Elbert County News 040623

School board adds new member

e Elbert County News sat down with Powell on March 24 at the Elizabeth School District o ce for a Q&A interview about her hopes and plans for her time on the school board:

Who is Mary Powell?

Rodeo warns of ticket scams

Elizabeth Stampede tickets should be purchased through o cial website

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

e Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo is among many ticketed events across the country that are falling prey to fraudulent ticket sellers using social media scams and sellers that charge exorbitant prices.

“ is isn’t an Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo issue, this is an internet scam issue,” said Lee Anne Russell, member of the Elizabeth Stampede Foundation Board of Directors in a phone interview from March 28. “Rodeos all over the country are experiencing the same problem.”

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

Following the resignation of three Elizabeth School Board members, Mary Powell was appointed on March 14 to one of the vacant seats, where she will serve as board secretary.

Powell is a 22-year Elizabeth resident who identi es as Christian and is currently living out her retirement with her husband, Dave. She was chosen for the board by remaining members Rhonda Olsen and Heather Booth.

I have been retired for four years after a 30-year legal career. I was a paralegal in law rms doing business litigation. I also worked in the corporate world as a senior contracts manager for a medical supply company. I am married. I have two grown daughters and two grown granddaughters.

What is your experience with the Elizabeth School District?

About 10 years ago, our two granddaughters lived with us for about a year and went to the schools here. So I have one year of experience with the school district.

We’ve lived here for 22 years altogether in the school district and in Elizabeth.

Why did you want to be a part of the Elizabeth School District Board of Education?

I really feel like God de nitely funneled me into this. I have to admit that up until probably the last few years, I always felt school boards were one of those “throwaway” elections. And then I started hearing this national stu going on with di erent school boards and I thought, “holy moly, what is going on here?” So that started to bring it to my attention more.

en, through one of my prayer groups, we were praying generally for the board and that they would be blessed and that everything would be ne. en somebody

ere are two possibilities that Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo ticket buyers should be on the lookout for:

1. Fraudulent social media accounts are attempting to sell tickets before they have o cially gone on sale to the public. ese accounts are likely automated bots that are pinged when the Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo makes event announcements.

“We started to have bots trying to sell fraudulent tickets for the concert before they were even on sale,” said Russell. “If you look at their pro les on Facebook, there isn’t a lot of substance behind them. is is universal. We see it across the board with other rodeos.”

2. Unauthorized third-party ticketing sites are selling event tickets at exorbitant prices. ese sites function by selling tickets to the buyer

SEE RODEO, P2

Mary Powell, right, is sworn in as Elizabeth School Board secretary by Shellie Scobee, the district’s student data management specialist. Powell was chosen for board service by members Rhonda Olsen and Heather Booth, who had been the only members remaining after three others resigned in mid-March.

COURTESY OF ELIZABETH SCHOOL DISTRICT

Mary Powell wants to uphold traditional education and promote conservative values

SEE POWELL, P4

RODEO

at a high price. e unauthorized sites then purchase tickets for the o cial price through the Elizabeth Stampede website, give the ticket to the buyer, and keep the remaining money as pro t.

Russell noted that the practice is not illegal, but in her opinion it is unethical. “Our people are paying too much to get into the venue,” she said. “It’s unfortunate that these sites are taking advantage of people.”

Buying Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo tickets

All tickets for Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo events, including the concert, should only be purchased through the Elizabeth Stampede website: https://elizabethstampede.com/ index.php/tickets

e above link will take you to the website of the o cial Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo event ticket seller, www.etix.com. All other websites should be avoided.

Tickets for the Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo events are priced as follows:

Afternoon Performances

Adult — $15

Child — $10

Premium Adult — $16

Premium Child — $12

Evening Performances

Adult — $24

Child — $18

Premium Adult — $26

Premium Child — $20

Ticket fees for the Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Event are $4 on average per ticket.

Tickets for Booster Club members go on sale April 1 and to the general public on April 8. Family packs are only available for afternoon performances.

“ e Elizbeth Stampede Ro-

deo prides itself on being a family friendly and inclusive event in Elbert County,” said Russell. “We make sure the pricing is family friendly and a good value. We take it personally when people take advantage of our spectators.”

Sites to avoid

www.vividseats.com

www.ticketsmarter.com

www.ticket-center.com

www.ticketsales.com

www.eventticketscenter.com

www.jambase.com

www.ticketcity.com

Above are only some of the sites to watch out for.

e Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo saw an increase in fraudulent sales last year and has already seen fraudulent social media posts selling concert tickets this year.

