Elbert County News 022323

School safety director honored

School meeting airs district tensions

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

e Elizabeth School District, a generally conservative district in western Elbert County, is expe-

INSIDE: CALENDAR: PAGE 11 | VOICES: PAGE 12

riencing extreme turmoil that is radiating through the entire Elizabeth community. Members of the school board are feuding over the perceived threat that critical race theory (CRT) and social emotional learning (SEL) might appear in district classrooms.

In their professed aim to keep the district free of CRT and SEL, the actions of school board members Heather Booth and Rhonda Olsen have led to explosive board meet-

ings, a formal breach-of-con dentiality investigation, and resignation of district leadership.

Principal’s resignation and public comment

On Jan. 6, Running Creek Elementary School principal Robin Hunt resigned her position e ective June 30 after recurring perceived harassment brought on by Booth and Olsen.

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

Mike Newton, the Elizabeth School District’s director of safety and security, has been named a Campus Safety Director of the Year nalist. He is among a cohort of seven nalists from across the country and is the only nalist from Colorado. Newton is an Elizabeth resident and has been working with the Elizabeth School District since November 2021.

Newton has had several notable achievements that led to his selection as a nalist. Newton has applied for and was awarded $730,000 in school safety grants focused on radio interoperability and school hardening. He installed security cameras, signage and door numbers, resulting in $44,000 in district savings. He also coordinated with law enforcement for a thorough Crime Prevention rough Environmental Design site survey assessment.

Newton will join his fellow nalists in Las Vegas for the annual Campus Safety Conference West where the winner of the Campus Safety Director of the Year will be named. e conference takes place from July 10-12.

In an interview from Feb. 14, Newton re ected on his achievements as director and shared his goals for the future of the Elizabeth School District.

Children eating edibles is growing issue

Recall, police investigation are ongoing as community members express concerns

Mike Newton is one of seven award finalists from around nation

MARIJUANA

The Elizabeth Middle School auditorium held a sizable crowd for the Feb. 13 Elizabeth School Board meeting. PHOTO BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

More children consuming marijuana products

BY HELEN SANTORO KAISER HEALTH NEWS

e number of children — especially very young ones — ingesting marijuana is rising in Colorado despite regulations meant to keep edibles out of kids’ hands, and state leaders said they have no plans to revisit those rules this year.

e number of reports the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Safety o ce received of kids age 5 or younger exposed to marijuana skyrocketed from 56 in 2017 to 151 in 2021. By 2021, this age group made up nearly half of all marijuana exposures — in which the drug is ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin — reported to the o ce, which is part of the nonpro t Denver Health organization.

In each of those ve years, children were most often accidentally exposed by eating edibles — gummies, cookies, drinks, and other products infused with the psychoactive chemical tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC — and not by inhaling smoke or consuming the drug in other forms, like capsules or tinctures. In 2017, 35 children age 5 or younger were unintentionally exposed to marijuana through edibles, compared with 97 in 2021. Exposures don’t necessarily

and drug safety o ce.

Marijuana exposures among children are increasing nationwide, with Colorado playing a notable role in this trend. However, the federal government has yet to create uniform protocols, and Colorado health o cials haven’t conveyed any plans to revise the regulations meant to prevent children from consuming marijuana.

“Marijuana laws and regulations are regularly evaluated by lawmak-

non Gray, a spokesperson at the Marijuana Enforcement Division, which regulates the marijuana industry in the state, wrote in an email to KHN. “A top priority is preventing youth access and to the extent we see opportunity in rules to address youth access, we do so.”

Since legalized recreational marijuana sales began in 2014, Colorado has implemented a handful of directives to stop children from mistaking these products for safe, delicious sweets.

Regulations state that:

• No edibles may be manufactured in the shape of a human, an animal, or a fruit.

• All edibles must be sold in childresistant packaging.

• “Candy” or “candies” isn’t allowed on packaging.

• Advertising must not include cartoon characters, or anything else meant to appeal to children.

• e universal THC symbol (! THC) must be on all packaging and stamped on all edible products.

Data from Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Safety does not distinguish between incidents involving marijuana sold by licensed retailers and those involving marijuana from sources that don’t follow the state’s packaging rules, state health department spokesperson Gabi Johnston told KHN.

When asked whether the mandates are e ective, Gray said the Marijuana Enforcement Division has “observed material compliance with these regulations” among marijuana businesses.

Regulation changes could be considered, including those proposed by state legislators, Gray said. But no forthcoming bills concern edible mandates, according to Jarrett Freedman, spokesperson for the Colorado House of Representatives majority. Democrats control both houses of the state legislature.

One limitation of regulating marijuana packaging is that most children 5 and younger can’t read, said Dr. Marit Tweet, a medical toxicologist at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. And, she said, many parents don’t know how to store marijuana safely.

gap through its Retail Marijuana Education program, established in 2014 to teach the public about safe, legal, and responsible cannabis use. One fact sheet advises parents to store marijuana in a locked area, keep products in child-resistant packaging, and avoid using marijuana around children.

Public health o cials also launched a series of marijuana education campaigns in 2018 targeting new parents and adults who in uence kids’ behavior. Between scal years 2015 and 2020, the department spent roughly $22.8 million on those e orts.

It’s hard to say exactly how well marijuana regulations in states like Colorado are working, said Tweet. “It’s possible if those regulations weren’t in place that the numbers would be even higher.”

What’s happening in Colorado is part of a national trend. In a study published in January, researchers looked at the number of children younger than 6 who ingested marijuana edibles nationwide from 2017 to 2021. ey found 207 reported cases in 2017. In 2021, that number rose to 3,054 cases, according to data from the National Poison Data System.

e legalization of cannabis has likely played a signi cant role in the rise of accidental child exposures, said Tweet, a co-author of the study. “It’s more readily available and more of an opportunity for the children to get into.”

Parents may also feel less stigma nowadays in reaching out to poison centers and health clinics, she said.

To understand what factors are driving these numbers, more research is needed into marijuana regulations and the number of child exposures nationwide, said Tweet.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonpro t organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

GRAMMY®-NOMINATED, MULTIPLATINUM SINGER/SONGWRITER OF THE INTERNATIONAL HIT SINGLE “ONE OF US ”

Edible products made from marijuana contain the active ingredient THC.

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Colorado issue is driven by edibles that appear to be treats

Political funder aims to change primaries

Kent Thiry has poured millions into ballot measures

BY JESSE PAUL AND SANDRA FISH THE COLORADO SUN

Kent iry, who has poured millions of dollars into democracy-related initiatives in Colorado intended to boost the power of moderate voters and make political contests more competitive, is advocating for major changes to the state’s primary election process to address what he calls gaps and inequities.

e former CEO of the dialysis giant DaVita’s next political act is backing an e ort to do away with Colorado’s caucus and assembly process through which candidates can make the primary ballot. He also wants the legislature to nd a way to prevent Coloradans from throwing away their votes by casting primary ballots for presidential candidates who later drop out of the race.

If successful, the changes could be iry’s most transformative work yet.

“I’m passionate about democracy,” he told e Colorado Sun in a recent in- employees. He is pushing

In recent years, iry has

personally bankrolled e orts

of the initiatives he has supported have passed.

Right now, iry is “extremely supportive” of Senate Bill 101, which would end Colorado’s caucus and assembly process of selecting primary candidates and make signature gathering the only way to make the ballot.

e legislation would also let una liated voters sign partisan candidate petitions. iry called the caucusassembly nominating system “blatantly unfair and blatantly inequitable.”

“It’s unfair because a small group of party insiders control all the management around it and it’s inequitable because there’s lots of voters who can’t, on a weeknight or a weekend, leave work or leave their kids or leave their military base to go participate,” he said.

e measure, sponsored by Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton, and Rep. Mary Brad eld, R-Colorado Springs, is up for its rst hearing ursday in the Senate State, Military and Veterans Committee. And it’s likely to be quickly rejected despite recent polling commissioned by a group associated with iry showing that

measures since 2011, and all

A voter drops o a ballot the morning of the Nov. 8 election.

PHOTO BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

SEE PRIMARIES, P5

the proposed changes are popular with Coloradans.

Opponents of the measure argue it would make it hard for anyone but those who can a ord to collect signatures to run for o ce.

Candidates for U.S. Senate and governor in Colorado must collect 1,500 voter signatures in each of the state’s eight congressional districts. ey can’t reasonably collect all of those on their own, so campaigns pay rms tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to collect signatures on their behalf.

Sen. Julie Gonzales, a Denver Democrat who sits on the Senate State, Military and Veterans Committee, said she will vote “no” on the measure.

“Both of these processes reward the people who do the work,” Gonzales said, noting that she went through both the caucus and assembly as well as the signature gathering process to make the ballot in her rst legislative election.

