trend, not a spike. A vogue idiomatic expression is “killing it.” It’s a juxtaposition of kill in that it doesn’t suggest violence but, instead, means do ing something great. I’d like to say in that context that when it comes to friendships we’re killing it. But we’re not. Rather, we’re literally killing them. That is especially true for Gen Z’ers who are, according to the data, the loneliest among us.

Twenty-eight percent of men 30 and under, for example, reported they have no close social connec tions. But that’s a separate topic that would entail discussion about helicopter parents and the wireless umbilical cord that aids and abets their keeping their children sym bolically and sometimes literally nested in their roost.

Want to do something small but monumental to stem the deteriora tion and fragmentation of American society? Break out of your bubble— religious, political, or whatever— and befriend another. And then another. And then… You might not change the world overnight, but you just make another feel wanted and valued. And you just might find yourself with a new friend, even a close one that causes you to wonder how in the heck you got through life without them.

Jerry Fabyanic is the author of “Sisyphus Wins” and “Food for Thought: Essays on Mind and Spirit.” He lives in Georgetown.

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A look inside yearslong push to change how schools teach reading

BY ANN SCHIMKE CHALKBEAT COLORADO

A roomful of second graders spent a recent fall morning learning about a bossy mother named “Mama E” who follows her kids around reminding them to say their names.

The whimsical story was part of a phonics lesson at Denver’s Bradley International School. The point was that adding an “e” at the end of a word changes the first vowel from short to long — for example, pin becomes pine because the “i” says its name.

Teacher Megan Bobroske challenged the children sitting elbow to elbow on a rainbow striped rug in front of her — could Mama E live at the front of the word instead of the back? A little boy named Peter piped up: “She has to be at the end of the word.” he said. “Imagine if she’s on the front of the line, she’s going to be too busy saying her name.”

Peter and his classmates were learning a rule about the English language that they applied over and over that day — when reading and writing “hope,” “cute,” “tape,” and “slide.” Such lessons reflect both a districtwide and statewide shift in how children are taught to read in Colorado.

Gone by the wayside are reading programs that encourage children to figure out what a jumble of letters says by looking at the picture or using other clues to guess the word — a debunked strategy still used in some popular reading curriculums. Now, there’s a greater emphasis on teaching the relationships between sounds and letters in a direct and carefully sequenced way. It’s part of the science of reading, a large body of knowledge about how children learn to read.

Some teachers are pleased with the new reading curriculums rolling out at their schools, but there are bumps, too — confusing technology, new ways of grouping students, or an overwhelming amount of material, to name a few.

The hope is that better curriculum materials combined with a recent statewide teacher training effort will transform reading instruction — and boost reading achievement —

across Colorado.

“Those are definitely the biggies,” said Floyd Cobb, associate commissioner for student learning at the Colorado Department of Education. But is it enough to propel a statewide reading turnaround? And if so, when?

Cobb said the timeline isn’t clear — in part because curriculum shifts are still underway in some districts and because the most immediate results will show up in routine K-3 reading assessments given by school districts rather than state tests given at the end of third grade. Scores from those routine assessments aren’t posted publicly in a central location like state test results are.

This year, about 41% of Colorado third graders scored at or above grade level on state literacy tests, which combines reading and writing. While that proportion matches 2019 levels — a piece of good news after pandemic-era declines — it still means that tens of thousands of children are struggling with basic literacy skills.

Krista Spurgin, executive director of Stand for Children Colorado, said she believes the state’s curriculum and teacher training initiatives have changed the mindset about how reading should be taught in Colorado.

“I’m really hopeful that in a couple years, we’ll start to see outcomes for third graders,” she said.

Big districts make the switch

Colorado’s largest school districts, including Denver, Jeffco, Douglas County, Cherry Creek and Aurora, are among those phasing in new reading curriculum. A major state reading law passed in 2019 prompted the shift by requiring schools to use scientifically based reading programs in kindergarten through third grade.

Previously, Colorado schools were allowed to pick any reading program or none at all. Now, there are tighter guardrails in place — though districts can still pick from more than a dozen core programs. A year ago, state officials began enforcing the stricter curriculum rules, order-

Leila reading about herself in the new children’s book. PROVIDED BY KATIE LEIGH

ing a host of districts to replace unacceptable programs.

