Elbert County News 030923

County touts economic strategy

Plan available online

Elbert County has released its rst-ever standalone economic strategy, based on months of research, analysis and community input. e goal is to maintain the county’s rural character while meeting long-term community needs.

“We have targets with timelines, and we look forward to taking action on the recommendations that align with the philosophy and vision of the county’s comprehensive plan,” Economic Development Manager Marc Dettenrieder said in the announcement.

Unified game is winning combination

Students with special needs play in basketball event

An annual basketball game between special education students at Elizabeth Middle School almost lled the gym on a snowy night in late February.

e spirit squad came to cheer for the players. e school’s band roused the crowd. e Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo queen mingled with attendees at courtside and helped distribute the medals given to each player.

ey all came out on Feb. 22 to root for the players shooting hoops at what the school calls its uni ed basketball game. e players are students with physical, educational and other issues that are otherwise

a barrier to participation in school sports, Uni ed Coordinator Mike Hamner said.

“It’s an opportunity for our kiddos who don’t get to play a regular sport,” Hamner told the Elbert County News.

Hamner, a special education teacher at the school who also coaches football and softball, said the uni ed players spent several weeks preparing for the game. ey designed

e plan has three objectives:

1. Community character e plan includes a strategy for strengthening and maintaining Elbert County’s rural character by identifying and articulating what makes Elbert County unique - and what it means to be in Elbert County from both a resident and business perspective.

Examples include finding new uses for fairgrounds and trails

and implementing a facade grant program so business owners can enhance their buildings and adhere to standards for their respective historic zones.

2. Fiscal stability

The plan lays out a strategy for facilitating commercial development processes and recruiting new businesses. Examples include improving the permitting process and targeting and recruiting businesses based on residents’ needs and priorities. In Dettenrieder’s words: “The strategic attraction of businesses that meet the needs of our community and provide jobs closer to home is an appealing output of this project.”

3. Local economy

e plan is committed to supporting the local economy by expanding and retaining local businesses using advocacy and assistance. It also includes marketing support to promote companies that align with Elbert County’s rural identity.

e Elbert County Economic Development Strategic Plan can be found online at tinyurl.com/ elbeconplan.

STAFF REPORT

Players take part in the Feb. 22 unified basketball game at Elizabeth Middle School as people in the crowd take photos of the action.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ELIZABETH SCHOOL DISTRICT

BASKETBALL

uniforms similar to those worn by other teams at the school. en they trained on the court leading up to the big game, which nearly packed the gym with students, teachers, parents and others in the community.

e turnout put a smile on Ham-

“At one point during the game, I just looked around and realized that everybody was invested in the game and I thought it was really cool,” he said.

e hoopla put the players “on cloud nine,” he added.

e game is in its second year and part of the Elizabeth School District Uni ed Sports Program, which bene ts from donations. Brett Michel, the school’s principal, said fund-

the game to add to a $750 donation from the ARC.

Michel he’d like to see the program expand to other sports, perhaps ag football.

About a dozen of the school’s roughly 440 students bene t from the inclusive sports program at any given time, he added.

Michel said it is not just players who bene t from the games. Fans do, too.

ence for them,” Michel said of fans, including the students who came. “It helps teach empathy and acceptance.”

ose are skills that students will need in life, the principal added.

Hamner said what stood out to him was the e ect the game had on the players and fans.

“Everyone who was a part of it walked away as a better person,” Hamner said.

home, you can fell good about the possibilities that await you in retirement. Eligible borrowers can pay o an existing mortgage and have no monthly mortgage payments* while receiving proceeds on a monthly or as-needed basis.

Contact

Players and others who helped make the Feb. 22 unified basketball game a success gather for a group photo in the Elizabeth Middle School gym.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ELIZABETH SCHOOL DISTRICT

State goes analog to boost a ordable internet program

Only 23% joined

BY TAMARA CHUANG THE COLORADO SUN

An e ort to boost awareness of the year-old A ordable Connectivity Program is getting more local after earlier attempts to promote it statewide resulted in just 23% of eligible Colorado households signing up to get up to $30 o their internet bills.

To get the rest of the 77% signed up, state o cials feel that the campaign needs to go analog and provide help right in local libraries, schools and community centers.

In a news conference Wednesday, Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera announced the new Colorado ACP Act Now, an initiative that includes partnering with the nonpro t EducationSuperHighway and 71 public libraries, city governments, internet providers and others statewide to help their neighbors get connected in person. e organization is providing training and tools at no charge to Colorado.

“We know the broadband affordability gap disproportionately a ects low income families and individuals who have less than high school education and communities of color,” Primavera said. “So, to close the gap we need to ensure unconnected households know about the A ordable Connectivity Program and have the help that they need to enroll.”

Subsidizing Americans’ internet service became a priority during the pandemic as millions of people were stuck at home. ose with subpar internet service, or none at all, had di culty attending school remotely, or had few work-from-home options. e federal Emergency Broadband Bene ts provided $50 a month to pay for internet service but ended in late 2021. ACP replaced EBB in January.

Much is the same except that it’s now $30 per household. However, in response to the ACP’s creation, many of the larger internet providers created $30 broadband plans so the service would essentially be free. Households that meet certain income levels and use one of 114 registered internet providers in Colorado get up to $30 o their monthly bill. For those living on tribal lands, the monthly payment is $75. Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and set aside $14.2 billion to fund ACP.

As of Wednesday, 181,867 households in Colorado had enrolled. State o cials estimate that 800,000 are eligible, which means 23% have signed up.

Evan Maxwell, CEO and founder of EducationSuperHighway, said his company started in 2013 with a mission to get America’s K-12 schools connected to decent internet. at task, he said, is more or less accomplished, with 99.7%

of schools served. e company has since turned to increasing ACP awareness and adoption to help states nd those eligible households who really could use faster internet.

“Only 31% of households nationally and 23% of households in Colorado have signed up for the program,” Maxwell said. “ e goal of this campaign is to drive eligible households to a mobile website called GetACP.org/Colorado. … It’s a soup-to-nuts place for people to go to get started in the process.”

At the site, users can quickly gure out if they’re eligible, get their documentation together, see if there are local internet plans that are free to them, and nd the easiest way to apply. Most users must rst get approved by the federal government at a ordableconnectivity.gov and then let their internet provider know.

But if potential users are still confused, that’s where the 71 local organizations come in. ose include Alamosa Public Library, the city of Greeley, telecom provider DISH Wireless and the Ute Mountain Communication Enterprise. ey’re getting trained by EducationSuperHighway’s LearnACP on how to work with users in person to enroll in ACP.

“If we can bring Colorado to the national best practice rates of 61% adoption, it means that 309,000 more households in Colorado will have access to the internet,” Maxwell said.

Are you eligible?

Families must have incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty level (for a family of two, that’s less than $39,400, and a family of four is $60,000). >> See income limits

• Or qualify for Lifeline, SNAP, free and reduced-price school lunch, WIC or other governmentfunded programs.

• A customer of a participating internet provider. >> Search enrolled ISPs

• Get approved at a ordableconnectivity.gov

• Some internet services take it from there but you may need to let them know you’ve been approved.

• Need help? Use the new portal: GetACP.org/Colorado

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.

Interested in becoming a foster parent?

Information nights are open to anyone interested in learning about foster care. Information nights are free and via Zoom on March 11 from 9-10:30 a.m. and March 20 from 6-7:30 p.m. For information, call 303.636.1KID or register online at collaborativefostercare.com and select Information Night.

Business Personal Property Tax Declarations due by April 15

Business Personal Property Tax Declarations may be filed online at DouglasFilesOnline.org Business owners who own or lease business personal property with a total market value of greater than $52,000 must report the property to the County Assessor. For more information, visit douglas.co.us/assessor

Do you have old electronics around the house collecting dust?

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

Need help with rising heat costs?

Rising heating costs may be hard to budget for this year, but help is available to Douglas County residents who are struggling. If you or someone you know needs assistance, apply now through April 30, 2023, for energy assistance through the State of Colorado’s LowIncome Energy Assistance Program (LEAP). For more information, visit douglas.co.us and search LEAP or email LEAPHELP@discovermygoodwill.org

Do you have...

Mysterious insects? Trees in trouble? A need for gardening advice?

CSU Extension is here for you. We provide answers and education. For more information call 720-733-6930 or visit https://douglas.extension.colostate.edu

SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

A piece of Colorado Capitol history is on eBay

State wants it back

BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

Sage Naumann, a former sta er at the Colorado legislature, was conducting his occasional nerd search of state relics on eBay when a pricey item caught his eye: “ORIGINAL BRONZE WALL SCONCE FROM THE COLORADO STATE CAPITOL BLDG. IN DENVER COLO.”

e list price of the enormous artifact? Available from a Littleton seller for the cool price of $8,995, or $431.82 a month over 24 months with PayPal credit. Local pickup

“Own a piece of Colorado history,” the listing says.

Naumann posted about his discovery on social media earlier this year, prompting a short blurb on a political news website. at tipped o the legislature’s Capitol Building Advisory Committee, responsible for maintaining the historic integrity of all things Colorado Capitol. e panel quickly determined it wants the sconce — a decorative light xture — back. Like, yesterday. “ is is clearly state property and it is the responsibility of the Capitol Building Advisory Committee to keep state property in the Capitol,” Jeanette Chapman, a nonpartisan sta er for the committee, said dur-

A sconce at the Colorado Capitol on Feb. 28, 2023. An eBay seller from Littleton listed an original bronze wall sconce for sale from the state Capitol, dating to the 1890s. The relic is listed at nearly $9,000. Colorado’s Capitol Building Advisory Committee is trying to determine if the sconce was stolen or procured legally.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA SUN

ing a hearing last week.

e panel is debating how to retrieve the xture. Ideas on the table include purchasing the sconce (it’s unclear where the money would come from), sending the Colorado State Patrol to seize the item (that’s been done with other Capitol relics), or asking the seller to donate the large and expensive light xture back to the state, perhaps as a tax writeo .

e panel also is trying to determine if the sconce was stolen or procured legally.