“Last year, people were coming to us saying they thought we were a family friendly rodeo but were surprised to see how expensive the tickets were,” commented Russell. “One lady brought in tickets that were over $400 that she bought from a thirdparty seller. When we saw that, we started digging into the problem.”

Anyone encountering fraudulent social media posts or third-party sites trying to sell Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo event tickets is urged to contact the Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo at info@elizabethstampede. com. Also, any experience with fraudulent activity on social media should be shared with the Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Facebook page.

“We’re really working on this “Purchase from Us” campaign,” said Russell. “To help, people can also report fraudulent activity to the Better Business Bureau to help.”

To keep up with the Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo and their upcoming events, visit elizabethstampede .com or follow on social media at facebook.com/elizabethstampede.

FROM PAGE 1

Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo Foundation Board and volunteers

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ELIZABETH STAMPEDE RODEO FOUNDATION

Elizabeth Stampede Rodeo flyer warning buyers about fraudulent ticketing sites. IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ELIZABETH STAMPEDE RODEO FOUNDATION

BEST OF THE BEST VOTE

What are your general goals and hopes for the board moving forward?

mentioned to me casually that residents can attend the school board meetings. It never occurred to me in a million years. I thought, “well, maybe I should kind of know what I’m praying for, right?” So last September was the rst time that I started coming to the school board meetings. I started getting to know the personalities and seeing what was going on. It was OK at rst but there was some obvious tension.

I started to see that they were reviewing policies and voting on policies. Because of my background as a contracts manager, I would read what the board was going to look at before I came to a meeting. I started having ideas, so I did send suggestions into the board on a couple of policies that I knew they were looking at.

ere was a brief mention that they really needed to create a policy review committee, so I volunteered for that. Bill Dallas, the interim superintendent at the time, took me up on that. I’ve piece-by-piece sort of kept getting more and more involved.

What do you think that you can bring to the board?

I’m happy to be working with Rhonda and Heather. I got to know them a little bit through the process of these meetings, and I think that I can help bring a positive and conservative bent to the board and be able to support the kind of conservative policies that I believe are the desires of this community.

I met with Dan Snowberger, the new superintendent, and I think he’s going to be a really, really positive in uence. I’m excited to work with him, to work with the board, and with whoever the next people will be.

Rhonda Olsen and Heather Booth’s goals are transparency to the parents, making sure that everybody knows that the parents are the rst and foremost teachers of their kids. ey should be in control of things and know everything that is going on. So we want to have transparency to the parents, transparency of records, and with curriculum. We want transparency overall and everything that goes on with the kids.

I know they are in favor of, and so am I, of a traditional education. A good traditional education. e di erent programs are really important to me. Not every kid wants to go to college. And we need to have everybody prepared for the next step, no matter what it is. College, or going directly into the workforce, or going into the military or whatever, everybody needs to have a good, traditional education and then opportunities to learn and have successful roles at directly out of high school.

What does “traditional education” mean to you?

It means teaching regular math, not common core, or whatever they call that thing, because that doesn’t make sense to me. History that is accurate, and not contrived. And kind of the normal English, math, sciences, you know, all the basic things that people need a background in. Whether they’re going to use that forever or not is beside the point because everybody should have a well-rounded idea of those subjects. Because if you don’t know it at all, you don’t know if you want to pursue it further.

Since it has been such a hot-button topic as of late for the Elizabeth School District, what is your perspective on critical race theory and social-

Mary Powell speaks with the Elbert County News on March 24 at the Elizabeth School District administration building.

PHOTO BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON

emotional learning in schools?

I do not want those blatantly in our schools. I don’t know if it’s here or not. You hear things, so I don’t have any real factual basis to know anything. I know it’s not blatantly here for sure. But I believe that maybe publishers might be sneaking things in. I think we need to do a curriculum review to see if there’s anything in there. It is much easier to keep it out than to get rid of it once it’s here. So, we just need to be sure that the conservative values of this community are upheld and that things that aren’t necessary for our students to learn are not creeping in.

How would you make a space for those people in the community that don’t identify as conservative? Is there a space for them in the Elizabeth School District?

Well, traditional education is going to be good for anybody regardless of those things. If they believe in those things, that’s ne, and they can teach it at home.

In a school board meeting from Feb. 13, Elizabeth High School principal Bret McClendon encouraged members of the school board to come and visit the classrooms and be involved in schools instead of just sitting on the board making policy. Do you have any intention or goal of doing any sort of volunteerism or being involved in the schools outside of your role with the board?

