Denver Herald Dispatch October 19, 2023

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‘Building the world that we work in’ Prop II: Colorado New Resource Sharing Initiative coming to Denver is a win-win for local theaters

would keep tobacco tax funds for preschools

BY ELICIA HESSELGRAVE SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

BY SANDRA FISH THE COLORADO SUN

In a theater production, each object that an actor picks up or uses is a prop. The fountain pen. The handkerchief. Even the picture frames and books on a coffee table are part of the set dressing. The more elaborate a show, the more props that are required, and a properties master is responsible for finding each piece. It takes a lot of time to visit antique shops and thrift stores, or search online, to build a collection needed for each show. Then once the show closes, that prop may never get used again, sitting forgotten in storage or even thrown away. “Props are important because they add realism to theater on a level that other pieces don’t quite reach,” said Selena Naumoff, a local properties master who works at Denver-area theaters. When producing a show, theaters need various props, costumes, set pieces, lighting equipment and more. Generally, each theater company works independently to find, pay for and store these materials. Aurora’s Megan Davis seeks to make the art of creating theater an easier process by revitalizing a concept she is calling the Resource Sharing Initiative. “As theater companies, we spend a lot of time creating worlds that we share with other people,” Davis said. “I think the Resource Sharing Initiative would really help us to focus on building the world that we work in.”

Colorado voters approved a ballot measure in 2020 increasing taxes on tobacco and nicotine products and letting the state use the revenue to fund a universal preschool program. But the increased taxes generated more money than expected to the tune of about $24 million. So the legislature passed a bill asking voters this year through Proposition II to let the state keep that extra money — as well as all future revenue from the taxes — and use it to expand the preschool program. If voters reject Proposition II, the tax revenue collected above what was projected will be returned to nicotine and tobacco wholesalers and distributors. Additionally, the nicotine and tobacco tax rates will be cut to prevent future excess revenue. Why does the state need voter permission to keep the excess revenue?

Local theater artist Megan Davis adds texture to door entrances on the set of “A Shayna Maidel at Firehouse Theater Company” in the spring last year. Davis is hoping to bring the Resource Sharing Initiative to fruition, which would help participating theaters save money, time, storage space and stress by joining forces.

SEE BUILLDING, P4

VOICES: 8 | LIFE: 10| CALENDAR: 13

PHOTO BY ELICIA HESSELGRAVE

The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 1992, requires that money collected in excess of a tax’s projected revenue be refunded unless voters let the government keep the money. The increased tobacco and nicotine taxes were approved in 2020 through Proposition EE, which was placed on the ballot by Democrats in the legislature. The measure, which got the support of 68% of voters, gradually increases tobacco and nicotine taxes through 2027. When the initiative was drafted, nonpartisan legislative staff predicted the increased taxes would generate $186.5 million in new revenue a year. But the revenue has been much higher than that — at around $208 million — which is why Proposition II was placed on the November 2023 ballot. SEE PROP II, P2

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October 19, 2023

The cigarette and vaping display at a convenience store in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood on April 30, 2019.

PROP II FROM PAGE 1

A similar situation played out after Coloradans legalized the sale and possession of recreational marijuana in 2012. In 2015, voters approved Proposition BB, which let the state keep recreational marijuana sales tax revenue collected above what was estimated and use the money predominantly for school construction. How did Proposition II get on the ballot?

The legislature placed Proposition II on the ballot through the

passage of House Bill 1290 this year. All 31 Republicans in the General Assembly, as well as three Democrats, voted against the legislation. Where will the money go if Proposition II passes?

The tax rate will stay the same and the excess revenue would go toward Colorado’s existing preschool program, which this year began offering at least 10 hours a week of preschool in the year before they start kindergarten, as well as instruction for 3- and 4-year-olds with disabilities. That program has been popular, but it’s off to a rocky start, with some school districts suing the

state over funding issues and religious schools suing over nondiscrimination requirements. The money collected through Proposition EE went to K-12 education, rural schools and housing assistance in the first three years. What exactly will happen if Proposition II fails?

If voters reject the ballot measure, the state will have to return nearly $24 million to cigarette and nicotine wholesalers and distributors through direct refunds and temporary tax breaks. The state would also cut nicotine and tobacco taxes by 11.53% to avoid collecting excess taxes in the future. For context: The taxes on a pack of cigarettes under Proposition HH are currently $1.94 and set to increase to $2.64 on July 1, 2027. The tax on other tobacco and nicotine products is currently 50% and set to rise to 62% starting in July 2027. What supporters say

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Supporters contend that higher taxes on tobacco and nicotine products discourage their use. They also argue that increasing funding for Colorado’s universal preschool program will improve educational and health outcomes for the kids who benefit from the instructions. Groups supporting the ballot measure include Healthier Colorado, the Colorado Children’s Campaign, Children’s Hospital Colorado and Great Education Colorado. Preschool for All Coloradans, the issue committee supporting Proposition II, had raised more than $291,000 through late September and spent only about $34,000. The top donors to the group are Healthier Colorado at $90,000, Save the Children Action Network at $86,000 and Gary Advocacy at $50,000. Healthier Colorado and Save the Children Action Network are nonprofits, while Gary Advocacy is a philanthropic limited liability company affiliated with nonprofit Gary Community Ventures. “We’ve got a huge coalition of supporters and want to make sure

PHOTO BY ERIC LUBBERS THE COLORADO SUN

everyone in Colorado understands that voting yes on Prop. II will increase access to early childhood education without raising taxes,” said Craig Hughes, a partner at Hilltop Public Solutions, the political firm that is managing the Preschool for All Coloradans campaign. What opponents say

There’s no organized opposition thus far to Proposition II. Several conservative leaders told The Colorado Sun they are more focused on defeating Proposition HH, the 10-year property tax relief plan also on the November statewide ballot. The Centennial Institute, a policy think tank at Colorado Christian University, sent out a ballot guide opposing both II and HH. “Colorado has enough tax dollars,” the guide said. “Any additional tax revenue collected should be returned back to the taxed individual or business.” State Rep. Stephanie Vigil, of Colorado Springs, was one of the three Democrats who voted against House Bill 1290, the measure putting Proposition II on the November ballot. She said her “no” vote was more about the increased nicotine and tobacco taxes than letting the state keep the excess revenue generated by them. “I had to signal my dislike for tax structures of these kinds,” Vigil said. “I pledged this to my constituency, especially my libertarian constituents, that I’m not supportive of higher taxes on tobacco products — sin taxes. I find them rather regressive and not particularly helpful in encouraging people to quit smoking.” But Vigil, who quit smoking eight years ago, said she’ll still vote for Proposition II. 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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October 19, 2023

‘Big Mo’ excited to host bare-knuckle brawlers in Denver Superior native turned ring announcer to call Rocky Mountain Brawl BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Blood is certain to spill as bare-fisted fighters seek glory in December at Denver’s Stockyards Event Center. The bludgeoning known as the BYB Extreme Fighting Series will make its Colorado debut in what is dubbed the Rocky Mountain Brawl for two headline title fights.

