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Week of July 28, 2022
ELBERT COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
ElbertCountyNews.net
VOLUME 127 | ISSUE 24
Challenge on horizon for local business Cowgirlz Coffee Company banks on community ties, personal touch BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Members of the Rocky Mountain Scottish Athletes gather at the Elizabeth Celtic Festival.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ELIZABETH CELTIC FESTIVAL
Celtic Festival returns to Elizabeth Events and clans are highlights of weekend BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Elizabeth held its annual Celtic Festival at Casey Jones Park on July 16 and 17 for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event drew attendees from across Denver’s south metro area, as well as several food vendors, merchants and representatives from Colorado’s Scottish and Irish clans. This year, price of admission was increased for attendees due to the sale of land from the Jones family to the Elizabeth Park and Recreation District. According to the SEE FESTIVAL, P2
INSIDE: CALENDAR: PAGE 7 | VOICES: PAGE 8
It is no secret that Elizabeth area is currently experiencing rapid growth and development. It is likely that the area will see similar development for decades to come. One concern among many Elizabeth residents is how the influx of new chain businesses will impact small “mom and pop” shops, some of which are longstanding local institutions. Recently, the Elbert County News caught up with Barbara Riggins, owner of Cowgirlz Coffee Company located off Highway 86 across from Sonic. During a July 11 interview at her coffee hut, Riggins talked about several aspects of her small business, including how she feels it may be impacted by the incoming development. Her one-woman business will face new competition when Ziggi’s Coffee, a fast-growing, Longmont-based regional coffee company, opens in the developing Wild Pointe Marketplace. The new coffee shop is currently under construction directly next to the Taco Bell east of Walmart and will likely be completed by the end of 2022. Riggins is confident that businesses like hers can thrive, or at least
Children show off their face paintings at the Elizabeth Celtic Festival.
SEE COWGIRLZ COFFEE, P15
Evergreen Jazz Festival Big Talent! Small Venues! Great Setting!
Dancers Welcome!
Free Parking!
EvergreenJazz.org 303-697-5467
July 29, 30 & 31
2 Elbert County News
July 28, 2022
FESTIVAL FROM PAGE 1
An attendee wears a flower crown at the Elizabeth Celtic Festival. PHOTO COURTESY OF JONATHAN CLARK
Merchants and artisan booths were set up throughout Casey Jones Park for the Elizabeth Celtic Festival. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ELIZABETH CELTIC FESTIVAL
A band performs at the Elizabeth Celtic Festival in Casey Jones Park. PHOTO COURTESY OF JONATHAN CLARK
Athletes perform in the Scottish Highland Games at the Elizabeth Celtic Festival. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ELIZABETH CELTIC FESTIVAL
An alpaca chills in air conditioning at the Elizabeth Celtic Festival.
Nearly thirty clan tents were set up for this year’s Elizabeth Celtic Festival.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ELIZABETH CELTIC FESTIVAL
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ELIZABETH CELTIC FESTIVAL
H PS
in the
HANGAR Join us for one of Denver’s most unique beer festivals with 20 local breweries!
Elves and faeries could be found throughout the Elizabeth Celtic Festival. PHOTO COURTESY OF JONATHAN CLARK
SSATURDAY ATURDAY
AUGUST 6, 2022 M -- 99 :: 00 00 PP M M 66 :: 00 00 PP M
Learn more and get tickets at:
WingsMuseum.org/Hops Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum - 7711 East Academy Blvd, Denver, CO 80230
Scotch eggs, one of the many foods available at the Elizabeth Celtic Festival. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ELIZABETH CELTIC FESTIVAL
Elizabeth Celtic Festival website, it was necessary in order to keep the festival in the long run and to keep in step with the other Celtic festivals in Colorado. The highlight of the weekend was the abundance of Scottish and Irish-themed events. Events included the Scottish Highland Games, living history reenactments, and several competitions (highland dance, solo piping and drumming, and pipe band competitions). Attendees were also able to participate in several activities and watch themed shows and presentations. These included the Children’s Glenn, pubs, Bonnie Knees contest, local music, and Dogs of the British Isles. Another big highlight of the event was the long row of Scottish and Irish Clan tents set up during the event. Most clans or Celtic organizations are associated with a surname (like MacDuff or Ramsay). At the tents, attendees can learn about the history of the clans, and possibly learn more about their own families. Twenty-eight clans were present at this year’s event. This is below the average of 40 clans that usually attend the event. This is likely due to COVID-19 and this being the first year back after pandemic shutdowns. Within Casey Jones Park, 22 merchants lined their tents along the merchants’ row to sell their wares throughout the festival. One of the merchants was Elevated Expressions Co., a 3D printing company that sells dragons, animals and other creatures, many of which are articulated and flexible, serving as fidget toys. In a short email correspondence from July 18, owner Chelsey Hamlin of Elizabeth shared her thoughts on the Elizabeth Celtic Festival. “It was our first time ever going to a Celtic festival but we had so much fun. We were able to see the parades, people watch, and also see some of the competitions from our booth location,” said Hamlin. “Everyone was so positive and happy to support each other. Many people had questions about how we print or what we use to print. Since the festival was not very crowded, we were able to answer questions and have conversations with most of the patrons. We will definitely be returning next year.” For more information on the Elizabeth Celtic Festival, future events, and volunteer information, visit elizabethcelticfest.org. To learn more about Elevated Expressions, visit elevatedexpressionco.com.