“It’s really hard to ascertain what’s stolen property and what’s not,” said Kurt Morrison, who sits on the committee and works as a lobbyist for Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. “For all we know, in the 1940s the legislature could have upgraded all their lighting and they put those up for sale and someone legally bought that.”

Morrison said if the sconce was illegally acquired, the eBay listing is likely to be pulled down by the seller quickly, never to be found again, once they learn the state wants it back. One committee member halfjokingly suggested the panel reach out to eBay’s lobbyist for help.

Rep. William Lindstedt, a Broomeld Democrat who sits on the committee, reminded the panel that items posted for sale on eBay are sometimes o ered for only a limited time. “It could just disappear tomorrow,” he said. “Just something to consider.”

e eBay listing has prompted a larger discussion about how to get missing Capitol relics back when they are discovered. e Capitol Building Advisory Committee openly debated last week pursuing legislation that would make it easier to reclaim historic items.

is isn’t, after all, the rst time that a valuable object from the Capitol, which opened in 1894, has turned up for sale.

In 2004, a door knob from the Capitol was listed on eBay. e knobs are valuable and tough to replace, so the Colorado State Patrol was sent to retrieve it.

(A similar knob was sold on eBay earlier this month by a seller in Brule, Nebraska, who claimed: “I am told this was acquired directly from the Colorado state Capitol when it was remodeled around 1952 to 1953.”)

State o cials may have some legal authority to retrieve Capitol history, but Nicole Myers, a lawyer with the O ce of Legislative Legal Services, said the power isn’t absolute.

“We’ve looked into whether the General Assembly would have any recourse,” she told the advisory committee. “I don’t have a de nitive answer.”

Senate Majority Leader Dominick Moreno, a Commerce City Democrat who sits on the Capitol Building Advisory Committee, believes the state’s legal footing depends on when the sconce was installed.

“ e provision of statute that I think is most applicable here is around whether this sconce is original,” he said during last week’s committee hearing. “ e statute is pretty clear that furniture original

to the state Capitol building shall remain in the state Capitol at all times.”

Legislative sta ers believe the gas-and-electric sconce, which has glass shades etched with the state seal, was once displayed in the governor’s o ce. Former state Sen. Lois Court, a Denver Democrat who chairs the building advisory committee, said that “heightens the conversation” around its importance.

e seller wrote on their eBay listing that they believe the sconce was removed during Capitol restoration in the 1950s. “Some of the original ttings were removed and discarded,” the listing says. “ is is one of those original xtures.”

e seller posted that the sconce has “shu ed around for about the last 70 years or so.” ey estimate the xture, which is 3 feet tall and extends 2 feet from the wall, is 125 years old.

“THE CONDITION OF THIS SCONCE IS ACTUALLY SUPERB!” the listing says.

ere’s reason to believe the seller, who has sold 242 items on eBay and has 100% positive feedback, knows what they’re talking about. ey have other lighting items posted for sale, though the Capitol sconce is by far the most expensive.

e seller also doesn’t seem afraid to reveal their identity, as several of the eBay listing images feature a man who appears to be holding up the sconce so it can be properly photographed.

An eBay message from e Colorado Sun to the seller was not returned. e Capitol Building Advisory Committee was also planning to reach out through eBay to the person or people who posted the sconce.

Naumann, the Capitol history bu , originally found the sconce listing on eBay in early January. He said it’s unclear when the item was rst o ered for sale.

“Look, most of these items were discarded by the state during renovations decades ago,” Naumann said. “ e only reason we rediscover them is when an entrepreneurial individual like this eBay seller decides to list it online. We shouldn’t make that a crime. If the state wants the sconce back, it should make an o er.”

Besides, he said, most people with a passion for antiques and history would likely love to help return items like the sconce back to the Capitol.

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.

PRE SENTS

TWO A-LIST COMEDIANS FOR ONE LOW PRICE

HEADLINER AJ FINNEY

Chosen for Fest" at Detroit Laugh Fest

NBC's Last Comic Standing and voted "Best in , eclectic mid-westerner

AJ Finney’s personal stream-of-consciousness-storytelling will remind you of the joy of growing up, family, friends, and the beauty of the strange world we live in.

FEATURE MITCH JONES

Podcaster, aspiring voice actor and avid pop culture enthusiast Mitch Jones has been doing comedy since 2010 but he's been clowning since day one!

‘It could just disappear tomorrow. Just something to consider.’

Rep. William Lindstedt

Bill would protect educators

BY JASON GONZALES CHALKBEAT COLORADO

A year after Colorado lawmakers denied employees of school districts and public universities the right to unionize and negotiate contracts, legislators are considering a bill that would provide some protections for them and other public sector employees.

Senate Bill 111 would extend rights for public employees who openly express views about the workplace, start the process of forming a union, or participate in organizing. Public workers would also be protected from retaliation, discrimination, and intimidation from employers. Private sector employees already have these rights under federal law.

e bill doesn’t require public employers to recognize unions or grant workers the ability to strike. But the legislation, which a Senate committee advanced Tuesday, could represent a notable step forward for K-12 and higher education workers who want stronger labor protections for what they say are crucial workplace rights.

Critics who united to exclude education sta from a law expanding collective bargaining rights last year say this year’s legislation is unnecessary, unfair to employers, and would hurt schools.

Jade Kelly, CWA Local 7799 president, said the bill extends some rights granted to private employees through the National Labor Relations Act, a 1935 law to ensure workers can advocate for better conditions and form labor unions without retaliation. Her union represents higher education workers, library workers, and public defenders, among others.

She said public employees do have certain rights under federal statutes. But Kelly said that employers often violate those laws because a federal complaint must be led by workers when there are issues. It’s a di cult process that creates hostile work environments where public employees feel they can’t speak out, she said.

Kelly said ling a complaint is expensive and takes up a lot of time and “employers know that.”

By extending the federal rights for private workers to public workers statewide, the bill would ensure the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment enforces these rights and step in when violations happen, mediate any issues, and take action.

Democrats in the state legislature have been pushing for more rights for public sector workers. e legislation lawmakers passed last year grants county employees the right to organize and bargain collectively over pay and working conditions.

at law also prohibits strikes, work stoppages, and work slowdowns. But facing sti opposition from school district administrators, school boards, higher education o cials, and Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, education workers were excluded from last year’s bill.

Senate Bill 111 is sponsored by state Sen. Robert Rodriguez and state Rep. Steven Woodrow, both Denver Democrats. e bill passed the Senate Local Government and Housing Committee on Tuesday with a partisan 4-3 vote.

Many large Colorado school districts voluntarily recognize employee unions and have contracts that include collective bargaining rights, but there is no requirement that they do so. Union members say that leaves many teachers vulnerable.

Mountain Valley School District teacher Kevin Walek, a San Luis Valley teacher union vice president, said teachers worry if they speak out that school district leadership will punish them. Many teachers like him are within their rst few years of teaching and on a probationary period.

e bill would help teachers feel like they can use their voice.

“A lot of teachers just keep their head down,” Walek said. “It’s a tough environment.”

In addition to K-12 and higher education workers, the bill would cover a large group of workers, such as county, city, re, library and public health workers.

e Colorado Education Association and other advocacy groups say the bill grants rights and protections that were skipped over in last year’s collective bargaining bill for many public employees.

Multiple groups want to amend the bill, including the Colorado League of Charter Schools, the Colorado Association of School Executives, and the Colorado Charter School Institute. e committee approved amendments related to unintended consequences the groups identi ed, such as those related to State Board of Education powers and to ensure management positions wouldn’t be included.

Michelle Murphy, Colorado Rural Schools Alliance executive director, said the bill would substantially disrupt schools. e organization also wants to amend the bill.

“ is bill expands employee rights while dialing back and restricting employer rights,” she said.

Opponents include many county and city organizations and governments. Kevin Bommer, Colorado Municipal League executive director, said employers are already required to give employees substantial protections under federal law.

Others also argued there aren’t widespread complaints about improper employer practices. And any such issues can be handled by federal law, they said.

But Kelly said the public ultimately gets hurt when unhappy workers can’t resolve issues quickly with their employers.

“Workers end up leaving or they get to the point where they hate their jobs,” Kelly said. “ at creates an adverse e ect on anyone who uses public services.”

Summer Camps & Programs 2023

COUNTY AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Arapahoe County Libraries

Locations: Multiple locations in Arapahoe County

Website: arapahoelibraries.org

Details: Each year, Arapahoe libraries hosts a variety of reading events and gatherings to help fill the summer hours.

Jefferson County Library

Locations: Events in Lakewood, Arvada, Golden, Evergreen, Edgewater, Wheat Ridge and more

Website: https://jeffcolibrary.org/

Details: With summer coming, the Jefferson County Library system is already holding information sessions and planning events, such as the Cosmic Conversations: Telescope Highlights of the Midnight Sky in June.

Douglas County Libraries

Locations: See website

Website: www.dcl.org/camp-dcl/

Details: Choose from weeklong half-day camps at six DCL locations or full-day camps at select locations from June 5 through Aug. 4. Camps are facilitated by subject matter experts and supported by trained staff and volunteers. Camp themes include science, robotics, creative arts, LEGOs, cooking and baking, with each camp geared to a specific age range.

Englewood – 2023 KidConnections

Summer Camp

Locations: See website

Website: https://bit.ly/3YRWCcC

Details: The program is a fully licensed day care by the State of Colorado, Department of Human Services for children 5 years old (and completed kindergarten) through 14 years old. There is a registration fee of $10 per child.

City of Golden

Locations: See website

Website: https://bit.ly/3Sm6Y1X

Details: Summer camp registration opens Feb. 28 for residents and March 2 for nonresidents. Golden addresses are not all within city limits; some are actually part of unincorporated Jefferson County. Check if your Golden address is within city limits at addresslookup.jeffco.us.