Senate President Steve Fenberg, DBoulder, said Senate Bill 101 would mean “you have to pay to get on the ballot.”

“I’m not comfortable with a process that says the way to get on the ballot essentially is by paying to get there,” he said. “Caucus has its aws, for sure. But I think it’s an important option to have. I don’t know why we would remove options. Instead we should talk about expanding options for voters and candidates.”

e Colorado Democratic Party and America Votes, a liberal national nonpro t, both oppose the bill. Grassroots Republicans and the Colorado Libertarian Party are also encouraging supporters to voice opposition to the legislation.

Voters First Colorado, part of the national, nonpartisan group Unite America, supports Senate Bill 101. Unite America was a proponent of Alaska’s switch to an open primary where both Democratic and Republican candidates are on the same ballot and voters’ top four choices advance to the general election. Voters then use ranked-choice voting — in which they order their preferred candidates — to select the winner. Nevada voters approved a similar system last year.

Kirkmeyer said she’s open to amending her bill to lower the signature requirements for candidates to make the ballot, but she thinks her bill is a reasonable way to make ballot access more equitable.

Right now, she argues, it’s too easy for third-party candidates to get on the ballot. Kirkmeyer lost a 2022 congressional bid by less than 1 percentage point in a race where the Libertarian candidate picked up 4% of the vote. And she said it’s unfair that una liated voters, who make up the largest voting bloc in Colorado, aren’t allowed to sign partisan candidates’ ballot-access petitions.

“For those people who say, ‘now you’re making people pay-to-play,’ my response to that is if a 63-yearold woman can get volunteers and go get her signatures — me — without having to pay for them, I think anyone can do it,” she said.

(Kirkmeyer had to collect 1,500 signatures to make the ballot in the 8th Congressional District last year.)

Barbara Kirkmeyer talks to a District 8 voter with election 2022 banners behind her.

Kirkmeyer’s position is notable because some in the Colorado GOP want to ban candidates from gathering petition signatures to make the primary ballot. A right-wing contingent in the party is pushing for a rules change because they view candidates who make the ballot by gathering signatures as less ideologically pure than those who go through the caucus and assembly process.

iry is also pushing for alterations to Colorado’s presidential primary elections after votes cast for Democratic candidates such as Pete Buttigieg and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who dropped out of the contest between when ballots were mailed to voters and Election Day, ended up being meaningless.

“ e Secretary of State and the legislature should x this problem, and we think there are a number of ways to do that,” iry told e Sun. “We’re very much hoping that they will pick one.” iry declined to endorse a speci c solution.

“If we suddenly started advocating for one, that would distract attention from the fact that what needs to be solved is the problem,” he said.

ere’s interest in, at a minimum, requiring the disclosure of how many votes are cast in presidential primary elections for candidates who are no longer in the race. at information wasn’t shared in 2020. Another idea that has been discussed among lawmakers is moving Colorado toward Alaska’s election model.

Sen. Je Bridges, D-Greenwood Village, is leading the push on the presidential primary front.

“I’m working on a way to make sure that Coloradans’ voices are heard in the presidential primary,” he said. “Last election, more than 150,000 votes were just thrown away. at’s unacceptable and we’ve got to x it.” He said speci c policy proposals were still in the works.

Finally, iry is interested in campaign nance changes.

“I think Colorado’s contribution limits are too low and actually hurt our democracy,” he said.

Candidates for four state-level, statewide o ces in 2022 could raise up to $1,250 from individual donors and state lawmakers were allowed to collect up to $400. ose limits are set to rise for the next two election cycles to re ect in ation.

iry said he’s also concerned about undisclosed political spending by political nonpro ts, which don’t have to disclose their donors. e Sun refers to those organizations as dark-money groups.

“I think anybody who’s spending money on a campaign ought to have to disclose what they’re doing with their money,” iry said.

e legislative session runs through early May. e earliest a measure changing Colorado’s primary process could go before voters is November 2024.

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.

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THREE GREAT NIGHTS OF COMEDY AT THE PACE CENTER!

World premiere on Denver stage

IF YOU GO

BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e world premiere of “Laughs in Spanish” by American author Alexis Scheer plays through March 2 at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and is set in the Wynwood section of Miami, Florida.

Scheer, who is also an experienced actor, was born and raised in a Jewish-Colombian household in Miami and knows Wynwood well.

e gallery where her play is set lies on this strip, noted for its colorful murals and art galleries.

We found her new work highly entertaining.

As the play opens, gallery manager Mariana (award-winning Stephanie Machado) is faced with empty walls — the artwork stolen and a major opening scheduled for that evening, tied in with the annual Art Basel showings. Her assistant, Carolina (Danielle Alonzo) and Caro’s boyfriend Juan (Luis Vega), a policeman, are there with her, searching for the missing art. Sirens are sounding out on the street.

“I need to think,” wails a ustered Mariana. Also present: Jenny (Olivia Hebert), Carolina’s friend.

Mari’s mother, Estella (Maggie Boll), a former lm actress, is visiting to help with the opening by means of a “special live performance” at the opening ... and needs help with her own problem: She is facing an upcoming court date.

e gallery is set up for a party, even though the art is still missing ...

“I will probably be charged as accessory to a crime,” Estella says. It

The Denver Center box o ce phone number is 303-893-4100 and the website is denvercenter.org. The Denver Center is at 14th and Curtis Streets in downtown Denver. Also playing: “Hotter than Egypt” through March 12 in the Kilstrom Theatre. Next scheduled: “The Color Purple” and “The 39 Steps.”

seems that in the ‘80s, friends asked her to carry two suitcases across a border for them. “I thought they were lled with guavas,” she says.

Mariana and her mother talk about art and politics throughout the play and about how artists push for changes in the world — whether or not successful. is leads to Estella talking about roles she will not play: the maid or the one who handles the cocaine — Hispanic stereotypes. She is presently working the night shift ... is she a brujera? (One who combines healing and intuition about the spiritual world?)

Maggie Bo ll, who plays Estella, is a widely experienced actor and playwright. Her skill was apparent as she dominated the scene, and her daughter made it quite clear that she did not want to be like her mother!

Mari continues to listen as Estella tells her that she wants Mari to know her as more than a mother: as a person with hopes and dreams and ambitions out there in the world ... e playwright does a good job of developing a mother-daughter relationship that sends one home with something to consider ...

“Laughs in Spanish” plays through March 12 in the Singleton eatre, with evening and matinee performances.

Stephanie Machado and Olivia Hebert appear in the world premiere of “Laughs in Spanish” at Denver Center for the Performing Arts. PHOTO BY JAMIE KRAUS PHOTOGRAPHY

‘Laughs in Spanish’ plays through March 2

What does it mean to be director of safety and security? Why is the position important to the safety and functioning of a healthy school district?

Being a security director is a multi-faceted career. I oversee all security, emergency management, threat assessment and emergency communication throughout our school district. As the director of safety and security, I am responsible for all locks, access control hardware, radio systems, electronic security systems, video surveillance systems, emergency management preparedness, student and sta training, threat assessment guidance and training, responding to Safe2Tell tips around the clock and collaborating with rst responders. No day is ever the same.

e most important component of my job is ensuring our students and sta feel safe to come to school each day. Parents entrust us with the safety of their children, and this is something I hold near and dear. Students are our mission, and they are the driving factor in every decision I make as a security practitioner. Students who feel safe are better learners and it is my goal to ensure every student feels this way. School is the safest place any of our students can be on a daily basis.

How did it feel when you learned that you were a finalist for Director of the Year?

WINTER Cu ural Series

vides direct radio communication with responding law enforcement, re and EMS personnel. is allows any and all sta with a UHF radio to communicate directly with rst responders to expedite the emergency response process and provide clear, concise communication and updates. Furthermore, we were able to provide 150 new UHF radios with individual licensed channels, radio repeaters to cover dead spots or weak areas in our schools, and 14 public safety radios throughout our district. e public safety radios provide redundant communication and allow all of our schools and facilities to communicate with multiple agencies statewide through mutual aid channels.

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When the announcement came out, I was beyond excited. It was very humbling and a tremendous honor. I did not do this on my own, though. Being named a national nalist is a direct re ection of our amazing students, sta and district leadership. rough a collective effort, we were able to achieve more than I ever thought was possible in the 15 months I have been with Elizabeth School District. For a small rural town to be recognized alongside large metro area school districts was a monumental accomplishment.

You were awarded $730,000 in school safety grants focused on radio interoperability and school hardening. What does this mean and how will it be implemented for the district?

Great question. We have been awarded various state and federal grants. ese grants were focused on two key areas, radio interoperability (communication) and school hardening.

