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VOLUME 96 | ISSUE 51

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 23, 2023

CHECK OUT: HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS • SPECIAL PULLOUT INSIDE THIS ISSUE

BY KRISTIN OH, SUZIE GLASSMAN, THELMA GRIMES A SPECIAL REPORT FROM COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA AND SENTINEL COLORADO

Ali Lombard has wanted to be a teacher since she was a little kid. She said it is her calling. “My favorite part about being a teacher is the relationships with kids,” she said. “I’m sure all of us as adults have teachers that we can remember.” Now in her 10th year, Lombard teaches fifth graders at Fox Hollow Elementary School in the Cherry Creek School District. However, her dream career has been clouded with obstacles, primarily money. Low salaries and more responsibilities amid the rising cost of living have pushed teachers like Lombard out of one Colorado school district in search of another, leaving some school systems struggling to attract and retain educators. Turnover rates in several metro area districts are hovering between 13%-21%. That’s higher than the national average teacher turnover rate, which was 10% by the end of the 202122 school year, according to a report by RAND Corp., a nonprofit policy think tank based in California. RAND also reported that the turnover rate was highest, approximately 12%-14%, in “urban districts, high poverty districts, and districts serving predominantly students of color.” Across Colorado, the turnover picture is bleaker than that in many school districts. That’s according to the most recent data from the Colorado Department of Education, which compares the 2022-23 and 2021-22 school years. In the Denver metro area, where districts can employ hundreds of teachers, turnover rates look like this: • Douglas County Schools, 20% • Cherry Creek Schools, 13% • Littleton Public Schools, 14% • JeffCo Schools, 16% • Adams 12 Five Star Schools, 18% • Aurora Public Schools, 21% • Denver Public Schools, 21% SEE TEACHERS, P6

VOICES: 10 | LIFE: 14 | CALENDAR: 17

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2 Denver Herald

November 23, 2023

Support for failed Prop HH eroded when property tax relief plan was first introduced BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

Support for Proposition HH started to unravel from the moment the bill placing the Colorado property tax relief plan on the November 2023 ballot was unveiled by Gov. Jared Polis’ at a news conference in his office at the state Capitol. The governor was flanked at the May 1 event by high-profile supporters of the measure — liberals and conservatives. Polis pointed to their presence as evidence that the proposal was a wellcrafted approach to a problem that had dogged state lawmakers since voters repealed the Gallagher Amendment in 2020, removing guardrails from the state’s property tax system. “I certainly look forward to working with the business community and many other supporters to make sure that voters are aware of the importance of delivering on these property tax cuts,” Polis said, adding that he was “confident” the initiative would be approved by Coloradans. But the reality was many of the people standing next to the governor at that news conference either had doubts about the complex policy, which also would have boosted funding for schools and cut into the amount of money for state taxpayer refunds, or didn’t fully understand how it worked, according to The Colorado Sun’s reporting. That weak foundation was reflected in how voters rejected Proposition HH, a 10-year property tax relief and state spending overhaul, by an 18 percentage-point margin last week in one of Polis’ biggest policy failures since he became governor in 2019. The legislature was set to gather at the Capitol starting Nov. 17 for a special session to try to quickly offer Coloradans property tax relief for the 2023 tax year before reconvening in January to take another stab at a long-term solution. The negotiations will be colored by Proposition HH’s political collapse. “We had a legislative product that was work-

A screenshot from the May 1 news conference in Gov. Jared Polis’ office during which the bill placing Proposition HH SCREENSHOT FROM STATE OF COLORADO on the ballot was rolled out.

able and reflected the necessary compromises at the Capitol,” said state Sen. Chris Hansen, a Denver Democrat who helped write the bill that put Proposition HH before voters, “but it did not translate well to the ballot.” Colorado Concern, a nonprofit representing business CEOs in the state, was one the groups that worked closely with the governor’s office to

draft Proposition HH. The organization’s CEO, Mike Kopp, was at the Polis’ news conference where the measure was rolled out. He was namechecked by the governor. But even Colorado Concern’s support for the initiative was lukewarm. SEE PROP HH, P24

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Denver Herald 3

November 23, 2023

The average hamburger in Colorado now costs $15 BY TAMARA CHUANG THE COLORADO SUN

Over at a Denver-area Red Robin restaurant, the Keep It Simple burger costs $13.49, or nearly $15 with tax. That’s up 31% in a little more than three years, based on old menus posted at restaurant review site, Yelp.com, showing the same no-frills burger at $10.29 in May 2020. It’s not just Red Robin. A lot of burger joints are getting unwanted attention because of their higher prices, with some consumers sharing their shock on social media. It’s also not just burgers. The cost of eating out at a restaurant in Colorado has increased 28.2% since January 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index. Menu prices have gone up at most Colorado eateries, and restaurant owners don’t really like to talk about it. But one can still find a solid burger at a full-service restaurant for under $15. The Cricket Burger at The Cherry Cricket in Denver is $11.50, up 30% since 2021, the restaurant confirmed. Fries are still $4 but now there are two sizes: a half order and full size, which is $6. “Continuing to provide a delicious product to our guests at a value is paramount to us at the Cherry Cricket. We’re always very hesitant to increase our prices,” Calley McCue, president and chief financial officer for Cherry Cricket’s parent company, Breckenridge-Wynkoop, said in an email. “That said, the dramatic increase in (the cost of goods sold) and labor costs that we’ve seen over the past two years have, unfortunately, necessitated increased prices in order for us to keep operating.” The Colorado Restaurant Association & Foundation gets a lot more specific. Earlier this year, the industry group, which has 4,900 member restaurants, put together its own guide to why the price of an average burger has increased to $15. Restaurants have seen an increase of 54% in the cost of labor, 55% for utilities and 20% for equipment and maintenance. The price of beef? Up 43%. Cheese? Up 79%. And lettuce? Up 85%. For restaurants to make the same margin on

PHOTO BY HUGH CAREY AND ILLUSTRATION BY DANIKA WORTHINGTON /

burgers that they did in 2020, they’d have to charge $22. “Inflation has had a huge impact on menu prices across Colorado, as has the annual increase of the minimum wage,” said Denise Mickelsen, a spokeswoman for the industry association. “The cost of running a restaurant continues to skyrocket, and with typical industry profit margins sitting at a slim 3% to 5%, operators don’t have a lot of wiggle room when food, alcohol, energy, labor, taxes and more continue to climb. It all leads to higher menu prices, streamlined menu offerings, limited hours of operation and operator burnout.” In October, the restaurant association polled its

members about prices. Based on the responses, customers can expect prices to continue to increase next year. About 86% of members who responded said they planned to increase menu prices when the minimum wage goes up 5.6% to $14.42 an hour on Jan. 1. Six out of 10 said they’ll have to cut hours or shifts for their teams. This story was printed through a news sharing agreement with The Colorado Sun, a journalistowned news outlet based in Denver that covers the state. This story was also part of the Sun’s ongoing series talking to Coloradans about their challenges, their fears and their solutions to the rising costs of living. More at www.ColoradoSun.com

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4 Denver Herald

November 23, 2023

Using Artificial Intelligence to find actual bugs

Farmers today not only deal with climate change but also with pests that could destroy crops. A Fort Lupton HIgh alum’s business seeks to use artificial intelligence to tackle BELEN WARD the problem.

Fort Lupton grad’s business wants to give farmers an early warning of pests BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Artificial intelligence could be coming to a field near you if a Fort Lupton High School alum has his way. Randy Sasaki, a Fort Lupton grad, leads a company that hopes to create artificially intelligent crop monitoring systems to help agriculture get a jump on insects and other pests that

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can harm crops. Sasaki said agricultural pests destroyed more than 30% of crops produced in the United States yearly, with $45 billion in losses. The global cost of invasive species is estimated at $1.4 trillion annually, close to 5% of global gross domestic product. “These problems are expanding with increased global temperatures, leading to additional generations per year for some species and allowing pests to infest previously uninhabitable areas,” Sasaki said. Sasaki’s business, Solarid AR, was awarded a $981,169 grant from the National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation in September. “Initially, I felt relief in receiving the award; it confirmed that we had

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completed the development of our artificial intelligence technology. Later, I was proud of the accomplishment and excited that we received funding to develop a commercial product for the technology,” Sasaki. His project has three primary goals, according to his grant application to the National Science Foundation. “First, the artificial intelligence technology will have a significant and enduring impact on our society by reducing crop loss and the volumes of toxic chemicals used in agriculture,” he said. “Second, it offers a defense of the general public from invasive and infectious species of insects. And third, it should improve the economies of rural communities.”

Sasaki said his smart insect control trap technology is an agriculture monitoring device designed to reduce the $47 billion in annual loss from pests. “A third of the world’s soil degraded from overuse and during increasing weather fluctuations, global populations are rising to unsustainable levels requiring agriculture to produce 70% more food than is available today,” Sasaki said. “As a result, the agriculture industry has been consolidating for over 50 years, with total acres per farm expanding as profit margins have decreased,” he said. SEE INSECTS, P5

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November 23, 2023

INSECTS

Solarid is an Arkansas-based Agtech company, a subsidiary of his Colorado-based IPM Products. About $340,000 of the National Science Foundation award went to researchers at the University of Arkansas who are developing a camera powered by AI that will connect to Solarid’s existing smarter insect trap. It identifies and counts the insects, according to Ashley Dowling, a researcher at the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. “It’s exciting to know we have the funding to take the next step toward producing a marketable, field-ready unit a few years from now, our invention could be in fields across the U.S. helping farmers monitor and protect their crops,” she said.