I probably will do that. To be honest this past couple of weeks has been such a whirlwind and my brain is about ready to explode. I do think that would be a good idea because it is one thing to talk about the schools, it’s another thing to see it from the inside. So I think that is an excellent idea and I’m hoping that each of the board members might do

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that on some level. We might be able

can see what their thoughts are and see what we can do to alleviate any concerns, worries, issues, whatever.

What else do you do for fun and what else have you been doing since you’ve retired?

My daughters and I communicate frequently. We have family dinners. Dave and I are just getting involved in going to Anytime Fitness and the Silver Sneakers program. I just started a “functional aging” class there. My favorite show is probably “Rosemary & yme.” ey are two ladies who have a gardening business together and they solve murders.

I am active in my church. I lead or co-lead a couple of di erent prayer groups and I’m involved in Bible studies at church. I am the administrative lead for one of them and teach about 50% of the time. It’s a 50-plus women’s group. It is a very active, fun and funny group of ladies.

I’m also this year’s coordinator for the National Day of Prayer event that is in Elizabeth on May 4th.

Is there anything else you want to let the people of Elizabeth and Elbert County know?

is board and the new superintendent and the whole thing, I’m excited to work with them and to look forward. To have a positive outlook and make sure our students have the best education and the best safety that we can give to them so that they have a great start.

Mary Powell will hold her position as secretary of the board through November 2023, when she will be eligible for election.

To contact Powell, send emails to mpowell@esdk12.org.

Payments must be received by the Treasurer’s office by April 30, 2023. Payments received after the due date must include applicable interest. To obtain the amounts due or to pay online, please visit douglascotax.com and search for your account.

Spring cleaning is at your curbside

Do you have hazardous waste from a painting project, old oil from your car’s maintenance, or other waste from your recent DIY project? This curbside service is available to Douglas County residents for $30. For details call 1-800-4497587 or visit douglas.co.us and search Household Waste Management

What’s happening with your County government?

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

Keeping Your County Healthy…

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

Mary Powell’s husband, Dave Powell.

COURTESY OF MARY POWELL

Thinking outside the den

BY KEVIN SIMPSON THE COLORADO SUN

On the caretaker’s property adjacent to the local state wildlife area, sheets of structural steel, once blanketed by snow but now tickled by tumbleweeds, sit stacked on the ground awaiting their eventual transformation.

Inside a nearby outbuilding sits the nished product the raw materials soon will replicate, once it’s their turn to be cut, welded and shaped into a contraption state o cials have been craving for years: a better, lighter, more versatile bear trap.

Je Belveal, the 36-year-old Colorado Parks and Wildlife resource technician who took on the project, notes that his little slice of paradise on the plains may be home to a seemingly inordinate number of white-tailed deer, but there’s not a bear in sight. And metalworking, while among the skills he honed in pursuit of an agency gig, gures only tangentially into a job description that includes maintenance and upkeep of ve state wildlife areas — everything from cleaning the toilets to xing fence lines, maintaining roads, managing grazing and weed mitigation.

“ is is extra credit,” Belveal says of the bear trap project. “All I

brought to the table here was a willingness to tackle the problem.”

Colleagues will tell you it’s much more than that, and talk at length about how Belveal’s retiring and self-e acing personality short-sells a skilled and dedicated worker. In fact, a lifetime of persistence and a penchant for problem-solving put him at the center of a collaborative e ort to reimagine a trap for safely and e ectively capturing problematic black bears — the only bear species living in Colorado — to relocate them, avoid putting them down and reduce chances of further con ict.

“Je just doesn’t do anything halfway,” says Frank McGee, who supervised Belveal when the project

Wildlife o cials turn to guy who never caught a bear to make a better bear trap

Frank McGee, Colorado Parks and Wildlife law enforcement training manager who formerly supervised Je Belveal on the bear trap project

began, before becoming CPW’s law enforcement training manager. “He’s very self-motivated as well, and I’ve always appreciated the way he takes pride in his work. He takes each and every part of his job seriously.”

Colorado Parks and Wildlife estimates that the state’s bear population hovers between 17,000 and 20,000. A spring freeze or drought conditions can su ciently infringe on natural food sources to nudge bears into close contact with humans — circumstances that people often exacerbate through behavior that encourages interaction and often, much to wildlife o cers’ dismay, leads to fatal consequences for the bears.

