Elbert County News 030223

EHS girls make their mark

Five female athletes commit to colleges

on National Signing Day

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

An all-female group of ve Elizabeth High School athletes committed to colleges and universities on National Signing Day, Feb. 3. e girls represent Elizabeth High School’s exceptional softball and track and eld teams.

e ve athletes, their sports, and the schools they’ve committed to are:

• Grace Alltop, softball, Colby Community College in Colby,

Kansas

• Hanna Espinosa, softball, Colorado Christian University in Lakewood

• Rachel Glaser, track and eld, Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri

• Ella Hedman, track and eld, University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota

• Lily Smith, track and eld, Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Nebraska

“It feels pretty surreal,” Ella Hedman said in a Feb. 21 interview.

“Running in college has been one of my biggest goals for a long time.

I have spent a lot of time working towards getting recruited and improving my times and it really hasn’t hit me yet that I will be going to the next level. My focus right

now is more towards being the best athlete I can be in high school and setting a solid foundation for what comes next.”

American girls have been working toward carving a space for themselves in the world of sports for a century, but only in the past few decades have they had more opportunities to compete at advanced levels. Millions of girls have diligently and tirelessly fought for the same athletic opportunities, the same funding and scholarships, and the same spotlight as their male counterparts — and the five female athletes to commit from Elizabeth High School prove that the fight has been paying off.

VOLUME 128 | ISSUE 3

Elizabeth considers community center

Town holds meetings to get resident feedback on possible facility

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

e Town of Elizabeth has held two meetings with residents to discuss the possibility of building a local community and senior activity center. On Feb. 18, more than 50 people were present for the meeting, including members of the Elizabeth Board of Trustees, Town Administrator Patrick Davidson and Mayor Nick Snively.

e meetings were held to gauge public interest and gather feedback and suggestions for the potential center. e process is in its preliminary planning stages and no decisions have been made. ere is no plan to raise taxes on town residents.

e Town of Elizabeth has been working with the Colorado Department of Local A airs (DOLA) and the University of Colorado-Denver’s Technical Assistance Program to begin designing the center. Designs were presented at the Feb. 18 meeting by three graduate students with CU-Denver’s College of Architecture and Planning along with lead architect Je rey Wood.

2022 survey results

In September 2022, the Town of Elizabeth sent out a survey to its residents, hoping to determine whether there is a need for a community and

SEE CENTER, P8

CHAMPION WRESTLER

Thomas Lee is Colorado’s 3A winner in weight class P2

Elizabeth Cardinals softball player Grace Alltop in action. She will play for Colby Community College in Kansas.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GRACE ALLTOP

SEE SIGNING, P4

Thomas Lee, a sophomore on the Elizabeth High School wrestling team, stands with his arms raised in the 3A state championship where he took first place in his 106-pound weight class. The championship was held Feb. 18 at Ball Arena in Denver.

PHOTO BY MICHELLE OWEN

Elizabeth wrestler takes 3A championship

Thomas Lee wins state in 106-pound class

e Elizabeth High School wrestling team has a state champion, plus a teammate who took third place in his weight class.

Colorado’s Class 3A wrestling champion in the 106-pound weight class is sophomore omas Lee, 39-4. Lee defeated Eaton freshman

Blake Hawkins, 21-5, in a 7-2 decision on Feb. 18 at Ball Arena in Denver to take the state championship.

Senior Kyle Owen, at 144 pounds, also made the podium by taking third at state. e 35-7 senior pinned Sterling senior Seth Marick, 28-5, at 1:47.

eir senior teammate Cooper Dunn quali ed but did not place.

Numerous photos of Lee’s nals match are available on CHSAA’s website. ey are the rst batch of photos at photos.chsaanow.com/ p813909233.

Meet ‘hope dealers’ behind Denver Dream Center

organization as a part of the street team that does direct outreach with the unhoused in Denver, many of whom were formerly incarcerated like ompkins.

BY DANA KNOWLES AND WILL PETERSON ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

For the Denver Dream Center, hope is a commodity that can’t be sold. It’s routinely given away, at no charge.

“I’m a hope dealer,” explained Donny Andrews, who works at the organization. “We go out and rescue people and restore lives and dreams.”

e Denver Dream Center mainly works with formerly incarcerated people who leave prison and end up without a place to live after their release, something Andrews understands personally.

“I was released on May 11th of last year and was connected with the Dream Center and they helped me put my life back together,” explained Andrews, adding that he needed to learn basic life skills.

“It’s rough getting out prison after 33 years of incarceration, and not knowing how to use a phone, and not knowing how to go grocery shopping.”

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, formerly incarcerated people are almost 10 times more likely to experience homelessness than the general population.

After spending time in and out of prison for several years, then experiencing homelessness, Tyrone ompkins told Rocky Mountain PBS how excited he is to nally move into his own home soon.

“I’ll be moving into an apartment on the rst of March, the day of my birthday!” he said excitedly, crediting the Denver Dream Center for making it happen.

Now ompkins works for the

“It’s time for me to go back out into the community that I was destroying and help,” he said. “It has changed my life and I’m truly blessed.”

Bryan Sederwall moved to Denver 16 years ago and immediately saw the necessity to connect those experiencing homelessness with not only resources, but also hope and inspiration.

“We say ‘See a need, then meet the need.’ We do everything from helping men and women transition from incarceration, or get out of gangs, and get back to community and reestablish their families,” said Sederwall.

ese days, Sederwall is a ectionately known as Pastor B. “People ask me, as a pastor, where’s my church? I tell them to look at the city and that’s our church; it’s the people,” he said. “It’s not just on Sundays, but we hyper focus on Monday through Saturday by building a community.”

e organization provides continuous support for the unhoused to also address issues including hunger, addiction, and abuse. And according to Pastor B, the best way to do that is by nding people where they are and just starting a simple conversation.

“Someone [will] be embarrassed about their story, or their background, and they’ll share that and someone else will be like ‘yeah me too!’ So, it’s no longer baggage, but it becomes a platform for them to move forward and be successful.”

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.

Members of the Denver Dream Center. COURTESY OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

Facility mostly works with people who were formerly incarcerated

some of the love of the game away from me and almost made me quit softball forever. I remember crying to my mom every time after both games and practices,” said softball player Grace Alltop in a Feb. 21 interview. “ e way I faced this problem was quitting that team and nding a new

found nothing but comfort and support from their teams and coaches, something their athletic foremothers fought so hard for.