Radio interoperability focuses on implementing a comprehensive radio system that provides the means to cross-communicate with multiple agencies and jurisdictions. is system consists of new UHF radios, radio repeaters, public safety DTRS radios, and SchoolSAFE radio towers. e SchoolSAFE radio towers are truly the backbone of this comprehensive system. e SchoolSAFE system provides the means for all of our schools and facilities to communicate directly with rst responders in the event of a critical incident or emergency response. Each of the SchoolSAFE towers has the capability to open up a telemetry bridge directly with Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce Regional Dispatch. is bridge pro-

School hardening is a safety approach that focuses on layered security to protect our students, sta , and visitors. Layered security focuses on the ability to deter, detect, delay and deny an adversary. School hardening encompasses a wide range of physical security measures, such as access control systems, video surveillance systems, and intrusion detection systems. rough additional grant funding, I was able to create and implement a district-wide uni ed security system. is uni ed system linked all of our security technology together and provides a harmonious system consisting of video surveillance, access control, and intrusion detection. As of today, the school district has a state-of-the-art video surveillance system and we now have more IP security cameras than ever before. Additionally, we are nalizing the installation of an enterprise access control and intrusion detection system. When everything is all said and done, we will have a system that communicates directly back and forth with one another. is provides the means for alarm call-ups on our video surveillance system if an intrusion or access control event is detected. Ultimately, this expedites our team’s capabilities and ensures we are able to monitor, detect and respond to issues throughout the entire school district.

Is there a particular achievement as Elizabeth School District director of safety and security that you are most proud of? Why?

My greatest achievement has to be working with our mental health teams to develop and implement a thorough threat assessment, threat screening and suicide risk assessment process. As of today, ESD now has a consistent, uniform and strategic process district-wide. We evaluated best practices and implemented measures from the United States Secret Service National reat Assessment Center. School safety and security isn’t just the physical security element. I break my job down into a 60/40 split. Sixty percent is physical security, communication and all the fancy stu people like to talk about. e other 40% is mental health. e mental health element consists of threat assessments, suicide risk assessments, and other measures to prevent and intervene before a crisis occurs. All the bells and whistles for security technology become reactive in the event an incident occurs. Mental health

Mike Newton serves as the Elizabeth School District’s director of safety and security. COURTESY PHOTO

and intervention is the proactive measures we need to prevent an incident from occurring. We would not be able to achieve our overall safety and security goals if it wasn’t for our counselors, psychologists, social workers and other mental health partners in ESD.

What are your future plans and goals for the Elizabeth School District?

We can never become complacent in school safety. It is important we always look forward to new and innovative ways to enhance our security posture and capabilities. My future goals for the school district include: increasing our preexisting partnerships with Elizabeth Police Department and providing a second School Resource O cer, increasing our site-based security sta ng for all of our schools, and establishing a centralized security department consisting of additional response team members. I would also like to continue providing more professional development opportunities for all of our sta on security best practices and additional threat assessment training for our mental health and administrative teams.

What is your general background that prepared you for the role of director of safety and security?

My security experience started in 2012 when I enlisted in the United States Air Force as a security forces member. During my time on active duty, I oversaw physical security for assets vital to national security and provided law enforcement services to an Air Force installation of more than 15,000 people. I originally wanted to transition into civilian law enforcement upon separating from active duty, but that all changed on December 13, 2013. While serving overseas in support of Operation Enduring Freedom my hometown of Centennial, Colorado experienced a devastating active shooter event. I distinctly remember watching this live as the event unraveled. is moment solidied my desire to move into school safety and protect our most precious assets, children.

Once I separated from active duty, I transitioned to the Colorado Air National Guard where I currently serve as a senior non-commissioned o cer and ight chief for a security forces unit. is gave

me the opportunity to complete my bachelor’s degree in business management and my master’s degree in public administration. Additionally, I was able to complete board certi cations as a physical security professional and certi ed protection professional through ASIS International, and I am also a certi ed Crime Prevention rough Environmental Design practitioner through the National Institute of Crime Prevention.

In 2018 I was hired on as the assistant director of security and emergency planning for Littleton Public Schools. I had the honor and distinct privilege of working under a true subject matter expert in school safety, Guy Grace. After 31 years in school safety, Grace retired in 2021. I applied and was selected to lead the security department at LPS as the director of security and emergency planning. Finally, in November 2021, an amazing opportunity was presented here in Elizabeth and I was selected to serve as the director of safety and security for Elizabeth School District.

Who are you outside of your role?

I’m a pretty simple person. I love spending time with my family. Inally have the time and opportunity to truly enjoy being a father and making sure my son has the best childhood possible. We are blessed to have our family so close to us.

Do you have any final thoughts or comments?

I have a true passion for school safety and security. It is important to truly recognize the role and support I receive each day from our principals and district leadership team. Without their trust and buy-in, none of this would be possible. Dr. William Dallas has been instrumental in the development of the safety department and by empowering me to make essential and critical decisions, we have achieved more than I ever thought was possible.

To learn how the Elizabeth School District is implementing safety and security measures across all schools, visit elizabethschooldistrict.org/ domain/119.

For more information on the Campus Safety Conference, visit CampusSafetyConference.com.

To see the Elizabeth School District spotlight on Mike Newton, visit tinyurl.com/MNEHS.

To see the Campus Safety Magazine spotlight on Mike Newton, please visit tinyurl.com/ MikeNewtonSafety.

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‘I have a true passion for school safety and security. It is important to truly recognize the role and support I receive each day from our principals and district leadership team. Without their trust and buy-in, none of this would be possible.’

Mike Newton, Elizabeth School District director of safety and security

Tra cking survivor shares her journey

BY DANA KNOWLES, JULIO SANDOVAL ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

Mel is a mother of three, a grandmother of four, and works part time with people who are intellectually and developmentally disabled. She wants people to know that she’s more than a survivor of human trafcking.

Even though those experiences were a huge part of her life, Mel is healing and moving forward.

“ is healing becomes such a big responsibility on the victims of these crimes,” explained Mel, adding that resting is often part of the process. “Sometimes you get tired of this idea that because you’re a survivor and you’ve handled (human tra cking), that you can handle anything.”

Mel, who asked that Rocky Mountain PBS not use her last name, explained how she started running away from an abusive situation at home when she was 15. Two years later, she met an older man who started grooming her. e man made Mel feel loved and special.

“He started to treat me like a princess. is man was giving me all this attention, and all this stu , and he put a big diamond ring on my nger,” she said. “He made me feel very secure.”

Mel said the man eventually convinced her to go with him to New York City, where she was immediately put on the street and forced to prostitute herself.

“It was scary and hard. I got arrested with a bunch of other girls one night and ended up in a Bronx, New York jail.”

It was in jail when Mel realized there was no way out of her situation.

“ ere were so many girls that were being picked up like me. We were handcu ed together, and held in a cell all weekend together, put in front of a judge, and sent back out on the street,” Mel recalled.

Marianna Kosharovsky, the founder and executive director of Alight, an organization that helps connect human tra cking survivors with attorneys, said tra ckers are extremely savvy when it comes to targeting their victims.

“Tra cking is not about movement, it’s about pro ting from someone else’s vulnerability. Tra ckers know when someone has a vulner-

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able moment in their life and then they gure out how can they pro t as much as they can from this person,” said Kosharovsky.

Alight has an app with the idea of making it easy for survivors to nd attorneys. e organization has tasked itself with providing as many free legal services as possible for survivors.

Attorneys helped Mel expunge an old arrest warrant from the early 90s. Since 2017, Kosharovsky said Alight has helped more than 200 survivors in 33 states, as well as Washignton, D.C.

According to the U.S. Department of State, there is an average of 24.9 million tra cking victims worldwide at any given time. De ned as a crime of exploitation, human tra cking a ects people of all races, ages and genders. Victims are pressured into providing labor — including sex as a form of labor — through the use of force, fraud or coercion.

“ e most important thing people need to know about human tra cking is that it is (as) simple as going out on a date with someone that you’re not all that familiar with,” Mel explained.

Tra cking can happen in industries such as landscaping, hospitality and restaurants, construction, massage parlors, childcare, domestic work, factories, and janitorial services. Many of these workplaces are in low-wage industries with high turnover rates.

“Domestic tra cking is the majority of the tra cking. It’s not taking place in other countries and it doesn’t necessarily require someone to be bound; we pass them on the streets every day,” explained Kosharovsky.

For Mel, taking care of herself and spending time with her family is top priority. She says healing can feel like a full-time job, so self-care is paramount.

“Every day is a healing journey, and I don’t think it’s easy; there are days I don’t want to deal with it. I get tired of being called a survivor.”

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.