And, Colorado native Kody “Big Mo” Mommaerts will return home to bring energy to it all as ring announcer for the event on Dec. 2. From a childhood in Superior to becoming a football player for the University of Northern Colorado, Mommaerts, now 27, has emerged as one of the fastest-rising ring announcers in combat sports. He splits his time between the United States — including his current home in Denver — where he calls bare-knuckle fights, and England, where he calls boxing matches and championship bouts for BOXXER that air on Sky Sports, one of the

largest boxing platforms in Europe. “I’m super, super excited,” Mommaerts said of the upcoming Denver matchups in a call to Colorado Community Media from London. “I started my announcing career in Colorado doing some regional stuff and some more local shows … then, my career grew rather quickly. So, I haven’t announced in Colorado in probably a year and a half now. I’m excited to get back and announce in my home state, have some of my friends there and stuff like that as well.” After being crowned back-to-back “Ring Announcer on the Rise” in

2019 and 2020, Mommaerts was recently named the “Bareknuckle Hall of Fame 2023 Announcer of the Year.” While bare-knuckle fighting might be new to some, Mommaerts said the sport has enjoyed a wave of popularity in recent years. He’s confident it will be well-received here as Denver is a town that simply loves its sports. “I think, like the rest of the country and the world, you’ve seen a rise in bare-knuckle (fighting) in the last few years,” Mommaerts said. SEE BRAWLERS, P12

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BUILDING

– smaller theaters with less funding had to preclude certain plays due to budget. Davis then discovered a great interest in resource sharing, but a lack of time for anyone to organize it and make it a possibility. “So many of us (working in theater) are filling multiple positions (and) working other jobs,” Davis said. Davis believes the Resource Sharing Initiative might be the solution for many – if not all – of these setbacks because it could potentially help participating organizations save money, time, waste and stress by joining forces. “It’s about sharing in the moment when creation isn’t an option,” said Davis. Larger theaters can also benefit from the initiative, as any financial savings gained from participating can support other budget line items like hiring more technicians and crew members needed to support a show. Naumoff, the local properties master, has more than 30 years of props experience and has worked in theaters in Colorado, Arizona and Illinois. She is in support of the Resource Sharing Initiative and believes it will encourage communication and cooperation between theater companies. “This initiative can serve everyone,” she said. “If we could share props, we could save money, time and storage, and also expand our networks and build cooperation.” Jeff Jesmer, a set builder at Vintage and Firehouse theaters, agrees. Jesmer added that the initiative has the potential to unite theaters so that “no theater company feels alone.” “With the Resource Sharing Initiative, everybody’s needs can be seen,” Jesmer said. “Help is out there, and everybody wants to be a part of it.” Davis’ goal is to ensure that participation in the Resource Sharing Initiative is affordable and accessible to everyone, regardless of the size of the theater organization. “To me, theater means community, freedom and education,” Davis said. “Freedom to be a part of a community, to feel safe in your environment and to get to be not only yourself but a number of characters and parts of worlds that reach people that you would never get to interact with in day-to-day life.” For Davis, the sky’s the limit on how big the Resource Sharing Initiative could get, but she hopes to start with a warehouse that would serve the Denver-metro area, then expand to Fort Collins and Colorado Springs. “I see this growing into something that we can only dream of right now,” Davis said.

FROM PAGE 1

The Resource Sharing Initiative would serve theaters by housing and keeping track of materials available for communal use such as props, lighting equipment, set pieces, costumes and more. The end goal is to have a membership program for participating organizations and central warehouse locations for storage. Those that opt into the program would be able to store their items while also participating in the rental of others’ items. Davis would keep records of everything stored, and work with a team of people to organize conversations among theaters for scheduling and pick up of items. This would allow theater production teams to worry less about logistics and more about the creative process. “By streamlining the process, we can take the weight off of small organizations who maybe only have a core group of people doing all the work,” Davis said. Many organizations already work together to share resources, Davis said, but nothing like her vision for the Resource Sharing Initiative currently exists in a whole form. The initiative is still in its formative stages. Davis first came up with the idea for the concept about a year ago, then she had her first roundtable discussion, hosted by the Colorado Community Theatre Coalition, in January. Then, a small committee supported by the coalition presented initial ideas at a summit that took place in September. An outline with sample database items, membership ideas and a project plan were presented. The next step is to expand the committee and get more voices involved, Davis said. Davis has more than 20 years of theater experience and knows what is required to put together a successful production. Her journey began as a youth in middle school. She started working the technical side of theater in college, and eventually got into stage managing. Through the years, she has gained experience in carpentry/set building, set painting, graphic and program design, ticket systems and installa-

Local theater artist Megan Davis paints the set of “Dracula” at Firehouse Theater Company in Aurora. Davis has more than 20 years of theater experience and is hoping to launch the Resource Sharing Initiative in the near future. PHOTO BY ELICIA HESSELGRAVE

tion, and nonprofit consulting. Since moving to Colorado in 2018, Davis has worked in various roles with numerous theater organizations across the state. Today, Davis splits her time between Vintage

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Theatre, 1468 Dayton St. in Aurora, as the set painter and assistant carpenter; and Firehouse Theater Company, 7653 E. First Place in Denver, as the resident stage manager. “I was constantly part of conversations where we were like, ‘we need this set piece or costume piece,’ and someone would say, ‘such and such theater has it,’” Davis said. So she began towonder: “Why can’t we just have a database to have these conversations all together?” Additionally, because Davis worked at theaters with varying budgets, she noticed that the cost of props was also sometimes an issue

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October 19, 2023

Amount Denver Water customers pay will rise next year BY CHRISTY STEADMAN CSTEADMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Denver Water customers can expect to pay more next year. New rates, which will take effect Jan. 1, are expected to increase $1.60-$2.30 a month. In the latter case, that’s $27.60 more during the course of 2024. The estimate is based on water usage for a typical single-family home that uses about 104,000 gallons a year. “Denver Water is at a pivot point,” said Alan Salazar, Denver Water’s manager and CEO, in a statement. “These are historic times and we’ll be affected, just as the communities we serve will be affected, by climate change, population growth, variability in the economy, inflation and supply chains.” Denver Water states that it “is committed to ensuring the system can reliably deliver safe, clean and affordable water to its customers while mitigating the effects of the economy – from inflation to supply chain issues – on its costs.” Denver Water said the increase will help Denver Water pay for upgrades and maintenance to keep its system operating efficiently, and expects to invest $1.9 billion in the next 10 years in a variety of projects that will make the system more resilient and flexible. Denver Water is a public agency funded by water rates, tap fees and the sale of hydropower. Monthly bills for single-family residential customers have a fixed charge — tied to the size of the me-

Denver Water workers replace a pipe at the intersection of Colfax Avenue and Downing Street. The water rate increase will help COURTESY OF DENVER WATER Denver Water fund projects such as this one.

ter — that provides Denver Water with a stable revenue stream. This fixed monthly charge is increasing in 2024, by 50 cents, to $18.40 per month, for most residential customers in single-family homes. Twenty percent of Denver Water’s needed revenue comes from this

fixed charge. Denver Water serves about 25% of Colorado’s population, totaling roughly 1.5 million people in Denver and some of its surrounding suburbs. “Water is a crucial resource that supports all of us. You can’t have

civilization without it,” Salazar stated. “Continuing to maintain and invest in the system that supports our water supply will ensure we — Denver Water as well as our customers — are ready for what lies ahead, while keeping rates as low as good service will allow.”

