Elbert County News 020923

Elizabeth West area welcomes McDonald’s

Not just a pretty face

Elizabeth Stampede

Royalty discuss life, goals, excitement for 2023

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

e 2023 Elizabeth Stampede

Rodeo Royalty — Queen Kyra Doud

and Attendant Isabelle Piche — recently sat with the Elbert County News for a wide-ranging interview about who they are, their experience at the 2023 National Western

Stock Show, their excitement for the year as rodeo royalty, and their post-reign goals.

Sitting by the cozy re at the Idyllwilde Fika Co ee House in Parker on Jan. 28, Doud and Piche eagerly shared their thoughts on all things rodeo, royalty, and their passion for the Western way of life.

Here is the Q&A:

Where are you from and where do you go to school?

Kyra Doud: I am from Parker, Colorado. I used to live in Elizabeth, but I recently moved back to Parker. I’m 19 years old and I’m a freshman

at Arapahoe Community College. I’m an anthropology major and I want to study biblical archaeology. It has always been a close thing to my heart.

Isabelle Piche: I live in Castle Pines, Colorado. I’ve had family out in Elizabeth, so I’m very familiar with the area. I go to school at Rock Canyon High School and I’m going to be a senior next year. I don’t want to go to college, but I am going to go into the re academy when I graduate. I am working on my EMT certi cation next year, so I’ll be a licensed EMT by December of 2024.

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

e much-anticipated and highly controversial McDonald’s opened in the Elizabeth West area on Jan. 26. e 24-hour location at 1950 Legacy Trail is the rst McDonald’s in Elbert County and one of only a few fastfood locations in the area.

e Elizabeth West McDonald’s was built in the company’s new contemporary style, o ering a minimalist aesthetic that promotes selfservice with walk-up ordering kiosks and a table-based ordering system.

Like many of the businesses in Elizabeth West, McDonald’s employs local residents, creating a stronger Elizabeth-based workforce. ey also employ several Elizabeth High School students, giving teens local after-school work opportunities.

“I like working here. All the people are really nice, especially the managers,” said Riley, a crew team member. “It has been really busy since we opened because people knew it was being built. We’ve had so many people come in already.”

One of the managers said in a Jan. 27 interview that the Elizabeth West McDonald’s crew is already bonding and is building relationships with the community.

“We’re doing really well so far.

Everyone on sta is really tight-knit already. It’s been a pretty good and

New addition to local commercial scene sparks mixed reactions

Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Queen Kyra Doud, left, and Attendant Isabelle Piche at the Casey Jones Park Rodeo Arena.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN SEWALD

Air Duct Cleaning Winter Specials

To our readers

BY LINDA SHAPLEY PUBLISHER

If you’ve paid even just a little bit of attention to the news industry in the past decade, you know that it’s struggling. What you may not know is that community newspapers nationwide are closing at the rate of two per week.

e work of our journalists continues to be so critical for our society. We’re dedicated to keeping your city councils or school boards accountable and informing you about businesses and groups that make your community the great place where you have decided to live.

But the fact of the matter is, the materials that it takes to get a newspaper to your front door — the newsprint, the ink, the transportation fuel — have skyrocketed in cost.

year. (We will still o er a discount for readers over age 65.)

At less than $2 a week, we believe that’s still a reasonable price to pay for news you often can’t nd anywhere else.

Our mission is to lower energy costs and provide the healthiest quality air possible. For anyone, business or residential, we will increase e ciency of your system by using the very latest techniques, the latest technologies and top of the line products. We will provide the highest quality of work possible. Our professional sta will assure a high level of professionalism that cannot be matched in our industry. We guarantee our products and services.

So while it’s not in our nature to make essential news less a ordable, we’ve come to the point where we must raise our prices. Beginning March 1, the price of a subscription to any of our paid publications and for all-access digital will be $85 per

If you’re not interested in a subscription, consider a contribution to bit.ly/give2CCM, or at the QR code above.

Local news is a public good. Raising these prices is how we’ll do even more for our communities in 2023. I am grateful for your support.

Study eyes weed legalization

Research claims little harm

BY JOHN INGOLD THE COLORADO SUN

Last year, a study came out showing that marijuana legalization in Colorado likely increased cannabis use among adults in the state.

Because of the novel methods the researchers used to examine the question, the study was perhaps the best answer to date on one of legalization’s biggest impacts. But it also left an even bigger question unanswered: Is it bad that more adults are consuming marijuana or doing so more frequently?

Now, in a follow-up study by the same team, using the same methods, the researchers have come to an answer: It doesn’t appear to be.

“At least from the psychological point of view,” said Stephanie Zellers, one of the researchers, “we really didn’t nd that the policies (on cannabis legalization) have a lot of negative in uence, which I think is important.”

Zellers recently graduated with a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Minnesota, but she began her doctoral work at the University of Colorado before transferring when her thesis adviser changed jobs. She had originally been interested in neuroscience research, but the necessity of using live lab animals for the work was o -putting to her. And, in the Colorado-toMinnesota connection, she found a trove of data that could be used in never-before-tried ways.

The power of twins

e data are from longitudinal studies of twins in Colorado or Minnesota. Researchers in both states followed the twins over long periods of time, collecting informa-

tion about their behaviors, including their cannabis use. e survey information, then, creates an ideal scenario for study: It is thorough, it has built-in controls for variables like educational background or socioeconomic status, and it also accounts better than most for genetic di erences.

On top of that, because Colorado has legalized marijuana and Minnesota hasn’t (at least so far) — and because some twins born in Minnesota moved to Colorado as adults and vice versa — the data provide an ideal opportunity to study the way in which a policy change made in Colorado a decade ago has in uenced people’s behavior ever since.

“ at twin component really allows us to rule out a lot of possible alternatives — maybe there were just cultural di erences, family differences, things like that,” Zellers said.

Zellers spoke with e Sun via videoconference from Finland, where she is pursuing postdoctoral research. (And, yes, she is missing sunshine this time of year.)

Homing in on the big question e original study, published last fall, simply asked whether twins living in legal-marijuana states use marijuana more than twins living in illegal states. And the answer is yes — about 20% more, according to the research.

at answer was interesting, but Zellers said it wasn’t really what the research team wanted to know.

“Really what people care about is: Is legalization harmful,” she said.

To answer that question, the team came up with 23 measures of what they call “psychological dysfunction.” is includes things like substance-use disorders but also nancial woes, mental health

Studies look into how marijuana legalization impacts other drug uses.

MARIJUANA

distress, community disengagement and relationship issues. e team looked at data on more than 4,000 people — 40% of whom live in a legal-marijuana state.

Zellers said what the researchers found was unexpected: ey basically found nothing.

“Obviously the cannabis use increases, but we didn’t see an increase in cannabis-use disorder, which is a little surprising,” she said. “We didn’t really see changes in how much people were drinking or using tobacco. No large personality or workplace or IQ di erences or anything like that.”

People in legal states did not report using illegal drugs at higher rates. Researchers also didn’t nd a link between marijuana legalization and psychotic behavior.

ey did nd one di erence, though. People living in a state where recreational marijuana use is illegal reported higher rates of alcohol-use disorder and more speci cally one symptom of the condition: ey were more likely to report using alcohol in situations that were dangerous or harmful, such as driving drunk.

Flagging limitations

To Zellers and other researchers, the study provides valuable information for the ongoing debate over whether cannabis legalization is a good idea. But it’s not the nal word.

