Elbert County News 101322

Football isn’t just for boys

Paige and Zoey Fink tackle interview questions

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

Paige and Zoey Fink are taking Elizabeth Middle School football by storm. The 12-year-old twins are in seventh grade at EMS and started playing tackle football this year.

They started their football journey on the playground in elementary school, falling in love with the sport. Going on to play for the Parker Parks and Recreation

and Elizabeth Park and Recreation districts, they’ve been on wildly successful teams, having an undefeated team and winning the championships in 2021.

More girls are playing football each year, shifting both the makeup and outward perception of the sport. Recently the Denver Broncos launched a girls high school flag football pilot program, aiming to help the sport become a sanctioned Colorado High School Activities Association sport statewide. More than 500 girls from three school districts — Cherry Creek, Denver and Jefferson County — are participating this fall.

Paige, Zoey and their parents, Jenifer and Trevor Fink, shared their thoughts with the Elbert County News for a Q&A:

Interview with Paige and Zoey Fink

Why did you decide to start playing football?

Paige: I decided to start playing football because I thought it was very fun. It is also different from what most girls do. I also like to prove people wrong.

Zoey: I decided to start playing football because I love the sport

Kiowa Schools seeking tax hike

Money would go toward replacing outdated facility

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

On Nov. 8, the Elbert County School District C-2 (Kiowa) School Board will be asking voters in the district to approve a tax increase that would go toward funding a brand new K-12 school building.

The Kiowa School Board will also seek a BEST Grant (Building Excellent Schools Today) through the Colorado Department of Education. The BEST Grant program supports capital investments in public schools around the state but requires school districts to provide partial fi nancial contribution. The tax increase would go toward funding the issuance of a new bond to pay for the district’s portion of the project.

The district says the monthly tax on residential property would increase by $9.20 per $100,000 assessed value ($110.44 per year). The tax increase would only impact residents within the ECSD C-2 school district. Commercial and agricultural property will also see an increase in tax at different rates (see infographic).

• The total project budget is approximately $62 million

• Kiowa would pay approximately 17%, or $10.6 million

• The State of Colorado would pay approximately 83%, or $51.4 million

Paige and Zoey Fink smile following one of their Elizabeth Middle School football games.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JENIFER FINK

ThunderRidge High School Academic Showcase

ThunderRidge High School Academic Showcase

The Kiowa Schools campus has several aging buildings, the oldest being built in the 1950s. Several structural issues have raised safety concerns including failing mechanical systems and structural integrity. Issues include leaky roofi ng, water damage, and general water infi ltration through windows, doors and walls. The majority of the schools’ electrical systems are original, and heating/ cooling systems are ineffi cient and often fail. The current campus also sits in a FEMAdesignated fl ood plain.

In November 2021, the school board, in collaboration with the Colorado Department of Education, produced a master plan to study and assess the current conditions of the schools. The study concluded that the cost of improvements would be approximately $35 million. The board then determined that building a new structure would be a better use of taxpayer dollars.

ThunderRidge High School

ThunderRidge High School Academic Showcase

Our Vision:

High School Academic Showcase

Grizzlies by fostering curiosity, compassion, courage, community, and service!”

hunderRidge High School invites all prospective students and their families

attend

Academic Showcase.

This event is intended to provide a snapshot of all the academic pathways offered at ThunderRidge High School. Attendees will see how students excel, and be introduced to our many academic and extracurriculars at our exceptional International Baccalaureate World School.

This event is intended to provide a snapshot of all the academic pathways offered at ThunderRidge High School. Attendees will

how students excel, and be introduced to our many academic and extracurriculars at our exceptional International Baccalaureate World School.

Vision:

Grizzlies by fostering curiosity, compassion,

High School invites all prospective students and their families to attend our Academic Showcase.

Informational Sessions include:

Informational Sessions include:

Advanced Placement Courses

event is intended to provide a

Advanced Placement Courses

hunderRidge High School invites all prospective students and their families to attend our Academic Showcase.

the academic pathways o ered at underRidge High School. Attendees

see how students excel, and be introduced to our many academic and

CTE, ACC, & Dual Enrollment Courses

International Baccalaureate World School.

CTE, ACC, & Dual Enrollment Courses

Sessions

event

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

International Baccalaureate

offered

Special Education Programming & Learning Support Services

of

School.

the academic

many

Representatives will be available to discuss:

•Unique Course

Welding,

Support Services

A Kiowa School Board infographic explains the board’s plans if voters support a tax increase.

IMAGE COURTESY OF THE KIOWA SCHOOL BOARD

SEE SCHOOLS, P3

Kiowa School Board and community members gather for an April 1 meeting to discuss the preliminary planning of the potential new school. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KIOWA SCHOOL BOARD

SCHOOLS

“Overall, we decided it was the best way to spend the taxpayers’ money,” said Donnie Gabehart, Kiowa School Board president, in a phone interview from Sept. 30. “I think the school is the absolute center of the community, being a small town like it is. I believe in the long term this is the best fi x for our district.”

The newly proposed school building would be located on an empty 38-acre site already owned by the school district. The area is

It only takes one spark to change your life forever. Thankfully, it takes only seconds to sign up for free emergency notifications ensuring that you will be in the know if a wildfire is happening near you. Sign up today at douglas.co.us/CodeRed

Flu season is ahead!

For our convenience, the Castle Pines Vaccine Center is now open. Located in the old Safeway building near I-25 and Castle Pines Parkway, the vaccine clinic is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Walk-ins are welcome but appointments are recommended. Flu and COVID-19 vaccines are available. For more information, visit douglas.co.us and search for Vaccines

E-recycling: Saturday, Oct. 15

Douglas County residents may dispose of unwanted electronics free of charge at Techno Rescue, 3251 Lewiston St. in Aurora, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and occasional Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Proof of residency is required. For a list of acceptable items, Saturday drop-off dates and more, visit douglas.co.us and search Electronics Recycling.

