Issuu

Serving the community since 1926

WEEK OF JANUARY 11, 2024

VOLUME 97 | ISSUE 6

Former Denver Water takes newspaper editor climate change challenges head on turns to Italian-

American family life for novel idea ‘Sons of Potenza’ poses an ethical dilemma on the way to American dreams BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Melissa Botteicher, a member of Denver Water’s Youth Education team, helps plant water-wise plants at the Einfeldt Pump Station at the corner of South Buchtel Boulevard and South University Boulevard, which is near the University of Denver. COURTESY OF DENVER WATER

The utility service looks at impacts on water, adaptation strategies to safeguard against disaster BY NATALIE KERR SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

In 2020, Hillary Hamann and Meghan McCarroll surveyed residents in Aurora about their water literacy – what they know about water and where their water comes from.

Part of the survey gave an explanation of watersheds – which are areas where water sources like streams and rivers converge – and then asked respondents a question: Do you live in a watershed? A third of participants said no, a third of the participants said they weren’t sure and the last third said yes. “Everybody lives in a watershed,” said Hamann, a professor of geography and the environment at the University of Denver. “That’s a weird disconnect, and a lack of understanding.” Understanding where water comes from and how it’s used is

CALENDAR: 9 | VOICES: 10 | LIFE: 12

integral to developing and implementing climate change adaptation strategies as the western United States grapples with decreasing water supply, but high water usage. For water utility Denver Water, which serves about 1.5 million people in the metro area , adapting to a future in which climate change will drastically impact water availability involves gathering massive amounts of data, planning for multiple outcomes, developing water conservation programs and developing a new mindset around water. SEE CHALLENGES, P2

When Littleton local John Rosa was a child, he used to write comic books. He also wrote for his student newspapers in middle and high school. He went on to become a journalist, even working as an editor at Colorado Community Media. Now, Rosa has come full circle back to fiction. He’s taken his creative mind and writing skills to the next level in his first novel, “Sons of Potenza,” which he self-published on Amazon in October. Although Rosa is also busy with his current communications job at the Colorado Department of Human Services, he made time to work on the novel in pieces. “Before work, I would write,” he said. “On my lunch hour, I would write. And then, as soon as (work) was over, I would write some more.” For 18 months, Rosa immersed himself in 1960s Denver, where the plot he imagined played out on the pages between two Italian families. In the story, both families immigrate to the Denver area from Potenza, Italy and choose very different paths. “One of the families went and became the biggest organized crime family in Denver,” Rosa said. “And the other one went into the carnation industry.” SEE NOVEL IDEA, P4

DENVERHERALD.NET • A PUBLICATION OF COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

ELEVATING SOLES Shoe shine services still standing P12

2 Denver Herald

January 11, 2024

CHALLENGES FROM PAGE 1

Climate change impacts on water

Climate change research indicates that increases in the earth’s global temperatures will make rainfall less predictable and decrease natural water storage like glaciers and snowpack. Alternatively, the global sea level is rising, adding saltwater to fresh groundwater sources and rendering them unusable for drinking water. These impact how much quality drinking water is available, while other climate change related impacts – like increased wildfires, droughts and floods – will increase water demand and strain the water supply. They can also decrease water quality by releasing pollution like sediment into freshwater. Denver Water is taking all of these impacts into account for their operations, said Taylor Winchell, senior climate change adaptation and water resource planner at Denver Water. Every aspect of the utility’s services – from where they source water to the infrastructure used to transport water to financial investments – are already being impacted by climate change, Winchell said. This comprehensive approach has involved developing a new organizational mindset, in which everyone now considers climate change in their work, no matter their role with the company, Winchell added. “We really look at climate change from a holistic perspective,” Winchell said. “To us, climate change really impacts all aspects of a water utility. We say that ‘climate change is water change.’” Denver Water adapts

Denver Water began its climate adaptation program in 2008, during a decade when water utilities were starting to think more critically about future water availability and recognizing that climate change was already starting to impact their services. The climate adaptation program yielded several new programs and

actions that helped Denver Water monitor and plan for changing water availability. Denver Water helped found the Water Utility Climate Alliance, a coalition of 12 utilities from across the country that collectively serve water to more than 50 million people. This allows water utilities to share ideas and information to better understand and adapt to climate change. Collaboration with groups like WUCA and the Colorado Water Conservation Board, which is the state water policy agency, allows Denver Water to work with other water providers to develop effective adaptation strategies and access vital data from science organizations like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency. This data then goes to help develop programs like Denver Water’s Water Shortage Response Committee, Wildfire Coordination Team, a drought and wildfire response plan and to join the National Forest to Faucets program, which, since 2011, has worked to conserve forest areas as important watersheds. Denver Water also employs its own research teams, like the Colorado Airborne Snow Measurement Program to assess how much water is in Colorado’s snowpack, and the streamflow forecasting tool, which is sourced from the software company, Upstream Tech, and leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to forecast watershed levels. “We’ve been working on this for a long time,” Winchell said. “Part of what initiated that was really this recognition, that began emerging in the 2000s amongst water utilities, of ‘hey, climate change is here, it’s happening and it’s impacting us already.’” Preparing for an uncertain future

While it is known that the planet is warming and that human activity like burning fossil fuels is accelerating that process, the exact ways climate change will affect a natural resource like water can be difficult to predict. This uncertainty means that water providers have to plan for multiple

THE COLORADO SUN PRESENTS

The New Car Culture

How will the revolution in electric vehicles and transportation design change Colorado?

January 23 | 6 p.m. | Virtual RSVP today and submit your questions for our panelists! Visit coloradosun.com/events or scan the QR Code.

futures in which supply and demand are at different levels so that they can be flexible and adaptive as the climate changes. Denver Water engages in longrange planning based on different eventualities, and scenario planning for different economic, population and resource statuses so that they are prepared for a wide range of climate impacts and can remain resilient and reliable. Collaborations among water utilities also help initiate climate adaptations across the entire water sector and infrastructure decisions because they can leverage more resources to make climate change top of mind, said Kavita Heyn, WUCA chair and adaptive planning and climate manager at the Portland Water Bureau. Many cities and water providers are having to replace or update their infrastructure to be more resilient and nimble, which is not a simple process, Heyn said. The most recent report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers rated U.S. infrastructure at a C-, which means that, in general, infrastructure is in fair condition, but is showing signs of deterioration and vulnerability to risk. “We need to rethink how we build and design and update our infrastructure to be able to tolerate a range of extreme conditions to be able to withstand those,” Heyn said. “At the same time, let’s not forget, we have an opportunity to build infrastructure that can decrease our carbon emissions, which is actually the root cause of climate change.” This collaboration among water utilities and different industries needs to carry over into coordination between local and state governments, said Jacob Smith, executive director of Colorado Communities for Climate Action. Local municipalities only have so much ability to address climate change without the state taking action to create broader change, Smith said. Though the state has increased efforts to create more resilient communities and protect them from natural disasters, the resources needed to adapt are so numerous that current efforts are inadequate to provide them, he added. Many local governments also have to navigate managing several water districts that overlap with other government jurisdictions, which

can make enacting changes difficult, Smith said. The state could help smooth the coordination between water districts and local governments alike. “The state can play a role in making sure that across all of those entities, there is a coordinated effort on these water challenges,” Smith said. “And the state is doing that, (but) that’s just the place where they’re going to need to continue to invest more and more.” Inequity in water resources

Not all water utilities have the same resources to be able to prepare for or react to major water events, like wildfire or flood, said DU professor Hamann. Denver Water is a utility with more financial stability, which allows it to develop these long term plans and solutions, she added. This financial discrepancy could further exacerbate socioeconomic inequities that correlate with less access to water information and high quality water, Hamann said. Financial inequality between water utilities is especially important, considering that many utilities share water sources like the Colorado River, Smith said. When those resources are compromised by a flood or mudslides that send debris and sediment into the water, not all districts are equipped to handle it, he added. “Every downstream community (would have) to deal with these water treatment challenges that they didn’t design their system for, and they didn’t plan on,” Smith said. “It’s not their fault, but it is imposed on them.” Another common challenge for most water utilities, but particularly for smaller districts, is balancing water conservation goals with income requirements, Hamann said. If people don’t use enough water, the utility service won’t generate enough money to cover its budget. To combat this issue, Denver Water has raised its fixed rate, which helps stabilize revenue so it can take on improvement projects like reservoir expansions, main break repairs and the lead pipe replacement program. “It does cause a challenge in our finances, but it’s something that we actively plan around, and it doesn’t inhibit us from encouraging more water conservation,” said Winchell, Denver Water’s senior climate change adaptation and water resource planner. SEE CHALLENGES, P3

NO HIDDEN FEES. NO HIDDEN ANYTHING. FREEDOM CALLS. Plans start at just $20/month.

Denver Herald 3

January 11, 2024

CHALLENGES FROM PAGE 2

Denver Water has also seen how making proactive investments into climate adaptations can save money later on when extreme weather events happen, Winchell added. Recovering from the 2002 Hayman Fire – which burned nearly 140,000 acres of public and private land southwest of Denver and forced the evacuation of roughly 5,000 residents – cost Denver Water approximately $27 million. But investments into watersheds and infrastructure should mitigate future damage from such natural disasters, Winchell said. The WUCA tries to help close economic gaps between water providers

by making all of its educational resources free to access, and by offering workshops and training to smaller utilities, Heyn said. This is to help smaller communities prepare for climate change but also address environmental justice issues in the water sector. “We want more of those smaller communities’ systems, and water systems, in particular, to be more involved in this work because they don’t have as many resources as we do,” Heyn said. “They need … more help than us to really be prepared for the impacts of climate change.” Personal water conservation efforts

From Hamann and her colleague’s research conducted in Aurora, Hamann concluded that when people don’t have knowledge of watersheds,

it correlates with a disconnect from the importance in their personal behaviors to conserve water and maintain water quality. People should feel empowered that the changes they make in their lives can have a big impact on water challenges, Hamann said. Even something as simple as taking a shorter shower or getting their homeowners association to allow xeriscaping on lawns to save water, can make a big difference, she added. “While each individual person is just a drop, collectively those drops carved the Grand Canyon,” Hamann said. “Even more importantly, if you do feel like you have some agency or have some knowledge, you also will be more likely to push for policies or to call out inequalities that you’re seeing.”

