Elbert County News 072122

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Week of July 21, 2022

ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO

A publication of

ElbertCountyNews.net

VOLUME 127 | ISSUE 23

Elbert Day Festival is a hit

Golf event is win for veterans

Inaugural tourney draws 122 players at Spring Valley

BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Festivalgoers watch as the parade goes by in Elbert.

PHOTOS BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

Family activities, parade, food, music make for great event

BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

It was a scorching Saturday at the annual Elbert Day Festival on July 9, as hundreds of attendees from all around Elbert County showed up to take part in fun events, have great food, and shop from local vendors.

The Elbert Day Festival, which has taken place on and off since 2014, was organized and hosted by the Elbert Town Committee.

SEE FESTIVAL, P6

The inaugural “Tee it Up for Veterans” golf tournament was held on July 11 at the Spring Valley Golf Club, drawing 122 participants in 31 teams. It was an unseasonably cold morning, with golfers and volunteers wrapped in heavy jackets and blankets trying to keep warm amid low temperature and blustery winds.

The tournament was planned and organized by Marti Crockett, a longtime member of Spring Valley. It took her, along with several dedicated staff members, several months to plan and execute the event. It was Crockett’s first tournament organization endeavor.

“I am a member of Spring Valley and call them my family,” said Crockett. “The staff are wonderful and extremely helpful. I could not have been held at a better, more accommodating course.”

The tournament raised money for the United Veterans Coalition of Colorado, a 501(c)(4) incorporated organization. The goal of the organization is to activate and represent member organizations, speaking with one unified voice in Colorado; to work with and educate state

A family enjoys breakfast prepared by the Elbert Woman’s Club.

INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 18 | CALENDAR: PAGE 11

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SEE GOLF, P8

July 29, 30 & 31

2 Elbert County News

July 21, 2022

Seven state Senate districts could shift control Colorado Republicans have opening to take chamber in General Assembly

BY SANDRA FISH THE COLORADO SUN

The Colorado Senate is likely where Republicans have their best shot this year of taking back some control of state government from Democrats after four years in the minority of the legislative and executive branches.

While the GOP will try to win a majority in the Colorado House and unseat Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, the odds are stacked against them in those two arenas. That leaves the 35-member Senate as the most plausible place to turn the tide.

Here’s a look at where the battlegrounds will be.

The lay of the land Democrats now hold a 20-15 advantage in the Senate.

They are guaranteed 12 seats, with 11 holdovers and one Democratic candidate, Sen. Julie Gonzales of Denver, running unopposed.

Republicans are guaranteed eight seats, with seven holdovers and one uncontested race in Senate District 1 on the deeply Republican Eastern Plains, where Logan County Commissioner Byron

Lawmakers are seen on the Capitol’s House floor on Jan. 12 in Denver at the start of the Colorado General Assembly’s 2022 session.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA SUN / THE COLORADO SUN

Pelton is unopposed.

Another five seats up for grabs in November are considered solidly Republican, while three are considered solidly Democratic.

That leaves seven seats that are possible pick-up opportunities for the GOP, according to Cnalysis, which ranks the competitiveness of state legislative contests.

The seven critical districts The seven tossup districts are across Colorado. We have listed

them out below.

(The amounts in parentheses are the amount of money each candidate had in their campaign bank account as of June 22.)

• Senate District 3: This Pueblo seat tilts Republican. Democratic state Sen. Nick Hinrichsen ($26,919) faces Republican Stephen Varela ($14,387), an Army veteran. Hinrichsen was appointed to the seat earlier this year after Senate President Leroy Garcia resigned to take a Pentagon job.

• Senate District 11: This reconfigured Colorado Springs district tilts Democratic. GOP state Sen. Dennis Hisey ($33,179) moved into the district after being drawn out of his old seat in the once-a-decade redistricting process. He’ll face state Rep. Tony Exum ($9,238), who won his primary contest.

• Senate District 15: Cnalysis says this district leans Republican. Incumbent Republican state Sen. Rob Woodward ($138,003), of Loveland, will face Democrat Janice Marchman ($30,531), a middle school math teacher from Loveland.

• Senate District 27: This Arapahoe County district leans Democratic. State Rep. Tom Sullivan ($41,217), a Democrat and gunregulation advocate, faces Tom Kim ($3,022), a business owner and former lawyer.

• Senate District 20: This Jefferson County district leans Democratic. State Rep. Lisa Cutter ($41,254), a Democrat, faces Tim Walsh ($22,689), owner of Confluence Builders.

• Senate District 8: This Democratic-leaning district is based in northwestern Colorado. Democratic state Rep. Dylan Roberts ($124,176) faces former Eagle City Councilman Matt Soloman ($19,632), a Republican.

• Senate District 24: This is a Democratic-leaning district in northwest Adams County. Democratic state Rep. Rep. Kyle Mullica ($54,272) faces Republican Courtney Potter ($16,607), an Adams 12 Five Star Schools board member.

The money Most of the spending in these races won’t be by the candidates, but

rather by the state-level super PACs supporting them.

In 2018, when Democrats wrested control of the Senate from Republicans after four years in the minority, Republican outside groups spent nearly $8.5 million compared with Democratic outside groups spending $8.3 million on five competitive races.

That compared with $1.9 million spent by Democratic candidates in the five contests, while the five GOP candidates spent a total of $631,000.

And in 2020, Democratic outside groups spent $6.1 million compared with Republican outside groups’ $3.3 million.

This year, Republicans have the cash advantage through June 22.

The Senate Majority Fund had raised about $2.6 million to support Republican candidates, while All Together Colorado raised about $1.7 million to support Democrats.

The national GOPAC Election Fund contributed $560,000 to the Senate Majority Fund and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Colorado PAC contributed $160,000 to the fund.

The national Republican State Leadership Committee recently donated $200,000 to super PAC Unite for Colorado Action. That state-level super PAC spent $1.6 million in 2020, mostly on state Senate contests.

Education Reform Now Advocacy gave $290,000 to All Together Colorado, and Denver philanthropist Merle Chambers gave $250,000 to the group.

It’s likely money will continue to flow into these two super PACs and possibly others as Nov. 8 nears and the battle for the state Senate intensifies.

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

Elbert County News 3

July 21, 2022

2022

PRESENTS

Holiday Craft Show & Mini-Market Saturday Nov. 26

10am - 6pm

Sunday Nov. 27

10am - 2pm

Douglas County Fairgrounds 500 Fairgrounds Dv. Castle Rock, CO.

Come shop for unique gifts and special items during the Colorado Community Media Holiday Craft Show and Mini-Market; With more than 200 exhibitors filling the Douglas County Fairgrounds, this is the best place to find that special, personal gift for friends and family.

The show will feature handmade crafts in all areas from metal and leather, to flowers, baskets, ceramics, and so much more.

In it’s third year - expanding into two buildings.

In 2021, 3,000 customers attended

Admission is free to the public Interested in selling your handmade crafts?

Interested in hosting classes?

Contact Event Producer Thelma Grimes at tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com All applications must be approved to participate

4 Elbert County News

July 21, 2022

Environmental group sues over state’s air quality Center for Biological Diversity argues Colorado can do more

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

The Environmental Protection Agency unlawfully approved a weak ozone-reduction plan from Colorado regulators, and should do far more to limit oil and gas drilling and other pollution in the Denver metro area, according to a new lawsuit filed July 12 by the Center for Biological Diversity.

The lawsuit demanding the EPA reject Colorado’s state implementation plan notes Denver and the counties in the north Front Range nonattainment area for ozone are violating EPA standards at a record pace in recent summers. (State air quality officials issued an ozone action alert again July 12 afternoon warning of potentially irritating amounts, in effect through July 13.)