The move was unprecedented and some districts initially pushed back, arguing that they layered in state-approved programs with staterejected ones. State officials didn’t relent.

The second grade teachers at Bradley International knew something needed to change in early 2021, even before state oversight came into play. Their reading program at the time had big holes when it came to phonics. Often, if students got stuck, they were told to “look at picture clues and guess what would make sense or even just skip the word,” Bobroske said.

Lessons didn’t clearly state — and consistently review — how letters and sounds work together. She said, for example, that students might have learned part of the “Mama E’’ rule, without understanding that a consonant sound must occur between the vowel and the “e” at the end of the word. That omission would lead students to misapply the rule and get frustrated when words didn’t make sense.

“Students did not have the tools to actually break down the words and there was a lot of guessing and hoping for the best,” she said.

Bradley’s second grade team began using the phonics portion of a new reading curriculum — Core Knowledge Language Arts — and saw impressive results. The following year, when the school piloted the whole program in some grades, Bobroske’s students made 1½ years worth of reading growth.

“It was crazy,” she said. “In all honesty, I’ve never seen anything like that happen before.”

Besides a stronger focus on phonics, new reading programs in Denver and some other districts include science and social studies-themed units meant to build students’ background knowledge about the world — an approach that helps students understand what they’re reading.

Molly Veliz, a Denver teacher who works with struggling readers at Marie L. Greenwood Early-8 school, said the knowledge-building units of Core Knowledge Language Arts have grabbed students’ attention.

“First graders can tell me every body system and how they work together and [they’re] using appropriate vocabulary,” she said.

Strengths and weaknesses

Ibeth Leon Ariza teaches at a dual language immersion school in western Colorado where all elementary students get both English and Spanish instruction. She said the old reading program included Spanish passages that were inauthentic translations and didn’t capture the meaning conveyed in the English version. Leon Ariza, a native Spanish speaker from Colombia, tried to fix such shortcomings by substituting more appropriate vocabulary or modifying the stories.

She doesn’t have to do that now. The district’s new state-approved curriculum, Into Reading and its Spanish counterpart ¡Arriba La Lectura!, has better Spanish materials.

About half of all Colorado students identified as far below grade

level in reading are also English learners, raising questions about whether schools are detecting weak reading skills or limited English proficiency, and whether students have access to appropriate instruction. A recent state audit of Colorado’s reading efforts flagged both issues and recommended changes.

While Leon Ariza generally likes her district’s new reading program, which rolled out last year, there are weaknesses too. She finds the online platform hard to navigate and said teachers can’t fit everything the lessons suggest into the daily reading block.

“We are still having struggles with time,” she said.

Along with the inevitable learning curve that comes with new curriculum, many Colorado schools continue to face a host of challenges that impact student learning, including staff turnover, residual COVID disruption, and family stress. Rocky Mountain Elementary in the Adams 12 district north of Denver is one of them.

“The historical story of our school is that it had been chronically underperforming for almost a decade. I’m their fourth principal in 10 years,” said Principal Kate Vogel, who took the reins during the pandemic.

Last spring, nearly 40% of the school’s kindergarten through third grade students were significantly behind in reading. In addition, about half the school students are English learners and nearly 90% qualify for subsidized meals, a measure of poverty.

On a recent morning in Megan Neitzel’s classroom, third graders worked on writing a summary of “The Tale of King Midas,” which was one of the stories in their new curriculum, Benchmark Advance 2022. For some students, it was easy. One girl blazed through her retelling of the Greek myth to a visitor, correctly noting which part was the climax of the story and explaining the king’s bad choice. (He turned his daughter to gold.)

Meanwhile, other children struggled. In a small group gathered at a table around Neitzel, one boy asked “What’s a setting?” He also struggled to spell “castle.”

“Sound it out,” she said. “What do you hear?”

When the boy mumbled a non-response, she prompted him through it.

Neitzel likes the new curriculum so far — the way phonics and vocabulary are taught and because her students are excited about reading. Some bring their full-color workbooks home to read passages to younger brothers and sisters, she said.