Slash mulch site closing for the season on Oct. 29

Time is running out 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.-5 p.m. through Oct. 29. For more information, visit douglas.co.us and search for Slash

Online Tax Lien Sale Nov. 3

The annual Tax Lien Sale will be held via internet auction on Nov. 3. For guidelines and to register, visit zeusauction.com The statutory interest for the 2022 Tax Lien Sale is 12%. More information is available at douglas.co.us/treasurer or by calling 303-660-7455

Front lawn of Kiowa High School.

PHOTO

CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

Ceiling wear at Kiowa High School.

PHOTO COURTESY

KIOWA

BOARD

Cracks up to 8 inches in width exist throughout the campus parking lot.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KIOWA SCHOOL BOARD

Maintenance building ceiling damage.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE KIOWA SCHOOL BOARD

south of Highway 86, situated south of the Kiowa Fire Protection District building. The plan is to also construct a new football field, stadium and track. The current campus would be considered for repurposing or demolition.

In a Sept. 30 phone interview, Fairon Hahn, a Kiowa Middle School teacher and parent of three district students, shared her perspectives on the upcoming vote and possibility of a new Kiowa School building.

“As a parent, I want to see my children love school and learning. We love our tightknit community, and the school is the heart of the town,” said Hahn. “Currently we have two buildings on one campus. Culture is important to my family and a new school would help us grow that culture as we are planning to have one campus with all students in one building.”

As a teacher, Hahn said: “The students and community would greatly benefit from a new school because our facilities are outdated. Although we ensure safety currently, it feels as if we are constantly putting on

a Band-Aid. A new building would allow updates that permit our students to have more opportunities like a safe and adequate shop area, for example. A new school will also support the growth that is coming, whether the community wants it or not. There will be room to easily add additions as new families continue to move towards this area.”

If the voters choose to help fund the project, the school board will submit the official BEST Grant application in February 2023 and learn the results of the application in May. The bond would only be issued, and taxes would only increase, if the BEST Grant is awarded.

For more information, contact Kiowa Schools Superintendent Travis Hargreaves. He can be reached at 303-867-8421 or thargreaves@kiowaschool.org.

To see the Kiowa School District Facilities Master Plan, see the PDF document at tinyurl.com/KSDMasterplan

Corroded galvanized piping at Kiowa Elementary School.

Evidence of plumbing damage at Kiowa Middle School.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE KIOWA SCHOOL BOARD

FOOTBALL

I knew that boys play it and I wanted to show them that I could too.

Do you want to play in high school and beyond? What are your future athletic goals?

Paige: I might want to play in high school and beyond. I just want to see how next year, eighth grade goes. My future athletic goals are to hopefully keep playing football and some other sports. My favorites are track, basketball and horse show jumping.

Zoey: I want to play in high school and beyond if I don’t choose a different path. My future athletic goals are to be one of the fi rst girls to play on my high school football team. I also love basketball, track and horse show jumping. I would love to make these teams in high school and maybe even college.

How does it feel to be a girl playing a male-dominated sport?

Paige: To me, I feel very accomplished that I am able to show the boys how it’s done. I love it a lot and most boys on my team are so sweet and they support me and sister with what we are doing.

Zoey: Its feels awesome to play a male-dominated sport. There are times where boys doubt you or won’t let you play with them. But there are also some days where they trust you and believe that you can do it.

What advice do you have for other girls who want to play football?

Paige: My advice is you shouldn’t listen to anyone who tells you that you can’t play because you’re a girl. Girls are just as good, if not better (sometimes) than a lot of the boys. You just have to believe in yourself.

Zoey: My advice to girls who want to play football is, just because you’re a girl, does not mean you are not capable of doing all the things that boys do.

Interview with Jenifer and Trevor Fink

How does it feel to be a mother of two girls who play football? Nervous? Excited? Proud?

Jenifer: It feels very different being a mother of two girls playing football. They were the only girls on their flag football teams and two of three girls playing tackle football for EMS. Two years ago, I was getting them ready for gymnastics meets … French braids and leotards and now I’m helping them get into their football pads and jerseys. I was so nervous when the girls were on the field for their first game of tackle football. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to watch. I was put at ease when I noticed the boys are not that much bigger than the girls (in seventh grade). Also, the school provided brand new helmets with technology to help reduce the risk of a serious brain injury or skull fracture.

Trevor: As their dad, I’m very proud. I thought I was too small to play as a kid, so I didn’t. Not only are P&Z girls, but they’re on

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Paige and Zoey Fink stand with Elizabeth-based professional female football player Christie Du y of the D.C. Divas. PHOTOS COURTESY OF JENIFER FINK

Paige and Zoey Fink hold their championship trophies from the Elizabeth Park and Recreation District.

FOOTBALL

These obstacles

not deter them from wanting to play and that takes courage! We’ve instilled in our daughters that they can do and try anything they want, and we’ll support them 100%. This is also the case with tackle football and as their dad, it makes me feel good that we are supporting their desires and dreams. I have a sense of pride within to know we have two very

girls play tackle football. They say, “It is so dangerous for these little girls!” My response, “I’m not going to tell my girls they can’t do something because it is outside of the “gender norms.” Yes, football

is dangerous but so is gymnastics and horse jumping … two other sports the girls are or have been involved with. I’ve watched these girls flip upside down and land on their feet, without a bobble on something that is only 4 inches wide … also known as, a balance beam. They are true adrenaline junkies, just like their mom and dad. When they told me they wanted to play tackle football, I said, “Go out there and get it done!” I support them every step of the way and it is awesome to see them out on the football field, beaming from ear to ear, doing

what they love. I am so proud of them. #GIRLPOWER

Trevor: I don’t view it as “challenging gender norms” as their dad. I simply view it as my two children are playing the sport they love and want to get better at it. It is a male-dominated sport, that is how others view it. As a rec and Little League coach, I simply see it as my girls are talented enough to play a game and they just so happen to be playing it with boys.