FROM PAGE 4

Networked precision

The trend is towards “Precision Agriculture,” using networked sensors to measure the exact water, fertilizer, herbicide and insecticide needs to increase crop production and profitability. “In other words, this technique uses less to grow more,” Sasaki said. “According to research, if 15% of farms adopt precision agricultural techniques, crop yield could increase by more than 15% in less than ten years while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and inputs by 10% and 20% respectively. Analysts estimate that the Precision Agriculture market will reach $22 billion by 2025 with a compound annual growth rate of 9.8%.” His technology is part of that, but instead of using the sensors to monitor the crops, weather and soil, his systems traps the bugs while artificially intelligent sensors work to identify them. Sasaki came up with the idea while working in China from 2009 to 2015. He was developing a technology to attract insects, but it couldn’t identify the species. That led him to investigate and develop systems that could differentiate and identify different pest species in 2019. While the traps he helped develop capture and isolate the pests, keeping them from the crops, the new artificially intelligent systems work to identify them, tracking them across a network. Sasaki said his technology can identify many diverse insects, tracking new threats via artificial intelligence. “It refines existing species concepts, can revolutionize ecological

Business background

Farmers today not only deal with climate change but also with pests that could destroy crops. A Fort Lupton HIgh alum’s business seeks to use artificial intelligence PHOTOS BY BELEN WARD to tackle the problem.

studies on arthropods, greatly increase the speed and accuracy of insect diagnostics work around the country and can be used for biomonitoring to assess water quality,” Sasaki said. What’s more, the system can share what it’s learned with systems on other farms around the state, the region and nationally. “The objective of establishing these networks is to create an early warn-

ing system, predict migration patterns and to identify the presence of invasive and infectious species of insects,” Sasaki said. “Every three years, a new pest of economic importance is identified in the United States, which is increasing pressure on crops and resulting pesticide applications. In response, the U.S. farm industry is currently spending more than $25 billion per year on pesticides 100,000 tons.”

Sasaki was born in Longmont to Joe and Jane Sasaki. He graduated from Fort Lupton High School in 1975 and attended Colorado State University and Metropolitan State University of Denver to study Aerospace Engineering. Sasaki got this start in finance, as a managing partner with Californiabased Newport MicroCap Fund. The 2008 recession and new regulations on the industry two years later ended that business and his career. “I had to start over when I was considering retirement,” Sasaki said. “I started over, learning how to develop technology with grants.” He hopes his smarter insect trap will bring the U.S. into an economically competitive global agricultural market. “It will positively impact the health and welfare of the American public through reduced pesticide use and will introduce rural populations to technology, highlighting the benefits of investment in STEM education and research,” Sasaki said.

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6 Denver Herald

November 23, 2023

TEACHERS FROM PAGE 1

Education and national experts say some of the turnover is driven by teachers searching for bigger paychecks. As an experienced teacher with a master’s degree, Lombard said she was searching for a salary that “reflected a little bit more of [her] professional capacity.” And, Lombard echoed what many teachers and their unions have said in recent years: teacher responsibilities have multiplied. For instance, teachers often act as the classroom’s social worker and psychologist, work that’s become more necessary as some students face difficulties regulating their emotions and work on their social skills due to years of pandemic related isolation and learning gaps. “The expectations have grown,” Lombard said. “Our compensation has not, unfortunately.” So, she left her previous job in the Douglas County School District in favor of Cherry Creek, where she saw a salary bump of $15,000 a year. No state law nor agency regulates teachers salaries, so they vary among school districts. There is also no statewide-minimum pay for educators. The salary for entry level teachers in Douglas County is currently the lowest among school districts in the Denver metro area. An entry level teacher with a bachelor’s degree is paid $45,209 a year, according to the district’s salary schedule. The salaries for first-year teachers with a bachelor’s degree in other metro area districts are thousands of dollars per year higher: • Aurora Public Schools currently

Voters on Nov. 7 approved a $66 million annual increase for Douglas County School District teachers and staff. Ballot Issue 5A and 5B goes into effect next year. PHOTO BY THELMA GRIMES

pays $46,894 (the teachers union is currently negotiating with the board of education on their contract) • Littleton Public Schools, pays $51,274 • JeffCo Schools $52,625 • Denver Public Schools pays $54,141 • Adams 12 Five Star Schools pays $58,000 • Cherry Creek Schools District pays $58,710 Salaries for a first-year teacher with a master’s degree are even higher: • Douglas County $49,880 (the lowest in the metro area) • Littleton Public Schools pays $56,028 • JeffCo Schools pays $56,919 • Adams 12 Five Star Schools pays

$61,000 • Denver Public Schools pays $62,695 • Cherry Creek School District pays $66,332 The Aurora Public Schools the contract is under negotiation. Fairchild said that while test scores are high in Douglas County School District, they might eventually come down if the district loses too many experienced teachers and can’t attract talented new ones. Josh Miller, the principal of Parker’s Cherokee Trail Elementary School, said the pay discrepancy hits the district in what he called the “sweet spot.” That’s where there’s a high number of teachers with experience ranging from two to three years up through those nearing retirement who could be lured away. “Other school districts are in the same ballpark as we are, so a lot of people are struggling in some of those areas, but again, we have the added need for more competitive pay,” Douglas County School District’s Chief Human Resources Officer Amanda Thompson told her school board in September. With concerns like those as the backdrop, voters on Nov. 7 narrowly approved a $66-million-a-year package to increase pay for Douglas County School District teachers and staff. Douglas County Federation, the union that represents teachers in the district, cheered the results. “We’re so pleased with the outcome of 5A, which will provide long overdue raises for our educators,” the federation announced on Facebook. Pay has also been stepped up for teachers in other districts in recent months and years. Yet, even with raises, teachers have been persistent in their calls for more financial support, especially amid the tight metro–area economy. Possible Solutions

The level of state funding has prevented school districts from providing “greater support for public education and schools,” according to Colorado Association of School Board Executive Director, Jubal Yennie. “Total funding in public education and for average teacher salaries in Colorado have typically been in

the lowest quartertile compared to other states,” he said. Some school districts stepped up to raise teacher pay after inflation last year hit its highest level nationally in four decades. And, since then, the Denver metro area’s Consumer Price Index has risen by 4.7%. The index measures the average change over time in the prices urban consumers pay for typical goods. Douglas County saw the smallest salary increase from the 202223 school year to this school year among metro districts, according to data collected from school districts’ public salary schedules. The pay for Douglas County’s entry level teachers with a bachelor’s degree increased by $1,529, compared to Cherry Creek, which saw the highest salary increase. Salaries for Cherry Creek’s entrylevel teachers increased by $14,580 from the beginning of last school year to this school year. Adams 12 Five Star Schools, which serves more than 36,000 students in schools in Federal Heights, Northglenn, Thornton, Westminster and Broomfield, raised starting-teacher salaries to $58,000 a year from the previous school year. That’s an increase of more than $12,000. Lower salaries also can result in some teachers, like Susan Fairchild, commuting dozens of miles every weekday to get to work. Despite having worked at Sage Canyon Elementary School in Castle Rock since 2009, which is in Douglas County, she can’t afford to live in that community. Instead, she lives in Aurora because that’s what she can afford. She also works extra jobs to make ends meet. “It is disheartening,” Fairchild said. Fairchild said the cost of housing exacerbates the issue because it isn’t affordable for many teachers she works alongside in Douglas County. The median price for a home in Aurora was $495,000 in October. In Highlands Ranch, it was $747,000, according to Realtor.com. In Denver, median home sales prices were $600,000 and $625,000 in Arvada. Average apartment rental prices reflected similar trends in those communities. “I live in Cherry Creek, so yeah, I don’t have another way to say it,” Fairchild said. “People who are coming and wanting to be teachers are not even considering Douglas County. For sure (pay rates compared to other districts) is a problem.” That leaves some school districts that don’t have as much to pay looking for other ways to lure and retain instructors. Douglas County Schools Superintendent Erin Kane said the shortterm retention efforts the district has made — such as offering discounted before-and-after-school care for staff, limiting health care costs, annual stipends and even free meals — helped keep the turnover rate from being even higher. So far this school year, more than 26,000 free meals have been served to Douglas County staff members. Funds for tuition reimbursement for teachers’ professional development are already exhausted for the year. SEE TEACHERS, P7

Denver Herald 7

November 23, 2023

Carmen Curtis Basham, math teacher at Aurora’s Rangeview High School, said she’s committed to teaching where she is, even though she could get a higher salary by moving to a school district that pays more. PHOTO BY KRISTIN OH SENTINEL COLORADO

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Call first: c/o The Colorado Sun Buell Public Media Center 2101 Arapahoe St., Denver, CO 80205 Mailing Address: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110 Phone: 303-566-4100 Web: DenverHerald.net To subscribe call 303-566-4100 LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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The push for higher teacher salaries in Colorado is far from new. Teachers and their supporters from Douglas and Jefferson counties cheer during a teacher rally in Denver at the state Capitol in 2018. Since then, teacher pay has been an ongoing concern and political issue facing many SENTINEL COLORADO FILE PHOTO metro area school districts.