Vogel believes the new curriculum, along with state-mandated reading training, and recent district efforts to dig deeply into reading standards have made a difference.

“I just think teachers have a much better understanding now that … we’re focused on the science of reading,” she said.

Checking the to-do list

Some of Colorado’s biggest reading improvement efforts have been underway for just a few years, but evidence from inside and outside the state suggests they could eventu-

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Traditionally, playing with food has a bad reputation, but the rising popularity of charcuterie boards is changing that by encouraging diners to get creative with endless mix-and-match options.

Part art project, part meal prep, charcuterie is typically a combination of cheeses, meats and crackers or bread, arranged on a shared plate, Chad Halbrook, general manager for Postino Winecafe on Broadway in Denver, said.

However, the growing love for charcuterie has also led to an expanded take on the term, with all sorts of spins offering a variety of finger foods and pairings, he noted.

Halbrook said charcuterie gained a lot of fans during the pandemic when restaurants were reduced to take-out and more people were cooking at home because it’s an option that’s quick, versatile and requires few kitchen skills.

“People wanted to spice up what they were snacking on at home, make it look good and not necessarily spend a lot of time cooking,” Halbrook said.

He said that charcuterie’s popularity also spikes during the holiday season for those same reasons.

“When we dine with friends, it’s a communal experience and there’s something that brings people together in conversation over a charcuterie board as opposed to individual entrees,” he said.

The demand for charcuterie resulted in the option popping up on restaurant menus all over the area, including several at Postino’s, as well as spawning classes on building boards and whole businesses dedicated to selling premade charcuterie for those not inclined to make their own.

Postino Winecafe, which has four locations in Denver and Highlands Ranch, o ers a variety of board appetizers that can be ordered for take out. Chad Halbrook, assistant manager for the Postino on Broadway, said the communal nature of charcuterie makes it a common choice for groups and parties.

COURTESY OF POSTINO WINECAFE

Charcuterie is a popular choice for holiday events because it can be a quick and versatile option for any size group, whether as an appetizer or meal, Melissa Clement said.

COURTESY OF MELISSA CLEMENT

Castle Rock, one such business is Farmgirl Foods, a market that features local products, including charcuterie, and offers DIY classes.

Owner Melissa Clement said she thinks the charcuterie boards and classes are so popular because it’s a fun and social activity, whether you’re making a spread or just eating it.

“People will get so excited when they learn how to make a prosciutto rose or taste something, whether it’s a combination of flavors or one particular product, that opens up their palate,” she said.

When Clement is putting together her charcuterie, she typically starts with opposing textures and flavors, like a savory creamy brie and candied walnuts. She likes to include a hard cheese, a soft cheese and a crumbly cheese alongside some dried or smoked meats, like salami, prosciutto or chorizo, as well as crackers, bread and toppings.

Toppings can range from fruits, veggies, nuts or chocolate to spreads like honey, jam, hummus or mustard, she said.

“You want all the flavors to play with each other,” Clement said. “I always like to do something smoky or spicy together with something sweet.”

Halbrook also noted that swapping out meat for more cheese or adding more alternative options

makes charcuterie easy to alter for a variety of diets and allergies. Similarly, Halbrook suggested making seasonal changes, such as adding in herbs, cranberries and oranges for winter spreads.

“It doesn’t always have to be meat and cheese,” he said. “You can do all sorts of things to please every person attending your holiday event or party. You can do veggie board for your vegan friends,

which allows you to really splash more color on the board.”

Both Halbrook and Clement recommend splurging on the cheese, since it’s the star of the spread, but noted charcuterie doesn’t have to be pricey. Clement suggests cutting down on the accouterments or using what’s already on hand.

For proportions, Clement said she plans around two ounces of each cheese and meat per person if serving as an appetizer, or up to 6 ounces of each food per person if it’s the main meal.

Halbrook added there’s no harm in starting with smaller amounts.

“There’s no shame in refilling or having a backup item,” he said.

As for styling the charcuterie in an Instagram-worthy way, Clement said she will start by laying out the bigger items so that she can design around them. One of her favorite tips is to top the board by sprinkling dried fruit or edible flowers on top.

Ultimately though, she said there are no set rules, and that’s what makes it fun.