“Our study suggests that we should not be overly concerned about everyday adult use in a legalized environment, but no drug is risk-free,” CU psychology and neuroscience professor John Hewitt, one of the study’s co-authors, said in a statement. “It would be a mistake to dismiss the risks from higher doses of a drug that is relatively safe in small amounts.”

is highlights one of the study’s big limitations. Zellers said most of the people included in the twins

data are relatively light cannabis users. e sample size for heavy users is small.

at means the study can’t tell whether legalization negatively affects heavy cannabis users. It also can’t determine whether legalization is disproportionately harmful for people who may be predisposed to substance-use problems.

“Our sample is an adult community sample broadly characterized by low levels of substance use and psychosocial dysfunction,” the researchers write in their study, which was published this month in the journal Psychological Medicine.

“ is limits our ability to generalize relationships between legalization, outcomes and risk factors for the individuals at greatest risk.”

For that reason, it is unlikely to settle the debate over whether cannabis is a “gateway drug.” While using marijuana at some point in your life is not indicative that you will go on to use heavier drugs, previous research has found that many people who develop serious druguse disorders started using drugs by consuming alcohol or cannabis.

Zellers said she and her colleagues are hoping to publish another study based on their data — but this one will be less concerned about the impacts of marijuana legalization as a policy. Instead, it will try to look at how much cannabis people have used over their lifetimes and then score that against the same measures of psychological dysfunction “to see if, not the policy, but the actual substance itself has an e ect,” Zellers said.

“We know how people on average live in each state, but that doesn’t tell us about individual people,” she said.

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.

Holiday o ce closure

Douglas County offices will be closed Monday, Feb. 20, 2023. Many services are available at DoItOnlineDouglas.com

SCFD Free Days

Want to learn more about history, spend time appreciating abstract or contemporary art or get in touch with nature? SCFD organizations have your entrance fee and cultural passions covered. For more information, including specific dates and locations - visit scfd.org

E-recycling: Saturday, Feb. 18

Douglas County residents may dispose of unwanted electronics free of charge at Techno Rescue, 3251 Lewiston St. in Aurora. Drop off 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 for Electronics Recycling.

Snow removal is a shared responsibility!

Learn more at douglas.co.us/snow

Need help with home heating costs?

Eligible low-income households in Douglas County may apply for energy assistance through the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP). Visit douglas.co.us and search LEAP for more information or an application, or email LEAPHELP@discovermygoodwill.org

Drive US 85?

Construction to widen the road between Highlands Ranch Parkway and C-470 is underway. Please expect delays and watch for crews. Sign up for updates so you know what to expect. Visit douglas.co.us and search for Subscribe Now and choose US 85 construction.

Do you have one hour to spare each week?

Consider giving that time to change the life of an older adult by volunteering with Aging Resources. You can help with transportation, go grocery shopping or provide company for older adults. For more information, visit agingresourcesdougco.org

SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

BEST OF THE BEST VOTING STARTS

FROM PAGE 1

What is your background in rodeo culture and royalty?

Kyra: is is the fourth year I’ve been involved in rodeo royalty. I was the 2019 Elbert County Fair Queen. at was a great experience. I reigned with Josie omas, last year’s Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Queen. When we visited the Elizabeth Stampede, everything just felt so homey and communityoriented, and it made me want to try out for their royalty. is is only my second title, but I’m enjoying it so far. It has been a great experience.

Isabelle: None of my family comes from the royalty side of things. ey all do barrel racing, which is what I grew up doing.

What made you want to pursue rodeo royalty?

Kyra: When I rst tried out in 2018 for the 2019 Elbert County Fair royalty, I wasn’t really looking to win. It was kind of a new experience. My horse was really new to me, so I was really just trying to get him out there. I wasn’t looking to be queen, but I ended up winning. It ended up being a great experience, but I wasn’t really into royalty until I had that rst title. It ended up being one of the greatest years of my life and I loved every second of it and wanted to keep doing it.

Isabelle: I’ve had no previous experience with royalty. This is my first year. I saw the Instagram post for the Elizabeth Stampede royalty clinic and decided that I was going to do everything possible to get

my horse out there. After seeing everybody and the community and connection everybody had, how supportive they were of each other, I decided that I was going to try out. The dress I bought for my speech was from Amazon and I got it at the last minute. I studied so may YouTube videos to prep for the competition. I didn’t think I was going to win. It was so shocking.

What was your experience like as Elizabeth Stampede Royalty at the 2023 National Western Stock Show? Kyra: It was a really cool

Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Queen Kyra Doud, left, and Attendant Isabelle Piche.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN SEWALD

Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Queen Kyra Doud with her horse, Copper.

HEADLINER NANCY NORTON

RODEO

experience. It’s really di erent than seeing it as a spectator because you don’t understand what’s going on behind the scenes and all the hard work that the volunteers are putting in. It was cool to see the other side. I made some great friends. It was nice to meet and bond with the other royalty from around Colorado.

Isabelle: It was very interesting. When you’re in royalty and representing a rodeo as large as the Elizabeth Stampede, everyone is watching you. If you don’t think someone is watching you, they are. You have to put on this mature look, and make sure what you say is appropriate and within standards. It was a good teaching experience. Seeing how much goes in to making National Western happen is really cool. Meeting the other royalty girls was great. I knew no royalty before coming into this and I had a ton of friends by the end of it, which was so amazing. It was a life-changing experience for me.

What was your favorite part of National Western this year?

Kyra: I had a lot. It’s hard to pick just one. We got to do so many cool things. I got to run with the longhorns when they moved them from one pen to another. We got to go to the Brown Palace in Denver. I’d have to say that my favorite part was going to the rodeos and getting “gold buckle” priority seating. I got to meet some state queens and other royalty doing that, so that was a lot of fun.

Isabelle: e Exceptional Rodeo

through CSU was my favorite thing. It’s for kids with special needs. I love working with kids that don’t have as much as I do, and to help give them the experience that I have. I love working with kids with special needs. It was great seeing the parents and their reactions.

ere was a family aspect to it. It gave families a lot of bonding time to do the activities there. One girl I worked with had autism. At one point she grabbed my hand, and we started petting the pony together. en she went in for a hug and just stared at me. It was a life-changing moment for me. It was really cool.

FEATURE

CHRISTIE BUCHELE

An accomplished standup comic from Denver, CO, Christie Buchele has made a name for herself by sharing the heart-wrenching and hilariously raw realities of being a woman with a disability and proves time and again you can say almost anything with a smile on your face!

The only woman to win the prestigious Boston Comedy Festival, headliner Nancy Norton has been touring nationally and internationally since 1991 and thrives on attention from strangers!

Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Queen Kyra Doud, left, and Attendant Isabelle Piche in their custom Elizabeth Stampede jackets and chaps.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUSAN SEWALD

Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Attendant Isabelle Piche with her horse.

What does the community aspect of rodeo royalty mean for you? Why is it important?

Kyra: I never really had a lot of rodeo friends in middle or high school. It was really fun to go into something as huge as National Western and meet all of the rodeo girls who are just as passionate about the rodeo industry as I am. It is also fun to reign with someone like Isabelle who has the same passion that I do. I made a lot more friendships that circle around agriculture and rodeo and royalty.

Isabelle: I think it means a lot, because I come from a very di erent background, and I feel like a lot of royalty girls did too. After talking to some of them, I didn’t feel as alone. I felt like it was a bigger community of people that made me feel like I wasn’t so di erent in the background that I have. Everyone is learning with me at the same time, which is a really comforting feeling.

What do you do outside of rodeo and royalty? What do you do for fun?

