Elbert County News 020223

Growth gets go-ahead from panel

Commissioners at the commissioners’ March 8 meeting.

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

e Elbert County Planning Commission voted 6-0 on Jan. 24 to recommend approval of an amendment to the Independence subdivision planned unit development. e amendment would increase the total number of lots in the development as a whole from 920 to 1,400, and a 16 acre area of commercial uses would be permitted.

e vote means the panel is recommending approval of the amendment by the Board of County

INSIDE: CALENDAR: PAGE 11 | VOICES: PAGE 12

At the Planning Commission meeting from Dec. 6, six conditions were laid out for the Independence developers — Craft Companies LLC — to receive commission recommendation for approval:

1. e public hearing sign shall be removed within seven days of a decision by the Board of County Commissioners.

2. e PUD shall not become effective until all fees are paid, conditions of approval are met, and the PUD zoning exhibit is recorded.

3. Recordation of all appropriate documentation to occur within 180 days of the Board of County Commissioners’ approval.

4. e applicant shall amend the PUD exhibit to include the planned access to the adjacent property to

the north as well as add the existing east-west right-of-way on the northern property line.

5. e applicant will be required to repave County Road 158 between County Road 1 (Delbert Road) and County Road 13.

6. In addition to existing obligations regarding County Road 1 (Delbert Road), the applicant will be required to construct County Road 1 (Delbert Road) between County Road 5 (Hancock Parkway) and County Road 158.

At both the Dec. 6 and Jan. 24 Planning Commission meetings, several Elbert County and eastern Douglas County residents were in attendance to voice their concerns.

e most frequently discussed issues at the Jan. 24 meeting were

VOLUME 127 | ISSUE 51

Mayor touts School Choice Week

Snively praises local district for o ering wide range of programming

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

Last week was the o cial Town of Elizabeth School Choice Week, a time when town o cials, the Elizabeth School District and residents of Elizabeth recognize the accomplishments of the school district and the bene ts of Colorado school choice. is coincides with the nationwide and statewide School Choice Week.

According to the National School Choice Week website, school choice is the process of allowing every family to choose the K-12 educational options that best t their children. ough school choice is controversial, with some arguing that emphasis should be placed on improving all public schools, the State of Colorado has embraced school choice for two decades.

Recently Elizabeth Mayor Nick Snively signed a proclamation commemorating the Town of Elizabeth School Choice Week, arguing for the bene ts of choosing the Elizabeth School District for children and families.

Snively spoke with the Elbert County News on Jan. 24 and expressed the importance of having options for students, especially after the height of COVID-19.

“Over the last several years throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and especially during lockdown, we’ve seen how all children learn

Map of current and future homesites in the Independence subdivision.

IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ELBERT COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION

Independence plan will be weighed in March by commissioners

Elizabeth mailbox issue resolved

After long battle, town prevails on delivery to cluster facility

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

e Town of Elizabeth has been in a multi-year battle with the U.S. Postal Service that should be resolved by this summer, after USPS agreed to deliver mail to cluster mailboxes that will be free for residents of “old town” Elizabeth to use.

A statement by Elizabeth Town Clerk Michelle Oeser says the town has long pushed for residential delivery of U.S. mail, and in an attempt to mitigate the issue of residents not receiving mail outside of designated, self-pay post o ce boxes, the Town of Elizabeth put in cluster mailboxes with a drive-up, ADA-compliant parking area in late 2021.

e whole project cost roughly $200,000 to complete. However, USPS would not recognize the cluster mailboxes and would not deliver mail to them, leaving Elizabeth area residents and business to continue paying for post o ce boxes.

e issue will soon be resolved, and residents and businesses in “old town” Elizabeth will nally start receiving mail at the designated cluster boxes at the corner of County Road 136 and Pine Ridge Street. USPS will begin mail delivery to the cluster boxes within the next six

sentatives of the Post O ce conrmed that they will begin delivery to the cluster boxes within the next six months,” the town press release said. “In the meantime, town sta will be working diligently with the Post O ce to determine addresses tied to the boxes. In addition, we

process, and not all information is known, or questions resolved at this time.”

e Elbert County News spoke with Town Administrator Patrick Davidson on Jan 24 to discuss the update.

“ ere were several communities in Colorado that were facing similar issues to what we had. Buena Vista was having similar issues. e post o ce had made agreements with them and we needed the same,” said Davidson. “We sent letters to the U.S. Postal Service and would not receive

responses. Every month for the past

Davidson speculates that bringing in U.S. Rep. Ken Buck on the issue helped to expedite the process.

“Finally, we got Congressman Buck’s o ce involved, asking for help with the situation,” Davidson said. “ en, I received a phone call a few weeks ago from the U.S. Postal Service saying they would start delivering to the cluster mailboxes within the next six months.”

To read the previous article about the cluster mailbox issue, visit elbertcountynews.net/stories/ elizabeth-mail-issue-remainsunresolved,398354.

Elizabeth picks interim chief

Je Engel will lead police department during search

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

Je Engel, a Douglas County sheri ’s deputy with a lengthy background in law enforcement, has been named interim police chief of Elizabeth, with the opportunity to apply for the permanent position.

e town announced its choice on Jan. 25 and said Engel would start in the role on Jan. 30. Engel was chosen for the top spot nearly two months after the sudden resignation of former chief Melvin Berghahn, who stepped down on Dec. 1.

“ e town is excited to have the interim position lled,” said Elizabeth Town Administrator Patrick Davidson. “Je comes to the town with an extensive career in law enforcement. His initial role will be to assist in the day-to-day operations of the police department, but also to help train and expand the knowledge of our o cers.”

Davidson said the town is proceeding with a formal search to ll

the permanent position, and has retained KRW Associates LLC to assist in the search. KRW has a long history of police chief placements in Colorado and surrounding states.

Engel will have the opportunity to apply for the permanent position when the recruiting process opens. e town expects to have the permanent position lled before June.

“Je has over 33 years of experience in law enforcement and has been employed by the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce for over 15 years,” the town announcement said. “During his career in law enforcement, Je has held the positions of police ocer, deputy sheri , sergeant, lieutenant and chief of police.”

e announcement said Engel received a bachelor’s degree in criminal science from the University of Wisconsin, a master’s degree in public administration from Concordia University, a Certi ed Professional Public Manager’s Certi cate from the University of ColoradoDenver, and is a graduate of the FBI Command College.

The Town of Elizabeth has been battling the U.S. Postal Service for years to bring mail to the residents of “old town” Elizabeth.

PHOTO BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

Engel

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GROWTH

tra c concerns, particularly the impact on nearby intersections. e lawyer in attendance for Craft Companies LLC aimed to put the residents’ concerns at ease, explaining that the development would comply with Elbert County zoning regulations and would work to mitigate the general tra c impact by the Independence development. He also indicated that Douglas County has committed to making capital improvements to Hilltop and Singing Hills Roads. Some members of the Planning Commission further discussed the possibility of including turn lanes and roundabouts to mitigate tra c.

Prior to the meetings, several Elbert County residents sent emails to members of the Elbert County Planning Commission urging them cast a vote of “no” when determining recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners. Arguments against the proposal included increased tra c, perceived limited water supply, and losing the rural feel of the county.

“ e Independence development at 920 homes will put a strain on well water supply for Western Elbert and Eastern Douglas County that rely on the upper and lower Dawson aquifer. An additional 480 homes will further that strain,” said Alex Flor in an email from Dec. 7. “Another concern as an Eastern Douglas County resident living along Hilltop Road

SEE GROWTH, P5

FROM PAGE 1

The Independence development in northwest Elbert County could see the number of homes increase from 920 to 1,400 if the Board of County Commissioner grants approval on March 8.

PHOTO BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

GROWTH

is the tra c impact. Such a huge development (1400 homes) will have a huge impact on an already congested Hilltop Road.”

“We moved to Elbert County to get away from the sprawl and hustle and bustle of the city. Increasing the density will bring more tra c, more

Elbert County resident Greg Lopez, a former Parker mayor and Republican gubernatorial candidate, had raised concerns that the amendment plan was moving forward improperly after modi cations and joined others in arguing that the public notice had been insu cient, but those claims did not prevail. County Attorney Bart Greer, in a Jan. 4 memo, defended the noti cations of the process and pointed out that the presence of members of the pub-

Crowd at the Planning Commission meeting on Jan. 24.

The entrance to the Independence subdivision.

PHOTO BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

di erently. e small classroom setting provides the best learning experience for my kids. For others, online education works for them,” said Snively. “ e pandemic has demonstrated the need to look at our kids and their education through a slightly di erent lens. If we don’t learn anything from this pandemic, we’ve missed a huge opportunity.”