The state’s plan is ineffective and has loopholes that allow for smaller sources of ozone-causing pollution, like individual drilling and fracking opera-

tions, to move forward even as ozone gets worse, the lawsuit said.

“We’re never going to solve our smog problem until the EPA cracks down on Colorado allowing unlimited air pollution from drilling and fracking,” said Robert Ukeiley, a senior attorney at the center.

“If it takes a lawsuit to bring about that fix, that’s what we are going to do.”

Ground-level ozone, caused by a mixture of volatile organic compounds, wildfire smoke, vehicle pollution and increasingly hot and sunny summer days, causes asthma and other respiratory and heart problems in adults and children.

“Every additional day of delay in reducing smog puts more children and families at risk for potentially deadly diseases,” Ukeiley said, in a release accompanying the lawsuit filing.

The EPA said it will not comment on pending litigation. In a Federal Register notice included in the lawsuit, the EPA in May approved Colorado’s state implementation plan and said the Clean Air Act did not give the EPA powers that the Center for Biological Diversity asked it to exercise.

The Colorado Oil and Gas

Association slapped back at the suit Tuesday.

“As Colorado families struggle to pay to fuel their vehicles and afford their rising utility bills, this latest lawsuit from environmental activists shows just how extreme and out of touch they are with Coloradans. The majority of emissions within our region come from natural biogenic matter or they blow in from outside of Colorado,” trade association President Dan Haley said.

“While Colorado’s oil and natural gas workers have cut our emissions in half, these environmental groups will continue to celebrate higher energy costs for Americans and push our energy dependence overseas.”

In 2021, 12 monitoring sites on the Front Range recorded a three-year average over the EPA’s most recent cap of 70 parts per billion for ozone, and five sites violated even the EPA’s previous looser standard of 75 ppb, according to annual reports by state and regional pollution officials last fall.

The lawsuit targets the EPA for failing to require Colorado to account for ozone contributions by minor sources of pollutants, or from temporary sources. Colorado officials are

now working on revisions to the implementation plan for more recent violations, after the EPA earlier this year declared “severe” ozone nonattainment in the north Front Range counties.

The designation was a downgrade from “serious” nonattainment in previous years, and will now require changes like switching to reformulated gasoline for metro area drivers.

Other changes will include a broader number of air pollution sources falling under state permitting requirements.

The state is also working on a separate set of clean air measures, including the 2022 legislature approving funding for a month-long free transit fare package to cut commuting this summer, replacing diesel school buses with electric models, and beefing up permitting and enforcement staff at the state air pollution division.

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

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Elbert County News 5

July 21, 2022

Pepsi to build its largest U.S. plant in Denver City offers $1 million in incentives to maker of soft drinks

BY SARAH MULHOLLAND COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

PepsiCo has chosen Denver as the place where it will build what will be its largest U.S. plant.

Colorado beat out three other states to become the site of the mammoth facility, Pepsi said in a statement on July 13. The company acquired roughly 152 acres of land near Denver International Airport for the planned 1.2 million-square-foot manufacturing facility, which is set to open next year.

“We’re thrilled to call Denver, a city that shares so many of our values, home to PepsiCo’s most sustainable U.S. plant location,” said Johannes Evenblij, PepsiCo Beverages president of North America’s West Division, in the statement.

In March, Denver City Council approved $1 million in incentives for Pepsi’s project. As Pepsi builds the facility and adds new jobs, the city will pay the company cash in installments. The city expects to make the payments over a multi-year period until the site is completed.

As part of the deal, Pepsi will move its longtime operation on Brighton Boulevard in Denver’s RiNo neighborhood to the new facility. The company says all 250 employees at the existing facility will be moved to the new site, and that they will create an additional 250 jobs — with an average wage of $65,000 — on top of that.

Denver officials estimate the project could bring $6 million in additional revenue to the city’s general fund over a five-year period and $11 million over a 10year period.

Denver Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca, the only council member to vote against the deal, contends the new facility is primarily a good deal for Pepsi.

“This was a good deal for a multinational corporation who needed a newer, larger space and got a city to relocate and essentially build a community around their needs,” CdeBaca said in a text message. “Denverites should be concerned about how their tax dollars were spent in this deal and how this city caters to corporate needs when it is small businesses struggling to survive.”

The old facility on Brighton Boulevard is in CdeBaca’s district.

This story is from Colorado Public Radio, a nonprofit news source. Used by permission. For more, and to support CPR News, visit cpr.org.

The Pepsi bottling plant on Brighton Boulevard on Elyria Swansea’s southern border in Denver last year.

The RidgeGate calendar of fun starts here.

M

Yoga in the Park Join RidgeGate and South Suburban Parks and Recreation for free community yoga classes on the grass at the south end of Belvedere Park, at the corner of RidgeGate Circle and Belvedere Lane. Please bring your own mat, water bottle and towel to all classes. In case of heavy rain or lightning, class will be cancelled.

Tuesday, July 26th, 6:30-7:30pm Tuesday, August 30th, 6:30-7:30pm

Guided Nature Hikes

J U LY S

PHOTO BY KEVIN J. BEATY/DENVERITE

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Each year, RidgeGate teams up with the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District to provide free, guided nature hikes. These hikes are led by professional naturalists from the district, and offer insight and education into the natural ecosystems within the open space at RidgeGate. Registration is required and available at RidgeGate.com.

Saturday, July 23rd, 8:30-10am – Bison in Colorado (Bluffs to East-West Trail) Saturday, August 6th, 8:30-10am – Living off the Land (Willow Creek Trail) Wednesday, August 10th, 6-8pm – Coyote Under the Light of an Almost-Full Moon (Bluffs Regional Trail)

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Summer Beats Concerts

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Enjoy these summertime concerts out on the grass with free live music, food trucks and activities for kids. It’s all happening in Prairie Sky Park, just west of the Lone Tree Recreation Center, courtesy of the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District.

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Thursday, July 21st, 5-8pm – Message in a Bottle (Police Cover Band)

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Tunes on the Terrace at the Lone Tree Arts Center RidgeGate is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Lone Tree Arts Center’s ‘Tunes on the Terrace’—an outdoor evening concert series that will bring your summer nights to life.

Check out the full schedule and buy tickets at LoneTreeArtsCenter.org.

Friday, July 22nd, 8pm – Barbaro Friday, August 5th, 8pm – Ron Ivory and One on One

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Experience Historic Schweiger Ranch The restoration of the 38-acre historic Schweiger Ranch, led by the Schweiger Ranch Foundation, gives us a glimpse into settlers’ lives. Today, the ranch is open to the public for self-guided visits and a variety of events throughout the year. Register for or learn more about these events online at SchweigerRanch.org.

A more natural approach to urbanism. ridgegate.com

Saturday, August 20th, 10-11am – Guided Public Tour Saturday, August 20th, 8:30-10am – Natural Heritage Walking Tour with SSPRD (Nature Sketch Journaling) Saturday, August 20th, 6-7:30pm – Campfire & Storytelling (Work & Play on the Homestead)

All events are held within the RidgeGate community, just south of Lincoln Avenue, on both sides of I-25.

6 Elbert County News

July 21, 2022

FESTIVAL FROM PAGE 1

This year, proceeds from many of the event’s paid activities went toward helping preserve historical items associated with the Town of Elbert.

“The group works hard all year long to put on this event,” said Wendy Walp, treasurer for the Elbert Town Committee. “We want to preserve Elbert’s heritage and share it with people today and in the future.”

The morning kicked off with breakfast served by the Elbert Woman’s Club. Tables were set up both inside and outside of the Russell Gates Mercantile Co. building for attendees to have their pancake breakfast.

Locally-owned Dancing Jaguar Coffee also had their truck set up outside to serve everyone.