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October 19, 2023

Colorado ultra athletes changing conversation about fastest times BY JASON BLEVINS THE COLORADO SUN

When cycling pro Lachlan Morton clipped into the pedals of his packsaddled Cannondale on Aug. 29 at the starting line of the Tour Divide in Banff, Canada, he was on a mission. Twelve days, 12 hours and 21 minutes later he rolled into Antelope Wells, New Mexico, with the fastest time ever for the 2,670-mile Tour Divide route that climbs 192,000 vertical feet across the spine of the Rockies. Morton completed the route nearly a day and a half faster than the record set in 2016, but his journey will not be recorded as the fastest known time, or FKT. That’s because Morton was chased by a film crew, which was making a movie of his blistering traverse of the Continental Divide. Those

camera operators are a violation of the Tour Divide’s self-sufficiency ethic, even though they did not assist in any way. Morton knew that when he started. His mission was bigger than glory and accolades. “Look, I’ve won bike races before and it’s a great feeling but it’s pretty fleeting,” said the 31-year-old cycling champion who has turned his prowess in road biking toward longdistance endurance pedaling. “The only benefit of not having the film crew was a record for me personally. I’m not going to say I don’t care about that at all, but I don’t care about it more than sharing my story with more people. The role of a professional athlete is to inspire people to participate and get involved. That should be every athlete’s goal when they are

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considering a challenge or trying to win something.” The fastest known time phenomenon exploded during the pandemic as countless athletes quietly converted just about every trail, climb and hike in the mountains into race routes. Morton’s disregard for the hallowed FKT mirrors the recent effort by Boulder adventurer Erin Ton. In July, the 25-year-old Ton climbed 57 of Colorado’s highest peaks in an extraordinarily hasty 14 days, 10 hours, claiming a solo, self-supported speed record that will be officially logged as a DNF because she skipped a privately owned peak due to “considerable moral issues” with the owners of the Cielo Vista Ranch. Could record-setting athletic feats by athletes like Morton, an Aussie who lives in Boulder, and Ton diminish the FKT trend, which was born more than two decades ago as a way to herald often-overlooked athleticism? Nope, said Buzz Burrell, the legendary endurance athlete who, alongside adventure running partner Peter Bakwin, forged the realm of fastest known times in the late 1990s and launched a website as an online trophy shelf for speedy runners and mountaineers. Running a race on a track is blackand-white with an obvious winner. Move that race into wild lands and countless options can influence the results, Burrell said. “We established guidelines so there would be a level and equal playing field and everyone can know where they stand,” Burrell said. “And because Mother Nature is complex and ever-changing, there will be nuances within that framework. That’s the way it goes. So if someone breaks the rules, 99% of the time there is no asterisk. There is just no FKT. The problem is social media, which announces something before verification can take place, so it seems like a done deal.” Burrell sold his fastestknowntime. com website to Outside Inc. last year, with 5,738 routes across the world for runners and mountain climbers to log their speediest times. The website includes 202 routes in Colorado where athletes can race far from pavement or spectators. In 2019, renowned cyclist Lael Wilcox vied to become the first woman to win the Tour Divide. The acclaimed endurance athlete — she set the women’s record for the route in 2015 and was the first woman to finish in 2023 after riding 3,000 miles from her home in Arizona to the start in Banff — enlisted a film crew in her 2019 effort. Even though she dropped from

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the race, that film crew sparked ire from some racers who argued that media teams violated the race’s requirement that all competitors remain self-supported. Tour Divide veteran Jay Petervary took the position that the film crews “can inject undue moral hazard into the equation” serving as “a security blanket for a rider on the edge and thus poses artificial psychological uplift.” By the 2022 race, the rules included a note that “while not yet published” the race director had decided that individual film crews are not allowed to follow athletes. The rules also prohibit racers from visiting with family and friends who travel to the route. Morton set out from Banff with a plan to break the speed record. He also wanted to prove a new strategy for peak speed. Eschewing seemingly mandatory drowsiness on the route, Morton planned to sleep 12 hours for every 48 hours on the trail, or around six hours a night. “I think one of the big barriers to attempting fast ultra-type events is people not wanting to deal with sleep deprivation and they think they cannot be competitive without enduring that,” Morton said. “I wanted to show that you can do these events safely and competitively with sleep.” Morton has no animosity toward race organizers who will keep late endurance cyclist Mike Hall at the top of the Tour Divide record list for his 2016 race time of 13 days, 22 hours and 51 minutes. He doesn’t think his speedy time will remain unchallenged for long. “I think having set a time that was quite a bit quicker, I think next year you will see people go quicker,” Morton said. “That’s my small contribution.” Aside from speed and proving his sleep strategy, Morton said his Tour Divide race was a highlight of his life in the saddle. There were long stretches between towns where he could resupply with food. A couple times, he said, he wanted to quit “but sometimes the easiest thing to do is keep moving.” “It definitely tested me a number of times,” he said. “But you get in a pretty special head space when you are focused for that period of time. Your needs become pretty simple: Pedal as much as you can. Get food. Get sleep. And repeat. It’s as simple as life can get even though it’s about as difficult an experience one can have.” Morton said he’d like to pedal the route again. But slower. Much slower. SEE TIMES, P7

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TIMES FROM PAGE 6

“To really experience the route you probably need five, six weeks,” he said. “There are so many wonderful little towns. So many really supportive, warm people on the route.” 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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Boulder endurance athlete Erin Ton climbed 57 Colorado 14ers in 14 days, 10 hours, claiming a fastest known time record for unsupported ascents of the state’s highest peaks when she stood atop Capitol Peak on July 31, 2023. Her refusal to climb the private Culebra Peak COURTESY OF ERIN TON brought scrutiny to her claim.

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Boulder-based Lachlan Morton pedals uphill on the Wheeler trail during the Breck Epic mountain bike race, Aug. 17, 2023, near Breckenridge. The 6-day annual race brings in hundreds of riders around the world for approximately 240 miles with 40,000 feet of elevation gain PHOTO BY HUGH CAREY / THE COLORADO SUN around Summit County.

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LOCAL

October 19, 2023

VOICES Politics and education

s I read stories and watch

coverage of the ongoing school board elections across the Denver metro area, it’s been fascinating to see how many times candidates are being asked about politics in schools. Of course, all of them absolutely agree that politics should not be in schools — but then many follow up with politically driven statements in their answers to other questions. While I won’t single out any specific candidates, I have to say I laughed at a recent Cherry Creek School District candidate forum when a candidate said absolutely no politics in school — only to say they are against SROs in schools because police officers carry a negative image. Really? Is that statement alone not a clear sign that politics in school is on your agenda? I’ve said it before and will say it again

— SROs can and have been shown to have a positive influence on students. Maybe not all, but in my experience, on most. Look at the Douglas County SRO who is credited for indirectly saving a student’s Thelma Grimes life last year when she wanted to commit suicide. I bet her parents are happy he was on campus that day. Then, there’s the true politics of politics in school. Teachers are more commonly talking about their political views in the classroom. About two years ago, my now fifth-grade son came home telling me about how Hillary Clinton had won the election and not Donald Trump. Through a series of ques-

EDITOR’S COLUMN

tions, he said she won the popular vote, and his teacher told him. He was in third grade yet had to get a lesson from me on what the Electoral College is and why Donald Trump won. I was a bit frustrated because I didn’t think he even needed that lesson in third grade and because it was not completely accurate in what he was told. I talked to a candidate recently who is running for school board who said we need to get back to basics in schools. We need students to read, write and do a better job in math instead of being told political messages and told what to think and believe. I agree with him. It is our job to teach these kids, whether at home or at school, how to think but not what to think. For me, as a parent, too many times I hear my kids tell me how they are being told what to think at school. Parents are guilty too — we are tell-

ing our kids what to think and believe and not exactly teaching them to take the information and think on their own. Schools are becoming way too political in all regards. Discipline in schools is becoming absent because too often fear of parents and retribution has the administration not pushing discipline. Instead, students are getting away with being disrespectful and disruptive on a regular basis. Teachers lack the support, and 20 or 25 students are losing out in each class on valuable learning because of continued disruptions. In the end, I am going to vote for candidates who work to take politics out of our schools but will set a priority on restoring honor and respect for our teachers, students, and parents to see true growth and progress. Thelma Grimes is the south metro editor for Colorado Community Media.