Using water sprinklers in the morning when the heat doesn’t evaporate as much water, installing low flow toilets, avoiding synthetic fertilizer and scooping up pet waste are all practices that everyone can do to help conserve water and help keep it clean. But knowing why it’s important to be water conscious in the first place, and understanding how to implement some water conservation practices, are the first steps to adopting those practices at a larger scale, Hamann added. In the past decade, Denver Water, Hamman and Smith all cite having seen changes in people’s perception of water challenges, and the general public’s knowledge in understanding that climate change is happening here and now. SEE CHALLENGES, P4

I Bought Some Jeffco Property Tax Liens at Auction; Here’s What I Learned

In Colorado, if you haven’t paid your property taxes by June, your county sells the resulting tax lien at auction a few months later. In Jefferson County, that auction was held online over Nov. 6 and 7, and I decided to buy a few in Golden, where I live, to learn about the process so I could share it with you, my readers. This year, 85 other buyers and I purchased a total of 1,130 tax liens totaling $6.4 million, paying a premium of $400,415 or 6.25% more overall than what was actually owed in property taxes plus accrued interest and fees by the property owners. The county treasurer received the $6.4 million on behalf of the properties’ respective tax districts, and the $400,415 went to the county’s general fund. The reason people purchase tax liens is to pocket the 15% interest that is added to the taxes owed. When the property owner “redeems” his property, he basically pays the lien holder the amount of the lien plus interest from the date of the sale through the date of redemption. Thus, if the taxpayer takes a year to pay it, I earn 15% interest minus the premium which I paid. If he redeems it soon after I have purchased the lien, I

lose money depending on how much I bid up the lien amount. I chatted with a fellow lien buyer and learned his technique for making money on tax liens. He researches each property owner to determine whether he’s likely to pay quickly, slowly, or not at all. For example, was he delinquent in prior years? I didn’t do any of that research, so I have no idea whether a year or two from now I will be counting my profits or my losses on the four liens I purchased. I’ll chalk up any losses to the cost of publishing this column! Statistically, 7% of tax liens are redeemed within a month of the sale, 22% within 3 months, and 38% within 6 months. It’s been two months since the sale, and none of my four tax liens have been redeemed. All but 4% of purchased tax liens are redeemed within 4 years. In the next column is a chart showing how many tax liens were sold at auction since 2001, so you can see that this year’s numbers are not much different than in prior years. The $6.4 million figure is higher than last year, but can be attributed in part to the increase in assessed valuation of Jeffco properties. Fifty-two tax liens totaling $13,909 were not purchased in the online auc-

Golden Ranch Is Close to White Ranch Open Space This well-maintained home at 1509 Jesse Lane is within the City of Golden with its low property taxes and famous amenities, yet it is closer to the lower entrance of the White Ranch Open Space than it is to downtown Golden. Located behind a hogback, it is super quiet too, isolated from traffic and other noises. With 5 bedrooms (four with walk-in clos$1,495,000 ets) and 3½ bathrooms, it is a large home with two family rooms, a rec room and over 1,000 sq. ft. of unfinished storage. The heated 3-car garage is finished and has an epoxy floor. The third bay has a workshop table and cabinets. Take a video tour at www.NorthGoldenHome.com, then come to the open house Saturday, 11am to 1pm, or call listing agent David Dlugasch at 303-908-4835 to see it.

Lakewood Tri-Level Has Mother-in-Law Apartment This well-maintained home at 2230 Zeph$695,000 yr St. is on 1/3 acre in that quiet neighborhood southeast of Crown Hill lake and park and west of Wadsworth Blvd. The location offers a perfect blend of seclusion and convenience, not far from a light rail station and Hwy. 6. Its seller-owned solar panels provide most of the home’s electrical needs. Entering the home, you’re greeted by a living and dining room with vaulted, wood-beamed ceilings, hardwood floors and a wood-burning fireplace. The kitchen has updated cabinets, a newer stainless refrigerator, and a breakfast nook overlooking the expansive backyard. The upper level contains three bedrooms and a full bathroom, as well as a high-efficiency washer and dryer. On the lower level is a 1-bedroom mother-in-law apartment with its own entrance, back patio, storage shed, washer/dryer, and driveway. Visit www.LakewoodHome.info to view a narrated video tour, then call listing agent Kathy Jonke at 303-990-7428 to arrange a private showing. She’ll hold it open this Saturday, Jan. 13th, from 11am to 1pm.

is never redeemed, but in the past 5 years only two improved properties ended up being acquired in that matter. One was a home with a possible meth issue, and the other was an abandoned gas station that remains closed and unsold 3 years later. Until 2004, tax liens were sold at the county treasurer’s office in a live auction, but since then it has been conducted online by a vendor in a very streamlined manner. I was impressed at how easy it was for buyers to participate. In my posting of this article on Substack, I provide more details from the treasurer’s office about this complicated topic. In conclusion, I learned a lot, but I don’t think I’ll buy more tax tion, so those liens remain held by the liens next year. Although I was studying Jeffco, other county. The country treasurer, Jerry DiTullio, explained that those are mostly counties operate similarly, I’m told. unimproved slivers of land that are often purchased ultimately by adjoining prop- I’m Now Publishing on Substack Everything you read in this ad each erty owners. According to Deputy Chief Treasurer week — and more — is published at Dave Villano, as of November 17, 2023, http://RealEstateToday.Substack.com Jeffco held 479 tax liens that failed to and comes to you automatically each sell between 2010 and this cycle. Most Wednesday. I also write a political colof these will not get paid since they are umn you might like. Find it at http:// unbuildable strips and eventually get TalkingTurkey.Substack.com. Starting in January, I’ll be writing a travelogue cancelled and the process starts again. of our world cruise on the Viking Sky. In theory, the purchaser of a tax lien You can subscribe to that publication at could end up acquiring the property http://wherearejimandrita.substack.com. through a treasurer’s deed if the tax lien

Wheat Ridge Ranch Features Some Great Updates Wheat Ridge has some great neighbor$525,000 hoods, and this home at 4021 Moore St. is in one of them. It’s north of 38th Avenue, west of Kipling, and south of I-70 far enough that you’re totally unaware of any of them. In my video tour at www.WheatRidgeHome.info, all you hear outside are birds and the wind in the trees. Inside, this 1958 brick ranch has an updated kitchen and two updated bathrooms. Hardwood flooring was added in the common areas plus the primary bedroom. Partially visible to the left is the newer 2-car carport that could easily be enclosed to be a detached garage, and next to it is a large shed with 4 separate storage rooms. Typical for this seller, both the carport and shed have a shingle roof, gutters and downspouts that match those on the home. After viewing the narrated video tour, come to the open house this coming Sunday from 11am to 1pm, or call listing agent Kathy Jonke, 303-990-7428, to see it.

Jim Smith

Congratulations to Chuck Brown, our top producing broker associate in 2023

Broker/Owner, 303-525-1851 Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com 1214 Washington Ave., Golden 80401 Broker Associates: JIM SWANSON, 303-929-2727 CHUCK BROWN, 303-885-7855 DAVID DLUGASCH, 303-908-4835 GREG KRAFT, 720-353-1922 AUSTIN POTTORFF, 970-281-9071 KATHY JONKE, 303-990-7428

“I cannot do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good I can do.” —Jana Stanfield

4 Denver Herald

CHALLENGES FROM PAGE 3

For some, this awareness comes from having lived through periods of drought or other climate change related events, like record-setting high temperatures. For others, the shift could have come from the increasing number of public conversations about climate science,

NOVEL IDEA FROM PAGE 1

As the story goes on, the family in the flower industry must decide whether they will connect with the mob family to get out of a sticky situation. “It’s kind of the story of ‘What lines are you willing to cross to achieve the American dream?’” Rosa said. Inspiration and family

Although the story is fictional, much of it is based on history. To write it, Rosa incorporated research about the history of organized crime and the Italian mob in Colorado. In real life, the organized crime scene in Denver was run for over 50 years by the Smaldone family, which came from Potenza, just like the families in the book. Mob activity was taking place from Denver to Pueblo at the time. Rosa said his inspiration for the book came from his own family and other stories he had heard throughout his childhood. “Growing up as an Italian-American, it’s always on the fringes – the mob and all of that stuff,” he said. “You would hear stories about cousins and uncles … that had rubbed

January 11, 2024 which started with climate change as a future possibility to now a present reality. This change in public perception and concern has also led to more political action, especially in smaller communities where climate change once felt irrelevant, Smith said. “We’ve really seen this pivot from, we need to protect ourselves against these future disasters or future problems into it’s happening now,” Smith said. “It’s not hypothetical, or

speculative. It is real and worsening.” Water utilities thinking more critically about climate change is an example of the impact of changing attitudes, and how that can have real, practical impacts on how prepared communities are for future challenges, Heyn said. Even though everyone will be personally affected by climate change in different ways, climate change related impacts on health, recre-

shoulders with it. Just growing up, I was fascinated with it.” Rosa’s family, from Potenza, worked in the carnation industry for several decades, he said. In many ways, his family mirrors the fictional Donatos. Some of the characters in the book are loosely based on his family members. Rosa started working on the book when his father passed away from COVID in 2022. He chose to base one main character of the book, Little John Donato, on his father. Another main character is based on his father’s cousin, Jimmy. “My family always told me, ‘You should write a story about your dad and Jimmy and all their adventures,’” Rosa said. “And so when he passed away, I was like, ‘Yeah, to kind of honor him, I thought – maybe I’ll do this.’” Beyond stories of his father, Rosa incorporated some of his own memories into the book. His family’s “Sunday pasta” tradition, for example, is replicated in the opening lines of this scene from the novel: “Sundays were always Johnny Donato’s favorite day of the week. The smell of his mom’s sauce cooking in the kitchen would greet him as he woke up; the aroma of the tomato sauce simmering on the stove filled their split-level ranch house and served as a make-shift

alarm clock.” Rosa’s novel took him on a journey beyond his family’s stories, blending history with fictional escapades. It became a healing experience for Rosa. He had lost his mother a decade earlier, and he said the story helped him process both deaths. “It was cathartic, it really was,” Rosa said. “I think it was good for me to write this … I know my mom would (be proud). I think my dad would be really proud of it too.” Rosa said he hopes readers enjoy the story and the characters. “I hope that they can relate to the characters,” he said. “And I kind of want them to think – Little John Donato has to make a decision at one point. And it’s a decision that if he goes one route, it will definitely change the direction of his life from here on out. And I kind of want them to think, you know, what would they do in that situation?” Rosa said the novel asks to what extent people would go to support their families and keep them safe and happy. “I think for the Italian immigrants that came over here, it was just that simple – that they could survive and provide for their family and make sure everyone was safe and healthy,” he said. “Family is such a big part of being Italian-American.”

ation, weather, temperatures and the economy will be universal. The good news is that there is a wide breadth of local action that communities can take now to be better prepared and to decrease their strain on the planet, Heyn said. “Denver, and other parts of the country, cities in particular, are doing a fantastic job to rise to this challenge,” Heyn said. “It’s just a really exciting time to do this work and there’s a lot of hope for the future.”