The Elbert Woman’s Club raised more than $1,000 toward funding upgrades for the Russell Gates building.

Following the breakfast, North Elbert Road was lined with spectators waiting for the parade to come through town. The parade consisted of several homemade floats, horses, the Elbert County Fair queen, first responders and several vintage cars. The cars were associated with the Pikes Peak Chapter of the Vintage Motor Car Club of America. Most of the people in the parade threw candy to excited kids along the

Diane Daugherty of the Elbert Woman’s Club flips pancakes for the Elbert Day Festival.

PHOTOS BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

route.

The Elbert Day Festival hosted several events and activities throughout the day, most open to all ages. Attendees took part in the pancake race, egg toss, waterSEE FESTIVAL, P7

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Elbert County News 7

July 21, 2022

FESTIVAL FROM PAGE6

melon seed-spitting contest and tractor pull. There was also a beer garden and live music from the throwback rock cover band Lookin’ Back.

In addition to raising funds for historic preservation efforts, the Elbert Day Festival is held each year to offer fun activities for

members of the rural community. Members of the Elbert Town Committee and Elbert Woman’s Club hope that it serves to create community unity, draw in visitors, and expand the love for the Town of Elbert.

“The event makes our town accessible to people,” said Irene Brown, a member of the Elbert Woman’s Club. “There are people who come to the event from other cities that would never visit our community otherwise.”

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8 Elbert County News

July 21, 2022

GOLF

FROM PAGE 1

and federal elected and appointed public policy makers to ensure support for veteran issues and concerns; and to inform/ educate Colorado citizens about the needs of veterans, active duty armed service members and their families.

Through the United Veterans Coalition of Colorado, funds will be funneled to one of their member organizations, Promise Ranch Therapies & Recreation based out of Castle Rock. Their vision is to serve and empower the community, including those with differing abilities, veterans, and families through healing with animals and the experiential nature of the ranch.

“I recently visited Promise Ranch and I saw a need for a bathroom remodel to make it wheelchair accessible,” said Crockett. “I thought perhaps an event like this could help them with this project.”

The event was a four-person scramble and awarded prizes for hole-in-one, closest to pin, longest drive, longest putt, and closest to zig-zag line. The event also hosted a silent auction and provided lunch for the players.

“I am very excited and pleased with the event,” said Crockett.

“I was impressed with the enthusiasm and happiness I saw in all the attendees and their

Golf carts lined up prior to the start of the Tee It Up for Veterans tournament on July 11.

PHOTOS BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

generosity even with the inclement weather, which doesn’t usually hamper too many golfers.”

For more information on the United Veterans Coalition of Colorado, visit uvcoc.org/ united-veterans-coalition.

To learn about the Spring Valley Golf Club, visit springvalleygolf.com.

For information on Promise Ranch Therapies & Recreation, visit prtr.org.

SEE MORE GOLF PHOTOS ON P9

Spring Valley Golf Club hosted the Tee It Up for Veterans tournament.

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Elbert County News 9

July 21, 2022

MORE GOLF PHOTOS FROM P8

TO

STRIVE

THRIVE

Resource & Service Fair Tuesday, July 26 from 4 - 6 p.m.

Southeast Christian Church 9650 Jordan Road Parker

Douglas County families who are struggling financially can receive back-to-school items for the kids, a hot meal and access resources from more than 20 different organizations. Attendees in need of school supplies must preregister at https://tinyurl.com/29xcccpk For more information visit douglas.co.us and search for Strive to Thrive.

Take a journey back in time Participants practice their putting prior to the start of the Tee It Up for Veterans golf PHOTOS BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON tournament.

More than 11,000 years ago, at the end of the last Ice Age, mammoths roamed Douglas County. Learn all about it by taking a free tour of the world-renowned Lamb Spring Archaeological Preserve. Limited dates are available. Reserve your spot now at lambspring.org/ free-tours

Funds available to veterans Emergency assistance is available for veterans struggling with housing (mortgage/rent), transportation, employment, healthcare or other emergency needs. To apply for the veteran assistance funds, visit douglasveterans.org or call 303-663-6200.

Decode Douglas County Visit eight Douglas County Open Space or Park locations, and look for clues to crack the code. Pick up or print your 2022 booklet today! Discover new places including Sandstone Ranch, and decode the secret of Douglas County outdoors! Visit douglas.co.us and search Decode. to start your outdoor adventure.

What’s happening with your County government?

Participants practice their swings as they get ready to play in the Tee It Up for Veterans golf tournament.

Our commitment to open and transparent government includes online posting of information about public meetings at which the business of government is conducted. To view public meeting agendas, participate in-person or remotely, or watch select meetings via live stream, visit douglas.co.us and search for Business Meetings / Public Hearings.

July 29 - Aug. 7 The 2022 Douglas County Fair & Rodeo kicks off July 30 with the Fair and Rodeo Parade in downtown Castle Rock at 9:30 a.m.

It’s time for some old-fashioned family fun at the Douglas County Fair & Rodeo. Buy your tickets today! Visit Discovery Ranch and become a farmer for the day! Join in the stick-horse rodeo or pie-eating contest.

Enjoy live music, classic fair food, and new attractions including a farm to table brunch and axe throwing. For more information, a schedule of events, or to purchase tickets online, visit FairandRodeoFun.com or call 720-733-6941.

Golfers take off, ready to compete in the Tee It Up for Veterans tournament.

Visit douglas.co.us

10 Elbert County News

July 21, 2022

Altitude-Comcast blackout will continue indefinitely Colorado viewers still won’t see local sports as attempted mediation fails

BY PAOLO ZIALCITA COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

Talks to end the three-year contract dispute between cable giant Comcast and local sports broadcaster Altitude TV failed July 12, meaning another season of Colorado sports could be unavailable to customers of the state’s largest cable provider.

A Comcast spokesperson confirmed a second round of mediation failed to yield an agreement between the two parties. They do not currently have another round of mediation scheduled.

Colorado Avalanche games will not be seen on Comcast unless a deal with Altitude TV PHOTO BY THELMA GRIMES can be reached.

“We are fans of the Avs, Nuggets and Rapids, and we share the Colorado hockey fans’ excitement around the Avs amazing Stanley Cup win.

We’ve presented options for some time to Altitude for how we could carry the games without raising rates for all

Comcast customers. And we continue to remain open to continuing discussions with Altitude,” Comcast spokesperson Leslie Oliver said in an email.

Altitude TV did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The channel broadcasts the Denver

Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Rapids. The three teams and the channel are all owned by Stan Kroenke.

The breakdown in negotiations will likely come as a disappointment to fans, as well as Colorado state legislators who introduced and subsequently killed a bill that would have forced the two parties to come to an agreement through state intervention.

One group of fans will soon be free of this dispute, however. Starting in 2023, the Rapids will be removed from Altitude’s programming lineup. All Major League Soccer games will be exclusively streamed on Apple TV+ starting that year.

This story is from Colorado Public Radio, a nonprofit news source. Used by permission. For more, and to support CPR News, visit cpr.org.

One message you can absorb.

Whether your business is near a creek or on top of a hill, you play a vital role in keeping our waterways clean. By containing and cleaning up automotive fluid spills promptly, your business prevents these contaminants from damaging the environment. Remember, one drop of oil picked up during a rain storm can pollute 1 million drops of water. Contact your local agency to find out how you can dispose of automotive fluids.

Local stormwater agencies are teaming together to bring you this message. We take this so seriously that we posted this ad rather than send you more garbage in the mail. One thing is clear: our creeks, rivers and lakes depend on you.

T H IS ST ORMWATER MESSAGE B R OUGHT TO YOU BY Visit onethingisclear.org to: • Report accidental and illegal dumping to your local agency • Search local volunteer events • Find more helpful tips

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Colorado Community Media agrees: Please recycle this newspaper responsibly and partner with our communities for a better tomorrow.