Elbert County News 3
July 28, 2022
2022
PRESENTS
Holiday Craft Show & Mini-Market
s
t
-
e
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 28, 2022
Dems spent $4 million to influence GOP primary Senate Majority PAC, tied to Chuck Schumer, spent big in Colorado BY SANDRA FISH THE COLORADO SUN
The Senate Majority PAC, a group aligned with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, was behind the shadowy, $4 million campaign to encourage voters in Colorado’s Republican primary for U.S. Senate last month to back state Rep. Ron Hanks. Hanks, an election conspiracist and hard-line conservative, lost by a wide margin to Joe O’Dea, a first-time candidate and the owner of a Denver construction company. O’Dea faces Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet in November. The Senate Majority PAC, known as SMP, was the lone donor to Democratic Colorado, another super PAC that spent millions on TV and digital ads boosting Hanks’ profile and attacking O’Dea. SMP’s link to Democratic Colorado was revealed in a campaign finance filing Wednesday night. Democratic Colorado also closed its account with the Federal
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
Election Commission on Wednesday and returned about $3,000 to SMP, further proof that the group was formed for the sole purpose of influencing Colorado’s Republican primary. Democratic Colorado’s organizers were so keen on keeping their funders secret that their address was listed as a UPS Store in Denver’s Cherry Creek North neighborhood. If it weren’t for the PAC’s name it might have been unclear which political party the group was linked to. “We saw two deeply flawed candidates running against each other, so we worked to weaken both their campaigns,” JB Poersch, president of Senate Majority PAC, told The Colorado Sun
year,” Poersch said in his statement, celebrating the campaign as a success. Democratic Colorado’s campaign wasn’t the only effort undertaken by Democratic groups to help Hanks and more extreme Republican candidates in other races. Those advertising campaigns also failed in Colorado’s highly competitive new 8th Congressional District and in the GOP primary for governor. It’s still unclear who sent some mailers targeting O’Dea and favoring Hanks. O’Dea filed a federal lawsuit over the mailers last month, but that legal action likely won’t be concluded until after the Nov. 8 election. Colorado is one of several states where Democratic groups are funding ads promoting the most extreme or controversial GOP candidates, theorizing they’d be the easiest for Democrats to defeat in the general election in November. Republicans have deployed similar tactics in Colorado and across the country in previous election cycles.
for U.S. Senate in Colorado to support former Gov. John Hickenlooper over former House Speaker Andrew Romanoff. Hickenlooper won the primary and went on to beat Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner in the general election. Democratic Colorado’s ad campaign this year painted Hanks as the most conservative candidate in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in the apparent hope that he would be more appealing to GOP voters. The idea behind the initiative was that Hanks would be easier for Bennet to beat in November. SMP released a statement after O’Dea won the primary June 28 calling him too conservative and criticizing him for “racing to the right” during the primary. While Democratic Colorado’s preferred candidate may not have won, O’Dea and his supporters spent millions to ensure O’Dea would win. As a result, O’Dea was at a major cash disadvantage to Bennet heading into July. “National Republicans are now saddled with propping up a not ready for prime-time candidate in Joe O’Dea, who has less money in the bank today than he did at the beginning of the
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in a written statement. Sign up here to get The Unaffiliated, our twice-weekly newsletter on Colorado politics and policy. Each edition is filled with exclusive news, analysis and other behind-the-scenes information you won’t find anywhere else. Subscribe today to see what all the buzz is about. Dark-money nonprofit Majority Forward, which doesn’t legally have to disclose its donors, is a major contributor to SMP, at $28 million of the group’s $65 million raised this election cycle through June 30, per federal reports. Majority Forward is the same nonprofit that fueled a $1.5 million campaign in the 2020 Democratic primary
Colorado Sun staff writer Jesse Paul contributed to this report.
COLORADO’S POWER PATHWAY EASTERN REVIEW AREA OPEN HOUSES Please join us to provide input on Segment 5 Eastern Review Area transmission line route and substation site options Colorado’s Power Pathway is a $1.7 to $2 billion investment to improve the state’s electric grid and enable future renewable energy development around the state. The project will span more than a dozen counties, primarily in eastern Colorado, and include:
LOGAN
Greeley
WELD
Fort St. Vrain LARIMER
PHILLIPS
MORGAN 76
Canal Crossing
25
Pawnee
YUMA
Fort Morgan
36
76
25
ADAMS
DENVER
Denver
AR APAHOE
Harvest Mile JEFFERSON
Up to 650 miles of new 345-kilovolt double-circuit transmission line
First segments in-service by 2025, with other segments complete in 2026 and 2027
Limon
Burlington
70
25 24 TELLER
24
KIT CARSON
40
Segment 5: Tundra – Harvest Mile
Monument
Goose Creek CHEYENNE
Colorado Springs
Segment 3: Goose Creek – May Valley
LINCOLN
287
Segment 4: Eads May Valley – Tundra
50
Tundra
Thursday, Aug. 4 3 -7 p.m. Karval Community Building 29085 County Rd S Karval, CO 80823
KANSAS
COLORADO
EL PASO
FREMONT
Colorado’s Power Pathway will deliver significant economic benefits to rural communities across eastern and southern Colorado over the short- and long-term. More immediately, project construction will require substantial amounts of contract labor, while also providing local jurisdictions and host communities with additional tax revenues and potential new job creation and investment opportunities.