Kyra: Does school count? I feel like I spend most of my time working on my classes. But outside of that and royalty stu , I work the front desk at a salon in Castle Rock. I enjoy hanging out with my friends, spending time with my horses, and spending time with my

SEE RODEO, P7

Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Queen Kyra Doud, left, and Attendant Isabelle Piche sit atop the bucking chutes at the Casey Jones Park Rodeo Arena.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN SEWALD

RODEO

family. I binge-watch “Friends” and have it all on DVD.

Isabelle: I am so busy all the time. I work at Qdoba, I do re science through my school. It’s like a youth re academy. I also barrel race.

The Elizabeth Stampede motto is “Life. Liberty. Rodeo.” Why is promoting the Western way of life important to you?

Kyra: Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t realize the Western way of life is still around. It is a dying industry in some areas, so it is important to continue promoting the Western way of life. It is a part of who we are in America and a part of our history. We need agriculture to survive. For our competition speech, we got to express why agriculture is so important to the United States and to the world. Rodeo is still important because it’s a part of our history and heritage and it’s a lot of fun. It’s important to honor that.

Isabelle: I personally am a big advocate for hard work. You get out what you put in with your e ort. I think agriculture is a huge deal in the United States. We’ll be losing so much land to cities and buildings over the next few decades. With the school curriculum we have now, not as many kids are being taught about agriculture and its importance. Being advocates for that is a huge thing.

SEE RODEO, P8

Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Attendant Isabelle Piche, top, and

Queen Kyra Doud have bonded throughout this past month as Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Royalty.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN SEWALD

How does rodeo royalty help promote these goals?

Kyra: One thing I learned from my previous title as Elbert County Fair Queen and that I’m continuing to learn from this title as Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Queen is that promoting these goals is the job of royalty. To promote our rodeos, of course, but to also promote the western way of life and to focus on agriculture. at’s a huge part of our Western heritage. at is the job of royalty. We can do our research on agriculture and why it is still important in 2023 and beyond. We can continue to educate people about it even though our demographic is changing. Even though the demographic in Elizabeth is changing, it gives us more opportunity to educate about agriculture and how it is still alive and well and how we can continue to improve.

Some people perceive rodeo royalty as just “girls with pretty faces and cute hats.” Why is rodeo royalty so much more than that?

Kyra: Honestly, royalty is really important to the industry, but it also teaches the girls a lot. I have learned so much, not just about rodeo and agriculture, but also my-

self. I’ve learned how I can improve and represent this industry well, even when I’m not in sash and crown. I don’t need a crown to promote the rodeo and the importance of agriculture. It makes me sad to think that rodeo royalty is “just another pretty face” with ashy crowns. We are so much more. We are the ones that promote agriculture and rodeo. We are the ones that little girls look up to and question if they want to be royalty one day, or barrel race, or work on a farm. We’re the ones that promote it and inspire others to continue down the same path.

Isabelle: For me, growing up barrel racing, I lived in a completely di erent world. You are surrounded by completely di erent people and di erent aspects of the rodeo. Growing up, I saw the royalty as girls I didn’t really want to be around, just because I didn’t really know much about them. Knowing a lot more about it, royalty is completely di erent than how I perceived it as a child. At National Western I learned that every single royalty girl comes from a di erent place. Some girls really love pageantry and rodeo and have big goals of being Miss Rodeo Colorado. You get to learn about their journeys. But for me, having people look at you as just a pretty face is

FROM PAGE 7

Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Queen Kyra Doud stands proudly in her custom chaps on the Casey Jones Park Rodeo Arena bleachers in front of a giant K.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN SEWALD

hurtful. We are more than that. e Elizabeth Stampede is such a big rodeo. We kick o the rodeo season in Colorado. And we represent that.

What would you say to the little girls interested in doing rodeo royalty?

Kyra: Do it. I would tell them to never give up and to keep smiling. Keep trying until you get it, because one day you will, and it is going to mean a lot.

Isabelle: Do it. If you don’t think you can do it, you can. at was my thing. I came from no background in royalty, and I tried and got it. If you have the passion and a goal, you are either going to put in work and get down the path you want to go or nd yourself down a path you could never even imagine. If you don’t try at all, you’re never going to get anything out of it. Even if I didn’t get the crown, I still got the experience of trying, the experience of competing. Just do it.

What are you looking forward to during your 2023 reign as Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Royalty?

Kyra: De nitely the Elizabeth Stampede itself. I’m mostly looking forward to going to all of the other rodeos across the Mountain

be fun to support them at their own rodeos. I’m also really looking forward to Cheyenne Frontier Days. I’ve also heard great things about Larimer Jubilee Days, so I’m excited to go to that one as well.

Isabelle: I’m excited to travel. I love adventuring and seeing new things. I love rodeo too, so now I get to do both of them.

What are your post-reign goals?

Kyra: I would love to compete for Miss Rodeo Colorado, but I want to get through school rst. Most of the girls who have won the title have college educations, so that is my hope.

Isabelle: I potentially would like to try out for Elizabeth Stampede Queen next year. It would be during my senior year and while I’m working to prepare for the re academy, so I don’t know yet. If I don’t end up doing more royalty, I’ll de nitely stay in the rodeo world.

For more information on the Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Royalty, visit elizabethstampede.com/ index.php/get-involved/royalty.

You can also nd Kyra and Isabelle representing the Elizabeth Stampede on the o cial royalty social media. Find them on Facebook at facebook.com/esrqueens and on Instagram.

FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC AND SHAKESPEARE LOVERS ALIKE!

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN MUSIC INSPIRED BY THE ROMANTIC WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.

Parker S ymphony Orchestra

Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Queen Kyra Doud, left, and Attendant Isabelle Piche in their custom Elizabeth Stampede jackets.

2023 Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Attendant Isabelle Piche. PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUSAN SEWALD

busy start so far,” said manager Camron Overt. “It’s a great community out here. I know McDonald’s is really excited to be out in Elbert County.”

e new McDonald’s has proven to be very successful so far. Residents have ocked to the restaurant, creating a steady stream of cars at the drive-thru with many choosing to

“I live in Gold Creek and I am happy to have it,” said Elizabeth resident Shelly Turnbull. “I like having a place to drive through for breakfast before my commute to the ere are, however, some Elizabeth residents that are unhappy with the new addition to Elizabeth West. Sandra Fitzsimmons lives across Highway 86 from the McDonald’s and is upset with the development.

“I am extremely displeased with the McDonald’s across the street from our house. When we moved here, there were no plans of anything being built there. We’ve even talked about the possibility of selling the house because of this,” commented Fitzsimmons in an email correspondence from Jan. 31. “Number one, McDonald’s is the most unhealthy food you can eat, and number two, the tra c is going to be a nightmare. ere’s no light there and the stench of fried food when I walk outside my door is just gross.”

Other area locals who have an anti-development stance, have found personal bene t from the McDonald’s coming to Elizabeth

“I live here in Elizabeth. I’m one of those people who don’t want new businesses coming in. I still don’t like it. But they’re paying such good money,” commented McDonald’s crew member Astrida Tobiss on Jan. 27. “I’ve realized that the change is going to happen. And working here, I can stay close to home.”

The new Elizabeth West McDonald’s sits o of Highway 86 at 1950 Legacy Trail.

A woman and child wait for their food at the pick-up counter at the Elizabeth West McDonald’s, which has a minimalist aesthetic that promotes self-service ordering and pick-up.

The immediate area surrounding the McDonald’s will see other commercial development in the near future.