To read about the Denver Broncos girls high school flag football program, visit tinyurl.com/ DBgirlsfootball.

Paige and Zoey Fink with their parents, Jenifer and Trevor, ready to cheer on the Denver Broncos.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JENIFER FINK Paige and Zoey Fink with teammate Olivia Nelson, left.

Choosing right weather words for an ‘alerta’

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

For all of us who have ever weighed a tornado “watch” versus a tornado “warning,” it’s no surprise that a growing number of researchers say distinguishing between Spanish words like “aviso” and “alerta” in weather bulletins can be a life or death choice.

If a twister sprouts east of Pueblo, or a climate-driven wildfire threatens Jefferson County, or more hurricanes pummel Florida, Spanish-speaking communities need weather warnings to meet the moment. More and more meteorological and social science research shows they’re failing.

As Hurricane Ian bore down on the west coast of Florida, weather service parent agency the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was talking about its new research suggesting Spanish translations need to bump up in urgency. NOAA and the weather service — as well as FEMA — mean to say “warning” when it comes to tornadoes and hurricanes and other hazards, but the Spanish word they have been using, “aviso,” is not taken as seriously by Spanish speakers.

Researchers asked more than 1,000 Spanish speakers to rank advisory words. The researchers were told that the words they’d been using as strong, “aviso” and “vigilancia,” were not heard as forcefully as the more urgent Spanish words “emergencia,” “amenaza” and “alerta.”

The author of NOAA’s study, which

was published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, said the study backs up other recent work comparing signals from English words versus signals from Spanish.

“Aviso” is a literal translation of “warning,” but aviso is “more like advice you might get from a parent,” and doesn’t come across as an urgent official warning to act, said Joseph Trujillo-Falcón, lead author from NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations in Oklahoma.

The difference can literally mean life and death, as Florida officials struggled to convey the dangers of Ian’s intense ocean surge to evacuation stragglers around Tampa. How Spanish speakers accept the words is also key in tornado-prone spots with large Hispanic populations, from Colorado to Texas. As climate change makes emergency weather events more frequent, language and communication matter all the more, researchers say.

“It’s just so important to get people the right information at the right level of urgency,” said Ben Hatchett, assistant research professor for atmospheric science at Reno’s Desert Research Institute.

In tornado advisories, for example, the word “watch” means conditions are ripe for a tornado and residents should be alert. “Warning” means a tornado has been spotted or is imminent and residents should take shelter. The study notes that “66% of the English speakers correctly identified the meaning of a tornado watch

as an early notice of possible severe weather,” but “only 38% of the Spanish speakers chose this definition.”

“Our data supports using the Spanish word ‘vigilancia’ for a tornado watch and the Spanish word ‘alerta’ for a tornado warning,” TrujilloFalcón said.

9News meteorologist Chris Bianchi, who often handles the regular Spanish-language weather casts for the station, agrees with the research and is writing about it at 9News.com. He commented on the studies just before leaving for Florida, where he joined the hurricane coverage.

“This is absolutely critical,” Bianchi wrote from DIA, as he waited for his Tampa flight. “There has long been a huge, discernible gap between English and Spanish forecasting and terminology.”

In Reno, Hatchett said, weather listeners don’t pay enough attention to warnings of “up to 6 inches of snow in the area.” They assume that means up on the mountains in the Tahoe area, not so much in the lower-lying Truckee Meadows.

“But if you say, ‘It’s going to snow 6 inches down here,’ everyone’s like, ‘Oh, it’s gonna snow down here in the valley in downtown Reno. OK, got it. Got to think about how I’m going to get to work tomorrow,’” Hatchett said.

Climate and weather researchers are also trying to use high temperature ranges rather than one number when expressing growing dangers from urban heat waves, Hatchett said. Instead of saying just, “It’s likely to hit 106 degrees tomorrow,” they use

probability forecasting: “It’s very likely going to be above 95 and could hit 100.”

How then, Hatchett said, to best present that range visually or verbally, to enclaves of different speakers and listeners, from San Diego to the San Luis Valley? Will they be concerned enough to think about staying home from an outdoors job, or keeping kids out of an unairconditioned school?

It’s “super important,” he said, to use translation from native speakers familiar with a community to find the words “through the lens of the local person who you’re trying to convince to make a decision.”

Meteorologists appear to welcome the flurry of social scientists researching how to sharpen communication in their field.

“We often forget how young meteorology is,” Bianchi said, adding that 100 years ago weather warnings were coming primarily from priests on the hurricane frontlines in Cuba.

He’s worked on some of the NOAA research panels, and he sees the impact of words while talking with the 9News audience.

“Translating and accounting for regional dialects and slang can be very difficult,” he 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.

Cyber attacks hit multiple communities

State of Colorado sees homepage taken down by foreign entity

BY PAOLO ZIALCITA AND MATT MORET COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

After ransomware disrupted the government services of multiple Colorado communities earlier this year, state officials warned that cybercrime is on the rise. That alert rang true on Oct. 5 when a cyberattack from a foreign entity took down Colorado.gov, the homepage for the state’s online services.

The attack seems to be limited to the main directory page, with state services still available through their individual websites. There’s currently no timeline for the homepage’s restoration.

A Russian-speaking group known as Killnet claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s website outages in a post on Telegram, an instant messaging service that’s grown in popularity outside the United States.

The “hacktivist” group ramped up its activity in NATO countries after Russia invaded Ukraine. This latest attack also took down government websites in other states, including Alabama, Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky and Mississippi. Some of those pages are now back online.

A spokesperson for the Governor’s Office of Information Technology declined to comment on the attack Thursday due to the ongoing criminal investigation. It’s unclear whether the attack came with a ransom demand.

That would put the state in a situation familiar to several local governments in Colorado that have faced multimillion-dollar extortion attempts in order to restore their systems.