TEACHERS FROM PAGE 6

Kane said boasting benefits instead of offering competitive pay is not sustainable. “The district has made such tremendous short-term efforts to retain staff, but it’s really important for our public to understand that those short-term efforts are not long-term solutions, and it’s like putting a Band-Aid on a big problem,” Kane said. “All leading indicators, such as the job decline rate, are extremely troubling.” State Sen. Janet Buckner, chairperson of the Senate Education Committee, acknowledged teachers’ struggle with making a living wage, among other concerns. She also said that she is a cheerleader for teachers in the state government. “My role on the Education Committee is to ensure that we can do everything we can. And I know it sounds mundane, but we need to do everything we can to elevate education in the state of Colorado,” Buckner said. “Public education is our foundation. And that’s why the public has to be supportive.” Gov. Jared Polis announced this month that he wants to spend $564.1 million on the next budget year to strengthen schools. If approved by legislators, per-pupil funding would increase by an average of $705, or $15,500 for a classroom with 22 students. This would be on top of last year’s per-pupil

funding of $1,019. The governor’s proposed budget will also provide $8 million to support STEM education and enrichment programs and $5 million for work-based learning. “We really believe that we will have enough money to improve teachers salaries, conditions, etcetera,” Buckner said of the proposed budget. Education Associations

In Aurora Public Schools, district officials recently sounded the alarm for board members to pay close attention to teacher salary issues. Months into the school year, the district has not finalized a contract with their teacher union. On Sept. 29, APS Superintendent Michael Giles sent a letter to staff about ongoing negotiations between the board and the Aurora Education Association. He wrote that he lacked the “confidence that a salary increase for licensed staff would come this calendar year.” He also wrote that he “is greatly concerned about our ability to attract new teachers with our current starting teacher salary while also retaining veteran teachers.” The letter states that, on average, teachers received a 9% salary increase last year, but that the district paid for it with money from district reserves because of a “one-year lag in inflation adjustments’’ and because the “district’s per pupil revenue only increased by 3.5%” in the 2022-23 school year. Giles also stated that the district also made more than “$6.5 million in administra-

tive cuts first to keep school budgets untouched.” During an Oct. 24 APS board meeting, two people spoke during open discussion about giving veteran teachers higher salaries. According to a Sept. 29 letter from APS Superintendent Michael Giles, the teacher union turned down the district’s proposal for salary raises, which would have given first-year teachers a $10,000 raise. The education association refuted the initial proposal because veteran teachers, who have at least six years experience, would have received the lowest salary increase. Giles’ letter does not include when the district first gave this proposal to the education association. Giles’ letter stated that on Sept. 20, the district amended the proposal to increase the salary for veteran teachers from $923 to $2,600. “However, in order to meet this increased compensation proposal, we would need to reduce school budgets by 1%-2%. Given differences in budgeting and staffing, the impact of the budget reduction would vary across the school district,” Giles wrote in his letter. Teacher raises have been the focus of teachers and administrators across the metro region. Earlier this year, the Jefferson County Education Association, the union representing Jeffco Schools teachers, negotiated a 5.25% pay raise with the district. SEE TEACHERS, P24

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Columnists & Guest Commentaries Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Independent. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone. Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com Deadline Tues. for the following week’s paper. Denver Herald-Dispatch (ISSN 1542-5797)(USPS 241-760) A legal newspaper of general circulation in Denver, Colorado, the Herald-Dispatch is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 1624 Market St., Suite 202, Denver, CO 80202. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT DENVER, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Denver Herald, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110

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8 Denver Herald

November 23, 2023

Making music with others Denver Adult Strings Camp offers everyone an opportunity to play with a group BY CASSIS TINGLEY SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Susan Munsinger was 54 when she started playing the violin. A longtime Denver Public Schools school teacher, Munsinger decided to join her fifth-grade class’ orchestra lessons to learn alongside her students. Now, after nearly 20 years of private lessons and playing in community orchestras across Denver, Munsinger is a proud participant of the Denver Adult Strings Camp. “I stumbled into it and I just got so hooked,” said Munsinger. “The music can be challenging, but when you go in you realize there’s tons of encouragement.” Founded by Sarah Jylkka in 2021, DASC is a true post-pandemic organization. After the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, and five years teaching middle school orchestra, Jylkka was ready for a change. While she enjoyed teaching middle schoolers, she really wanted to teach adults. She also knew that both she and many of her adult students who were taking private lessons craved the opportunity to play with other people. “My thoughts went wild and I was just like, ‘what if I put all these people together?’ What if it was a structured thing, like a summer camp?’” Jylkka said. And so DASC was born. With the help of a friend who worked in web design, Jylkka created a website for the camp and told her students to spread the word. After a few short weeks, more than 50 people had enrolled.

Members of the Denver Adult Strings Camp’s cellos and bass section have their photo taken before a performance at the WashingPHOTO BY SARAH JYLKKA ton Park United Methodist Church during the Fall 2021 session.

Jylkka was floored. She quickly sprang into action, organizing coaches and venues and finalizing logistics. By the end of the first camp, everyone wanted to know when the next session would be. Jylkka thinks DASC’s success has been due in large part to its accessibility. DASC does not require auditions, it is open to anyone with six months of playing experience and offers financial aid. Unlike other programs with longer commitments,

DASC is only four-to-eight weeks long, making it more approachable for musicians with less experience. With its fifth session set to begin on Nov. 29, DASC includes programming for a variety of learning styles and levels, and offers sectionals, rehearsals and private instruction. Lately, Jylkka has been focused on growing the Spruce Group, which is a group designed for players with less experience. “It makes it an easy place for

people to come in and not feel intimidated because everyone around them is also like, ‘I do not remember how to tune my instrument,’” said Jylkka. The holiday session will include three play-ins on Nov. 29, Dec. 10 and Dec. 23 and a performance at a senior’s home. The DASC ensemble will also open for a Colorado Symphony orchestra concert on Dec. 15. SEE MUSIC, P9

Denver Herald 9

November 23, 2023

MUSIC FROM PAGE 8

DASC’s seasonal camps also provide an alternative to the traditional classical music environment which, for many, can be overly critical and cause burnout among young musicians. For Stephanie Agtarap, who started playing violin when she was 9, DASC’s supportive culture provided the encouragement she needed to pick up her violin again after quitting in college. “It was no longer fun. There was so much pressure to do well, to not make mistakes and to encour-

age perfectionism,” said Agtarap. “With DASC, it’s not like that at all.” Agtarap also pointed out that resources for adults to learn and practice music outside of highlycompetitive environments are extremely limited. “For some reason, you’re only allowed to do these things if you’re a professional player or if you take it as seriously as a job,” she said. “DASC fills that gap.” DASC’s greatest draw? Agtarap, Munsinger and Jylkka all agree that it’s the sense of community gained from sharing music with others. “It is so fun to play music with a larger group of people,” said Munsinger. “There’s nothing like it.”

The Denver Adult Strings Camp orchestra performs at Lakewood United Methodist Church during the final concert of the Summer 2023 session. PHOTO BY JUSTIN OSHITA/LINELOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

Photo by Rich Luck

The violins of Denver Adult Strings Camp’s Spruce Ensemble rehearse at New Denver PHOTO BY SARAH JYLKKA Church during the Summer 2023 session.

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The Denver Adult Strings Camp founder and director Sarah Jylkka conducts the DASC’s Philharmonic Orchestra during the final performance of the Summer 2023 PHOTO BY JUSTIN OSHITA/LINELOCK PHOTOGRAPHY session at Lakewood United Methodist Church.

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10 Denver Herald

LOCAL

VOICES MAZING DENVER WITH WARREN STOKES

A thankful season

t is hard to believe how fast our months

and seasons come and fade away these days. It is a regular occurrence for someone to tell me to treasure the time I have with my children because it goes so fast. EDITOR’S I understand that all too COLUMN well these days as my daughter is in her final year of high school and my two sons are growing too fast, becoming more independent and finding their own personalities, hobbies and interests every day. Hugs at bedtime are even becoming few and far between. Thelma Grimes While I take a lot of this column space every week to gripe about the world around me, there are times we all need to take a breath and look at the good. With Thanksgiving upon us, I often reflect on all that I have to be thankful for and a lot of the things I often take for granted. It’s likely no surprise that I am most thankful for my children. After a long day, week at work – my 10-year-old son is often one of the first to give a hug, say something supportive and let me know I am a good mom even if the world outside does not always treat me nicely because of the work I choose to do. My 7-year-old is always ready with a football to play catch. Whether inside or outside, he will play for hours if I participate that long. I try to play as often as I can, as I continue to take the advice about time going way too fast. Of course, he hates when I try my Patrick Mahomes “no-look” pass because I rarely hit him on his slant route, as he says he is trying to be like Steffon Diggs. He often stresses that I cannot be a Kansas City Chiefs quarterback throwing to a Buffalo Bills receiver. With my daughter, I am thankful for how much she and I laugh together these days. I am also thankful for the staff I have the pleasure of leading in the south metro area for this company. My team has grown into quite a group of talented reporters and editors. All of which makes me proud every day because after more than a year of leading them, we have truly made strides in this region. I am thankful to have my work family as much as I have my family at home. I am thankful knowing that with more time, we will get even better. I am also thankful for the recent privilege to interview and write a tribute story for Sonya Ellingboe, who has written for our company for many decades. In talking to a woman who has accomplished so much in her lifetime, I can only hope to be as accomplished and busy in my 90s. I am always thankful to put pen to paper and write stories like hers. They truly matter. In the end, I am also thankful for my home and the partnership I have with my husband who is supportive when I get breaking news texts at 10 p.m., working late on election nights, or taking calls from a reader or elected official or candidate who is not happy with one of our columns or stories. He knows the business and he understands my passion for it — I couldn’t be thankful enough for his continued patience as he and I are nearing our 25th wedding anniversary. That alone is an accomplishment I am thankful for, too. Thelma Grimes is the south metro editor for Colorado Community Media.