“I have been pretty blessed to say that I haven’t experienced any more di culties than my male counterparts,” said Hedman. “Track is a very

males.”

Oftentimes girls who compete at advanced-level sports once dreamed of being in that position — be it as a little girl playing on her middle school travel softball team or an 8-yearold girl trying out soccer

All five Elizabeth High School athletes who committed to colleges on National Signing Day were girls.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ELIZABETH SCHOOL DISTRICT

Grace Alltop committed to play softball at Colby (Kansas) Community College.

SIGNING

for the rst time. Little girls love to dream big. With athletic programs and opportunities like those within the Elizabeth School District, the dreams of those little girls can become a reality.

“Something I would say to little girls in sports would be to never give up and ask for help from coaches, teammates, parents and even other people in that sport,” Alltop said. “For the older girls I would say, listen to your coaches but never let them break you down and tell you

that you are not good enough. Know why you fell in love with that sport and think about your younger self and the younger girls that look up to you.”

“Any girl who wants to try track and eld should go for it,” Rachel Glaser said in a Feb. 22 interview.

“ ere are so many di erent events to try out, and you can break out of the stereotypes that are expected.”

Speaking of stereotypes, Glaser added: “In track and eld I am a thrower. ere is a stereotype for throwers that they are big beefy men.” But Glaser has excelled, and is looking ahead. “It’s very exciting

SEE SIGNING, P6

Rachel Glaser committed to the track and field team at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri.v

Hanna Espinosa committed to play softball at Colorado Christian University in Lakewood. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ELIZABETH SCHOOL DISTRICT

to know that all my hard work in the past four years has nally paid o . I’m very excited to see how much I will continue to grow through the chapter of my life and build new relationships with my new team.”

Glaser plans to study elementary education at Southwest Baptist. “I hope to inspire young minds and help them reach their full potential,” she said. “I want to encourage everyone to reach for their goals no matter how big they are. I also hope to be able to coach at a high school and help them be successful in everywhere they would like to go.”

Glaser noted that after reaching her goal for high school, “I hope to be able to make it to the NCAA championships. I know it won’t be easy and may not happen for a few more years, but I’m determined to work as hard as I can to make it.”

“As a female, having access to athletic opportunities is really empowering,” said Hedman. “One of the things that I love about track at the high school level is that many women are able to compete with and even beat their male peers. It’s also important that girls take control of their health, and sports are a great way to do so.”

To watch the Elizabeth High School National Signing Day ceremony, visit youtube.com/ watch?v=KsmyIRTMVtE.

For more information on Elizabeth High School sports, visit elizabethathletics.com.

Ella Hedman committed to the track and field team at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ELIZABETH SCHOOL DISTRICT

Lily Smith committed to the track and field team at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, Nebraska.

CENTER

senior activity center. e survey was meant to gauge interest and determine which amenities the residents of Elizabeth would like to see in a potential center. More than 200 residents lled out the survey.

From the survey, the architects compiled several things residents would like to see in the center. All of these are under consideration and have not been solidi ed as a part of any nal plan.

• Large hall (for group gatherings and could be used by other Elbert County residents)

• Commercial kitchen suitable for meal preparation (Meals on Wheels)

and catered events

• Living room for relaxing, gathering with friends, watching television, co ee, etc.

• Administrative o ce(s)

• Welcome lobby

• Classrooms/ ex space (exercise space, yoga, lifelong learning)

• Game room

• Restrooms, storage, and support spaces

• Programed outdoor spaces

• Community gardens and therapeutic gardens

• Tennis and pickleball

• Open space for lawn games and outdoor classes (Tai Chi, yoga, Pilates, meditation, dance)

• Horseshoe pits

• Playground (for visiting family

SEE CENTER, P9

Members of the Elizabeth community gathered at Town Hall on Feb. 18 to hear presentations about the possible building of a community and senior center.

PHOTO BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

CENTER

members or event rentals)

• Classrooms/ ex space (exercise space, yoga, lifelong learning)

• Outdoor covered lounge

• Outdoor kitchen and grill

• Space to host outdoor movie nights

Also from the survey, residents were able to write comments and make suggestions. Below are several comments from residents and what they would like to see.

• A place to make new friends and gather with familiar faces for a cup of co ee, an afternoon meal or perhaps a movie night.

• A place to stretch our legs … and backs and shoulders while we are at it!

• A place to show o your gardening skills or toss a horseshoe or two … or maybe try out this new pickleball fad!

• Maybe a place to watch a Bronco game with friends.

• A home away from home.

• A place to prepare meals, for those unable to leave their homes, as well as those who can.

• Maybe a place to learn how to cook healthy meals for just one or two.

• A growing community needs to serve residents of all ages and perhaps the larger space could be used by other residents of the county for receptions, reunions, weddings.

• An indoor and outdoor place where the great weather of the area invites us outside.

Designs

Lead architect Wood and his students presented several designs of potential buildings for the center, all with di erent layouts and amenities. Elizabeth locals provided feedback on each of the designs, citing which they liked best and how to improve certain aspects of the layouts.

“ e bathrooms that are in the back, there are a lot of turns there to get around with wheelchairs,” said one resident in attendance.

Another stated: “Personally, I think

A resident asks questions about one of the potential layouts of an Elizabeth community center.

all three of the designs are too cut up. What do we need all these little rooms for? To me it doesn’t look senior conducive.”

Others commented on the general concept and the exterior designs.

“I personally think Elizabeth is about the Western way of life and I like design C. I think that it is very compatible to what we see around here regularly,” said one woman in attendance. “I don’t know if I like white though.”

Wood responded that the town could paint it whatever color they like. His comment was met with laughs.

Location and timeline roughout the course of the meeting, several other important topics were discussed. ese topics included location and timeline, funding, working with county groups and how to deal with water.

Currently there is no designated location for the potential senior facility, though the town is hoping to have it located near the Elizabeth branch of the Pines and Plains Library system. Based on survey results and focused community meetings, the planning committee will determine how much space the facility should need. From there, a location will be set.

SEE CENTER, P10

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

Douglas County celebrates the diverse contributions, capacity and value of our residents with developmental disabilities. Thank you for what you bring to our community. This month, the Board of County Commissioners is formally recognizing these residents’ contributions and commending the community organizations, agencies and programs that support them throughout the year. For more information visit douglas.co.us and search for Developmental Disabilities

Nominate a special teenager for a 2023 Youth Initiative Award

Do you know a Douglas County teenager, between the ages of 13 and 19, who has overcome adversity and created positive change in their lives, as well as the lives of others? Nominate them for a 2023 Douglas County Outstanding Youth Award by March 3. Visit douglas.co.us and search Youth Awards

What’s happening with your County government?