Snively went on to talk about the wide variety of programs available at Elizabeth High School, expressing the importance of di erent options in education. He also commented that Interim Superintendent Dr. William Dallas has a vision for the school district that mirrors the views of the Town of Elizabeth.

“I really appreciate what Dr. Dallas and the school district would like to do for extracurricular studies and generally broadening options for students,” Snively said. “It’s illustrated in the di erent programs available at EHS like nursing, automotive and technical studies.”

Snively also stressed the importance of a strong relationship between the school board and the Town of Elizabeth.

“ e Town of Elizabeth Board of Trustees wants to emphasize that there are numerous educational opportunities in Elizabeth for kids,” said Snively. “ e relationship between the Town of Elizabeth and the Elizabeth School District is unique. e relationship and working together is the backbone of our community.”

Dallas responded to Snively’s comment in a Jan. 25 email where he agreed the school system is a crucial part of a healthy, growing community.

“ e school district is just one critical component to the overall health of the community, and I am pleased to work with the Town of Elizabeth to look at a future for the students and community that promotes and develops opportunities and programs that will reinvest in the overall health of the community,” said Dallas. “I believe Mayor Snively and I agree that a healthy school system allows students to choose between multiple programs that provide them the experiences and opportunities that will prepare them for a world after school.”

e “Proclamation Commemorating Town of Elizabeth School Choice Week” reads:

Whereas, all children in Elizabeth should have access to the highestquality education possible; and,

Whereas, our area schools are the 4th highest rated in the Denver Metro area according to the Colorado Department of Education; and,

Whereas, Town of Elizabeth recognizes the important role that an e ective education plans in preparing all students in Town of Elizabeth to be successful adults; and

Whereas, quality education is critically important to the economic vitality of Town of Elizabeth; and,

Whereas, Town of Elizabeth is home to a multitude of excellent education options from which parents can choose for their children; and,

Whereas, educational variety not only helps to diversify our economy, but also enhances the vibrancy of our community; and,

Whereas, our area has many high-quality teaching and support professionals who are committed to educating our children; and, Whereas, School Choice Week is celebrated across the country by millions of students, parents, educators, schools and organizations to raise awareness of the need for e ective educational options; erefore, I, Nick Snively, Mayor of the Town of Elizabeth, CO, do hereby recognize January 22-28, 2023 as Town of Elizabeth School Choice Week, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens. For more information on school choice/open enrollment, visit cde. state.co.us/choice/openenrollment. For more information on Colorado School Choice Week, visit schoolchoiceweek.com/states/ colorado.

The Town of Elizabeth and the Elizabeth School District work together to create a strong foundation for community.

PHOTO BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

Rent control could come to some Colorado cities

New bill being considered

BY ANDREW KENNEY COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

Dozens of Democratic state lawmakers have signed onto a proposal that could bring rent control to some Colorado cities.

e legislation, titled HB-1115, was introduced in the state House recently.

“ e rent is too high in Colorado, and that’s not just for essential service workers,” said state Rep. Javier Mabrey, a rst-year Democrat lawmaker and a prime sponsor.

He’s cosponsoring the bill with state Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, also a rst-year Democrat, and Democratic state Sen. Robert Rodriguez.

“ is is not just a Denver problem, and so this is why I have cosponsors on this bill from the Western Slope and Colorado Springs and places Democrats haven’t won election in decades,” Mabrey said.

Currently, Colorado’s local governments are not allowed to pass laws that limit the cost of rent in privately owned housing. If the bill eventually passes, individual city councils would be allowed to pass rent control or rent stabilization laws.

In Colorado and 31 other states, rent control is banned

Rent control laws already exist in some of the nation’s most populous — and expensive — cities, including New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Under those policies, the local government generally dictates that rents in certain buildings can increase by only a certain percentage per year.

Colorado is one of 32 states that currently prevent local governments from controlling rents, according to the National Multifamily Housing Coalition.

State lawmakers banned rent control in 1981, after an e ort to implement rent control in Boulder, according to a University of Colorado Law Review article.

Rent control is the subject of intense debate, with many economists arguing that the limits drive landlords out of the market and disrupt the housing supply, while supporters point to the direct bene ts to renters who have faced astronomical cost increases, as well as the way that rising costs can destroy the social fabric of a neighborhood.

However, Polis is no fan of rent control, and some fear it can scare o developers

Even if it passes the legislature, the legislation would likely have to get support from Gov. Jared Polis, who has the power to veto bills.

Polis has not been supportive of rent control, previously forcing lawmakers to dump the idea of limiting rent at mobile home communities. Generally, Polis has pushed for a “supply-side” or market-based approach that focuses on building new housing.

In a statement, Polis’ o ce said he was “skeptical that rent control will create more housing stock, and locations with these policies often have

the unintended consequences of higher rent.” e statement underlined that the “rent is too damned high” and added that the administration is “always open to seeing speci c proposals and letting legislators know if they have any concern.”

e statement also pointed to the state’s recent “historic investments” in housing.

Drew Hamrick, a vice president for the Apartment Association of Metro Denver, similarly warned that rent control would scare o new construction and landlords.

“Colorado’s prohibition against local governments enacting rent control ordinances for more than 50 years is both a recognition of the damage rent control can do to available housing and also an understanding that one local government’s housing policy negatively impacts neighboring communities,” Hamrick wrote.

Rent control has come up several times at the state legislature Mabrey, who helped found an organization to help tenants ght eviction, said he’d already heard from elected o cials in large cities on the Front Range and beyond who want to implement rent control.

Rent control has come up several times at the legislature in recent years. In 2019, state Sen. Rodriguez was a co-sponsor of a similar measure to allow local rent control and stabilization. at bill did not make it out of the Senate, though Democrats already controlled both chambers.

is year, Democrats have larger majorities in both the Senate and House, and Mabrey argued that rising prices will put more pressure on politicians to act.

In 2021, lawmakers moved to give cities limited power over rent prices, although only in new construction. A law passed that year authorizes cities to require designated a ordable units in new builds, as long as they o er other options to developers too. is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t news source. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.

Reminder: first half property tax payments due

First half payment is due by the last day of February, second half payment due by June 15, or full payment due by April 30. For more information, please visit douglas.co.us/treasurer or douglascotax.com

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

Are you ready if disaster hits?

It takes a matter of seconds for disaster to strike and change your life forever. Thankfully, it also takes only seconds to sign up for free emergency notifications at DouglasCountyCodeRED.com ensuring that you will be in the know if dangerous circumstances are foreseen or happening near you.

Live Town Hall meetings

Did you know Douglas County offers Live Town Hall meetings, inviting you to engage in the local issues of importance to you and your neighbors? Register at douglas.co.us/townhall to ensure you are contacted about all future Live Town Halls – it’s always your choice whether or not to participate. Registering will also allow you to receive surveys so that you may share what topics YOU want to hear more about.

Keeping Your County Healthy…

You can help keep your community healthy. The Douglas County Health Department investigates communicable diseases. You can help by reporting infectious diseases along with animal bites that break the skin. To report, visit douglas.co.us and search Health Department

Orchard Crossing Apartments in Westminster is an a ordable housing community. Rent control could come to some Colorado cities under a newbill. PHOTO BY ANDREW FRAIELI

Juvenile violent crime is rising

Researchers look for answers

BY JENNIFER BROWN THE COLORADO SUN

Violent crimes that land kids and teens in Colorado’s youth corrections system are on the rise, accounting for 41% of admissions in 2022.

From homicides, to sexual assaults, to robberies at gunpoint, the violent crimes committed by young people have risen sharply during the past five years, a climb that has sociologists studying the consequences of a virtually connected but physically isolated society and the long-term effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

The percentage of young people sent to a Division of Youth Services facility for a violent crime was 35% in 2021, climbing to 41% in 2022, according to the agency’s recently released annual report.

That includes 54 young people held in detention for felony homicide, 47 for attempted homicide and 40 for sexual assault last year.

“All across the state, the level of violence that we’re seeing among young people is increasing,” said Anders Jacobson, youth services director. “That’s been a stark reality for us.”

The youth corrections system, which includes 15 state-operated,

locked facilities, holds young people ages 10 to 21 either in detention — before their cases go to court — and after they are “committed” by a judge. Of the 176 children and teens who were committed to serve out a sentence last year, 71 were for violent crimes, including six murders and nine attempted murders.

The result is that the population in the state’s youth corrections system has grown increasingly more violent and more likely than in prior years to have committed a crime against a person, rather than property. This year, 43% of young people committed to the system were sent for violent crimes, compared with 31% three years ago.