November 23, 2023

“Celebrating Thanksgiving” This mazetorial of a Thanksgiving meal serves as a reminder to be thankful for what we have, and to have empathy and give to those who are less fortunate. To solve, start at the ‘S’ in any of the lower four corners, and maze-out to the ‘W’ for win in the center of the turkey.

Pay tribute to 10th Mountain Division at History Colorado

here are all kinds of stories that get forgotten in the fog of war, stories that need to be retold to give those who served the respect they deserve. That’s the ethos behind Winter Warriors, the History Colorado Center’s,1200 Broadway in Denver, latest exhibition, which is a tribute to World War II’s 10th Mountain Division — the first American troops specifically trained for mountain warfare. “Winter Warriors isn’t just about combat in World War II, it’s also a story of creativity, resilience, ingenuity and the human condition,” said Dr. Chris Juergens, Head of Curatorial Services and Anschutz Curator of Military History at History Colorado, in a provided statement. “This exhibition puts a human face on the inhumanity of war, and highlights the price of freedom that US servicemen and women continue to be willing to pay on behalf of their fellow citizens.” The exhibit opened on Veterans Day and truly takes an expansive and intimate look at the division, from their training at Camp Hale in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains through their breakthrough against the Nazi German Army in the mountains of Italy. The division paid the

ultimate price during its time

COMING in the fight — about one-third ATTRACTIONS of its members were wounded

or killed. According to provided information, the exhibit relied on resources from the 10th Mountain Division Resource Center — a collection largely donated by veterans of the unit and maintained by History Colorado and the Denver Public Library — and features some Clarke Reader never-before-seen items. Some of the special items on display include: • A fez taken from Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini’s Italian villa when it was occupied by American troops in 1945. • The bow and arrows used by one of the division’s archers. • The uniforms worn by soldiers in training and in combat — as well as those worn by the Women’s Army Corps at Camp Hale and Red Cross volunteers in Italy. SEE READER, P11

Denver Herald 11

November 23, 2023

Putting in effort before acquiring talent or skill

ometimes we have the will

to do something but lack the skill to execute upon it or do it well, or at least not well enough to meet our expectations or the expectations of those around us. Last week I wrote about having the skill or talent but lacking the will to put in the effort required to achieve the results we desire. So, what we are talking about here is combining will and skill. And as a reminder, the distance between the two is the same for each of us, it’s the distance between our head and our heart. Do we want to assign someone a project or hire someone who has the will but not the skill? Maybe. Do we want to assign someone a project or hire someone who has the skill but not the will? Definitely not. In an ideal world, we want both. However, if given a choice I would always hire the person who has the will and who is willing to focus on working to develop the skill. When we look at hiring someone or promoting someone, we want to look at their skills, experience, attitude, prior results, cultural fit, and habits. For me, I place a great deal of emphasis on attitude or will. And typically, that has never disappointed me. A salesperson with a great resume who has achieved a certain level of success, sometimes is not the best candidate. Sometimes they feel they achieved a status where they feel entitled not to have to do the sales behaviors necessary to repeat sales success. They lost their will, and when they lose their will, they have lost their way. “Do the work, and the skill will come.” This simple phrase powerfully captures a truth that applies to any endeavor we undertake — from

READER FROM PAGE 10

• Pieces of art constructed, carved, and etched by soldiers at Camp Hale and on the front lines. The aim of the exhibit is visitors come away with a greater appreciation of a story they may have never heard before. “This is a chance for visitors to embark on a multi-sensory journey that explores the history of the 10th

sports to music, business to baking. Mastery is not born overnight. It takes grit, perseverance, and a willingness to begin before you feel ready. When facing a new challenge, our untrained brain often says, “I don’t have Michael Norton the talent for this.” It prompts us to quit before we’ve given our full effort. But raw talent alone rarely leads to excellence. What matters most is the hours upon hours of purposeful practice. Intentional and purposeful practice. Great coaches know skill is built step-by-step. They break complex moves down into smaller chunks and build incrementally. They demonstrate the basics then provide encouragement as athletes slowly integrate the pieces. Precision comes from repetition. Victory goes to the tireless. There is a saying that we cannot manage results, we can only manage behavior and then measure results. And those who have the drive, attitude, and will to do the behaviors will typically be the ones who achieve the results they, their company, or their team desire. Putting in effort before having skill also builds mental toughness. Pushing through frustration, boredom, and the inevitable mistakes forges tenacity. Small wins accumulated over time generate unstoppable momentum. Self-doubt fades as competency grows. What dream are you delaying because you believe you lack innate gifts? How might your life change if you silenced your inner critic, got

WINNING WORDS

Mountain Division from its origins to its combat service in more detail than ever before seen in an exhibition,” Juergens stated. “Even those familiar with the story of these famed Winter Warriors will be captivated by new details, photographs and objects that bring this history to life.” Find full details at www.historycolorado.org/exhibit/winter-warriors. Clarke Reader is an arts, culture and entertainment columnist for Colorado Community Media.

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 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.

CORRECTION The Nov. 9 story, “Self-guided audio tours: Unveiling treasures in Denver and beyond” listed the Highlands Ranch Mansion as offering

audio tours. The Mansion has selfguided tours, but not audio tours. Colorado Community Media regrets this error.

curious, and gave your full effort for an extended period? Mastery lives on the other side of perseverance. Progress requires a tolerance for looking foolish as you incrementally improve. Find the will, have the will, and do the work and the skill will come. Commit to consistent action. The hours add up. One day you’ll look back in awe at how far you’ve come. But it starts with a willingness to be a beginner, to stumble and struggle before you soar. Effort sows the seeds for future talent to blossom. Once again, talent without effort breeds mediocrity, so we want both will and skill. Where are you?

Do you have the skills necessary for success but have been dogging it lately? Or do you have the will and have the desire to put in the work to learn the skill or technique? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and we can realize just how important our attitude and willingness are to our success, it really will be a better than good life. Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

Letters to Santa

Ho, ho, ho! ‘Tis the season to let Santa know if you have been naughty or nice. Send in your lettter to be published through the holidays!

Mail by December 15th!

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12 Denver Herald

November 23, 2023

Centennial Airport committee to change public comment process BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Aiming to increase its efficiency, the Centennial Airport Community Noise Roundtable discussed changing the public comment process at its meetings. For months, the roundtable — made up primarily of local elected officials in Arapahoe and Douglas counties, appointed representatives from the community, and airport staff and users — has been trying to address community concerns about increased air traffic and noise. Centennial Airport, located in Arapahoe County near Dove Valley Regional Park, is one of the 25 busiest airports in the nation, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA. During the monthly noise roundtable meetings, there are public comment periods where members of the public are able to approach a podium and give a three-minute comment to the roundtable. Typically, the roundtable schedules for public comment to be given toward the beginning of its meeting and again toward the end of the meeting. However, the roundtable is now considering making changes to its public comment process, including moving the public comment period toward the end of the meeting. At the Nov. 1 meeting, Brad Pierce, the chair of the roundtable, said moving the public comment period

From left: Paul Krier, Brad Pierce and Alison Biggs on Oct. 4 at Centennial Airport. PHOTO BY TAYLER SHAW They are members of the airport’s community noise roundtable.

to the end of the meeting is intended to give the roundtable more time to discuss its work. Another reason is so the public can listen to the entire meeting and comment on what happened at the meeting, he said. Greenwood Village Council Member Donna Johnston, a member of the roundtable, noted that the roundtable is a recommending body. The roundtable’s stated mission is to bring together the airport, community, FAA and aviation industry representatives to identify noise issues and recommend courses of action that could reduce noise over

affected communities. “For the past 14 months, we’ve been just listening to the public but really not performing our duties as much as we want — focusing on issues and actually, you know, trying to do something,” Johnston said. Another proposed change is that questions raised during public comment may be addressed by the roundtable after all the commenters have spoken. Over the months, there have been incidents where commenters will ask questions to the roundtable as part of their public comment, leading to back-and-forth conversations between the commenter and the

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roundtable. “The one-on-one dialogue, back and forth, has been very disruptive and not very effective,” said Lone Tree Council Member Mike Anderson, a member of the roundtable. Castle Pines Council Member Chris Eubanks, also a member of the roundtable, said the idea behind the change is that, instead of there being back-and-forth dialogue between commenters and the roundtable, the public will give comments and then the roundtable can address questions at the end. The intent is to make the meeting flow better, he said. “The spirit of this is in no way trying to silence the community,” Eubanks said. “The spirit of this is trying to understand better and having a more consolidated way to listen.” The roundtable also discussed having a new policy where if the meeting, which is scheduled to go from 6:30-8:30 p.m., extends until 9 p.m., then the roundtable will have to vote on whether to extend the meeting for another 30 minutes. If that vote fails, then the meeting would end. The roundtable did not formally vote on making these procedure changes during the Nov. 1 meeting. Pierce said revisions will be made to the proposed procedures and they will be sent via email to members of the roundtable within the next few weeks. He said the roundtable is able to vote via email on approving them.