Since the implementation of a new statewide bear reporting system in 2019, CPW has logged over 18,300 sightings and con icts with bears, and nearly one-third of them involved enticements like trash cans and dumpsters. e problem has become pervasive enough that CPW recently announced it will be continuing a $1 million competitive grant program launched with state funding two years ago for local projects aimed at reducing bear con ict. When bears persist, traps may be used to capture, tag and release them — one important strategy to avoid putting them down. Since

‘Je just doesn’t do anything halfway. He’s very self-motivated as well, and I’ve always appreciated the way he takes pride in his work. He takes each and every part of his job seriously.’

2015, CPW has relocated 461 bears.

But over the years, more than a dozen wildlife areas across the state have accumulated such a variety of traps that on many occasions o cers scramble to nd the right one for a particular situation. Many of them are old and crusted with rust. And so began the quest to sift through the features and shortcomings of the agency’s rapidly deteriorating collection and build a better bear trap — preferably one that could be adapted to any situation.

If possible, it would be produced in-house, a more economical option than buying from a vendor, which could run $25,000 per trap.

Belveal has been working on the project in ts and starts over the last two years, and so far has completed four of the six planned for his home Area 14, a swath of the state reaching from Teller County, through Colorado Springs and clear to the Kansas state line. At a cost of about $5,000 in materials plus his time on the clock, the nished traps have saved the agency an estimated $80,000.

And though the rst tests of the traps still lie ahead, CPW has been so thrilled with Belveal’s ingenuity, persistence and attention to detail that the agency recently named him its outstanding technician of the year. But his can-do legacy was forged well before he reshaped a critical tool for dealing with problem bears.

Walking across his property at the edge of the Flagler State Recreation Area, Belveal extends a friendly, down-home demeanor and a viselike handshake that o ers no hint of the physical trials of his childhood.

Born seven weeks premature at 3 pounds, 7 ounces, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy that triggered symptoms known as hemiplegia, muscle atrophy that weakened the entire right side of his body. With a right leg an inch shorter than his left, he walked with a limp and, into his middle school years, slept in a brace to stretch his tendons.

“My dad and mom never made excuses for me because of my disability,” Belveal says. “I was never a victim, always encouraged and told I could do anything any other man could do.”

Belveal’s parents divorced when he was 10, and he initially lived with his mom in Karval and later Brush. At 15, he moved in with his dad, who moved to Colorado Springs so Belveal could attend a small Christian high school. ere, he spent his freshman year lifting weights to aid his rehabilitation. e following year he took up wrestling.

In his rst year of competition, he spent virtually every match pinned to the mat. When he nally broke through with a victory his junior year, he built on that success with a work ethic and irrepressible attitude that earned him the admiration of his coach and teammates — and a winning record. A late-season injury left him with broken ribs and then pneumonia, and the physical toll simply wore him out and left him just short of earning a trip to the 2006 state tournament.

e drive that powered him to persevere didn’t stop with his prep wrestling career, and he has often

leaned into its lessons. “I use and bene t from the mental toughness that sport requires on a daily basis,” he says. “You know how to dig deep. If I have a hard project or physically demanding task, I go back to my wrestling experience.

“It’s the same attitude when you’re ghting a guy and you’re on your back. Just never give up. You gotta just keep trying until something works. I apply that subconsciously to everything I do.”

His other passion — the outdoors — led him to volunteer for work building trails and helping with other conservation projects. One experience in particular left a lasting impression: a stint shadowing a CPW wildlife technician.

e way he gured it, the job essentially amounted to farming and ranching for the government, a means to spend a career immersed in the work and lifestyle he loved. From that moment, he adopted a single-minded focus: One day, he would land a job with Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

e most direct route might have been to pursue a college degree, but Belveal, though a more than respectable student, didn’t gure he was cut out for that. He noticed that the agency’s job requirements o ered him a loophole — a college degree or relevant work experience.

“I chose what was most natural to me, which was working, and I went for the relevant experience route,” he says. “And everything I did for those years leading up to getting a fulltime job was focused on getting experience that would translate to my hireability with Parks and Wildlife.”

Belveal volunteered almost daily with CPW for years, intent on impressing the agency with his work ethic. He started down a professional path by taking a job with El Paso County Parks. Still, he felt he also needed to establish some trade skills to bolster his résumé. When his dad opened his own steel fabrication shop, Belveal worked for him full time from 2009-12 to get his certi cation as a structural steel welder.

He melded that experience with his continued CPW volunteer work. After six or seven tries — and rejections, at a time when an open CPW position drew hundreds of applicants — he gures his perseverance eventually just overwhelmed the agency.