“A lot of times I won’t do a flat board, I’ll do a tiered tray,” Clement said of the possibilities. “The No. 1 thing to remember is you can’t do it wrong, you really can’t.”

Still, for those that don’t want to spend the time to prep and build charcuterie, there are several businesses in the Denver metro area that offer pre-made charcuterie, including both Farmgirl Foods and Postino, which also has locations in Highlands Ranch, LoHi and at 9th and Colorado.

Melissa Clement, owner of Farmgirl Foods, a market in Castle Rock that o ers charcuterie boards and classes, said the finger food has been gaining fans thanks to the mix of creativity and socialization involved in eating or building one. At its basic level, charcuterie is a variety of cheeses, cured meats, bread or crackers and toppings.

COURTESY OF MELISSA CLEMENT

Record surge for outdoor recreation economy fuels push for legislation

Contributed $11.6B in 2021

BY JASON BLEVINS THE COLORADO SUN

Outdoor recreation delivered $454 billion to the U.S. economy in 2021, accounting for 1.9% of the nation’s economic activity and marking a huge rebound from the pandemic.

The fifth annual report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis shows outdoor recreation regaining lost ground from the pandemic impacts to travel and tourism in 2020. The record surge in 2021 — when adding outdoor recreation job earnings the industry delivered an $862 billion overall impact to the U.S.economy — is pushing industry advocates to call for more federal support of recreation.

“Outdoor recreation is one of the few areas where we are seeing bipartisan support,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, the president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association. (Boating was red hot in 2021, with boat buyers and manufacturers contributing $50.4 billion to the outdoor recreation economy, making it the industry’s largest sector.) “This is one of the few industry sectors that has the ability to reach across the partisan divide and bring people together to improve our economies and our quality of life.”

The federal government first started measuring the outdoor recreation economy in 2017, following the Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act. The annual reports from the Department of Commerce show outdoor recreation users, manufacturers, service providers, retailers and supporting industries like travel and tourism driving an economy larger than the agriculture, energy, pharmaceuticals or electronics industries.

Since 2017, 18 states have created offices of outdoor recreation. Congress passed the Great American Outdoors Act in 2020, the largest conservation investment in decades directing billions into recreational access and infrastructure. The recent American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act directed even more into recreation infrastructure. Outdoor recreation cheerleaders are urging federal lawmakers to pass the America’s Outdoor Recreation Act, which would streamline

federal permitting for outdoor recreation across all land management agencies.

President Joe Biden this year reconvened the Federal Interagency Council on Outdoor Recreation, or FICOR, which was first formed by President Barack Obama in 2011, bringing together leaders from the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce and Defense departments to work together on expanding outdoor recreation opportunities.

The legislative momentum, support from the president and now economic numbers showing recreation as one of the strongest industries in the country are fueling outdoor recreation advocates to champion something “bigger than one piece of legislation,” said Jess Turner, president of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, which represents dozens of outdoor trade groups working for more than 110,000 outdoor businesses.

“FICOR is wonderful,” said Turner, who hopes to see a federal outdoor recreation office in Washington D.C.

“Having a national recreation office and someone in the office and in the White House who is focused on this economic sector and making sure all of these agencies are at the table as well as state and state directors, that would be our long-term goal,” Turner said.

The rebound from 2020 is the industry’s best argument for increased federal support. Many are quietly lobbying the Biden Administration to create a national office and an undersecretary of recreation, perhaps in the Department of Commerce. This week’s strong support for Democrats gives even more momentum to the push.

“There is a lot of wind at our backs right now,” said Conor Hall, the director of Colorado’s outdoor recreation office.

It wasn’t that long ago that outdoor recreation was not acknowledged as an economic engine. But now the recreation industry has growing economic and political clout.

The outdoor recreation economy’s $861.5 billion in economic output compares to $659.7 billion in 2020. The 2020 numbers showed outdoor recreation declining 19% from 2019, compared with a 3.4% decline in the national overall economy.

All 50 states saw declines in outdoor recreation dollars in 2020 compared with 2019. Colorado endured a 19.5% decline in 2020.

The 19% annual growth in the national outdoor economy in 2021 comes as the overall national economy grew 6% last year.