Denver Herald 13

November 23, 2023

UCHealth dietician talks diabetes prevention, self care used for type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is thought to be autoimmune and occurs when the cells of the pancreas are unable to produce insulin on its own, therefore, insulin from an outside source such as an injection is used. Diabetes can be managed through maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active, choosing healthier meals and limiting processed food intake.

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Although there is no exact cure for diabetes, the chronic condition that affects how the body turns food into energy, there are ways to help manage it and prevent a diagnosis. Rebecca Warren, a dietitian and clinical nutrition manager at UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital, said that a well rounded diet and healthy lifestyle plays a huge role in a person’s overall health. Diabetes is the eighth leading cause of death in the U.S. with more than 37 million U.S. adults having the condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and one in five of those adults don’t know they have it. In Colorado, a 2021 American Diabetes Association report indicates more than 310,000 people have been diagnosed with diabetes and it’s estimated that nearly 40,000 are diagnosed every year. Types of diabetes

The body breaks down most of the food eaten into sugars and goes into the bloodstream. When a person’s blood pressure goes up, it signals the pancreas to release insulin, which releases the blood sugar in the body for cells to use as energy. For someone with diabetes, the body doesn’t make enough insulin, or doesn’t have the ability to use the insulin as well as it should. As a result, too much blood sugar stays in

The five food groups

Diabetes, the chronic condition that affects how the body turns food into energy, can be managed through maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active, choosing SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE healthier meals and limiting processed food intake.

the bloodstream. “When we think about nutrition in terms of preventing diabetes, we’re really looking at preventing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes,” said Warren. Prediabetes, in which an estimated 96 million adults have, occurs when blood sugar levels are higher than normal but are not high enough to reach the level of an official type 2 diagnosis as it can be reversible

through exercise and diet. Oftentimes people who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes later in life are commonly due to poor dietary habits, obesity and lack of adequate physical activity, Warren said. In this case, the pancreas might be able to produce insulin, therefore, exogenous insulin may or may not be required and oral medications are often prescribed. However, oral medications are not

When it comes to preventing diabetes and having a well rounded lifestyle, dieticians tend to consult the U.S. Department of Agriculture MyPlate Method. However, it is important to contact a registered dietitian and physician for recommendations based on your individual health needs and specific health conditions, said Warren. The five food groups are fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy. Ideally, for the average healthy adult, half the plate should be fruits and vegetables. Warren said it’s beneficial to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables (especially different colors) as they each contain different vitamins and minerals, this includes edible peels. While vegetables contain potassium, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium, fruits contain vitamin C, which is essential for tissue growth, repair and healing. SEE SELF CARE, P18

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14 Denver Herald

November 23, 2023

LOCAL

LIFE

Local artists express themselves through forms of metal, precious gems, unique designs BY ELISABETH SLAY ESLAY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The heat of the torch, the smell of pickling solution, the sound of metal on a mandrel and the look of a completed piece are common aspects silversmiths and jewelers in the Denver metro area enjoy about their craft. Sara DeAngelo Jewelry: “Southwest, feminine, natural and detailed”

For Englewood business owner and professional jeweler Sara DeAngelo, these aspects of the silversmithing system are elements she loves, but they come secondary in her personal process. “I am obsessed with stones and the history of how a stone is formed and how it’s literally the only one in the world like it,” DeAngelo said. She said taking a unique “peace of the Earth” and “turning it into this beautiful treasured something that makes somebody feel more beautiful” is her favorite part of the craft. Originally from Los Angeles, DeAngelo began her career in 1997 after a terrible encounter with a rude customer. DeAngelo said she quit her job and the very next day began selling her pieces door-to-door at different businesses. “I walked out the door and then the next morning I went around with my little trays of jewelry to a bunch of stores and I got two retail stores that first morning and that sent me on a totally different path,” DeAngelo said. DeAngelo currently has a retail store and studio at 16 E. Girard Ave. in Englewood. She describes her styles as “Southwest, feminine, natural and detailed.” “I make mostly sterling silver. They’re usually hand stamped

using Navajo stamps that I buy from the Navajo artists themselves and then (I use) unique gemstones that I literally search the world for,” DeAngelo said. DeAngelo moved into her current location after outgrowing her last studio and while she wasn’t looking for retail, she’s happy she found it and she loves the connections she forms with people. DeAngelo is an established artisan in the industry and she said she was featured in the Sundance Catalog. She said that was a dream goal for her and her work is sold in about 50 stores across the country. She said the jewelry-making community is vast in Colorado because in her experience people seem to appreciate and value homemade items. DeAngelo makes all sorts of pieces including rings, earrings and necklaces but she loves making earrings the most because they’re her favorite type of jewelry to wear. DeAngelo said making a delicate piece can be very meticulous and detail-oriented. “It’s harder than it looks…and it’s very exact,” DeAngelo said. Velvet Moss Magic: “Edgy, kinky and biker babe”

Fellow silversmith and production assistant of DeAngelo’s, Katie White is also enjoying the process of building her own business and finding a balance between her two worlds. White said her specialties in jewelry making are stone setting and intricate stamping work and making things that “excite people and offend them too.” Originally from New Jersey, White moved to Colorado about seven years ago and is now based in Boulder. White sells her pieces in Denver at markets and in galleries. White said she was “stone obsessed” as a teenager. “I was collecting raw stones and I actually started wire wrapping and making mainly pendants and rings out of copper and brass,” White said. SEE JEWELRY, P15

Metalsmither Sara DeAngelo works on a piece at her bench in her studio.

PHOTOS BY ELISABETH SLAY

New Denver resident and jewelry maker Jenny Foulkes works in Denver Jewelry Studio.

Denver Herald 15

November 23, 2023

JEWELRY FROM PAGE 14

Artist and metalsmith Katie White works in her chaotic home studio on her next creation.

COURTESY OF KATIE WHITE

During her senior year in high school, White said she was supporting herself, and while she enjoyed making her pieces, she was also selling them as a means of survival. For White, the best aspect of jewelry making, which she has been doing for about nine years, is that it’s a three-dimensional art form. “I really love that metal feels like a resource that I can time and time again manipulate,” White said. “It feels like it can be recycled and repurposed. It feels like there is always a story to any jewelry pieces and anything metal-related.” When she makes a piece, White said she notices a correlation between her mental state and the process. The silversmith said she will start her process off with a “ceremony” whether it’s making a cup of coffee, smoking herbs or cannabis or saying a prayer. “Jewelry making is like putting a little piece of my soul and body energetics into something that someone’s going to wear forever,” White said. White describes her jewelry as different, unique and bold. “I would say my jewelry has a core theme of being alternative,” White said. “I definitely dabble in everything from being edgy punk to almost like biker babe to boho flowy (and) gem-centered.” White said people enjoy her jewelry which she sells through Instagram, on her website and in five stores in Denver and two in New Jersey. White joined DeAngelo’s studio about three months ago and enjoys executing DeAngelo’s style of wire wrapping and knotting. “What’s cool is I feel like I am honing a lot of my more nitty gritty skills,” White said. “Just making my things look nicer, cleaner, production style and mass quantity.” In her home studio of organized chaos, however, with her own production assistant and canine companion Dobby, White said she’s a “one-man show.” “I move all over the place. I change things. I do have a tendency to go in between projects,” White said. White said she believes she’s “creating magic” in her studio. “I feel like I am working with my hands and get to view magic by the end. I feel like I am an alchemist. I feel like I am connecting to the Earth,” White said. Michelene Berkey: “Not for everyone”

Michelene Berkey is a metalsmith who has made jewelry for a large portion of her life and works from her home studio. Based in Evergreen, Berkey said she designs and makes silver jewelry with high-carat gold accents, gemstones and different kinds of pearls. Originally from New York, the 73-year-old said she has had an interest in jewelry making since she was child. “My grandfather would go to the jewelry exchange in New York and bring home things wrapped up in little pieces of tissue paper and rubber bands,” Berkey said. “I remember standing at the table watching him unwrap these things and just being fascinated with jewelry.” She attended California State of Long Beach, learned her techniques and “never stopped making (jewelry) and designing it.” When she was in California, Berkey said she worked in various jewelry shops in the late 1970s and then she moved to Colorado. She said she didn’t have any jewelry connections and took a break from the craft profession to own and operate her own wallpaper and paint business. Berkey said she returned to full time metalsmithing in 2000. “The jewelry that I make is not traditional jewelry. It’s more what they call art jewelry,” Berkey said. “I know how to make traditional jewelry…That’s what I was trained to do but the jewelry that I am making now is made from little sections of cottonwood twigs and just natural things that I find.” Jeweler benches sit in the Denver Jewelry Studio for jewelry makers to utilize.