“I got to know the HR gals and you know, they were rooting for me because I tried so many times it was kind of embarrassing,” Belveal says.

“But every time I applied I learned something and would come back, you know, a little better the next time.”

In 2012, he nally got full time CPW work as a resource technician at Lake Pueblo State Park. Five years later, he landed his dream job, transferring to the Eastern Plains to live and work as a wildlife technician on a state-owned property just east of Flagler.

e bear trap project has cemented his credentials.

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.

Study sees need for EV chargers

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado’s electric vehicle-hungry car buyers are on pace to make EVs 25% of new car sales by 2025, according to a new three-year review by state o cials, but energy leaders must build thousands more charging ports over two years to keep pace.

If Colorado stays on track for 65,000 light-duty EV sales in 2025, governments and utilities need to have installed or at least awarded 1,700 ultrafast DC chargers and 5,800 slower Level 2 public chargers by then, according to the “2023 Electric Vehicle Plan,” the rst since 2020.

Transportation is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in Colorado, and one of the largest local sources for ozone-causing emissions that lead to EPA rule violations. Colorado set goals for 26% greenhouse gas reductions from a 2005 baseline by 2025, and 50% by 2030. ose goals have long depended on getting 940,000 EVs on state roads by 2030.

U.S. statistics show about 1.6 million light duty cars registered in Colorado.

Colorado car sales included 10.5% EVs in 2022, up sharply from 6% in 2021. Coloradans buy about 200,000 to 220,000 new light-duty cars a year.

Colorado had 719 DC fast chargers

in place by the end of 2022, and 3,750 Level 2 chargers, the report said. Adding thousands of ports with federal and state money in coming years includes targeting both business and tourism corridors. Colorado has $56.5 million to build DC fast chargers along federally designated interstates and other major roads, and also plans to increase the number of “electri ed byways” on state Scenic & Historic Byways to 23 by 2025 from three in 2020 .  e e ort for an “electric future,” as the Colorado Department of Transportation describes it, is led by CDOT, the Colorado Energy O ce and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

“We’re awarding grants to help build fast-charging stations across the state and to fund EV repair technician training,” CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew said. e 2023 plan looks backward and forward. “ is plan moves us closer to our EV adoption goals and closer to the low emis-

sions future we all want,” Lew said.  Colorado, federal agencies and utilities are all boosting their tax credits and rebates for buying light-duty EVs, which include passenger cars, SUVs, minivans and most pickups. With the lucrative rebates and a rapidly expanding menus of EVs in varying sizes from popular manufacturers, light-duty sales are on track.

To spread electri cation into all modes of transportation, Colorado should facilitate electric bike rebates for 10,000 low- and moderate-income residents by 2025, the report said. Denver’s city-funded program for e-bike discount vouchers has helped more than 5,000 people buy bikes, city o cials said this month.

A next major challenge is swapping out diesel-burning medium- and heavy-duty trucks for electric or hydrogen fuel cell drive trains. e new plan sets goals of 30% zero-emission truck sales by 2030, with 35,000 on the road by then — from virtually none

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now. e Air Quality Control Commission in April will hold hearings and vote on adopting California’s existing Advanced Clean Trucks standard for medium- and heavy-duty sales in Colorado, with required levels of new sales that ramp up beginning with the 2027 model year.

Trucking industry o cials say Colorado’s goals will be a steep challenge, as there are few alternativedrive heavy trucks on the market.

Colorado’s cold weather and steep terrain will also sap the available life from heavy truck batteries, and battery packages that can weigh 8,000 pounds replace money-making payloads for larger trucks, they say.

If electric or hydrogen-drive trucks are not widely available for the next few years, the new EV plan commits Colorado to work on programs or rebates to replace older, high-emissions trucks with newer fossil fuel models. e trucking industry says the newest vehicles emit 90% less nitrogen oxide, a key element in Colorado’s ozone violations, than current standards.  e state EV plan also sets goals of converting the entire public transit eet to zero-emission vehicles no later than 2050, and retirement of all diesel or gas school buses by 2035.

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.

Coloradans are on track to make 25% of new car sales electric

‘This plan moves us closer to our EV adoption goals and closer to the low emissions future we all want.’

Shoshana Lew, Colorado Department of Transportation executive

Colorado snowpack tops 140% in good year

BY JERD SMITH FRESH WATER NEWS

Colorado is awash in white this spring, with statewide snowpack topping 140% of average this week, well above the reading a year ago, when it stood at just 97% of normal.