Evergreen Park & Recreation District

Locations: Variety of locations

Website: www.evergreenrecreation. com/201/Camps

Details: The annual programs provide options for kids starting at 3 years old.

City of Thornton – 2023 summer camps

Locations: Varies by camp

Website: www.thorntonco.gov/recreation/ Pages/registration-information.aspx

Details: The annual summer program is already underway with registration for residents beginning on Feb. 1. Nonresidents joined on Feb. 2. From physical activities and sports camps to arts and more — the annual program will continue to register participants.

City of Northglenn summer programs

Locations: See website

Website: www.northglenn.org/rec_and_ events/childrens_programs.php

Details: Participants will enjoy their time at the Northglenn Recreation Center swimming two times a week, playing games/ activities in the beautiful gym, going on fi eld trips, having in-house experiences, riding pedal boats at Webster Lake, playing daily at E.B Rains Jr. Memorial Park, plus much more.

Wheat Ridge Parks & Recreation

Location: 4355 Field St., Wheat Ridge

Website: www.rootedinfun.com/191

/Sun-Camp

Details: Wheat Ridge Sun Camp is a state-licensed day camp for children ages 6 to 13; offered during Jefferson County Public Schools’ spring, summer and winter breaks.

Arvada summer camps program

Location: 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada

Website: https://arvadacenter.org/education/summer-camps

Details: This summer, the Arvada center is offering a variety of half day camps and full-day camps — including prescheduled Awesome Art Packs. Awesome Art Packs are combinations of our most popular summer camps that provide full day activities for students. These camp packages are a creative and convenient way to give your child a multi-disciplinary arts experience this summer.

Highlands Ranch Community Association

Locations: Recreation centers throughout the community Website: https://hrcaonline.org/classescamps-activities/camps

Details: Every year, the Highlands Ranch Community Association works to provide something for everyone in its summer camp program. For children into sports, there are plenty of athletic camps available. For those looking to improve in art, arts and education programs are plentiful.

Town of Castle Rock Summer Camp Program

Locations: Vary based on camp

Website: https://www.crgov.com/3270/

Summer-Camps

Details: From sports camps to jedi training and science and arts — the Town of Castle Rock prevents a full slate of summer camp programs in 2023. Visit the town’s website to learn more about ages, prices and details.

Commerce City Parks & Recreation

Locations: Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Drive, Commerce City

Website: https://recreation.c3gov.com/ classes-programs/camps

Details: Youth Camp Venture is a traditional camp for children ages 6 to 10 and offers arts and crafts, STEM, active play, swimming and field trips. Camp takes place primarily outside at Eagle Pointe Rec Center. Adventure Trek is an outdoor adventure program that provides a new experience every day. Those ages 11 to 15 travel offsite for hiking, survival skills training, water activities and nature-based programming.

Town of Parker/Parker Fieldhouse

Location: 18700 Plaza Drive, Parker

Website:  https://parkerrec.com/2029/ Summer-Day-Camp

Details: Ages 5 to 13 can join this camp for themed games, activities, crafts and a ton of fun at the Parker Fieldhouse. Campers will be separated into age groups 5 to 6 years, 7 to 9 years, and 10 to 13 years. Expect swimming days and field trips too.

Foothills Parks & Recreation District

Location: 6612 S. Ward St., Littleton

Website: www.ifoothills.org/school-carecamps/#camps

Details: Details will be posted online for the 2023 summer program in March.

SEE SUMMER CAMPS, NEXTPAGE

SUMMER CAMP PAGES

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

The Giggling Life Care Farm

Location: 14583 Cherry St., Thornton

Website: www.thegigglinglife.com/summer-farm-fun

Details: If your kids love animals you need to check out The Giggling Life Care Farm in Thornton for summer activities.

The Giggling Life Care Farm is special for a lot of reasons, but the most important one is Kristi — the owner. She has a BS in psychology and a master’s in education, has studied life coaching for the last eight years, and is certified in Equine Assisted Coaching and Pet Therapy.

Highlands Ranch — Camp Backcountry

Location:  6005 Ron King Trail, Littleton

Website: hrcaonline.org/classes-campsactivities/camps/camp-backcountry

Details: Nestled into 8,200 acres of wildlife conservation property just south of C-470 on Santa Fe Drive, Camp Backcountry is the spot for a build-a-fort, hikejust-to-explore, and don’t-forget-yourbinoculars kind of summer for your kids. The Backcountry believes that children learn, grow, and thrive best when outdoors and immersed in nature. Our week-long, full-day outdoor camps support the needs of children by using a whole-child, experiential learning approach. From minicamps to leaders-in-training programs,

the camps are for ages 5-17.

Great Outdoors Summer Camp

Location: Miller Activity Complex — 1375 W. Plum Creek Pkwy, Castle Rock

Website: www.crgov.com/3270/SummerCamps

Details: This regional park includes the Miller Activity Complex (MAC), Millhouse, Amphitheater, Challenge Hill, ziplines, Adventure Tower, Sky Trek, and adventure playground area as well as over ten miles of hiking and biking trails.  For ages 10-15.

Chatfield Stables Horse Camps

Location: 11500 N. Roxborough Park Road, Littleton

Website: www.chatfieldstables.com/ horse-camps.html

Details: Chatfield Stables is the longestrunning horse camp in the area. Every child has their own horse for the entire week. Kids get to lead, feed, water and work with their horses every day. Campers learn horse care, including grooming and bridling. They water and feed their horses, learn to groom them, and take care of them at the end of the day. We ride daily, whether in the arena or on the trail.

Community Sailing of Colorado

Locations: 4800 S. Dayton St., Greenwood

Village

Website: www.communitysailing.org

Details: Community Sailing of Colorado provides premier sailing programs (summer camps, adult classes, adaptive sailing,

and community partnership events) at Cherry Creek and Boulder reservoirs. The weeklong summer camps range from beginner through advanced sailing for youth ages 5-17. It’s a perfect fit for any adventurous spirit who loves the outdoors.

YMCA SUMMER PROGRAMS

At the YMCA of Metro Denver, our youth development philosophy is grounded in 150 years of lifting up kids and helping them reach their full potential. It’s a philosophy centered on two critical factors: creating a unique sense of belonging and always incorporating the pure fun and joy of childhood.

Camps include adventure camps, sports programs, art that focuses on ceramics, painting, drawing, digital media and more. To find camps in local communities, visit the website at https://bit.ly/3Kg6GYM. Summer camp programs are available in the following Denver metro cities:

• Arvada

• Aurora

• Broomfield

• Centennial

• Commerce City

• Denver

• Golden

• Lakewood

• Littleton

• Thornton

• Wheat Ridge

MAD SCIENTISTS

Kookalooz Space Playground: STEM Summer Camp

Locations: 6805 W. 88th Ave., Westminster

Website: www.kookalooz.com/westminster-co/summer-camps/

Details: 5 different camps from the basics of space to engineering. Each camp is one week long. For ages 5-10.

Colorado Adventure Point

Location: 10455 W. 6th Ave., Suite 150, Lakewood

Website: https://coloradoadventurepoint. org/

Details: CAP’s STEM Camp isn’t your typical science camp. Our campers get to experiment with chemistry, physics and engineering through a variety of materials, experiments and challenges to meet their curiosities and skill level in our challenge by choice model. In addition to building engineering models and friendships, the campers get to enjoy our climbing wall, archery range and more — and learn the science behind these fun activities. Camps are available for ages 6-12.

Butterfly Pavilion

Location: 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster

Website: https://butterflies.org/

Details: Starting June 5 and running through Aug. 11, the Butterfly Pavilion hosts all the creepy crawlies and your children at camp. There are five themes, which repeat once and include spider week, junior zookeeper and survival stories, where kids can learn about how insects adapt to survive.

Mad Science

Locations: Multiple locations in the Denver metro area, including the Littleton area, Denver and Broomfield

Website: https://colorado.madscience.org/

Details: These camps are designed for ages 6 to 12, though sessions such as Red-Hot Robots and Advanced Robotics camps are more appropriate for ages 8 to 12. Instructors are mostly college students pursuing degrees in education or science and teachers off for the summer. Themes include chemistry, space science, forensics, engineering and more. Each camp is weeklong, though times can vary.

Air & Space Camp

Location: Wings Over the Rockies at 7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver

Website: wingsmuseum.org/education/ camp/

Details: Ready for an aerospace adventure? At Wings Over the Rockies that’s exactly what kids ages 8 to 14 can expect in these week-long camps. The fun starts June 5 and goes on until Aug. 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

EMERGING ARTISTS

Center for the Arts: Summer in Color

Location: 31880 Rocky Village Dr., Evergreen

Website: https://evergreenarts.org/summercamp/

Details: Camps explore various media, from clay sculpting and wheel throwing, to pop art and mural painting, to the art of different cultures and the art of the masters. Several of our camps also incorporate outdoor components, including hikes, yoga, and opportunities for photography and eco-art projects. Let kids explore their creative side with imaginative and inspiring camps at CAE this summer. For ages 5-17.

Denver Art Museum

Location: 100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy., Denver

Website: www.denverartmuseum.org/en/ summer-camps

Details: The camps at the Denver Art Museum get broken into three age groups: 5 to 6, 7 to 8, and 9 to 11. Overall, the themes remain the same — there are camps about art in nature, how to draw, learning about color and sculpture. Each camp runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and includes plenty of time in the museum to garner inspiration.

Craftsman & Apprentice

Location: 1335 E 22nd Ave., Denver

Website: craftsmanandapprentice.com/ pages/summer-2023

Details: Ages 5 to 11 can spend the summer creating worlds out of cardboard, paint, hot glue, ribbons, corks, buttons and more at this Denver kids’ crafting studio. Themes include toys, crafty critters, fiber arts and more.

ON THE STAGE

The Apollo Center Summer Camps

Location: 2655 Industrial Lane, Broomfield

Website: www.theapollocenter.com/ campdescriptions

Details: The Apollo Center offers a variety of skill-based camps for kids and adults alike. Aerial Performance Camps for kids

five-week sessions for ages 3–18.