The division in the past several years has moved toward pods, or living spaces, with fewer kids, and has improved its youth-to-staff ratio so young people have more attention, Jacobson said. It’s also ramped up behavioral health services, including for young people who are held in detention before their sentence has been determined.

“We’re pretty well versed in dealing with these types of young people, but there are certainly times when there’s a lot of emotionally charged issues that can take place,” Jacobson said.

It’s reached the point that, occasionally, the murder victim of one of the young inmates is a loved one of another young person held in the facility, he said. “It could have been a brother. It could have been a sister. It could have been a friend,” he said. “We’re seeing a lot more of those situations.”

Still, violent incidents within youth facilities in the state have not spiked. “That’s something that we’re happy we’re seeing right now, but it’s a daily grind,” Jacobson said.

Nearly 80% of kids and teens committed to a Division of Youth Services center last year needed

substance abuse treatment, according to the agency’s data. More than two-thirds of young people in the system need mental health treatment. The division’s behavioral health program, which includes two sessions of talk therapy per week for young people serving sentences, garnered national attention last year, winning a “program of the year” award from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care.

Since 2017, when the state legislature passed sweeping reforms and changed the name from Youth Corrections to Youth Services, the division has steadily reduced the use of physical restraint and solitary confinement. Repeat offenses also have dropped, with the one-year recidivism rate falling to 22% in 2020 compared with 41% in 2018.

The rise in youth detention for violent crimes comes as overall juvenile arrests are declining in Colorado.

Crime rates, including among juveniles, hit records in Colorado and nationwide in the 1980s, then began dropping. In Colorado, the all-time high for juvenile arrests was 70,710 in 1997. By comparison, there were 19,442 juvenile arrests in 2018, according to the Colorado Department of Public Safety.

One of the safest stretches on record, based on crime rates, was 2010-2014, said David Pyrooz, a sociology professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. In the last several years, however, violent crime among young people has been climbing, and it isn’t due to the decisions made by police or prosecutors, he said.

“There is something that is taking place,” he said. “There is little doubt about that.”

Why violent crime is rising is harder to determine, considering researchers are still trying to understand the 50% reduction in

crime rates that occurred nationally in the 1990s, the “criminological miracle,” Pyrooz said.

Now, sociologists are looking at how teenage behaviors — including spending more time at home alone, yet connected via social media and video games — might affect violent crime rates. In the past, violent crime was often linked to groups of young people hanging out unsupervised in parks or street corners, Pyrooz said.

Researchers are also just beginning to examine the pandemic’s effect on youth crime, which could have repercussions for years to come, he said. Kids who stopped going to after-school activities and sports during the isolation of the pandemic, perhaps as fourth or fifth graders, might not have returned to those sports, meaning they will miss out on those activities as middle and high school students, when they are more likely to get involved in criminal activity.

The keys to keeping kids out of trouble are community support systems, including within families, schools and churches, Pyrooz said. “Those are the things that really matter,” he said. “If those institutions are failing, so too are our kids.”

On average, there are about 290 children and teens serving sentences in youth corrections on any given day, 89% of them boys. The average length of stay is about 18 months.

Juvenile criminal case filings increased by 15% last year in Colorado.

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.

SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

‘We’re pretty well versed in dealing with these types of young people, but there are certainly times when there’s a lot of emotionally charged issues that can take place.’

Anders Jacobson, youth services director

CU’s Street Medicine team assists homeless patients

Care providers meet people where they are

BY DANA KNOWLES, LINDSEY FORD, WILLIAM PETERSON ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

Health care is often a low priority in a person’s life if they are experiencing homelessness; surviving hour to hour is their main concern, explained 53-year-old Guy Neiderwerfer.

He lost his job, his apartment, and has been surviving on the streets for several days. “When you’re looking for medication even, you’ve got to go through so many steps just to get help,” Neiderwerfer said. is is not the rst time Neiderwerfer has been in this situation.

“It feels like there is no hope, and it makes you feel doom and gloom. You feel lonely and you feel hopeless,” he said. “It’s a common loop to walk around and feel like ‘What am I doing and what kind of help can I get?’”

Neiderwerfer said that access to food, medical care and employment is often so spread out that without access to transportation, seeing a health care provider moves to the bottom of the to-do list.

CU Street Medicine’s mobile health care clinics aim to eliminate some of the barriers to health care for the unhoused by literally meeting people where there are.

Scott Harpin is the co-faculty advisor for the program and an associate professor of nursing at the CU College of Nursing.

“ e CU street medicine program is a grassroots students group that organizes around meeting the medical needs of people experiencing homelessness in our community, speci cally rough sleepers and people who have to survive in locations like this, like parks and bikeways, and trails and downtown on

the sidewalks,” Harpin said.

Nearly 7,000 people are currently unhoused across the state, according to the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. After working for the Coalition and then graduating from CU College of Nursing, Kiera Connelly decided to volunteer for the CU Street Medicine Program.

“It’s extremely important for us to be out here because people experiencing homelessness have more co-morbidities and a higher risk for pretty much everything than the the housed population,” Connelly explained. “ at being said, they also have the most barriers to accessing health care.”

Connelly frequently visits hiking trails in the Commerce City area along with other CU Street Medicine volunteers to administer health care for the unhoused. She said before o ering any kind of treatment, the team must rst build trust with the patients, which can take time.

“Once people get comfortable and open up, we will do blood pressure checks, wound care, blood sugar check,” Connelly said. “We also check and treat frost bite, and then make recommendations for them for navigating the health care system.”

Connelly said not only is the goal is to make health care more accessible to those who might need it the most, but also to show the patients that some people are trying to help.

“As a nurse, being able to show that ‘Someone does care enough to come out here and talk to me about my heath problems and wants me to get better or wants to help me maintain my health’ — I think that’s huge.”

is story is from Rocky Mountain PBS, a nonpro t public broadcaster providing community stories across Colorado over the air and online. Used by permission. For more, and to support Rocky Mountain PBS, visit rmpbs.org.

Momentous treaty coming to Denver

Historic document ending war with Mexico created much of American West

BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo transformed what is now the western United States, and pages of that document will arrive at History Colorado Museum, 1200 N. Broadway, Denver to accompany the exhibit called “Borderlands.”

e document came from the National Archives in Washington and will be exhibited only until May 22, because the paper is old and fragile.

e treaty’s arrival in Denver is timed for Feb. 2, the 175th anniversary of its signing.

I visited this exhibit in Pueblo when it opened there several years ago and had a chance to see the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo then. It really is a good experience to see those actual old documents instead of settling for a photo!

e treaty was signed on Feb. 2, 1848, marking the end of the Mexican-American War. By shifting the U.S. borders south from the Arkansas River to the Rio Grande and west to the coast of California, Mexico relinquished 525,000 square miles of territory to the United States.

e land became all or part of Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, as

well as a large part of western and southern Colorado. Present borders were taking shape then. Redrawing boundaries did not change linguistic, ethnic or geologic boundaries that were in place prior to the treaty. is exhibit, rst presented at the Pueblo History Museum several years ago, will be of interest to history bu s of all ages. It includes maps, documents and numerous related artifacts, including clothing, guns, kitchenware, photographs of those early hardy types, items that will interest children of all ages, as well as their parents..

A number of early southern Colorado residents were Mexican citizens, who eventually lost their lands and wealth. And Mexican women lost many rights they had under Mexican law, since American women could not own land at that time.

Dawn Di Prince, History Colorado’s executive director, said: “In some ways, it is hard to fathom that old handwritten pages would wield such power over the lives and lands of so many in this part of the world, but this treaty dramatically altered the lives of many families who call southern Colorado home today.

IF YOU GO

History Colorado is at 1200 N. Broadway in Denver. Parking is available across the street in the garage attached to the Denver Art Museum. Admission charges vary. 303-HISTORY, HistoryColorado.org.

“ e document is also connected to the displacement of indigenous tribes and has been referenced in hundreds of court cases ranging from international border disputes to water and mineral rights claims.”