Our commitment to open and transparent government includes online posting of information about public meetings at which the business of government is conducted. To view public meeting agendas, participate in-person or remotely, or watch select meetings via live stream, visit douglas.co.us and search for Business Meetings / Public Hearings.

PHOTO BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

According to Town Administrator Patrick Davidson and Wood, the general timeline for completion, should the project move forward, would be within the frame of three to ve years.

“I am a homeschooling mom with elementary kids. I have watched homeschooling explode after the pandemic. I love this because it will likely be right by the library,” said one resident in attendance. “One of the programs we want to start is where the children who are learning to read will read to the seniors. It is a perfect program to work with the library too.”

Funding

A big question for residents is how the project would be funded. e Town of Elizabeth received a $5,000 grant through the Colorado Department of Local A airs to facilitate the planning of the project. Other funding for the potential space will come from grants and town savings.

“I’m going to be asking the state to fund it. I’m going to be asking for the federal government to fund it. I’m going to be asking for private donations to help fund it,” said Davidson. “I’m going to ask big companies if they want to assist. We’ll have telehealth, so I’m going to get ahold of UCHealth and see if we can name a room after them. We have some very high-level conversations with the VA. ey would be willing to put in, especially for counseling, check-ins, and things like that.”

County collaboration

One man in attendance questioned whether the town had already reached out to the re department and other county organizations to prepare for the potential new community and senior activity center. Currently, the Town of Elizabeth is working with several local and county groups to help make this project a reality.

“ e county is aware,” said Davidson. “Each county commissioner has been invited to come to the meetings. e metro districts are aware that we are in this process. I’ve reached out to them as well. Working with the re department is where we got the idea to seek FEMA funding for the purposes of backup generators, assisting in the kitchen. is would be a shelter-in-place location. We’ve talked to both the state and national organizations on what that would look like.”

Dealing with water

Lastly, a growing concern of residents is the availability of water around the town and the greater Denver area. One graduate architect student, Michelle Lazarz, addressed this concern, stating her desire to implement xeriscaping around the potential community center. Xeriscaping is a water-conscious approach to landscaping that reduces

perennials are happy in xeric conditions and require low to moderate irrigation during the rst few years of establishment. After that, many only require irrigation during periods of

The Scheme A site plan for a possible Elizabeth community center has a site area of 114,000 square feet (2.64 acres) and a building floorplan of 6,954 square feet. IMAGE COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER; UNIVERSITY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Architect Je rey Wood, left, speaks with Mayor Nick Snively at a Feb. 18 gathering to discuss a possible community center in Elizabeth. PHOTO BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

Thu 3/09

Flag Football: Kinder - Ages 4 to 6Spring 2023 @ 12:30am

Mar 9th - May 6th

Auburn Hills Community Park, 11682 Brad‐bury Ranch Rd., Parker

Soccer: Kinder - Ages 4 to 6Spring 2023 @ 12:30am

Mar 9th - May 6th

Auburn Hills Community Park, 11682 Brad‐bury Ranch Rd., Parker

Fri 3/10

Soup @ 5pm Coronado Elementary School, 7922 S Carr St, Littleton

Donny Benet @ 8pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

Sun 3/12

The King Stan Band in Paradise @ 7pm Paradise Tavern, 9239 Park Mead‐ows Dr, Lone Tree

Preservation Hall Jazz Band @ 6pm

Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St, Lone Tree

Dave Mensch - Tailgate Tavern - Parker, CO @ 11am

Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Mainstreet, Parker

Mon 3/13

Camp: Creature Creator Robotics (5-12yrs) @ 2pm

Mar 13th - Mar 17th

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

Modern Swing Mondays @ 5pm / $10

Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Tue 3/14

Full of Hell @ 6pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

The Acacia Strain w/ Fit for an Autopsy @ 6pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, En‐glewood

Wed 3/15

Ladies Night @ 5pm / $10

Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Paolo Nutini @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, Englewood

Thu 3/16

Teague Starbuck @ 5pm

The Pint Room, 2620 W Belleview Ave, Lit‐tleton

Trouble Bound: Trouble

Returns @ 8pm

The Alley, 2420 W Main St, Little‐ton

Dirty Side Down Band: Dirty Side

Down @ Green�elds @ 8pm Green�elds Pool & Sports Bar, 3355 S Yarrow St E101, Lakewood

Ninety Percent 90s @ 8pm Studio@Mainstreet, 19604 Mainstreet, Parker

Sat 3/11

Scott Fowler Music: Scott Fowler @ 2 Penguins Tap & Grill @ 6pm 2 Penguins Tap and Grill, 13065 E Briar‐wood Ave, Centennial

Grif�n House @ 7:30pm

The Schoolhouse at Mainstreet, 19650 Mainstreet, Parker

Kaia Kater @ 8pm

Swallow Hill, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

Jake Blount & Kaia Kater at Swallow Hill Music Association @ 8pm

Swallow Hill Music Association, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

Patrulla 81 @ 8:30pm

Stampede, 2430 S Havana St, Aurora

DJ Rockstar Aaron: Forbidden Bingo - Tailgate Tavern & Grill @ 7pm

Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Mainstreet, Parker

CALIGARIS EN CONCIERTO @ 7pm / $40

Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Moab Photography Trip @ 11pm / $375

Mar 12th - Mar 16th

Valor Christian High School - Academic Building, 3775 Grace Blvd., Highlands Ranch. 303-471-3000

The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band @ 7pm Swallow Hill, 71 E Yale Ave, Den‐ver

Cousin Curtiss @ 7pm Swallow Hill Music Association, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

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Tale of 2 districts FROM THE EDITOR

In Arapahoe County and Douglas County we are watching a tale of two school districts unfold. at tale is all about how teachers are compensated and what it will all mean as the scenarios play out.

On one side, in Douglas County, you have a situation where voters said no to a mill levy that would have resulted in teachers getting pay raises. In November, voters pretty soundly rejected the measure.

Whether it was because they were still feeling a little saucy over how the school board handled the termination of the former superintendent, or, just didn’t want more money to go to the government, even if it is a school district, doesn’t matter. What matters is it did not happen and the district, which is located in the ninth richest county in the nation, is paying a teacher a starting salary of just over $43,000.