John Rosa, who has a background in journalism, published his first novel in PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN ROSA October.

Rosa said he hopes to write at least two more books with the characters from “Sons of Potenza” because he, too, enjoyed seeing where the story went and how it ended. “Sons of Potenza” is available on Amazon, priced at $15 for a paperback version and $25 for a hardcover.

REVERSE MORTGAGES MADE EASY Call me to schedule your free, confidential, in-home review of this unique product. Mike Bruha Reverse Mortgage Specialist NMLS #971223 Colorado Lic #100010169

Cell (720) 435-0653 Mike@RMofCO.com 6530 S Yosemite St#310 Greenwood Village, CO 80111

www.RMofCO.com

“Helping those in my community with their mortgage needs for over 36 years.” All applications are subject to underwriting guidelines and approval. Not all programs available in all areas. Rates and terms are subject to change without notice. Licensed and regulated by the Division of Real Estate. Cl Partners LLC dba Reverse Mortgages of Colorado, NMLS# 1846034, licensed in CO, MT License # 1846034, and TX. This is not a commitment to lend. Restrictions apply. Not all applicants will qualify.

This material is not from HUD or FHA and has not been approved by HUD or any government agency. The reverse mortgage borrower must meet all loan obligations, including living in the property as the principal residence and paying property charges, including property taxes, fees, hazard insurance. The borrower must maintain the home. If the borrower does not meet these loan obligations, then the loan will need to be repaid.

Denver Herald 5

January 11, 2024

Polis pitches pollinator protection Governor unveils health study at Butterfly Pavilion event BY MONTE WHALEY MWHALEY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As vivid groups of butterflies flitted above his head Wednesday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis produced a plan the state’s scientists and wildlife officials hope will head off an “insect apocalypse.” The 308-page Colorado Native Pollinating Insects Health Study is the first-of-its-kind probe into pollinator health in Colorado. The study was authorized under SB22-199, sponsored by state senators Sonya Jaquez Lewis and Kevin Priola, and representatives Cathy Kipp and Meg Froelich. The study gauges the health of Colorado’s native pollinators and makes recommendations on how to protect native pollinators in Colorado, Polis told a crowd at the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster on Jan. 3. “This is a landmark event,” Polis said. “This will help us with a path forward to preserving the state’s pollinators.” Colorado is home to various native insects and bats who pollinate the state’s farms and ranches, flowering plants and the state’s ecosystem, Polis said. Pollinators are also key to the state’s economy. “From Crested Butte’s beautiful spring meadows to Palisade peaches and Rocky Ford melons, Colorado’s pollinators sustain our flora and enable many foundational industries in every corner of the state,” Polis said

in a news release. “As our climate changes, we must safeguard the pollinators that generate and regenerate the Colorful Colorado we love.” Colorado is home to over 1,000 species of bees – nearly 30% of North America’s and about 5% of the world’s bee species – and nearly 300 species of butterflies. That represents over 40% of the diversity of butterflies in North America north of Mexico, some of which are already listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, according to the news release. Many pollinators – including bees – are facing worldwide extinction from loss of habitat and from the harmful use of pesticides, Richard Reading, vice president of science and preservation at the Butterfly Pavilion. “So much of our food comes from pollinators and I don’t think many people know the implications,” Reading said. After years of ignoring the problem, some work is being done to preserve pollinators, he said. The European Union has banned some pesticides that wipe out bees and other key insects. “There is real effort to apply pesticides more precisely so that whole groups of helpful insects aren’t killed,” Reading said. Pollinator districts are also emerging to allow the insects to thrive in pesticide-free zones, Reading said. “There is work going across the world …to restore their habitats,” he said. “If nothing is done, all pollinators will die off in a few generations. “It will simply be an insect apocalypse,” Reading said. The state already promotes policies that benefit native pollinating insects including enhancing pollinator-

BATH REMODELING DONE RIGHT Employee Installers Easy Maintenance

Evening Appointments One Day Installation

Hassle Free Experience

Flexible Payment Plans

Design Consultation

FREE INSTALL

Before

shower & bath projects

friendly native plantings along I-76 following its designation as a Colorado Pollinator Highway by the Colorado Department of Transportation, according to the news release. Areas of immediate action and priorities highlighted by the Pollinator Report, according to the news release, include: Priority 1: Protect imperiled native pollinating insects. Priority 2: Protect, restore and connect pollinator habitats. Priority 3: Mitigate environmental changes that negatively impact pollinators and their habitats. Priority 4: Reduce the risks from pesticides to pollinating insects. Priority 5: Monitor and support native and manage pollinator health. Polis’s annual budget includes $100,000 to support education and incentives to encourage the use of pesticide alternatives in agriculture production and residential or commercial landscaping, according to the news release. Colorado’s First Gentleman Marlon Reis, who also serves as the honorary chair of the Butterfly Pavilion’s Board of Directors, said the pollinator report will work as a guide as the state pursues pro-pollinator policies.

12 MONTHS

PORTABLE OXYGEN FOR YOUR ON-THE-GO LIFESTYLE

1 14-day risk-free trial- Return within 30 days of purchase for a full refund of purchase price.

PM230469 EN_EX_USA | Rx Only. © 2023 Inogen, Inc. 301 Coromar Drive, Goleta, CA 93117 Inogen® is a trademark of Inogen, Inc. The usage of any Inogen, Inc. trademark is strictly forbidden without the prior consent of Inogen, Inc. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners or holders.

160,924+ BATH REMODELING JOBS COMPLETED IN 1 DAY

4.7/5

INSTALLED IN 4.8/5 JUST 1 DAY!

(Company reviews across all branches as of 12/01/2023)

FREE

DESIGN CONSULTATION

1 Free install is equal to 20% off the total project price. 2Financing offers a no payment - no interest feature (during the “promotional period”) on your purchase at an APR of 17.99%. No finance charges will accrue on your account during the promotional period, as set forth in your Truth in Lending Disclosures, and you will not have to pay a monthly payment until the promotional period has ended. If you repay your purchase in full before the end of the promotional period you will not have to pay any finance charges. You may also prepay your account at any time without penalty. Financing is subject to credit requirements and satisfactory completion of finance documents. Any finance terms advertised are estimates only. Normal late charges apply once the promotional period has ended. Call 866-393-4573 for financing costs and terms. Minimum purchase $9,999 required. See design consultant for details. Other restrictions may apply. New orders only. Offer not valid on previous sales or estimates and cannot be combined with other offers. Offer expires 1/21/24.

RISK-FREE TRIAL1

Call us toll-free at

NO OBLIGATION

14-DAY

1-844-823-0293

After

no payments & no interest

“We haven’t always seen how linked we all are,” Reis said. “This gives us a roadmap to make things better.”

CLAIM YOUR

Subject to credit approval.

5-Star Installation

Gov. Jared Polis Wednesday released the findings of the state’s Colorado Native Pollinating Insects Health Study at MONTE WHALEY the Butterfly Pavilion.

720-580-4192

WestShoreDenver.com

6 Denver Herald

January 11, 2024

Englewood’s KW Donaldson and ‘preservation art’ BY ELISABETH SLAY ESLAY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

From World War II practice bombs to antique mannequins and everything in between, KW Donaldson thinks “far outside the box” when creating what he calls “preservation art” pieces. “I take antiquities of all different kinds and turn them into, in most cases, functional art,” said Donaldson, an Englewood resident since 1985. He grew up in Tolland, Connecticut, and has always loved antiques and “treasure hunting.” Donaldson said his hometown was made up of vast farmland that had trash dumps he would explore. “So I would go out and try to find these dumps ... and I’d start digging and I’d find all kinds of antique stuff,” he said. But the artist began creating his pieces only about five years ago, after he observed how antiques would either be thrown away or sitting on shelves at thrift stores such as the ARC in Littleton. People are often fascinated by his work and refer to it as repurposing. However, Donaldson said that is not what he’s doing. He strives to maintain each object’s historical essence. “I am preserving these pieces of our industrial history and making them into something new and interesting,” Donaldson said. “I try not to alter them in any way, shape or form.” Rather than welding or brazing his pieces, he uses nuts, bolts or screws to ensure the items remain authentic. Some of his pieces can be taken

apart and still be used for their intended purpose, he said. “When I find pieces like a Model T horn or a great, big, long Duesenberg horn and people look at me like I’m weird when I do it, but I go, ‘OK you were once a Model T horn and you served your purpose for all those years. Now what do you want to be?”’ Donaldson said. Donaldson said as strange as it sounds, the pieces he uses in his art speak to him. He said he’ll often lay all of the pieces out until an idea comes to him and he’s inspired on how to put all of them together. “Sometimes the idea comes just like that. Sometimes I have to look at them before that idea comes to my mind,” Donaldson said. “Other pieces I’ll get from ARC or at a yard sale and I’ll see the whole piece right away.” He explained that once he has an idea, he sketches a blueprint of how it will be constructed. “Things were made so much better,” Donaldson said. “They were made to last. So why not have them last? I’m working on one (piece) right now that’s 100 years old already, and why not turn it into something that people can enjoy and have around for another 100 years?” It can sometimes take him months to make a single creation. Donaldson served in the U.S. Marine Corps and then worked for the United States Postal Service. He’s retired now. He said some people love his work and are fascinated by his concepts and purpose. While he appreciates the praise, he wishes more people would take his pieces home. SEE FEATURE, P8

Englewood resident and artist KW Donaldson works on one-of-a-kind functional art pieces with the passion to preserve the historical authenticity of the items he uses. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MORRIGEN DONALDSON

Fall Into Cozy Comfort This Season Our Limited-Time Deals Can Save You Up to $2,000!

We Offer: Free Estimates and Second Opinions for New Heating & Cooling Systems A Variety of Payment Options Service Available Seven Days a Week Licensed & Professional Technicians

Call today & Save! (888) 489-2934

$49

Heating or Cooling System Tune Up Valid for one working unit. Excludes oil fired systems. Valid at participating ARS® Network locations. Not valid for third party, new construction, or commercial customers, with any other offers, discounts, or on prior sales. Call service center for details. Coupon required at time of service. Void if copied or transferred and where prohibited. Any other use may constitute fraud. Cash value $.001. Offer expires 12/31/2023. License numbers available at americanresidential.com/licenses

SAVE UP TO

$2000

on a New Heating and Cooling System with our Buy Back Program!