LET’S GET PHYSICAL

SUMMER CAMP PAGES

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

ages 5-17 years focus on learning aerial technique and choreography throughout the week which will culminate with a camp performance based on the camp theme.

Front Range Theatre Company Triple Threat Summer Camp

Locations: 15035 Performing Arts School, Parker

Website: www.frontrangetheatre.org/triplethreat-summer-camp.html

Details: Working with professional instructors with years of experience, your child will learn the three major elements of any stage performer: Voice, Dance and Acting. The camps are designed to challenge performers in the entire range of life in the theatre, including a live performance in a mainstage venue!

Audience of One Youth Theatre Camp

Location: Highlands Ranch

Website: www.AO1Theater.org

Details: Whether a student is looking to try out theater for the first time, polish skills or have fun with friends, the AO1 has one-totwo-week camps can work in the summer schedule. AO1’s summer programming includes kids’ productions for ages 5-12, workshops for ages 8-18, and a two-week intensive program for teenagers.

The Arvada Center

Location: 6901 Wadsworth Blvd. Arvada

Website: https://arvadacenter.org/

Details: If your kid is 5 to 12 and loves a bit of drama and/or art, the Arvada Center has a slew of full- and half-day camps available. The best and most economic way to sign up for camp is to do it in three- or four-week blocks, and the venue offers combinations of visual art, musical theater, drama and music.

Kent Denver Performing Arts Camps

Location: 4000 E. Quincy Ave., Englewood

Website: www.KentDenver.org

Details: Summer at Kent Denver School offers all children ages 4–18 the opportunity to experience innovative, creative, handson learning in the arts, athletics, our Tiny Farm Day Camp, academics, innovation and technology.

St. Lukes Performing Arts Camps

Location:  8817 S. Broadway, Highlands Ranch

Website: www.StLukesPAA.org

Details: From preschool age to high school students there are a large variety of summer camp shows planned in Highlands Ranch and Castle Rock areas. Registration is now open.

Castle Rock Dance Academy

Locations: 140 S. Wilcox St. Suite A, Castle Rock

Website: http://www.castlerockdanceacademy.com/

Details: At Castle Rock Dance Academy (CRDA), best friends are made, etiquette and self-discipline are taught, and students learn skills they can carry with them through life. The program offers weekly dance classes in

Bowlero

Locations: Multiple locations in Cherry Creek, Littleton and Lone Tree

Website: www.bowlero.com

Details: Fun for all skill levels, Bowlero’s modern spin on bowling is the perfect way to spend quality time with the kids. Celebrate every strike, spare and yes, even gutter balls, with the most famous lanes in the game and a delicious menu of classic American eats.

Golden Goal Sports Complex

Location: 2650 Alkire St., Golden

Website: www.goldengoalsc.com/summersoccer-camps

Details: Golden Goal offers spring break camps and summer camps for all ages from under 5 to high school.

Camp Urbie at Urban Air Adventure Park

Location: 15400 E. Briarwood Circle, Aurora

Website: https://bit.ly/3IuCQOO

Details: Let ‘em Fly for a whole week of play, in-park activities, snacks and more. Camp Urbie’s Adventure Camp is the best way to beat the summer heat and play in the best indoor playground in town. The weeklong camp is open to kids 7 years and up.

Gold Medal Athletic Camp

Location: Castle Rock Recreation Center

Website: https://www.crgov.com

Details: Athletes will participate in small- and large-group instruction, drills and games or scrimmages. We welcome beginner athletes to learn how to use proper mechanics and fundamentals of the sport and intermediate or advanced athletes who want to continue to grow their motor skills and skill in the sport. For ages 7-12.

Tigar Gymnastics Camps

Location: 4860 Van Gordon St. Unit B, Wheat Ridge

Website: www.TigarGymnastics.com

Details: A variety of programs at a variety of ages is available at the gymnastics center, including ninja classes and programs for older ages.

RMF Soccer Camp

Location: Aurora Sports Park at 19300 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora

Website: https://rmfsoccercampsusa. com/soccer-camp-denver/

Details: From July 17 to July 21, this prorun soccer camp will come to Colorado. It’s run by experienced Spanish UEFA coaches, and goes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Kids from 6 to 16 can sign up.

Aerial Cirque Over Denver

Location: 4605 Quebec St., Denver.

Website: https://aerialcirqueoverdenver.com/

Details: If your child is thinking of joining the circus, or just wants to bend, twist and soar through the air, this is the camp for them. Dates run from May 29 through August 14, and include morning and afternoon camps (9:30 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 3 p.m.) for ages 6 to 16.

LET’S GET MUSICAL

Maestro Music Institute

Location: 6478 Ward Road, Arvada

Website: maestromusicinstitute. com/2023-instrumental-summer-camp

Details: Instrumental Summer Camp is back this year covering a myriad of ensemble opportunities. We will be offering Rock Band, Orchestra, Choir/Theater, Piano ensemble and composition. Summer campers will have the opportunity to learn new instruments in addition to honing their skills on their primary instrument. Students will work in large and small ensemble groups and perform a variety of music at the end of the week.

Kidzrock Rock Band Camp

Location: 2842 S. Broadway, Englewood

Website: www.musicallifedenver.com/ summercamp

Cost: $319

Details: Rock Band Summer Camp teaches children ages 4 to 7 how to play in a rock band. Campers learn to play drums, electric guitar, keyboard and sing. On the final day, campers perform a short (adorable) concert for parents and family. In addition to rock band time, students get to make music-related arts and crafts, create a fantasy band identity, and play outdoor games at the park next to the school. No prior musical experience is required. No investment in gear is required.

OVERNIGHT CAMPS

Avid 4 Adventure

Locations: Various spots

Website: https://avid4.com/summercamps

Details: For two weeks kids get to bask in nature, away from their parent, at either Camp Windy Peak near Bailey, or Camp Blue Sky near Evergreen. The kids sleep in cabins and build their skill sets in nature and with outdoor sport activities.

Cheley Colorado Camps

Location: Cheley Colorado Camps at 3960 Fish Creek Road, Estes Park.

Website: https://www.cheley.com/

Details: If your kid is 9 to 17, send them off to a 27-day overnight camp in Estes Park. Full term is June 13 to August 6, or chose a half term from June 13 to July 9, or July 11 to Aug. 6. Activities include horseback riding, water sports, art and plenty of outdoor adventure.

Camp Granite Lake

Locations: 11902 Camp Eden Road, Golden

Website: https://www.campgranitelake.com/

Details: Located in the mountains about an hour from Denver, the camp covers 135 acres including a private lake. It’s a co-ed camp for grades second to ninth. Choose from two sessions, either June 19 through July 8, or July 10 through July 29. There are also minicamp options for grades 1st through 4th, covering the week of July 31 or Aug. 7.

Eviction bill could help residents if lease expires

Five states have similar laws

BY ANDREW KENNEY COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

A bill advancing through the Colorado legislature would make it easier for renters to stay in their homes even after their lease expires, and it also would give them other protections against eviction.

Currently, when a lease ends the landlord can decide whether the tenant gets to stay. For example, they could simply refuse to o er a renewal of the current lease — forcing the tenant to leave or be evicted. at system makes it too easy for landlords to get rid of renters, even if the renters have done nothing wrong, said Rep. Javier Mabrey, a Democratic sponsor of the bill, H.B. 23-1171.

‘’When their leases are up, the landlord refuses to o er a new lease,” Mabrey said at a committee hearing on Wednesday. “We’re trying to prevent that kind of retaliation.”

Under the new proposal, some of the power would shift to the tenant. In many cases, landlords would essentially be required to o er a renewal of the lease in “substantially identical” terms. If they fail to do so, renters could keep paying rent under the terms of the previous lease — and they would be protected from eviction.

e bill passed the House Transportation, Housing & Local Government committee on a party-line vote on March 1.

Opponents of the bill, including real-estate interests and smaller landlords, warned it would place an undue burden on landlords. ey also said it could lead some to leave the market or raise rents.

e proposal would allow landlords to make a “reasonable” rent increase when they renew the lease. But Mabrey said that was not meant to act as a form of rent control. (He is running another bill on that topic.)

“We’re just trying to prevent retaliatory rent increases,” Mabrey said.

At the hearing, renters and their advocates described cases where landlords refused to renew leases for retaliatory or discriminatory reasons, such as because of a renter’s immigration status or because the renter had asked for repairs. Others talked about being forced out of their homes as the landlord pursued higher rents.

“ is goes back to the prevention of homelessness and making sure that we keep people in their homes,” said Rep. Serena GonzalesGuttierez, a Democratic cosponsor of the bill. Sen. Julie Gonzales also is sponsoring the bill.

Drew Hamrick, a representative of the Colorado Apartment Association, argued that renters already have protections against certain non-renewals. State and federal law already forbid landlords from refusing to renew for a variety of reasons,

including as retaliation for making maintenance requests or as an act of discrimination against protected classes, he said.

Mabrey, the sponsor, argued that those laws are hard to enforce because it’s often impossible to prove why a landlord has refused to renew a lease. A broader law will protect more people’s rights, he said.

“It is incredibly hard, incredibly hard to prove discrimination in court … especially for a pro se tenant who doesn’t have an attorney,” he said.

Hamrick said landlords need to be able to end a rental relationship. It’s often the best way to deal with issues where a renter is misbehaving but the landlord can’t prove it, he said.

“Just hold your noses, let it go for another three months, and (don’t) renew the lease,” he said of the current approach, which he favors.

e bill would still allow landlords to evict people who commit “substantial” violations of the lease, including failure to pay or refusing to let a landlord into the property.

In other situations, though, landlords would have to pay to get rid of renters.

For example, if a property owner wanted to demolish, renovate or redevelop their home, they would have to provide “relocation assistance” to the renter, paying the renter the equivalent of at least two months’ rent. e same would apply when owners want to live in the property themselves.

In those situations, the landlord would have to give up to 120 days’ notice, which advocates argued would help tenants nd a new place.