Both Fremont County and the Denver suburb of Wheat Ridge were recently hit by “BlackCat” ransomware attacks, which allow hackers to block access to a computer system or function until their target pays up or rebuilds their framework. Neither of the two communities targeted paid their ransoms, leaving some government services and internal functions down for a period of time.

“It’s like going back to the 1980s for our staff, where they are working around the clock and so hard to make sure that that impact is minimal,” Wheat Ridge spokesperson Amanda Harrison said. “But that means they have to resort to some really outdated ways of doing

that. We don’t have all of our servers turned back on yet because we are ensuring that they are safe and secure.”

Harrison said the attack mainly impacted city employees, not members of the public. Fremont County wasn’t as lucky.

Many of the county’s offices were closed for over a month after it was targeted in mid-August. Despite rejecting the hackers’ demands, both communities had to spend money to rebuild and bring services back online with new security measures.

Ray Yepes, Colorado’s Chief Information Security Officer, said the two attacks on Fremont County and Wheat Ridge are unrelated and came from two different groups who want money.

Yepes said that’s bad news, because it means future attacks are likely. He stressed that local governments need to be prepared for that possibility.

Because Colorado has historically relied on a decentralized approach to cybersecurity, smaller cities and counties often lack resources to deter hackers and quickly respond to outages. State lawmakers decided in 2021 to adopt a “whole of state” approach to cybersecurity, which allowed Yepes and his team to act as roaming support staff for communities in need.

“Any government entity’s problem is our problem and we’re here to help them. We have more resources than they have,” Yepes said. “When you look at the whole of a state approach it’s an idea, it’s a model. Local, federal, every resource that you can find, you bring them together, you combine your expertise, the resources, your main power to be able to fight cybercrime together.”

Yepes said the threat of cybercrime should be taken seriously. In addition to bringing down vital gov-

ernment services, they can sometimes reveal sensitive information, like social security codes and bank account information.

“We are all driven by technology,” Yepes said. “The water system can be affected by cyberattacks, transit can be affected by cyberattacks. Anything that we do nowadays in our life depends on technology.”

Colorado has learned costly lessons from previous cyberattacks. The state paid $1.7 million in overtime, meals and equipment to restore the Colorado Department of Transportation’s servers in 2018. Earlier this month, Boulder County mistakenly sent $238,000 to a fraudulent account after a cyberattack allowed hackers to pose as vendors the county owed.

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

Cyber attacks are becoming more common as the state was a recent target.

SHUTTERSTOCK

‘This is Colorado’ returns to Arapahoe Community College

Statewide exhibit is hosted by Heritage Fine Arts Guild

BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

“This is Colorado,” an annual statewide exhibit in its 46th year presented by the Heritage Fine Arts Guild, is at the Colorado Gallery of the Arts at Arapahoe Community College in Littleton through Oct. 28.

The exhibit, open to Colorado artists, was juried by painter Carlene Frances, who awarded the Best of Show to artist Suszanne Bernat Droney for her soft and subtle “Resting Luthier Amanda,” created with

IF YOU GO

Gallery hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday. Open until 7 p.m. on Thursdays. Colorado Gallery of the Arts is at Arapahoe Community College, 5900 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. Free parking. 303-797-5649. View the gallery webpage: arapahoe.edu/campus-community/art-galleries.

colored pencil and pastel.

The exhibit will be at the gallery through Oct. 28 and offers a variety of works, ranging from abstract works to Droney’s pleasing portrait and a number of landscapes, including the precise and well-executed “Distant Thunder” by Karen Storm,

which won First Place. It’s a stunning sunset ...

Second Place went to “Under Siege,” by Patty Nash. Third Place was awarded to Dan Woodard’s “Aspen Gold,” carved from wood.

Honorable Mentions were awarded to “Play Time” by Barbara Williams, “Storm Front” by Janet Ford, “Random Design” by Phil Gustafson and “Airplane Graveyard” by James Mascolo.

A look at Suszanne Bernat Droney’s website leads one to a number of strong figurative works, including one I think I remember from last year’s exhibit — or I’ve seen it elsewhere ... She says she wants to create art that is “representational, without being photo-realistic.” She surely succeeds — her Amanda is subtle and beautiful.

Not subtle, but altogether engaging, is “My Friend” by Scott

Swauger, a larger oil painting of a husky bull moose, chewing on grass and looking right at a viewer — and about to say something! Possibly something rude! The details around this creature are skillfully painted — leaves, melting snow ...

Most of the paintings in this exhibit are for sale at reasonable prices and would make great gifts, as we perhaps begin to think about holiday shopping. The variety of styles and techniques is pleasing and stimulating.

Next exhibit at the Colorado Gallery of the Arts will be “Shared Visions,” a yearly collaborative collection of tactile works from the Colorado Center for the Blind and ACC art students. It will be in the gallery from Nov. 7 to Dec. 6, with a reception on Nov. 7, from 5 to 7 p.m. (The gallery will be closed from Nov. 21 to 25.)

have

“Resting Luthier Amanda,” a colored pencil and pastel work by Suszanne Bernat Droney, was named Best of Show in the “This is Colorado” exhibit, which is running through Oct. 27 at Arapahoe Community College’s Colorado Gallery of the Arts.

COURTESY PHOTOS

The oil painting “Distant Thunder” by Karen Storm won First Place in the “This is Colorado” exhibit on the Arapahoe Community College campus in Littleton.