70
ELBERT
KIOWA
May Valley
CROWLEY
Pueblo CUSTER
385 50
Lamar
Las Animas
PUEBLO
25
OTERO
BENT
350 HUERFANO Existing Substation
Extension: May Valley – Longhorn (optional)
New Substation
PROWERS
Longhorn
Walsenburg
Focus Area
287
160
LAS ANIMAS
Eastern Review Area
BACA
Springfield
Substation Siting Area
21-08-410
Four new and four expanded substations
Castle Rock DOUGLAS
OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE Wednesday, Aug. 3 3 -7 p.m. Limon Community Building 477 D Ave Limon, CO 80828
Wray
Segment 2: Canal Crossing – Goose Creek
WASHINGTON 36
225
70
Yuma
Segment 1: Fort St. Vrain – Canal Crossing
BOULDER
NEBRASKA
Landowners and members of the public located in the Segment 5 Eastern Review Area, please join us at one of our upcoming in-person public open houses to learn about our routing and siting process and provide feedback about the proposed transmission line route and substation site options. Project staff will be available to provide information about transmission line routing activities and answer questions about the new transmission line project, including the overall timeline, route options, construction processes and topics related to easements and right-of-way. We want to hear from you about this important project and any factors we should consider in your
ABOUT THE PROJECT
COLORADO
Xcel Energy continues to make progress identifying the preferred transmission line route for Segment 5 (Tundra – Harvest Mile) of Colorado’s Power Pathway. We have received a large amount of feedback from landowners and other stakeholders on Segment 5 route options which we continue to evaluate. Based on this feedback, we are now evaluating potential additional route options in eastern Elbert County and western Lincoln County. A preferred route has not been finalized, nor have we stopped considering existing Segment 5 route options in Pueblo, El Paso, Elbert and Arapahoe counties. Your input is needed on the newly identified route options.
FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit ColoradosPowerPathway.com or scan the QR code to learn more. Contact us at 855-858-9037 or ColoradosPowerPathway@xcelenergy.com if you have questions or need assistance. Si necesita asistencia o información en español, por favor contáctenos directamente al 855-858-9037 o ColoradosPowerPathway@xcelenergy.com. xcelenergy.com | © 2022 Xcel Energy Inc. | Xcel Energy is a registered trademark of Xcel Energy Inc.
Elbert County News 5
July 28, 2022
Medicaid numbers up in Colorado since COVID No one has lost benefits since start of pandemic more than two years ago BY JENNIFER BROWN THE COLORADO SUN
In normal times, about 35,000 people drop off the government health insurance plan for the needy each month, usually because someone in their household got a new job and they no longer qualify. But since the coronavirus pandemic, and a federal public health emergency declaration more than two years ago, no one has lost their Medicaid benefits. Colorado has added nearly 500,000 people to its Medicaid rolls since early 2020, an increase of 32%. The latest extension of the federal order — which says that states can cut no one off the Medicaid rolls during the global crisis, whether they are eligible or not — is set to expire Oct. 13. Another 90-day extension is likely, considering there’s an election in November and coronavirus numbers have typically surged in the fall, but states are gearing up now to avoid surprise losses of health insurance for hundreds of thousands of people. “None of this is supposed to be a
surprise,” said Ralph Choate, chief operating officer for the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, which includes the Medicaid division. “There are no gotchas in here. These are people’s lives and their health care.” The department, in its annual stakeholder meeting July 19, outlined a plan to make sure anyone who is still eligible for Medicaid doesn’t get kicked off the program when the public health emergency expires. And state officials estimate there are 455,593 people enrolled in Medicaid who likely would not meet eligibility requirements today, though many of them will likely qualify for some other form of benefits such as the state’s child health plan. The crux of the plan is a communication blast — planned for late summer and fall — asking the 1.65 million people on Medicaid in Colorado to make sure the program has their current contact information. “I hope we go through this whole thing and never have somebody that goes, ‘Wait, wait, but I should have responded,’” Choate said. “I’m so hoping we don’t have that.” Everyone on Medicaid is required to fill out paperwork each year before their coverage anniversary date, information used to deterSEE MEDICAID, P6
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.