Most of the growth in 2021 came from a rebound in trips and travel around outdoor recreation. In 2020, traveling for outdoor recreation collapsed to $149.6 million in direct spending, investment and wage dollars supporting the outdoor recreation economy, compared with $291 million in 2019. The contribution of travel and tourism climbed to $257.9 million in 2021, floating the entire recreation economy to a record high.

The surge in travelers included a lot of campers, said Toby O’Rourke, the chief executive of Kampgrounds of America, the country’s largest network of independently owned campgrounds.

KOA counted 2021 as its best year in its 60-year history, with revenues up 33% over 2019, O’Rourke said. More Americans than ever consider themselves campers, she said. And like many sectors of the outdoors, participation grew during the pan-

demic when outdoor activities were a respite from urban shutdowns.

“The pandemic catapulted our business,” O’Rourke said.

Colorado’s outdoor recreation economy employed 125,244 workers in 2021 who earned $6.1 billion, accounting for 2.5% of all wages paid in the state. That compares to 120,063 jobs in 2020 with workers earning $5.7 billion.

Add those wages to the overall outdoor recreation industry in Colorado and the outdoor recreation economy contributed $11.6 billion to the state in 2021, accounting for 2.7% of the state’s GDP. That economic output in Colorado is up 20% from 2020.

Hall sees Colorado playing a leading role in the push for a federal recreation czar.

“Colorado is looking at more than 20% growth in one year. We are far outpacing every other industry in this state. This is the perfect time to see if we can create a federal office,” said Hall, noting the effort has the support of Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper. “We have the buy-in. This is a big step and it’s an ambitious swing. But I think we have the momentum to make it happen.”

Leif Henry navigates a new mountain bike track.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Republicans have to wait for 2026 for shot at power

city.”

BY JESSE PAUL, DELANEY NELSON AND SANDRA FISH THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado Republicans were shellacked Tuesday night, which means, starting next year, the GOP will no longer have any statewide elected officials. And the party will have to wait until 2026 before they get a chance to change that.

That’s because there are no statewide offices up for reelection in 2024.

Additionally, the GOP was on track Wednesday morning to fall even further into the minority in the Colorado Senate — so far so that they won’t realistically have a shot at taking back the chamber in 2024. A Republican majority in the Colorado House is also largely seen as out of reach for the foreseeable future.

Democrats have never held this level of sustained power at the state or congressional levels in Colorado.

“It’s just super depressing if you’re a Republican,” said George Brauchler, a conservative talk radio host who ran unsuccessfully for attorney general in 2018. He called his party’s 2022 losses “epic.”

Brauchler spoke to The Sun on Tuesday night at the Colorado GOP’s watch party at the DoubleTree Hotel in Greenwood Village, which was perhaps the saddest place in the state. It was not even 10 p.m. when the ballroom had almost fully cleared out, following concession speeches from U.S. Senate candidate Joe O’Dea, secretary of state candidate Pam Anderson, treasurer candidate Lang Sias and John Kellner, who ran for attorney general.

A band played Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog” to an audience of mostly reporters busy digesting the GOP’s stunning defeats.

“The outcome is a tough pill to swallow,” O’Dea said in his concession speech to a hushed crowd at about 8:30 p.m., when early returns showed him trailing Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet by 18 percentage points. “But that’s life in the big

O’Dea, a first-time candidate and Denver construction company owner, ran as a moderate in the hopes of winning over voters in a state moving increasingly toward Democrats. It didn’t work — in a big way. (O’Dea was trailing Bennet by 12 percentage points on Wednesday morning.)

Heidi Ganahl, a University of Colorado regent who was the only statewide elected Republican, lost her bid Tuesday to unseat Democratic Gov. Jared Polis. The contest was called by Fox News, playing in the DoubleTree ballroom, minutes after the polls closed. Ganahl was trailing Polis by 18 percentage points on Wednesday morning.

Former state Sen. Greg Brophy, an Eastern Plains Republican, was predicting a good night for Republicans heading into Election Day. On Wednesday morning he was in disbelief.

“I’m blown away,” he said. “In shock.”

Kristi Burton Brown, chairwoman of the Colorado GOP, said Tuesday’s results show where Colorado “really is” politically “and whether or not Colorado has become a state more like Washington or California.”