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Thu 3/02

Teague Starbuck @ 6pm Modern Brew - Kitchen, Coffee, Bar, 8221 S Holly St, Centennial

Shallow Side @ 8pm Wild Goose Saloon, Parker

Wild Love Tigress @ 105 West Brewing @ 6:30pm 105 West Brewing Company, 1043 Park St, Castle Rock

Sterling

RMRR March 5th 9:00 am- 5K

Johnson Lake at Clement Park @ 9am / $10

8116 W. Bowles Avenue, Littleton

Mon

3/06

YouthTuber - Rooney @ 3:15pm / $176

Mar 6th - May 1st

Rooney Elementary, 2200 S Coors St, Lakewood. 720-996-0894

Modern Swing Mondays @ 6pm / $10

Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Tue 3/07

Culinary: The Luck of the Irish (16+yrs) @ 1am

Mar 7th - Mar 6th

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

ARTS: Coffee & Painting @ College View @ 5:30pm

Denver Parks and Recreation (CGV), 2525 S. Decatur St., Denver. 720-913-0654

Wed 3/08

Scotty Austin @ 8pm

Wild Goose Saloon, 11160 S. Pikes Peak Drive, Parker HE$H @ 9pm The Church Denver, 1720 S Alcott St, Den‐ver

Fri 3/03

Ninety Percent 90s @ 8pm Wide Open Saloon, 5607 US-85, Sedalia El Chaval De La Bachata @ 9pm / $40 Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Sat 3/04

Blarney on Belmar @ 12pm Belmar, 439 S. Upham Street, Lakewood. janet@see-janet-work.com, 303-815-3504

Volleyball: Youth - IntroductoryAge 6 to 8 - Spring 2023 @ 3pm

Mar 4th - Apr 29th

Parker Fieldhouse, 18700 E Plaza Dr, Parker

Fleming Mansion Walkthrough (for permit holders only) @ 6pm

Fleming Mansion, 1510 S. Grant St., Den‐ver. 720-913-0654

Neil Z @ 7pm Earls Kitchen + Bar, 8335 Park Meadows Center Dr, Lone Tree

Wax Tailor @ 7pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

Flag Football: Youth - Ages 12 to 14 - Spring 2023 @ 12am

Mar 8th - May 6th

Salisbury Sports Complex, 11920 Motsen‐bocker Road, Parker

Ladies Night @ 6pm / $10

Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Cody Cozz @ 7pm Wide Open Saloon, 5607 US-85, Sedalia

Dirty Side Down Band: Dirty Side Down @ Lincoln Station @ 7pm

Lincoln Station Coffee/Pizza/Music, 9360 Station St, Lone Tree

Wax Tailor @ 9pm

Christine Elise @ 9pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

Fleming Mansion Walkthrough (for permit holders only) @ 10pm

Fleming Mansion, 1510 S. Grant St., Den‐ver. 720-913-0654

Steve Bug: Into The Void @ 11pm

Void Studios, 1790 S Bannock St, Denver

Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, En‐glewood Sun 3/05

Sandra Wong @ 7pm Swallow Hill, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

DJ Rockstar Aaron: Forbidden Bingo at 'Bout Time Pub & Grub @ 8pm Bout Time Pub & Grub, 3580 S Platte River Dr A, Sheridan

Thu 3/09

Scott Bartlett/SBCreations: The Mad Souls w/ Scott Bartlett & Rick Monroe @ 8pm Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

Jill Tasei: Comedy Show @ 7pm

Ranch, 8155 Piney River Ave Suite 150, Littleton

Going to 5

Recently, State Rep. Bob Marshall did exactly what he said he was going to do when he ran for o ce — he introduced a bill that would require large counties to expand from three- to ve-member boards of commissioners. If the bill is approved, that would mean Douglas County will go from three to ve commissioners.

Arapahoe County already has ve commissioners, which means they would not be impacted by the bill. However, Arapahoe County operates without a lot of incommission ghting, has good discussion and debate and is a great example of why a ve-member board can be a lot more functional. Elbert County, with an estimated population of about 27,000 people, also has a three-member board of commissioners When it comes to party lines, I would like a better balance of Republicans and Democrats on the Arapahoe board, given there is currently only one Republican, but that’s not a huge complaint.

In Douglas County, the current commissioners are great evidence of why a three-member boards is not good in representing a county with 360,000 people and growing. e argument against the bill is that it “creates more government,” not less. I get not wanting more government, but is having two more commissioners added to a currently dysfunctional board a bad thing?

I have never been a fan of the all-yes boards. I like my elected boards to have a balance of voices and opinions. If all members of a council, commission or school board have the same thoughts, beliefs and ideals — you will get a lot of rubber-stamp voting without thoughtful discussion and debate.

Local city and town councils, with fewer residents than all of Douglas County, currently have more elected o cials looking out for their best interests.

In Douglas County, residents currently have George Teal and Abe Laydon deciding where and how money is spent. ey are making decisions on zoning, land use and water. If Commissioner Lora omas does have an opposing view or opinion — it doesn’t seem to matter as the two men on the board have clearly formed an alliance. is alliance means if one supports a project — the other will get in line to do the same. ese are schoolyard games that should never been the norm on a local, elected board. is alliance has cost taxpayers plenty of money in approving investigations against omas that have yielded nothing more than tens of thousands of dollars in wasted taxpayer dollars.

At the very least, two more commissioners being asked to approve another frivolous investigation might ask questions and vote against it.

With two more commissioners, decisions might still end the same way, but I bet there is more discussion, fewer alliances and probably a healthier representation of what residents in Douglas County deserve.

What I love about Rep. Marshall introducing the bill, House Bill 23-1180, is that he can’t be bullied. He is at the state level and the two-member majority can’t just quash it. Do I think the bill will pass? It’s early and hard to say. e argument of having more government oversight could win out in halting it in its tracks. However, I do hope our elected o cials at the state level give it true thought and consideration.

If it is passed in the 2023 session, counties that would be a ected by the bill are Je erson, Larimer, Douglas, Boulder, Pueblo and Mesa, all of which are counties with three commissioners.

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

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Humility — the lost character trait of success

While working with one of our clients, I had the opportunity to observe an interaction between a leader and someone on their team. We had all been working on a project that spanned several months, and the leader was an integral part of making the project a huge success as they battled behind the scenes removing roadblocks, pushing decisions through and advancing timelines.

When it was announced that the project was nished and considered a huge success, the leader was asked to share a few words on an all-company meeting. As she began to talk about the project, she started by naming each and every person who contributed to the success that the team had achieved. Not only did she mention everyone by name, but she also included something special about everyone’s contribution. She even went as far as saying she played a very small role, if any role at all.

In a world where many strive for attention or are OK with receiving the accolades for the hard work of the people around them or on their team, it was so refreshing to witness such humility. You can probably guess that she has a very loyal team with

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

hardly any turnover at all. Humility isn’t only about giving others the proper credit, it’s also being humble enough to admit when we have made mistakes. Now just as some like to receive the accolades and take credit for work they did not do, there are some people who refuse to admit their mistakes, instead nding a way to blame others. And just as the leader described above who developed a loyal following, the leader who takes the credit and who shifts the blame on others will soon nd themselves with no one left to lead.

I love this quote by Ezra Taft Benson, “With pride, there are many curses. With humility, there come many blessings.” Pride can be a dangerous thing. When it is about the satisfaction we feel when we have achieved a goal or realized a dream, that can be inspiring. It becomes dangerous when it leads to egotistical and narcissistic behavior. I heard it said that egotism is the only disease that makes everyone else sick except the person carrying the disease.

We are leaders in some way, even if it means we are leading ourselves for now. ere are many traits that today’s leader must try and master as they grow personally and/or professionally. Leading with character, empathy, integrity, honesty, transparency, vulnerability, a servant’s

SEE NORTON, P13

THELMA GRIMES South Metro Editor tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com

SCOTT GILBERT Editor sgilbert@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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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

WINNING

Art students’ work coming to gallery

Littleton’s Senior Baccalaureate art students will exhibit their art at the Depot Art Gallery, 2069 W. Powers Ave., Littleton, from March 6-19, with a reception on March 10 from 4 to 6 p.m. Open to the public. See depotartgallery.org.

Parker Symphony

“Shakespeare in Love” is the title for Parker Symphony’s concert on Feb. 24 at the PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker. Call ahead for tickets: 303-805-6800, parkerarts.org.

Lone Tree Arts Center

“ e Hammersteins: A Musical Family,” at Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree, will feature Andy Hammerstein III with Broadway stars Teri Hansen, Edward Watts, Michelle Liu Coughlin and Robert Sims, with pianist Cathy Venable. Tickets: $40-$50. Call 720-5091000, lonetreeartscenter.org.