Clean up and reduce wildfire risk Now is the time to clean up tree limbs, shrubs and brush from your property and reduce your wildfire risk. Dispose of them at the County’s slash-mulch site, 1400 Caprice Drive in Castle Rock. Open Saturdays-only from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October. For more information, visit douglas.co.us and search for Slash.
Skip the trip - motor vehicle services just a click away Renew your driver license or motor vehicle registration and more from the convenience of your smartphone, tablet, desktop or laptop. You can also renew vehicle registrations at MVExpress kiosks. Find information at DouglasDrives.com
Do you need a copy of a birth or death certificate? Records can be obtained in-person by visiting the the Douglas County Health Department at 410 S Wilcox St. No appointments are necessary. Or, visit douglas.co.us and search for Vital Records for ways to obtain records online, by mail or by email.
Find new employment opportunities
STAY STRONG
with KNOWLEDGE • with RESOURCES with a BOOSTER
Go to the medical professionals you know and trust Find information about COVID-19 booster shots and other resources for older adults at
c4a-colorado.org 1.844.265.2372
Whether you’re a young person looking for career guidance, have recently been separated from a job or are considering a new career path, Arapahoe/Douglas Works! provides a variety of no-cost employment assistance services. For more information and to get started visit
adworks.org
Questions about road projects in your area? Roads are a necessity and they have to be maintained. Here’s where you’ll find everything you need to know about them all. Visit DouglasRoadWork.com to find out what’s going on in your neighborhood.
Visit douglas.co.us
6 Elbert County News
July 28, 2022
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mine whether they are eligible for another year. Colorado has been asking people to file the income and health information throughout the pandemic, even though no one will lose coverage. People who didn’t have a job in 2020 and qualified for Medicaid, but now have a job and no longer qualify, receive notice after the annual review that they are only receiving benefits because of the public health emergency. So, state officials say, no one should be caught off guard. The problem is, about 25%30% of people neglected to participate in their annual revalidation process, either because they never got around to it or perhaps because they feared they could lose coverage once they reported a change in income. The federal government has promised a 60-day notice of when the public health emergency will expire. Once it does, Colorado Medicaid officials face a 14-month process of notifying every participant 60 days ahead of their re-enrollment date that this time, they must show they are eligible or potentially lose coverage. While the department is estimating that more than 455,000 might no longer be eligible, an exact number is difficult to determine. Part of the reason is because of Colorado’s high number of seasonal workers, especially those in the skiing, rafting and tourism industry.
Medicaid enrollment continues to increase in Colorado.
“There are a lot of folks here in Colorado, they have a job, don’t have a job, have a job, don’t have a job,” Choate said. “They’ve been going back and forth, in some cases for years,” on Medicaid eligibility. The goal is to keep people on Medicaid if they qualify, and to offer reduced benefits to others if they fit the criteria. For example, Colorado recently passed a law that says people are eligible for Medicaid for a full year following a pregnancy, instead of the prior timeline of three months. Those who do not qualify for any benefits will get linked to Connect for Health Colorado, where they can purchase health insurance through the state marketplace. The annual income limit for a family of four to qualify for Medicaid is about $35,000, while the income limit is $69,000 to qualify for the state’s child health plan. Colorado is in better shape than some states that did not go through the annual revalidation process during the pandemic, state officials said. The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing’s government-funded insurance programs, including Medicaid, Child
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Health Plan Plus and an indigentcare program, cover about one in four state residents. The $14.2 billion program also boasts that it has increased the number of medical and mental health providers who accept Medicaid clients, now totaling 95,000. Among those, more than 10,000 are mental health and substance abuse counselors, about 1,100 of which began accepting Medicaid in the last year, according to the department. Two-thirds of all telehealth appointments covered by Medicaid are behavioral health appointments, officials said. Medicaid officials said they now have new systems in place to manage enrollment policies during public health emergencies. “I think we have to operate under the assumption that there is going to be a next time,” Choate said.