One witness, eviction defense

attorney Spencer Bailey, described the case of an 87-year-old man he represented, for whom he used a pseudonym.

“He had always paid his rent on time. Mr. Jones had never broken any rules, never had any complaints. He was given only three weeks to move out after living in a place for almost two decades, and he had nowhere to go,” Bailey said, adding that the man had been on a monthto month lease.

e bill “would give people like Mr. Jones substantially more time to nd somewhere to live,” Bailey said.

Carla Friedli, who leases out a home she owns in Longmont, said that relocation fees would disrupt her retirement plans.

“I really might be forced to sell this home or change the terms of my lease now to account for two months, plus an additional month of relocation fees,” said Friedli, who described herself as an educator and mental health worker.

Five other states have a similar “just cause” or “good cause” eviction law, including New Jersey, California, New Hampshire, Oregon, Washington, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. ough those states’ laws have di erent details.

e bill’s next step is the House oor, where it would need to win a majority of the chamber. It also would require approval by the Senate before it heads to Gov. Jared Polis.

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

Orchard Crossing Apartments in Westminster is an a ordable housing community that also includes housing for people with vouchers. PHOTO BY ANDREW FRAIELI

Thu 3/16

Teague Starbuck @ 5pm The Pint Room, 2620 W Belleview Ave, Lit‐tleton

Mon 3/20

Crestone Peak Ages 13-14 - 2023

League Session #2 @ 3:30pm / $300

Mar 20th - Apr 29th

Elevation Volleyball Club, 12987 E Adam Aircraft Drive, Englewood. 720-524-4136

Torreys Peak Ages 8-11 - 2023

League Session #2 @ 3:30pm / $300

Mar 20th - Apr 29th

Elevation Volleyball Club, 12987 E Adam Aircraft Drive, Englewood. 720-524-4136

Modern Swing Mondays @ 5pm / $10

Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

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

Fri 3/17

Vagabon @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

Vamonos Pest/Mobro: Mobro at Brewability Lab @ 5pm Brewability Lab, 3445 S Broadway, Englewood

Tue 3/21

Zoology Comparative Anatomy Dissections @ 7am / $75

Mar 21st - Mar 23rd

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

The Greatest Game Ever Played (AM Session) @ 8am / Free

Mar 21st - Mar 22nd

Valor Athletic Building, 3775 Grace Blvd, Highlands Ranch. 303-471-3000

Black Market Translation @ 6pm D3 Arts, 3614 Morrison Rd, Denver

Weyes Blood @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

Sat 3/18

Justin Willman: Pace Center @ 3pm Pace Center, Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

Dear Marsha,: St Paddy's with DM and her Freaky Band @ 7pm Toley’s on the Creek, 16728 E Smoky Hill Rd Suite 11C, Centen‐nial

5th Annual ฀ShamROCK

Stampede for PTSD ฀ @ 9am / Free-$35 500 Fairgrounds Road, Castle Rock

6 Million Dollar Band @ 6pm Pindustry, 7939 E Arapahoe Rd, Centen‐nial

Jay_Martin @ 6:30pm Rocker Spirits, 5587 S Hill St, Littleton

Jill Tasei: Comedy Show @ 5:30pm BS Comedy Club, 207 E Wolfens‐berger Rd, Castle Rock

Tei Shi @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

EL FANTASMA - GERARDO DIAZ @ 7:30pm / $70

Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Sun 3/19

The Church @ 7pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

Wed 3/22

Ladies Night @ 5pm / $10

Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Rayland Baxter @ 6pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

DJ Rockstar Aaron: Forbidden Bingo at 'Bout Time Pub & Grub @ 7pm Bout Time Pub & Grub, 3580 S Platte River Dr A, Sheridan

Charles Ellsworth @ Englewood Tavern @ 6pm

The Englewood Tavern, 4386 S Broadway, Englewood

Thu 3/23

Pinback @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

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We are traumatized FROM THE EDITOR

On Feb. 22, as calls came into local police departments that our schools were under attack, one thing became apparent — We are very traumatized in society.

ankfully, the reports to 911 that active shooters were inside schools across Colorado were untrue and proved to be false as o cers responded. However, the trauma that goes with these calls was very apparent.

For me, as a mother and journalist, I immediately stressed out. I watched other journalists on Twitter make comments putting into words just how I was feeling. Many said as soon as the calls come in, we start worrying about what could be happening in our communities.

As more than a dozen schools were impacted throughout the day, Englewood made the list, and then Littleton High School. Littleton Police headed to the school and students were locked inside, leaving parents wondering if they were indeed OK.

e thing is, while other schools were cleared and quickly, Littleton felt like it took forever. is is not judge to Littleton schools or police, it just felt like forever for me and a reporter waiting for word.

I started scanning Twitter, where the trauma we are experiencing as a society became very apparent: From students tweeting that they were still inside a classroom hunkered down without any knowledge of what is happening on the outside.

From parents saying they have elementary school children without a cell phone, and they were worried because they had no way of knowing what was happening inside.

Tweet after tweet, parents said they heard from their child but still had no clear answers of what was happening.

As the minutes continued, the Littleton Police Department would tweet that “still no injuries” had been found. While good news, it was still stressful because it wasn’t the “all clear” tweet parents and students were waiting for.

For students, this wasn’t just a drill to go through what to do if this actually happened. While found to be a hoax, for our communities, this was essentially the real thing until police ruled it wasn’t.

Earlier in the week, my own children went through a lockdown drill with their school. Afterward, my 6-year-old asked some pointed questions on why they did it. I was honest with him. In reality, we just do not live in a world right now where we can lie to our children about the evil that can be lingering outside of our schools, public arenas ands elsewhere.

A threat or call about a shooting is never discounted anymore. All calls, all threats are treated as if they are real.

For those responsible, there is no excuse for the level of cruelty you imposed on teachers, students, parents, law enforcement and our communities.

While thankfully, no one was hurt, in the end, this day shows us that something has to be done to get the increasing numbers of mass shootings under control. We are past the time of bickering about which political party is right and which is wrong.

We are a traumatized society that deserves debate, compromise and true action that leads to healing and safety.

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

THELMA GRIMES South Metro Editor tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com

SCOTT GILBERT Editor sgilbert@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Know before saying ‘no’

There is an old saying, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get” or, “If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no.” Many times these are associated with salespeople who stopped short of asking their prospect for the order or fail to ask for critical information or an immediate next step. However, these sayings hold true for

For some, asking comes very naturally. We understand the consequences of not asking so we are always bold enough to speak up, knowing that fortune favors the bold. en there are others of us who have a deeply rooted fear of rejection so asking for something, anything requires us to summon our courage before breaking out into a cold sweat while meekly and nervously uttering out our question.

ere is also something else at play here when it comes to hearing the word “no,” or

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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being refused a request. Some people are so tired and burnt out that the word “no” has become their rst response to everything. Even the simplest of asks or tasks is met with resistance. e smallest requests are seen as monumental hills to climb. e thinking is that the person making such a request clearly has no idea just how much work this is going to require or how difcult it will be.

Saying “no” for some folks has become an art form, they can say “no” and still have the person who asked walk away feeling good. Others may subscribe to the philosophy of saying “no” to everything as fast as possible so others will stop asking them for anything. e rst word out of their mouth is literally always “no.”

Here’s the thing, sometimes we get so conditioned to saying “no” that it really has become our rst response instead of rst taking the time to learn more, so we know what it is that we are really saying “no” to

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.

SEE NORTON, P13

Thelma Grimes

Antlers or horns: Need some pointers?

Soon, all of our elk and deer will start to look like females! Only a close inspection from a super-powered camera or a peek out of the living room window will reveal whether an animal is male by the presence of pedicles, the base of growth for the antlers.

ese will initially have the appearance of round wounds on the animal’s head and will heal before the antler growth process begins again. While some animals await antler buds, the horned wildlife can continue to hold their heads high on muscled necks because their head gear will not be detaching.

Although both antlers and horns consist of bone that grows from the skull, the structure of the horn has two layers. Covering the bony part of the horn is a  keratin sheath. e sheath and bone stay in place and in some species continue to grow during the life of the animal. Females also have horns but of a smaller size. Local horned wildlife include bison, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats.

Members of the deer family such as elk, mule deer and moose grow antlers which are shed annually. A male-only club, bulls and bucks use antlers for protection from predators, to portray dominant status and to impress the ladies. As it turns out, their antlers impress everyone! But males pay a price for their proud displays. Bull elk have half the lifespan of female elk  due to reduced overall health resulting from the demands of antler growth.

Age, genetics, nutrition and overall health in uence the size of antlers. Size matters, but there are more important considerations for breeding. Broken or misshapen antlers

can be a sign of genetic weakness, injury or serious illness. For these reasons, elk cows have more interest in antler symmetry over size. Antler ornaments like holiday decorations or hammocks? Only the elk know if such décor adds to a bull’s appeal!

e antler growth cycle beings in the spring, triggered by increasing daylight and subsequent testosterone production. As they grow, antlers are covered by velvet which brings blood vessels and nerves to the underlying bone.

After the antlers have reached their full size, the velvet begins to dry. is process is called hardening o . Once the velvet dies, the animal rubs his head against trees or other surfaces. e velvet will come o in strings during which time the bull is “in tatters.” e antlers are then fully grown and ready to be brandished for mating and territorial displays.

As the hours of daylight shorten, testosterone production lessens which causes the connection between the antler and the skull to weaken. e antlers eventually break away from the pedicle after the rut season concludes.

Antler castings have a role to play besides being fashioned into furniture or cut into dog chews. Dozens of species nibble on shed antlers to gain calcium and other nutrients. Deer will occasionally eat antlers to gain the minerals they lost during the growth of their own antlers.

Find a shed antler?  Be sure to check the calendar before taking it home. In 2018, the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission voted to protect winter habitat for wildlife by forbidding antler or horn collection found west of I-25 between Jan. 1 and April 30 each year.