Denver Art Museum

“Speaking With Light: Contemporary Indigenous Photography” opens Feb. 19 at the Denver Art Museum, through May 21 in the Gallagher Family Gallery. Included in general admission. See denverartmuseum.org.

Littleton Museum

“Christopher Warren: REinterpretating REcreating Nature” opens at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 16 and continues during Littleton Museum hours through May 14. is body of work includes sculptures created throughout the career of Colorado artist Christopher Warren, including works from the Digital Era, with topography the major focus. Artist’s talk: Feb. 17 at 4 p.m. e museum is at 6028 S. Gallup St., Littleton, 303-795 3950.

Cherry Creek Theatre

“A Moon for the Misbegotten” is presented through Feb. 26 at the

NORTON

FROM PAGE 12

heart, courage, respect and humility, just to name a few. Again, in a “me” centered world, humility shows up last or sometimes not at all. Whether we are leading at home, at work, in our community or in our house of worship, humility shows up when we start to live in a “we” centered world.

e Merriam-Webster de nes humility as freedom from pride or arrogance: the quality or state of being humble. Where leaders or people striving for success sometimes make the mistake is that they believe they need to be seen as always being strong, showing their strength by being strong-willed. ey confuse anything less with being seen as meek or weak. e reality is that some of the strongest leaders in history have also been the humblest. Humility is not just a necessary

Wonderbound Wonderbound Studio: “Reckoning at the Red Herring Tavern” by Garrett Ammons will be presented March 2-12 at Wonderbound Studios, 3865 Grape St., Denver. Unit #2. Note: Some performances are sold out. 303-292-4700, wonderbound. com.

Core New Art Space CORE Members’ Exhibits at new location: 6501 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood. Gallery hours: Friday, 5-10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. 303-297-8428, coreartspace. com.

Staged reading Stories on Stage: “ e White Chip” a staged reading from Sean

quality of leadership, it is often an overlooked quality of success in whatever we endeavor to do. Successful salespeople show humility as they give their surrounding team credit for the sale. e humble spouse who gives credit to their better half. e teacher or coach who gives all the credit to the student or player for putting in all the hard work. e faithful who gives God all the credit, honor, and glory for their blessings.

Life is so much easier when we live, work, and love from a position of humility. As always, I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@ gmail.com. And when we learn to live a humble life, putting pride aside to achieve lasting success, 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.

Englewood Arts Presents: Feb. 25, 2 p.m., Colorado Symphony String Quartet. Borodin and Dvorak Quartets. Dmetri Pogorelov and Liz Drabkin, violin; So a Basile: viola; Chloe Hong, cello. Tickets: ebertoluzzi@ hotmail.com or visit englewoodarts. org. Concert in Hampden Hall in the Englewood Civic Center, 1000 Engle-

Littleton’s Libby Bortz will be inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame on March 15.

Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., will present: “Our Town” by ornton Wilder, Feb. 24 to May 21 and “ e Book Club Play” by Karen Zacarias March 17 to May 18. Tickets start at $45. 720-898-7200, arvada-

Performance Now eatre Company presents “Carousel” at Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, Lakewood, from March 17 to April 2. 303-987-7845, Performan-

An art student’s journal is shown in connection with the Littleton Senior Baccalaureate exhibit coming in March to the Depot Art Gallery.

PHOTO BY PEGGY DIETZ

SONYA’S SAMPLER

educator for 34 years.

“Today, at least one board member has displayed a retaliatory mindset, having a hit list of those sta members this board member can’t control. ey have manipulated others to do their dirty work in the community and have used condescending and derogatory language to defame and slander several leaders, not just me,” Hunt commented. “Why would any other conservative want to work in this district knowing how they may be ostracized and made to be a villain? ese board members have chosen to lead with fear and manipulation. is promotes control on their part. is battle that some of the board members have waged on the Elizabeth School District, Running Creek and myself is not a political battle but rather one of personal agendas, the need for control, and power.”

Feb. 13 Elizabeth School Board meeting

At the Feb. 13 Elizabeth School Board meeting, several district leaders, teachers and community members engaged in public comment in

and Booth’s actions are instances of political grandstanding and that they are putting the district at risk. He said their “nitpicking” is causing the district to lose good leadership and teachers that are integral to the health of the schools and student success.

“I need to address what I see happening in our district,” McClendon said. “Director Olsen and Director Booth, please stop chasing ghosts. We are not teaching critical race theory at Elizabeth High School. Nor are we indoctrinating kids about nontraditional lifestyles. We are teaching kids skills to be successful when they leave us. But the work we are doing is being hampered by claims of CRT and LGBTQ agendas in our schools. is has to stop. I invite you to come and visit EHS. I want you to speak with me and observe what is happening in our classrooms. Neither of you have done so. Because of the nitpicking, good people have left, and more will. Your actions are putting our district and our kids at risk. Please stop acting like our district has changed for the worse since

you have been on the board. You know better. at is not true. We, as the educators responsible for the students of Elizabeth, don’t need political grandstanding, we need help to make real change for the kids we currently serve and the ones we will. Please be a part of the solution and not part of a non-existent problem.

McClendon’s comments were met with a large, standing, cheering crowd of observers.

Olsen addressed McClendon’s comments, stating that, “You have never heard me say that we have critical race theory in our high school or any of our schools. You have never heard me say that you are pushing an LGBQT agenda, so in that case, that is ghost hunting. My concerns have always been, not necessarily what is on the inside, but keeping what is on the outside, out of our schools. at has been my goal all along. And I will not waver on that stance. So I’m sorry if you have misinterpreted my statements.”

During the public comment period, several teachers, district leaders and community members shared their thoughts on the issue facing the district. Some commenters agreed with McClendon’s statement, while others supported Booth and Olsen. Others expressed their general lack of faith in the school board members and their ability to e ectively communicate and lead the Elizabeth School District.

Running Creek Preschool teacher Michelle Owen sided with McClendon. “In my 10 years of service, I have never felt such an uncertainty and turmoil within our district,”

she said. “I understand that some people are here because they think their conservative values are under attack. I am here to say that’s not the case. It has been made clear that in this pursuit for conservative values, has quickly changed to an attack on our schools and teachers. Our administrators are being targeted and pushed out. Our administrative sta is being targeted and pushed out. Our teachers are being targeted and pushed out. It has created a toxic division between our community and our district which has created a climate of uncertainty for our teachers. We don’t feel trusted to teach our classes and we’re starting to feel like we’re not wanted. I’m afraid for myself. I’m afraid for my colleagues. And I’m afraid for our schools. Stand with our teachers and save our schools.”

In contrast, Deanna Miller, the legal guardian of a freshman at Elizabeth High School and a retired Je erson County Schools teacher expressed her concern for the schools and what she sees as the need to eliminate the perceived threat of CRT and SEL in the Elizabeth School District.

“I implore you to put up strong, conservative walls about our children in Elbert County,” she said. “I’m concerned that you and some community members are not grasping the real dangers before us. CRT and social emotional learning are probably not being taught right now. But it is coming, and we need to be proactive.”

Miller’s concerns were mirrored

Elizabeth School Board members Rhonda Olsen, left, and Heather Booth sit at the dais during the Feb. 13 school board meeting as Olsen o ers a rebuttal to Elizabeth High School Principal Bret McClendon’s statement.

Elizabeth High School Principal Bret McClendon addresses the Elizabeth School Board on Feb. 13. PHOTOS BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

‘Director Olsen and Director Booth, please stop chasing ghosts. We are not teaching critical race theory at Elizabeth High School. Nor are we indoctrinating kids about non-traditional lifestyles.’

Bret McClendon, Elizabeth High School principal

‘I’m proud of the record of standing up for our kids. I stand up for our teachers and always have. I’m really proud of the conservative stand that I have taken and to safeguard our kids and parents.’

Heather Booth, Elizabeth High School Board member

by several successive comments. For nearly an hour, commenters spoke to the school board members and to the audience, making their statements and sharing their support for one argument or another. Toward the end of the public comment period, two women spoke with the aim of unifying people and argued for creating common ground.

“I believe that all the school board members need to be reminded the only thing you’re here for is the kids,” said one commenter whose name was too mu ed to understand when she was announced. “It troubles me that ve members of this board who were elected by people in this audience can’t get along well enough to not come to a point where you’re trying to recall one another. I think that you need to grow up a little bit.”

“As a parent, I would love each of us to sit down and actually have a conversation because we are all guessing what the other side is thinking,” said Katie Carrico, an Elizabeth School District parent. “You are all wonderful people. We are not perfect people and we’re always going to be assuming the worst about the other person unless we have a conversation face-to-face.”

Police investigation

On Dec. 14, 2022, Elizabeth School Board Vice President Kim Frumveller contacted the District Attorney’s O ce in regard to issues surrounding fellow board members Olsen and Booth. According to Frumveller, Olsen and Booth have “disclosed executive session meetings to the public.” Frumveller was directed to work with the Elizabeth Police Department and determine if there is a case to be made.