“Conditions in the American West are way better than they were last year at this time,” state climatologist Russ Schumacher said at a recent joint meeting of the Water Availability Task Force and the Governor’s Flood Task Force. “In Colorado we went from drought covering most of the state to most of the state being out of drought.”

Like other Western states, mountain snowpacks in Colorado are closely monitored because as they melt in the spring and summer, their runo delivers much of the state’s water.

A drought considered to be the worst in at least 1,200 years has devastated water supplies across the West. While no one is suggesting the dry spell is over, Colorado water ofcials said 2023 will likely allow for a signi cant recovery in reservoirs and soil moisture.

e snow is deepest in the southwestern part of the state, where the San Juan/Dolores river basin is seeing a snowpack of 179% of average.

e Yampa Basin, in the northwest corner of Colorado, is also nearing historic highs, with snowpack registering 145% of average, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service Snow Survey.

ere is considerably less white stu east of the Continental Divide in the Arkansas River Basin, where snowpack remains slightly below average and in the South Platte Basin, where snowpack is just above average.

e outlook for the seven-state

Colorado River Basin has improved dramatically as well, with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, in its March 15 report, showing that Lake Powell is likely to see some 10.44 million acre-feet of new water supply by the end of September, or in ows at 109% average.

e Colorado River Basin includes seven states, with Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming comprising the Upper Basin and Arizona, California and Nevada making up the lower basin. And it is in the mountains of the Upper Basin, especially in Colorado, where most of the water for the entire system is generated.

at Colorado is seeing such spectacular snow levels this spring, bodes well for everyone. “ is is good news for the Colorado River Basin, no doubt about that,” Schumacher said.

Still the drought-strapped Colorado River system will see little storage recovery this year, according to Reclamation, which is forecasting that Lake Powell will see storage at just 32% of capacity by the end of the year. It had dropped to just 23% of capacity last year, prompting ongoing emergency releases from Utah’s Flaming Gorge Reservoir to help keep the system from crashing.

Within Colorado, statewide reservoir storage this month stands at 80% of average, up slightly from this time last year when it registered 75%

of average.

Reservoirs within Colorado are expected to see a signi cant boost in storage levels. Colorado’s largest reservoir, Blue Mesa, was just 36% full earlier this month, but is projected to receive enough new water this year that it will be 71% full by the end of the year, according to Reclamation.

Flood task force o cials said the deep snows, particularly in the southwestern and northwestern corners of the state, could cause ooding this spring and summer, especially if there is a series of hot, dry, windy days or major rain storms.

“We are blessed in large part because our snowpack tends to run o in a well-behaved manner,” said Kevin Houck, section chief of watershed and ood protection at the Colorado Water Conservation Board. “But I will say that I am watching things more closely this year. It’s not just the presence of snow that creates our problems. It needs to have a trigger as well. e classic trigger is the late spring warmup. And what can cause even more damage is when we get rain on snow as well.”

Fresh Water News is an independent, nonpartisan news initiative of Water Education Colorado. WEco is funded by multiple donors. Its editorial policy and donor list can be viewed at wateredco.org

A 2022 view of hikers at Colorado’s St. Mary’s Glacier. Statewide snowpack is 140% of average, well above the reading a year ago.

FILE PHOTO BY ANDREW FRAIELI

Thu 4/13

Colorado Country Dance Social @ 6pm / $10

Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora Music City Hit-Makers; From Nashville with Strings @ 6:30pm

Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St, Lone Tree

Tue 4/18

Spring Cherry Creek Race Team | Ages 9-18 @ 3:30pm / Free Apr 18th - May 16th

Cherry Creek Reservoir, 4800 S Dayton St, Greenwood Village. 303-757-7718

Sarah Banker @ SUNROOM BREWING @ 5pm Sunroom Brewing, 3242 S Acoma St, En‐glewood

Enslaved @ 5pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

Phat Daddy @ 7pm

The Angry Clover, 15350 E Smoky Hill Rd, Aurora Knolls

Guayacán Orquesta @ 8pm Stampede, 2430 S Havana St, Aurora

Jay_Martin @ 6:30pm Rocker Spirits, 5587 S Hill St, Lit‐tleton

Dear Marsha,: Tax Day with Dear Marsha and her Freaky Band @ 8pm Mirage Sports Bar, 8340 W Coal Mine Ave, Littleton