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

ARTS: Preschool Pottery @ Harvard Gulch

@ 6:15pm Feb 16th - Mar 16th

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

Fri 2/17

School Break Camp - 2/17 @ 7:30am / $45 Parker Fieldhouse, 18700 E Plaza Dr., Parker. 303-805-6315

Sat 2/18

Dave Mensch - Tailgate Tavern - Parker, CO

@ 4pm

Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Mainstreet, Parker Teague Starbuck

@ 5pm Sunroom Brewing, 3242 S Acoma St, En‐glewood

Journey Girls Live at Herman's Hideaway

@ 7pm Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

Vamonos Pest/Mobro: Mobro at Brewability Lab @ 6pm Brewability Lab, 3445 S Broadway, Englewood

Denver: Amit Tandon Stand-Up Comedy Live 2023 @ 7pm

Rock Canyon High School, 5810 McArthur Ranch Rd, Littleton

Lusid: Flight of the Dojo w/ Dillard @ 9pm the dojo denver, 665 Depew St, Lakewood

Sun 2/19

Tianna Esperanza @ 7pm Swallow Hill, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

Mick Flannery @ 7pm Swallow Hill, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

Mon 2/20

Last Call Romance: Hearts & Hops Sock Hop @ 6:30pm Lone Tree Brewing Company, 8200 Park Meadows Dr #8222, Lone Tree

Adam Ezra Group: A Solo Acoustic Evening with Adam Ezra at The Schoolhouse **POSTPONED** @ 7:30pm

The Schoolhouse at Mainstreet, 19650 Mainstreet, Parker

BAILE DEL DIA DEL AMOR Y LA

AMISTAD @ 8:30pm / $50-$60 Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Samia w/ Tommy Lefroy @ 8pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, Englewood

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

Tue 2/21

Handwriting: Pre-Writing (3 to 5 yrs) W/S23 @ 11:30pm

Feb 21st - Mar 28th

Parker Recreation Center, 17301 E Lincoln Ave., Parker

Eric Golden @ 8pm Sheabeens Irish Pub, 2300 S Chambers Rd #A, Aurora

The Doo Wop Project @ 8pm Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St, Lone Tree

Dear Marsha,: Chicks with Picks! DM ALBUM RELEASE with No Small Children, Melissa Crispo, Bug Frances @ 7pm Wild Goose Saloon, Parker LATRICE ROYALE @ 8pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

Pretend Friend @ 9pm

The Englewood Tavern, 4386 S Broadway, Englewood

Loktavious @ 7pm

Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

Wed 2/22 Thu 2/23

Art: Hands-On Introduction to DSLR Photography (16+yrs) @ 2am

Feb 23rd - Mar 22nd PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

Stephen Pearcy @ 8pm Wild Goose Saloon, 11160 S Pikes Peak Dr, Parker

powered by

Average is OK

Being average is OK. I will say that again. Being average is OK.

I recently started listening to the book “ e Subtle Art of Not Giving a F#@@.” I have to admit my husband recommended it a couple of years ago. However, the vulgar title turned me o a bit. en, recently, my brother recommended it after I was complaining about something that bugged me. He said I let too much bother me and this book might help get some perspective.

I started listening to it — and was impressed with how the author, Mark Manson, really pegs our society, our struggles and the unrealistic expectations we put on ourselves and each other.

But, as he teaches me how to maybe set realistic expectations and not care about so much that really does not matter in the big picture — the book is also great at putting in perspective how being average is OK because, frankly, the majority of us are just average.

As parents we want our children to be great at everything, have all the opportunities and succeed at everything they do. In reality, we are all good at what we are good at. We are all not great at everything we try.

I may be good at writing, but I am de nitely below average when it comes to trying to solve math problems when I help kids with homework. In college, getting a C in math was a blessing, really.

According to Manson, “Being ‘average’ has become the new standard of failure. e worst thing you can be is in the middle of the pack, the middle of the bell curve. When a culture’s standard of success is to “be extraordinary,” it then becomes better to be at the extreme low end of the bell curve than to be in the middle, because at least there you’re still special and deserve attention.”

When the expectations are set so high — How can anyone live up to them? at’s become part of society’s problem and probably a contributing factor to mental illness and depression rates skyrocketing. When we set these high expectations that we really cannot reach — We feel like failures.

When we see on Facebook and other social media how friends and family are living these amazing lives — We judge our own as failures. Never mind that in reality, people are only sharing their best days, their best moments on these social outlets. at does not matter. It only means we do not measure up.

As a society, imagine what would happen if we started being realistic in our goals and expectations. My son loves hockey. He’s not the best at it — he’s average. For me, that is OK.

My daughter is never going to be great at school. She is average. at is OK.

I am the poster child for setting too many expectations for myself. With each thing I fail at — I only work harder, set more goals and try more.

For my children, however, I have started working toward setting realistic goals. Play hockey if you love it. Who cares if you are great at it as long as you are doing your best and trying?

Try out for the school play. Who knows, you may be great at it, but just have fun.

If, as a society, we start realizing the majority of us are average — We might start feeling a lot more OK with ourselves and the world around us.

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

THELMA GRIMES South Metro Editor tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com

SCOTT GILBERT Editor sgilbert@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Can new batteries help Aspen and Vail climate goals?

Will this smooth the renewable highs and lows?

to extreme weather events, including severe winter storms and polar vortex events.”

BIG PIVOTS

Holy Cross Energy aims to distribute 100% emission-free electricity to its 55,000 members in the Aspen, Ri e, and Vail areas by 2030. How will it do that?

Tri-State Generation and Transmission, Colorado’s second largest utility, has a di erent but related problem. It wants to best use infrastructure associated with its coal-burning operations at Craig after the last unit closes before 2030.

One clue may lie in Pueblo. ere a pilot program testing a new technology for long-duration energy storage will be deployed by Xcel Energy and Form Energy by the end of 2025. e new iron-air batteries will be able to use chemical processes to store electricity and then discharge it for up to 100 hours.

e new battery technology has been reported to be 10 times less expensive than lithium-ion batteries. Iron is abundant in the United States, and the batteries are nonammable.

In announcing the pilot projects, Bob Frenzel, the chief executive of Xcel, said the 100-hour batteries at Pueblo and at a coal site in Minnesota “will strengthen the grid against normal day-to-day, week-to-week, and season-to-season weather variability, in addition

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Duration of storage matters entirely as electric utilities add low-cost and emissionsfree renewables. Short-duration storage, such as the lithium-ion batteries installed in conjunction with a new solar farm near Glenwood Springs in 2022, can help. ey provide two to four hours of storage.

With 100 hours of storage, utilities can smooth the highs and the lows of renewables. Consider Uri, the week of cold in 2022 when wind on Colorado’s eastern plains ceased for several days. Utilities cranked up turbines burning natural gas that was suddenly in high demand. Consumers are still paying o those bills. Tri-State even resorted to burning oil.

Summers have brought inverse problems of spiking demand caused by heat. In 2021, it got so hot in Portland that electric lines for trains melted, and some people without air conditioning literally baked to death in apartments. Colorado regulators worry whether the state’s utilities can handle such weather extremes.

Iron-air batteries alone are unlikely to solve the intermittencies of renewable energy or the havoc produced by a warming and more erratic climate. is pilot project does represent a notable e ort to explore whether they can be scaled.

“ is is an exciting new frontier for energy storage in Colorado,” said Mike Kruger, chief executive of the Colorado Solar and Storage

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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.

Thelma Grimes

Imbolc: the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox

Ilove February, primarily because it is my birthday month, though I chafe about how it got short-changed in days. But given that it is often the coldest, most bone-chilling stretch of the year in the northern hemisphere, I do not mind cutting it short and rolling into March.

roughout the ancient world, the month of February was rich with tradition. Its name is derived from Februalia, which was the period set aside in ancient Rome for puri cation rituals. From that tradition, we have the celebration of the Puri cation of Mary, which came forty days after the Nativity in accordance with Mosaic Law, and the blessing of re — Candlemas — on Feb. 2.   ose sacred celebrations happily coincide with Imbolc, which marks the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox. For many in the pagan tradition, Imbolc marks the rst day of spring.