PHOTO BY ELISABETH SLAY

SEE JEWELRY, P16

16 Denver Herald

November 23, 2023

JEWELRY FROM PAGE 15

Berkey said the traditional process consists of a metalsmith making a piece out of wax, plastering it and then placing it in a “burnout” kiln where the wax is melted away. “What’s left is the void of that particular piece that you’re making and then when you’re ready to actually do the casting you melt your metal and you pour it in and it fills in all of those places where the wax had been originally,” Berkey said. She siad she wants her pieces to have a lot of texture. “It’s an interesting process. The casting is the same as manufacturers would use to make anybody’s tradi-

tional wedding ring,” Berkey said. “In my case I am actually burning away the twigs because they burn away just the same as a wax.” Berkey said her work is “not for everyone” but those who love it have responded well to her creations. “The more people have seen it and understood that it’s silver and it’s made from the twigs they’re really fascinated with that,” Berkey said. Berkey sells her work in galleries and she attends various shows throughout Colorado and other states. Denver Jewelry Studio: A place to learn

Berkey is always willing to learn, and said she has attended the Denver Jewelry Studio in Littleton and taken classes in different techniques. The studio has various levels of

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Pieces made by teacher and jewelry maker Judy Brown, who owns the Denver Jewelry Studio.

classes taught by many different instructors and managed carefully by studio owner Judy Brown. “Our studio we call it a maker space. It’s basically for people who have no experience at all in metal smithing or they’re professionals and they’re looking to learn a new technique,” Brown said. Located at 8392 South Continental Divide Road, Unit 104 in Littleton, Brown said Denver Jewelry Studio is open daily, except on Wednesday, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are four total employees including Brown and 30 contract instructors who travel from all over the country to hold classes. Brown said she purchased the studio from the previous owners in 2018 after teaching there. “I am a retired state auditor for the state of Texas and Colorado and I needed a creative outlet,” Brown said. Brown loves “the endless learning” of metalsmithing. Brown said her style of jewelry is more natural, which was what she was interested in exploring. “For somebody that’s a numbers cruncher I found that I gravitate to the organic because it gave me so much more freedom and a lot of times it mimics nature,” Brown said. “I am always fascinated with not only textures but colors that we find in natural rocks and tree bark.” Brown said her primary technique to do and teach is cuttlebone casting. “It’s a very old technique. They use the cuttlefish. I learned that one in 2007 and I just gravitated to it because I love the texture that you find in that,” Brown said. Brown said she was developing her own style to the technique by making the casting thinner which wasn’t common. This she said is how she also entered the world of teaching. “I love teaching because I love to see people learning to be creative. I think being creative feeds our souls,” Brown said. “All of us need that in our lives in whatever form we have whether it’s cooking or painting.” Brown said for those looking to venture into metal smithing the studio recommends that they take the 30-hour Metalsmithing course and then go from there. She said information on classes can be found on the studio’s website. She said people will learn the basics including sawing techniques, filing, hammering and setting stones. “For us teaching the beginning students all of these techniques they

don’t have to buy a lot of equipment to get started at home and they can really express their creativity,” Brown said. Denver Jewelry Studio also offers Open Studio where artisans can pay a monthly fee to utilize its tools. New Denver resident and jewelry maker Jenny Foulkes said she recently moved to Colorado and found the studio. “I needed bench space because my studio is not set up in my home and (Brown) has all the tools, all the solder stations and they’re open all day,” Foulkes said. “I like the warm welcoming atmosphere.” Miro Jewelers: A family owned business

Maira Miro, marketing and supplies of Miro Jewelers, said her family has been in the jewelry-making business for four generations. “We’re a custom fine jewelry store. We do retail and manufacturing,” Miro said. Located at 6750 S. Emporia St. in Centennial, Miro said the family opened their retail space 15 years ago. Miro said both her father and her brother are jewelers and the family owns a factory in Lebanon, which is where the business began. The family opened their current location in 2017 and Miro said her father attended college in Colorado and wanted to return. For Miro, the best aspects of what she does are the custom pieces the business creates and seeing it journey over the last several years. “It’s just the custom part of it and being able to take something that has been in our family for a long time and evolve it over time,” she said. Miro explained the business has evolved from bench jewelry to manufacturing and retail. She said they make everything from wedding bands to engagement rings to necklaces to earrings. “The nice thing about custom is you can work with any style because you’re creating it all,” she said. “It’s not like you’re a brand that you have specific styles that you’re working around.” While versatile in design, Miro said she would describe the company’s pieces as classic and trendy. Miro said she is not a jeweler but she works on the back end of the business in purchasing and finance. “I like that it’s a family business that we’ve grown over the generations and we will have for future generations too,” she said.

Denver Herald 17

November 23, 2023

Thu 11/30

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Covenhoven with Joel Ansett

girlfriend on the moon at Mercury Cafe - Jungle Room

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Keith Hicks @ 4:30pm The Jacquard Hotel, Denver

Jubilingo @ 4:30pm The Jacquard Hotel, Denver

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@ 7pm Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St, Denver

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@ 7pm Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St, Denver

Sun 12/03

@ 6:30pm Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St, Denver

Featured

Electric Whiskey Experiment @ 1pm Station 26 Brewing Co., 7045 E 38th Ave, Denver

Psychosomatic @ 7pm Marquis Theater, 2009 Larimer St, Denver

Featured

Fri 12/01 Featured

Daniella Katzir Music: Holiday Bazaar - Lakewood @ 5:30pm Belmar Holiday Bazaar, 439 Up‐ ham St., Lakewood

A Winter's Eve with David Arkenstone & Friends at the Newman Center in Denver! @ 7:30pm / $22-$45 Newman Center for the Perform‐ ing Arts, 2344 East Iliff Avenue, Denver. cindygagecsr@ gmail.com, 818-481-2600

Colorado Children's Chorale Presents Merry & Bright

Sat 12/02

@ 6pm Boettcher Concert Hall, 1400 Cur‐ tis Street, Denver

Wed 12/06

Bettman & Halpin

Portyl: Lost Lake Lounge

@ 7:30pm Bellco Theatre, 700 14th St, Denver

Archer Oh

@ 1:30pm Evergreen Christian Church, 27772 Iris Dr, Evergreen

@ 6:30pm Lost Lake Lounge, 3602 E Colfax Ave, Denver

1788-L - Danceportation

Soundularity: Meditation & Sound Healing

@ 9:30pm Meow Wolf Denver | Convergence Sta‐ tion, 1338 1st St, Denver

@ 6:30pm Intrinsic Collective, 922 Washington Ave suite 200, Golden

The best place to promote your events online and in print. Visit us @ https://jeffcotranscript.com/calendar

@ 7pm The Black Buzzard at Oskar Blues, 1624 Market St, Denver Bill Nye

Swim Fan @ 8pm Lost Lake Lounge, 3602 E Colfax Ave, Denver Calendar information is provided by event organiz‐ ers. All events are subject to change or cancella‐ tion. This publication is not responsible for the ac‐ curacy of the information contained in this calendar.

18 Denver Herald

November 23, 2023

Strong demand among undocumented Coloradans for health coverage BY ERIC GALATAS PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE

Colorado’s Omni-Salud program - which allows low-income undocumented Coloradans and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients to enroll in affordable health insurance plans with financial assistance - saw a surge in demand at the start of the state’s open enrollment period. Raquel Lane-Arellano - communications manager with the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition - said the rush to enroll shows that word is getting out about the program, now in its second year. “It also shows us that there is such a great need for the program,” said

SELF CARE FROM PAGE 13

Warren said people should avoid canned fruits and vegetables because they contain added sugars and sodium. With grains, at least half should be whole grains. These include foods like brown rice and whole wheat bread. In addition to magnesium and B vitamins being important for the nervous system and metabolism, whole grains are less refined and contain additional protein that helps manage blood sugar. “Typically the way our blood sugar works,” said Warren. “When we have a refined grain, such as white bread, our blood sugar shoots up and then it shoots down fast.” When a whole grain is added, it

Lane-Arellano, “given that the capacity - which is currently at 11,000 for the Silver Enhanced Savings Program insurance plan - filled up in two days, which was absolutely a record.” Lane-Arellano said the strong demand should move lawmakers to expand investments in Omni-Salud - which aims to reduce costs to taxpayers, including expensive emergency room care when patients without insurance can’t pay their bill. Critics say the program forces Colorado taxpayers to subsidize undocumented immigrants’ health insurance against their will, and have called it a violation of the Affordable Care Act. Undocumented Coloradans are

also taxpayers, paying nearly $273 million in federal taxes, and $156 million in state and local taxes in 2018. Lane-Arellano said as the pandemic made very clear, it’s important to ensure that everyone - including front line low-wage workers - can access health care. “Our communities are healthier and stronger when everyone can get the care that they need,” said LaneArellano. “A lot of the folks who are here have been a part of our communities for decades, paying taxes, working, and contributing to our state and local economies.” Undocumented residents can still enroll for coverage through OmniSalud. But unlike some other low-

wage workers in Colorado, they will have to pay market prices without financial assistance. Lane-Arellano said she worries that people may put off seeking care if they can’t afford insurance, which can lead to a cascade of bad outcomes. “They’re forced to take leave from work,” said Lane-Arellano. “They may need to seek emergency services, which costs more. And they may also end up in crushing medical debt due to the severity of the progression of their illness which in a lot of cases is preventable with early treatment.” This Public News Service story via The Associated Press’ Storyshare, of which Colorado Community Media is a member.