When you see velvet antlers this spring, you can understand the toll it takes on bulls and bucks. Even though their antlers look soft and touchable, keep in mind that hard bone is just under the surface, a fact which elk will be happy to show you if you get too close!

I do believe in saying “no”

more of the things we shouldn’t be doing so that we can say “yes” to more of the things we should or could be doing. However, not at the expense of missing an opportunity to get done what needs to get done.

If you are leading a team, you probably wouldn’t want them to stop coming to you with questions. If you are a part of a team, you also wouldn’t want to be left out of opportunities to collaborate and problem solve. And any parent certainly wouldn’t want their child to stop coming to them with questions or requests, instead, just taking actions into their own hands and dealing with the consequences later. When the “no” monster inside of us is unleashed, we invite contempt and disharmony in any relationship.

Years ago, I had a coworker named Frank. Frank would say “no” to everything at rst. But not for the reasons mentioned above or that you might be thinking. He taught me one of the greatest lessons of my life when it came to decision-making relative to both

the person asking for something and the person being asked. He would say “no” if the request wasn’t supported with the “why.” Or Frank would say “no” if the person asking didn’t really understand everything involved in what they were asking for.

What Frank taught me and I hope to pass along to you is this: Before saying “no,” take the time to ask more questions and get as much detail as possible before making your decision. And before you ask for anything, know the “why” behind your request, and what it is you are really asking the other person or team to do for you. Are you saying “no” simply out of habit? Is the “no” monster hurting your relationships at home or at work? Do you understand the concept of including your “why” behind your request? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@ gmail.com, and when we can take the time to know before we say “no,” 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.

Christie Greene

Scientists are studying the health of the South Platte’s aquatic life

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

There might be plenty of sh in the sea, but in the section of the South Platte River from the Denver Metro Water facility down to Fort Lupton, they’ve all but disappeared.

rough testing, Metro Water Recovery scientists discovered that aquatic life was not present in this part of the South Platte River due to low dissolved oxygen levels.

Metro Water Recovery, in an agreement with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Colorado Health Department will address the issue.

Dissolved oxygen levels mean the river is too low for aquatic life. When they did the study, the scientists found that the South Platte River from the Denver Metro Water facility down to Fort Lupton had no sh habitat.

ey started a six-phase project on the South Platte River from 88th & Colorado Boulevard to Fort Lupton in 2018 to improve aquatic life that was disappearing from low dissolved oxygen.

“Many factors cause dissolved oxygen in a river, such as runo , nutrients and how highly managed the river is and owing slowly in some locations. In addition, algae grow when the river slows down and eats up oxygen at night,” said Senior Quality Manager for Metro Water Jim Dorsch.

“A number of factors were involved and since Metro Water created the river, it made sense for us to take the lead on trying to correct it,” Dorsch said.

Scientists are working daily on the South

Platte River collecting aquatic macroinvertebrates, which are bugs. Many of these types of organisms and microhabitats live in the river, under rocks or in woody debris in the river, Dorsch said, adding that they can also live inside rocks or live in boulders.

“ e objective is to sample the macroinvertebrate that lives at the bottom of the river to assess the invertebrate which is species without a backbone to test their diver-

sity and abundance within the river channel and determine overall aquatic life health,” said Jordan Harman, a senior water quality scientist with Metro Water.

Harman said the macroinvertebrate data is used in Colorado as the primary indicator of aquatic life health in streams and rivers. ey collect samples in the fall, and

These are the macroinvertebrates, the tiniest species that tell scientists about the water quality and how many are present in the river.

PHOTO BY BELEN WARD

The damselfly Jordan Parman captured to be seen under the microscope.

PHOTO BY METRO WATER RECOVERY

Jordan Parman gathers the macroinvertebrate from the South Platte River for testing the water quality.

PHOTO BY BELEN WARD

the macroinvertebrates, including sensitive species, this indicates good water quality. Dissolved oxygen is just one important aspect of overall water quality,” Harman said.

macroinvertebrates tell them what they do and a lot about water quality. If certain kinds of bugs are present, the water quality can sustain these macroinvertebrates, and they’re also an essential part of the food chain for the sh that consume these bugs.

ment and since then we built four di erent drop structure locations along the river to improve habitat and will select a fth spot to construct by fall. en when complete, we will go into phase six and continue ongoing monitoring of aquatic life forever at all these locations,” Dorsch said.

the water quality, stirring it and building miniature waterfalls to put the oxygen back in the river over time, so it starts to get better. In addition, they will place large rocks that will provide protective cover for sh, create pools close to the bank of the fast-moving water—trees will be plants and shrubs for aquatic shade and creates a riparian zone, which is a vegetation area between land and river.

ery scientists will stock the river with Colorado native species, primarily minnows, they said.

“They are not very big, but we love our native species and want to protect them every chance we can,” Dorsch said. “We also target Johnny Darters and Iowa Darter which are the most sensitive species of minnows in the South Platte River.”

While Metro is working on the Platte River project, Dorsch said shing will still be allowed even when constructing ri es which are fast-moving sections of stream and other habitat improvements farther down the river. e scientist will continue to moni-

tor the water quality daily and how much sediment is released during construction e orts.

“We don’t want that sediment going downstream and impacting aquatic life. My sta and I are out here every day checking on what’s going on and what’s gone wrong. If there are problems, we will correct it,” Dorsch.

e Metro Water Recovery scientists’ work didn’t go unnoticed in saving the aquatic life on the river — they received the National Environmental Achievement Award from the National Associations

of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) for the South Platte River Aquatic Life Habitat Improvements Projects, according to a news release.

is fall, the honorees will be recognized at the NACWA’s winter conference in Sonoma, CA.

“We love getting awards, (but) like most biologists — we come in do our job,” Dorsch said.

“It’s nice to get the award,” Harman added. “People aren’t aware of the work we do, so it’s kind of nice to get some recognition and people realize we’re out here in the river.”

Jordan Parman measures a white sucker fish.

PHOTO BY METRO WATER RECOVERY

Jordan Parman returns to shore to detach a container where the macroinvertebrates are captured.

PHOTO BY BELEN WARD

bills that were doomed in Democratic legislature

GOP introduced anyway

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER THE COLORADO SUN

Banning abortion. Restricting transgender athletes’ participation in school sports. Slashing state revenues by cutting the income tax rate.

A wave of bills Republicans are introducing in the Democrat-controlled Colorado legislature reads like a list of hot-button GOP talking points. And that’s not by mistake, even if they have no chance of becoming law.

House Minority Leader Mike Lynch, R-Wellington, said the measures — some of which are highly controversial — are “statement bills” that show Coloradans what Republicans’ priorities are and how they would lead the state if they were in charge.

“I think if we were suddenly to be in the majority, you’d see a whole bunch of really drastic right-wing legislation,” Lynch said. “But I think that’s largely a factor of the fact that we’ve been out of the majority for so long. We’re trying to x these things that have piled up over the last 10 years.”

e legislation may only be sponsored by a handful of Republicans, but they re ect on the entire caucus. Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen, R-Monument, urged people not to necessarily lump the entire GOP together.

“ e Republican caucus is an in-

tellectually diverse caucus. It brings an array of perspectives,” he said. “One or two people have a strong conviction of this speci c nature

and there may be other perspectives.”

Democrats are running into the same political conundrum, includ-

ing when it comes to a bill that would let local governments enact

A look up through the dome in the state Capitol.

PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

SEE LEGISLATURE, P17

rent control policies and another that would legalize safe-injection sites, where people could use illicit drugs under medical supervision.

e governor, whose signature is vital for any bill to become law, has signaled he’s skeptical about both. Democrats introduced them anyway.

Each legislator is permitted to introduce ve bills, and each one must get a hearing. at’s di erent from in Congress, where leadership can shelve legislation they don’t like.

In other words: Democrats are e ectively powerless to stop controversial GOP measures from seeing the light of day.

e day of a committee hearing for several Republican abortion-related bills — including a total ban on the procedure — Democrats said statement bills aren’t new.

“It is important that we take them seriously and that they are heard,” said House Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon. “We will still honor this institution by making sure that every piece of legislation is heard in committee in a fair way and then our public has a moment to share their voices and perspectives.”

Here are 10 bills introduced by Republicans in the legislature this year that have been rejected by the Democratic majority — and were always likely to meet that fate.

Restricting school sports participation based on biological sex

House Bill 1098: is bill, sponsored by Reps. Lisa Frizell, Brandi Bradley and Sen. Byron Pelton, would have required that student athletes only participate in sports based on their biological sex at birth. It was rejected 8-3 along party lines by the House State, Civic, Military and Veterans A airs Committee on Feb. 13 after an hour and a half of testimony.

Reduction of state income tax rate

House Bill 1063: Introduced by Rep. Scott Bottoms of Colorado Springs, this bill would have reduced the state income tax to 3.5% from 4.4% beginning in the 2024 tax year — slashing the state’s general fund by billions of dollars. It was rejected 8-3 along party lines by the House State, Civic, Military and Veterans A airs Committee on Feb. 9 after more than an hour of testimony.

Dissuading enforcement of federal firearms laws

House Bill 1044: From Rep. Ken DeGraaf of Colorado Springs this bill would have created a civil penalty for enforcing federal laws that are deemed to have infringed on the right to bear arms. It was rejected 8-2 along party lines after two hours of testimony Feb. 6 in the House State, Civic, Military and Veterans A airs Committee.

Abortion ban

House Bill 1119: is bill, also brought by Bottoms, would have abolished abortion in Colorado by including any fetus in the de nition of “person” as it relates to things like homicide and assault. e House Health and Insurance Committee

heard three hours of testimony and then voted 8-3 along party lines to reject it on Feb. 17.

Voting systems wireless connections

House Bill 1055: is bill from Rep. Rod Bockenfeld of Watkins prohibits the use of voting systems that are capable of establishing a wireless connection beginning in 2024. It was rejected 8-3 along party lines by the House State, Civic, Military and Veterans A airs Committee on Feb. 13 after nearly two hours of testimony.