It is striking how two disparate ancient cultures, Greek and Celtic, both correlated the sun and poetry (a decidedly right-brain process) with the creative process. At Imbolc, the crone gives way to the maiden in anticipation of giving birth, and

JERRY FABYANIC Columnist

young Apollo, god of the lyre, poetry, and intellect, rides his chariot in increasingly higher arcs across the rmament.

In the Celtic tradition, the goddess Brighid, who morphed into Ireland’s Saint Brigid, is prominent at Imbolc, which is known as Saint Brigid’s Day. As with Apollo, she is the deity of poetry. She is also the goddess of smithcraft and healing, making her a goddess of creativity and energy restoration. And like Apollo, she is a solar deity.  On Mother Earth, little or nothing appears to be happening in terms of new life. But beneath her skin, roots are awakening, getting ready to grow and spread hair-like tentacles. Crocuses and tulips are awakening from hibernation. For those into gardening, this is the time for planting seeds in hothouses or solaria to incubate and then sprout as seedlings and mature su ciently in anticipation for their opportunity to bloom in the natural world.

become competitive. “It will take these incremental storage projects to prove out and hopefully pave the way.”

Seeing that aspect of the natural cycle as a metaphor, February is the perfect time to re ect or meditate on what is happening underground in these northern climes and relate it to your ideas. Imbolc is an ideal time for imagining, a time to shake free of winter doldrums. Idea seeds lying dormant in your subconscious await to be brought into consciousness, into the visible, vibrant world.  ose idea seeds might be oating as inclinations, urges and gut feelings or may be moving past what you have said or thought you always wanted to do but for one reason or another delayed or postponed acting on. Perhaps you might want to use this time to begin planning a trip, painting a canvas, or writing. Or planting a garden, literally or metaphorically. Imbolc is a perfect time to allow those nascent ideas to germinate so they can then grow and manifest themselves.

When one ventures past planning a trip to actually making the journey, occasional forays on side trips of some sort are requisite. ey provide an opportunity for individuals to take a time-out, separate themselves from their tribe and setting, and be alone with themselves.

I recall two friends who trekked in two di erent ways. One set out with a plan that did not unfold as intended. Instead, it became a grand adventure into self-learning. Consequently, he returned with a deeper understanding and insight into himself and a clearer perspective about what to write about next.

e other friend was quite sure about her reason for leaving. She simply felt the need to go. It took her out of her comfort zone, which is always a grand place to be, for that is where true learning and adventure takes place. e beauty is that both listened to and honored their inner selves. at is the spirit of Imbolc.

So do not dawdle until you see literal blossoms and green grass appearing. As the stock line goes, “Life is what happens when you’re planning.” Your task at Imbolc is to start on the underground, preparatory back work of future creations to ensure that when your project becomes truly visible to the world around you, it will appear with radiant and luscious beauty.

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

Association, a trade group of 275 members. “ is announcement goes to show that when there is clear policy, American companies can innovate to meet the electric power sector’s needs.”

Holy Cross Energy has been diversifying its supplies, both locally and regionally, but still depends largely upon wholesale deliveries from Xcel.

e Glenwood Springs-based cooperative in 2022 delivered 50% emissions free electricity but has a goal of 100% just seven years from now.

Sam Whelan, the vice president for nance at Holy Cross, said that increased reliability by Xcel will help Holy Cross reliably deliver electricity to its members.

Holy Cross has been investigating its own options—and has had conversations with Form Energy. It will look at many alternatives, including green hydrogen and pumped-storage hydro, each with problems but also promise.

“You have to start something, and you have to start in small increments as well,” says Whelan.

e solar industry, he also started small. “It was not that long ago that solar costs were signi cantly higher,” he observed. Now, solar has

Tri-State, at a recent meeting with stakeholders, also reported that iron-air storage technology was among several options for Craig being studied once the coal plants there close. Transmission lines already exist, capable of carrying renewable energy to the site to be stored - and then released as needed.

Xcel may have gleanings about how they will act at scale and be used to manage the grid by 2026.

Will these new batteries eliminate need for expensive natural gas plants designed for use to meet peak demands? Such plants are expensive to build, and they do produce emissions. Too soon to tell, says Robert Kenney, the president of Xcel Energy’s Colorado division.

“If we see success with this program, we will explore how we can expand it and scale it up further. But to what extent it will displace `peaker’ plants or any other technology, that would be the learning that we would expect to come out of the pilot itself. So stay tuned.”

Allen Best publishes Big Pivots, which covers energy and water transitions in Colorado made necessary by climate change. See bigpivots.com

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Dems aim to ax social studies from standardized tests

Subject spurs controversies

BY ERICA BREUNLIN THE COLORADO SUN

Elementary and middle schoolers in Colorado could stop taking state standardized assessments in social studies starting next year under a bill introduced recently by a group of Democrats in the state legislature, who want to spare Colorado teachers and students the time and stress of testing and save the state more than $1 million each year.

Scrapping social studies would be the latest change to standardized state tests, which have ignited ery debates among parents, educators and lawmakers, especially in recent years as state testing was paused in 2020 during the pandemic and modi ed the following year.

e change would also hit a subject that has sparked its own controversies across the state and country, with some parents and critics questioning the ways social studies teachers talk to students about history and the groups of people whose history is covered in class.

In November, the Colorado State Board of Education voted along party lines, 4 to 3, to adopt more inclusive standards for social studies and bring back references to marginalized groups, including Native Hawaiians and Paci c Islanders, Colorado Public Radio reported. e vote came after both public support and opposition, including a failed attempt to instead use the conservative American Birthright social studies standards.

In proposing to do away with social studies tests on state assessments, Sen. Janice Marchman, a Loveland Democrat, aims to ease testing burdens on kids and educators and save the state money for what she sees as more pressing education needs — including paying teachers more and keeping class sizes low.

“It’s hard to do that when we have so many commitments to pay for things like tests,” said Marchman, a prime sponsor of Senate Bill 61. “In my mind, this was low-hanging fruit.”

e state pays Pearson, a global company that provides textbooks, assessments and other education materials, more than $1 million per year for social studies state tests alone, according to Marchman.

Social studies is the only subject that the state mandates students be tested

on. e federal government requires students to be assessed on the other subjects that are part of the Colorado Measures of Academic Success — English language arts, mathematics and science.

e state originally required that all students take a state exam in social studies in elementary, middle and high school, according to Jeremy Meyer, spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Education. In 2015, lawmakers passed legislation scaling back social studies testing on state standardized exams, changing the state’s approach to testing so that only a sample of schools would test students in elementary, middle and high school in social studies.

e state used a staggered schedule, dividing schools into three groups with each group facilitating social studies state testing once every three years. A 2020 bill passed into law further reduced testing by eliminating social studies state exams for high schoolers altogether.

Students in fourth and seventh grades still technically are required to take state assessments in social studies when their school is up for testing every three years, but the state has halted social studies testing since 2019, in part because testing was paused in 2020 during the pandemic and modi ed in 2021. e state has continued to suspend testing in social studies in light of social studies standards having to be updated, which was completed with the State Board of Education’s vote in November. All state academic standards are evaluated on a six-year cycle.

Meyer noted that should the state stop testing elementary and middle school

students if Senate Bill 61 passes, there would be no impact on school accountability as the exam results are not incorporated into Colorado’s school accountability system.