I have to give credit to Superintendent Erin Kane and the school board — they didn’t let the election rejection halt discussions. ey are trying to be creative in what to do next. e most recent discussion centers around having a ordable housing built just for teachers. at means low-income apartments.

However, the problem here is besides paying teachers like crap, the current messaging throughout Douglas County seems to also be against building a ordable housing.

Without a ordable housing, good teachers, good cops and the much-needed working class is going to disappear. at leads us to neighboring Arapahoe County. Arapahoe County is home to another large school district, Cherry Creek. Cherry Creek seems to be a lot more focused on keeping good teachers and recruiting new ones.

It’s no secret there is a teacher shortage not just in Colorado but nationwide. ere are not enough substitutes, certi ed teachers and paraprofessionals at any level. at means districts who treat teachers better are going to at least fare better as the battle to meet sta ng levels drags on.

Recently, Cherry Creek opted to pay teachers a starting salary of $57,000. Let’s put that in perspective. If you are a teacher currently working in Douglas County but can’t a ord to live there — you are likely to drive from a metro city to the north. If you were a teacher in Douglas County driving past Cherry Creek to teach for $14,000 a year less — would you stay? Would you want to keep going to a district where the residents outright said no to you having a better life?

e e ect of what is happening is going to become clear in years down the road. Douglas County might go from being the ninth richest with one of the best school districts in the nation to much worse.

ink about the good families currently raising their kids in Douglas County. Parents are going to start looking at whether or not their children are receiving a quality education. If they realize the neighboring district not only pays teachers more but provides students a better education because their good teachers went there — they too are going to leave.

Who can blame them? As parents, we want our kids to have the best education possible. I moved from another state for that very reason, to make sure my adopted daughter got the education she deserves. Other parents will do the same even if it means moving one district over.

In Cherry Creek, teachers are going to feel more appreciated. ey are going to feel as though residents believe in them and they are going to work for those students even as times are tough. In Douglas County, teachers are receiving a clear message that while the school board and superintendent are doing their best with the resources they have — their best may not be good enough to stay.

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

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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

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

Phone: 303-566-4100

Web: ElbertCountyNews.net

To subscribe call 303-566-4100

The gift of island time and mountain time

The circular bar was busy but not too busy. ere were two bartenders working the bar. Our view was of the beautiful snow-covered mountains as the restaurant was at the top of a ski resort. As the bartenders chatted us all up, we all took in the amazing view of the slopes, the mountain range backdrop and a gorgeous blue-sky day. No rush, service was casual without being too slow. As we enjoyed our break we noticed a man had walked in and stood at the bar looking for a beverage himself. His accent gave him away as being from New York and his body language betrayed his not so good mood. As the bartender approached the man and asked what he would like to drink, the man blurted out, “Two bloody Marys.”

As the bartender started making the drinks, the man started assertively tapping his credit card on the counter, shaking his head and clearly losing his patience as the bartender worked on his drinks. I would have to say, the bartender makes an awesome bloody Mary, and he takes the time to make sure it’s perfect. As the man’s impatience grew, the bartender picked up on the vibe, and without speeding up, he quickly and brilliantly defused the situation, asking the man one question, “I’ll bet it’s nice for you to be on vacation, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, and to be up here taking in the snow, the sun and this incredible view.”

e man’s demeanor immediately

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

changed. He knew what the bartender had just done, and smiling he said, “ ank you for that, and it’s wonderful to be up here and on mountain time.” I watched as the man took the two drinks back to his table and wife, and as he sat down, taking in a deep breath and gazing out at the magni cence and majesty of his surroundings.

If you have ever spent any time in the islands or in the mountains, you can immediately connect with the headline and message of this column. When we can spend time on a beautiful tropical island or in the majesty of the mountains, sometimes things just move a little slower. And that’s a good thing.

It amazes me that some people miss the opportunity to slow down, to ease the pace of the race when they are on vacation. We work so hard to save our money so that we can take a break, get away from the rush and crush of life, and bring ourselves and our family to a tropical paradise or winter wonderland, only to lose our patience, getting upset because the shuttle was ve minutes behind, or the line at the coffee shop wasn’t moving as quickly as we would like. And instead of letting go of the stress we left behind, we bring it with us and get worked up over the silliest and slightest delays.

is is not about making the excuse for poor or extremely slow service, as that is never acceptable. is is just a gentle nudge and reminder to stop and see the mountains or the vastness of a blue ocean. Not just look at them, but really see them.

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.

THELMA GRIMES South Metro Editor tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com

SCOTT GILBERT Editor sgilbert@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN FRANKS Production Manager efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Deadline Wed. for the following week’s paper.

Thelma Grimes

Osteopathic benefits explained

Th e healthcare needs of older adults are unique. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 85% of older adults have at least one chronic health condition. While medical advances have made a huge di erence in the treatment and management of chronic diseases, prevention is a critical piece of healthy aging. A healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a nutritious diet, along with regular preventive screenings and visits, can help mature adults increase the number of years lived in good health.

For some people, a trip to the doctor’s o ce equates to a quick physical examination, a discussion of medical history and the symptoms of a current condition, and a prescription for some type of medication. While medications certainly help when it comes to things that require antibiotics or treatments for speci c viruses, other types of prescription medications may cover the symptoms rather than healing the underlying condition. Two types of treatments that are bene cial to the overall health of

NORTON

And maybe as we stop long enough we might just realize that we are actually seeing them for the very rst time.

Getting on island time or mountain time, or wherever else we go to relax and take a break, helps us to unwind and let the stressors of life go. If we are lucky enough to live in such an area full time, we understand what island time and mountain time means, and recognize it’s one of the reasons we chose to live

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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• Email your letter to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line.

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• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.

• Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and should not submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.

• Letters advocating for a political candidate should focus on that candidate’s qualifications for o ce. We cannot publish letters that contain unverified negative information about a candidate’s opponent. Letters advocating for or against a political candidate or ballot issue will not be published within 12 days of an election.

LIVING & AGING WELL

Lisa Varga

older adults will be the focus of the April 6 presentation at the Seniors’ Council of Douglas County meeting. e presenters are specialists at Rocky Vista Health Center in Parker, Colorado. e meeting is free and open to the public from 10-11:30 am at Canvas Credit Union, 9990 Park Meadows Drive, Lone Tree.