Winning relationships at home and at work

S

Trong, healthy relationships are the foundation for happiness and success, both at home and at work. Yet in our busy modern lives, it can be all too easy to let connections with loved ones and colleagues slip. So, how can we build and maintain winning relationships in all areas of our life? At home, it starts with intentional quality time with family. Be fully present during meals, outings and important events. Put down devices and focus on each other. Share feelings openly and listen without judging. Laugh together. Express affection. Go for walks to talk things through. Play games face-to-face. Simple daily interactions build trust and understanding over time. I remember a lesson that I learned many years ago from Zig Ziglar. On one of his programs, he talked about how important it is to be fully present. He used an example that I believe most of us can relate to. The scenario is that you are watching television and a child or spouse says that they want to talk to you or show you something, and you respond by saying OK after this show is over or ask if it can wait until the next commercial. The message this sends is that the program or show is more important than our family member.

I’ll never forget the first time I applied Zig’s lesson to my life. I was watching Monday Night Football and my wife came in and asked me if we could talk about something. I reached for the remote and turned off the television imMichael Norton mediately. My wife looked at me and asked me why I turned off the television, and I told her that she was more important than any football game and that I wanted to hear what was on her mind. It was a real growth moment for our marriage and family. Speaking of marriage, it is also important to nurture your marriage or partnership specifically. Go on regular dates, keep communicating, and make intimacy a priority. And if you are looking for a great book about this, check out Zig Ziglar’s book “Courtship After Marriage,” you can thank me later for that one. Support each other’s growth. Divide household responsibilities fairly. Allow space for individual pursuits. Appreciate each other’s differences. A strong couple connection radiates out to the

whole family. With children, it’s about engagement. Get on their level, understand their world, and guide them patiently. Set clear boundaries, but also give them freedom to develop. Encourage their interests. Be consistent and keep promises. Admit mistakes and apologize when you’re wrong. Your dependable presence through ups and downs forms a secure attachment. Communication is very important to a healthy and winning relationship with our children regardless of their age. It’s easy to try and ignore the trying teenage years, hoping we can just simply survive them. The better idea is to talk to them even more during this time, because if we aren’t the ones talking with them, they will only hear the world talking at them. At work, building solid relationships starts with respect. Value everyone’s contributions, from mailroom to management. Get to know co-workers personally and show interest in their lives. Offer sincere praise. Give credit where due. Listen to ideas and feedback. Express appreciation for help. Building camaraderie and goodwill motivates higher performance. Also foster good communication. Clarify expectations. Address issues

directly, not through gossip. Give regular updates. Be transparent about decisions. Discuss problems calmly without blame. Maintain confidentiality. Reliable communication cements professional trust. Winning relationships require effort but deliver huge rewards. At home, you build family bonds that last a lifetime. At work, you create an environment of support and collaboration. By consciously investing in relationships, you enrich every area of life. The connections we build with others shape who we are and determine our success and happiness. The two most important words in building winning relationships are trust and communication, honest and real communication. How are your relationships going? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we are sincere and intentional about both building trust and openly and honestly communicating it really will be a better than good life.

via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line. • Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on Wednesday in order to have it considered for publication in the following week’s

newspaper. • Letters must be no longer than 400 words. • Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and

should not be 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.

WINNING WORDS

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

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules: • Email your letter to csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not send

Denver Herald 9

October 19, 2023

Unwind after work: 3 simple ways to release your stressful day without the wine glass

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tress has become part of our daily lives thanks to the never-ending demands of work, family and other responsibilities that can often leave us feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. However, it’s essential to find effective methods to help not just relax for a few minutes but truly reconnect with ourselves after a demanding day. Let’s explore three simple yet powerful ways to help release, relax and let go of the day. Movement to let go: Engage in some form of physical movement to release the built-up tension in the body and relax the mind. Exercise is not just a physical endeavor; it’s an emotional and spiritual one. It ignites the release of endorphins, nature’s very own mood-lifter. Explore your options, do what works for you. Perhaps it’s

D

a leisurely stroll, a harmonious yoga session or putting on your favorite music and dance in your living room. Making this part of your day can help shed the weight of the day’s strains and realign your body, Lisa Heart mind, and heart. Let the pen flow: Grab your journal, notebook, or tablet. Take 5 – 10 minutes to pour out the workday, free your racing thoughts, feelings, and challenges. This simple act of journaling is a gentle release for your mind, heart, and body. Don’t be concerned with structure or eloquence, just allow your thoughts and feelings to flow. Write about

GUEST COLUMN

your concerns, struggles, accomplishments, revelations, whatever needs to come out. This simple act will help soothe your well-being and mark the end of the day while paving the way for inner peace, so you can do what makes your heart smile. Relax with tea: Unwind with a heartfelt tea ceremony designed exclusively for you. Select a tea that resonates with you, whether it’s the timeless tranquility of chamomile or your favorite herbal blend. As you prepare your tea, be present, take in the moment, boiling the water, steeping the leaves, and savoring the aromatic dance of fragrances. This mindfulness practice is your bridge from the chaos of the day to the stillness of the present moment, allowing you to fully relax and recharge. Incorporating at least one if not

all three practices into your daily routine can improve your ability to de-stress, unwind and release the day. Movement, journaling and a tea ceremony are more than rituals, they are acts of self-care. And in today’s hectic world, making time for self-care is essential for health and well-being. Discover what speaks to your heart and make these practices a cherished part of your routine. A genuine gift to yourself, ensuring a happier, healthier more harmonious you. Lisa D. Heart is a third-generation Colorado native and a former management executive who is now a heart-focused life coach and the founder of the “starts in the heart” movement. She teaches working women how to make self-care a priority to prevent stress-related diseases.

Let’s blow the whistle on public-land abusers ozens of TVs, refrigerators,

After them came people in Jeeps who liked to plow through mud, crawl over big rocks and climb up the sides of the canyon. They also widened the trail into a one-lane, eroded dirt road. Still other folks Rob Pudim figured the canyon was a great place to dispose of junk cars and appliances until the place began to resemble an open landfill. Target practice came next. Still, no one complained. What else happened to this much-abused canyon? A murder and manhunt followed by homeless people whose encampments were not healthy for what was left of the woods. Yet none of this was the cause for restoring the canyon

WRITERS ON THE RANGE

stoves, washers, dryers and abandoned cars had either been gunshot, torched or

both. This place of destruction was what some locals called “Carnage Canyon,” roughly 30 acres off Lefthand Canyon in Boulder County, Colorado. It was a shocking sight, but was it unique? Think about your own nearby public lands. This canyon’s history began with mountain biking. Sometime in early 2000, a mountain biker discovered the canyon and developed a trail through it. Then, more bikers came in droves and “motocrossers” also loved it, particularly because nobody was around making rules or telling them what to do. Nobody complained to the Forest Service, the managing federal agency.

to its original state. Hey, there were no complaints! But here’s how erosion changed things. It brought water carrying large amounts of silt down past the canyon’s mouth and into Lefthand Creek. After the silt killed all the aquatic insects, the trout left. It was people who liked fishing for trout who demanded that the steam be fixed, and that meant the canyon had to be restored. The Forest Service invited two nonprofit groups — Wild Lands Restoration Volunteers and Trail Ridge Road Runners — and Walsh Environmental Services to restore the canyon. Over seven years, bullet-ridden debris was hauled away and the squatters discouraged. But it took hundreds of volunteers to dam the erosion channels — one 20 feet deep — and replant grass, shrubs and trees in the trashed roads and open areas.