Marchman, whose career has included working as a middle school gifted and talented teacher and remediating small groups of middle schoolers who need extra help in math, sees an opportunity to lighten students’ testing load and even free them up from a day of exams. Schools often try to spread out testing to help students feel less pressure on state assessments, she said, noting that often means schools devote an additional day to social studies exams for fourth and seventh graders.

Mark Sass, who taught high school social studies for 26 years, most recently at Legacy High School in Broom eld, supports the end of state social studies testing so long as lawmakers are thoughtful about how they spend the savings. He’d like to see at least part of the money directed to CDE to help them nd ways to increase participation on state assessments in other subjects, especially science, which has a low participation rate.

“We have to prioritize resources right now,” said Sass, who is executive director of Teach Plus Colorado, which helps teachers inform education policies. “And participation rates with math, English and science as well as social studies were down, and so … if we take this o the table and this then allows districts and schools to be able to increase participation rates in the other exams, then I would say, let’s prioritize that, let’s do that and let’s

studies since it would not be a priority for the state, he said.

State Rep. Meghan Lukens, a Democrat from Steamboat Springs who is co-sponsoring the bill, said tests are an important part of measuring student learning but is adamant that students can bene t long term from other ways of engaging with class material through debates, simulations, mock trials and civic-based projects.

get rid of the social studies exam.”

But one question hovers top of mind for him.

“How does the state ensure or monitor that districts indeed are using standards that meet or exceed those standards that were set by the state?” Sass asked.

Marchman is con dent that district assessments can e ectively measure how well students are meeting state standards in social studies. District assessments will have to be tweaked after updates to the state’s social studies standards, and Marchman believes districts can show through their own assessments that they are meeting the revised state standards.

She added that educators have more control over district-level assessments and can better use the results to inform their instruction. Whereas teachers don’t receive CMAS results until the summer after students are tested in the spring, district assessments are graded much quicker. Teachers can use the results to adjust their instruction throughout the school year as they see immediately what concepts students grasp and areas where they lag behind, Marchman said.

Teachers, not outside testing organizations, should take the lead in determining what each student should know by grade level, she said.

“Who better to do that than the teachers who are held accountable to the standards of that grade level?” Marchman asked.

But Sass said that should social studies state tests be pulled, it will be up to each district to decide how they want to test their students. Some districts may not prioritize testing in social

“Social studies is essential to the success of our democracy, and we will still be teaching social studies,” said Lukens, who previously taught social studies for eight years, last at Steamboat Springs High School. “Students will still be learning social studies, and just because students aren’t being tested by a state-mandated assessment doesn’t mean that there won’t be engagement in social studies. In fact, there’s a lot of evidence that there are more e ective and authentic ways to maximize student engagement in every subject.”

Other lawmakers, however, worry that doing away with social studies state tests will lead Colorado classrooms astray.

“Certainly we’d be moving in the wrong direction,” said Minority Leader Sen. Paul Lundeen, a Monument Republican. “I care deeply about democracy. I care deeply about understanding social studies because that helps us understand who we are as a state and as a country and as a people.”

Lundeen noted that this year’s state education budget will total about $15 billion, and that the amount the state would save by axing social studies state exams would be “minuscule” in comparison. ose funds are “well spent,” he said.

Testing is also a critical part of helping students know that they’re actually learning what they set out to, Lundeen said, adding that social studies is one of the “core elements” of education that warrants assessments.

“Testing on social studies demonstrates our commitment to civil society, to understanding civics, to understanding the Constitution, to understanding the rights we have as people,” Lundeen said, “and to turn our back on that is an error.” 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.

Lawmakers are talking about standardized tests and whether or not social studies has a place in them. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

Heart disease symptoms can be unique

Experts recommend being proactive

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When it comes to heart disease, a local cardiologist says it is never too early to check to get checked out.

According to experts, heart disease comes in many forms. as there are various types of heart disease and can present itself di erently to each individual.

“All these cardiac risk factors put you at high risk of having heart disease, whether that’s high blood pressure, whether that’s cholesterol issues, diabetes, history of smoking,” said Dr. Je Park, a cardiologist with Aurora Denver Cardiology Associates at e Medical Center of Aurora. “I think that all encompasses what heart disease really is.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most common types of heart disease in the U.S. In 2017, heart disease was the second leading cause of death in Colorado.

Heart arrhythmia, heart valve disease and heart failure are among the many types of heart disease.

Park said high blood pressure is a

major risk factor for heart disease. .  With high blood pressure, there is more pressure on the arteries and as people age, they harden. When the arteries harden, the blood cannot move as easily.

“You take a garden hose and you turn the water on and that water’s kind of free owing, and that’s your heart vessel when you’re young,” said Park. “And then when you start taking your hand and your thumb and put it over the end of that garden hose, the pressure in the hose starts increasing, the water starts owing a little bit faster, and a bit harder.”

Problems arise when the arteries harden too much, causing the pressure to be too high. When this happens, the heart has to work overtime. Park says it is the long standing e ects of high blood pressure that concerns cardiologists.

e heart having to work overtime can often cause what is called, demand ischemia. According to Park, this is when the heart and the demand and the supply of the heart are mismatched and the heart has to work overtime in order to overcome those high blood pressures.

Symptoms of heart disease can be di erent for everyone..

“I see a lot of patients who just have very vague symptoms,” said Park.

“ ey’re like, ‘I just couldn’t sleep

well. I just kind of felt there’s a weird kind of sensation in my chest and you know, it wasn’t anything severe and it kind of moved up my neck’.”

According to Park, one can never be too sure about the heart, therefore, it is worth going to get a check up and a test.

ose experiencing chest pain and seeking medical attention will typi-

cally have an EKG done to monitor the heart rhythm. Special marker’s of a heart attack will show up in blood work said Park.

“If you notice something’s changed, I think that’s the time where you really reevaluate that decision and say, ‘maybe it’s not the worst thing just to kind of reassure myself’,” said Park.

Bennet pushes Apple, Google to drop TikTok

BY CAITLYN KIM COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet shares the same national security concerns as many other lawmakers over the popular, Chinese-owned social media app TikTok.

And he wants to see something done quickly.

Bennet has written to the heads of Apple and Google asking them “to remove TikTok from your respective app stores immediately.”

e Democrat, who sits on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, points out in his letter to Apple’s Tim Cook and Alphabet’s (Google’s parent company) Sundar Pichai, that the app “collects vast and sophisticated data from users, including faceprints and voice prints.”

“TikTok poses a unique concern because Chinese law obligates ByteDance, its Beijing-based parent company, to ‘support, assist and cooperate with state intelligence work.’”

Bennet is worried that the Chinese Communist Party “could weaponize

TikTok against the United States.”

TikTok has more than 100 million users in the United States, according to Bennet’s letter.

It’s these same privacy and national security concerns that led Colorado GOP Rep. Ken Buck and Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley to intro-

duce a bill last week to ban TikTok in the United States.

“ ey are gathering information on Americans that they will use in a cyber war against America,” Buck told CPR News, noting a user might not think much of giving the company their birth date. But add that

to their bank information and other personal information, and the result could be used against them. “And if we don’t seek to protect Americans that don’t understand and don’t understand what the Chinese Communist Party is doing, we’re making a big mistake.”

Buck said he’s asking for the platform to be purchased by a U.S. company if it wants to keep operating in the United States.

e two GOP lawmakers got a bill passed last Congress banning TikTok on government devices, but it took over a year and half to make it through the process to the president’s desk.

Going straight to the companies might limit access sooner than a bill through Congress, if they’re interested in complying.