Carbon dioxide as a pollutant

House Bill 1163: Another bill from DeGraaf that would have prohibited state and local governments from classifying carbon dioxide as a pollutant or enforcing regulations on the chemical compound that deem it a pollutant. It was rejected 8-3 along party lines by the House Energy and Environment Committee on Feb. 23 after 45 minutes of testimony.

COVID-19 vaccine requirements for minors

House Bill 1029: A bill that would have prohibited requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for minors, administering vaccinations without guardian consent and discriminating against unvaccinated minors was introduced by Bradley and Sen. Mark Baisley. It was rejected 8-3 along party lines by the House Health and Insurance Committee on Feb. 7 after two and a half hours of testimony.

Immunity for business owners using force

House Bill 1050: Introduced by Rep. Ty Winter of Trinidad, this bill would have expanded immunity of business owners, employees and customers from criminal prosecution and civil liability in a situation in which they use physical force to protect themselves or others against an intruder. It was rejected 8-2 along party lines by the House State, Civic, Military and Veterans A airs Committee on Feb. 6 after about two hours of testimony.

Eliminating caucus and assembly process for primaries

Senate Bill 101: is bill from Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton, and Rep. Mary Brad eld, R-Colorado Springs, would have eliminated the ability of candidates to qualify for primary ballots through the assembly process. It was rejected 4-1 by the Senate State, Veterans, and Military A airs Committee on Feb. 16 after about an hour of testimony.

State fees on retail deliveries

House Bill 1166: is bill would have repealed a 27 cent state fee on retail deliveries and was sponsored by House Assistant Minority Leader Rose Pugliese of Colorado Springs and Sen. Perry Will of New Castle. It was rejected 9-4 along party lines by the House Transportation, Housing and Local Government Committee on Feb. 21 after 10 minutes of testimony.

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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COVID pushed Colorado nonprofits to their limits

BY MONTE WHALEY THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado nonpro ts took a beating during the COVID-19 pandemic, bleeding volunteers and employees who were either forced to stay home or were terri ed of leaving their homes for fear they would get infected by the virus.

“We had older and retired volunteers who had to stay home because they were the most vulnerable to the virus,” said Dayna Scott, executive director of Broom eld FISH, a nonpro t providing help with food and housing. “ ere were real fears about death. No one knew what was going to happen day to day.”

Local food banks that help feed and clothe low-income and homeless people were hit especially hard. Grocery store shelves emptied almost overnight and businesses and food banks, including FISH, shuttered for more than a year. Nonpro ts had to pivot, sometimes in 24 hours, to hand out groceries and other donated staples to clients driving through their parking lots.

e rapid turnaround needed to keep things running at FISH burned out many sta members, Scott said. “For some people it was the breaking point. e turnover was brutal.”

Scott said she and her remaining sta stayed clear-eyed about FISH’s mission. ey continued to help residents with rental and other nancial assistance and distributed food to families. In 2022, 12,553 people were served, up from 12,190 in 2021

and about 12,000 in 2020 a big jump from the 7,057 helped in 2018.

“We knew what we had to do,” said Scott, who shares her narrow o ce with a sleepy dog named Sami.

Scott manages a $6.6 million budget, seven paid sta ers and 30 community partnerships while bringing in corporate donors and steering clients to legal and housing help. Feeding families is a top priority for Scott and her sta , and in 2021, FISH distributed 1.5 million pounds of food to hungry people in Broom eld.

She brushes o the notion that she could earn a heftier paycheck if she used her skills for a big business. “I was never a corporate person,” Scott said. “I like to think I do more good by keeping 100 people from starving to death at the end of the day.”

State and local nonpro t o cials say they don’t know exactly how many sta members and volunteers they lost during the worst of the COVID pandemic. Marc Cowell, executive director of Outreach United Resource Center in Longmont, said although few of his peers left during COVID, there is little doubt COVID bludgeoned the nonpro t.

“I can state that COVID-19 did take a very heavy toll on myself and most of my colleagues,” he said.

To ght burnout during and after the worst of the pandemic, the OUR Center stressed a work-life balance to allow sta ers plenty of time to get away and be with friends and family, Cowell said.

“ at goes a long way in help-

ing retain not only executives but managers, and front-line personnel,” said Cowell, who heads OUR Center’s e orts to help people in the St. Vrain Valley get basic services like food and to help pay the rent.

Cowell typically logs more than 50 hours a week as executive director, but takes time in the spring to indulge in one of his passions: coaching baseball at Holy Family High School in Broom eld. Coaching helps restore his energy for his fulltime job. “It’s nice to be able to take multiple days o at di erent times throughout the year to recharge my batteries.”

He said the state’s nonpro t staers took COVID’s best shot and stubbornly bounced back to deliver goods and services to friends and neighbors hit hard by the virus.

“At the end of the day it is about our mission and helping the community that keeps us coming back,” Cowell said.

Jobless for a year, Broom eld resident Dave Wallace pushes a shopping cart through the narrow aisles of FISH’s 12,500-square-foot marketplace for staples like bread, butter, fresh fruit and vegetables. Almost all the items are donated by local grocery stores and businesses. Wallace is looking for work in the restaurant industry, but until he gets a steady paycheck he depends on weekly visits to FISH to keep his own kitchen stocked.

“I am glad FISH is here, thank God. What they do is incredible,”

Wallace said in January. “ ey help people like me out but they don’t make me feel bad about it. I don’t know what this community would do without them.”

Now aid groups are preparing the loss of pandemic-related support e long and uncertain days and nights fueled by fears of the pandemic are mostly over for Scott and other nonpro t leaders. But now the state’s 20,000 nonpro ts face an even taller task of bridging the gap left by vanishing pandemic-era federal and state funds for shelter and food, said Paul Lhevine, president and CEO of the Colorado Nonpro t Association.

Colorado’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which distributed more than $300 million to 36,000 households, is ending this year, nonpro t directors say. Emergency allotments of Colorado Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, are also ending this month.

“ e work in the nonpro t sector is critical now more than ever,” Lhevine said. “ ere are gaps that remain to be lled.”

Broom eld FISH was started 60 years ago in a church basement by six women who wanted to provide food and clothing to the city’s poor, Scott said.

Women volunteers have always been the prime drivers behind many nonpro ts, but the tendency to pay them less is a main reason why

A box of socks at a Feb. 16 celebration for Sock It To ‘Em, a nonprofit that provides socks to homeless people.

PHOTO BY TAYLER SHAW SEE NONPROFITS, P19

nonpro t executives aren’t compensated as well as their for-pro t business counterparts, Lhevine said.

e overall trend toward paying men more in executive slots is also mirrored in the nonpro t world, he said.

For every dollar that a male executive director makes, a female executive director makes 82 cents, according to the Colorado Nonpro t Association’s 2021 salary survey. On average, female executives collect a yearly $111,152 salary while male executives pull in $132,227, according to the survey.

Scott makes about $100,000, only a fraction of what someone is paid for comparable work in a corporation, she said.

Lhevine said compensation for nonpro t leaders was a trend set decades ago.

“Most nonpro ts were created at a place and time on the backs of volunteers and driven by women,” Lhevine said. “ is is a major issue and we have to do a better job of nding a way to pay professionals a fair wage.”

e estimated total pay for an executive director for a business in Denver is $240,568, according to the employment website Glassdoor. e median pay for a CEO in Denver is $404,153.

e association’s survey states that many nonpro ts o er employees bonuses and ex time schedules and are generous with time o to compensate for long work hours.

Some provided bonuses to employees to acknowledge their work during COVID-19, the survey reported. Most were 3% or less of the employee’s salary.

Nonpro ts greatly bene t from a workforce that will not back down from a challenge, including entering the post-COVID era, Lhevine said.

“Nonpro ts are mission-driven,” he said. “ e people who work there are not going to back down, even now. Nonpro ts are lled with people who have a passion for their work and they have a need to address the needs of their community.”

e Colorado Family Resource Center Association — which includes nonpro ts like FISH — only lost about 20% of its member executive directors, said Scott, who has been with FISH for nearly eight years and is not surprised at the lack of turnover among nonpro t leaders. is is low turnover considering the responsibilities of running a nonpro t during a major pandemic, she said.

But Scott is not surprised that so many local directors stuck around.

“We love the mission, and now it’s a new one,” she said. “We will have to scramble to get donations and other help for our organizations now that these other programs are waning.”

Alice Sueltenfuss said her job as executive director of Hope for Longmont, which provides shelter and other aid for people who are homeless, is devoted to the constant chase for funding.

“In the nonpro t world, it’s all about grants, corporate sponsors and the amounts given by donors,”

Sueltenfuss said via email. “Fundraising helps, of course, but recurring donors help nonpro ts the most.”

Terrapin, a marijuana dispensary in Longmont, is one of Hope’s most reliable donors, giving $10,000 a year to the nonpro t. Terrapin spokesman Peter Marcus said via email that Hope is one of several nonpro ts that fall into the company’s various corporate responsibility goals.

“Homelessness is one factor that can result from a cycle created through disproportionate cannabis prohibition and incarceration,” Marcus said. “Hope ts nicely with our mission to end the war on drugs and make whole those who were harmed.”

Sueltenfuss retired after 32 years of being a school administrator and was drawn into the nonpro t world knowing she would not come close to making as much as before.

“Working to help homeless individuals become self-su cient has given me rewards that are not easily compared,” she said. “Yes, I don’t make the yearly income I did even 10 years ago, but I chose this profession with a nonpro t for reasons other than nancial. You don’t become an administrator of a nonpro t for the money; it’s the cause.”

e same notion motivated Mike Lutz, who left his job as a civil engineer with the city of Louisville in 2008 to work at Broom eld FISH. Lutz said he wanted to make some changes in his life and made the leap into the nonpro t world after seeing some men unloading a truck at the FISH headquarters.

“I asked them if they needed some

help and I jumped right in,” Lutz said. “It just seemed the ideal place and time for me.”