Sun 4/16

2023 Rockin' on the River 5K @ 8am / $20

The Hudson Gardens & Event Center, 6115 South Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. SarahN@ ssprd.org, 303-483-7034

Tony Medina Music: The Open Mic at The Alley @ 5:30pm The Alley, 2420 W Main St, Little‐ton

Wed 4/19

Ladies Night @ 5pm / $10

Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Meaghan Farrell @ 6:30pm

Parker Arts, Culture & Events Cen‐ter, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

DeMoor Global Running Distance Classic 2023

@ 11pm / $35-$35

Apr 14th - Apr 23rd

PO Box 1972, Englewood

Fri 4/14 Sat 4/15

Jay Stott Trio at The Alley, Littleton @ 7pm

The Alley, 2420 W Main St, Little‐ton

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

Judd Hoos @ 5pm Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Mainstreet, Parker

Finn O'Sullivan: Sofar Sounds @ 7pm Sofar Sounds, Englewood

The Sound of Animals Fighting @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, En‐glewood

Cory Michael @ 12pm Wide Open Saloon, 5607 US-85, Sedalia

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

Thu 4/20

LIVE AT THE STAMPEDE 4/20 THROW DOWN @ 5:30pm / $50 Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

The Word Alive @ 6pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

DJ Rockstar Aaron: Forbidden Bingo - Tailgate Tavern & Grill @ 7pm Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Mainstreet, Parker

Sean Curran: The Whosoever Tour with Rend CollectiveDenver (Highlands Ranch), CO @ 6pm Cherry Hills Community Church, 3900 Grace Blvd, Highlands Ranch Rend Collective @ 6pm Cherry Hills Community Church, 3900 Grace Blvd, Highlands Ranch

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Governing with emotion

As I read through the bills making their way through the state legislature, I am concerned. A meeting I had with a state o cial helped me put into words how I feel about the legislative process lately.

FROM THE EDITOR

is o cial said too many lawmakers are governing with “emotion.”

at resonated with me. It means lawmakers set aside data and debate in the name of looking popular, especially on social issues. ey’re going with what makes them seem caring and supportive in an economy that’s simpli ed to haves doing well and have nots forever struggling to get a leg up.

In this equation, the haves and the haves nots get a lot of attention as the shrinking middle class gets ignored.

Let’s be honest, a lot of the bills we have owing through our state and federal governments are feel good. ey sound like the right thing to do but they are not going to make a di erence the daily lives of many average constituents.

Some of my favorite books about how franchises and businesses have thrived in this country can be used as examples on why we are failing. In “Good to Great” and “Built to Last,” the most successful businesses over the years succeeded because of their willingness to evolve and run a business as a business, meaning emotions do not play a part.

With so many newer lawmakers at the Capitol, I am becoming increasingly concerned with the lack of e ort to make the lives of average workers better.

While rent control bills are important, I have seen little discussion on what is going to happen when middleincome homeowners are hit with what are expected to be extremely high property taxes this year. I have also seen little in the way of help for young couples and families looking to buy their rst home. I don’t blame those who simply give up.

I see very little in terms of how my children, who go to a great school district, are going to get better educations in math and reading as Colorado falls behind. ere are a lot of distraction bills about our education system. Very few mean my kids will get better learning tools.

When I go to the grocery store and ll three or four of my paid-for bags for my household of seven, I wonder what is being done by our lawmakers to help families like us. We have joked that this Easter we will color potatoes instead of eggs because the cost is so outrageous.

I am hearing from some sources in the retail industry that butter is about to be as expensive as eggs, if not already.

I bought 13 items, recently, and spent nearly $100. Don’t get me started on the big shopping trips where meat, lunch supplies and necessities push the nal bill to shocking amounts.

I feel like I am part of the ignored population this year. My husband and I work hard. We live in a good school district. We do what we can to help the economy. at must mean lawmakers think I do not need help. ey must think that my struggles are not as important as the feel good social bills we hear about nonstop.

I work hard and I have a right to ask what is happening to help relieve the pressures we in the middle are feeling. Many middle-class families lost something during the pandemic and the high-in ation economy that followed it and persists today. Families are struggling, hoping not to drop to low-income status. Lawmakers don’t seem to feel much for them.

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

Another season of new beginnings

The weeks seemed to be piling up, one right on top of the next. With the time ying by so fast, it also seemed as if the to-do list grew longer while the things checked o kept getting shorter or couldn’t keep up with everything that needed to be done and the additional things being added to the list. As they woke up to start another day, she asked her husband, “Why does everything have to be so di cult right now?”