One Dec. 21, Frumveller and board President Cary Karcher met with the Elizabeth Police Department and presented information and documentation to bolster a breach-ofcon dentiality case against Olsen and Booth.

On Jan. 19, Frumveller and Karcher returned to the Elizabeth Police Department to follow up on the case. It was then decided that it was in the best interest of the school district to le a formal report against Olsen and Booth.

“ is is for reasonable suspicion that a law was broken,” said Frumveller at the Feb. 13 board meeting. “As of today, there is an investigation going against the two of you.”

Recall of Booth

At the Feb. 13 meeting, Sean McWhorter o cially announced a move to recall school board member Heather Booth. According to McWhorter, the recall was led earlier

that day.

McWhorter said Booth has violated policies BBA-R (Vision and Board Conduct) and BCA-E-1 (Code of Ethics).

“ e public slandering of sta is unprofessional and unbecoming of an elected leader,” McWhorter said. “She displays hostility to the school board, certain teachers, certain sta , certain students and certain community members. Elected o cials have policies and procedures to follow. Her personal attacks, public slandering and bullying of sta members is in direct violation of these policies.”

McWhorter continued to outline how Booth has allegedly violated the board policies, arguing that her radical behavior is a persistent issue for the Elizabeth School District and the students.

“ ere is a big di erence between being conservative and radical,” McWhorter said. “Director Booth’s actions prove that she is radical. Director Booth’s stance on the false narratives directly impact her ability to serve all students regardless of the political beliefs, ability, race, religion, or sexual orientation. Director Booth’s stance will single out students in our schools, negatively a ecting their safety and well-being. I stand here tonight supporting for Director Blackham, Director Karcher, and Director Frumveller and the Elizabeth district leadership, teachers, and all the students. I ask everyone present and watching online to join in the recall of Director Heather Booth and put a stop to the radical behavior of school board member. Kids should always come rst. Elizabeth School District students deserve better.”

After the public comment section of the Feb. 13 meeting, Booth made a statement regarding the recall. She said she did not have a prepared statement because she was unaware that the recall would be announced.

“I’m proud of the record of standing up for our kids. I stand up for our teachers and always have. I’m really proud of the conservative stand that I have taken and to safeguard our kids and parents,” said Booth. “Even if it’s not here (referencing CRT and SEL), as some say, we need to put safeguards in place to make sure it doesn’t come here. And that’s what we’re desperately trying to do.”

Kim Frumveller, the board’s vice president, spoke to the audience and to McWhorter, supporting his o cial recall and noting that she has had similar concerns.

On Feb. 14, the Elbert County News reached out to Booth and Olsen for further comment. Neither replied.

To watch a video of the Feb. 13 Elizabeth School Board meeting, visit elizabethschooldistrict.org/ domain/124.

To read the Elizabeth School Board policies, visit elizabethschooldistrict. org/domain/121.

‘I implore you to put up strong, conservative walls about our children in Elbert County. I’m concerned that you and some community members are not grasping the real dangers before us. CRT and social emotional learning are probably not being taught right now. But it is coming, and we need to be proactive.’

Deanna Miller, retired Je erson County Schools teacher

Deanna Miller shares her concerns regarding the perceived threat of critical race theory and social emotional learning in Elizabeth schools during the Feb. 13 Elizabeth School Board meeting.

PHOTO BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

It’s time for part 2 of wage transparency laws

Equal Pay measure made big changes

BY TAMARA CHUANG THE COLORADO SUN

“How much does the job pay?” is no longer much of a mystery for job seekers in Colorado, thanks to a state law passed in 2019 and enacted two years later. Other states have followed suit in recent months, including California, Washington and soon, New York. But Colorado’s law wasn’t perfect. And now, the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act is poised for an update from some of the state lawmakers behind it.

“ ough the Equal Pay Act is working well, with these additions,

it will better serve workers and employers across the state,” said Sen. Jessie Danielson, a Democrat from Wheat Ridge, who was one of the prime sponsors of the original wage transparency law.

Pushback came from out-ofstate companies that didn’t ignore Colorado’s new law — they just excluded candidates from Colorado. A Commerce City engineer created a site to track violators (it’s now archived). But there was also confusion among local employers about employee promotions and whether they had to advertise the new role to outsiders.

“ e complexity of the law, the confusion amongst employers, the problem of not addressing remote work situations, because they were not contemplated in 2019 when the original bill passed, needs to

be addressed for the future of the workforce,” said Loren Furman, president and CEO of the Colorado Chamber. is bill aims to clear some of those things up. A draft shared with e Colorado Sun attempts to clarify the di erence between “career progression” for existing workers versus a “job opportunity.”

e latter means a current or anticipated vacancy that needs to be lled. e former is a promotion as part of that type of job. Remote jobs are not addressed in the draft bill.

Danielson said she and other advocates, which include e Women’s Foundation of Colorado, have met with interested parties since spring to suss out their di erences. But their attempts to water down or remove protections for Coloradans who work remotely for out-of-state companies only threatens pay equity, especially for women.

“Excluding remote workers from the protections of the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act would negatively impact a valued and critical part of our workforce,” she said.

Impact of the Equal Pay law

When introduced four years ago, Colorado’s Equal Pay law sought to equalize pay for substantially similar work. It stemmed from data

showing that women and people of color often earn much less than their white or male colleagues even in the same roles. In Colorado, women earned 86 cents for every $1 earned by men, according to a 2018 analysis by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. e impact of these new policies isn’t yet known because the laws are young. It’s too soon. Existing research was deemed “not conclusive” by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.

In an analysis of recent wage transparency studies, the organization found pay transparency laws help narrow the gender wage gap by reducing wage growth among top earners, who tend to be men. But, the analysis found, these laws do not necessarily increase women’s earnings. Two studies conducted in university settings found the salaries of women faculty members increased following the pay-transparency intervention. “Pay-transparency policies tend to rely on individual workers advocating for pay increases based on newly available information,” the analysis said.

But another measure of Colorado’s Equal Pay law is the impact

in the United States, said Louise Myrland, vice president of programs at e Women’s Foundation of Colorado. New York City’s wage transparency law went into e ect in November. Several other states, including Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and South Carolina are considering legislation, according to the National Conference of State Legislators. Connecticut, Maryland, Nevada and Rhode Island have implemented laws similar to Colorado but they don’t require salaries to be listed.

“Colorado was the rst that made a big splash and got a lot of attention for requiring pay ranges and compensation information in job postings, we’re really leading the way,” Myrland said. “Today in 2023, because several other states have followed Colorado’s lead, about one in four workers nationwide now are covered by pay transparency laws.” e Women’s Foundation worked on the original law and new bill with lawmakers and other organizations that included the Colorado Women’s Bar Association and 9to5 Colorado, an organization representing working women. Danielson is joined by two of the three prime sponsors of the original bill, including Sen. Janet Buckner, an Aurora Democrat and Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, a Denver Democrat.

e fourth, Brittany Pettersen, is now a U.S. representative. Rep. Jennifer Bacon, also a Denver Democrat, is also a prime sponsor.

Equal pay stats: 631 complaints; Twitter, Lockheed fined

Complaints about the existing wage transparency law are still coming in, though activity trailed o during the year, according to the state Department of Labor and Employment. e o ce that oversees it, the Division of Labor Standards and Statistics, received 631 complaints about violations, which included posts that shared no wages, didn’t include a description of bene ts or o ered too wide of a range (ranges must have a speci c bottom and top amount).

“Compared to the rst four months of 2022, the average number of monthly complaints in the last four months of 2022 decreased by almost 45%,” a labor department spokesperson said.

After giving the companies the chance to correct the issue, the vast majority did. e state wound up issuing citations for just four companies in 2022. ree were ned, including Lockheed Martin and Twitter. ose cases have not been publicly disclosed yet, but will be, according to the division.

e third, SpotOn Transact, a San Francisco-based payments company, paid a $16,000 ne in July based on violations related to 33 job postings that did not include compensation for jobs that could be performed in Colorado.

New labor-related proposals have popped up just weeks into the new legislative session.

An already contentious one is House Bill 1118, the Fair Workweek Employment Standards bill. It would require employers to post worker schedules ahead of time

and not penalize employees who say “no” to last-minute calls for help. And workers who do respond to last-minute schedule changes would receive a “predictability pay” bonus.