These homes sat atop Pueblo’s Goat Hill, or Smelter Hill, an area of Colorado that was adjacent to Mexico until the border shifted after the Mexican-American War. This William Henry Jackson photo dates to 1900. COURTESY OF HISTORY COLORADO

Thu 2/09

Cooking with Elle @ 5pm Feb 9th - Mar 2nd

Heather Gardens Clubhouse, 2888 S. Heather Gardens Way, Aurora

ARTS: Valentine Tea @ Southwest @ 6pm Denver Parks and Recreation (SOU), 9200 W Saratoga Pl., Denver. 720-913-0654

Vanimal Kingdom Duo at Lincoln Station @ 6pm

Lincoln Station Coffee/Pizza/Mu‐sic, 9360 Station St, Lone Tree

Larry & Joe: WORKSHOP: Venezuelan Strings @ 6pm

Swallow Hill Music, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

Outta Nowhere

@ 7pm Stampede, 2430 S Havana St, Aurora

Joe Troop: Swallow Hill Music

Association - Larry & Joe @ 8pm

Swallow Hill Music Association, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

Fri 2/10

Dead On A Sunday @ 7pm

Moe's Original BBQ, 3295 S Broadway, Englewood

Sat 2/11

The Atomic Drifters: 105 WEST BREWING COMPANY WILL RO-C-K @ 6:30pm 105 West Brewing Company, 1043 Park St, Castle Rock

Rubblebucket @ 8pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

Spaceface @ 9pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

Rubblebucket @ 9pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

Sun 2/12

Parker Parks and Recreation

Love 'em or Leave 'em

Valentine's Day 5K/10K @ 10am / $40-$50

11920 Motsenbocker Rd, Parker

Halfway There Bon Jovi

Tribute: **MegaShow Alert** Bon Jovi and Journey Tributes Take Over Wild Goose Saloon @ 7pm Wild Goose Saloon, Parker

Super Sunday Fun Run 5K @ 10am / $20

6745 S Santa Fe Dr, 6745 South Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. SarahN@ ssprd.org, 303-483-7034

RAZA COSTENA @ 9pm

Stampede, 2430 S Havana St, Aurora

Gran Baile Costeno @ 9:30pm / $55

Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Tue 2/14

Stop Motion AnimationMackintosh Spring 2023 @ 3:45pm / $200

Feb 14th - Apr 25th

Mackintosh Academy, 7018 S Prince St, Littleton. 720-996-0894

Fitness: HIGH Fitness Valentine's Party (13+ yrs) Feb. 14 @ 11:15pm

The King Stan Band in Paradise @ 7pm

Paradise Tavern, 9239 Park Mead‐ows Dr, Lone Tree

Amor y Cumbia

@ 8:30pm / $49

Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

ARTS: DIY Valentine Card Making @ Harvey Park @ 11:30pm

Harvey Park Recreation Center, 2120 S. Tennyson Way, Denver. 720-913-0654

Cory Michael @ 2pm

Wide Open Saloon, 5607 US-85, Sedalia

Kids Cooking Valentine Surprises @ 4pm PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

YS: 3-4 Sports Experience @ Southwest @ 5:30pm

Feb 11th - Mar 4th

Southwest Recreation Center, 9200 W. Saratoga Pl., Denver. 720-913-0654

Halfway There @ 7:30pm

Wild Goose Saloon, 11160 S. Pikes Peak Drive, Parker 0xxKBxx0: KBS FRIENDS TOUR: SINGLES VALENTINES @ 8pm Old Chicago, 16990 E Iliff Ave, Aurora

Parker Recreation Center, 17301 E Lincoln Ave., Parker

Wed 2/15

Casino - Bally's @ 2:45pm Heather Gardens Clubhouse, 2888 S. Heather Gardens Way, Aurora

Thu 2/16

ARTS: Mini Picasso @ Harvard Gulch @ 5pm

Feb 16th - Mar 16th

Harvard Gulch Recreation Center, 550 E. Iliff Ave., Denver. 720-913-0654

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Housing in-depth

In recent weeks, Colorado Community Media unveiled the long-time-coming series — e Long Way Home, which can be seen online at coloradocommunitymedia. com. roughout most of 2022, all our reporters from all regions worked on developing an in-depth look at the housing crisis.

is look took us to people in focus groups, interviews, research and a lot of eye-opening discoveries. It is something I am proud to have been a part of given what we can share with the public in terms of how the housing issues we are seeing now were not developed in one year.

In fact, these issues we are seeing are decades in the making. We broke down how people are a ected by the growing crisis. e single mom is struggling to pay rent. e homeless man who ran into some bad luck and just can’t get back on his feet. Black families are treated di erently in applications for rentals and mortgages.

ese articles that are running over four weeks mean a lot to our reporters because as our teams continued working and getting educated, they truly began to understand that a crisis doesn’t develop overnight and xing the problems will not happen soon.

When our baby boomers cannot sell their home and move to smaller living quarters — there is a problem. Why? Because those homes they would vacate would be useful to growing families — a supply issue becomes prominent.

Pricing is another issue. When a home my family purchased eight years ago has doubled in value — it’s not as great as it sounds. You see, the problem is, if I had to buy the same home today — I couldn’t a ord it. at means I also cannot sell in this market. I cannot sell it because I may make money on my house but it would have to be applied to another ridiculously-priced house somewhere else. Can’t do it. Can’t a ord it.

ese problems point to supply problems too. When no one is selling — there is nothing for others to buy. en, you keep digging. You learn that rst-time homes are so overpriced that couples can’t a ord to move up in the world. ey have to keep renting or living with parents. is is going to lead to bigger problems in the future if solutions are not created.

One of the parts of the series, in a story that comes out this week, that intrigued me most is how the growing housing crisis impacts the American dream. Sure the American dream of owning a home and building a family is somewhat of a cliche, but it is one we’ve had for a long time.

When families no longer believe they will ever have enough money to own a home, when families can’t get ahead in this country no matter how successful they are — the American dream cannot survive.

Instead, they rede ne and reestablish what the American dream is. Wil that help or hurt our economy? Will a lack of families moving into our communities cause schools to close at higher rates?

When local communities are making it nearly impossible for our working-class citizens to get a home and live comfortably — they will leave.

at means employee shortages and more problems in the future.

e problem with the ongoing housing crisis is it will and does touch all levels of our lives and ignoring it or hoping the market will just correct on its own is never going to happen.

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

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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

750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110

Phone: 303-566-4100

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Playing through the pain

The game was close, there was less than two minutes to go, and the eld was a mix of snow and slush. On the previous play, his hand had been caught between two helmets as he attempted to make the tackle. When the play was over and he made his way back to the defensive huddle, he refused to look at his hand because he knew it had been broken. He didn’t want to come out of the game. As he took up his position as an outside linebacker, the opposing team threw a pass play in his direction, and with his good hand he was still able to make a play on the ball and de ect the pass. He played through the pain.

at story was shared with me about a high school athlete who had the heart of a lion. After that last play his coach called him to the sideline as he knew something wasn’t right and he took him out of the game. And indeed, his hand was broken.

Each of us has probably lived through at least one season of life, if not many where we also played through the pain. It might have been personally or professionally, but we knew that no matter how much it hurt, we had to rise to the occasion and play through the pain for those around us.

If these last few years have taught us anything, they have taught us that things in life are broken. Education, healthcare,

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

the economy, relationships, things at work and just about every other part of life. Some things just aren’t working the way we would want them to. And it becomes frustrating as we do our best to muddle through only to hit the wall again and again.

We think that there must be a better way. We believe that there must be someone somewhere who has the insight and intelligence to x the problems in our government, in society, in the workplace, and even at home. We ask ourselves, who is that person or where are those people who are supposed to have all the answers? And what can we do while we wait for those in charge to come up with a better plan and get things moving in the right direction?

We start playing through the pain.

Soon enough we will realize that the people who we believe have the solutions to our problems and challenges might be struggling themselves. And it’s not that they don’t know what they are doing, it’s simply that the problems and challenges require more time, money, resources, planning and processes to get some resolutions and to turn things around for the better. And while that is going on, we need to do our very best to do what we are in control of doing, making a play, even if it means playing through the pain.

We can remain optimistic in the face of negativity and pessimism. We can look at our stack of to-do items and get after it without looking over at others who are para-

SEE NORTON, P13

THELMA GRIMES South Metro Editor tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com

SCOTT GILBERT Editor sgilbert@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN FRANKS Production Manager efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Elbert County News.

We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Deadline Wed. for the following week’s paper.

ELBERT COUNTY NEWS (USPS 171-100)

A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado,

Thelma Grimes

GUEST COLUMN

Aclose friend once quipped that family is the reason we have friends. On the surface, the line comes across as a dig at family with its sometimes fractious relationships and challenging dynamics.

But there is another layer, a more positive one, that can be gleaned from the axiom. Friends ful ll a relational need that cannot be addressed within the family. For no matter how much someone says their mom, brother, or cousin is their best friend, their family history is intricately and indelibly woven into the fabric of their “friendship.” And as such, it will always play an unconscious role in the relationship.