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 7
July 28, 2022
powered by
Thu 8/04 Cooking with Elle
Featured
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@ 3pm Aug 4th - Aug 25th Heather Gardens Clubhouse, 2888 S. Heather Gardens Way, Aurora
Featured Douglas County Carnival Wristband - ONLINE ONLY @ 8am / $30 Douglas County Fairgrounds, 500 Fairgrounds Dr, Castle Rock
Yacht Rock Revue @ 5:30pm Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd, En‐ glewood
Last Train To Juarez: Blu Note Bar & Grill, Solar Circle, Parker, CO, USA
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Jenny Shawhan: Glenmoor Country Club @ 5pm Glenmoor Country Club, 110 Glen‐ moor Dr, Englewood
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Mon 8/08 Little Puffs Sailing Camp | Week 10 @ 8am / $467 Aug 8th - Aug 12th Cherry Creek Reservoir, 4800 S Dayton St, Greenwood Village. 303-757-7718
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British Fare (16+) @ 11pm PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker
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Neil Z Douglas County PRCA Rough Stock Event @ 6pm / $18-$28 Douglas County Fairgrounds, 500 Fairgrounds Dr, Castle Rock
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8 Elbert County News
LOCAL
July 28, 2022
VOICES
No such thing as ‘The Media’
I
borrowed this week’s title from a long-ago colleague. Many years ago, he tried to stress the point that people referring to “The Media” is not quite accurate. Today, that statement is truer than ever. In reading articles and information about our FROM THE industry, we often hear “The Media,” especially when we are being put down for the state and EDITOR attitude of the nation. Here’s where I am going with this — There is no such thing as “The Media” because an organization like Colorado Community Media and a CNN, FOX News or New York Times are not alike at all. Television, radio, major news stations and major newspapers are not all made of the same cloth. Mainstream media and the small-town Thelma Grimes newspaper, which I will argue are more valuable today than ever, are nothing alike and the reporters doing the work are completely different. Over the last week, I read an interesting article where a journalist even says she is sick of the news and listened to a radio show that talked about just how tired of news the average American is. I have to say, I agree. Over the last few years, my news consumption has decreased tremendously. I rarely go near television news at all anymore. Here’s where the discussion gets interesting. Some who are talking about this topic are saying it happened during the pandemic when Americans just got tired of all of it. On a local radio show, the host recently talked about what happened to “The Media” when Donald Trump was elected president. Was it the pandemic or Donald Trump? I think the reasoning in both cases have valid points. I think Bill Maher said it best about the pandemic when he said at some point media coverage on COVID became more about “scaring the sh#$ out of people” over informing and reporting. There is some truth to that. Instead of reading and listening to commentary about the pandemic, I paid attention to local information and turned to the well-done data chart NPR created that just showed numbers on how each state was doing. Then, we have the Donald Trump effect. The former president did the media and nation no favors. The media became like a dog with a bone, covering every aspect of Trump’s unconventional way of leading this nation. Agree with the former president or not, I would argue with anyone telling me the media did a great job during his four years in office. Look at the Hunter Biden situation, I have a hard time believing that mainstream media would have ignored this story as much as they have if the name behind the investigation was Trump Jr. The problem with the pandemic and Trump’s presidency is the distrust in the media has grown, the divide in this country is huge and the impact is felt on media companies like CCM, where we are more worried about what your local city council and school board is doing than we are about whatever Biden’s press secretary said today. As distrust mounts and we are blamed for “The Media,” newspapers nationwide are closing and creating what is being referred to as “news deserts.” CNN and Fox News will weather the storm, speaking to their respective audiences who tune in to hear what they want to hear. However, once the local, community newspaper is no longer available, learning what local council members are doing, where your local tax dollars are going and why in the world the lanes are closed for construction again on Broadway — will no longer be available to you. Bottom line, don’t lump your local, community newspaper in with your disdain for “The Media.” Instead, we ask that you support us as we continue to build and grow to serve 24 communities along the Front Range. 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
Lighting the way
M
any people have a fascination with lighthouses, for some of us, it is even an obsession. Over the years I have visited many lighthouses myself and also WINNING have a small collection of miniature lighthousWORDS es to remind me of a few of my favorites that I had a chance to see and climb. We are attracted to lighthouses for our own reasons, some love the dramatic coastline where the lighthouse is situated, and others Michael Norton enjoy visiting because it speaks to them of a time gone by while connecting them with their own past. For many families, the lighthouse is a tradition as they plan vacations to the shores and lighthouses they have yet to see. They are really extraordinary structures with amazing stories of how each came to be. The earliest known lighthouse was Egypt’s Pharos of Alexandria built in 280 BC, with a huge open fire at the top and stood 450 feet tall. When I think about the history, nostalgia, and individual meaning and significance that the lighthouse holds, I am reminded of their primary purpose. The lighthouse was designed and built to keep ships from becoming beached in the shallow waters or crashing into the rocky coasts. Instead, ships avoided being shipwrecked and were guided safely into the harbor. They were invented to light the way for ships at sea. We may not be at sea, but we could still be adrift. As we consider what we use in our own life to light the way, many of us are grounded in our values and beliefs and we use those to guide our steps and decision making. Others find something