Osteopathic Manipulative (OMM) is a great complement to traditional medical techniques, including drug therapy and surgery. OMM takes a holistic approach to the diagnosis and treatment of medical issues throughout the body. It is a therapeutic application of careful, manual pressure or force on an a ected area of the body. If a patient is experiencing issues with a certain organ, a trained OMM physician may examine for structural problems in the spinal column since these problems can radiate outward and cause dysfunction in various organs. e treatment may include manipulation of bones and joints which may be the root cause of illness,

there.

Is it time to leave the anxiety, stress, and impatience behind? Can we get ourselves comfortable with a slightly slower pace? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can embrace island time and mountain time for the gift that they truly are, 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.

injury, or pain. Trained physicians may use several osteopathic manipulative techniques to treat their patients. ese techniques will be discussed and demonstrated by JP Krueger, M.D., who is specialty trained in OMM, during the April 6 presentation.

e feet are one of the most important parts of the human body. ey are constantly helping us stand, walk, run, or perform other movements we do throughout the day. Additionally, they help maintain balance, allowing us to walk upright. A podiatrist is a doctor who specializes in caring for the foot and ankle, including the bones, muscles, ligaments, and other parts of the lower extremities. Podiatrists also treat symptoms of peripheral vascular disease and neuropathies which can cause numbness and pain in the feet.

Zach Weis DPM is an experienced podiatrist, who will present on treatment of the feet, with emphasis on signs and symptoms of peripheral vascular disease.

is article was prepared by Lisa Varga, Liaison for Rocky Vista

Health Center. Seniors’ Council of Douglas County generally meets the rst ursday of the month at locations throughout Douglas County. Contact Seniors’ Council at dcseniorlife@douglas.co.us. For current information on meetings and activities, visit www.douglas. co.us/community-services/services/ senior-services/seniors-council/.

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Speed dating events in metro Denver o er alternatives to swiping

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

On a ursday night in late January, dozens of people walked past displays of tarot cards and crystals towards a dim room at the back of Full Moon Books in Lakewood. A man at the room’s entrance asked them each to remove their shoes. e smell of burnt sage lled the air.

For a while, people mingled. e event was not to start until 7 p.m., and stragglers arrived until moments before the doors closed. When it was time, a woman wearing a pink velvet robe asked everyone to sit in a circle.

“For all the new people, this is where we’re all going to get naked,” the woman joked. Everyone laughed, and she continued, “ ere will be none of that. is is just a really fun, safe event.”

Danny Neifert, a facilitator of an event called Tantra Speed Date, was playing with the stereotypical understanding of the word “tantra.” For many people, the term brings sex to mind. Although tantra is a spiritual practice that includes sexuality, Neifert said it has more to do with connection.

“Tonight, for the sake of simplicity, we’re just going to swap out the word ‘tantra’ with ‘connection,’” she said to the group. “It’s about connecting to yourself, connecting to the person that’s standing in front of you, connecting to the room, connecting to the building, the soil, the snow, the stars — you ll in the blank in a way that makes sense to you.”

For the next several hours, the attendees took turns rotating from person to person, doing mindful activities with a new partner at each station. At one, a partner mirrored the others’ physical actions. Next, strangers gave each other back massages. Some stations involved speaking — about gratitude, letting go or joy — and at others, people danced.

is event is one of several forms of speed dating in the metro Denver area, where singles are stepping out of their comfort zones to nd hope,

chemistry — and maybe even love — beyond the screens and swiping of modern dating.

Paying attention

Guy Shahar is a founder of e Tantra Institute, a New York-based company that aims to help people become “better lovers” through sacred sexuality. e company teaches courses about sexuality, tantra and relationship skills, in addition to hosting events like Tantra Speed Date.

Since 2017, Tantra Speed Date has hosted over 550 events in 40 cities for attendees of all ages.

“Most of the stations are really just about (giving) people instructions that show them how to put their attention on each other,” Shahar said about the speed dating event.

In his eyes, lack of attention is the number one challenge people face in modern dating, partly because of technology and partly because of the number of potential partners.

“A hundred years ago, who could you date? e people from your neighborhood, the people around you,” he said. “Now you can date anybody in the world… You open up any of those dating apps and you could be swiping on a di erent person in less than a second.”

His speed dating event, he said, is designed to put people in situations where they must focus on each other.

“Like a mirroring exercise, right?” he said. “I’m watching you, and I’m responding to what you’re doing… My attention is on you… Getting people to bring their attentions to each other is a really beautiful way to fool them into connection and intimacy.”

Once people surrender to paying full attention, Shahar said it’s easier to tell if there is chemistry between them.

After the initial connection, Shahar said other things become important as a relationship continues.

“ at connection isn’t necessarily compatibility,” he said. “You might have an amazing connection, or let’s say amazing chemistry… but their habits might be totally not compatible with yours. If you want a sustaining relationship, then you need to nd some points of compatibility or you need to be able to work with habits.”

at being said, Shahar thinks having the opportunity to initially sense a

connection is a powerful way to see if there’s any potential with a person.

“(To) just start your relationship o with that kind of intimacy and connection just seems like a really great, really beautiful way to get yourself o on the right foot,” he said.

Is a few minutes enough?

For speed dating skeptics, it may seem improbable that a person could have any sense of real connection after an encounter that lasts only a matter of minutes.

Dr. Randi Smith, a practicing psychologist and psychology professor at Metro State University Denver, said a few minutes might not be enough to tell a lot about a potential partner –but it can show some things.

“ ere’s some really recent research that suggests that we’re able to pick up on somebody’s relationship anxiety, their attachment anxiety, in a very brief interaction,” she said. “So can we predict whether this relationship will have legs, whether it will have a future? Probably not, but we might be able to weed out some people whose anxiety might prevent them from

having a good relationship with us.”

In addition, Smith said quick interactions can give people a sense of physical attraction and even immediate emotional attraction based on how it feels to talk to a potential partner.

On a deeper psychological level, she said people at speed dating events are probably thinking about reciprocity of liking. is idea is that people tend to like those who like them.

“Speed dating is very strategic, right?” she said. “You have little time, you’ve got to gure out how to make these choices, and so our brains are going into high strategic,

Full Moon Books is Lakewood is one of the Tantra Speed Date venues in Colorado.

PHOTO BY NINA JOSS

SPEED DATING

albeit unconscious, responses. And it doesn’t make a lot of sense for a person to invest energy and interest into somebody who’s not going to reciprocate that energy and interest.”

Alex Zaborenko, who attended the January Tantra Speed Date event, said reciprocity is important to him in terms of relationship goals as well, not only attraction. As someone who is looking for non-monogamous relationships, he said online dating pro les and open communication help him nd people who have the same goals in mind.