Savings requires purchase and installation of select complete heating and cooling system. Removal and disposal by Company of existing heating and cooling system required. Valid at participating ARS® Network locations. Not valid for third party, new construction, or commercial customers, with any other offers, discounts, or on prior sales. Call service center for details. Coupon required at time of service. Void if copied or transferred and where prohibited. Any other use may constitute fraud. Cash value $.001. Offer expires 12/31/2023. License numbers available at americanresidential.com/licenses

Denver Herald 7

January 11, 2024

Denver’s migrant influx highest per capita in the nation as Democrats call for help

Migrants from Venezuela who have arrived in Denver in recent weeks have stayed in and around a Quality Inn hotel near Speer Boulevard and Zuni Street, used as a temporary shelter by Denver PHOTO BY OLIVIA SUN THE COLORADO SUN VIA REPORT FOR AMERICA Human Services. BY JENNIFER BROWN THE COLORADO SUN

As the number of Venezuelan migrants living in Denver hotels and camping on sidewalks rises by the day, Colorado’s two senators and five Democratic U.S. representatives are demanding the federal government pay for more emergency shelter. In a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Democrats said communities coping with an increase in the number of migrants who need housing and food should have access to the agency’s Shelter and Services Program, which pays to house migrants who are awaiting the outcome of immigration proceedings. Denver has been hardest hit by the yearlong migrant crisis among cities across the nation, with Mayor Mike Johnston claiming his city has received more migrants per capita than any other. Nearly 36,000 migrants have arrived in Denver over the past year, many of them claiming asylum after crossing the U.S.Mexico border in Texas. In December alone, 144 buses dropped off migrants in Denver, at the pace of 100-200 people per day. The city has already spent $34 million setting up emergency shelters, including renting rooms in seven hotels throughout Denver. The number of people in hotels surpassed 4,400 this week, the highest yet during the yearlong influx. The number of people sheltered in hotels has doubled just since November, when the Denver Department of Human Services lifted the

time limit for families. Single migrants can stay in the hotels for only 14 days, and many have moved into tents on city sidewalks. An encampment outside the Quality Inn near the corner of Speer Boulevard and Zuni Street has grown so large, stretching multiple blocks and including hundreds of people, that the city plans this week to bus people to shelters and remove the tents, furniture and barbecue grills that have accumulated along the street. Buses were expected to start shuttling people a week ago to two congregate shelters — one in a city building and another at a church — that will have mats lined on the floor and shower trailers parked outside. The City Council, meanwhile, approved $330,000 to help pay people’s first months of rent, and city employees have been talking to people in the camp all week, warning that they must vacate and inviting them to apply for housing assistance. The city has helped 300 people fill out rental applications, including 95 so far who’ve found apartments, said Jon Ewing, spokesman for Denver Human Services. For those who have a job, the city is paying their first month’s rent. People still looking for work could receive up to three months of rent, he said. Migrants who are living on the street can stay in one of the two congregate shelters for up to 30 days. “This is not a sweep,” he said. “We are literally pulling them off the street and trying to get them into a site where they will be healthier, where they will be safer, where they can go take

a shower.” The city is also offering them bus tickets to other cities, since Denver is close to exhausting its hotel and apartment space, Ewing said. “If it didn’t work out here, if it isn’t what you expected, if it’s a little colder than expected, we will be buying you a ticket,” he said. “We are leveling with everyone when we say we only have limited resources. We only have so much money. There are only so many affordable units in Denver. People are starting to understand.” Other cities with a huge number of newcomers from South America include Chicago and New York, while some places have seen far fewer migrants. Denver already has purchased thousands of oneway bus tickets to other cities, mainly New York and Chicago, at migrants’ request. Of the 36,000 migrants who’ve come to Denver in the past year, at least 9,000 were sent by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, according to the letter from Colorado Democrats in Congress. Buses from the Texas governor’s office have arrived without warning, often in the middle of the night and sometimes in front of the state Capitol. The letter — signed by Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, and U.S. Reps. Jason Crow, Diana DeGette, Joe Neguse, Yadira Caraveo and Brittany Pettersen — said the migrant population is straining state and local government, as well as nonprofits that are trying to house and feed them. “These partners are at the forefront of providing essential services to migrants and are in dire need of additional support,” said the letter, which was sent to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell just before Christmas and released to The Colorado Sun this week. “Buses bringing migrants into our state are now a daily occurrence, and we are seeing a growing trend of migrants initially arriving in Denver and then moving into other communities across Colorado.” More than 80 migrants earlier this winter were sleeping outside in Carbondale, camped out in tents and inside vehicles parked under a bridge. Community leaders offered temporary shelter in a nonprofit meeting room and have since been searching for housing. The Colorado leaders urged FEMA to increase funding to the Shelter and Services Program next fiscal year, beginning in July, and to extend eligibility in the program to

more cities and nonprofit organizations. They also asked for funding for technical assistance, particularly for rural areas that have never before had to set up migrant services. “Your prompt attention to this matter is not just a response to a pressing need; it is essential to ensuring thousands of new arrivals facing harsh and unpredictable conditions have shelter and support throughout winter,” the letter states. The Democrats said they have not yet received a response from FEMA. Mayor Johnston is also seeking more federal support, appearing the past few days on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” and NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He wants expanded and speedy work authorization permits so that Venezuelans can get jobs faster. Venezuelans are eligible for temporary protected status if they arrived before July 31, 2023, which is the federal government’s cutoff date. “We have 4,500 migrants in shelter tonight in Denver. We are the single-largest recipient of migrants per capita of any city in America,” Johnston said in early January on “Meet the Press.” “And almost all of those folks who arrived now don’t have access to that temporary protected status so they don’t have a clear path to work authorization. That makes it harder and harder for us to help them. And every time I see folks they ask me the same thing, which is ‘How can I get a job?’” The mayor also asked for more cooperation with other states, particularly Texas, as Denver reaches a “breaking point” and has filled up nearly every available hotel room. The migrant response will cost the city $160 million to $180 million in next fiscal year’s budget, which is almost 15% of the total budget. “We are the shortest and cheapest bus ticket north of El Paso,” he said. “You come straight north on I-25 from El Paso, Denver is the first big city you hit.” The state government, which previously gave Denver $3.5 million, stepped in with an additional $5 million in late December. The legislature’s Joint Budget Committee approved the emergency supplemental funding, which will create grants for community groups helping migrants. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has promised $9 million. As the city cleans up the encampment in northwestern Denver, migrants traveling with children will have priority in housing assistance.

“Everything is more difficult with a child and we don’t want to see children on the streets,” said Ewing, with Denver Human Services. “You don’t want a family in a congregate shelter. The idea and the goal is to get everyone into a better situation.” This story was printed through a news sharing agreement with The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonprofit based in Denver that covers the state.

A publication of

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

MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

CHRISTY STEADMAN Editor

csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 50% off one year: only $20! To subscribe call 303-566-4100 or go to www.DenverHerald.net/DHSale

8 Denver Herald

January 11, 2024

An art piece entitled “Papa Plays the Blues,” preserving the historic essence of various antique items, sits in the home of its creator KW Donaldson.

Preservation artist and Englewood resident KW Donaldson works on one of his funcPHOTOS COURTESY OF MORRIGEN DONALDSON tional pieces, consisting of an original gas heater.

FEATURE

Morrigen said he has learned a lot from his father, including perseverance and determination. “He truly embodied a phrase that I’ve been working on with him for almost a decade now,” Morrigen said. “‘Don’t let the darkness consume you to the point that you can’t see the light.”’ Morrigen said he has seen his father’s passion, fire and drive since he started creating his art.

FROM PAGE 6

Some of his creations are completed with his son Morrigen Donaldson, who inherited his father’s passion and talent for art. “He’s a brilliant artist. I mean this guy’s talent in photography and in graphic design,” Donaldson said.

Morrigen is into music, graphite drawing and really loves photography. “I desire to capture the beauty in life that’s dying in our world. So whether that be astrophotography to boudoir,” Morrigen said. Morrigen is currently pursuing a career in cinematography and said he maintains a YouTube channel where he discusses mental health. Morrigen’s channel and work can be found under Killed Fox Design.

Sign up to receive our weekly newsletter Go to ColoradoCommunityMedia.com and click “Sign up for newsletters” at the top of the page!

“I hope that more people will be able to appreciate what he does, because sadly for a lot of people in our modern society it’s easier to live the Ikea life,” Morrigen said. “I hope here soon, with the resurrection of older times, more and more people will be able to look at the art that he creates and truly appreciate it for what it is.” For more information on Donaldson’s work, people can contact him at artfromantiques@gmail.com.

Denver Herald 9

January 11, 2024

Thu 1/11 Featured

Rotating Tap Comedy: Comedy Night @ Chain Reaction Brewing Company

Featured

@ 4:30pm / $350 Jan 15th - Mar 9th Elevation Volleyball Club, 12987 E Adam Aircraft Drive, Englewood. 720-524-4136

@ 8pm Chain Reaction Brewing Company, 902 S Lipan St, Denver

Torreys Peak Ages 8-11 - 2024 League Session #1

Editor's Pick Boombox @ 9pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, Englewood

@ 4:30pm / $350 Jan 15th - Mar 9th Elevation Volleyball Club, 12987 E Adam Aircraft Drive, Englewood. 720-524-4136

Sat 1/13

Crestone Peak Ages 13-14 - 2024 League Session #1

Inline Hockey: Adult Lower Int/ Beginner-Winter24-Free Agent

North Mississippi Allstars @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

Bag Men

@ 8pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐ wood

Fri 1/12 Featured

@ 2am Jan 13th - Mar 22nd Parker Fieldhouse, 18700 E Plaza Dr, Parker

Dance: Pre Ballet (3-5yrs) Jan-Feb @ 5:15pm Jan 13th - Feb 10th PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker

Editor's Pick

@ 8pm Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Mainstreet, Parker

John Jorgenson: J2B2 at the Lone Tree Arts Center

The Record Company

@ 8pm Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St, Lone Tree

@ 8pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, Englewood

Rotating Tap Comedy @ Fiction Beer Company

Mon 1/15

Phat Daddy

@ 8pm Q's Pub and Grill, 10133 W Chat�eld Ave, Littleton

@ 8pm Fiction Beer Company, 19523 Hess Rd. #103, Parker

@ 7:30am / $52 Parker Fieldhouse, 18700 E Plaza Dr., Parker. 303-805-6315

@ 7pm Moe's Original BBQ, 3295 S Broadway, Englewood

@ 4:30pm / $350 Jan 15th - Mar 9th Elevation Volleyball Club, 12987 E Adam Aircraft Drive, Englewood. 720-524-4136

Christopher Morse

@ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐ wood

Amaryllis The Band

Blanca Peak Ages 14+ -2024 League Session #1

School Break Camp - 1/15

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

Blue Herron Elementary @ 2:45pm / $360 Jan 17th - May 15th Blue Herron Elementary, 5987 W Dorado Dr, Littleton. 515-708-0433

ADR: Adaptive Dance and Drum @ 10pm Jan 17th - Feb 14th Harvard Gulch Recreation Center, 550 E. Iliff Ave., Denver. 720-913-0654

Thu 1/18 MYD: MY Denver Kids in the Kitchen @ Southwest @ 11:30pm Jan 18th - Mar 7th Denver Parks and Recreation (SOU), 9200 W Saratoga Pl., Denver. 720-913-0654 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.