“When businesses provide workers with schedules 14 days in advance and provide at least 12 hours of rest time between shifts, it’s a win-win for employers and employees alike,” Nina DiSalvo, policy director at Towards Justice, said in an email. “Employees who can schedule child care, a second job or other responsibilities — plus know their income to budget to cover their bills — are happier, healthier, more productive and generate more pro t for the business.”

at puts a burden on employers, so there’s strong opposition to the bill already. What about weather disruptions, asked Furman, with the Colorado Chamber. Personal employee emergencies? e bill as proposed is too punitive, she said.

“An employer can be sued for changing the schedule (without) a two-week advance notice,” Furman said. “It doesn’t contemplate a snow bomb or act of God or even just an employee that has an emergency or unintended absence.

… It’s just amazing to me that they haven’t contemplated the scenarios in a state like Colorado that has such weather variations.”

So… more work to be done on this bill. It’s been scheduled for a committee meeting on Feb. 16.

Do we need more laws?

As of Jan. 27, with 62 responses to the latest What’s Working reader poll on what new laws interest you most, 37.1% support no new laws because we have too many. Another 22.6% are interested in laws related to retirement while 19.4% would perk up if there was a law that would raise their salary. Take the poll yourself at https://cosun. co/worklaws.

e clear winner in the latest What’s Working poll about what new laws we need was “None. We have too many laws.” But at 37.1% of the incoming votes, it’s not the majority. I’m going to let this poll go for at least another week because I got jammed up this week. But here’s one suggestion: “I would love to see a bill that lets the public see how much big companies pay their shareholders while causing consumer prices to skyrocket and keeping workers’ pay low.”

We can nd out tidbits like this from publicly traded companies, which must report their pro ts.

ere’s also the CEO pay ratio law, which reveals how wages of CEOs at public companies are often many times higher than their workers (here’s a searchable list). Two of the top three in Colorado — Liberty Latin America and Qurate Retail, where CEO-to-worker pay ratios are 1,055 to 1 and 686 to 1, respectively — are linked to retired cable TV mogul John Malone.

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.

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Metro Denver median home prices finally dropped

After 2 years of growth

BY TAMARA CHUANG THE COLORADO SUN

For the rst time in recent memory, the median price of a house in metro Denver is less than it was a year ago.

And for some who make a living selling houses, there’s a sense of relief.

“Every single month in 2021 and the rst half of 2022, everybody in our (real estate) community went, ‘Oh my goodness. How much more can this go? What will buyers put up with?’ I mean having to pay a penny over the appraised value is just bonkers to me,” said Matt Leprino, CEO of Denver-based real estate brokerage Remingo.

Now, he said, “It’s calm, it’s a very tepid pool right now. It’s not increasing. It’s not going crazy. Days on market are up. But they’re up from historic lows. e majority of phone calls we get right now are … ‘Can I jump in right now?’”

New data for January from the Colorado Association of Realtors has median home prices attening statewide. Houses are taking twice as long — sometimes three times longer — to sell compared to a year ago. But that’s not very long. In the seven-county metro Denver area, that’s 53 days, or about four weeks longer than 22 days in January 2022. at’s getting back to the time just before the pandemic, or 48 days in

January 2020.

Home prices in Denver and Colorado increased at unprecedented rates in the past two years. Metro Denver’s median sales price hit a high of $660,000 in April, up 17.4% in a year. at dropped to $569,804, as of January, which is 1.4% lower than a year-ago January. As Littleton economist Patty Silverstein told the real estate industry at an economic summit last week, “We’re (in) some type of slowdown but that’s very welcome. We’re in a rest period here.” e slowdown began last spring as the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to cool in ation. But mortgage rates have more than doubled in a year, making it much more expensive for home buyers who need a loan. Based on the Denver metro area’s median sales price, a buyer’s monthly payment is roughly $1,000 more than it would have been last January, according to Bankrate’s mortgage calculator.

“ e major thing we have seen is a dramatic slowdown in activity,” said Ann Hayes, a Realtor with Keller Williams Colorado West Realty in Grand Junction. “A lot of people, with the change in the interest rates, were priced out of the market.”

Mesa County saw a 3.4% dip in its median-sales price, falling to $379,950 in January. at makes it a little more a ordable for rst-time buyers. But even though mortgage rates are below their peak, they are still above 6.5%. And that’s keeping homeowners in their homes, too.

“Sellers don’t like the fact that

they’re at a 3% (mortgage loan) rate and if they buy a replacement, they’re going to be at six, or six and three-quarter rate,” Hayes said. “A lot of sellers are not even coming on the market.”

Some perspective

But the past two years have just been unprecedented, said Hayes, who’s sold houses in the area since 1994. Fifteen years ago, mortgage rates were in the 6% to 7% range, and back in the 1980s, they were double digits, with 30-year xed rate loans

averaging 18.63% in 1981, according to Freddie Mac historical data.

Still, Mesa County is a relatively hot market. e number of houses for sale in the area in and around Grand Junction has doubled in the past year to 456, compared with inventory of 1,816 homes in 2016, according to CAR. Over time, she said, buyers adjust to higher rates and higher prices if that’s where the market goes.

“People will have more babies

1-877-328-1512

A sign calls attention to a home for sale Dec. 5 in southeast Denver.

PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

SEE HOMES, P19

(and) that will encourage people to think about doing other things,” Hayes said. “Life will start happening where it’s, ‘Well, I don’t like the interest rate, but, you know, a twobedroom house with four kids isn’t going to work anymore.’”

Ask anyone in the real estate industry and they’ll tell you buying a house is a long-term investment. Values go up overtime even after slumps during downturns.

“At no time in recorded history have prices, generally speaking, decreased,” said Leprino, pointing to the price dips of 2008, the early 1990s and other recessions. For the most part, the price of a house today is much higher than it’s ever been.

Higher prices, multiple o ers still exist

But every market is di erent. Places like Pagosa Springs are dealing with a scarcity of houses below their median sales price, which increased a whopping 33% to $520,000 in January. Local Realtor Wen Saunders said the lower-priced homes below the $400,000 range “were gobbled up with low interest rates and cash buyers,” and many who were buying a second home.

“ e bread and butter for Pagosa was always somewhere in the $300,000s. at was a beautiful thing. In 2021, we sold 105 and in 2022, we sold 56. Why? Because we didn’t have any more,” said Saunders, who’s been a Realtor in Pagosa for 14 years.

Meanwhile, the million-dollar

homes went the other direction. Back in 2017, she said Pagosa had a ve-year inventory of million-dollar homes and only about ve sold in a year.

“In 2021, we sold 48 homes that were in the million-dollar price point. And then there were another 11 that were in the $2 million range,” she said. “ e number of sales will drop, but I just don’t see the prices dropping.”

In Fort Collins, the median sales price in January was also higher than a year ago. ere are still multiple o ers going on, said Chris Hardy at Elevations Real Estate in Old Town Fort Collins. For one of his fellow agents, 8 out of 10 sales in January involved multiple o ers.

“It wasn’t like it was back in April or May when there were 15, 20 and 30 o ers on any home that came on the market. But there were at least two or more o ers on these homes,” Hardy said.

e data from the Northern Colorado multiple listing service recorded the city’s median price in January at $549,999, up about $11,000 from a year ago. In Larimer County, median sale prices increased 6.4% to $570,000, according to CAR data. Inventory has nearly doubled in a year, but it’s only taking two weeks longer to get a house sold in the county.

But Hardy added a caveat to the higher prices. Houses aren’t necessarily getting their full list price, especially those on the market since November. ose have likely reduced their price. And competition among buyers doesn’t mean houses are selling above the asking price.

“Last summer, you couldn’t buy anything inside the city limits of Fort

Collins for under $500,000,” Hardy said. “ ere wasn’t anything and now that’s changed a little bit and so there are some homes in the midfours that get snapped up relatively quickly. In those highly desirable price points, there’s still quite a bit of activity.”

A busier spring?

Since the fourth quarter, the number of people hoping to get pre-quali ed for a mortgage has increased 50%-60%, said Shawn Ostho , president of Bank of Colorado, which has branches all over the state and is headquartered in Fort Collins. ere are seasonal reasons for the uptick in this quarter and the overall number of loans is still lower than a year ago.

“I think many people have come to the realization that we’re at kind of a new normal for mortgage rates and therefore they’re choosing to proceed with a home,” Ostho said. “We’ll see how strong the demand is this spring, but historically springtime has been a time when people are out looking for a new home and upgrading their house. We expect more activity this spring than we’ve seen in the last six months.”

Prospective buyers are not just gearing up to hunt for a house again; more seem to be opting for a different type of mortgage, an adjustable-rate mortgage. ARMs at Bank of Colorado o er a lower interest rate of 5.875% in the rst ve years. Borrowers can re nance anytime if rates drop. Comparably, the bank’s 30-year rate is 6.375%, which includes 1% in mortgage points to reduce the interest over the life of the loan.