Ad campaign creative donated by the Castle Rock Water, Stormwater Division.

Elbert County News 11

July 21, 2022

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12 Elbert County News

LOCAL

July 21, 2022

VOICES

A transparent truth

W

ith the primaries over, the general election races will now come into view, and I am very interested to see how some of the ballot measures finish. I am particularly interested in ballot measures concerning taxes.

FROM THE After serving as editor for more than six months and writing for Colorado EDITOR Community Media for Douglas County before that — it is interesting how the cycle works. Towns, cities and school districts need more tax dollars, and we live in a state where the voters have to agree to pay them.

However, the problem in getting the measures passed is that some entities want to become transparent once it is Thelma Grimes campaign season, rather than just being open and available all the time.

When it comes to community newspapers like those owned by Colorado Community Media, our reporters do not just show up when fireworks are going off. They do not just write a story because it garnered the attention of daily newspapers or television media.

Nope, we are the reporters who are there for every meeting. We are the ones reading the agendas and getting to the bottom of things even if there is no drama.

However, we are also the ones who can’t seem to get comments or interviews with specific community leaders and elected officials.

Here is an example — I would not say Douglas County School District’s board and some staff are exactly open to meeting with our reporters. Take President Mike Peterson — we are regularly ignored or told no to interviews. Yet, you are the one who swore to lead the board, which includes answering to the public.

Our office gets regular calls asking why we only present one side of the story when it comes to the school district. The answer is always the same — those you want to hear from are not accessible to the reporters who cover them the most.

In all fairness, the new superintendent has been welcoming and agreeable to interviews so far. But, with all respect, she is not the elected one.

Now, you are going to be asking taxpayers to say yes to giving you more money. Well — if you want that money — I would advise a lot more transparency and availability.

For those thinking our newspapers do not matter — Let me tell you, the Q&As we ran on the Republican candidates running for sheriff were the most read for nearly a month. That was even true among readers in neighboring Arapahoe County.

The people want to hear from the elected officials, and they want to have the information regularly not just when money is at stake.

In Littleton and, for that matter, most of Arapahoe County, elected officials are mostly accessible. School officials are accessible. What are the results? Well, the Littleton Public Schools district passed their tax measures.

Transparency with the public and media should never be about doing it only when it is convenient. Mayors, council members, commissioners, police chiefs, fire chiefs, public information officers, city managers and school board members should make it a part of their jobs to communicate regularly with the public and reporters who get the stories out week in and week out.

Thelma Grimes is the south metro editor for Colorado Community Media.

A publication of

750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110 Phone: 303-566-4100 Web: ElbertCountyNews.net To subscribe call 303-566-4100

S

P k n a daily decisions, trusting they would do what t was best for the team, the company, and the e community. m If people did make mistakes, she always s offered grace and forgiveness, explaining i how to fix the situation or move forward l on the best path possible and forgetting the C sins of the past. As a leader, her ability to t give people second, third, fourth and fifth h chances became legendary. t As the company grew, meeting with tres mendous success, the competition started l working hard to take away their market e share. They went after her employees and customers and did so in a very underhanded way. They offered promises they could not deliver, and yet some employees and customers started falling for the empty promises.

As others started following those exiting, they believed the grass was greener on the other side and couldn’t resist the temptation leaving as well. As a leader she remained unfazed, although she was heartbroken each time someone left, she maintained her integrity and stood firmly on the principles she established. She showed each person in her care just how much she loved them.

Additionally, when someone did leave, she would do everything she could do to bring them back to the company. Although heartbroken if they did not return, she let them know that the door would be open when they are ready to return.

Things began to deteriorate each day.

Who do we trust?

he was considered one the greatest leaders in business. She received praises for all of the work she did in helping to build the people personally and professionally in the WINNING company and how she set standards that were perWORDS fectly communicated. Her ability to set expectations, inspect what she expected, and hold people accountable was never heavy-handed with many in the company sharing how much they respected her, trusted her, and would remain loyal to Michael Norton the organization because of her.

Over time her reputation grew and people from all over the world were looking to be a part of her company. And the more talented and committed people joined the organization, they in turn attracted others who would join as well. The company grew, expanding into many new regions around the globe.

With a leadership style that encouraged an entrepreneurial spirit while recognizing and rewarding personal contributions and performance, her following continued to grow larger and faster than anyone in the company expected. It was awesome as each department and team knew they had her total support, they invited her into their meetings, and one of the things the people loved most about her was that she gave everyone the freedom and autonomy to make

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager

lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LISA SCHLICHTMAN Editor-in-Chief

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant

lschlichtman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

THELMA GRIMES South Metro Editor

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager

tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com

abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

SCOTT GILBERT Editor

ERIN FRANKS Production Manager

sgilbert@coloradocommunitymedia.com

efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Columnists & Guest Commentaries Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Elbert County News.

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 Wed. for the following week’s paper.

SEE NORTON, P13

ELBERT COUNTY NEWS (USPS 171-100) A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado, the Elbert County News is published weekly on Thursday

by Colorado Community Media, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110.

PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Elbert County News, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110

Elbert County News 13

July 21, 2022

Inflation is not always bad

I

f you were not an adult in the 1970s or even born yet, you might not have a clue what all this talk about inflation is. And even if you do remember clearly, this time is likely to be different. Remember our new favorite word from COVID is “unprecedented.”

Most of us know that inflation is when prices go higher, but that is not always a bad thing for the economy. We want economic growth; therefore, prices will rise, along with profits and interest rates.

These are not negatives unless things get out of hand. If you rely on your one economics class on supply and demand, this concept is relatively simple. However, the causes play into the effects and that is where the uncertainty lies.

Today consumers are concerned they are dipping into their discretionary spending to pay for necessities such as food, housing, and

fuel. Investors are concerned their assets are not holding their true purchasing power if everything gets more expensive but investment cycles ebb and flow with the economy. Therefore, the denominator must be growth.

No one comPatricia Kummer plains about high prices if they feel they are getting value for the money spent, or they have enough money to buy what they want without feeling a pinch.

It’s when we don’t have the wage increases, or the stock market rising that we feel things cost too much. If the economy is on a growth tear and corporate earnings are soaring, then our investments should be going up as well. When prices increase with-

out the underlying growth in your financial situation, then inflation feels personal. And it is …. personal.

We all have our own inflation rate.

It is made up of what we like to buy, how much we earn, and how we handle periods of economic decline in light of our needs and wants.

According to Jay Weinstein, CFA ¹ most people would say inflation goes up when the economy gets too strong, or the government prints too much money. Except that was not the case in the 1970s. Nor was the opposite true between 1983 and 2007 when we had consistent economic growth and still managed two recessions and falling interest rates for 25 years.

The period from 2008 until now included the Great Recession followed by painfully slow economic growth, the Fed’s easy money policy, and now stagflation, inflation, market corrections, slowing economic

growth and a potential recession.

Economists may deem the cause of rising rates to be the result of three main contributors: Pent-up demand from COVID; reduced supply of fuel and food due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine; and supply chain shortages due to China’s lockdown. None of these would have been caused by a normal economic cycle of recessionary traits such as high unemployment and negative economic growth. Those things may come but they would not be the cause, they would actually be the effect. So yes, I guess this is a legitimate use of the word “unprecedented.”

1. Financial Advisor Magazine Contributor

NORTON

went under because too many people abandoned her, feeling like they could do anything on their own.