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that is their North Star, something whether a virtue or value, that they follow in good times and when times get tough, keeping them on the right path. And then there are those who rely on their principles and strong moral compass. And yet for others, they struggle because they have yet to connect with their values, beliefs, virtues, their North Star, or moral compass. They struggle because they have yet to find what lights their way. As we worked on developing a new leadership program, one of our consultants, Bryan Price, Ph.D., shared a concept that I had heard before, but hardly ever thought about again until now. The concept is this, it’s about someone holding a candle, and how they can in turn light the candles of others around them. And then those people could continue to light the candles of even more people. As we thought about leadership, it would take a long time for a leader to visit each and every person in their company or on their team to inspire them or individually show them the way, but if they lit the way for a few, those few can then go and replicate the same effect throughout the organization or team. If you have ever been to any candlelight service or vigil, you may have been the first one to light the candle and then pass the flame along to others. Or, someone may have lit your candle first, and then you shared the flame and light with others. Before we know it, the entire room, area, or church is completely lit up because we all shared the light with the person next to us. Now, just imagine it isn’t a lighthouse showing some captain the way around the rocks, or a candlelight service in church or candlelight vigil being held
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, P9 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 9
July 28, 2022
Community invited to celebrate Colorado Day STAFF REPORT
History Colorado is inviting the community to celebrate our state’s 146th birthday with a free, familyfriendly event on Aug. 1. The celebration will highlight the things that make Colorado, Colorado — including the animals, experiences, cultures, items and history, states a news release. Colorado Day takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the History Colorado Center, 1200 N. Broadway in Denver. At the Colorado History Center, attendees will get to explore the museum’s four floors of exhibits, including “Colorado Stories,” “Denver A-Z,” “Living West” and “Rainbows & Revolutions.” More information on these exhibits can be found on History Colorado’s website. Special events, interactive exhibits and additional entertainment for Colorado Day includes gold panning, face painting, arts and crafts, popcorn and snow cones, chalk artists, an alpaca petting zoo and mini-horses, appearances by mascots of Colorado’s pro sports teams, Tahitian dance performances, bullwhip cracking and trick roping
NORTON FROM PAGE 8
outside somewhere. Imagine that the light is each one of us, and that we have the ability to light the way for others. And what if we just lit a couple candles each day for those around us? The compounding impact of this would be tremendously amazing. How about you? Has someone lit
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demonstrations, and musical guests including taiko drummers, Flint Datino and Brothers of Brass. History Colorado is a nonprofit that got its start 143 years ago. Today, it operates 11 museums and historic sites throughout the state, a free public research center, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation and the History Colorado State Historical Fund. To learn more about History Colorado, visit historycolorado.org. Parking for the History Colorado Center is available at meters along Broadway, and in the Art Garage, 1268 Lincoln St.; and the Cultural Center Complex Garage, 65 W. 12th Ave. Several RTD transit routes also serve the museum. History Colorado Center’s Colorado Day celebration is free to attend, but registration is required. To RSVP, visit tinyurl.com/ColoradoDay. The nearby Center for Colorado Women’s History, 1310 Bannock St., which is a History Colorado museum within a historic house, is also offering free admission on Colorado Day. To learn more about this museum, visit historycolorado.org/ center-colorado-womens-history.
the way for you? Have you tried and maybe even enjoyed lighting the way for others? I would love to hear your story at mnorton@xinnix. com, and when we can be a living, breathing lighthouse for others, we really can make it 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.
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Colorado Community Media welcomes e 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. e • Letters should be exclusively submitted to p 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. • 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 later than 12 days before 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.
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History Colorado is inviting the community to celebrate the state’s birthday with a COURTESY OF HISTORY COLORADO CENTER free event on Aug. 1.
OBITUARIES OHLSON
Nina Mae (McCausland) Ohlson July 23, 1928 - July 19, 2022
Nina passed away on July 19, 2022, at the age of 93. She was born in Kiowa, Colorado on July 23, 1928, and graduated from Kiowa High School. Nina married Wendell Banks Ohlson on Sept 4, 1946 and was one half of a wonderful marriage and partnership until Wendell’s passing in 2001. Nina is survived by all of her children: Jill McGuire (Jim), Nancy Pasquariello (Mike), Robert Ohlson (Tori) and Lisa McMillen (Greg). Nina finished her life living in Emmett, ID near her son Bob and treasured daughter-in-law Tori, but in addition to Kiowa, CO lived in Reno, NV and Aurora, CO. She developed dear friendships in all of these locations and will be missed. Although Nina worked many years at Reno High School and in the Washoe County School District, her life’s work was being a Mom, not just to her own children but to many others who needed either a little or a lot of extra care and attention. Whether friends or neighbors’ children, or children she encountered in the school district, Nina had an ability to quickly find rapport and a way to