has the additional protein and fiber content that allows the blood sugar to slowly rise, plateau and lower. This gives the body a bit more control. Among the many benefits of proteins, they also include B vitamins, which helps build tissue and blood cells. Vegetarian proteins include beans, nuts, seeds and soy. “When we look at these plant based sources of protein,” said Warren. “They’re high in fat soluble fiber, which can help manage cholesterol but also help with blood sugar control.” Blood sugar control can also be managed by ensuring you are not eating one component of food at a time. This includes snacking. By adding a protein source to a snack, such as a low fat cheese or peanut butter, the protein source can pair with the car-

bohydrate and gently release blood sugar through the bloodstream. If lactose intolerant, Warren said people can choose lactose free products or fortified dairy alternatives as well as low fat or fat free options for reduced intake of saturated fats. Additionally, some foods such as fruits contain natural sugar and fiber, which helps the body absorb sugar at a slower and desirable rate, said Warren. Many processed foods that contain added sugars are absorbed faster and can result in blood pressure spikes.

helpful guide in knowing how many servings to have in each food group, Warren suggested the use of Berkeley, the University of California’s handy guide to “How big is one serving?” This can be found at https://rb.gy/wqbsfa. The number one thing to look at on a nutrition facts label is the serving size, said Warren as it indicates an appropriate amount to eat at once and everything listed in subsequent rows is reflective of that specific amount. “What you need to look for on a nutrition label is specific to your personal health and nutrition goals,” said Warren. Therefore, common things to be aware of are calorie intake when being mindful of weight, saturated fat content in regards to heart disease, sodium levels in terms of high blood pressure or heart failure and added sugar for preventing diabetes.

What to look for

According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, portion sizes have grown over the past 20 years. Many foods that serve as a single portion contain multiple servings. While the USDA MyPlate is a

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Denver Herald 19

November 23, 2023

Solution

TRIVIA 1. MOVIES: In which U.S. state does the movie “Field of Dreams” take place? 2. FOOD & DRINK: What is sauerkraut? 3. ACRONYMS: What phrase does the acronym GPS stand for? 4. GEOGRAPHY: The country of Guyana lies on which continent? 5. TELEVISION: What is the pub where characters in “The Office” gather after work? 6. SCIENCE: How many karats are in pure gold? 7. PSYCHOLOGY: What is the fear represented by autophobia? 8. ANIMAL KINGDOM: How big is a newborn kangaroo? 9. AD SLOGANS: What product is advertised as “the snack that smiles back”? 10. LITERATURE: Who wrote “The Canterbury Tales”?

Answers 1. Iowa. 2. Pickled cabbage. 3. Global positioning system. 4. South America. 5. Poor Richard’s. 6. 24. 7. Fear of being alone. 8. About 1 inch or less. 9. Goldfish. 10. Geoffrey Chaucer. (c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Crossword Solution

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20 Denver Herald

November 23, 2023

ColoradoCommunitymedia.Com/Classifieds

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Denver Herald 21

November 23, 2023

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22 Denver Herald

November 23, 2023

www.ColoradoCommunityMedia.com/Notices

PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Notices call 303-566-4123

THOMAS R. RIPP Plaintiff,

paid amounts to him. The amount claimed by the Plaintiff is 18% of the gross sales price of the real property known as 1135 S. Harrison Street, Denver, Colorado.” That price has not yet been established. Subtracted from that sales price prior to payment to the Plaintiff shall be the amounts of the two deeds of trust paid by Defendant Maldonado that were in existence at the time that Defendant Maldonado extended his credit to the Defendant Human. Maldonado shall then be entitled to the remaining balance up to the amounts recited in his Human Deed of Trust and Promissory Note.

vs.

Dated: October 25, 2023

PATRICIA AMBER HUMAN, aka AMBER HUMAN, GUSTAVO MALDONADO, the PUBLIC TRUSTEE OF DENVER, and ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING AN INTEREST IN 1135 S. Harrison St., Denver, Colorado Defendants

/s/ Thomas R. Ripp Plaintiff Pursuant to Rule 121 Original Signature on file

Legals Misc. Private Legals Public Notice DISTRICT COURT, COUNTY OF DENVER, STATE OF COLORADO Court Address: 1437 Bannock St., Denver, CO 80202

Case Number: 2023CV31033 Division/Courtroom: 414 Thomas R. Ripp 13079 Boatright, Ripp & Lusk, LLC 4315 Wadsworth Boulevard. Wheat Ridge, Colorado 80033 Telephone: 303-423-7131 Facsimile: 303-423-7131 Email: tomripp@brlattorneys.com SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANT(S):

Legal Notice No. DHD155 First Publication: November 9, 2023 Last Publication: December 7, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice DISTRICT COURT, DENVER COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO Court Address: Denver County District Court 1437 Bannock St Denver, CO 80202 Plaintiff: WINDSOR GARDENS ASSOCIATION, a Colorado nonprofit corporation v. Defendants: WG APARTMENT ONEA LLC; VECTRA BANK COLORADO, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION; DENVER COUNTY PUBLIC TRUSTEE

You are hereby summoned and required to appear and defend against the claims of the complaint filed with the court in this action, by filing with the clerk of this court an answer or other response. You are required to file your answer or other response within 35* days after the service of this summons upon you. Service of this summons shall be complete on the day of the last publication. A copy of the complaint may be obtained from the clerk of the court.

Case No.: 2023CV031014 Division: 203

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

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS:

This is an action involving a claim for an ownership interest in real property and a request that the Court order that the real property be sold and that the Plaintiff be

Attorneys for Plaintiff: Orten Cavanagh Holmes & Hunt, LLC Hal R. Kyles, #23891 1445 Market Street, Suite 350 Denver, CO 80202 Phone Number: (720) 221-9780 Matter ID #1031.0561 SUMMONS [BY PUBLICATION]

legals2@coloradocommunitymedia.com

of this Summons upon you. Service of this summons shall be complete on the day of the last publication. A copy of the complaint may be obtained from the clerk of the court. If you fail to file your answer or other response to the complaint in writing within 35 days after the date of the last publication, judgment by default may be rendered against you by the court for the relief demanded in the complaint without further notice. This is an action of foreclosure pursuant to Rule 105, C.R.C.P. to the real property situate in Denver, Colorado more particularly described as Block Eighteen, Windsor Gardens East, Filing No. 2, City and County of Denver, State of Colorado. Dated: November 3, 2023. ORTEN CAVANAGH HOLMES & HUNT, LLC By: /s/Hal R. Kyles Hal R. Kyles, #23891 This Summons is issued pursuant to Rule 4(g), Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure. Legal Notice No. DHD162 First Publication: November 16, 2023 Last Publication: December 14, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Notice to Creditors Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of BETTY I. JACOBSEN a/k/a BETTY JACOBSEN and BETTY IMOGENE JACOBSEN, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31186 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 March 23, 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 Phone No: 303-394-2358 Legal Notice No. DHD171 First Publication: November 23, 2023 Last Publication: December 7, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of FREDERICK G. GUGGENHEIM, a/k/a FREDERICK GIBSON GUGGENHEIM, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31226

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 March 9, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Jennifer Nicole Guggenheim Personal Representative 1440 Ash Street Denver, CO 80220 Legal Notice No. DHD154 First Publication: November 9, 2023 Last Publication: November 23, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of NANCY L. BLAIR, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 30980

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 March 16, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Elizabeth L. Jamison Personal Representative(PR) c/o David F. Steinhoff, attorney for PR Solem Woodward & McKinley, PC 750 W. Hampden Ave, Suite 505 Englewood, CO 80110 Legal Notice No. DHD161 First Publication: November 16, 2023 Last Publication: November 30, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of MICHAEL J. DURLIAT, a/k/a MICHAEL DURLIAT, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31296

Denver Herald Dispatch November 23, 2023 * 1

Denver Herald 23

November 23, 2023

Public Notices

Denver, Colorado 80209

Legal Notice No. DHD164 First Publication: November 16, 2023 Last Publication: November 30, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of KRISTIN ANN PETRI, a/k/a KRISTIN PETRI and KRISTIN A. PETRI, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31044 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 March 27, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Gerhard J. Petri Personal Representative 1620 Pennsylvania Street #1A Denver, CO 80203 Legal Notice No. DHD170 First Publication: November 23, 2023 Last Publication: December 7, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Jeffrey J. Campbell a/k/a Jeffrey Jay Campbell a/k/a Jeff J. Campbell a/k/a Jeff Campbell a/k/a J.J. Campbell, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31271 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 March 16, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Angelina M. Meyer Personal Representative C/O Jennifer R. Bailey, Esq. ROBINSON BAILEY PC 7100 E. Belleview Ave., Suite 101 Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Legal Notice No. DHD160 First Publication: November 16, 2023 Last Publication: November 30, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of PAUL M. MURPHY, a/k/a PAUL MARTIN MURPHY, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31192 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 March 9, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Christopher M. Murphy