As we look around at our world and ask ourselves why hostility exists, why so much division, why fear has replaced hope, and why we are so broken, it’s because we have kicked God out of our families, schools, communities and businesses. Yet we wonder why the tragedies are happening while still asking, “Where is God in all of this?” God is right where we left him, and He is waiting for us to come back to Him. And I believe that when we do, we will start to live without fear, replace anger with compassion, have less division and more unity, and find a way to love and respect one another. I would love to hear your thoughts

at mnorton@xinnix.com and when we can answer the question who we trust with, “In God we trust,” it really will be a better than good life.

Michael Norton is the grateful president of XINNIX, a personal and professional coach, and a consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator to businesses of all sizes.

FROM PAGE 12

People started to take her love and kindness as a sign of weakness or not needed. They began rebelling against the standards and values that she had established. Teams even stopped inviting her into meetings and decisions. They also stopped communicating with her, ignoring her emails, and never listening to voicemail messages.

Certain managers did whatever they could to keep her words of hope and encouragement out of their communications. Although she never stopped being the most loving and awesome leader that ever lived, eventually the company

FINANCIAL STRATEGIES

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules: • Email your letter to letters@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 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.

• Letters advocating for a political candidate should focus on that candidate’s qualifications for office.

We cannot publish letters that contain unverified negative information about a candidate’s opponent. Letters advocating for or against a political candidate or ballot issue will not be published within 30 days of an election.

• Publication of any given letter is at

our discretion. Letters are published as space is available.

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

• Please don’t send us more than one letter per month. First priority for publication will be given to writers who have not submitted letters to us recently.

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

• Include your full name, address and phone number. We will publish only your name and city or town of residence, but all of the information requested is needed for us to verify you are who you say you are.

• Letters will be considered only from people living in Colorado Community Media’s circulation area in Adams, Arapahoe, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Jefferson and Weld counties.

• Do not use all caps, italics or bold text.

• Keep it polite: No name calling or “mudslinging.”

Patricia Kummer is a Certified Financial Planner professional and a managing director of Mariner Wealth Advisors.

OBITUARIES DAHARSH

Ronald K. Daharsh

May 26, 1943 - June 29, 2022

Ronald K. Daharsh (age 79) went to be with his Savior from his home on June 29, 2022.

Born May 26, 1943 in Kiowa, Colorado to Chancy and Rose Marie (Keep) Daharsh, living in Elbert, Colorado, he grew up on the family dairy farm until taking on beef cattle in 1969. In 2000, the family moved to Angora, Nebraska, expanding the ranch operation.

He is survived by his wife Gale of 58 years; daughter Kristene Fisher (Roger); daughter Darlene Soderquist, grandchildren Erik and Abby; son Howard (Jill), grandchildren

Dorothy and Keith; sister Susan Spear.

Celebration of Life - 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 23, 2022, at Alliance Evangelical Free Church, 611 Cody Ave, Alliance, NE 69301 (http://www.efcalliance.com/contact-us.html) with luncheon to follow. Bring a good story or a side dish, and the family hopes to see you there!

Full obituary, fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be found at https://www.batesgould.com/obituary/ ronald-daharsh (Bates-Gould Funeral Home, Alliance, NE, 308-762-1755).

In Loving Memory Place an Obituary for Your Loved One.

303-566-4100 obituaries@coloradocommunitymedia.com Self placement available online at elbertcountynews.net

14 Elbert County News

July 21, 2022

Übergrippen creates climbing community in Castle Rock Sport isn’t just a workout, but a way to find connection

BY RACHEL LORENZ SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Working out can be a solitary experience, but that’s not what the owners of Übergrippen Indoor Climbing Crag in Castle Rock had in mind for their facility. Übergrippen tries to recreate the feeling of being out all day climbing a Colorado crag with friends on a sunny Saturday, Matthew Leach told Colorado Community Media. Those times are filled with adventure but also with moments of just hanging out.

“It was more about creating the community for people to be able to meet new people, to create friendships,” Leach said. He and Christine Ritenour are managing owners of the center and were looking to build a place where kids and their parents climb together, friends chat and date nights happen.

After nearly a year of construction, Übergrippen opened in The Meadows’ Town Center in October 2021. The 18,000-square-foot facility houses climbing walls, a bouldering area and a gym that includes free weights, cardio ma-

chines and room for yoga classes.

Leach was inspired by Jake and Kim Crine’s Übergrippen in Denver, which opened in 2017. He decided to open a location of his own and began looking both in and out of Colorado for the right place. He was pleased when he discovered that the Castle Rock area is full of outdoor lovers and active families — and is large enough to support a climbing facility.

“Most people don’t climb because it’s just not very accessible,” Leach said. There may not be anywhere close by to do it.

In fact, 95% of the members at Übergrippen were not regular climbers before they joined, according to Leach. But once a facility is in the area, many folks find it’s an activity they want to participate in often.

“Climbing’s that one thing where a whole family can come in — a husband, wife and kids — they can all find a route,” he said.

Leach loves that children can watch their parents challenge themselves and possibly struggle before finding success. That’s not something kids see often, he said.

And yet climbing is not just for the young. Übergrippen has folks in their 60s and 70s who come in consistently, Leach said.

The sport is low-impact with plenty of time built in to rest and socialize. Plus the longer someone does it, the stronger they

Übergrippen Indoor Climbing Crag strives to foster the communal aspect of climbing.

COURTESY OF MATTHEW LEACH

get, Leach said. He thinks he’s a better climber now at 46 years old than he was in his 30s or even 20s.

“It’s so amazing to see a sport that you’re not really limited by your age,” he said.

Climbers usually want others to enjoy the activity as much as they do, so they tend to be accepting and supportive, Leach said.

Folks share encouragement and tips. And Übergrippen is happy to facilitate that community.

Leach said that when he’s climbing, life problems, work, even music all fade away. His focus is on his hand, his foot and the next place he’s going to reach for.

“You finish that climb, you come down and, just, your body

feels great,” he said. It’s that feeling that keeps people coming back.

They come to Übergrippen not because they need to get their workout in, Leach said, but because they enjoy that feeling — and they enjoy sharing it with others.

IF YOU GO Übergrippen’s Castle Rock location is at 3690 Bilberry St. It’s open from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends. In addition to monthly memberships, the business offers day passes as well as 5-, 10- and 20-punch card passes.

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Elbert County News 15

July 21, 2022

Denver DEA office loses suspect in touted fentanyl bust Officers allowed alleged driver to leave in hopes of being led to dealers

BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Denver office allowed a 26-year-old driver who was transporting 114 pounds of fentanyl powder toward Denver to continue driving after they seized the deadly drug. Officials later lost the suspect, who remains at large, according to an arrest warrant for the driver that was first reported by the Denver Gazette.

David Alejandro Maldonado had initially agreed to work with law enforcement after Colorado State Patrol stopped him for weaving through traffic just east of the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 on June 18. State troopers found 114 pounds of fentanyl, packed in 48 one-kilo packages, hidden in two compartments underneath the seats, according to the Gazette.

It was dubbed the the “largest fentanyl seizure on any U.S. highway” by Brian Besser, special agent in charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Denver Field Division, during a July 6 press conference.

Besser told reporters during the conference that law enforcement

Fentanyl is increasingly showing up in street drugs.

was “not asleep at the wheel” when combating the fentanyl crisis that led to 900 people dead in Colorado last year.

But he did not mention that the alleged driver was allowed to continue his trip following the seizure, or that he managed to evade law enforcement.

According to the Gazette, after Maldonado agreed to cooperate with the DEA investigation, he was released by authorities to continue his drive — with a tracker on his car and without the fentanyl — in order to lead law enforcement to the believed kingpins of the criminal organization in South Bend, Indiana.

In a statement to the Gazette, the

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DEA said Maldonado “was offered the opportunity to work with the DEA to further the investigation.

Subsequently after agreeing, he changed his mind and was able to (elude) law enforcement. He is now

considered a fugitive.”