emotionally support kids. Many will hear of her passing and remember a special moment – or more – that she provided. Interestingly, she could do the same for all of our pets, who would find her and sit with her whenever she entered a room. Nina lived through the Great Depression and developed a life-long sense of saving that served her well. She and Wendell raised their children with a similar style and provided them the tools to support themselves as they grew. Nina loved to sing and travel and most recently made a trip to see the Oregon coast with her family. The family would like to thank the staff of The Cottages of Emmett, Meadow View Assisted Living, Valor Health, and Ancora Hospice for their kindness and support. Private family service will be held on Thursday, July 28th. If desired, donations in her name can be provide to: Friends of Man.org
In Loving Memory Place an Obituary for Your Loved One. 303-566-4100 obituaries@coloradocommunitymedia.com Self placement available online at elbertcountynews.net
10 Elbert County News
July 28, 2022
Energy czar, wife recovering after 1,000-foot fall Rocky Mountain National Park was scene of terrifying event for Colorado pair BY JASON BLEVINS THE COLORADO SUN
Will Toor was thinking he was at the end. He was pretty sure his leg was broken. He was shivering uncontrollably in the snow high in the mountains. He’d watched his injured wife limp away to get help two hours earlier. Every few minutes he’d holler for help. Then, in the distance, he saw two climbers coming his way. “That was just a wonderful sight,” said the 61-year-old Toor, who works as the head of the Colorado Energy Office. When climbers Markian Feduschak and Riley Gaines heard Toor’s faint calls, they rallied. “I’m glad he yelled for help and I’m glad we were there,” said Feduschak, an accomplished Eagle mountaineer who earlier this month helped rescue Toor from a snowy mountainside in Rocky Mountain National Park. “It’s questionable how he would have done alone for a night up there.” After Toor and his wife, Mariella Colvin, tumbled nearly 1,000 vertical feet down an icy couloir, Toor had a broken femur. Colvin, 59, had nine broken ribs, fractured
Rocky Mountain National Park, here in a warm-weather scene, is where Colorado’s energy czar and his wife were injured. PHOTO BY HART VAN DENBURG/CPR NEWS
vertebrae and a broken sternum but still bushwhacked over talus and downed trees to reach campers almost 2 miles away. Of course neither of them knew the extent of their injuries as Colvin went for help. Now, as they face a long recovery with a good prognosis, Toor said they are reflecting on “our heroes.” “I don’t think I’d be here if it wasn’t for them,” he said from his rehab hospital room where he and Colvin will remain for at least another week. “I’m still kind of
having trouble believing it actually happened and I definitely have moments when I’m like ‘Why did this have to happen?’ But mostly, mostly I feel lucky. So lucky.” Tumbling, confusion and a scream It was about 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 10, when Toor and Colvin reached the bottom of the snowpacked Ptarmigan Fingers couloirs on the north face of Flattop Mountain above Lake Helene in the center of Rocky Mountain National Park. They had hiked about
4 miles to the alpine basin from the trailhead after entering the park at 8 a.m. They climbed the western couloir last summer and were eyeing the easternmost chute, which climbs about 1,200 vertical feet, with a steep section at the top, but no overhanging cornice. They were wearing helmets and crampons and carried ice axes. Their packs held extra layers, food and water. The snow was good and they climbed pretty much straight SEE FALL, P11
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Elbert County News 11
July 28, 2022
FALL FROM PAGE 10
up. After a couple hours, Toor pulled himself up the steep exit onto flat snow. Colvin was a bit below. “Things get fuzzy from here,” he said. He recalls tumbling. And confusion, because he was done climbing. He remembers hearing his wife scream. He tried to self-arrest with his ice tools, but the fall was violent. He stopped sliding about 100 feet from the bottom of the couloir. He wasn’t able to move, with sharp pain in his right leg. Colvin clad Toor in extra layers and said she’d go for help. “I saw her walk away and she is incredibly tough,” Toor said. “The only thing she said was her back was a little bit sore and she thought she maybe broke her wrist. I watched her walk away and she looked like she was in decent shape. Which was a huge relief to me.” Feduschak and Gaines had spent the morning on a multi-pitched technical ascent of Notchtop Mountain. They were scrambling down the peak to their daypacks in the basin below the Ptarmigan Couloirs when they heard someone yelling for help. It was about 3:30 p.m. when Gaines hustled over to Toor and wrapped the shivering climber in his jacket. When Feduschak arrived a few minutes later they tucked more layers beneath Toor and the snow. A third climber showed up and they gently lifted Toor into a trench they dug in
the snow and lined with their packs. Feduschak and Gaines are certified wilderness first responders. Feduschak is a veteran climber and ski mountaineer who spent years as an Outward Bound instructor and is president of the Walking Mountains Science Center in Edwards. Gaines is an instructor at the center. Feduschak was able to reach his wife on his mobile, who then called the National Park Service to initiate a rescue. Gaines triggered the SOS rescue feature on his satellite-connected device, and park rescuers responded with a plan to be there in about three hours. Then they waited, even huddling over Toor to protect him during a brief storm of rain and sleet. Feduschak said they were worried about hypothermia and were prepared to move Toor off the snow if the rescuers were going to be any longer. They chose to leave him in place, worried that movement could displace a broken bone and cause internal bleeding. “Will was a trouper. I know he was in tremendous pain but he was alert and oriented … that kind of reassured us that while it was an emergency, I felt like if we could get him out of there before dark he would be OK,” Feduschak said. They kept Toor talking, worried he may have struck his head in the fall. Feduschak knew of Toor but they had never met. His career in outdoor education — and service on the board of Energy Smart Colorado — aligned with Toor’s push for SEE FALL, P12
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12 Elbert County News
July 28, 2022
C R O S S W O R D FALL P U Z Z L E FROM PAGE 11