Some areas had eroded so steeply that a person could stand upright, reach out and touch the ground. Hay bales used to mulch grass seeds would tumble down the slope like bison stampeding over a cliff. But one problem remained and it was a big one: target shooting. A number of “near misses” made many shooters uneasy. There were also five documented shootings involving Forest Service employees and 10 complaints from area residents about flying bullets too close for comfort. When the Forest Service erected signs closing the area to recreational shooting, their signs became targets riddled with bullet holes. But after the canyon was damaged by flooding in 2013, motorized access became blocked and target shooting was phased out. SEE PUDIM, P12

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10 Denver Herald

October 19, 2023

LOCAL

LIFE

BY AMANDA HORVATH ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

O

n a cool summer morning, quietness settles over the prairie. Only nature is audible. A warm breeze rustles the grass and the meadowlarks’ songs are punctuated by the grunts of buffalo, who fit perfectly into this puzzle of prairie life. “We have to all work together to conserve bison in their native landscape,” said Megan Klosterman, the deputy refuge manager at Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge. Bison conservation has received more attention in the last five to 10 years than ever before. On Sept. 7, the Department of the Interior announced $5 million for the “support the restoration of bison populations and grassland ecosystems in Tribal communities.” This investment supports Secretary Order 3410, which was announced in March 2023 and is the larger investment of $25 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to restore bison and prairie ecosystems through Indigenous knowledge of the species. Klosterman said Rocky Mountain Arsenal, located in Commerce City, is part of a greater initiative to work with Indigenous groups to bring back and protect the buffalo. Bison once numbered in the range of 70 million across North America prior to Europeans settling on the continent. Then, for a range of reasons but primarily to “settle the West,” which was the excuse made for clearing out the megafauna — the bison — and the American Indians who heavily relied on the buffalo for subsistence, European Americans killed most of the buffalo,which brought the species near extinction and purposefully nearly destroyed many American Indian tribes. Over the last 100 years, conservationists and American Indian tribes have worked to bring back this important animal to the ecosys-

tem. “People are beginning to understand that we can’t control Mother Earth. Mother Earth is going to control us. And so, I think that it’s almost imperative that we bring the buffalo back,” said Rick Williams, board president of People of the Sacred Land, an organization that aims to reveal the ways American Indians were mistreated throughout Colorado’s history and create an equitable future for American Indians. Prairie grasslands stretched for miles across the state as did herds of buffalo who play an important ecological role in the landscape. Colorado is home to nearly 50 different tribes who traversed this land much like the buffalo did. “It’s so important that we believe that the strength of the herds of buffalo who are coming back parallel our existence, we will never be strong as a people again until we have the buffalo back,” said Williams, who is Oglala Lakota and Northern Cheyenne. Buffalo are incredibly intertwined with many Indigenous Tribes and Nations, especially the Lakota, Williams said, and not just as a source of food, tools and clothing. “Part of that relationship is a spiritual relationship, the spirit of that buffalo and my spirit can interact with each other and understand each other,” said Williams. In the 1990s, Williams was part of a group that created what is now the InterTribal Buffalo Council. ITBC is a collection of more than 80 tribes across the country who manage more than 20,000 buffalo. The organization is benefiting from the new federal funding, using the money to help educate and fund the animals’ care. The Southern Ute Tribe in Colorado is one of the founding tribes of ITBC. Their herd was established in 1984 with just eight bison and has grown SEE CONSERVATION, P11

Denver Herald 11

October 19, 2023

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge has more than 200 bison in its herd.

PHOTO BY JULIO SANDOVA / ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

CONSERVATION FROM PAGE 10

to 115 bison. This size of the herd sustains their meat program, which provides five pounds of free bison meat each month to all 1,500 tribal members. One of the main reasons [to return buffalo to tribal lands] is to help restore our food sovereignty and our traditional food system,” said Stacey Oberly, a Southern Ute Tribal council member and representative for the tribe with ITBC. The other reason to return the bison to prairie grasslands is the incredible ecological role the animals play — an aspect Oberly, Williams and Klosterman all talked about extensively. “That symbiotic relationship that we had with the buffalo also goes all across the environment. The prairie dogs love the buffalo, the grass loves the buffalo,” explained Williams. “Even the bugs and mosquitoes like buffalo.” As the World Wildlife Organization explains, bison graze grasses at different heights which not only replenishes the grasses but also provides nesting grounds for birds. Buffalo also roll around as a way to shed their coats and rid themselves of bugs. That rolling creates depressions in the ground called wallows. Those wallows then fill with rainwater and become sources of drinking water for wildlife across the plains. The wallows are also home to several medicinal and rare plants that rely on these spaces to grow. “[Buffalo] fiber is the second warmest fiber in America. And so, when animals use that fiber to line their nests, the animals that nest on the ground, the scent of the buffalo masks the scent of their babies in their nests. So, the predators can’t send them to find their babies,” explained Oberly. Buffalo hooves also churn the soil and create microclimates for new plants to grow. And bison use their big heads and shoulders to plow through the snow to eat the grass in the winter. This plowing activity benefits other animals like pronghorn antelope and elk. “Bison were selected to be part of this refuge because bison are a keystone species in the prairie ecosystem,” explained Klosterman. At Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge, more than 200 bison live on 6,300 acres of land. Visitors to the refuge can see the bison for them-

Rick Williams is a community leader and a member of Oglala Lakota and Northern Cheyenne tribes. PHOTO BY MELANIE TOWLER / ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

selves using an 11-mile wildlife drive. The refuge also boasts 20 miles of hiking trails and many other animal species. “We are really hoping that we are a place where people in the urban communities here can come experience wildlife in nature and really find their place in this natural environment,” said Klosterman. The refuge donates new bison to Tribes or other conservation herds hoping to bolster their own herds. The bison’s area at the refuge will soon expand to 11,500 acres, giving the animals even more space to roam, which Williams said is something they desperately need to thrive. “They’ll come back if they’re treated well and they can have that freedom again, not being confined, not being unable to roam and be buffalo,” said Williams. While the refuge is a good place to conserve bison, Williams is talking about bringing back bison as true wild animals. In fact, he believes we, as a country, should create corridors for buffalo

COVER PHOTO: Bison herds are a matriarchal society and follow the lead of the female bison. PHOTO BY JULIO SANDOVAL / ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS.

to move freely north and south as they did for thousands of years. “They need more land. And that is the critical issue that we’re facing. We’ve seen a diminishment of buffalo grass and grasslands that would be suitable for buffalo going away,” said Williams. While this idea may seem radical to some, Williams believes returning the buffalo in this way will not only help the grasslands, the environment and Indigenous ways of life but restore some balance that has been missing in this area for the last 150 years. “My message to all people — because it’s going to take more than just the Indians to do this — if you really want to make a difference in the world, find a way to bring buffalo back,” said Williams. “If you want to make a difference in this world, bring buffalo back.” This story is from Rocky Mountain PBS, a nonprofit public broadcaster providing community stories across Colorado over the air and online.