“I don’t want or need just one magic person to connect with me on every level that I might connect with a partner,” he said. “Once I reached the conclusion, then it just felt much better that I can communicate what I’m looking for honestly and they can choose what they want to do with that information.”

Are you worth my (client’s) time?

For Abby Rosenblum, investing time and energy in the right people is part of her business model.

Rosenblum is the founder and head matchmaker at e Social: Modern Matchmaking, a Colorado-based service that also hosts speed dating events.

Rosenblum’s services focus not only on helping her clients nd potential partners, but also on building their con dence and making dating enjoyable.

“ e sad part is I think we’re almost taught that dating should be di cult, should be frustrating and should be some kind of just negative thing in your life,” she said. “So a lot of the work I do is trying to teach people that dating can actually be fun, which is a crazy concept to almost everyone.”

When setting up dates, Rosenblum looks for people with values and physical appearances that t with what her clients are looking for.

“And then the other thing I look for too (is) like, is this person ready to date?” she said. “Are they in a good place? … Because you can meet the greatest person ever tomorrow, but if they’re like, ‘I just got red from my job and I hate everything,’ you might not connect with them in as good of a way.”

Rosenblum works mainly with singles in stable careers who are looking for serious, committed and monogamous relationships. As a matchmaker, she helps lter out potential partners who do not align with her clients’ stages of life so she can ensure they are investing their time and energy in relationships that could have a future.

Rosenblum, who works mainly with heterosexual clients, often collaborates with the head matchmaker at Denver’s Cupid, a matchmaking service that works with LGBTQ+ singles.

Like Smith, she doesn’t think speed dating events are a silver bullet for knowing if a relationship will work, but she said they can still be bene cial. Her company hosts speed dating at its events, including a single mingle that happened the rst week of February in Englewood.

In Rosenblum’s speed dating games, participants receive conversation prompts to help people learn something about their partners, from travel dreams to relationship goals.

“It’s like, ‘OK, am I curious to get to know them more?’ she said. “ at’s really the only thing you need to know after that ve minutes, because it’s hard to know anything else… What’s the harm in meeting again?”

A new hope for dating

Andrea Cunningham has been dating on and o for the past 10 years. She decided to attend the January Tantra Speed Date event when her housemate invited her because she thought it would introduce her to spiritually open minded people.

“He actually said, ‘Do you want to go to a woo-woo speed dating event?’ and my thought was ‘Oh, yeah, that might be my kind of people,’ because I’m not nding a lot of woo-woo folks on OkCupid,” she said.

At 58 years old, Cunningham is looking for someone who is compassionate, exible and open to “more heart-centered ideas,” she said.

Going into the speed dating event, Cunningham was feeling skeptical, she said. Mainly, she thought speed dating would be intimidating, but it wasn’t.

“I think maybe my whole idea about speed dating was wrong,” she said. “Maybe you’re not just awkwardly trying to talk with people 10 times in a row for ve minutes. Maybe there’s more to it than that… at was welldesigned.”

After her experience (and several dates that arose from the event), she said speed dating might be giving her new hope after taking a pause from dating for a while.

“I was trying to do a little online, I wasn’t getting anywhere, I stopped,” she said. “ en this came up — it may kick me into gear again.”

Renewing excitement about dating and personal connection is a goal of many speed dating events, especially in a world where fewer and fewer people feel connected to each other.

In Shahar’s speed dating events, re-connecting is the greatest bene t and goal.

“If you are tired of feeling disconnected from the world, and you want to have a moment of connection, this is a really great way to step into that,” he said. “Is it for everyone? No, I don’t think it’s for everyone. But it is for people that are like, ‘Hey, I want to create something magical within my relationship life and my dating life.’”

Abby Rosenblum’s company co-hosted a speed dating event at Brewability Lab in Englewood on Feb. 2.

PHOTO BY HAN LOYD; HEPCAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Danny Neifert and her demonstration partner show an activity where partners mirror each others’ actions at Tantra Speed Date.

PHOTO BY NINA JOSS

Attendees chat at the Single Mingle event, co-hosted by The Social: Modern Matchmaking at Brewability Lab in Englewood on Feb. 2.

PHOTO BY HAN LOYD; HEPCAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Vitamins not always helpful in preventing heart disease

A healthy diet is better

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Vitamins and supplements are not the best way to lower your risk of heart disease, instead Cardiologist Dr. Je Park says eating in moderation and nutritious foods is the most bene cial.

According to Park, of Aurora Denver Cardiology Associates at e Medical Center of Aurora, aIS vitamins can help the body but they can also be harmful as there are also toxicities.

“If vitamins were universally acceptable to improve heart health, then I believe that there would be a strong push for the FDA to approve these and say, everyone with heart disease should be on these vitamins, these supplements,” said Park. “But there’s never going to be that push.”

e risk of heart disease is not strictly determined by the food one consumes. Rick factors also include environment and genetics.

Park says people need to realize there are a lot of lters in supplements and people don’t always know

what’s in them.

Vitamins and supplements can be seen as alternatives to modern medicine but the unknown of what exactly is in pills can have an a ect on the body.

“Without some form of regulation, and if you don’t know what those pills are lled with, right?” said Park.

“And so, the actual vitamin itself might be safe, but the stu that’s in it with it, you have no idea about.”

A 2018 publication of Circulation: Cardiovascu-

lar Quality and Outcomes concluded multivitamins do not reduce cardiovascular disease, heart attacks or strokes.

In addition, John Hopkins researchers - including Dr. Edgar R. Miller III, say consuming too much of certain vitamins can be harmful.

“Too much calcium and vitamin D are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease,” Miller said in the John Hopkins article.  Food and proper nutrients is the best way to manage

heart health.

Park said breaking habits is stressful and eating a healthy diet is becoming expensive, which is why moderation is important.

e American Heart Association suggests getting adequate nutrients through a variety of foods in moderation instead of supplements.

Omega-3 fatty acid supplements are an exception as they have been associated with decreased risk of heart disease.

“When I see patients for

the rst time and a lot of them do have a lot of comorbid conditions, metabolic syndrome, they’re obese, they have diabetes and it’s a matter of if they’ve had bad habits for a long period of time,” said Park.

Park says that it is a team e ort.

“I can’t change how you work, what kind of foods you’re accessible to,” said Park. “But the only advice I can give you is that you can do those things but in moderation.”