Republicans, she said, will now have to focus district by district on legislative races and on local elections — school board, mayoral and city council contests, for example — until they get another shot at statewide office. U.S. House races, which are decided every two years, will also be a major focus for the party.

“If it’s district by district,” she said, “we’ll go fight district by district.”

Burton Brown said the GOP’s next big focus will be in Aurora, where they hope to keep a Republican in the mayor’s office in Mike Coffman and a GOP majority on the City Council. (Aurora’s municipal races are technically nonpartisan.)

And then there’s the 2024 presidential race. But no Republican presidential candidate has won in Colorado since George W. Bush in 2004.

In the Colorado Senate, where Republicans hoped to win a majority

and be able to stop Democratic Gov. Jared Polis’ agenda, the GOP needed to win six of seven competitive races this year to secure the gavel. On Wednesday morning they were losing in all seven races.

While Republicans were hoping to ultimately win in a few of the seven districts once the vote count is complete, the party was bracing for the reality that they may fail in all of the races.

If Democrats ultimately prevail in the seven competitive contests, the party’s majority will expand to 23-12 from 21-14. There are only two Democratic seats the party is at a real risk of losing in 2024, which means their

HART VAN DENBURG/CPR NEWS

future majority doesn’t appear in doubt until at least 2027.

Republicans may have lost seats in the House his year, as well, where they were already outnumbered by Democrats 41-24.

“We as a party have self-imploded in Colorado,” Ben Engen, a Republican political consultant and data analyst, said Nov. 9.

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

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Republican Jaylen Mosqueira, running to represent House District 38, at the opening the state GOP’s Hispanic Community Center in Thornton Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022.

ally make a difference.

One promising case study comes out of Mississippi, where state officials launched a slew of reading initiatives starting a decade ago, including teacher training on the science of reading.

In 2013, the state was at the back of the pack for fourth grade reading achievement on a test called the National Assessment of Educational Progress. By 2019, Mississippi ranked first in the country for reading gains, with its fourth graders matching the national average for the first time.

Within Colorado, a literacy grant program begun in 2012 produced impressive literacy gains at many participating schools. The threeyear awards were given to schools that agreed to overhaul reading instruction, using the same kinds of levers — strict curriculum rules and guidance for educators — that are now kicking in statewide.

But the gains often faded after the grants ran out, sometimes because of staff or principal turnover. Program leaders also said some teachers didn’t have the grounding in the science of reading that they needed to sustain the coaching and other help they received through the grant.

But things are different today.

The vast majority of Colorado’s K-3 teachers have completed statemandated training on reading instruction. Several prominent teacher preparation programs

have revamped their reading coursework. And prospective elementary teachers must now pass a separate exam on reading instruction to earn their state licenses.

The state has more on its reading to-do list, including additional reviews of teacher prep program reading coursework and the rollout of a new state-mandated training for elementary principals and teachers who work with struggling readers in fourth through 12th grade.

Spurgin, of Stand for Children, also believes the addition of tuition-free full-day kindergarten in 2019-20 and the launch of tuition-free preschool for Colorado 4-year-olds next fall will help boost students’ reading skills.

For now, she’s optimistic about changes unfolding in Colorado classrooms.

“We have talked to teachers who are already seeing improvements in their classrooms, which just feels really energizing,” she said.

Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat, covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.

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

Twins Lily and Oliver Thompson

love reading books.

PHOTO BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

in a unique partnership with local gear shops, the ability to buy gear on the show floor. Plans are underway for ancillary events around the convention center to help feed the festival-like vibe.

It’s the first “business-to-businessto-consumer” event for the outdoor industry.

“This is bigger than just the concept of trying to replace the Outdoor Retailer show,” Hall said. “This is our push, with Gov. Polis, to make sure that Colorado is the gathering place for this diverse industry.”

Hall called the co-mingling of the Big Gear Show and the e-bike trade show along with public access “an important step in our broader push to create that South by Southwest feeling for the industry.” This may not be the event that becomes the international festival that cements Colorado as the epicenter of the outdoor recreation world, Hall said, “but it’s going to be a really exciting piece of our larger vision.”