renewable and sustainable energy at the Colorado Energy Office. “We talked a little shop,” Feduschak said. Two paramedics from Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue’s “hasty team” arrived after a couple hours. They called in a Colorado National Guard Black Hawk helicopter from Buckley Space Force Base. The helicopter hovered and lowered paramedics who loaded Toor into a litter. By 8 p.m., he was on his way to Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland. Members of the park’s search and rescue team also reached Colvin at Odessa Lake, where campers had heard her cries for help. Rescuers spent the night with Colvin and a helicopter with Northern Colorado Med Evac rushed her to the hospital the next morning. 49 missions so far this year Rocky Mountain National Park rescuers have been on 49 rescue missions so far this year. Some have involved fatalities, including the deaths in May of a climber caught in an avalanche on Mount Meeker and a woman who fell into Adams Falls. That is pacing similarly to last year, when the team responded to 120 incidents and the park logged 4.4 million visits. In 2020, when the park was closed for more than two months during the pandemic, visitation fell to 3.3 million visits and the rescuers responded to 114 incidents. In 2019, when the park counted a record 4.7million visits, the search and rescue team answered 142 calls for help. This summer the park continued a timed-entry system it launched in 2021. The program requires visitors to schedule and reserve windows of time to enter the park. Toor said he wanted to start earlier but was only able to secure an 8 a.m. entry reservation. Feduschak and Gaines, who ascended a much more technical route, entered the park before the timed entry system starts at 5 a.m. “Eight was a late start, but we didn’t quite have the oomph to get in before the 5 a.m. cutoff,” Toor
said. “Maybe we just need to suck it up and get there before 5 a.m.” Mountaineers tend to start early. Hiking before dawn helps climbers reach summits before afternoon storms roll in or warmer temperatures impact snow stability. (Toor and Colvin were not late to the summit of their short climb and there is no indication that weather or midday temperatures played a role in the collapse of the block where they were summiting.) “Our experience has been the majority of mountaineers and climbers start before the timed-entry permit system and their decision on when to start is based on making appropriate choices based on the conditions listed above for alpine routes,” park spokeswoman Kyle Patterson said, noting that most climbers start alpine routes in the park around 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. “This sort of restores your faith in people” Colorado adventurers know that offering aid could be part of just about every outing. While the state’s robust crews of volunteer rescuers live ready to respond at a moment’s notice, it’s those already in the wild who are likely to be the first responders to a call for help. Toor has a long list of people he wants to thank. Like Jennifer Perlow and Chris Stevens, the campers who gave up their tent and sleeping bag and tended to Colvin before rescuers arrived at Odessa Lake. And the campers who found Colvin near the lake and guided her to the campsite. And Feduschak and Gaines. Toor said he’s shared the story with friends and colleagues about the “calm competence” of his rescuers and “it turns out everybody knows Markian and they all have tremendous respect for him.” “This sort of restores your faith in people, just seeing everybody pitch in in every way they could,” Toor said. “It’s kind of amazing when you think about it.” This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.
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COWGIRLZ COFFEE FROM PAGE 1
maintain their level of business with the influx of new development. She says small businesses that place a lot of emphasis on the community will be the ones to survive and do well. Riggins and her Cowgirlz Coffee Company have been serving the people of Elizabeth for six years. She also lives in the area and has two children who attend local schools. “We have a really great community here. I have been very fortunate and blessed to be a part of it. I definitely couldn’t do this without them. With small businesses, community is vital. It’s important to keep everything personal,” said Riggins. “I really get to know a lot of people that come through here. Some are longtime customers that I see nearly every day. I also still get new customers all the time too.” When asked if she had any concerns regarding the incoming competition, Riggins stayed firm that she believes her business will continue to thrive. “Honestly, it is what it is. Growth is everywhere and I’m really OK with it. What I’ve found is that if you take care of your customers, they will take care of you,” Riggins said. “I work to keep costs down and I also use a lot of locally sourced products and items from locally owned businesses. People like that.” Riggins also says her business has one big benefit that Ziggi’s Coffee doesn’t have: space. “For a lot of people, getting coffee is all about convenience, timing, and location,” said Riggins. “Because of the large open space surrounding Cowgirlz, I get the tractors, the buses, and things nowhere else can take. Luckily, no one has hit the building yet.” Toward the end of the interview, an extensive line of cars was making its way around the coffee hut. Riggins had detailed conversation with each patron as she made their drink, and the Elbert County News asked patrons their thoughts on Cowgirlz Coffee Company. “She brings life to our town,” said Drenda Herrick, local resident. “Even the people who don’t live here, she brings a smile. I could be having a really rough day, and she’d always touch my heart.” Only time will tell if sense of community and personal allegiance will be the elements to allow small business to thrive and survive with new development. For now, businesses like Cowgirlz Coffee Company are succeeding and the people of Elizabeth will decide what happens next.
Barbara Riggins is the owner of Cowgirlz Coffee Company.
PHOTO BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON
Ziggi’s Coffee is now under construction east of Walmart on the south side of Highway 86 and is set to open in late 2022.
Cowgirlz Coffee Company was established in 2017 and is across from Sonic on Highway 86.
The syrup wall inside the Cowgirlz Coffee Company hut offers a wide range of flavorings.
The Cowgirlz Coffee Company hut stand along the north side of Highway 86 on the west side of Elizabeth.
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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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