Another maxim holds that we’re blessed or stuck with the family we were born into; friends, on the other hand, are matters of choice. But are they? Do we consciously and deliberately choose our friends, especially

NORTON

FROM PAGE 12

lyzed by the dysfunction. We can help those in our community who need help and do it generously and cheerfully knowing we are serving the greater good. Now don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t mean we don’t also feel the frustration and the challenges. It doesn’t mean the pain and the problems aren’t just as real for us. It just means that we have a choice to make, we can choose to get sucked into the vortex of doom and gloom, pointing to all the reasons why we cannot be successful, or we can choose to do our part in playing our position as best as we possibly can, even if it means playing through the

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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Friends and family

those we grow close to, or are friendships the result of inexplicable or ineffable forces?

Have you ever said that so-and-so is like a brother or sister to me? If so, was that so-and-so already a member of your family — cousin, nephew or niece — or were they outside of it? If you have a like-a-brother or like-a-sister, what made them so? Can you zero in on, pinpoint or delineate the speci c events, interactions, et alia, that led up to that relationship developing in a deeply personal manner? Or was it that you realized at some point that you and they shared a special bond that didn’t need to or couldn’t be explained? It just was.

As is my wont, I took my friend’s maxim and ipped it: Friends are the reason we have family. at thought prompted me to consider those who as an only child or orphan don’t have blood siblings. en there are those who have siblings but are not relationally close with them.

I have friends for whom those scenarios are true. Some consider their friends to be their family. We often call such relationships virtual family, but I wonder why we feel compelled to include the qualifying

pain at times.

We are all part of a team somewhere. At work, home, school, church, in our community and in society. And it will never be perfect and will often be frustrating. As a part of a team or family, I would love to hear your story of how you deal with staying motivated in the face of frustration at gotonorton@ gmail.com. And when we can grit and smile, and play through the pain when we need to, 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.

descriptor virtual since it serves only to minimize their relationship(s) and relegate it/them to a second-place status. After all, they might consider their friends to be their true family. Which means there are families, and then there are families.

Plain and simple, friend and family relationships are complicated, which paradoxically makes them neither plain nor simple. In psychology, an applicable term is antinomy: a paradox in which opposing truths are equally true and valid. It’s a world that I love living in. It’s one of complexity and ambiguity, which I traverse with kindred “out-there” spirits in the pursuit of something we cannot exactly put our ngers on. ey’re my philosophical family not to be confused with my literal family or my nonvirtual, mix-of-friends family. Yep, it’s complicated.

Since I’ve been blessed to be one of 13 siblings and have oodles of friendships made over the course of my lifetime, when I think of those I feel close to, I imagine them in two broad groupings. I picture each group as a colored sphere — sage green is my choice — with the shades of the color increasingly getting lighter as I move

from the center outward. At the center of my birth family circle, I place those I feel closest to, and at the perimeter, those not so much. At the core of my friends circle is my non-virtual virtual family, and on the outer reaches are those I call transactional or super cial friends, the ones who get in contact only when they need or want something.

So yes, the family-friend matrix is complicated. But it is that complicatedness that makes friendships ful lling and vital for healthy aging. Unlike a complication which can disrupt unity and smooth functioning, relationship complicatedness suggests intricacy, complexity.

Consider creating your own matrix. While doing so, identify traits, attributes and other aspects that were and remain integral. A vital one for me is trust because trust is like glass and reputation in Ben Franklin’s aphorism: once broken, never well mended. You will, of course, identify your own.

Jerry Fabyanic is the author of “Sisyphus Wins” and “Food for ought: Essays on Mind and Spirit.” He lives in Georgetown.

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jerry fabyanic

Health care giants form one insurance company

Question is who benefits

BY JOHN INGOLD THE COLORADO SUN

By some measures, the Denver metro area has one of the most competitive hospital markets in the country. Large health systems duke it out every year for supremacy in the multibillion-dollar marketplace.

But now, two of those heavyweight health systems — locally based UCHealth and Utah-based Intermountain Healthcare — have decided to … cooperate? The systems earlier this month announced plans to form what is known as a “clinically integrated network.”

While that may sound like the hospital giants are planning to combine resources on the clinical side, it’s actually more akin to forming one giant insurance network. The health systems will remain separate, and they will continue to compete against one another to attract patients.

The new network will bring together roughly 700 primary care physicians, hundreds of clinics and dozens of hospitals — all available and in network for consumers whose health insurance contracts with the new clinically integrated network. And, not coincidentally, the systems announced that Intermountain’s SelectHealth insurance plan will jump into the market in Colorado for Medicare consumers as well as people who buy insurance on their own. SelectHealth will utilize the new network.

UCHealth’s and Intermountain’s respective leaders said the new clinically integrated network will improve the quality of health care that people receive in Colorado while reducing the costs of that care.

“We are excited to partner with Intermountain to advance these goals and to give Coloradans a new option for their health insurance that prioritizes value-based care,” Elizabeth Concordia, UCHealth’s president and CEO, said in a statement announcing the new network. “Together, we will help improve the overall health of the communities we serve.”

But consumer advocates question whether that will actually happen or whether this is another play by

large health systems to get even larger — and take more money for themselves.

“If they’re essentially using this as negotiating power or as a mechanism to shirk all other insurance carriers, that’s a concern,” said Adam Fox, the deputy director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative.

How the integrated network would work

The power of the new network, according to UCHealth’s Michael Cancro, is in its size.

Cancro is UCHealth’s chief strategy officer and he also serves as the president of an alreadyexisting UCHealth provider network called Coordinated Care Colorado. That network will merge with Intermountain’s Colorado Quality Care Network to form the new clinically integrated network. The new network will operate as its own company.

Cancro said this merger does one really important thing: It gives the new network enough patients to start doing some indepth analyses and also provide better service.

“By bringing the organizations together, you have a pretty vast trove of data as well as the capability to look and identify those patients who are rising risks,” he said.

The key to reducing

costs while improving care is to identify patients early whose health is heading down the wrong path, Cancro said. But, with a smaller pool of patients, he said it can be difficult to have enough data to know which signals mean trouble.

The patient volume of the new network means it will gather enough data to conduct more precise analysis, while also being able to hire more experts to do that work.

“Having access to data scientists, having access to large enough datasets to be able to say that this is an indicator and this is not,” he said. “The more lives, the better.”

The network will also be able to send out alerts to people, letting them know they need to see a doctor about an issue or giving them a nudge to come in for a checkup.

Cancro said the network will initially offer care to more than 300,000 patients. But Cancro said the goal is for more insurers besides SelectHealth to strike deals with the new network, meaning it could bring in more patients. He said it’s also possible that additional doctors’ groups and medical providers could join the network.

Consumer advocates are skeptical of all these promises. To them, this sounds an awful lot like what hospital systems

first time. SelectHealth is Intermountain’s insurance arm — and, like Intermountain and UCHealth, it is nonprofit.

SelectHealth hopes to have plans available for sale in Colorado at the end of this year for coverage that would begin in 2024. It intends to offer Medicare Advantage plans, as well as insurance in the state’s individual insurance market, including via the Connect for Health Colorado insurance exchange.

UCHealth’s Cancro said SelectHealth won’t sell insurance in every Colorado county. Instead, it will launch in around 16 to 18 counties, he said. Those will mostly be along the Front Range, to match UCHealth’s and Intermountain’s footprints for their health systems.

First, though, SelectHealth must receive approval from the state’s Division of Insurance. e division is reviewing SelectHealth’s application and will announce a decision later this year.

have said for years when buying up local hospitals or merging with other systems.

As in many other states, Colorado’s health care system has been consolidating. And not always to the benefit of the patient’s pocketbook.

“Hospital consolidation is likely the biggest driver of prices and operating margins in Colorado’s Front Range counties,” a 2020 report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research stated.

The new clinically integrated network isn’t an exact analogue to a hospital merger. But it has enough similarities that folks like Robert Smith, the executive director of the Colorado Business Group on Health, will believe its promises of lower prices and better care only when he actually sees it. Smith has long been a champion of reducing health care costs in Colorado.

“There’s no evidence in the literature that these mergers improve outcomes,” Smith said. “They’ve all said that. But there’s no evidence.”

What is SelectHealth and when will it launch?

Intermountain is a new player in Colorado’s health care market. Last year, it merged with SCL Health, giving it a presence in Colorado for the

“ e DOI is just learning about this joint venture, and we will need to further analyze what it entails and what impact it will have on the state’s health insurance market,” Colorado Insurance Commissioner Michael Conway said in a statement. “But, this announcement is a clear indication that Colorado continues to be a place where health insurance companies want to come to, and that they want to do business in our individual health insurance market.”