10 Denver Herald

LOCAL

January 11, 2024

VOICES

2023 album highlights put focus on storytelling

don’t think there’s such a thing as

a quiet year anymore, and 2023 was pretty busy by almost any standard. No matter where you turned, it seemed COMING like something ATTRACTIONS monumental was happening. And 2024 certainly doesn’t look like it’ll get any calmer. With so much happening and so many voices clamoring for attention, it’s easy to miss a heck of a lot of muClarke Reader sic. To help with that, I gathered five of my favorite releases that might’ve slipped past you. I hope you find something you dig. Carly Rae Jepsen — ‘The Loveliest Time’

Listen, if we as a culture are going to keep sleeping on Carly Rae Jepsen’s releases, then it’s going to remain my duty to remind people of how good they are and that we should appreciate them while we have them. Just a year ago, Jepsen released “The Loneliest Time,” an introspective but still infectious album that found the Canadian artist exploring new lyrical and sonic landscapes. And as has become tradition, this year Jepsen released a collection of b-sides from those sessions. But the collection, titled “The Loveliest Time,” isn’t just a group of half-formed songs that never went anywhere — it’s as full of heaters any of her “proper” albums. On this go-round, Jepsen is ex-

ploring more disco and Europeaninspired tracks, with stellar results. “Shadow” is as lovely an exploration of being love-struck as she’s ever turned out, but the real barnburner is “Psychedelic Switch,” which is guaranteed to bring the crowds to the dancefloor full of the emotion I most associate with Jepsen — joy. Victoria Monét — ‘Jaguar II’

Atlanta’s Victoria Monét has it all — great vocal chops, a funny and sexy approach to writing and, most importantly, just the perfect amount of confidence and style. She’s been working in the industry for years, most notably with Ariana Grande, and after numerous EP releases she finally released her debut album, “Jaguar II,” this year. And I’m here to tell you, it absolutely goes. With a seemingly effortless grace, Monét blends R&B, hip-hop and reggae, creating a bewitching amalgamation that moves as smoothly as the titular big cat. “On My Mama” is a sincere and groovy ode to her roots, while “Stop” is the kind of kiss off to a needy man that Erykah Badu would be proud of. For me, the real star is “Hollywood,” which features the legendary Earth, Wind & Fire and is one of the year’s most slyly infectious songs. Like everything else about the album, it gets under your skin and stays there. Ratboys — ‘The Window’

There’s something special going on in “The Window,” Ratboy’s fifth album and the Chicago group’s best

release to date. It’s like the band got the alchemy of emo, alt-country and indie rock exactly right, resulting in a release that is multifaceted without being over-cluttered. It’s one of those albums that rewards repeat listens because there are so many subtle touches spread over its 11 songs. Produced by Chris Walla (formerly of Death Cab for Cutie), tracks like “It’s Alive” are catchy without being cloying, while eight-minute sprawler “Black Earth, WI,” can really breathe and suck the listener in. The title track is one of the year’s best songs, with singer/songwriter Julia Steiner going straight for the heart with her direct and powerful storytelling. I have no idea how they pulled it off, but the whole album is full of similar gems. Sampha – ‘Lahai’

Nobody can know what becoming a parent will do to them until it happens. That’s a pretty universal truth and something artists have been exploring for centuries. But not many can take such a heavy topic and make it feel as delicate as Sampha, the U.K. singer, songwriter and producer, does on his long-awaited sophomore album, “Lahai.” “Spirit 2.0.,” the album’s second track, is my favorite song of the year and ably displays what makes Sampha such a unique talent — his ability to layer vocals, to play with minimal instrumentation and make it all feel effortless is just stunning. You feel like you’re being carried away by

the music, instead of merely going along. The blending of genres, from gospel and soul to dance and funk creates a feeling that is both familiar and just the slightest bit off-kilter. The whole record embraces a lightinspired sonic palette as Sampha writes about becoming a new father and the power of family to provide a new perspective on life. The results take your breath away. Morgan Wade — ‘Psychopath’

If you’re not familiar with Morgan Wade, then her sophomore album “Psychopath” is a great introduction to the Virginia-born country up-and-comer. Much like her debut album, “Reckless,” the record is chock-full of infectious hooks and sharp writing, but here she’s a bit more seasoned and her storytelling approach has gotten even more wry. She looks to her past affectionately (but without too much sentimentality) on tracks like “Alanis” and “80’s Movie,” and the title track is as warm a love song as you’re likely to find on any release this year. But Wade doesn’t only stick to well-trodden paths — she discusses her sobriety and on album closer, “27 Club,” even delves into mental health and suicide. An artist as honest and fearless as Wade definitely deserves to be celebrated. Clarke Reader is an arts and entertainment columnist for Colorado Community Media. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail. com.

Collection highlights from the Kathryn Kalmbach Herbarium of Vascular Plants

ocumentation of the flora of Colorado is key to the mission of the Kathryn Kalmbach Herbarium of Vascular Plants at Denver GUEST Botanic Gardens. By collecting COLUMN and preserving Jennifer Ackerfield plants as herbarium specimens, we create a snapshot in time, or in other words, a permanent record of our natural world. The theme of this year’s collection efforts was May and June showers bring July, August and even September flowers. Thanks to the incredible amount of rain we received this spring, we decided to take advantage of the extra moisture and document plant species in two under-collected areas: the Denver metro area and adjacent plains. You might not think there are many native and rare plant species to document in the Denver metro area. However, thanks to numerous green spaces and parks, many native plants occur throughout the metro region. SEE HIGHLIGHTS, P11

Dever Botanic Gardens trekking through fields of green on the northeastern plains this summer.

PHOTO BY JENNIFER ACKERFIELD

Denver Herald 11

January 11, 2024

Free radon test kits available HIGHLIGHTS FROM PAGE 10

Each year, students across the state enter the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment radon awareness poster and video contest. This year’s winner is Bayleigh Rivera, a sixth-grader from Windsor Middle School. DRAWING BY BAYLEIGH RIVERA COURTESY OF THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT

mental Protection Agency’s recommended action level of 4 picoCuries per liter of indoor air. The CDPHE recommends that homeowners who already have radon mitigation systems in place should retest their homes every two years to make sure the system is working properly. “January is a great time to test, and it’s a very straightforward process,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director of the CDPHE, in a statement. “We want everyone to reduce their risk of radon exposure.” To learn more about radon, get a free test kit or find out about the Low Income Radon Mitigation Assistance program, visit cdphe.colorado.gov/hm/radon or call Colorado’s Radon Hotline at 1-800-846-3986.

STAFF REPORT

January is National Radon Action Month and the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment would like to remind all residents that it has free radon test kits available, and offers a Low Income Radon Mitigation Assistance program. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is colorless, odorless and tasteless. People and pets can be susceptible to negative health effects from radon exposure. Radon can enter homes through cracks in the foundation or other openings and can accumulate unless properly mitigated. In Colorado, about half the homes have radon levels higher than the U.S. Environ-

CLOG-FREE GUTTERS

FOREVER er Filt eaf RL

E AFT

NATIO

’S

BEF

ilte

afF

Le ORE

ER GUA

EXCLUSIVE LIMITED TIME OFFER!

15% + 10 % + 0% OFF

YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE *

SENIORS & MILITARY!

OFF

APR FOR 24 MONTHS**

Promo Code: 285 FREE GUTTER ALIGNMENT + FREE GUTTER CLEANING*

CALL US TODAY FOR

A FREE ESTIMATE

1-855-402-9138

Mon-Thurs: 8am-11pm, Fri-Sat: 8am-5pm, Sun: 2pm-8pm EST **Wells Fargo Home Projects credit card is issued by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., an Equal Housing Lender. Special terms for 24 mo. apply to qualifying purchases of $1,000 or more with approved credit. Minimum monthly payments will not pay off balance before end of promotional period. APR for new purchases is 28.99%. Effective - 01/01/2023 - subject to change. Call 1-800-431-5921 for complete details.2The leading consumer reporting agency conducted a 16 month outdoor test of gutter guards in 2010 and recognized LeafFilter as the “#1 rated professionally installed gutter guard system in America.” *For those who qualify. One coupon per household. No obligation estimate valid for 1 year. Offer valid at time of estimate only. See Representative for full warranty details. Manufactured in Plainwell, Michigan and processed at LMTMercer Group in Ohio. AR #0366920922, CA #1035795, CT #HIC.0649905, FL #CBC056678, IA #C127230, ID #RCE-51604, LA #559544, MA #176447, MD #MHIC148329, MI # 2102212986, #262000022, #262000403, #2106212946, MN #IR731804, MT #226192, ND 47304, NE #50145-22, NJ #13VH09953900, NM #408693, NV #0086990, NY #H-19114, H-52229, OR #218294, PA #PA069383, RI #GC-41354, TN #7656, UT #10783658-5501, VA #2705169445, WA #LEAFFNW822JZ, WV #WV056912.

One of the most memorable plants we found this summer was Acorus calamus (sweet flag). Only known from a handful of locations along the Front Range, we were able to add five new occurrences. These new distributions will provide valuable information for tracking this rare species. Although approximately onethird of the state of Colorado is comprised of the plains, far fewer herbarium collections are made there as opposed to the mountains. However, many plants make the prairie home, and with the extra rain this year we couldn’t wait to get out there and see what was blooming. We made two trips, one to the northeastern corner of the state in early summer and one to the very southeastern corner at summer’s end. In the northeastern plains, we found hills of green as far as the eye could see. We even came across a “superbloom” of Thelesperma filifolium, stiff greenthread, their bright yellow blooms stretching across the plains. From here, we collected 20 county records (species which had never been formally documented from that county), adding important distributional data to this under surveyed region.