Lawmakers will get a chance to ask TikTok’s chief executive questions next month, when he’s scheduled to testify in front of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.  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.

Dr. Je Park with a model heart in support of Heart Month. PHOTO BY RACHEL ROBINSON

SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

State park visitation dropped o in 2022

BY PAOLO ZIALCITA COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

Hiking was slightly less popular at Colorado’s state parks in 2022.

During the pandemic, visitors ocked to Colorado’s state parks, shattering visitation records by millions. With about 19.5 million visitors in 2020, Colorado Parks and Wildlife recorded a nearly 31 percent increase in annual visitors compared to the previous year.

Although stay-at-home orders expired in 2021, even more people visited the state’s 42 parks that year — a new record of about 19.9 million visitors.

But last year, enthusiasm for the outdoors waned ever so slightly. About 18.2 million visitors entered Colorado’s state parks in 2022, a nearly 9 percent decrease from the previous year.

Joey Livingston, a statewide public information o cer for CPW, said the decrease isn’t a cause for concern for the agency. ey believe the number of visitors is settling to a new baseline.

“What we’re seeing in 2022 is more of a return to what normal levels would be pre-pandemic,” Livingston said. “We have our new Keep Colorado Wild Pass that just started in January, and so we’re also hoping that more people are gonna have cheaper access to be able to go to the state parks. e hope is to keep those visitation numbers high.”

Visitation statistics are approximations made by CPW. Livingston

said they track park pass sales and the number of vehicles that enter the park, which means they might underestimate the number of people inside each car. However, CPW has used the same measuring system for

years, so the numbers are re ective of the overall pattern.

Lake Pueblo was Colorado’s most popular state park in 2022, repeating a consistent trend established over the years. However, the number of visitors at the lake dropped by over a million last year, from 4.6 million to 3.5 million. Other popular state parks, like Cherry Creek State Park in Aurora and Golden Gate Canyon State Park northwest of Golden, also saw decreases in visitor numbers compared to 2021.

Stagecoach State Park in Routt County saw nearly a 65,000 increase in visitors last year. The newly opened Fishers Peak State Park in Trinidad, which is still under development, saw nearly 6,000 visitors after only welcoming 224 in 2021.

e massive increase in visitors since 2019 has prompted changes to

how some state parks operate. Visits to Eldorado Canyon State Park have nearly doubled since 2016.

“We did implement a timed reservation system at Eldorado Canyon State Park to try to help,” Livingston said. “It’s not really about visitation. Sometimes it’s more about parking, and we only have a limited number of parking spots at a lot of our parks. So some of these parks can handle more people but they can’t always necessarily handle as many vehicles parking in the park.”

Livingston said parks could continue to introduce changes to entry systems as the agency learns more about how increased visitation is impacting state parks.

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.

Roxborough State Park’s distinctive geological formations are visited by thousands of people every year, as one of the closest state parks to the Denver metro area.

PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN

Lawmakers attempt to tackle auto theft

BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at cracking down on the scourge of vehicle theft in the state by decoupling the cost of a stolen car from the criminal penalty a thief faces and by increasing penalties for repeat auto theft o enders.

Senate Bill 97 would make stealing any vehicle a Class 5 felony, which is generally punishable by one to three years in prison or a ne between $1,000 to $100,000, or both.

Right now, the penalty level for an auto thief depends on the value of the vehicle they steal. e lowest level o ense is a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to 364 days in jail, for stealing a car worth up to $2,000 if it’s a rst or second auto theft.

e highest level o ense is a Class 3 felony, punishable by up to 12 years in prison, for stealing a car valued at $100,000 or more.

Under the new measure, a person who steals a car could be charged with Class 4 felony based on aggravating circumstances, such as should a thief keep the vehicle for more than a day, use the vehicle during the commission of another crime or take steps to alter or disguise the vehicle. Class 4 felonies are punishable by up to six years in prison.

e legislation, brought at politi-

cians face pressure to deal with an increasing number of car thefts across the state, would also make a third or subsequent auto theft conviction a Class 3 felony, which are generally punishable by four to 12 years in prison and nes of $3,000 to $750,000 or both.

Tim Lane, with the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council, said the legislation creates a tiered auto theft penalty system that aims to send a message that no matter the value of a vehicle, stealing an automobile is a serious o ense. Lane said the legislation likely wouldn’t change the maximum penalty for a juvenile auto thief.

“ is is one thing to help with auto theft,” he said, “but it’s by no means the entire solution.”

Lane spoke at a news conference with Democratic and Republican state lawmakers. Also attending the event were Denver-area mayors and police chiefs, as well as local prosecutors and key members of Gov. Jared Polis’ administration.

“Imagine waking up one morning to nd your only way of getting to work, of getting your kids to school or day care is gone,” said Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, an Arvada Democrat and prime sponsor of the bill, at Monday’s news conference. “Picture heading to the parking lot after a long day of work to nd your way home has been taken. Imagine the terror of being held up at gunpoint and forced to leave your vehicle in a carjacking. Too many of our neighbors don’t need to imagine what this

feels like because they have lived it rsthand.”

e other lead sponsors of the bill are Republican Sen. Bob Gardner of Colorado Springs and Reps. Matt Soper, R-Delta, and Shannon Bird, D-Westminster.

Polis, in a written statement, endorsed the measure.

“To achieve our shared goal of making Colorado one of the top ten safest states in the next ve years, it is critical we address rising auto theft crimes in our state,” he said. “Coloradans are counting on us. A vehicle’s monetary value does not represent the value to the owner and the impacts a stolen vehicle has on a person or family’s daily life. Criminals should be held accountable for the crimes they commit and charged in a

consistent, just, and rational way.”

e new legislation also includes a “joy-ride” provision that would make it a Class 1 misdemeanor to use a vehicle without the owner’s permission as long as the car is returned within 24 hours without damage and only minor tra c offenses were committed. A second and subsequent conviction for the joy-ride o ense would be a Class 5 felony, however.

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.

Cars parked along Littleton’s Main Street.

PHOTO BY NINA JOSS

How to defer payment on rising property tax bill

Here is how to do it

BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

Many Coloradans’ property tax bills are spiking because of rising home values across the state, but there is a way to put off a big hit to your wallet happening all at once.

The legislature passed a measure in 2021 aiming to ease the financial burden by letting people defer payment on some of what they owe on their primary residence, starting in the 2023 tax year. The state-run program may not be appropriate for everyone, however, and there are some key details about the deferral you should know about before deciding whether to apply.

Here’s how the initiative, housed in the Colorado Treasurer’s Office, works, how to sign up and why you may want to think twice before taking advantage of the option:

How does it work?

The deferral was made possible by the passage of Senate Bill 293 in 2021, a bipartisan measure brought in response to rapidly increasing property tax bills.

The bill lets residential property owners defer any increase in their annual property tax bill that’s 4% above the average they paid over the previous two years as long as the increase is above $100. Proper-

ty owners can defer up to $10,000 total over multiple years.

You aren’t off the hook forever. The deferral becomes a lien against the property that’s subject to interest and must be paid off when the home is sold. The idea is to let homeowners use their unrealized property value gains to eventually cover their increased tax burden.

Property taxes are complicated, but the Colorado Treasurer’s Office has a quick and easy (seriously, it’s very easy) way to figure out if your property tax bill has increased above 4% and how much money you are eligible to defer in a given tax year.

Here’s a link to the site to check if your property is eligible: http:// colorado.propertytaxdeferral.com/

Unless you are a senior citizen or active military member (more on that below), scroll to the “TAX GROWTH CAP” section and hit “check eligibility.” You’ll need to enter in some basic information, but the property tax information for your home should populate automatically.