Despite the obvious inside connection, leaders of UCHealth and Intermountain said SelectHealth won’t be getting a sweetheart deal when it contracts with the new clinically integrated network, or CIN, as the executives refer to it.

“ e CIN will treat SelectHealth just like all payers here,” Mark Korth, Intermountain Healthcare’s regional president, said in a statement. “Any plan that aligns with the CIN’s goals of ensuring a better patient experience and health outcomes while lowering costs will be considered a valuable partner.”

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.

The exterior of the University of Colorado Hospital on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, photographed on Oct. 18, 2019. The hospital is the flagship of the UCHealth system. PHOTO BY JOHN INGOLD / THE COLORADO SUN

PACE Center presents ‘The Sound of Music’

Cast reflects on production

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

For many, “ e Sound of Music” may seem like an old-fashioned story about a singing family, but for the actors and crew, it means much more as they take on the 1965 classic in Parker.

Jenna Pearce will be playing the main character, Maria Rainer. Portraying this role is meaningful to Pearce as her rst professional show was “ e Sound of Music” when she played Marta Von Trapp at eight years old.

“Some roles feel like soul matches,” said Pearce. “It felt so natural to say her words and sing her songs.”

As many storylines and characters are ctional in musicals, Pearce’s favorite part about being in “ e Sound of Music ‘’ is being able to tell a nostalgic story and pay respect to the people’s lives the cast are telling as well as having a connection to humanity.

e line, “ at you have to look for your life,” means the most to Pearce.

“Regardless of age, regardless of life circumstances, you just have to look for it, it’s not just going to happen and I think that’s something, especially in our current climate that you never know what’s going to happen,” said Pearce. “We are starting to see history repeat itself and I think it’s a really important story to tell that a lot of people think it’s a cute story about a signing family and not realizing the high stakes this is for this family and what they leave behind and the friends who sacri ce themselves for this family to be able to live on.”

ere are those who do not know about this part of history and having the opportunity to tell this educational story is also important to August Stoten.

Stoten is revisiting his role as Captain Georg Von Trapp after six years.

“I kind of like just having that whole transformation where in the beginning, he’s this bitter guy who lost his wife, there is no more

fun in the house and she (Maria) comes around and brings that back out of him,” said Stoten.

As a two-time Henry Award nominee, Stoten has been a part of the Parker Arts for years, whether it’s performing in shows or directing them with Sasquatch Productions.

For married couple, Lindsey and Adam Kinney, they have been doing shows at the PACE Center since 2014 and “ e Sound of Music” will be their 13th show together.

Lindsey as Elsa Schraeder and Adam as Max Detweiler are excited to get the chance to sing together on stage and to create a magical experience for all types of audiences.

Each production includes a sensory-friendly performance which the Kinney’s have performed in before.

“We are grateful for that opportunity to cater to everyone,” said Lindsey. “Because it’s not only great for sensory kids, but also young kids. So, it’s a great way to introduce the littles to the theater.”

“We have student matinees also,” said Adam. “Feeling like you have

the chance to be someone’s rst theater-going experience is super powerful.”

e show would not be possible if it weren’t for the director, Kelly McAllister. Along with Stoten, McAllister created Sasquatch Productions and has been directing shows at the PACE Center since 2016.

McAllister said it’s been a slow process getting back to full capacity after the pandemic, but he is looking forward to “ e Sound of Music” as he has fond memories of the movie with his family.

Auditions began in the summer, which according to McAllister was the hardest part.

“You want to nd people that can sing the songs, can dance the dances, act the parts and on top of that, they can work well together and have an attitude that’s going to encourage the best in everyone,” said McAllister.

As the cast and crew prepared during the fall, they are ready to perform. e show runs at the PACE Center in Parker through Saturday, Feb. 4, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

From left, Adam Kinney as Max Detweiler, August Stoten as Captain Georg Von Trapp, and Lindsey Kinney as Elsa Schraeder. PHOTOS BY HALEY LENA Jenna Pearce as Maria Rainer in “The Sound of Music” in Parker.

Net-zero federal lab set to open

Lakewood facility costs $79M

BY OLIVIA PRENTZEL THE COLORADO SUN

When construction is complete, the new all-electric facility in Lakewood aims to be net-zero, releasing no new emissions into the atmosphere.

But the new Food and Drug Administration lab has a secondary mission: To prove that cost-e ective and energy e cient buildings can house serious scienti c activities without risk of losing crucial research. Like hospitals, labs run 24/7, 365 days a year.

“You can’t shut the power o and shut the experiments down or the testing that they’re doing. But you can be more e cient in the way that you use the energy,” said Daniel Nikolich, project manager for the new FDA lab at the Denver Federal Center.

Funded through $79 million from a federal climate change and health care law, the new lab is part of the U.S. General Service Administration’s rst batch of projects that looks to boost clean energy innovation by using energy-saving technologies and materials that minimize carbon emissions in construction and renovation projects at federal facilities. e administration owns more than 411,000 buildings across the country, including research and judicial complexes in Boulder and Denver.

e GSA estimates that its rst round of clean energy projects, totaling more than $300 million from the In ation Reduction Act, will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 12,000 metric tons, which is equivalent to the emissions created by more than 25,000 cars in one year and reduce energy costs by $35 million over the next 20 years.

e project works toward President Joe Biden’s goal of reaching net-zero emissions from federal buildings by 2045.

“It’s great to see the federal government leading by example,” said

Nissa Erickson, an associate at Boulder-based Southwest Energy E ciency Project. “Using IRA funds to help pay for the state-of-the-art HVAC systems in this new lab makes a lot of sense. It’s important to demonstrate all-electric, net-zero energy buildings of many di erent types, commercial and residential. Moving to highly e cient, all-electric buildings will be essential to protect our climate — and it can save us money too.”

e new 70,000-square-foot Food and Drug Administration lab, which is set to open in 2026, will be decked with solar panels and other ways to o set power generated by coal or natural gas and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

e three-story building will replace a building that was built as a munitions factory during World War

II. e FDA moved into the nearly windowless two-story building at the Denver Federal Center in 1987, after it was modi ed into a lab.

e new lab will be built with glass on the south and west sides of the building to bring in sunlight, Nikolich said. e north and east sides will have less glass to help provide for better thermal insulation, he said.

To o set the energy used in heating and cooling the building, the lab will recapture energy as it leaves the building and put it back, using runaround loops, ground-source heat pumps and other technologies.

e building design and construction, a combination of steel and concrete, will help the lab use half the amount of energy a typical lab uses, Nikolich said. For perspective, a typical lab uses about 10 times as much energy as an o ce building of a similar size.

e FDA lab in Denver performs tests on a wide range of food for humans and animals, cosmetics and dietary-supplements and specializes in testing for food allergies and DNA sh barcoding, among other analyses.

e lab will still rely on a generator in the case of a power outage, but due to “fairly stable” power in Denver, Nikolich said he doesn’t expect

it to be used often.

“We’re proud of the fact that it is going to be our rst net-zero lab in the country,” said G.W. Emge, director of design and construction for GSA’s Rocky Mountain region. e energy e ciency will save the FDA money that would otherwise be spent to heat, cool and light the building.

“Every dollar they have to spend on energy is a dollar they can’t spend on their research,” he said. “So it’s kind of a win-win in that respect.”

Construction on the lab is set to start within the next year. It will be built on what is now a parking lot, south of the existing building. e project also falls in line with a lofty goal proposed by some Colorado lawmakers to remove all carbon emissions by 2050. Senate Bill 16, which would also set tough interim goals for greenhouse gas reduction and try again for a 30% tax credit for clean electric lawn and garden equipment, is on the table in the legislature this year.

Nonpro t clean energy analysis group RMI hopes the push to build an all-electric, net-zero lab serves as a model for other facilities to adopt.

“Facilities like the Denver Federal

A rendering of the all-electric Food and Drug Administration lab, set to open in 2026, features large glass windows on the west side to bring in sunlight. PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE U.S. GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION / ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION

Housing options for older adults

Ne w housing opportunities planned for older adults, reverse mortgages, and other housing strategies will be discussed at the Seniors’ Council of Douglas County meeting on Thursday, March 2 from 10-11:30 a.m. Artie Lehl, deputy director of the Douglas County Housing Partnership, will talk about these important topics. Older adults as well as the general public are invited to this free presentation at the Philip S. Miller Building, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock.

New housing as well as established older adult housing will be described by Lehl, whose organization is located in Lone Tree. Senior housing is an option that appeals to many for various reasons.

Information on how to obtain in-depth, free, one-on-one counseling will be presented. There are options available to older adults to help obtain suitable housing

Lehl will provide an overview of reverse mortgage lending including the pros and cons of using this type of loan. Reverse mortgages can be used to create additional retirement funds and to eliminate mortgage payments.