The Big Gear Show and the (e) revolution e-bike trade show are owned by the same company, Lost Paddle Events, which is a collection of longtime outdoor industry executives and small-shop retailers.

Kenji Haroutunian, who launched the hardgoods-focused Big Gear Show in 2021, always envisioned an urban trade show but settled into a slopeside, outdoor venue in Park City for 2021 and 2022 to accommodate the angst of the pandemic.

“This is really the original vi-

sion,” said Haroutunian, a 35-year outdoor industry veteran who spent 15 years guiding the Outdoor Retailer trade show for four different owners.

In August he hosted about 1,800 manufacturers, brands, retailers and journalists in Park City, as he adjusted the Big Gear Show’s focus toward hardgoods, like bikes, paddle boards, kayaks, climbing gear and camping stuff.

The Big Gear Show mission has been a lower cost of entry for businesses, so the display booths are modest by comparison to the sprawling minimansions that populate the

Outdoor Retailer show floor. That will remain for Denver, with many exhibitors using Sprinter vans or customized camping trailers to display wares on the show floor.

Haroutunian is making even bigger adjustments for year three: moving indoors to the big city, shifting the dates from August to June, joining another trade show and welcoming consumers.

The biggest change will be welcoming the public.

The final two days of the four-day trade show will be open to consumers. Folks will have to pay, but it will be “very affordable,” Haroutunian

said.

“We want this to be accessible. Being in the center of the city location is about access. One of the most important things this industry needs is going to where the people are and bringing them into the industry,” he said. “We need to introduce the outdoors to new people and more diverse communities closer to their own communities. That is mission critical.”

Haroutunian is working out the technical challenges for gear-makers and brands converting booths from highlighting next year’s gear for order-writing retailers into booths showcasing this year’s gear for shoppers. An added twist: places to test the gear outside like a climbing wall and e-bike track plus a way for consumers to buy stuff on the show floor.

Especially challenging: How does a brand sell something directly to a consumer without hurting the specialty retailers who would typically handle that transaction?

“We want to protect and actually promote the specialty shops, so we will provide a way for specialty shops to have a role in transactions on the show floor,” Haroutunian said. “We will be pushing that any sales in the convention center will be funneled through local shops so they get the benefit.”

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.

Deer Valley ski area in Park City, Utah

August 2021.

event

moving to Denver in 2023. PHOTO BY STEVEPETERSON

MUSHROOMS

startups and entrepreneurs” to take control of medicine in this state instead of “scientists, medi cal doctors and the FDA.”

Niforatos said that if oppo nents of the measure had been able to raise enough money to educate the public about the dangers of allowing the use of drugs with no regulated dosage amounts or prescriptions, Propo sition 122 would have failed.

“We can’t compete with $4 million from out of state,” he said, adding that proponents of the measure and the psilocybin industry will benefit from its pas

sage while his side had no payoff to entice big-money donors.

He’s also concerned that the opening of psychedelic healing centers and advertising of the drugs in cities across Colorado will normalize drug use among young people, leading to more teens using psilocybin. There is no opt-out provision in Prop 122 for cities and counties that do not want psychedelic heal ing centers, although cities and counties could enact rules about where the centers could open and their hours of operation.

Proposition 122 also will al low facilities to expand to three plant-based psychedelics in 2026. Those are ibogaine, from the root bark of an iboga tree; mescaline, which is from cacti; and dimeth

yltryptamine, or DMT, a natural compound found in plants and animals. Mental health centers and substance abuse treatment clinics also could seek licenses to offer psychedelic treatment.

The natural medicines, used to treat anxiety and depres sion, are obtained now through friends who grow them or from underground “trip guides” who sit with clients during a psyche delic experience, then help them process afterward.

Three years ago, Denver residents voted to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms, making possession a low priority for law enforcement.

With the passage of Proposi tion 122, Gov. Jared Polis has un til Jan. 31 to appoint 15 members

to the National Medicine Advi sory Board, which will report to the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies.

The board’s first recommenda tions are due by Sept. 30, and regulated access to psilocybin would become available in late 2024. Then by June 2026, the state Department of Regulatory Agen cies could expand access to the three other plant-based psyche delics.