Clear Creek County District Judge Cynthia Jones signed an arrest warrant June 21, according to the Gazette, and Maldonado is wanted on $250,000 bond for two class 1 drug felonies involving unlawful distribution, sale and possession of a narcotic and for importing that substance into Colorado.

Besser, along with 18th Judicial District Attorney John Kellner, used the July 6 press conference to hail the recent efforts of both their departments to address fentanyl’s continued presence in Colorado.

Kellner’s office completed a nearly 6-month-long investigation, which began in December 2021 with knowledge of “a single purchase” of fentanyl and ended with the indictments of eight people in May. The investigation recovered about 200,000 fentanyl pills being recovered along with 9.4 pounds of heroin, a kilogram of cocaine and four guns, Kellner said.

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16 Elbert County News

July 21, 2022

Colorado health insurance prices set to jump next year Premium rates could increase 11% on average statewide

pandemic. (The federal government offers subsidies to certain people shopping in the individual market, based on income, to help them pay their premiums. The American Rescue Plan supercharged these subsidies, expanding them to include more people.)

If Congress does not extend the enhanced subsidies, 13 million Americans could see what they pay for health insurance increase next year. In Colorado, about 25,000 more people are receiving a subsidy this year than in 2021, though how many of those will end up paying more if the subsidies are not extended can often come down to highly specific circumstances.

BY JOHN INGOLD THE COLORADO SUN

Health insurance prices for many Coloradans could rise by as much as 11% next year, the largest jump in five years.

That’s the bad news in preliminary rate filings released July 12 by the Colorado Division of Insurance. The filings are for plans sold in the small group and individual markets — the places where small companies and people who shop for insurance on their own purchase coverage.

But state regulators also see a silver lining. Prices for the new Colorado Option, the quasi-public health insurance program that promises better benefits at lower costs, will largely hit their goals, according to the preliminary filings.

In nearly every county, rates for the Colorado Option will be below the countywide average price in each of the three levels of coverage — gold, silver and bronze.

In addition, the Colorado Option does not appear to have sent insurers headed for the exits en masse. Instead, people in every county but one will see at least two choices for insurers on the state’s insurance exchange when open enrollment starts up in the fall. In Jackson County, there will be only one choice, same as this year.

“I am a firm believer that good regulation actually incentivizes companies to play in the marketplace, and I think you’re going to see that with the Colorado Option,” Michael Conway, Colorado’s insurance commissioner, said.

Oscar Health — which last year covered about 3,800 people in the state, all along the Front Range — will not return to offer plans in Colorado in 2023. Its leaders cited

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unspecified regulatory challenges in announcing plans to pull out of Colorado, as well as Arkansas, in 2023. Both were small markets for the company, and its CEO said Oscar wants to focus on markets “where we can win.”

Here’s a few other things to know about the July 12 release: The price increases could have been a lot higher Colorado has what is known as a reinsurance program — a system where the state helps health insurance companies in the individual market pay their highest-cost claims. That allows the insurers to lower their prices for everyone.

Conway’s team estimates that, without reinsurance, Colorado would be looking at premium price increases above 30%.

As it is, the 11.3% average increase for the individual market is the largest since 2018, when prices jumped 27%. The biggest increases will likely be seen on the Eastern Plains and Western Slope, where insurers are proposing an average increase for individual

market premiums of 21% and 19.2%, respectively.

Bright Health and Friday Health Plans are proposing the largest increases — 21% and 24.2%, respectively. Kaiser Permanente is not proposing an increase for its individual-market plans.

In the small group market, premiums are expected to increase statewide by an average of 9.2%.

The fate of federal subsidies is still unknown Exactly what this means for how much health insurance will cost people next year is a stupefyingly complicated question.

Base premium rates vary based on the level of the plan, the county where you live, what age you are and whether you smoke.

To get to what you actually pay involves more number-crunching related to how much you earn and how much you are eligible for in federal subsidies.

And this year, there is another variable: whether Congress will continue the enhanced premium subsidies put in place during the

What happens to Colorado Option plans that didn’t hit the target?

The Colorado Option is a health insurance plan designed by state regulators but sold by private insurance companies in the individual and small group markets. It was built to be more generous for primary care and mental health benefits and more equitable, while also costing less.

To meet that last goal, state law sets a target: Colorado Option plans have to be priced 5% below what an insurer charged in a given county in 2021, adjusting for inflation. On Tuesday, Conway said he projects at least 87% of people shopping in the individual market will have access to at least one Colorado Option plan that hits the target.

But what does that mean for the number of Colorado Option plans that don’t meet the 5% goal?

Conway didn’t provide a number, saying the state is still evaluating it. In the future, insurers whose Colorado Option plans don’t meet the savings targets will be hauled in for a public rate hearing, after which regulators could potentially step in and start setting hospital prices to drive the cost of the plans down.

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Elbert County News 17

July 21, 2022

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18 Elbert County News

LOCAL

July 21, 2022

LIFE

Volunteers and researchers study how the pika responds to a warming climate. The results might surprise you.

BY RYAN ERNSTES SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

O

n a nice July day, you might find Jennifer Zedalis up in the Alpine, with her 16-year-old daughter Sophie. Zedalis is lucky because she has a teenager who likes to wake up early — a necessity when you’re hiking above tree line in the Colorado summers prone to thunder and lightning.

But the two aren’t storm searching or taking photographs or even out for a hike. Instead, they’re volunteers on a mission, looking for pika on behalf of a community science initiative studying the small mammal species.

Zedalis and her daughter are volunteers with the Colorado Pika Project, an initiative founded in 2010 in response to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declining to list the American pika as an endangered species. The project is just one entity helping to research this tiny, temperature-sensitive Alpine mammal and trying to understand the species’ outlook in a rapidly changing climate.

For creature lovers, pikas may hold value on the basis of their “unrelentingly cute” looks alone.

But on a more consequential note, researchers say pikas act as an indicator species and hold clues to the health of our alpine ecosystems and even the water resources we depend on.

The bad news?

Pika are disappearing from parts of the

western U.S. landscape. Temperature changes due to climate change likely play a major role but perhaps not in the way you might think.

Volunteering in the Alpine For those unfamiliar, American pikas are small, territorial, herbivorous mammals that most often live in the high Alpine on the rocky, mountainous steppes above tree line. The species finds its range throughout many western U.S. states as well as parts of British Columbia and Alberta.

These tiny creatures are most closely related to rabbits and hares and are covered head to toe in the same rich, insulating fur. Unlike their cousins, they have small, rounded ears and weigh in around just 4.5 to 7.1 ounces — somewhere between one-quarter and less than half of a pound. If you’ve ever hiked to high elevation and heard a high-pitched squeak, it’s likely you encroached into the territory of one of these feisty mammals, ready to sound the alarm of an

native american arrowheads

intruder.

Back when the Colorado Pika Project first began, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service claimed there was insufficient evidence regarding how climate change would affect the species. So the Denver Zoo and the nonprofit Rocky Mountain Wild teamed up to start the project, which now sends some 150 volunteers out in the field each year to collect data about these miniscule mammals.

With the help of volunteers like the Zedalis duo, the Colorado Pika Project conducts surveys at nearly 100 locations each summer, pri-

marily in Rocky Mountain National Park and the White River National Forest. A typical survey takes around an hour, during which volunteers use both auditory and visual clues to figure out whether pikas are inhabiting an area.

Zedalis, who has been volunteering with the project since 2019, recalls a particularly memorable surveying experience back in the summer of 2020. Outside of Eagle, she and her daughter hiked to two survey locations on twin peaks referred to as New York High and New York Low, SEE CLIMATE, P19

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Elbert County News 19

July 21, 2022

CLIMATE FROM PAGE 18

names referencing the elevation.