12 Denver Herald

October 19, 2023

BRAWLERS FROM PAGE 3

The BYB Extreme Fighting Series is bringing the Rocky Mountain Brawl to the StockCOURTESY PHOTOS yards Event Center on Dec. 2.

“I don’t think that there was a big market for bare-knuckle in Colorado even a few years ago, but the sport has grown a lot. More states are starting to legalize it. It just got unified rules under the American Boxing Commission. So yeah, it’s just growing, and it’s exciting.” The upcoming BYB bout is being promoted as a co-main event. Mark “The Shark” Irwin is set to defend his BYB lightweight title against Julio Tanori. And, champion Monica Medina will collide with Paty Juarez for BYB Women’s lightweight and Police Gazette World Diamond Belt trilogy. Each fighter has one win already, making their Denver clash the trilogy tiebreaker. “I couldn’t think of a better way to cap off a historic 2023 than to give Denver fight fans a taste of what real bare-knuckle fighting is all about,” BYB CEO Greg Bloom said in a release. “In the smallest ring in combat sports, with the tightest corners, and with nowhere to run. Denver fans will experience a night of straight-up fist fights rather than the cardio clinics that have been masquerading as bare-knuckle brawls in their state. There’s nothing like a BYB event.” BYB, around since 2015, was founded by Dada 500, once the bodyguard of esteemed fighter Kimbo Slice, and the star of Netflix’s “Dawg Fight.” Dada 500’s unique backyardstyle, bare-knuckle fights gained internet popularity, and the sport has become a cult favorite since. This is the 22nd brawl event in BYB series history. The BYB’s small and unique triangular ring results in a 90% knockout rate for its fights, making for fastpaced, action-packed fights. The league also features high-profile personalities from other combat sports on its broadcasts, including the UFC’s Mike Goldberg, former boxing champ Paulie Malignaggi

PUDIM FROM PAGE 9

These days, the canyon no longer looks lunar, fish are finally back and silt traps at the bottom of the canyon are almost empty. Mountain bikers are welcome on designated trails. Locals liked to blame tourists, newcomers and outsiders for the illegal dumping, vandalism and unregulated shooting in the mountains. But Carnage Canyon’s problem areas were not tourist destinations, and most of the broken appliances and shot-out signs were problems well before the surge of newcomers. The truth is that when damage occurs over the decades, it is usually done by people who live in the area. We have to put the blame where it belongs, and that’s on us. We are the yahoos who do this, not Californians or Texans. It’s also true that no government

Kody “Big Mo” Mommaerts is an rising star in ring announcing across combat sports. The Superior native played football at Monarch High School before playing at the University at Northern Colorado. He currently lives in Denver.

and Claudia Trejos from sports streaming service DAZN. Medina is ready for payback after a controversial split decision in her last bout against Juarez. “Three strikes and she’s out,” Medina said in a statement. “I’m wrapping this trilogy up in spectacular fashion in her own backyard and leaving no doubt.” Irwin is also ready to bring the electricity this December. “Being the biggest star in BYB, I think it’s only fitting that I’m headlining the end of year event and I’m excited to go out there and remind everyone why I’m in this position,” Irwin said. The bill is “probably the most exciting fight we can bring,” Mommaerts said. “It’s definitely an exciting sport, definitely fast-paced, and I think Denver is going to enjoy it a lot,” he added. Visit bybextreme.com for tickets or for more information on the event. For more on Denver’s Mommaerts and his work, visit thisisbigmo.com.

agency will act unless we complain. So when there’s an opportunity to participate in planning for what the agency calls “travel management,” we need to get involved. I was one of the volunteers who worked several summers to help restore the battered landscape once called Carnage Canyon. The work was rewarding, as all improvements were better than what was there, but volunteers shouldn’t have to be called in to clean everything up. Federal agencies need to be better protectors of the public lands they manage for us. And when we see rampant abuse, we need to blow the whistle to protect the lands we all own. Rob Pudim is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. He is a cartoonist and public-land advocate in the Denver area.

Denver Herald 13

October 19, 2023

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14 Denver Herald

October 19, 2023

With concerns about costs to homeowners, Denver sidewalk fee is delayed BY CHRISTY STEADMAN CSTEADMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A member of the Denver City Council says a delay in the new sidewalk fee will give a task force more time to iron out the structure of the initiative and give homeowners more time to plan for the costs. The fee was expected to begin in January 2024, but the council has decided not to implement it until at least July. District 1 Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval said residents are concerned with the amount of fees they are now facing. In addition to the sidewalk fee, residents are contending with a new trash fee and stormwater fees are rising. “I’ve had constituents come to public comment regarding the fees that they are facing in Denver and feel that they will be pushed out of Denver because of all the fees,” Sandoval said at an Oct. 2 meeting. “I feel it’s only fair that we delay this sidewalk fee for six months to make sure that the task force has the opportunity to meet and come up with recommendations that we, as a body, can pass.” Homeowners who are de-

A sidewalk in Denver’s Rosedale neighborhood that needs some repairs.

PHOTO BY CHRISTY STEADMAN

linquent in paying the sidewalk fee face the prospect of a city-imposed lien on their property. Voters passed the citizenled ballot measure known as Denver Deserves Sidewalks in November 2022. It is now known as Ordinance 307 — Sidewalk Construction, Reconstruction and Repair — or simply, the sidewalk fee. The fee transfers the responsibility of the construction and maintenance of sidewalks from property owners to Denver government. Property owners, however, must pay an annual fee for sidewalk services based on “linear feet of property frontage and street type,” according to the city. Even homes that have pristine sidewalks will be charged. “The fee is a revenue source to fund maintenance and repair projects and new sidewalk installations to connect people to places and services citywide,” according to the city. “Therefore, the city will not be issuing any refunds or exemptions from this fee.” To learn more about the sidewalk fee ordinance, visit tinyurl.com/DenverSidewalkFee.

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Solution

TRIVIA 1. U.S. STATES: Which state is home to the Girl Scouts, founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912? 2. MOVIES: Which 1990s movie features a character named Jack Dawson? 3. ART: Who painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling? 4. ASTRONOMY: Which U.S. astronaut wrote his daughter’s initials on the moon? 5. GEOGRAPHY: What is the capital of Australia? 6. HISTORY: In which year was Korea divided into two occupation zones that would become North and South Korea? 7. U.S. PRESIDENTS: How many presidents were elected in the 1950s? 8. Which 20th-century novel features a character named Holden Caulfield? 9. TELEVISION: Queen Latifah stars in which 1990s TV sitcom? 10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is the largest species of shark?