Personal Representative 3131 E. Alameda Avenue, Unit 1608 Denver, CO 80209 Legal Notice No. DHD158 First Publication: November 9, 2023 Last Publication: November 23, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Iona Arlene Curling a/k/a Iona A. Curling a/k/a Iona Curling, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 031269 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 March 16, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Holly M. Nixon Personal Representative c/o Davis Schilken, PC 7887 E. Belleview Ave., Suite 820 Denver, CO 80111 Legal Notice No. DHD166 First Publication: November 16, 2023 Last Publication: November 30, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Terry Marie Romero Personal Representative 2204 S. Stuart St. Denver, CO 80219

Sarah Langan Personal Representative 1149 Josephine Street Denver, Colorado 80206

Legal Notice No. DHD172 First Publication: November 23, 2023 Last Publication: December 7, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Legal Notice No. DHD157 First Publication: November 9, 2023 Last Publication: November 23, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of HARRY RICHARD SIMMONDS JR, aka DICK SIMMONDS, aka HARRY R. SIMMONDS, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31245

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of KENNETH JAMES HAMMOND a/k/a KENNETH J. HAMMOND a/k/a KENNETH HAMMOND a/k/a KEN HAMMOND, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 30975

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 March 16, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Catherine J. Simmonds Personal Representative 6500 W. Mansfield Ave., #36 Denver CO 80235 Legal Notice No. DHD168 First Publication: November 16, 2023 Last Publication: November 30, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of J. LANDIS MARTIN, a/k/a JAMES LANDIS MARTIN, a/k/a LANNY MARTIN , Deceased Case Number: 2023PR31166

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Richard Lee Norton, a/k/a Richard L. Norton, a/k/a Richard Norton, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31214

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before March 9, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Sharon S. Martin, Personal Representative 150 Vine Street Denver, CO 80206

Sherryl L. Destefano Personal Representative c/o Linda Sommers, Esq. Sommers Law Group 390 Union Blvd., #280, Lakewood, CO 80228

Legal Notice No. DHD159 First Publication: November 9, 2023 Last Publication: November 23, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice

Legal Notice No. DHD156 First Publication: November 9, 2023 Last Publication: November 23, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Joshua Lee Romero, also known as Joshua L. Romero, also known as Joshua Romero, also known as Josh Romero,, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31311

Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of JOHN P. LANGAN, also known as JOHN PAUL LANGAN, and PAUL LANGAN, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31229

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 March 23, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Josephine R. Hammond Personal Representative 137 North Downing Street Denver, CO 80218 Legal Notice No. DHD169 First Publication: November 23, 2023 Last Publication: December 7, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Virginia T. Chavez, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31185

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 April 2, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Salavador Manzanares, Jr Personal Representative 1837 Yale Drive Clearwater, FL 33765 Legal Notice No. DHD163 First Publication: November 16, 2023 Last Publication: November 30, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of JAMES LAWRENCE HODGE, also known as JAMES L. HODGE, JAMES HODGE, and JIM HODGE, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31286

Denver Herald Dispatch November 23, 2023 * 2

24 Denver Herald

November 23, 2023

PROP HH FROM PAGE 2

“HH didn’t represent our preferred policy,” Kopp said this week, “but it was the only thing that was going to be offered to voters that would provide any kind of tax relief.” The deep-pocketed nonprofit publicly endorsed the measure, but its support effectively stopped there. The group didn’t financially back the campaign to pass the initiative because of policy and political disagreement with how the proposition affected Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights refunds. “The history of TABOR elections in the state shows that voters generally prefer to keep TABOR intact,” said Kopp, a Republican who is a former state senator. “Whether somebody really loves the policy or not, it’s separate from the question of: ‘Is it something that the voters would adopt?’” J.J. Ament, the president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, was also at Polis’ news conference in May. He too was cited by the governor as an example of the Republican support for the bill. But Ament said he wasn’t happy with the end result — and the chamber ended up taking a neutral stance on the initiative. “We were at the press conference to support a legislative solution to a property tax emergency with

TEACHERS FROM PAGE 7

“While the increase was a good start, if the district wants to remain competitive with other metro-area districts, more work needs to be done,” said Brooke Williams, JCEA president. Like Douglas County teacher Ali Lombard, education, Williams said, is a calling. “But I still think it’s really important for educators to receive a living wage so they can live in the areas where they teach,” she added. “First and foremost, teachers are the cornerstone of our educational system.” She worries that because Jeffco teachers are paid less than several other metro districts, its schools have become a training ground

the idea that we would also backfill local government,” he told The Sun over the summer. “What the legislature gave us, when we actually got the bill, did a whole bunch more than that.” There were other signs that the show of support at the news conference was, at best, fragile. A real estate agent spoke in support of the proposal, but the Colorado Association of Realtors opposed Proposition HH and spent gobs of money to fight its passage because of how it offered less of a break on people’s second homes. Even the Bell Policy Center, a liberal fiscal policy nonprofit, wavered in its support of HH because of the messaging surrounding it. Scott Wasserman, who leads the organization and stood next to Polis at the May news conference, called it a “political Goldilocks,” with something for people from different political points of view to hate. Democrats in the legislature, meanwhile, privately grumbled that the proposal, primarily drafted by the governor’s office, was dropped on the General Assembly too late in the session and without enough input. They were asked to trust that the governor’s office had gotten it right, but when some dug into the legislation, they didn’t love what they saw, particularly the lack of aid for renters, which led to on-the-fly changes that only compounded the political fissures around the measure.

Finally, Republicans and local governments complained that they were left out of the negotiations entirely, or not listened to when they were let in the room. The House GOP caucus walked out of the Capitol on the final day of the 2023 legislative session in protest. Kevin Bommer, who leads the Colorado Municipal League, which represents the state’s cities, said he didn’t see the bill placing Proposition HH on the ballot until after the governor’s news conference unveiling the policy. “We opposed it immediately, along with the other local government associations,” Bommer told The Sun this week. In a statement to The Sun, Conor Cahill, a spokesman for the governor, said “Colorado is in need of a long-term way to keep property taxes low, and Proposition HH was an idea in that vein.” But even Polis, reflecting last week after Proposition HH’s failure, said the measure was flawed. The governor, speaking at a news conference where he announced the special legislative session, said the initiative was too “long and confusing” and that it should have been broken up into different pieces. That was considered, but ultimately rejected, when the policy was drafted, The Sun has learned. Polis said he thought the way the initiative would have reduced state taxpayer refunds by raising the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights cap on government growth and spending

was the most unpopular part of the proposal. “There were policies in HH I supported and policies I didn’t support,” he said. “Overall, I thought it was a good package.” Senate President Steve Fenberg, a Boulder Democrat and one of the prime sponsors of the bill that placed HH on the ballot, said this week that the measure was borne out of fears that conservatives would put a further-reaching initiative with no reimbursement money for schools and local governments before voters. “We were sort of between a rock and a hard place,” he said. “It was, like: ‘Do we put an alternative out there or do we just see what happens?’ You can probably debate what was the right call, but we decided: ‘Let’s put something out there for voters to have as an alternative.’” By mid-summer, it was clear the conservative ballot measure was never going to materialize for the November 2023 election. Democrats, well aware of the shaky support for Proposition HH, decided to move forward with the initiative anyway. The measure ended up faring worse than any question raising tax revenue on the statewide ballot since 2018. This story was printed through a news sharing agreement with The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver that covers the state.

where new teachers leave after a few years in search of better compensation. Burnout is also real and part of the problem, as Williams sees it, is linked to high turnover. For instance, Williams said she saw a special education teacher position go unfilled for a year. While the school split the caseload among the other teachers and compensated them more, she said it isn’t fair to expect that kind of situation to continue without teachers getting overloaded. Ashlee Hoppe, a special education teacher at Summit Ridge Middle School, said she’s in her 11th year of teaching and still trying to make ends meet. She lives with a roommate and despite doing all she can to cut her expenses, she can’t afford to go on trips or to start working on her Master’s degree to move up on the district’s pay scale.

“I’m already making decisions on if I can afford to go to my doctor, or do I need to put food on the table? I’ve had to drastically cut back on what I can provide for students in the classroom because I can’t afford it,” said Hoppe. While many teachers are leaving for better paying jobs in other school districts, or just leaving the industry altogether, there are still some determined to stay in their classrooms. Carmen Curtis Basham, a high school teacher at Aurora’s Rangeview High School, said she turned down offers from Cherry Creek because she already set roots in APS. She said that she’s “made peace” with her compensation. “A part of my core belief is service above self and I chose this job because I make a difference in this world. And yes, I have friends who also have math degrees who make

more doing other things, but I don’t think they’re as satisfied,” she said. Now, she serves as a mentor to early career teachers and teachers new to the school district. Her regular advice for them is to not feel guilty about leaving a school district to work for a different one closer to home. She encouraged them to spend more time with family than commuting.

Public Notices Jennifer Lynn MacKeage Personal Representative c/o Warren, Carlson & Moore, LLP PO Box 610 Niwot, Colorado 80544-0610 Legal Notice No. DHD165 First Publication: November 16, 2023 Last Publication: November 30, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Larry W. Nolin, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 573

This story is a collaboration between Sentinel Colorado, which covers Aurora and surrounding areas, and Colorado Community Media, which covers two dozen communities in the Denver area. Editor’s Note: The teachers and administrators who participated in Colorado Community Media’s story were interviewed in late evening, away from any Douglas County School District properties.

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Denver Herald Dispatch November 23, 2023 * 3