Twin Temple

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Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

The Bridge City Sinners

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Theatre,

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Comedian Alex Velluto

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Parker Arts, Culture & Events Cen‐ter, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

Basketball: Kinder - Coed - Ages 4

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21st - Dec 17th

Recreation Center,

Ave., Parker

Sat 10/22

Vamonos Pest/Mobro: Va‐monos Pest at Brewability Lab @ 5pm

Brewability Lab, 3445 S Broadway, Englewood

Denver Pioneers Hockey vs. Providence College Friars Hockey @ 5pm Magness Arena, 2201 E. Asbury Ave., Den‐ver

Therapeutic Rec: Fright Night (13+ yrs) FALL22

10:30pm

Parker Recreation Center, 17301 E. Lincoln Ave, Parker

Sun 10/23

Keith Hicks

9am

Hotel, Englewood

10/24

Modern Swing Mondays

5:30pm / $10

Stampede, 2430

Tue 10/25

to Excellence

Denver Pioneers Hockey vs. Providence College Friars Hockey

6pm

Arena, 2201 E. Asbury Ave., Denver

Go Big or Go Gnome 5K

8am / $30-$40

W Bowles Ave, Littleton

Soccer: Youth - Coed Ages 6 to 8Indoor - Late Fall 2022

1pm

22nd -

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Littleton Symphony Season

6:30pm

Littleton United Methodist Church, 5894 South Datura Street, Little‐ton.

Slaughter: Mini Freedom Festival

6:30pm

Wild Goose Saloon, Parker

Lucia

7pm

Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐

17th

Fieldhouse,

The Knocks x Cannons

Caitlynne Curtis @ 6pm

Wild Goose Saloon, Parker Struggle Jennings: Angels & Outlaws Tour @ 6pm

Wild Goose Saloon, Parker California Guitar Trio

Arts Center,

Wed 10/26

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Hoo�n' It Through the Hollows 5K

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Thu 10/27

VOICES

Do not delay

It’s October, which means the nation will be decorated with pink ribbons, NFL players will likely sport some pink shoes in upcoming games and a lot of talk will focus on the importance of breast cancer awareness.

THE

For me, while October might by pretty in pink, it makes me think about women’s health overall. You see, breast cancer might get the most marketing and attention, but there are so many conditions and issues women face each year that all deserve a lot more discussion.

First, let’s talk about heart health. Heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, continues to be the leading cause of death for women, killing more than 300,000 per year, equating to about one in every five deaths among women.

According to the CDC, one in every 16 women aged 20 or over has a coronary heart disease.

There is a need to stay on top of heart health for women. For women with symptoms, it’s time to stop delaying that annual checkup with a cardiologist. Some of those symptoms include sharp chest pain, pain the neck, jaw and throat and consistent pain in the upper abdomen or back.

Women, especially moms, have a tendency to manage and take care of everyone around them. That means they are often ignoring their own alarming symptoms, avoiding mental health concerns or skipping the annual checkups because they say they are too busy.

COVID did not help the problem. Doctors with UCHealth and other medical organization said that in 2020 and 2021 many women skipped annual screenings, which turned into some being diagnosed with laterstage cancers once they got an alarming symptom or lump checked.

It is vital to keep doing annual screenings — mammograms, pap smears and talking to a doctor annually.

As I have said in this space before —I have an adopted daughter due in part to ignoring symptoms. My daughter’s biological mom had a stomach and side pain that she ignored over two years. When she was diagnosed with stomach cancer, which is a very treatable cancer, it was too late. Within months of her diagnosis, she died.

When it comes to breast cancer, ignoring symptoms at all ages is not recommended. Breast cancer is not just something older women can get. This disease can be detected at all age levels.

As a general rule of thumb, I schedule my annual mammogram the first week in October each year. They are not comfortable. They are not fun. I do not ever look forward to them. I am always anxious in the week leading up to getting the results. However, I do not skip them.

According to the CDC, each year more than 260,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Like most cancers, an early diagnosis has the best chance of survival.

In my family, my grandmother died at 50 of a heart attack. My aunt died at age 50 of breast cancer. The warning signs are already there for me.

Like many moms and career women, a lot of people rely on me to manage my household and office. To do that, I do my best to stay on top of my health through preventative methods. Something we should all do.

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

LINDA

Give them something to smile about

A

WINNING

good friend of mine, Sanya, likes to go on a run each morning, or at least most mornings. And as she passes others running, walking or biking in the opposite direction, she greets them with a smile. And she counts how many smiles she gets back along the way. Sometimes she gets many, and sometimes only a few. Sanya is always smiling anyway as her husband and my good friend, Jeff, keeps her and all of us smiling and laughing all the time.

I have a habit of doing that as well. Although I am someone who prefers long walks or hikes, it still gives me the opportunity to greet everyone I pass with a smile. As I went for a big walk the other day, I passed at least 40 people, and out of the 40 people I smiled at, about 30 people smiled back. As I turned around and began my walk back, I once again passed someone who chose not to smile at me, so I smiled again and said good morning. Their response was rough as they just kept walking by me saying, “I’m trying to find something to smile about.”

As I turned to try and connect, they wanted no part and just kept walking, this time with their head down.

Although that interaction left me feeling a bit down, as I returned to my truck and opened my door, the person in the car parked next to me rolled down the window and said, “Thank you for the smile today, I was caught up in some negative thoughts and your smile

LINDSAY

ERIN

Columnists

brought me back to reality.” Boom, back in the smile business.

Zig Ziglar said this, “Do you know what you do when you see someone without a smile? You give them one of yours.” Simple yet so powerful. If you have never tried it, give it a shot, I have found that even when I am thinking about a difficult or serious situation, that if I look over at someone and smile, I usually begin to feel a little less burdened. Here is what I think about when I think about a simple yet powerful smile, I turn the word smile into an acronym; Simple. Motion. In. Loving. Everyone. Let’s break it down.

• Simple, for most of us the turning up of our lips really doesn’t require much effort, showing a smile to others is such an easy and uncomplicated way of acknowledging others in a warm and welcoming way.

• Motion, we blink unconsciously up to 19,000 times a day. Imagine the impact we could have on our own state of mind as well as others who we may greet with just a dozen or more smiles each day.

• In, when I see or hear the word “In,” automatically my head and heart go to being, “All in.” Are we “In it to win it?” When we can invite others into our positive state of mind and involve them with the simple motion of a smile, we have an opportunity to turn someone’s day around.

• Loving, right now the world could use a little more love wouldn’t you agree? We can maybe help take the edge off for ourselves and others through some loving and genuine smiles.