He started as a volunteer and eventually became the organization’s food operations manager. Lutz hustles around FISH’s marketplace to make sure shelves are stocked with food donated by community and corporate groups.

Lutz also coordinates daily with grocery stores in Broom eld and Westminster to collect donations, including fresh fruits and vegetables. e job is especially important to him since he grew up in Broomeld and sees how FISH helps his longtime friends and neighbors.

“I don’t know of another job where I can wake up and can’t wait to get to work,” Lutz said. “I know the money is not great. But here I feel like I am making a di erence.”

A school project by Sharin Oliver’s son led her to volunteer for FISH in 2009. She liked the neighborly atmosphere at FISH and stayed on to become operations manager.

Oliver had been a management consultant out of college and then a stay-at-home mom. FISH became her calling.

“FISH makes Broom eld a smaller place, and I like that,” Oliver said. “My son once told me ‘Mom, you want to feed the world.’”

“Yeah,” she said, “I guess I do.”

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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CROWSS UP DRO ELZZ

Law makes it di cult to sue gun industry

BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

Sandy and Lonnie Phillips wanted to hold the companies that sold ammunition, tear gas and body armor to their 24-year-old daughter’s murderer accountable. e couple ended up having to le for bankruptcy instead.

at’s because a Colorado law passed about a year after the 1999 Columbine High School massacre makes it very di cult, and nancially perilous, to bring lawsuits against gun and ammunition manufacturers and suppliers. But the Phillipses say they didn’t fully understand the risks when two years after their daughter, Jessica Ghawi, was killed in the 2012 Aurora theater shooting, they sued four businesses patronized by the gunman.

When the case was dismissed in 2015, state law required a judge to order the Phillipses to pay the defendants’ attorneys fees: more than $200,000. It was a bill the couple couldn’t a ord, so they ended up ling for bankruptcy protection in January 2017.

“We lost three years of our life,” Lonnie said, explaining that the situation was like being revictimized.

Colorado Democrats this year are poised to roll back the state’s extra protections for gun and ammunition manufacturers and sellers against lawsuits through a soon-to-be introduced bill. e state law shielding the rearm industry is among the toughest in the country because it requires plainti s to pay defendants’ attorneys’ fees in dismissed cases, a legal bene t that gun violence-prevention attorneys say isn’t available to other types of businesses. Only a handful of other states have a similar fee-switching rule.

While the proposal may not be getting as much attention as other gun control measures being contemplated at the Capitol this year — including a potential ban on the sale of so-called assault weapons, raising the age to purchase ri es and shotguns, and mandating waiting period between when someone buys a gun and can access it — the policy change may be the most important alteration to Colorado’s rearm regulations made this year.

Without the change, proponents argue, any other shifts in Colorado’s gun

laws wouldn’t really be enforceable through the civil court system.

“ e bill that I’m introducing would not punish gun violence victims if they want to go to civil court,” said Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, a Boulder County Democrat. “It evens the playing eld so that (the gun) industry, those businesses, will just be put on the same playing eld as every other business.”

Sen. Chris Kolker, D-Centennial, is another prime sponsor of the measure, as is Rep. Javier Mabrey, DDenver.

Colorado’s law around suing the gun industry, passed in 2000 by the Republican-controlled legislature and signed by the GOP governor, says people can only bring a “product liability action against a rearms or ammunition manufacturer, importer or dealer.” Lawsuits “arising from physical or emotional injury, physical damage, or death caused by the discharge of a rearm or ammunition” are not allowed, and gun businesses cannot be “held liable as a third party for the actions of another person.”

en-state Sen. Ron Teck, a Grand Junction Republican, was quoted in e Denver Post in March 2000 as saying “we should make it clear that these suits should not be brought.”

In 2005, Congress also passed a federal law — Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act — o ering the gun industry immunity against many lawsuits. Some states, including Wyoming and New Mexico, don’t have state laws speci cally governing lawsuits against rearms businesses. e gun industry is already threatening lawsuits should the Colorado bill be introduced, passed and signed into law.

“ e current law in Colorado says that if you make a product that is lawfully made without defect and someone misuses that product, then the person who causes the damage is the one who can be held responsible,” said Mark Oliva, a spokesman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a gun industry trade association.

“We don’t go back and sue Budweiser and Ford for someone drunk driving and slamming into a family of six and killing somebody. at’s not Ford or Budweiser’s responsibility. at is

SEE GUNS, P23

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the responsibility of the person who criminally misused their products.”

Oliva, who argues there are already criminal laws that hold the gun industry accountable, hasn’t seen a draft of the prospective Colorado bill. But he said his organization has sued to block the rollback of gun industry legal protections in other states and hinted that it’s likely it would do the same in Colorado.

“ ey can write this law,” Oliva said. “Could that law be challenged? Sure it could. New York is facing a challenge from us on their law. New Jersey’s law has already been stayed.” ey can write this law. Could that law be challenged? Sure it could.

Mark Oliva, a spokesman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a gun industry trade association Republicans in Colorado’s legislature are likely to ght the measure, too, but their numbers at the Capitol are few, which means the GOP has little chance of stopping the proposal.

Jaquez Lewis, Kolker and other proponents of changing Colorado’s statutes around suing the gun industry argue that the only way to truly hold rearm manufacturers and sellers accountable is to make them more liable.

“Our civil justice system helps promote responsible behavior,” said Ari Freilich, state policy director for the Gi ords Law Center, a gun regulation think tank linked to Gi ords, a group that pushes for tighter gun laws. “People in the pharmaceutical industry don’t want to contribute to harm, but the reason we have childproof medicine bottles, in part, is because they don’t want to be sued every time a child ingests medicines.”

Freilich argues the gun industry doesn’t have that same nancial incentive because of the combination of

Colorado’s law and federal law.

“ e intersection of the two means that victims of gun violence in Colorado have fewer paths to have their day in court than the residents of almost any of Colorado’s neighbors,” he said.

“Victims of any other industry can have a day in court. Colorado, in particular, has singled out gun violence victims for speci cally harsh, and I think unfair and disrespectful, treatment that has compounded their pain and contributed to real harm.”

Gi ords, which is named after former U.S. Rep. Gabby Gi ords, an Arizona Democrat who was gravely wounded in a mass shooting, helped write the forthcoming bill changing Colorado law. Freilich said in addition to rolling back the requirement that plainti s in lawsuits against the gun industry pay defendants’ attorneys fees in cases that are dismissed, the measure would:

Broaden when the gun industry can be sued to match the liability other businesses face

Create a rearm industry standard of responsible conduct that would let people sue the industry when it knowingly violates the standard

Freilich said the standard is based on laws enacted in other states, and requires rearm businesses to comply with false advertising and consumer protection laws, take reasonable precautions to prevent harms from their products, and work to prevent guns from being modi ed into illegal products or sold to minors and other people who can’t legally possess rearms.

Additionally, the law change would let Colorado’s attorney general bring lawsuits against the gun industry.

Colorado, in particular, has singled out gun violence victims for speci cally harsh, and I think unfair and disrespectful, treatment

Ari Freilich, state policy director for the Gi ords Law Center, a gun regulation think tank

e industry wouldn’t be liable for all deaths caused by rearms. “It’s whether there’s an additional failure to take reasonable precautions to prevent the public (from harm),” Freilich said.

Sandy and Lonnie Phillips have for years been pushing state lawmakers to change Colorado’s laws around what lawsuits can be led against the gun industry. ey hope 2023 is the year that they are nally successful.

e measure is likely to clear the legislature along party lines. Jaquez Lewis, the Democratic senator sponsoring the legislation, said Gov. Jared Polis’ o ce is reviewing the bill. Polis will ultimately decide whether the legislation becomes law.

“To have fee switching like that, where you can’t take the risk of going to court to do the right thing — the morally right thing — that’s not right,” Sandy Phillips said. “So we’ve been trying to get it changed, and I think this year we might have a really good shot at having that happen.”

In this July 14, 2015, photo, Sandy Phillips, whose daughter, Jessica Ghawi, was killed in the 2012 Aurora movie theatre massacre, displays a T-shirt memorializing the 12 people killed in the attack outside the Arapahoe County District Court following the day of closing arguments in the trial of the gunman. e victims’ names are, left to right, top to bottom row: Alex Teves, AJ Boik, Alex Sullivan, Gordon Cowden, Jesse Childress, Jessica Ghawi, John Larimer, Jonathan Blunk, Veronica Moser-Sullivan, Rebecca Wingo, Micayla Medek, and Matt McQuinn. (Brennan Linsley, Associated Press le) e Phillipses’ 2014 lawsuit, which was brought in conjunction with and at the urging of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, didn’t seek monetary damages against the four companies they sued. e couple wanted a court to require the businesses to take steps to prevent their products from being purchased by

people who would use them in mass shootings.

e Phillipses said they trusted the Brady Center to have their back in the lawsuit, but weren’t fully made aware of the nancial consequences they faced before ultimately being forced to shoulder the defendants’ legal costs themselves.

e judge overseeing the case apparently expected Brady to help the Phillipses, too. “It may be presumed that whatever hardship is imposed on the individual plainti s by these awards against them may be ameliorated by the sponsors of this action in their name,” Judge Richard P. Matsch wrote in a motion.

Mike Stankiewicz, a spokesperson for Brady, said it is the organization’s “practice to always inform clients of the risks involved in the cases they le.”

“More importantly, it is egregious that Colorado’s gun industry special protection law requires victims who bring about these lawsuits to pay for attorney and other fees when unsuccessful, which has a chilling e ect on victims who attempt to seek justice,” Stankiewicz said.

One of the ammunition providers the Phillipses sued in 2014 was Lucky Gunner. e company recently settled a lawsuit led by victims of the 2018 mass shooting at Santa Fe High School in Texas, where a 17-year-old shooter killed 10 people and wounded 13 others.

“We sued for them to change their business practices,” Sandy said. “Had we been successful, the shooting that happened at Santa Fe High School in Texas wouldn’t have happened.”

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.