A nutritious diet is more e ective in treating heart disease than taking vitamins and supplements. SHUTTERSTOCK

Hunting groups quit Colorado Outdoor Partnership

BY JASON BLEVINS THE COLORADO SUN

ree hunting groups resigned from the Colorado Outdoor Partnership last week, citing “serious concerns” about the group’s direction and the ability of Colorado Parks and Wildlife to lead the collaboration.

“Concerns surrounding wildlife and habitat have been increasingly underrepresented, not responded to, and often ignored,” reads the resignation letter sent this week by leaders of the Colorado Out tters Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management. “And our e orts to revitalize the conversations have not been taken seriously.”

e Colorado Outdoor Partnership was formed in 2016 by CPW and then overhauled in 2020 by Gov. Jared Polis as a vehicle to “meet conservation and recreation challenges head-on through thoughtful planning, strategic investment and engagement with regional and state-level partnerships.”

e partnership includes more than 30 organizations representing outdoor recreation, conservation, hunters and anglers, environmental education, ranching and government. e group works to blend recreation and conservation in a sustainable way that supports economies and quality of life while protecting natural resources.

e resignation of hunting and angling groups from the partnership reveals a growing schism in Colorado’s wildlife community as recreation access takes a more prominent role in resource management discussions.

“If it’s not recreation, it’s DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion.) And if it’s not DEI, it’s wolves. And there is nothing else,” said Dan Gates, a

founding member of the partnership and long-time volunteer in Colorado’s wildlife community representing the Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management and Colorado Trapper and Predator Hunters Association. “ ere’s no room for any conversations around wildlife and habitat management. Nothing can be done for wildlife and habitat because there are all these other distractions on this landscape. It’s so frustrating for the sportsmen community.”

e letter, sent by Gates, Jenny Burbey with the Colorado Out tters Association, Luke Wiedel from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, explained that volunteers “are no longer comfortable serving” after the Colorado Department of Natural Resources last year investigated allegations that Gates displayed racist behavior. e investigation yielded no evidence supporting the claims.

“Our e orts to get information and support from DNR continue to remain unanswered after several requests for transparency,” reads the letter.

Luke Wiedel has served several years as a statewide volunteer for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, representing hunters in various matters with CPW. He feels his group’s involvement in the Colorado Outdoor Partnership was to “check o a bunch of boxes … so they can say we had wildlife groups approve our statewide recreational plan.”

“If we are really going to have meaningful and impactful conversations and action revolving around recreation and conservation we need to take a step back and ask ourselves some serious philosophical questions about wildlife and habitat and capacity and impacts,” Wiedel said. “We need to all come to the realization that we all have an impact — hunters and all recreational users — and then we need to decide what we are going to do about that impact.”

e three members of the partnership tried to raise their concerns with Colorado Parks and Wildlife directors and commissioners. “We

got no traction,” Gates said. “I’ve never seen so much dysfunction in an agency. We feel this is just a manipulative process.”

e agency is very busy. After two years of work, CPW is nalizing a controversial plan to introduce wolves to western Colorado by next year. ree of the agency’s commissioners’ terms end in June with three new commissioners taking their place. CPW’s director resigned in November following an o ensive utterance at an awards gala last year and the agency is searching for a new leader.

CPW also is working to promote the new Keep Colorado Wild pass as a way to fund state parks and recently asked legislators for $2.2 million in supplemental funding to support its rollout.

e three groups that resigned said volunteer support, wildlife conservation and habitat protection are falling to the wayside as CPW navigates its complicated year.

“We sincerely hope that the conversation surrounding conservation and recreation becomes one of action and impact, perhaps in ways that none of us can imagine,” the resignation letter reads. “Colorado and our wildlife need it more urgently than most people realize. And, simply put, our natural resources deserve better.”

A statement from the Department of Natural Resources and CPW noted the agencies’ pride in the demographic and cultural diversity of the Colorado Outdoor Partnership “and its collaborative, consensusbased work.”

“While we are always sorry to see volunteer members leave, this is an opportunity to bring new voices and energy to the CO-OP,” reads the statement. “Critical work remains in Colorado to address expanding recreation and the in uence on wildlife and our land, water, ecosystems, and communities. e only way to tackle these issues is collectively with honest and open dialogue and respect, even when the conversations are di cult, uncomfortable, or require compromise on an area of interest.”

After that resignation letter landed in the inboxes of CPW o cials on Monday, the Colorado Outdoor Partnership held an online meeting the next day to welcome four new regional partners to the group.

At that meeting, Dan Gibbs, the director of the Department of Natural Resources, reiterated his inability to discuss the investigations into Prenzlow and Gates, citing personnel issues and state regulations. Gibbs also said “CPW is really in a transitional change right now,” according to a transcript of the meeting.

Gibbs disagreed with the suggestion that CPW is not focused on wildlife.

“We are working so hard on this, but if you really feel like we are not addressing wildlife issues … this is the opportunity where you step up and say hey … really this is the dialogue, this is the opportunity that we can talk about those issues,” Gibbs said.

Western Slope rancher Janie Van Winkle, who is a member of the Colorado Outdoor Partnership, asked Gibbs if CPW was going to make any e ort to reengage the three groups that resigned.

Gibbs suggested the departure of the groups could provide opportunities for others to “ ll a really important role, just like the three of them did.”

“I’m sure there is a long list of folks that would love to be sitting around the table with you all discussing these really important issues of the nexus between wildlife and conservation and recreation and working collaboratively together,” Gibbs said. “I don’t have any ill will (towards) any of them at all, so I will keep the door open. But I think there are opportunities for new folks too.”

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.

Organizations are wary of direction, ability of state agency

Denver

area inflation falls to 6.4%

Gasoline prices return to $4 level

BY TAMARA CHUANG THE COLORADO SUN

Price relief at home? Not quite yet, according to the latest Consumer Price Index for the Denver area. e one-year change in CPI, aka in ation, slowed its pace to 6.4% in January, which happened to be the same as the U.S. at’s lower than the 6.9% in November for Denver and 7.1% in the U.S. But that 6.4% means consumer prices are not only still growing, in ation is still at a 40year high.

Nearly everything that contributes to the index was more expensive in January than it was a year earlier in

Denver. Nonalcoholic beverages? Up 16.7%. Breakfast cereal? Up 14%. Fruits and vegetables? Up 12.9%. Household energy? Up 13.4%. Add in the in ation from the prior year and the double-digit increases likely match what consumers have been feeling for the past couple of years — or at least some consumers. While government relief helped many people and businesses get through the pandemic, the severe disruptions resulted in job losses, aggravated supply chain issues and changed consumer demand. e higher prices are being felt unequally, especially if someone is a homeowner or a renter, works remotely or in person, or hasn’t seen their paycheck increase at the same rate.