Answers 1. Georgia. 2. “Titanic.” 3. Michelangelo. 4. Gene Cernan. 5. Canberra. 6. 1945. 7. One -- Dwight Eisenhower. 8. “The Catcher in the Rye.” 9. “Living Single.” 10. The whale shark. (c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

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October 19, 2023

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PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Notices call 303-566-4123 Legals Metro Districts Budget Hearings Public Notice NOTICE To: First Mortgagees of Units in Holly Manor Homes Condominium Association Date: October 6, 2023 Re: Notice of Proposed Declaration Amendment The purpose of this notice is to provide written notice of the proposed First Amendment to the Condominium Declaration for Holly Manor Apartment Homes (“Declaration Amendment”) to first mortgagees of Units within the community of Holly Manor Homes Condominium Association (“Association”), pursuant to C.R.S. § 38-33.3-217(1)(b)(I). The Association, through its Board of Directors and with assistance from legal counsel, has prepared the proposed Declaration Amendment to the existing , which is located in the City and County of Denver, State of Colorado, and was recorded in the real property records of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on July 13, 1963, at Reception No. 9707398, as it may have been amended and supplemented from time to time (“Declaration”). The consent of one hundred percent (100%) of first mortgagees is required to approve the proposed Declaration Amendment, pursuant to Section 20 of the Declaration. The general purpose and nature of the Declaration Amendment is to restrict the number of Units that any one person or entity may own to two (2) Units. A first mortgagee shall be deemed to have approved the proposed Declaration Amendment, if said first mortgagee does not deliver to the Association a negative response within sixty (60) days after the date of this notice, pursuant to C.R.S. § 38-33.3-217(1)(b)(II). You may deliver your response in writing to the Association, c/o Moeller Graf, P.C., 9557 South Kingston Court, Englewood, CO 80112, but you are not required to respond. Please review this notice carefully. It may affect first mortgagees’ rights in the Lot(s) within the Association’s community in which first mortgagees may have an interest. A copy of the proposed Declaration Amendment may be obtained by contacting Moeller Graf, P.C., at 720-2792568 or via email at jhinson@moellergraf. com.

Legal Notice No. DHD128 First Publication: October 19, 2023 Last Publication: October 26, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE AS TO PROPOSED 2023 AMENDED BUDGETS AND THE 2024 BUDGETS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that amended 2023 and proposed 2024 budgets have been submitted to Denver Rock Drill Metropolitan District. A copy of such proposed budgets has been filed at the offices of Pinnacle Consulting Group, Inc., 550 West Eisenhower Blvd., Loveland, Colorado 80537, where the same is open for public inspection. The Board of Directors will consider the adoption of the proposed budgets of the District at a Regular Meeting of the Denver Rock Drill Metropolitan District to be held via MS Teams on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. Any interested elector of the Denver Rock Drill Metropolitan District may inspect the proposed budgets at the offices of Pinnacle Consulting Group, Inc., 550 West Eisenhower Blvd., Loveland, CO 80537 and file or register any objections at any time prior to the final adoption of the budgets. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: DENVER ROCK DRILL METROPOLITAN DISTRICT By: /s/ Andrew Kunkel, Administrator Legal Notice No.82397 First Publication: October 18 , 2023 Last Publication: October 18 , 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Misc. Private Legals Public Notice COUNTY COURT, DENVER COUNTY, COLORADO Court Address: 1437 Bannock Street, Denver, CO 80202 720/865-7840 Case No.:2012C58235 Div.:186 LEGAL COLLECTION CO Plaintiff Vs. Saubia Thomas Defendant REVIVER BY PUBLICATION NOTICE TO DEFENDANT/JUDGMENT DEBTOR THIS MATTER coming on before the

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Court upon the motion of the Plaintiff styled “Motion for Revivor of Judgment,” and the Court having read said motion and now being duly apprised in the premises, NOW THEREFORE IT IS HEREBY ORDERED the Clerk of this Court shall, and is ordered and directed to, issue to Defendant, Saubia Thomas, the “Notice to Show Cause Pursuant to CRCP 354(h)” requiring said Defendant to show cause within 14 (fourteen) days from the service of such Notice, pursuant to CRCP 354(h), if any he/she has, why the Judgment heretofore entered in this matter on May 14, 2012 shall not be revived with like force and effect. WHEREAS, Plaintiff has moved this Court pursuant to CRCP 354(h) to revive the Judgment entered in the instant matter on, May 14, 2012 NOW THEREFORE IT IS ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED, that Plaintiff, LEGAL COLLECTION CO, shall have and take of defendant, Saubia Thomas Judgment in the instant matter on this date with like force and effect as on the date the Judgment was entered heretofore on May 14, 2012, revived January 5, 2018. Defendant shall show cause within fourteen (14) days from the service of this “Notice to Show Cause Pursuant to CRCP 354(h)”, if any the Defendant has, why the Judgment heretofore entered should not be revived with like force and effect. Attorney for Plaintiff Legal Notice No. DHD115 First Publication: October 5, 2023 Last Publication: November 2, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice October 19, 2023 SECOND NOTICE TO MORTGAGEES IN THE PEARL ESTATES CONDOMINIUMS COMMUNITY Second Notice is hereby given to all mortgagees within the Pearl Estates Condominiums community in the City and County of Denver, State of Colorado, that the Pearl Estates Condominium Association is seeking mortgagee approval of a proposed Amended and Restated Condominium Declaration for Pearl Estates Condominiums (the “Proposed Amendment”). The Proposed Amendment can be obtained at the following address: Altitude Community Law P.C., 555 Zang St., Ste. 100, Lakewood, CO 80228. Failure of any mortgagee to deliver a negative response to the Pearl Estates Condominium Asso-

ciation, c/o Altitude Community Law P.C., 555 Zang St., Ste. 100, Lakewood, CO 80228, within 60 days shall be deemed consent on behalf of the mortgagee. Legal Notice No. DHD126 First Publication: October 19, 2023 Last Publication: October 19, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Storage Liens/Vehicle Titles Public Notice TKO Towing LLC, (303)520-2404 will be applying for title to the following vehicles, Abandoned. 1.) 1993 Mitsubishi Eclipse Red 4A3CF34B4PE050760 2.) 2018 Nissan Altima Black 1N4AL3APXJC166105 3.) 2014 Hino 195H white JHHSPM2H5EK001264 Legal Notice No. DHD132 First Publication: October 19, 2023 Last Publication: October 19, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Notice to Creditors Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of SADIE M. BLACK aka SADIE BLACK, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31158

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before February 19, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Jason Black Personal Representative 600 17th St., Ste 2800 S Denver, CO 80202 Legal Notice No. DHD136 First Publication: October 19, 2023 Last Publication: November 2, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Bonnie J. Emrick, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 30946

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before February 12, 2024, or the claims may be

Denver Herald Dispatch October 19, 2023 * 1

18 Denver Herald

October 19, 2023

Public Notices forever barred.

Aurora, CO 80012

Rhonda Pawlicki Personal Representative 2843 Clinton Way Denver, CO 80238

Legal Notice No. DHD122 First Publication: October 12, 2023 Last Publication: October 26, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Legal Notice No. DHD121 First Publication: October 12, 2023 Last Publication: October 26, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of William J. Tilzey, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 488 All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before February 12, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Tammy Tilzey Personal Representative 849 S Tejon St Denver, CO 80223 Legal Notice No. DHD120 First Publication: October 12, 2023 Last Publication: October 26, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of CRAIG DAVID BARMORE a/k/a CRAIG D. BARMORE a/k/a CRAIG BARMORE, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 460 All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before February 19, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Baysore & Christian Fiduciary Services, LLC By: Jennifer Elizabeth Tauer 7000 E. Belleview Ave., Ste. 150 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Legal Notice No. DHD130 First Publication: October 19, 2023 Last Publication: November 2, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Ernford Harris, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 30852 All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before February 12, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Kimberly Ann Moore Personal Representative 282 S. Nome St.