“It’s absolutely beautiful up there — Alpine scenery with fantastic views,” Zedalis said.

On New York High, the pair didn’t see much. But on New York Low, Zedalis estimates they saw 15 pikas.

Even when pikas aren’t spotted, surveyors can use clues to understand if pikas used to inhabit the area. And there’s one clue in particular that really sticks around: scat.

In extreme cases, “there is scat that has been found that’s over 100 years old,” said Alex Wells, co-director of the Colorado Pika Project.

“But generally volunteers might find scat that is a decade or two old.”

Volunteers with the project tend to take part for one of two reasons.

“The entire group really does like hiking, and some people just enjoy being able to hike with a purpose,” Wells said. “Other folks are really explicitly concerned about climate change,” and working with us “is kind of a way to feel like you’re doing something.”

Why are the pikas disappearing?

Depending on the survey location, the Colorado Pika Project now holds between three to 10 years worth of data on pikas but project leaders aren’t yet ready to draw conclusions about the results of their findings. However, veteran scientific researchers outside of the project can lend insight into how pikas are faring in today’s climate. One such

Volunteers gather in the alpine for a training for the Colorado Pika Project COURTESY OF COLORADO PIKA PROJECT

researcher is Dr. Chris Ray, a population biologist with the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Ray has been researching pikas for over 30 years. One of her primary goals is to better understand the pika’s response to a changing climate. To do so, Ray spends several weeks each summer in the Alpine, trapping pikas, administering anesthesia and taking measurements before releasing the individuals back into their territories. She and her students used to capture around 48 pikas each summer, but in recent years have averaged closer to 24 to 36. She has seen the pikas disappearing firsthand.

To theorize why, it’s important to have some base knowledge about the species. Foremost, pikas require a

cool habitat. Because of their thick fur, they prefer to live in microclimates that maintain a temperature near freezing for most of the year.

They lack any kind of typical cooling mechanism, like panting or heat radiation through the ears, and can die if exposed to heat for even a

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Those who know a little about pikas might be inclined to guess that as the climate warms, the temperatures are rising too high, killing off populations at lower elevations and shrinking their viable habitat to only the very tops of mountains.

But Ray’s research indicates the truth is a little more complicated.

In fact, pikas don’t always live at high elevation. The American pika also can be found in the lava fields of New Mexico and at sea level in the Columbia River Gorge. Outside of Colorado, pikas also live in the mountains of the Great Basin, southern Utah and northeastern California. What all pika habitats have in common, however, is access to subsurface microclimates. That is, pikas can live well below the surface, underneath piles of broken rock or in subsurface lava tubes.

What’s significant about these habitats is they help pikas maintain viable temperataures year-round.

Even in the summer, Ray says its likely pikas can get deep enough

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20 Elbert County News

July 21, 2022

C R O S S W O R D CLIMATE P U Z Z L E FROM PAGE 19

below the surface to reach temperatures near freezing. The rock piles act as a kind of chimney, letting hot air rise out the top and pooling cool air in the depths below. In colder climates, these same talus piles keep pikas warm in the winter. Where snow blankets the talus, it insulates the pikas from winter air temperatures that can fall far below freezing, and keeps the talus at a steady temperature near zero degrees.

But as with much of the environment, climate change may be throwing pika habitat for a loop. In the Great Basin, California and Utah, snowpack is steadily declining, and some pikas may be losing their insulating snow blanket. Without sufficient snow, pikas can die of the cold.

So in these regions, Ray said it’s likely the cold winter temperatures explain pika disappearances a little better than the warm summer temperatures.

“The irony is that pikas may be freezing to death due to global warming,” she said.

However, in regions like Colorado, where the annual snowpack is remaining more stable — or in landscapes without cold winters — summer temperatures could explain more of the story. Here, Ray has witnessed a decline in juvenile recruitment, which means fewer juveniles are born each year, or fewer are surviving to adulthood. One theory is that as young pikas leave their mothers to find their own territory, they could be perishing in the heat as they are forced to travel through a hotter and hotter landscape.

Once pikas disappear from a region, it’s tough for them to come back. As non-migratory animals that may live their entire lives in the same 12-meter radius, they can’t simply cross a valley and repopulate a once inhabited mountain range.

“We’ve seen the loss of whole populations” in the Great Basin, Ray said. “Once they’re empty, we haven’t seen them be recolonized.”

Beyond the pika — why it matters Most ecologists would likely argue that studying pikas is important in

its own right — that the balance of an entire ecosystem can be thrown off with the disappearance of just a single species. But even beyond this, pikas have important implications for the wider climate and society.

First and foremost, Ray and Wells advocate that pikas can act as an indicator species for the health of our western water resources. After all, we rely on the same winter snowpack as pikas for drinking, living, and recreating.

In late summer, the same permafrost that lies under stacks of talus melts and replenishes our reservoirs.

With the current trajectory of the planet’s warming, it’s not so hard to imagine a world where this isn’t the case.

“Once we have no permafrost left, we won’t have any of that anymore,” Ray said. “It’s a catastrophe for us.”

In a similar vein, Wells calls pikas “a canary in the coal mines,” warning of present and future ecological damage, foreboding the effects that could have on our lifestyles, recreation and economy.

But he speculates that for some, pikas hold a more emotional significance too. Himself a Colorado native, Wells grew up hearing the squeak of the pikas in the mountains.

“For a lot of folks, pikas are really tied to the image of Colorado,” he said. “I think if pikas disappeared, that’s a little part of Colorado’s soul that is lost.”

With the environmental, economic and emotional significance of this species’ survival in mind, Wells turns toward next steps for the Colorado Pika Project. They hope to start working with the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service to turn the data they’re collecting into management action.

While he acknowledges that research is valuable, Wells now seems to be seeking a more tangible impact — one that is action oriented.

With a sense of duty and gravity, he said, “We’re really trying to figure out how to take action to help protect pikas, instead of just being the ones who get to watch them die.”

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22 Elbert County News

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July 21, 2022

Elbert County News 23

July 21, 2022

Colorado’s national parks saw record revenue in 2021

BY TONY GORMAN COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

National parks in Colorado had a record year in revenue last year.

In a report released by the National Park Service, 7.8 million visitors spent an estimated $560 million while visiting national parks in Colorado in 2021. Those numbers broke the previous mark of $515 million set in 2019. The expenditures from the revenue funded 7,570 jobs in the state, according to the report.

Visitors spent the most of their money on lodging, restaurants, and gas. Lodging brought in $188 million which accounted for 33.5 percent of revenue earned. Restaurants took in $109 million, and

PRICES FROM PAGE 16

happen for the 2023 rates. Those hearings still could take place next year, but they would only be focused on the prices for 2024 insurance plans.

Consumer advocates vow to fight for lower rates The Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, an advocacy organization that is the state’s most vocal in pushing for lower health insurance prices, slammed the proposed rates Tuesday, suggest-

$58.7 million was spent on gas.

Rocky Mountain National Park brought in the most visitors and revenue among national parks lands Colorado in 2021 with 4.4 million visitors spending $323 million. That supported 4,420 jobs.

Mesa Verde National Park on the Western Slope brought in the second highest revenue at $62 million. And in Southern Colorado, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve brought in the most revenue in the region with $41.3 million from 603,000 visitors.

This story is from Colorado Public Radio, a nonprofit news source.

Used by permission. For more, and to support CPR News, visit cpr.org.

ing that insurers and hospitals “may be using inflation as an excuse to drive up rates.”

“Even as reinsurance keeps premiums for Coloradans down, and as we see more companies offer plans in more counties, health insurance continues to be unaffordable for too many Coloradans,” Mannat Singh, CCHI’s executive director, said in a statement. “Premium rates must be reasonable and justified; the industry shouldn’t use the ongoing pandemic or inflation to hike company profits.”