Some older adults wish to age in place and some want to explore a different lifestyle, whether in

LIVING & AGING WELL Senior’ Council

affordable senior housing or a multigenerational community. It is good to have options!

The Douglas County Housing Partnership (DCHP), a multijurisdictional housing authority, was formed in 2003 as a cooperative effort between businesses and local and county government. The DCHP operates with financial support from the jurisdictions of the City of Lone Tree, the Town of Castle Rock, the Town of Parker, the City of Castle Pines, and Douglas County as a political subdivision and public corporation of the State of Colorado. Information is available at https://douglascountyhousingpartnership.org.

This column is hosted by the Senior’ Council of Douglas County. The group’s motto is Living Well/ Aging Well. Meetings are generally the first Thursday of the month at various locations in Douglas County and are open to the public at no charge. Is there a topic you’d like addressed in the future? Please get in touch. Seniors’ Council invites older adults to get involved and to keep learning.

For more information and program updates, visit www.douglas.

co.us/community-services, email DCSeniorLife@douglas.co.us, or call 303-663-7681. Some meetings are available virtually. Please check the website for current infor-

mation and links. You may request our electronic newsletter First Friday Update by email. Connect on Facebook at facebook.com/MyDougCoSeniorLife.

Police search for man in string of bank robberies

$2,000 reward o ered

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Several metro Denver law enforcement agencies are seeking help identifying a suspect who they believe robbed four banks earlier this month.

e morning of Jan. 9, a suspect robbed the Chase Bank at 7605 W. 88 th Ave. in Westminster. e following morning, the same person

is suspected of robbing three more banks, including the First Bank at 8901 E. Hampden Ave. in Denver and US Bank at 8441 W. Bowles Ave. and First Bank at 6701 S. Wadsworth Blvd. in unincorporated Je erson County.

An FBI crime alert  described the suspect as a white male in his 20s between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-10 tall. He has a slender build, dark hair, brown eyes, “stubble” facial hair and black eyeglasses with a thick frame, according to the alert.

e suspect approached the teller, made a verbal demand for money, threatened the teller and then ed the bank, the alert said.

e suspect did not display a weapon, according to a Facebook post from the Je erson County Sheri ’s O ce.

Images of the suspect show him wearing di erent baseball caps and jackets or hoodies during robberies.

e FBI’s Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force and Metro Den-

ver Crime Stoppers are working with local police agencies on the case. e FBI is involved because the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which insures deposits, is considered a victim, said FBI Denver spokesperson Vikki Migoya. Anyone with information on the suspect is encouraged to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at (720) 913-7867, 24-hour anonymous tip line. Callers could earn up to $2,000 for information that helps solve the crimes.

worth your while if we can use your home.

SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

CROWSS UP DRO ELZZ

Dismantling the walls to wildlife in Colorado

BIG PIVOTS

Al though never a big-game hunter, I have killed three deer in Colorado and likely gave a bull elk a terrific headache. That’s not to mention my carnage among rabbits and other smaller critters.

Cars were my weapon, not guns. Driving at dusk or into the darkened night will inevitably produce close brushes with wildlife, large and small, on many roads and highways. Even daylight has its dangers.

Colorado is now redefining that risky, ragged edge between wildlife habitat and the high-speed travel that we take for granted. State legislators delivered a message last year when appropriating $5 million for wildlife connectivity involving highways in high-priority areas.

In late December, state agencies identified seven locations where that money will be spent. They range from Interstate 25 south of Colorado Springs to Highway 13 north of Craig near where it enters Wyoming. New fencing and radar technology will be installed. Highway 550 north of Ridgway will get an underpass.

The pot wasn’t deep enough to produce overpasses such as two that cross Highway 9 between Silverthorne and Kremmling or one between Pagosa Springs and Durango. But $750,000 as allocated to design work for crossings of I-25 near Raton Pass with a like amount for design of an I-70 crossing near Vail Pass.

In this and other ways, Colorado can better vie for a slice of the $350 million allocated by Congress in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for improved wildlife connectivity.

This is on top of the overpass of I-25 planned for the segment between Castle Rock and Monument

to complement the four underpasses installed in the widening project of recent years.

We are pivoting in how we regard roads and wildlife habitat.We have long been driven to protect human lives and our property by reducing collisions. Our perspectives have broadened. Human safety still matters, but so do the lives of critters.

When we built our interstate highway system between 1956 and, with the completion of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon, 1992, we gave little regard to wildlife. There were exceptions, such as the narrow underpass for deer in West Vail installed in 1969.

Biologists in the 1990s began emphasizing highways as home wreckers. Expanding road networks, they said, was creating islands of wildlife habitat. Fragmented habitat leads to reduced gene pools and, at the extreme, the threat of extinction of species in some areas, called extirpation.

I-70 became the marquee for this. Wildlife biologists began calling it the“Berlin Wall to Wildlife.” The aptness of that phrase was vividly illustrated in 1999 when a transplanted lynx released just months before tried to cross I-70 near Vail Pass. It was smacked dead.

With that graphic image in mind, wildlife biologists held an international competition in 2011 involving I-70. The goal, at least partially realized, was to discover less costly materials and designs.

Colorado’s pace has quickened since a 2014 study documenting the decline of Western Slope mule deer populations. In 2019 an incoming Gov. Polis issued an executive order to state agencies directing them to work together to solve road ecology problems.

Two wildlife overpasses along with underpasses and fencing north of Silverthorne completed in 2017 have been valuable examples.

SEE WILDLIFE, P23

Answers

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Studies showed a 90% reduction in collisions.

“An 80 to 90% reduction right off the bat is pretty typical for these structures,” says Tony Cady, a planning and environmental manager for the Colorado Department of Transportation.

State agencies, working with non-profit groups and others, have crunched the data to delineate the state’s 5% highest priority road segments. These data may give Colorado a leg up on access to federal funds.

The two studies found 48 highpriority segments on the West-

ern Slope and 90 east of the Continental Divide, including the Great Plains, reports Michelle Cowardin, a wildlife biologist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The Craig and Meeker areas have lots of high priority roads, but so is much of I-76 between Fort Morgan to Julesburg has many high-priority segments.

Some jurisdictions are diving deeper. Eagle County has completed a study of wildlife connectivity, and in the Aspen area, a non-profit called Safe Passages has secured funding to begin identifying highest-priority locations in the Roaring Fork and Crystal River valleys.

These new studies attest to a shift in public attitudes. Rob Ament of Montana State University’s Western Transportation

Institute says wildlife connectivity is becoming institutionalized in how we think about transportation corridors. Instead of an extravagance, he says, crossings are becoming a cost of doing business.

This is happening internationally, too. “My world is just exploding,” he said while reciting crossings for elephants in Bangladesh, tigers in Thailand and work for other species in Argentina, Nepal, and Mongolia. If in some ways a long time in coming, we are redefining the relationship between highways and wildlife.

Check out other work by Allen Best about climate change, the energy transition and other topics at BigPivots.com.

Center can be di cult to electrify and decarbonize due to their high process and ventilation loads,” said Lucas Toffoli, on the group’s Carbon-Free Building program. “So, we hope the integrated e ciency, energy recovery, and renewable energy strategies they’re using will provide a helpful model for high-performance lab build-outs across the U.S.”

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

Legals

Metropolitan Districts

Public Notice

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR ELIZABETH PARK AND RECREATION DISTRICT

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly to the electors of the Elizabeth Park and Recreation District of Elbert County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a regular election will be held on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At that time, three (3) directors will be elected to serve a fouryear term and one (1) director will be elected to serve a two-year term.

Self-Nomination and Acceptance forms are available from Michael Barney, the Designated Election Official for the District, at 34201 County Road 17, P.O. Box 434, Elizabeth, Colorado 80107, Colorado or email mike@elizabethpr.com..

Self-Nomination and Acceptance forms must be filed with the Designated Election Official for the District at the above email address not less than 67 days prior to the election (Friday, February 24, 2023 at 5:00 pm).

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that applications for absentee ballots may be filed with the Designated Election Official of the District at the above address during normal business hours (9:00 am and 5:00 pm), until the close of business on the Tuesday immediately preceding the election (Tuesday, April 25, 2023). All absentee ballots must be returned to the Designated Election Official by 7:00 p.m. on election day.

ELIZABETH PARK AND RECREATION DISTRICT

By: /s/ Michael Barney

Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. 24944

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Elbert County News

Public Notice

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

DEER CREEK WATER DISTRICT

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly, to the eligible electors of the DEER CREEK WATER DISTRICT ("District") of Elbert County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the District will conduct a regular election on the 2nd day of May, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At that time, (3) three directors will be elected for a 4-year term expiring in May 2027.