ELBERT

Thelma Grimes

Vote no on psychedelic substances

Colorado has many issues to deal with: spiking crime rates, an inflation rate nearly twice the national average, surging gas prices, unaffordable housing and rising homelessness, a mental health crisis, and widespread drug abuse and trafficking. Now is not the time to double down on proven bad ideas. While it’s hard to believe any rational person would consider that now is a good time for “decriminalization” of hallucinogenic drugs, that is exactly what is being proposed.

Do we really need to add to the already horrendous statistics? Colorado, #1 in cocaine use nationally. Colorado, 76% above national average for marijuana use for those 12 and older. Colorado, opioid use up 95.5% in 2018-2019. Colorado, fentanyl overdoses up 70% in 2021-2022 (including 31 children this school year). Colorado, we must do better. And that starts by not doing worse. We should not add yet another sad category to these numbers.

Despite rising rates of drug use, activists are now plotting to promote the use of another illegal substance: psychedelics. Dubbed the “Natural Medicine Health

NORTON

FROM PAGE 12

• Everyone, may it be so. Everyone we pass, all those we have the chance to engage or interact with, let’s give them a smile. Whether it is over the phone, on a virtual call, in person, walking, running, shopping, even through texts and emails, we can send everyone miles of smiles.

Here’s the thing we should maybe be asking ourselves, “Has a random smile from a stranger ever lifted our spirits?” “Has a timely smile from

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Act,” and appearing on your Ballot as Proposition 122: Access to Natural Psychedelic Substances the effort to legalize and commercialize these substances ignores science. The advent of marijuana tourism was the clear beginning of our once great state’s accelerating decline. Now some are seeking to put Colorado on the map as the top destination for a new class of drug dealers and users. Our county’s citizens voted overwhelmingly against Proposition 64 and twice against ballot measures in our towns to allow marijuana sales. We chose not to participate in the rush to legalize marijuana and locally, we are better off for it. However, Proposition 122 does not allow for the local decisions we have made to protect our children and our homes. This measure, if passed, would leave no local choice in the matter. As a local issue in previous elections, Denver has allowed use of so-called “magic

a teacher, coach, or employer ever encouraged us? Has a warm and loving smile from a family member or close friend ever made us feel loved?” If so, I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail. com, and when we can give others something to smile about, it really will be a better than good life.

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

mushrooms” and it is clear to anyone who must travel to our capital city that it has in no way improved. Voters cannot allow this bad idea to spread statewide.

The federal government lists psychedelics as Schedule 1 substances, meaning they have a high potential for abuse and no medical benefit. Dismissing this, supporters are misleading the public and claiming that psychedelics can treat everything from addiction and depression to PTSD and countless other mental health issues. If this sounds familiar, it is because it’s a page from the same old script used to promote decriminalization of marijuana and advocate the overprescription of opioids. This isn’t a new wonder drug, it’s a callously promoted cash cow that presents a real danger to our already overlystressed society.

As pointed out by Luke Niforatos, executive director of ProtectOurKidsPAC.com, even if carefully prescribed and dosed, the American Psychiatric Association has stated that, “There is currently inadequate scientific evidence for endorsing the use of psychedelics to treat any psychiatric disorder.”

The purveyors of this bad idea certainly don’t tell voters that these mind- and mood-altering drugs have been associated with attempted suicide and accidental death, persisting perception disorder, and psychosis. Psychedelics are not safe, harmless, or risk-free.

Just as marijuana was legalized at the state level without sufficient user protections, this new industry will lobby for minimal regulations around psychedelics. It is no coincidence that supporters of psychedelics are targeting states that previously legalized marijuana, basing their arguments around the same dubious claims about purported medical benefits.

I will leave you with this. When asked, “What do psychedelics do to the human mind,” Michael Pollan, a leading proponent of these drugs, responded, “The honest answer: nobody quite understands.”

We must reject this shameless effort to submerge our state deeper into the muck of illicit drug use. I urge you to vote no on Proposition 122.

Chris Richardson is the District 1 commissioner for Elbert County.

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PLANTS

An employee at Tagawa Garden in Centennial reaches into a box containing di erent varieties of calatheas.

Colorado’s fall likely warm, dry

Drought monitor shows little relief in autumn

BY DELANEY NELSON

COLORADO SUN

After a summer of high temperatures and a wet monsoon season, Coloradans can expect a dry fall.

As of Oct. 6, 84% of Colorado was experiencing dry conditions and over 45% of the state was in some form of drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map. Northeastern Colorado is especially dry, with most counties experiencing severe to exceptional levels of drought.

Despite a couple of wet weeks forecast, National Centers for Environmental Information meteorologist Richard Heim, who authored this week’s map, said the fall months are predicted to be warmer and drier than normal in Colorado.

The southwestern U.S. is grappling with its driest 22year period on record in the past 1,200 years, conditions that are unlikely to improve. Most of Colorado has experienced below-normal

said. Western Colorado has been in an extended drought period for at least the past five years.

Monsoon rainfall that hit the state in late summer granted short-term relief to some parts of Colorado, Heim said, but is not enough to replenish the moisture deficits that have accumulated over many years of drought. Summer monsoon rains had little effect on the

risk to irrigation-dependent agriculture.

“Pray for heavy mountain snowpack this winter,” Heim said.

There is no guarantee for any snow this fall, Colorado Climate Center climatologist Peter Goble said. The Front Range typically starts seeing snow at the end of October or beginning of November, he said. While the two-week forecast shows no sign of

quickly in mid-October.

The National Weather Service predicts a third La Niña weather pattern year in a row, which Goble said is good for the prospects of building snowpack in the northern Rockies in the early winter months. Drier conditions are predicted for other mountainous parts of the state, including southern Colorado and areas east of the Continen-

and winter will influence what drought conditions look like next spring.

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.

Climatologists believe the fall season will continue to be warm and dry in 2022.