This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news out let based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit colora dosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

812 Taos St., Georgetown • 303-569-2360

Serving the community since 1874. Sunday worship 10:00 am. Please join us!

100 Colorado Blvd., PO Box 840, Idaho Springs, CO 80452

Family worship Sundays at 10am

THE UNITED CHURCH OF IDAHO SPRINGS AND CLEAR CREEK COUNTY

1410 Colorado Blvd., Idaho Springs (303) 567-2057

Sunday Worship Service – 10:00 AM

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF GEORGETOWN

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF IDAHO SPRINGS

Clear Creek County is hiring with new higher

Apply at: 403 Argentine Street in Georgetown.

Loaves & Fishes’ mission is to bring glory to God by providing food and other assistance to those in need. All services are offered without discrimination as an expression of Christian love and generosity. The Director manages and directs the day-to-day activities of the organization, interacts with food pantry clients, volunteers, and community partners. The Director reports directly to the Board of Directors and works alongside them to ensure promotion of the mission of the organization, development of policies, procedures, and optimal implementation of the Strategic Plan. Benefit package includes annual salary and free housing.

Go to https://www.loavesandfishesco.net for Education and Experience Requirements. To apply for this position, submit cover letter and resume to roksullivan@gmail.com or trleake66@msn.com

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Pursuant to CRS §38-38-101(4)(i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

CONDOMINIUM UNIT NO. 202, BUILDING A, CLEAR CREEK CONDOMINIUMS, IN ACCOR DANCE WITH THE AMENDED DECLARATION OF CONDOMINIUM OF CLEAR CREEK CON DOMINIUMS RECORDED ON OCTOBER25, 1977, IN BOOK 371 AT PAGE71, AND THE CON DOMINIUM MAP RECORDED ON JANUARY24, 1977, IN BOOK 365 AT PAGE255 OF THE CLEAR CREEK COUNTY RECORDS, COUNTY OF CLEAR CREEK, STATE OF COLORADO.

Also known by street and number as: 1890 ARGENTINE STREET #A202, GEORGE

TOWN, CO 80444.

2023 Proposed Budget

The proposed combined budget will be consid ered at a regular meeting of the Board of County Commissioners to be held at the Clear Creek County Courthouse, 6th and Argentine Streets, Georgetown, CO on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 after 8:30 a.m.

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, described herein, has filed Notice of Election and Demand for sale as pro vided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that I will at public auction, at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, 12/22/2022, at The Clear Creek County Public Trustee’s Office, 405 Argentine Street, George town, Colorado, sell to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of the said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will issue to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law.

First Publication10/27/2022

Last Publication11/24/2022

Name of Publication: The Clear Creek Courant

IF THE SALE DATE

CITY OF IDAHO SPRINGS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an

house

be held on Wednesday, December 7, 2022 from 5:00 to 6:00 P.M. at the Idaho Springs City Hall, 1711 Miner Street, Idaho Springs, Colorado 80452

on the proposed Idaho Springs

and Recreation Complex

Plan. This area at the south side of the Interstate 70 exit 241 interchange is also known as the Shelly-Quinn Ballfields. The open house will be followed by a presentation before the Planning Commission at 6:00 P.M. in the same location.

Dated this 10th day of November, 2022.

Jerad Chipman, Community Development Planner

CCMRD Clear Creek Metro Recreation District

Legal Notice No. CCC490

First Publication: November 17, 2022 Last Publication: November 17, 2022 Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

Public Notice

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that a proposed combined budget has been submitted to the Clear Creek County Board of County Commissioners for the ensuing year of 2023 for all County Funds, Public Trustee, Emergency Services General Improve ment District, and the Housing Authority. The proposed budget is available to view on the Clear Creek County webpage at

Any interested person within Clear Creek County may inspect the proposed combined budget and file or register any comments thereto at any time prior to the final adoption of the budget.

November 1, 2022

Sean C Wood, Chairman Board of County Commissoners Clear Creek County, CO

Legal Notice No. CCC484

First Publication: November 17, 2022

Last Publication: November 24, 2022

Publisher: Clear Creek Courant

Metro Districts

Budget Hearings

NOTICE

Name Changes

Legal