Public Notice

3118 Vine Street Denver, CO 80205 Legal Notice No. DHD117 First Publication: October 5, 2023 Last Publication: October 19, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of SHERRIE A. INGLE a/k/a SHERRIE ANN INGLE and SHERRIE INGLE, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31102

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of DANIEL ALEXANDER WILLIS, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31106

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before February 19, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before February 19, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Carolyn Moller Duncan, Atty. No. 33766 Attorney for Personal Representative Duncan Legal, PC 6436 S. Racine Circle, Suite 227 Centennial, Colorado 80111

Karen A. Morrissey Personal Representative c/o The Law Office of Jennifer S. Gormley, P.C. 6060 Greenwood Plaza Boulevard, Suite 300 Greenwood Village, Colorado 80111

Legal Notice No. DHD133 First Publication: October 19, 2023 Last Publication: November 2, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Patricia E. Doran, a.k.a. Patricia Doran, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31079 All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before February 12, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Truist Bank Personal Representative Attn: Ashley Ford 235 Magrath Darby Blvd. Ste 300 Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 Legal Notice No. DHD124 First Publication: October 12, 2023 Last Publication: October 26, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Legal Notice No. DHD137 First Publication: October 19, 2023 Last Publication: November 2, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Jeffrey Carl Verretta, a/k/a Jeffrey C. Verretta, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 30939 All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before February 19, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Stephanie F. Dahl, Atty for Personal Representative 4725 S. Monaco St., Suite 320 Denver, CO 80237 Legal Notice No. DHD131 First Publication: October 19, 2023 Last Publication: November 2, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Yoshi K. Flynn a/k/a Yoshie Kawata Flynn a/k/a Yoshie Flynn a/k/a Yoshie Kawata, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31093

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Joe Eddie Welch, aka Joe E. Welch, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31003

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before February 5, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Brian Flynn Personal Representative

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before February 5, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Leslie D. Richardson Personal Representative C/O Richard H. Pierce Attorney for Personal Representative

Butler, Landrum and Pierce, P.C. 720 Kipling St., Ste 201 Lakewood, CO 80215 Legal Notice No. DHD116 First Publication: October 5, 2023 Last Publication: October 19, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of JAMES GERALD ROTH, A/K/A, JAMES G. ROTH, A/K/A, JAMES ROTH, A/K/A, JAMIE ROTH, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31105

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before February 9, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Matthew T. Daly Personal Representative c/o Donald F. Slavin, P.C. 4704 Harlan St., Ste. 685 Denver, CO, 80212-7493 Legal Notice No. DHD118 First Publication: October 5, 2023 Last Publication: October 19, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Mario Joseph Migliore a/k/a Mario J. Migliore a/k/a Mario Migliore, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31133

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before February 19, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Marisa Migliore Personal Representative c/o Mollie B. Hawes, Miller and Steiert, P.C. 1901 W. Littleton Blvd. Littleton, CO 80120 Legal Notice No. DHD129 First Publication: October 19, 2023 Last Publication: November 2, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of ROBERT C. DICKINSON, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31904

All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before February 19, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Denver Herald Dispatch October 19, 2023 * 2

Denver Herald 19

October 19, 2023

School absenteeism high, with 31% of students missing too much BY ERICA MELTZER CHALKBEAT COLORADO

Nearly a third of Colorado students were chronically absent last year, missing 10% or more of the days they were supposed to be in school, according to new state data. That’s slightly better than the 2021-22 school year — when COVID’s omicron variant ripped through schools —but far worse than any year before the pandemic. Colorado education leaders are sounding the alarm about the missed days, as student academic performance still hasn’t recovered to pre-pandemic levels. “Every day a student is in school is an opportunity for them to learn, build relationships and access support,” Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova said in a press release. “We know districts are working hard to ensure students attend school regularly. But we need everyone, including educators, parents, students and community members, to make a renewed effort on this important matter.” “The surest way to make improvements in our recovery from the disruptions of the pandemic is for kids to be in school,” Córdova added. Colorado’s chronic absenteeism rate was 31% last year, representing 269,582 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Before COVID, rates ranged from 18% to 24%. Colorado is not alone, with most states reporting more students missing school. Some groups had a greater share of students who were chronically absent. Kindergartners and 10th, 11th,

and 12th graders all had chronic absenteeism rates above 35%. Roughly 40% of English learners missed too many days of school, as did 43% of low-income students and 60% of homeless students. And the majority of absences — 62% — were excused. Snapshots of chronic absentee rates by several districts across the metro area: Adams 12 Five Star Schools: 33.6% Westminster Public Schools: 37.9% Englewood 1: 42.7% Littleton 6: 19.3% Adams-Arapahoe 28J: 43.3% Clear Creek RE1: 36.5% Centennial R1: 45% Jefferson County R-1: 28.3% Douglas County Re1: 19.4% Elizabeth School District: 23.4%. Johann Liljengren, director of the dropout prevention and student re-engagement office in the Colorado Department of Education, said schools report a wide range of reasons students aren’t showing up to School districts like Greeley-Evans are deploying attendance teams to figure out why school. Expectations around health students aren’t going to school and how to get them back. PHOTO BY ANN SCHIMKE CHALKBEAT and wellness are different in the wake of COVID, and there’s more who don’t make it to school be- Attendance Works, which provides concern about not spreading ill- cause a parent is depressed or over- free resources. The state has also convened a cohort of school district ness to others. State education offi- whelmed. cials point to “how sick is too sick” A few absences a month that don’t leaders to share information and guidance for when kids should stay feel like much to a parent can add up learn from each other. Liljengren stressed that schools home. over time. Some students report that they feel And missing school can be a warn- need to give students a reason to anxious or that they don’t feel safe ing sign for future problems. Stu- show up. “What are we really valuing about at school. Others are disengaged or dents who are chronically absent bored, and much of their school- in middle school are more likely to in-person or live lessons?” he said. “We are thinking about how we rework is now available online, even if drop out of high school, he said. instruction is supposed to happen in Liljengren said more schools are ally draw students in.” Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site person. beginning to use attendance teams School-based attendance work- that go over data, reach out to fami- covering educational change in pubers and others who work with youth lies, and make home visits. The state, lic schools. Colorado Community missing school describe teenagers meanwhile, has some grants avail- Media contributed data analysis to sleeping in after working overnight able to support that work and also this story. shifts and elementary students points schools to organizations like

Public Notices Andrew J. Saxon Personal Representative P.O. Box 222 Rice, Texas 75155 Legal Notice No. DHD127 First Publication: October 19, 2023 Last Publication: November 2, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Jack Lee Howery, also known as Jack L. Howery, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31032 All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before February 19, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Melinda J. Lamb Personal Representative c/o Pearman Law Firm 4195 Wadsworth Blvd Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 Legal Notice No. DHD135

First Publication: October 19, 2023 Last Publication: November 2, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Matthew Samuel Sherman a/k/a Matthew S. Sherman a/k/a Matthew Sherman a/k/a Matt Sherman, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31025 All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before February 12, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Attorney for Margit Sereny, Personal Representative: K. Michelle AmRhein, Esq. Coan, Payton & Payne, LLC 103 W. Mountain Ave., Ste. 200 Ft. Collins, CO 80524 Legal Notice No. DHD119 First Publication: October 12, 2023 Last Publication: October 26, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch ###

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October 19, 2023

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