In a statement, Amanda Massey, the executive director of the Colorado Association of

Visitors line up at Rocky Mountain National Park’s Fall River Entrance Station, near HART VAN DENBURG/CPR NEWS Estes Park, on July 21, 2021.

Health Plans, an insurer trade group, said insurers had to juggle a number of competing interests to come up with next year’s prices.

“The preliminary 2023 rate filings reflect the hard work of the industry to increase the quality, affordability and access of health insurance for Colorado consumers while ensuring actuarially sound rates in a time of high inflation,” she said.

You can make your voice heard State regulators will take the next couple of months to review the proposed rates and decide whether to approve them or or-

der changes. Final rates for 2023 should be released by the end of summer or early fall.

Until Aug. 1, the public is able to submit comments on the rates.

Go to the Division of Insurance’s website for more information on how to dig into the rate filings and submit a comment.

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

www.ColoradoCommunityMedia.com/Notices

PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088 Legals Bids and Settlements Public Notice NOTICE OF FINAL PAYMENT NOTICE is hereby given that Spring Valley Metropolitan District No. 1 of Elbert County, Colorado, will make final payment at Special District Management Services, Inc., 141 Union Boulevard, Suite 150, Lakewood, Colorado 80228, on August 8, 2022, at the hour of 5:00 p.m. to Apex Pavement Solutions, LLC for all work done by said Contractor(s) in construction or work on the road repairs.

Any person, co-partnership, association of persons, company or corporation that has furnished labor, materials, team hire, sustenance, provisions, provender, or other supplies used or consumed by such contractors or their subcontractors, in or about the performance of the work contracted to be done or that supplies rental machinery, tools, or equipment to the extent used in the prosecution of the work, and whose claim therefor has not been paid by the contractors or their subcontractors, at any time up to and including the time of final settlement for the work contracted to be done, is required to file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid, and an account of such claim to David Solin, District Manager, c/o Special District Management Services, Inc., 141 Union Boulevard, Suite 150, Lakewood, Colorado 80228 on behalf of the Spring Valley Metropolitan District No. 1, on or before the date and time hereinabove shown for

final payment. Failure on the part of any claimant to file such verified statement of claim prior to such final settlement will release Spring Valley Metropolitan District No. 1, its directors, officers, agents, and employees, of and from any and all liability for such claim.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS SPRING VALLEY METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 1 By:/s/ David Solin, Secretary Legal Notice No. 24859 First Publication: July 21, 2022 Last Publication: July 28, 2022 Publisher: Elbert County News

Water Court Public Notice DISTRICT COURT, WATER DIVISION 1, COLORADO JUNE 2022 WATER RESUME PUBLICATION TO: ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN WATER APPLICATIONS IN WATER DIV. 1 Pursuant to C.R.S. 37-92-302, you are notified that the following is a resume of all water right applications, protests to final revised abandonment list and certain amendments filed in the Office of the Water Clerk during the month of JUNE 2022 for each County affected.

2022CW3086 SARA D ADAMS AND CHRISTOPHER M ADAMS, 623 N 16th Pl, Brighton, CO 80601. James J. Petrock, Eric

legals@coloradocommunitymedia.com

K. Trout, Hayes Poznanovic Korver LLC, 700 17th Street, Suite 1800, Denver, CO 80202.

APPLICATION FOR AMENDMENT OF A PRIOR DECREE IN ELBERT COUNTY. Subject Property: 35.002 acres generally located in the S1/2 of Section 26, Township 6 South, Range 64 West of the 6th P.M., Elbert County, Colorado, as shown and described on Exhibit A (“Subject Property”). Applicants are the sole owners of the Subject Property, therefore notice to any mortgage and lien holders is not required under C.R.S. § 97-92-302(2)(b).

Decree for Which Amendment is Sought: Case No. 1999CW152, District Court, Water Division 1, decreed on July 3, 2007 (the “99CW152 Decree”), decreed all of the Denver Basin groundwater underlying approximately 209.03 acres, which included the Subject Property. No statements of opposition were filed to the application in Case No. 1999CW152. Subsequently, the Court entered an Order Granting Motion to Vacate a Portion of Water in the Denver Aquifer to Make Water Available for a Well Permit on February 1, 2017 (the “Order”). The Order vacated 4 acre-feet annually of Denver Aquifer groundwater from the 99CW152 Decree for use in an exempt well, leaving 88.4 acre-feet per year still adjudicated. Applicants’ Ownership of the Groundwater Underlying the Subject Property: Applicants are the owners of all the groundwater underlying the Subject Property as evidenced by the special warranty deed recorded June 30, 2022, at Reception No. 620845 in the records of the Elbert County Clerk & Recorders Office, attached as Exhibit B. The following pro rata amounts were conveyed to the Applicants and are based on a 100-year aquifer life: Aquifer Annual Amount (acre-feet) Lower Dawson (NNT) 3.57 Denver (NNT) 14.81 Arapahoe (NT) 16.37 Laramie-Fox Hills (NT) 8.14

Requested Change to the 99CW152 Decree: Applicants request that 4 acre-feet annually of not-nontributary Denver Aquifer groundwater be vacated from Applicants’ portion of the 99CW152 Decree, and be made available for the drilling of an exempt well, or any legally allowed exempt purpose, on the Subject Property. The Denver Aquifer groundwater will be allocated at 0.114 acre-feet per acre across the Subject Property.

Jurisdiction: The Court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of this application pursuant to C.R.S. §§ 37-90-137(6), 37-92-203(1), 37-92302(2). No other provisions of the 99CW152 Decree are changed herein. Applicants request the Court approve the above decree amendment, find that Applicants have complied with C.R.S. § 37-90-137(4) and water is legally available for withdrawal, find there will be no material injury to the owners of or persons entitled to use water under any vested water right or decreed conditional water right, and grant such other and further relief as is appropriate. 3 pages.

THE WATER RIGHTS CLAIMED BY THESE APPLICATIONS MAY AFFECT IN PRIORITY ANY WATER RIGHTS CLAIMED OR HERETOFORE ADJUDICATED WITHIN THIS DIVISION AND OWNERS OF AFFECTED RIGHTS MUST APPEAR TO OBJECT AND PROTEST WITHIN THE TIME PROVIDED BY STATUTE OR BE FOREVER BARRED. YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that any party who wishes to oppose an application, or an amended application, may file with the Water Clerk, P. O. Box 2038, Greeley, CO 80632, a verified Statement of Opposition, setting forth facts as to why the application should not be granted, or why it should be granted only in part or on certain conditions. Such Statement of Opposition must be filed by the last day of AUGUST 31, 2022 (forms available on www.courts.state.co.us or in the

Clerk’s office), and must be filed as an Original and include $192.00 filing fee. A copy of each Statement of Opposition must also be served upon the Applicant or Applicant’s Attorney and an affidavit or certificate of such service of mailing shall be filed with the Water Clerk.

Legal Notice No. 24860 First Publication: July 21, 2022 Last Publication: July 21, 2022 Publisher: Elbert County News

Notice to Creditors Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of Robert L. Bechtold, a/k/a Robert Lemoine Bechtold, a/k/a Robert Bechtold, Deceased Case Number: 2022PR30022 All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Elbert County, Colorado on or before November 21, 2022, or the claims may be forever barred.

John Bechtold, Personal Representative c/o Katz, Look & Onorato, P.C. 1120 Lincoln St., #1100 Denver, CO 80203 Legal Notice No. 24861 First Publication: July 21, 2022 Last Publication: August 4, 2022 Publisher: Elbert County News

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Elbert Legals July 21, 2022 * 1

24 Elbert County News

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