JON GRIMES PHOTO

Experts say vaccines, behavior changes worked

BY JOHN INGOLD THE COLORADO SUN

After more than two years of turmoil and stress during the COVID pan demic, here’s a bit of good news for the state’s public health system: Cases of monkeypox have plum meted in recent weeks.

The state is now seeing just a handful of reported new infections per week, state epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy said. At the peak in mid-August, the state was recording more than 40 new cases per week. There have been a little more than 300 con firmed cases of monkeypox in Colorado this year, no deaths, nine hospitaliza tions and no cases of infec tion in children.

Herlihy called the trend, “a really nice steady de cline.”

“That trend we’re seeing in Colorado is really mir roring what we’re seeing nationally,” she said.

The cause of the decline is not a mystery, Herlihy and another local expert

say. Instead, it is a win for the state’s public health system, as well as a testa ment to the resolve of the state’s LGBTQ community to proactively take steps to minimize the risk of spread.

The most recent outbreak of monkeypox around the globe has been concen trated in the LGBTQ com munity, and Colorado is no exception. According to data from the Colorado De partment of Public Health and Environment, 94% of Colorado’s cases have been among cisgender men, and 77% of cases have been among people who identify as gay or lesbian.

But there was no good reason why the outbreak wouldn’t spread more widely. The monkeypox virus — sometimes now referred to as MPV or MPXV, to avoid the stigma that comes with an associa tion to monkeys — can be transmitted in a variety of ways, including some that do not require direct contact with an infected person. The primary trans mission route in the cur rent outbreak appears, so far, to have been through close contact during sex.

If the virus were to have

jumped into a different so cial network — say, a pris on or a child care center — there could have been a new surge in infections, said Dr. Daniel Pastula, an associate professor of neurology, infectious dis eases and epidemiology at the University of Colorado and the Colorado School of Public Health. That made it vitally important to stop the virus early.

Pastula said it’s a credit to the state’s public health system that it set up a vaccination campaign so quickly and a credit to the LGBTQ community that it came together to educate its members on the virus.

“The LGBTQ commu nity, particularly men who have sex with men, really stepped up to protect their health and work with public health authorities to get the word out about monkeypox,” Pastula said. “I think this would have been way worse without any intervention.”

A vaccine success story

Both Herlihy and Pastula said vaccination efforts likely had a huge impact in slowing the spread of monkeypox.

The state has adminis

tered roughly 18,000 doses of the vaccine to more than 12,000 people identi fied as being currently at highest risk of exposure. While initially limited, vaccine supplies have now improved, so much so that the state — along with health systems across the country — is able to use it proactively instead of reactively.

Early doses were only available for people with known or likely mon keypox exposures. (The vaccine, which is named Jynneos, can prevent someone from developing monkeypox if given after exposure.) But as supplies have improved, CDPHE has expanded the eligibil ity criteria several times with an aim of vaccinating more people before they are exposed to the virus.

Vaccination is now avail able to anyone who has had multiple or anonymous sexual partners, has had close physical contact with someone in a venue where anonymous or group sex may occur, has been diagnosed with gonorrhea or syphilis in the past six months, is living with HIV or who is eligible for HIV preventative medication

known as PrEP. People who engage in commercial or transactional sex are also eligible, along with people who have had high-risk contact with someone who has monkeypox.

Data released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that men who were not vaccinated against monkeypox were 14 times more likely to contract the disease than those who were.

“Even after one dose, this looks like it’s a pretty good vaccine,” Pastula said.

Herlihy said most of the doses the state is admin istering now are second doses, aimed at providing longer-lasting protection, though first doses are still available.

A community response

Also important in reduc ing infections has been the actions of people in the LGBTQ community, Pastula said.

Another CDC study found that nationwide an estimated half of men who have sex with men report ed reducing their number of sexual partners, new

Source

MONKEYPOX

UP

ELZZ

sexual partners and use of dating apps in response to the monkeypox outbreak.

Those changes followed sustained work by LGBTQ community organi zations, working with public health agencies, to inform community members about the virus. Pastula said it represents a model for how to conduct a public health campaign — engaging with the community most affected without creating stigma or judgment.

“Getting the community that’s highest risk and getting them involved very much is limiting the spread of this,” he said. “I’m hopeful that the outbreak is now waning and it does not hop into new communi ties or social networks.”

The end of monkeypox … for now?

Herlihy also expressed optimism that the virus may be on its way out the door in Colorado. But she also warned against overconfidence.

“It’s tough to know where things are going to go from here,” she said. “It’s tough to know if we’re going to continue to see low levels of trans mission.”

Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be passed between animals and people through close contact. And it is endemic in parts of Africa, where it circulates among small mammals until another oppor tunity to infect people comes along. (A previous outbreak of monkeypox in North America involved pet prai rie dogs.)

That means it’s unlikely monkey pox can be eradicated globally. But Pastual said there’s no evidence so far that the virus has found an

animal reservoir in North America. That doesn’t mean it can’t continue spreading at low levels among people in Colorado before surging anew, though.

For that reason, Pastula said he recommends people at risk for expo sure keep up their prevention strate gies and continue getting vaccinated, if they haven’t already.

“It shows the importance of invest ing in our public health systems so we can detect outbreaks and respond to them quickly,” he 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 Colo rado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colo rado Community Media.

TURN TO THE COLORADO SUN FOR NEWS ACROSS THE STATE

The Colorado Sun is a journalist-owned, award-winning news outlet that strives to cover all of Colorado so that our state — our community — can better understand itself.

In this way, The Sun contributes to a more vibrant, informed and whole Colorado.

The Sun, launched in 2018, is committed to fact-based, in-depth and nonpartisan journalism. It covers everything

from politics and culture to the outdoor industry and education.

Now, The Colorado Sun co-owns this and other Colorado Community Media newspapers as a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy. The Sun is CCM’s partner for statewide news.