In the southeastern plains, we journeyed to the Comanche National Grassland in search of Solidago capulinensis, Capulin goldenrod, to survey and collect seed of this rare plant. While hunting for the goldenrod, we trekked through canyons, walked through fields of big bluestem taller than us, and even saw a roadrunner trying to outcompete our vehicle! While we only found one single plant of Capulin goldenrod, we were able to document several other rare plants including the bright red Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal flower), Portulaca pilosa (shaggy portulaca), and Mimosa borealis (pink mimosa). In fact, the collection of Portulaca pilosa was only the third one made in the state and the first one from our location. All in all, we had an amazing botanical collecting season and made over 250 collections of plants for preservation in the Kathryn Kalmbach Herbarium. As permanent records of biodiversity, these collections will serve as a reference and continue to improve our understanding of the flora of Colorado. We can’t wait to see where next year’s collecting season takes us. Jennifer Ackerfield is the head curator of Natural History Collections and an associate director of biodiversity for the Denver Botanic Gardens.

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.

12 Denver Herald

January 11, 2024

LOCAL

LIFE

PUTTING THEIR SOULS INTO SOLES

Shoeshining and repairs bring purpose to local craftsmen BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

n 1838, photographer Louis Daguerre captured what is often cited as the first-ever photograph of a person. The black-and-white image shows buildings and trees lining a cobblestone street in Paris. Although it was a busy street, the length of the photographic exposure rendered the passersby and horse traffic invisible in the final image. But on that spring day more than 185 years ago, two individuals remained still enough to show up in the photo. In the bottom left-hand corner, on the sidewalk near the street, one person polishes another’s shoes. The photograph unexpectedly became a time capsule of the ageold tradition of shoeshining, which although less common than it once was, continues to be an indispensable part of some people’s personal and professional routines. From Denver to Centennial, several shoeshine and shoe repair craftsmen aim to make their customers’ lives sparkle by providing service, beauty and powerful interpersonal connections. The skill of shoe repair

For Edward Koinov, the owner of Re-Nu Shoe Repair in Centennial, business is buzzing. Over the course of an hour one Friday in December, customers entered Koinov’s shop in a continuous stream — asking him for advice, getting quotes or picking up their shoes. In addition to shining, Koinov changes soles, replaces heels, adds stitching, makes color corrections and sometimes even adds embellishments. And because he knows what he’s doing with leather, people often bring in other items, like purses and bags. SEE SOLES, P13

Edward Koinov smiles as he stands at the entrance to his workshop at Re-Nu Shoe Repair in Centennial.

PHOTO BY NINA JOSS

Denver Herald 13

January 11, 2024

SOLES

same point of view that I learned from somebody who understood the fiber of just having a shoeshine in their business,” he said. “They know it’s for a certain customer — it won’t be for everybody — but that certain customer is definitely going to be a person who has a lot of pride in what they do.”

FROM PAGE 12

“I’ll never say no,” he said, unless a customer requests an impossible repair. “Most of them, I fix.” Koinov’s space reflects the popularity of his service, which seems to have bounced back after a lull during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hundreds of shoes sit on shelves, awaiting repairs and pickups. And despite rising costs of supplies, Koinov is making things work. He said he works on about 25 pairs of shoes per day, and business is especially busy in the winter. “People love shoes,” he said. Koinov, who grew up in Russia, learned to make shoes from scratch in a factory when he was 17 years old. In 1989, he moved to New York City and later relocated to Colorado for the weather and the mountains, he said. Previous to his shoe shop, Koinov opened a car dealership and a Russian restaurant in the metro Denver area. He said he lost money from both of these endeavors and decided to go back to his roots in the shoe business. When asked why shoes are interesting to him, Koinov joked, “What am I going to be, a lawyer?” He said that people are good at different things — and for him, it’s always been shoes. “This is not one year, two years to learn this job,” he said. “This job is years (and) years. You need to know how to fix the shoes. You need to know this job.”

Connecting across a shoeshine stand

Vincent Robinson started his own business after falling in love with the art of shoeshining while working at the Denver International Airport shoeshine stand. PHOTO BY NINA JOSS

The ‘secret recipe’

North of Centennial, another tenured shoe professional, Vincent Wayne Robinson, owns his own shoeshining company in Denver. Like Koinov, Robinson fell into the shoe business as a teenager. He was working with a carpenter on converting a grocery store into a nightclub in Oklahoma City in the 1970s. At 17 years old, Robinson wanted to attend the nightclub once it opened — but he knew he was too young to get in. So when chatting with the club owner one day during construction, he had what he calls a “vision.” Out of the blue, he asked the owner if he had ever considered having a shoeshine stand in the club. “The thought came from me, out of nowhere,” he said. “I felt like something spoke through me, because it was nothing I was conscious of. I know that’s crazy, but that’s the way it was.” Robinson had no experience in shining shoes, but he told the club owner that he could provide the service. He asked his cousin, a reliably confident person, to join him in the endeavor. With little to no experience, the two of them started a gig shining shoes at the club. “I started figuring it out — it became a nice little hustle,” Robinson said. “But it didn’t come to a business until I moved to Colorado.” In the early 2000s, Robinson started working at the shoeshine

Dominick Martinez, left, and Vincent Robinson, right, sit by the shoeshine stands at Vincent’s Shoe Shine of Cherry Creek. While many customers come for in-person appointments to get their shoes shined, regulars sometimes drop their shoes off PHOTOS BY NINA JOSS for pickup at a later time.

stand at Denver International Airport. There, he said, he learned how to shine professionally. “I learned so much from the owner,” he said. “And that’s where the love began.” After that, Robinson decided to open up his own company, Vincent’s Shoe Shine of Cherry Creek, which now operates out of a space on Ogden Street in Denver, among other locations. The process of shining a shoe, Robinson said, is a “secret recipe” of cleaning, conditioning, waterproofing and “spit-shining.” In the past, people would use saliva for the shining part of the process — but these days, Robinson said

“spit-shining” involves using a water mist and a specific motion with a rag. He said shoeshining is an art, and that it’s an important process to add longevity to leather shoes. “Some people, they may have a pair of shoes that they can’t really find again,” he said. “We come in a situation where it’s their grandfather’s shoe, it’s their mom’s shoe … it’s just an item that they really love and cherish.” Robinson said the way a person looks at the shoeshining business is important, and people who look at it wrong may struggle to stay afloat in it. “I choose to look at it from the

Even more than an art form, shoeshining is a valuable social experience for some in the business. Starting as close family friends, Robinson trained Dominick Martinez in shoeshining. They started working together after Martinez finished high school, and it’s been an important part of Martinez’s life since then. “I’m a person that’s capable … of doing anything,” Martinez said. “But I kinda never left this situation … It’s always come back around full circle to this.” For him, the purpose of shoeshining has little to do with shoes. Instead, it’s about the people. “Sometimes, some people like that one-on-one kind of interaction,” he said. “It’s refreshing. It’s not about what you pay for, it’s about what you get in the process.” He compared the shoeshining experience to going to a barbershop or a beauty salon — where people come partially for the service itself, but largely for the connection with the person providing it. He said this human connection is something that artificial intelligence can’t take away. “There’s a reason why you need that interaction,” he said. “It don’t matter what’s going on behind that interaction — but our problem is we don’t let that interaction happen anymore, and this lets the interaction happen. You can’t put a price on that.” Robinson, who also said the customers are his favorite part of the job, said he hopes his company can help share the tradition of shoeshining. At his shop in Denver, he teaches courses to train the next generation of shiners. “I started out with my kids, we started out with (Martinez’s) kids,” he said. “Now, we’re gonna manufacture it into a classroom situation.” Martinez added that shoeshining is a trade that can help young individuals get on their feet and support themselves. “We always need those trades and those personal interactions,” he said. Robinson said shoeshining is a great way to teach kids about creating things and making money at a young age. “At the end of the day, we want to see fathers and sons sitting in their garage, doing these things together, and just keep putting (relationships) between people,” he said. “Everybody has to walk around with shoes.” When reflecting on the tradition, Martinez referenced the early French photograph of shoeshining. “This came a long time before us and it’s gonna be here a whole lot longer,” he said. “And there’s a reason for that … The interactions are something different.”

14 Denver Herald

January 11, 2024

How researchers see AI helping university admissions officers comb through college essays BY JASON GONZALES CHALKBEAT COLORADO

Every year, university admissions officers read and sort through tens of thousands of essays. It’s a long, arduous process. Now, some researchers say an artificial intelligence tool may be able to help admissions officers sort through essays and recognize prospective students who might previously have gone unrecognized. The application is a long way off from actually being used in the admissions process, but the group that includes researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder say it has the ability to pull out key traits of students, such as leadership qualities or the ability to persevere. The possible use of AI in admissions, however, raises questions about how universities would responsibly use it, especially because college admissions officers have said essays might carry more weight in the wake of the Supreme Court decision eliminating the use of race-based admissions. Sidney D’Mello, a CU Boulder professor in the Institute of Cognitive Science and Department of Computer Science who helped develop the system, said he and fellow researchers want to emphasize the responsible use of AI, including calling for transparency in how admissions decisions would be made. “We’re certainly very, very firm on the fact that it’s really what we call human-centered AI,” he said, “where the human is really the one making the decisions” and the AI acts as a tool.