“Earnings are going up about 5%

Inflation, housing prices and gasoline going back over $4 per gallong are still leading to high inflation issues in the Denver metro area. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

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INFLATION

roughly in the United States. But that means we’ve lost ground. We basically have had negative income for the last couple of years. And that’s hard,” said Stephan Weiler, an economics professor and co-director of the Regional Economic Development Institute at Colorado State University. “I mean people get excited about a 3% raise or 5% raise. Unfortunately, it’s not even keeping up with in ation. And that doesn’t go away. ese prices stay higher. It’s fairly rare that prices come down.”

One item did drop in the past year: Used car prices, down 10.6% from a year earlier. But if you recall, a shortage of vehicles pushed used car prices up 43.4% by January 2022. e auto industry is still recovering. Here’s how in ation a ected di erent types of purchases for the past two years.

As a reminder, the Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t track in ation by state. It doesn’t have the resources, we’ve been told. e change in CPI is recorded nationwide and in nine Census divisions and certain metro areas, including Denver.

Rising the fastest since November was the cost of apparel and recreation, which were so much higher than other categories that the BLS pointed them out.

Apparel costs had ratcheted up by double-digit increases for several months in 2021 as people headed back to work at the o ce or just got dressed to go out in public. However,

the 8.5% higher cost for apparel in January was actually slower than the rate a year ago.

As for why Coloradans are spending more on recreation, that’s likely seasonal, said Julie Percival, a BLS regional economist. ere are above-normal levels of snow in the mountains and this is, afterall, Colorado “with a lot of people taking advantage of going out to recreation facilities at this point in time,” she said. Recreation costs increased 4.7% since November and 7.7% in the past year.

And then there are gas prices. e cost of gasoline is typically less in Colorado than in other states, thanks to lower fuel taxes. And until late 2022, the Front Range bene ted from an oil re nery in Denver’s backyard that produced 98,000 barrels of gasoline and petroleum products a day. Since Suncor’s re nery in Commerce City temporarily closed in December after a re damaged equipment, gas prices have shot up. Without the extra supply, Denver-area gas prices reached $4.08 this week, up nearly $1 a gallon since before Christmas, according to AAA Colorado. Nationwide, a gallon of regular averaged $3.42.

It’s still about housing costs

But higher gas prices have less impact on CPI than you’d think, Weiler said. at’s because it’s just a small part of the overall basket of goods that the BLS calculates the change in prices. Gas is about 3%, according to its o cial “weight.” ose higher egg prices? One-sixteenth of a percent. It’s the larger items, like rent or a mortgage, where small increases can make or break a consumer’s budget.

Housing, for example, is one-third of a household’s monthly budget.

“Shelter is a big deal. It’s a full-third of what the index is composed of,” Weiler said. “It’s just in a nick of time that housing prices are beginning to mellow. Otherwise, with that 33% weight, shelter could have us ahead of the United States in ation rate pretty quickly.”

Home sales have slowed as interest rates added hundreds of dollars to a monthly mortgage payment. at priced many renters out of the market and home prices in Colorado have attened, with the state’s median sales price unchanged from a year ago at $520,000. Median prices in the Denver metro were down 1.4% from a yearago in January.

But Denver’s cost of housing still went up 10% in January overall. at’s because CPI takes into account the new cost of homeownership and buying a house at interest rates that are double what they were a year ago. For existing homeowners, housing costs probably didn’t budge much in

the past year. Between the two groups, home owners saw a 9.2% increase in costs.

Meanwhile, renters paid even more, or approximately 12.7% compared to a year-ago January. at increase is roughly a third more than what homeowners experienced. In other words, if new homeowners are saddled with a mortgage that is $100 higher than what it would have been a year ago, renters are paying $133 more.

“Rent is pushing up faster than what they call the ‘owners’ equivalent of rent,’” Weiler said. “So, yes, people who don’t own are experiencing faster ination than people who own homes. And that’s a pretty big di erence — a 33% greater cost basically.”

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Legal Notice No. 24957

First Publication: February 23, 2023

Last Publication: March 2, 2023

Publisher: Elbert County News

All

Elbert County News

Children Services

(Adoption/Guardian/Other)

Public Notice DISTRICT COURT, ELBERT COUNTY STATE OF COLORADO 751 Ute Avenue Kiowa, Colorado 80117 Telephone: (303) 621-8521

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

In the Interest of: BABY GIRL VIGIL DOB (09/06/2022)

Child, ELBERT COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES

Petitioner, And Concerning:

JADE VIGIL, DONNIE TORRES, JASON MICHELL and JOHN DOE

Respondents

JAMES VIGIL and KIM VIGIL Special Respondent

Stephanie L. Exner, #42535 Elbert Special County Attorney P.O. Box 1462 Eastlake, CO 80614 (303) 362-3749

Stephanie.Exner.Law@gmail.com

Case No: 22JV9 Division: 1 SUMMONS

TO THE ABOVE-NAMED RESPONDENT:

JOHN DOE

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that a verified petition has been filed in the above-named case in which it is represented to the Court that: the child named above is/are alleged to be dependent and neglected as defined in the State Children’s Code, C.R.S. 19-3-102 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e) for the reasons set forth more fully in the Petition, a copy of which is attached to this SUMMONS and incorporated by reference herein.

YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that a failure to appear at the hearing set forth below or otherwise defined in this action may result in a DEFAULT JUDGMENT of adjudication and/or termination of the parent-child relationship being taken against you, and/or a BENCH WARRANT being issued for your arrest.

YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that the Court has set the Petition for hearing on March 16, 2022 at 2:30 PM in Division 1, Elbert County District Court, 751 Ute Avenue, Kiowa, Colorado 80117.

YOU ARE FURTHER COMMANDED to appear before the Court at said time and place.

Dated this 22nd day of February, 2023.

/s/ Stephanie L. Exner

Stephanie L. Exner, #42535 Elbert Special County Attorney P.O. Box 1462 Eastlake, CO 80614 (303) 362-3749 Stephanie.Exner.Law@gmail.com

Legal Notice No. 24962

First Publication: March 2, 2023

Last Publication: March 2, 2023

Publisher: Elbert County News ###