In order to be a candidate for one of the director positions, a qualified individual must submit a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form. Eligible electors of the District interested in serving on the Board of Directors may obtain a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form from the District’s Designated Election Official (DEO):

Sue Blair, DEO elections@crsofcolorado.com

Community Resource Services of Colorado

7995 East Prentice Avenue, Suite 103E Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Phone: 303-381-4960

Offices Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form must be returned to the Designated Election Official by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 24, 2023. The form can be emailed to elections@crsofcolorado.com.

A Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form that is not sufficient may be amended once at any time before 3:00 p.m. on Friday, February 24, 2023.

Earlier submittal is encouraged as the deadline will not permit correcting an insufficient form if received at 5:00 p.m.

Affidavit of Intent To Be A Write-In-Candidate forms must be submitted to the office of the Designated Election Official by the close of business on Monday, February 27, 2023.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that an application for an absentee ballot may be filed with the Designated Election Official, at the contact information referenced above, no later than the close of business on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.

DEER CREEK WATER DISTRICT Sue Blair, Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. 24942 First Publication: February 2, 2023 Last Publication: February 2, 2023 Publisher: Elbert County News Misc. Private Legals Public Notice BEFORE THE OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

IN THE MATTER OF AN APPLICATION FOR A RULE 702.b FINANCIAL ASSURANCE PLAN, ADAMS, ARAPAHOE, BENT, ELBERT, KIOWA, MOFFAT, PROWERS, WASHINGTON, AND WELD COUNTIES, COLORADO CAUSE NO. 1 DOCKET NO. 221200345

TYPE: FINANCIAL ASSURANCE PLAN NOTICE OF HEARING

Renegade Oil & Gas Company, LLC (Operator No. 74165) (“Renegade” or “Applicant”) filed an Application for a Rule 702.b Financial Assurance Plan. This Notice was sent to you because the Applicant believes you are an interested party entitled to notice pursuant to Rule 504.b.(10).

DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION OF HEARING (Subject to change)

The Commission will hold a hearing only on the above-referenced docket number at the following date, time, and location:

Date:April 12, 2023

Time:9:00 a.m.

Place: Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission

The Chancery Building 1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 801 Denver, CO 80203

PETITIONS

DEADLINE FOR PETITIONS BY AFFECTED

PERSONS: March 13, 2023

Any interested party who wishes to participate

formally must file a written petition with the Commission no later than the deadline provided above. Please see Commission Rule 507 at https:// cogcc.state.co.us, under “Regulation,” then select “Rules.” Please note that, under Commission Rule 510.l, the deadline for petitions may only be continued for good cause, even if the hearing is continued beyond the date that is stated above. Pursuant to Commission Rule 507, if you do not file a proper petition, the Hearing Officer will not know that you wish to formally participate in this matter and the date and time of the hearing may change without additional notice to you. Parties wishing to file a petition must register online at https://oitco.hylandcloud.com/DNRCOGExternalAccess/Account/Login.aspx and select “Request Access to Site.” Please refer to our “eFiling Users Guidebook” at http://cogcc/documents/reg/Hearings/External_ Efiling_System_Handbook_December_2021_Final.pdf for more information.

Any Affected Person who files a petition must be able to participate in a prehearing conference during the week of March 13, 2023, if a prehearing conference is requested by the Applicant or by any person who has filed a petition.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For more information, you may review the Application, which was sent to you with this Notice. You may also contact the Applicant at the phone number or email address listed below.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if any party requires special accommodations as a result of a disability for this hearing, please contact Margaret Humecki at Cogcc. Hearings_Unit@state.co.us, prior to the hearing and arrangements will be made.

OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

By: Mimi C. Larsen, Commission Secretary

Dated: December 29, 2022

Renegade Oil & Gas Company, LLC

c/o Robert A. Willis Scott M. Campbell Poulson, Odell & Peterson, LLC 6155 S. Main St., Suite 225 Aurora, CO 80016 1660 Lincoln Street, Suite 1500 Denver, CO 80264 303-264-4418 rwillis@popllc.com scampbell@popllc.com

Legal Notice No. 24943

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Elbert County News Public Notice BEFORE THE OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO IN THE MATTER OF THE PROMULGATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF FIELD RULES TO GOVERN OPERATIONS FOR THE NIOBRARA FORMATION, WILDCAT FIELD, ELBERT COUNTY,

GMT Exploration Company LLC (Operator No. 10243) (“GMT” or “Applicant”) filed an Application with the Commission for an order to establish an Oil & Gas Development Plan (“OGDP”) on the lands identified below. Generally, an Oil & Gas Development Plan is the process whereby an applicant obtains approval to develop oil or gas resources at one or more oil and gas locations by drilling a specific number of wells. Importantly, an OGDP is not a pooling application.

This Notice was sent to you because the Applicant believes you may: 1) be an Owner of oil and/or gas (“mineral”) interests to be developed by the proposed OGDP; 2) own, reside, or operate a first responder agency on property within 2,000 feet of a working pad surface included in the OGDP; or 3) be otherwise entitled to notice pursuant to Commission Rule 303.e.(1).

APPLICATION LANDS

Mineral Development: Township 6 South, Range 64 West, 6th P.M.

Section 2: All Section 3: All Section 4: All Section 5: All Section 6: All Surface Lands: Township 6 South, Range 64 West, 6th P.M Section 4: NE¼NE¼

DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION OF HEARING (Subject to change)

A Commission hearing on the above-referenced docket number is currently scheduled for the following date, time, and location:

Date:March 29, 2023 Time: 9:00 a.m.

Place:Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission The Chancery Building 1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 801 Denver, CO 80203

Parties to this hearing will be notified if this date, time, or place changes. For the most up-to-date information regarding the Commission’s hearing schedule, please visit https://cogcc.state.co.us/#/ home, click on “Commission Hearings,” and click on “Preliminary Agendas.”

PUBLIC COMMENT

Any party may file a public comment for the review of Commission Staff related to the abovedescribed OGDP. All public comments will be included in the administrative record for the OGDP proceeding. Parties wishing to file a public comment on the above-described OGDP may follow the instructions at https://cogcc.state.co.us/ documents/sb19181/Guidance/Mission_Change_ Guidance/Info%20Sheet_303.e.(2).D%20Public%20Comment_20210309.pdf, or may use the eFiling system outlined below.

PETITIONS

DEADLINE FOR PETITIONS BY AFFECTED

PERSONS: February 27, 2023

Any interested party who wishes to participate formally in this matter must file a written petition with the Commission no later than the deadline provided above. Please see Commission Rule 507 at https://cogcc.state.co.us, under “Regulation,” then select “Rules.” Please note that, under Commission Rule 510.l, the deadline for petitions may only be continued for good cause, even if the hearing is continued beyond the date that is stated above. Pursuant to Commission Rule 507, if you

do not file a proper petition, the Hearing Officer will not know that you wish to formally participate in this matter and the date and time of the hearing may change without additional notice to you. Parties wishing to file a petition must register online at https://oitco.hylandcloud.com/DNRCOGExternalAccess/Account/Login.aspx and select “Request Access to Site.” Please refer to our “eFiling Users Guidance Book” at https://cogcc.state. co.us/documents/reg/Hearings/External_Efiling_System_Users_Guidebook_20201109.pdf for more information.

Any Affected Person who files a petition must be able to participate in a prehearing conference during the week of February 27, 2023, if a prehearing conference is requested by the Applicant or by any person who has filed a petition.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For more information, you may review the Application, which was sent to you with this Notice. You may also contact the Applicant at the phone number or email address listed below. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if any party requires special accommodations as a result of a disability for this hearing, please contact Margaret Humecki at Cogcc. Hearings_Unit@state.co.us, prior to the hearing and arrangements will be made.

OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

By: Mimi C. Larsen, Commission Secretary

Dated: January 19, 2023

Applicant GMT Exploration Company LLC c/o Jamie L. Jost, Kelsey H. Wasylenky Jost Energy Law, P.C. 3511 Ringsby Court, Unit 103 Denver, CO 80216 720-446-5620 jjost@jostenergylaw.com kwasylenky@jostenergylaw.com

Legal Notice No. 24941

First Publication: February 2, 2023

Last Publication: February 2, 2023

Publisher: Elbert County News

Notice to Creditors

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

KENNETH ALFRED SCHENCK, a/k/a KENNETH A. SCHENCK, Deceased

Case No: 2022PR030052

ll persons having claims against the above-named estate