A group of researchers, including at the University of Colorado Boulder, have developed an AI that might be able to help admissions officers sort through college essays. PHOTO BY RACHEL WOOLF FOR CHALKBEAT

To develop the AI tool, D’Mello and researchers from the University of Pennsylvania used more than 300,000 anonymous, 150-word essays submitted to colleges in 2008 and 2009. Those essays focused on extracurricular activities and work experiences. A group of admissions officers then read those essays and scored them based on seven characteristics. The researchers trained the AI system based on how admissions officers evaluated those characteristics within the essays. The AI platform was able to identify those characteristics in new essays and assign qualities to applicants

SCAN NOW

across different student backgrounds, including whether students demonstrated teamwork or intrinsic motivation. D’Mello said the model also showed it has potential to avoid bias by being designed not to show a preference for any particular racial, gender, or socioeconomic background. “This is really kind of blending what computers do best — they can find patterns in large volumes of data — with what humans do best and that’s finding the best in each other,” D’Mello said. “This is the core of how we’ve been trying to approach this.” Many universities across the country are evaluating their admissions processes after the Supreme Court’s affirmative action decision banning race-based admissions. They want to ensure they build diverse classes while still complying with the law. U.S. Department of Education guidelines encourage colleges to use materials such as essays to get a fuller picture of who students are, the communities they come from, and any adversity — including discrimination — they might have dealt with. At the same time, Melissa Clin-

edinst, director of research initiatives and partnership with the National Association for College Admission Counseling, said schools still rank essays lower than a student’s grades for college admissions or test scores. Colorado has made test scores optional for students for students applying to public universities. Clinedist said colleges are trying harder than ever to find ways to improve their admissions processes. She could see how AI systems might appeal to school officials who have to sort through thousands to tens of thousands of essays with only limited staff to do so. AJ Alvero, a computational sociologist at the University of Florida who focuses on language, ethnicity, culture, and education, and who wasn’t involved in the study, but reviewed it at the request of Chalkbeat, said the researchers do a great job keeping the ethical issues of bias at the forefront of their study. Getting to a point where universities could use AI systems might be a long way away, he said. “A technical concern here could be, if and when universities adopt these tools, are they considering how student language is changing?” he said. He also said universities would need to put accountability measures in place if there are errors and have staff on hand, such as a computer scientist, to handle any potential problems. Alvero said schools would also benefit students by allowing more transparency in the application process. Transparency could also give researchers a better look at how to evaluate bias within school decisions and how to train the AI systems. D’Mello and his fellow researchers hope to continue to develop the AI, including small testing in cooperation with universities. “We really want to take a measure twice, cut once approach when it comes to high-stakes things such as this,” he said. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

VIEW JOBS

WORK DIFFERENT AT THE DENVER AIRPORT. GO FROM MAKING PEANUTS TO AWARD WINNING STEAKS. VISIT YOURFLYJOB.COM

Call 866-977-2602 to schedule your free quote!

Denver Herald 15

January 11, 2024

Solution

TRIVIA 1. GEOGRAPHY: The Darien Gap separates which two countries? 2. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What is Three Kings Day also known as? 3. MOVIES: What’s the name of the supervillain character in the animated film “Despicable Me”? 4. LITERATURE: Who is the author of “The Kite Runner”? 5. TELEVISION: What is the name of the motorcycle-riding greaser in the sitcom “Happy Days”? 6. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which musical instrument does former President Bill Clinton play? 7. GAMES: In the game Battleship, how many ships does each player have at the beginning? 8. MUSIC: Which famous rock singer was born with the name Farrokh Bulsara? 9. HISTORY: What was the name of the first U.S. Space Shuttle?

10. U.S. STATES: Which state is home to the Mammoth cave system, believed to be the longest in the world? Answers 1. Panama and Colombia. 2. Epiphany. 3. Gru. 4. Khaled Hosseini. 5. Fonzie. 6. Saxophone. 7. Five. 8. Freddie Mercury. 9. Columbia. 10. Kentucky. (c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

Crossword Solution

CLASSIFIEDS

16 Denver Herald

COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM/CLASSIFIEDS

DEADLINES:

CLASSIFIED LINE ADS: FRIDAY, 10 A.M.

SERVICE DIRECTORY: WEDNESDAY, 5 P.M.

LEGALS: TUESDAY 5 P.M.

SERVICE DIRECTORY ADS AND CLASSIFIED LINE ADS

SERVICE DIRECTORY Painting

Help Wanted

METALBUILDING OUTLET CORP.

LOCAL BUILDINGS FOR 30+ YEARS! · SHOPS & GARAGES · EQUIPMENT STORAGE · SELF STORAGE · BARNS & AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS · EQUESTRIAN FACILITIES · COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS · AND MORE...

• Benjamin Moore Paints • Labor and Materials Warranty • Free Estimates • Color Consultation Included • Kind/Highly Communicative Staff Helpful Ace Hardware Pro Painters is a residential painting company which specializes in exterior and interior painting. Our core values are honesty, integrity, service, quality and beauty and our focus is on delivering an outstanding customer experience. We currently include a full color consult, test pints and a detailed walkthrough with all of our paint jobs.

303.948.2038

Give us a call to set up a free estimate! (720) 432-6125

METALBUILDINGOUTLET.COM

helpfulacehardwarepropainters.com

Roofing/Gutters

Carpet/Flooring

. ,

FOOTPRINTS HARDWOOD, TILE,

floors BACKSPLASHES & LAMINATES

rs. Impressions.

ay for a free estimate!

DRIVER Class B CDL propane delivery truck driver for Spring Valley Gas, Elizabeth. P/T & F/T positions; responsible for propane delivery and customer service. HazMat/Tanker endorsement. Propane certification a plus. Insurance age requirement 26 with clean MVR. SVG is building a team, not just a job! Starting salary based on experience & qualifications. Call 303-660-8810.

Have a Hail Damaged Roof?

Great Floors. Great Impressions. Call today for a free estimate!

Contact Erin Addenbrooke, 303-566-4074 eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

CAREERS

Buildings, Metal

WOOD

January 11, 2024

Need to get the word out?

Advertise with us to find your next great hire!

Call us at

303.566.4100

- Gutter cleaning /gutter covers available now - We are 100% Local & Have Great References - Roofing • Siding • Paint • Windows • Gutters - Call Dave Vaughn 720-427-7422 - davegoldenspikeroofing@gmail.com

720-344-0939 | FOOTPRINTSFLOORS.COM 0-344-0939

REAL ESTATE & RENTAL

OOTPRINTSFLOORS COM

Real Estate Brokers Siding & Windows • All Concrete • Tear Out • Patios

• Driveways • Anything • Curb & Gutter Concrete • Walls

303-888-7595 Drywall

Sheetrock & Drywall Framing Specialist EPA Certified Painter, Interior/Exterior Demolition • Insured 7+ Years Experience!

Siding & Windows Siding Repairs • Hail Damage Repairs Insulated Vinyl and Steel Siding

Free Estimates • Call Sam 720.731.8789

Home Improvement Room Builders LLC. HARDWOOD ®

Toll Free 866-552-6987 Cell: 646-825-1716

HANDYMAN

.. . ,

Great Floors. Great Impressions.

FOOTPRINTS HARDWOOD, TILE,

Great F1oors. Great Impressions.

Handyman

Tile

floors BACKSPLASHES & LAMINATES

Call today for a free estimate!

720-344-0939 | FOOTPRINTSFLOORS.COM 720-344-0939

WWW FOOTPRINTSFLOORS COM

Repairs • Install Fixtures, Appliance • Plumbing Electrical • Expert Tile • Kitchen/ Bath Remodel • Decks 35 yrs. experience • Licensed, Insured • References

Wes 720-697-3290

Classifieds Continues Next Page

Denver Herald 17

January 11, 2024

MARKETPLACE Classifieds

Miscellaneous

Pets

Misc. Notices

Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service. Now featuring our free shower package & $1600 off - limited time! Financing available. 1-855-417-1306

Prepare for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 7-Year warranty with qualifying purchase* Call 1-855-9486176 today to schedule a free quote. It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.

Dogs

DISH TV $64.99 190 Channels + $14.95 High Speed Internet. Free Installation, Smart HD DVR included, Free Voice remote. Some Restrictions apply. Promo Expires 1/31/24. 1-866-479-1516.

Aging Roof? New Homeowner? Got Storm Damage? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-888-8789091

INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT? Don’t Accept the insurance company’s first offer. Many injured parties are entitled to major cash settlements. Get a free evaluation to see what your case is re-ally worth. 100% Free Evaluation. Call Now: 1-833-888-2038. Be ready with your zip code to connect with the closest provider.

Merchandise Health & Beauty VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! 50 Generic Pills SPECIAL $99.00 100% guaranteed. 24/7 CALL NOW! 888-445-5928 Hablamos Espanol DENTAL INSURANCE Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Covers 350 procedures. Real insurance - not a discount plan. Get your free dental info kit! 1-855-526-1060 www.dental50plus.com/ads #6258.

Miscellaneous Water damage cleanup & restoration: A small amount of water can lead to major damage and mold growth in your home. Our trusted professionals do complete repairs to protect your family and your home’s value! Call 24/7: 1-888-872-2809

Replace your roof w/the best looking & longest lasting material steel from Erie Metal Roofs! 3 styles & multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited Time Offer up to 50% off install + Additional 10% off install (military, health & 1st responders.) 1-833-370-1234 Become a published author. We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author`s guide 1-877-729-4998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ads HughesNet – Finally, super-fast internet no matter where you live. 25 Mbps just $59.99/mo! Unlimited Data is Here. Stream Video. Bundle TV & Internet. Free Installation. Call 866-499-0141

!!OLD GUITARS WANTED!! GIBSON, FENDER, MARTIN, Etc. 1930’s to 1980’s. TOP DOLLAR PAID. CALL TOLL FREE 1-866433-8277 MobileHelp, America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts! Free brochure! 1-888-489-3936

Wanted to Buy

Colorado Statewide Network To place a 25-word COSCAN Network ad in 91 Colorado newspapers for only $300, contact your local newspaper or email Colorado Press Association Network at rtoledo@colopress.net DIRECTV

Doodle Puppies

Golden Doodles and Bernedoodles Home-Raised Heath Tested and Guaranteed Standard and Mini Size available Schedule a visit today! (970)215-6860 www.puppylovedoodles.com

Wanted Donate Your Car to Veterans Today! Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800-2450398

Transportation Wanted

DIRECTV, Sports Pack 3 Months on Us! Watch pro and college sports LIVE, Plus over 40 regional and specialty networks included. NFL, College Football, MLB, NBA, NHL, Golf and more. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-725-0897 AMERIGLIDE Don't let the stairs limit your mobility! Discover the ideal solution for anyone who struggles on the stairs, is concerned about a fall or wants to regain access to their entire home. Call AmeriGlide today! 1-877-418-1883

PORTABLE OXYGEN Portable Oxygen Concentrator. May be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independece and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free Information Kit! Call: 844-823-0293

FREE HIGH SPEED INTERNET Free High Speed Internet for those that qualify. Goverment program for recipients of select programs incl. Medicaid, SNAP, Housing Assistance, WIC, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefit, Lifeline, Tribal. 15GB Internet service. Bonus offer: Android tablet FREE with onetime $20 copay. Free Shipping & Handling. Call MaxsipTelecom Today: 1-866-654-9429

Hit your mark with online advertising

Chunky’s Towing

XMAS DECOR

Looking to buy Xmas décor from the 1970’s and older. Happy to unpack closets, bins, boxes etc. Please call or text Lisa B. 720-838-4549

720-560-6763

News that never sleeps.