“Just trying to save a little bit of interest with the hope that rates might come back down, that’s the thinking here,” he said. “It gives them a chance to buy a home they can a ord.”

e Fed-regulated interest rates are expected to decline since in ation is slowing. On Tuesday, the Consumer Price Index for January showed that it cost U.S. households 6.4% more to live, compared to a year ago. at was a smidge lower 6.5% in December and down from 9% in summer. e Fed has already backed o the higher rate increases, dropping to a quarter point hike on Feb. 1 from the several months of three-quarter point increases. is, of course, means in ation and interest rates are still rising. But Silverstein, president of Development Research Partners in Littleton, believes consumers are already getting used to it.

“Consumers will start to adapt, will start to expect those slightly higher interest rates given that we still have people moving into this state,” Silverstein said. “We still have a lot of folks that have put o housing purchases (and saying) ‘OK, a 5% to 6% mortgage rate is not outrageous. We just need to take it into consideration as we’re planning for future purchases.’ Consumers are still out there.”

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.

CROWSS UP DRO ELZZ

Labor market, a ordability collide

Realtor summit notes large number of job openings in Colorado

BY TAMARA CHUANG THE COLORADO SUN

Housing and jobs are so connected that it was di cult to avoid the intersection of the two at an economic summit held last week for the Colorado Realtors Association.

Jobs in Colorado? So, so many job openings. Two for every unemployed person in the state. Available houses for sale? So, so few houses are available at a ordable prices, whatever those may be. at disconnect tempered the positive outlook that some had about the better years ahead and what the real estate industry can expect in 2023 and 2024.

“A ordability, or lack thereof, will remain our biggest hurdle. And people won’t come here and the jobs won’t move here, the companies won’t be here if we don’t o er some kind of a ordable housing,” said Kelly Moye, a Realtor at Compass Real Estate. “So, we’re trying to gure out how we do that. e regular market, with the way it works with supply and demand, just pushes prices up or down. at’s the way it goes. But is there anything that we can do as a city, as a state to help create a situa-

tion where everybody can live here?” e data-heavy conference pointed to a possible reason for Colorado’s limited supply of workers: Not enough places for everyone to live.

A look at the data

e majority of households in America are homeowners, with ownership rates at about 65%, according to the U.S. census. Colorado’s not far o from the national numbers, with homeownership rates inching up in recent years to 65.9% in 2021. A recent low was 62.4% in 2016 while the high of 71.3% was in 2003.

A trend happening nationwide and in Colorado for several years has been that fewer houses are being built each year. e National Association of Realtors’ data guru Nadia Evangelou calls it a housing market slump with the number of new housing starts o by 1.5 million a year. She expects that atness to continue in 2023 as the industry deals with ongoing material bottlenecks.

But another thing limiting potential homeowners from buying a house is interest rates. When they shot up last year, homebuyers had to spend a lot more to buy a lot less.

In other words, at 3% (where mortgage rates were in January 2022), the monthly mortgage payment on a midpriced home was $1,410, according to the National Association of Realtors.

SEE LABOR, P23

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At 6%, the payment jumped to $2,010.

At 8%, it would be $2,460. e 30-year xed mortgage rate was 6.45% on ursday, after hitting a high of 7.2% in October, according to Mortgage News Daily.

Most renters can’t a ord a starter home, which NAR de nes as houses priced at 25% less than the median sales price. at puts the median price of a starter home at $321,600 in the U.S.

Evangelou, NAR’s senior economist and director of real estate research, broke it down into a chart. Keep in mind, these are national gures:

National stats on how many renters can buy a median-priced starter home right now put the number at 36%. e data comes from the National Association of Realtors.

To a ord a starter home, with a 10% down payment at a 6.1% interest rate, a buyer’s income must be $86,360 if they don’t want to spend more than one-third of their income on housing. Only 36% of renters met that income level.

In Colorado, it looks worse for renters hoping to become homeowners. NAR pulled up the similar numbers for the Denver metro area and that translated to only 14% of local renters being able to a ord to buy a “starter home,” currently at a median price of $480,000. As for a mid-priced home?

e number of renters who can afford one drops to 6%, as seen in this updated chart below:

Housing costs a lot more in the Denver metro area, compared to the U.S. e National Association of Realtors provided Denver data to e Colorado Sun so we edited the chart to re ect local numbers. While Denver incomes are higher too, fewer residents can a ord a median-priced

starter home — a mere 14%.

“It’s a double pain because they have to deal with rent prices as well as saving up for the down payment,” Evangelou said. “We’ve talked about low a ordability and low availability of homes, but when we put these two factors together, we can see what is the real impact and what challenges buyers face out there.”

And if renters can a ord Denver’s starter home, there aren’t many available, according to data from REColorado. Currently, about 32% of the 1,015 condo or single-family home for-sale listings in Denver were below $480,000. Only 89 are for single-family homes, and only 21 are listed at less than $400,000, said Matt Leprino, a Denver-area Realtor with Remingo, who tracks the data.

e number may be rising though. Leprino said he was surprised there were even that many available. “I would’ve guessed that number was below 10% last summer,” he said.

On a hopeful note, the real estate industry is counting on interest rates to drop. at may not come until next year, but in ation eased a bit in December, and the Federal Reserve raised interest rates a quarter of a point in January, compared to threequarters of a point for several months last year.

“In 2022, home sales activity dropped about 15% per month,” Evangelou said. “In 2023, we expect home sales to continue to drop but slower, like around 7% drop. And 2024 is when the housing market will rebound and we expect to have about 10% more home sales than 2023.”

Where are the workers? Not “on the couch”

Had the pandemic not happened and Colorado’s job growth continued as forecasted years earlier, the state would have added 124,000 more jobs by now, said Patty Silverstein, president of Development Research Partners in Littleton.

e pandemic put hundreds of thousands of Coloradans out of work. e state’s labor department estimates the loss at 374,500 jobs during March and April 2020. But since then, Colorado added them all back and more — approximately 466,400 jobs have been added since spring 2020 for a 124% recovery rate, according to the most recent state jobs report.

But the job growth momentum we had before the pandemic is gone, Silverstein said.

“I will suggest to you that we are not going back to that pace, given the demographics, given changes in what we’re seeing in the employment base,” Silverstein said during her economic overview at the event. “I don’t think that 124,000 — our perfect pace of growth — is even going to be possible.”

However, employers say they’re still struggling to stay fully sta ed. And that shows up in a data point that ranks Colorado as the second highest state for how many available people are in the labor force. Out of all Coloradans 16 years and older, 69% are working or looking for work (the rest are retired or not looking for work). at’s 3.2 million people, which is twice as large as Nebraska’s workforce. Nebraska had the nation’s highest labor force participation rate at 69.8%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“It’s incredibly, incredibly tight out there. And I know many of you are thinking, ‘Well, we just need to get those people to get back out and work.’ Maybe,” Silverstein said. “ ere are some of those folks across the country but they’re not here in Colorado. … People are not hanging out on the couch here in Colorado. ey are out working or actively looking for a job.”

e BLS, through its job openings report, estimated that Colorado had 231,000 job openings in November. At the same time, there were roughly 113,447 unemployed Coloradans.

at’s two job openings for every person looking for work.

And according to Aspen Tech Labs, an Aspen-based company that tracks job openings, three of the top four industries with job openings were among the lower-wage occupations of health care, food service and retail. Whether renters have vacated the state for cheaper housing is a little more di cult to research beyond anecdotal evidence.

Silverstein doesn’t blame the higher cost of living for chasing away lowerincome earners. It’s more so about our demographics. With a shrinking number of younger workers entering the workforce, the average age of a worker continues to get older. When the Baby Boomers retire — and all Baby Boomers will be over 65 by 2030 — that will leave a big hole in Colorado’s labor force. Even the real estate industry must gure out how to maintain productivity, she said.

“ ere’s a company coming out of Buena Vista making homes in a matter of weeks. ey’re assembling them, a factory line. We need to get creative rather than putting in however many people it takes to build a home on site, they’re doing it much quicker, much faster and at a more affordable cost by doing it in a factory,” she said, referring to Fading West modular home factory. “We need to gure out how we can use automation moving forward to do some of that and provide productivity.”

Here’s a year-old chart showing how Colorado’s population has changed and is forecast to change through 2050. ose 65 and over are the fastest growing segment of our population.

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.

on the statutory 90-day period provided for appeals, please visit FEMA’s website at https://www.floodmaps.fema.gov/fhm/BFE_Status/bfe_main.asp , or call the FEMA Mapping and Insurance eXchange (FMIX) toll free at 1-877FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627).

Legal Notice No. 24957

First Publication: February 23, 2023

Last Publication: March 2, 2023

Publisher: Elbert County News Notice to Creditors Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS

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