You’ll have to affirm that your home is owner occupied, not income producing, has no delinquent property taxes and that you have a “lawful presence in the United States.”

You have until April 1 to apply for the deferral.

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When does the relief run out?

There is no end-date for the deferral program, which means you can apply year after year if you’re eligible. However, there is a chance the legislature could decide at some point to limit how many people can apply each year.

Property tax revenue is collected by counties and distributed to local government entities, like school and fire districts, which rely on the money to operate. Under the deferral program, the General Assembly shoulders the deferred property tax payments by sending counties the difference between what they’re owed and what a property owner is deferring.

That means the legislature needs enough money to backfill counties and unlike Congress, the General Assembly can’t simply print money. If there are too many applicants, the legislature could decide to impose a cap.

Colorado Treasurer Dave Young, a Democrat, said right now his office and the legislature are expecting about 35,000 deferrals each year. Young, a former state representative who helped write Colorado’s budget, said if there are more than 35,000 deferrals the legislature may have to take a hard look at reshaping the program.

“I think we’re going to see how the economy is going and how people feel they need to utilize the program,” he said. “We may need to make adjustments. No one really knows (how much interest there is going to be) because we’ve never done this before.”

Does the deferral accrue interest?

Yes.

The annual interest rate you are responsible for paying on your deferral is based on the

10-year Treasury yield and it’s locked in at the time of your application.

For reference, the rate Wednesday morning was 3.55%. You are not responsible for paying the accrued interest until the lien is paid off.

“It’s simple interest,” Young said, “not compound.”

That means that you pay the interest rate on the original deferral amount, not the deferral amount plus the interest you pay each year on top of that. In other words, if you defer $800 in property tax payments for a given year, you owe $28 in interest each year under the 3.55% treasury rate. You wouldn’t pay interest on $828 in the second year, and so on and so forth.

If you apply for deferrals in multiple years, the interest rate will change from year to year based on when you apply. The 10-year Treasury rate is high right now because of federal monetary policy aimed at tamping down inflation. It’s likely to be lower in future years.

Can I pay my lien off early to avoid more interest?

Yes, Colorado homeowners don’t have to wait until they sell their property to pay off the lien.

And it may make financial sense to pay back the lien as soon as possible. If you pay back the lien early, you can avoid accruing more interest.

“It’s really up to the person to decide what their finances can handle,” Young said.

How are property taxes calculated?

Property taxes are determined by how much your county assessor values your property, what the state’s property assessment rate is and what your local mill-levy rate is.

A mill is a $1 payment on every $1,000 of assessed value.

That’s something every homeowner must decide for themselves. There could be real estate consequences for having a lien on your home, and if you have a mortgage, you may want to

talk to your lender before applying for a deferral.

“This is a safety valve,” Young said. “I don’t think it’s the right thing for everybody. I think people should go in and take a good hard look at it and say ‘does this make sense for us?’”

Young said the deferral program is really meant for people making hard choices in their budget.

“We don’t want somebody to lose their home because they can’t make a mortgage payment,” he said.

You should also know that the state will ask you for some personal financial information, mainly about your debt situation, before approving a deferral.

How does the deferral work with my mortgage?

Many people pay their property taxes through escrow collected by their mortgage lender. The Treasurer’s Office says your lender should be notified if you get a deferral and adjust your mortgage payments appropriately.

Again, you may want to discuss the deferral program with your lender before you apply.

Seniors and members of the military are eligible for a bigger deferral

Coloradans 65 and older can defer all of the increase in their property taxes on their primary residence, as can active military members. That’s not new, but Coloradans may not be aware of the option because it hasn’t been well publicized.

For information on eligibility and how to apply, visit https://colorado.propertytaxdeferral. com/home.

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.

on February 24, 2023. If the DEO determines a Self-Nomination and Acceptance Form is not sufficient, the form may be amended prior to 5:00 p.m. on February 24, 2023 (not less than 67 days before the election). Earlier submittal is encouraged as the deadline will not permit curing of an insufficient form after this date and time. An Affidavit of Intent to be a Write-In Candidate must be submitted to the office of the DEO by the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Monday, February 27, 2023 (the sixty-fourth day before the election).

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that information on obtaining an absentee ballot may be obtained from the DEO, and applications for an absentee ballot must be filed with the DEO no later than the close of business, 5:00 p.m., on Tuesday,

April 25, 2023. You may contact the DEO’s office at (719) 447-1777.

Elbert & Highway 86 Metropolitan District https://www.elbertandhwy86md.com/

By: Designated Election Official

Legal Notice No. 24950

First Publication: February 9, 2023

Last Publication: February 9, 2023 Publisher: Elbert County News

Public Notice

A CALL FOR NOMINATIONS (NOTICE BY PUBLICATION OF)

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and, particularly, to the electors of the Clearwater Metropolitan District of Elbert County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an election will be held on the 2nd day of May, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At that time, two (2) directors will be elected to serve 4-year terms. Eligible electors of the Clearwater Metropolitan District interested in serving on the board of directors may obtain a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form from the District Designated Election Official (DEO): Kathryn T. James Folkestad Fazekas Barrick & Patoile, PC. 18 South Wilcox Street. Suite 200 Castle Rock, Colorado 80104 (303) 688-3045

The Office of the DEO is open on the following days: Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The deadline to submit a Self-Nomination and Acceptance is close of business on February 24, 2023 (not less than 67 days before the election).

If the DEO determines that a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form is not sufficient, the eligible elector who submitted the form may amend the form once, at any time, prior to 3:00 p.m. on the day of the deadline.

on February 27, 2023 (the sixty-fourth day before the election).

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, an application for a mail-in ballot shall be filed with the designated election official no later than the close of business on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.

CLEARWATER METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

/s/ Kathryn T. James

Designated Election Official Signature

Legal Notice No. 24948

First Publication: February 9, 2023

Last Publication: February 9, 2023 Publisher: Elbert County News

Public Notice

A CALL FOR NOMINATIONS (NOTICE BY PUBLICATION OF)

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and, particularly, to the electors of the North Pines Metropolitan District of Elbert County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that an election will be held on the 2nd day of May, 2023, between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. At that time, two (2) directors will be elected to serve 4-year terms. Eligible electors of the North Pines Metropolitan District interested in serving on the board of directors may obtain a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form from the District Designated Election Official (DEO):

Kathryn T. James Folkestad Fazekas Barrick & Patoile, PC. 18 South Wilcox Street. Suite 200 Castle Rock, Colorado 80104 (303) 688-3045

The Office of the DEO is open on the following days: Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The deadline to submit a Self-Nomination and Acceptance is close of business on February 24, 2023 (not less than 67 days before the election). If the DEO determines that a Self-Nomination and Acceptance form is not sufficient, the eligible

elector who submitted the form may amend the form once, at any time, prior to 3:00 p.m. on the day of the deadline.

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 February 27, 2023 (the sixty-fourth day before the election).

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN, an application for a mail-in ballot shall be filed with the designated election official no later than the close of business on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.

NORTH PINES METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

/s/ Kathryn T. James Designated

of Louis K. Knight, a/k/a Kenny Knight, Deceased Case Number: 23PR30003

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to District Court of Elbert County, Colorado on or before June 9, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred. Pamela Maus Knight Personal Representative c/o

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Elbert County, Colorado on or before June 9, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

/s/ David F. Steinhoff David F. Steinhoff, #9980

Estate of Joseph Kim Neff 750 W. Hampden Ave. Ste 505 Englewood, CO 80110