Visit us online for 24/7 news coverage.

Call Now to learn more!

303-566-4100

18 Denver Herald

January 11, 2024

www.ColoradoCommunityMedia.com/Notices

PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Notices call 303-566-4123 Legals Misc. Private Legals Public Notice NOTICE OF INTENT TO CREATE BINDING USE RESTRICTIONS ON 29X Apartments at 4900 W 29th Ave, Denver, CO, 80212 29x Landco LLC and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) provide notice of their intention to impose binding environmental use restrictions (EURs) on the 29x Apartments located at 4900 W 29th Ave, Denver, CO 80212. The EURs restrict the apartment to its current use unless approved otherwise, and no subterranean groundwork can be done without approval also. Pursuant to § 25-15-318.5, C.R.S., once the EURs have been finalized, they are binding on all current and future owners of the land and any persons possessing an interest in the land. CDPHE is accepting public comments on the draft EURs. Copies of the proposed EURs and a legal description of the affected property are available by contacting Fonda Apostodopoulos at 303-692-3411 and fonda.apostolopoulos@state.co.us. All comments must be submitted to fonda. apostolopoulos@state.co.us by January 16th, 2023.

County of Denver State of Colorado, and was recorded in the real property records of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on September 5, 2002, at Reception No. 2002153794, as it may have been amended and supplemented from time to time (“Declaration”). The consent of sixty-seven percent (67%) of first mortgagees is required to approve the proposed Declaration Amendment, pursuant to Section 12.1 of the Declaration. The general purpose and nature of the Declaration Amendment is to: (1) include stronger covenants and supporting the existing rules and regulations regarding, for example, smoking, parking and pets; (2) include a much more complete list of items, and explains in detail whether Owners or the Association are responsible for maintaining and repairing them and insuring them; (3) include common sense limits on leasing, and clarifies the responsibilities of landlords and tenants. A first mortgagee shall be deemed to have approved the proposed Declaration Amendment, if said first mortgagee does not deliver to the Association a negative response within sixty (60) days after the date of this notice, pursuant to C.R.S. § 38-33.3-217(1)(b)(II). You may deliver your response in writing to the Association, c/o Moeller Graf, P.C., 9557 South Kingston Court, Englewood, CO 80112, but you are not required to respond.

Legal Notice No. DHD190 First Publication: December 14, 2023 Last Publication: January 11, 2023 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Please review this notice carefully. It may affect first mortgagees’ rights in the Lot(s) within the Association’s community in which first mortgagees may have an interest.

Public Notice

A copy of the proposed Declaration Amendment may be obtained by contacting Moeller Graf, P.C., at 720279-2568 or via email at bahmeti@ moellergraf.com.

NOTICE To: First Mortgagees of Units in 40 Madison Homeowner’s Association, Inc. Date: January 4, 2024 January 11, 2024 Re: Notice of Proposed Declaration Amendment The purpose of this notice is to provide written notice of the proposed Amended and Restated Declaration of Covenants Conditions and Restrictions of 40 Madison Condominiums (“Declaration Amendment”) to first mortgagees of Units within the community of 40 Madison Homeowner’s Association, Inc. (“Association”), pursuant to C.R.S. § 38-33.3-217(1)(b) (I). The Association, through its Board of Directors and with assistance from legal counsel, has prepared the proposed Declaration Amendment to the existing Declaration of Covenants Conditions and Restrictions of 40 Madison Condominiums which is located in the City and

Legal Notice No. DHD216 First Publication: January 4, 2024 Last Publication: January 11, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice TO: OSCAR SANTANA: You are notified that you have 10 days after publication for this notice of levy to file your claim of exemption with the District Court of Denver County, 1437 Bannock, Room 256, Denver, CO 80202 in Case 2022CV031577 entitled: SIGNS BY TOMORROWDENVER, d/b/a SIGNS BY TOMORROW v. OSCAR SANTANA, a/k/a OSCAR CASTREJON SANTANA, a/k/a OSCAR C. SANTANA, d/b/a FUSIONS $2,583.90 garnished at Chase Bank, 5800 S Parker Rd, Aurora, CO 80015

legals2@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Legal Notice No. DHD 1001 First Publication: December 14, 2023 Last Publication: January 11, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch

Notice to Creditors Public Notice Estate of JOANNE M. SESSON, a/k/a Joanne Marie Sesson, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31406 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 May 4, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Stuart R. Davis Personal Representative 9 Brookside Drive Greenwood Village, CO 80121 Legal Notice No. DHD215 First Publication: January 4, 2024 Last Publication: January 18, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Mary C. Quinn a/k/a Mary Quinn, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31457 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 29, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Kevin G. Quinn Personal Representative c/o Keith L. Davis, Esq. Davis Schilken, PC 1658 Cole Blvd. Building 6, Ste. #200 Lakewood, CO 80401 Legal Notice No. DHD207 First Publication: December 28, 2023 Last Publication: January 11, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Pete Hernandez, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31371 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 May 11, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Edward Lucero Personal Representative Shannara Quissell #52547 Zalessky Law Group, LLC Attorneys for Personal Representative, Edward Lucero 9725 E. Hampden Ave. Ste 305 Denver, CO 80231 Legal Notice No. DHD221 First Publication: January 11, 2024 Last Publication: January 25, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of RICHARD M. HESS, a/k/a RICHARD MATHESON HESS, a/k/a RICHARD HESS, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31508 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 May 13, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Richard M. Hess, Jr. Personal Representative 50 Jersey Street Denver, CO 80220 Legal Notice No. DHD219 First Publication: January 11, 2024 Last Publication: January 25, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Jean Lajeune (a.k.a. Jean Wills Lajeune), Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31437 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 29, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. LEONA HAUSCHILD, Esq. Attorney for Personal Representative 1801 California Street, Suite 2400 Denver, CO 80202 Legal Notice No. DHD208 First Publication: December 28, 2023 Last Publication: January 11, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice

Denver Herald Dispatch January 11, 2024 * 1

Denver Herald 19

January 11, 2024

Public Notices

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of JUDITH RUTH FERGUSON AKA JUDI FERGUSON, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31506

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 29, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Royall E. S. Charsley, esq. 9565 S. Kingston Court, Suite 100 Englewood, CO 80112 Legal Notice No. DHD212 First Publication: December 28, 2023 Last Publication: January 11, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of ROSE 0. MARKS a/ka ROSE ORLINDA MARKS a/k/a ROSE MARKS a/k/a ROSE 0. MARTINEZ a/k/a ROSE ORLINDA MARTINEZ a/k/a ROSE MARTINEZ, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31369 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 May 4, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Shelli Marks Personal Representative 12050 W. Rice Pl. Morrison, CO 80465 & Sherri Bernal Personal Representative 2458 S. Zurich Ct. Denver, CO 80219 Legal Notice No. DHD218 First Publication: January 4, 2024

Last Publication: January 18, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of TIMOTHY PAUL WILLIAMS, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31520 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 May 11, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Mary J. Williams Personal Representative 5 Lynwood Avenue Wheeling, West Virginia 26003 Legal Notice No. DHD220 First Publication: January 11, 2024 Last Publication: January 25, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Timothy Spencer McClure, a/k/a Timothy S. McClure, a/k/a Timothy McClure, a/k/a Spencer McClure, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31492 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 May 6, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Patrick R. Thiessen (40185) FRIE, ARNDT, DANBORN & THIESSEN P.C. 7400 Wadsworth Blvd, Ste. 201 Arvada, CO 80003 Phone Number: 303-420-1234 Attorney for Rodney Titoni Personal Representative

Legal Notice No. DHD213 First Publication: January 4, 2024 Last Publication: January 18, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Brian Frederick Cass, also known as Brian F. Cass, also known as Brian Cass , Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31434 All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Co-Special Administrators Maxwell F. Cass and/or Nathaniel C. Cass or to Denver Probate Court of the City and County of Denver, Colorado on or before May 4, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Kirk B. Holleyman 4450 Arapahoe Avenue #100, Boulder, CO 80303 Legal Notice No. DHD214 First Publication: Januarya 4, 2024 Last Publication: January 18, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Eleanor McLerran, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 520 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 May 6, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. Nancy Travis Personal Representative 16245 Plover Pl Parker, CO 80134 Legal Notice No. DHD217 First Publication: January 4, 2024 Last Publication: January 18, 2024

Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of JOHN ARLEY SODERQUIST a/k/a JOHN A. SODERQUIST a/k/a JOHN SODERQUIST, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 031482 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 29, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. David Soderquist Personal Representative 7763 South Jackson Circle Centennial, CO 80122 Legal Notice No. DHD209 First Publication: December 28, 2023 Last Publication: January 11, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of ALAN P. PRICE, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR 31505 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 28, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred. James J. Moynihan Personal Representative 1346 St. Paul Street Denver, CO 80206 Legal Notice No. DHD210 First Publication: December 28, 2023 Last Publication: January 11, 2024 Publisher: Denver Herald-Dispatch ###

Public Knowledge = Notices Community About Your

Read the Notices!

Be Informed!

Denver Herald Dispatch January 11, 2024 * 2

20 Denver Herald

January 11, 2024

SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM

DON’T LET YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPERS GO SILENT.

This year, even more than ever before, the news is in crisis. More than 17,000 news media jobs were cut just by June, at national and local outlets including at some of the biggest names like NPR, The Texas Tribune and Gannett. In fact, newsroom layoffs are up 20% from last year. Some of these outlets laid off more than 10% of their staff in the last few months — even as we head into a critical election year. These are devastating numbers. But all is not lost. Many local and independent newsrooms continue to launch across the country. With your contributions and subscriber memberships, small newsrooms like ours continue to grow, adding new journalists and expanding reporting and investigations. We’re committed to bringing the news to Coloradans. That’s because you deserve access to local, independent journalism that keeps you connected and informed — especially during challenging times. This is #newsCOneeds.

PLEASE SUPPORT LOCAL NEWS AND THE COMMUNITY CONNECTION WE PROVIDE. To contribute online: www.ColoradoCommunityMedia.com/give-to-CCM To contribute by phone: Please call 303-566-4100 • Monday-Friday 9am-4pm To contribute by mail please send your contribution to the following address:

Colorado Community Media, Attn: VC, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Ste. 225 Englewood, CO 80110