For Colorado Sun stories, opinions and more, and to support The Sun’s misssion as a member or subscriber, visit coloradosun.com.

‘I’m hopeful that the outbreak is now waning and it does not hop into new communities or social networks.’

Dr. Daniel Pastula, an associate professor of neurology, infectious diseases and epidemiology at the University of Colorado and the Colorado School of Public Health

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Social Worker position starting November 30, 2022, and ending February 22, 2023. Will be off from December 19, 2022 through January 3, 2023, for Winter Break. 40 hours a week providing services to students PreK-12th grade in Bennett, Byers, and Deer Trail School Districts. Training will be provided. Competitive pay based on highest earned degree and experience-$32.42 per hour - $37.13 per hour. Mileage reimbursement provided. Questions contact Tracy 719-775-2342 ext. 101. To apply for this position, please visit our website ecboces.org and click on the “Jobs” page, click on the job you are interested in & then click on the grey button “Apply Online”, located at the bottom of the job listing. EOE

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A look at Proposition GG on ballot

Measure targeting TABOR

by Democrats

BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

Proposition GG is a ballot measure about ballot measures.

It represents Colorado’s latest battleground over the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights as Democrats seek to work around the 1992 constitutional amendment, known as TABOR, and Republicans battle to prevent any changes. The initiative, if passed, would require the state to more prominently display detailed information about how citizeninitiated ballot measures changing the income tax rate would affect Coloradans.

Proposition GG was referred to the ballot by Democrats in the Colorado legislature this year through the passage of Senate Bill 222, a measure that Republicans universally opposed

Here’s what you need to know about Proposition GG:

What it would do

When an initiative changing Colorado’s income tax rate makes the statewide ballot, a table outlining how the change would affect people at different income levels is shared in the state ballot information booklet — also known as the blue book — that’s sent to every voter.

The table includes the average income tax owed by people at different income levels, as well as how much higher or lower their taxes would be if the rate were changed.

Proposition 121 on the November ballot is a great example of this. It would change Colorado’s income tax rate to 4.4% from 4.55%, and on page 24 of your (English-language) blue book this year you can see a table explaining how it would affect people at different income levels.

Proposition GG would require that the table — with some slight modifications — also be included in petitions used to gather signatures

Proposition GG will ask voters to allow a change in state statute.

to get income tax changes on the ballot, as well as on ballots.

The slight modifications include only specifying eight income tax categories and more specific information about how income tax changes would affect individual taxpayers.

Note: Proposition GG only applies to citizen-initiated ballot measures. If the legislature were to refer a measure changing the income tax rate to the ballot it wouldn’t apply.

The arguments for

The proponents of Proposition GG say it is a tax-transparency measure aimed at ensuring Coloradans have a full picture of how changes to the state’s income tax rate would affect them.

Some people do not open the blue book, people who support the measure say, so Proposition GG is a way to ensure they can’t miss information about potential changes to the state’s income tax.

“I honestly think it’s pretty simple,” said state Rep. Chris Kennedy, a Lakewood Democrat and prime sponsor of Senate Bill 222. “It’s about giving voters more information about how income tax changes affect them personally.”

Kennedy said the current information on the ballot isn’t sufficient.

The arguments against Conservatives argue Proposition GG is unnecessary since detailed information on how income tax rate changes would affect Coloradans is already in the blue book. Add-

ing more information to the ballot would also increase printing costs.

“I hear from a lot of people that our ballot language is already way too long and too complicated,” said Michael Fields, a conservative fiscal policy activist. “This legislature should spend more time on increasing public safety and lowering the cost of living — and less on meddling in the citizens’ initiative process.”

Jesse Mallory, who leads the Colorado branch of Americans For Prosperity, an organization that fiercely defends TABOR, said “nothing screams ‘our friends have a tax increase coming’ quite like (this bill).”

One big thing you should know

Since Proposition GG asks voters to approve a statutory change, state lawmakers could have tried to make the alterations on their own by passing a bill and asking the governor to sign it into law.

But the Democratic proponents of the policy had a major roadblock in Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, who was wary of the change and appeared poised to veto any legislation aiming to alter ballot language.

“Gov. Polis believes that voters should decide how issues are presented on the people’s ballot because it is their ballot, not the state legislature’s ballot,” Kara Powell, a spokeswoman for the governor, told The Colorado Sun earlier this year. “That includes whether or not to approve requiring a table in the fiscal summary for any ballot initiative that would increase or decrease the tax rate.”

That’s why lawmakers went around the governor and referred Proposition GG to the November ballot through Senate Bill 222. (The governor’s signature isn’t required on bills referring questions to the ballot.)

One more thing you should know: Proposition GG comes as Colorado Democrats are trying to find ways to work on tax policy within the confines of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.

Proposition GG is an extension of legislation passed by Democratic lawmakers in 2021 requiring that ballot measures cutting taxes include an explanation of how much revenue would be slashed and what programs would be most affected. The 2021 bill also now requires that ballot initiatives raising taxes explain how the new revenue would be spent.

In fact, the 2021 bill is the reason why there is a table in the blue book explaining how people in different income brackets would be affected by income tax rate changes.

EARLIER: Democrats avoid Jared Polis in quest to ensure Coloradans get the full picture on income tax changes

The players and the money

Coloradans for Ballot Transparency is the issue committee supporting Proposition GG.

Denverite Merle Chambers, a longtime Democratic donor and former oil and gas executive, gave $100,000 to the group in May.

The committee raised $600,000 in August, $500,000 of which came from the national Democratic nonprofit Sixteen Thirty Fund. The Sun refers to the nonprofit as a darkmoney group because it is a political group that does not have to disclose its donors.

The Rose Community Foundation donated $50,000 to the committee Sept. 12. And the National Education Association gave Coloradans for Ballot Transparency $250,000 on Sept. 21.

Coloradans for Ballot Transparency spent $400,000 in mid-September to advertise about the ballot measure.

So far, no organized opposition to the measure has emerged.

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.