She moved across the country with her 4-year-old son to start a new life and to reconnect with family. Her son was having a hard time adjusting to the new time zone, new surroundings, and new family members he had to get to know. His lack of sleep meant that she wasn’t getting any consistent sleep either, and the vicious cycle of no sleep and stress began. Additionally, she started a brand-new job, and he started school for the rst time, causing even greater disruption and stress. She looked in the mirror one morning and asked, “Why does everything have to be so di cult right now?”

As a career leader and salesperson he knew how large and complex deals could

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take longer than others. He had started the process on a new opportunity many months ago. As with any sales role, pressure comes when deals slip or push month-to-month and quarter-to-quarter. He was doing everything by the book, awlessly following the process and aligning with the buyer’s journey, yet the deal kept slipping. Finally, almost at the nish line to win the business, a week of discussion with the customer’s legal team forced more delays. He asked some of the people on his team, “Why does everything have to be so di cult right now?”

We all know stories like these, don’t we? We have all felt like this at times, haven’t we? I could add several more just like the ones above, but instead, let’s focus on what happens next.

Here we are in another season of new beginnings, and for many of us it is because we associate it with Easter as we celebrate the Risen Christ. In the week and weekend ahead, hope lls our hearts, and our outlook becomes elevated as we have new encouragement and inspiration. For some, it’s just about springtime and the budding of trees, grass turning green again, more sunlight pouring through our window, owers beginning to bloom, and the start

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Thelma Grimes

Colorado acts on water withdrawals

The International Panel on Climate Change has issued its latest report, warning of a dangerous temperature threshold that we’ll breach during the next decade if we fail to dramatically reduce emissions. A Colorado legislative committee on the same day addressed water withdrawals in the Republican River Basin that must be curbed by decade’s end.

In both, problems largely created in the 20th century must now be addressed quickly to avoid the scowls of future generations.

e river basin, which lies east of Denver, sandwiched by Interstates 70 and 76, di ers from nearly all others in Colorado in that it gets no annual snowmelt from the state’s mountain peaks. Even so, by tapping the Ogallala and other aquifers, farmers have made it one of the state’s most agriculturally productive areas. ey grow potatoes and watermelons but especially corn and other plants fed to cattle and hogs. is is Colorado without mountains, an ocean of big skies and rolling sandhills.

Republican River farmers face two overlapping problems. One is of declining wells. Given current pumping rates, they will go dry. e only question is when. Some already have.

More immediate is how these wells have depleted ows of the Republican River and its tributaries into Nebraska and Kansas. ose states cried foul, citing a 1943 interstate compact. Colorado in 2016 agreed to pare 25,000 of its 450,000 to 500,000 irrigated acres within the basin.

Colorado has a December 2029 deadline. e Republican River

NORTON

of baseball that gives us a new and positive attitude.

Another season of new beginnings.

So I say to the couple, the mom and her son, and the professional salesperson all mentioned above, as well as any of us who may be saying the same thing right now, “Let today be a day of new beginnings.” If what we are doing right now isn’t working, let’s start over and develop a new plan that aligns with who we want to be, where we want to go and grow, and what we want to enjoy in this life. Everything will get better for you as a couple, a new, safe, and happy new life awaits you mother and child, and that deal will close as will many others for you in your brilliant sales career.

is season of life will pass just like every previous season. If we

BIG PIVOTS

Water Conservation District has been paying farmers to retire land from irrigation. Huge commodity prices discourage this, but district o cials said they are con dent they can achieve 10,000 acres before the end of 2024.

Last year, legislators sweetened the pot with an allocation of $30 million, and a like amount for retirement of irrigated land in the San Luis Valley, which has a similar problem. Since 2004, when it was created, the Republican River district self-encumbered $156 million in fee collections and debt for the transition.

It’s unclear that the district can achieve the 2030 goal. e bill unanimously approved by the Colorado House Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Committee will, if it becomes law, task the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University with documenting the economic loss to the region — and to Colorado altogether — if irrigated Republican River Basin agriculture ceases altogether. e farmers may need more help as the deadline approaches.

is all-or-nothing proposition is not academic. Kevin Rein, the state water engineer, testi ed that he must shut down all basin wells if compact requirements are not met. e focus is on the Republican’s South Fork, between Wray and Burlington.

Legislators were told that relying solely upon water that falls from the sky diminishes production 75 to 80

hold on to the yesterdays of life that have caused us stress, fear, worry, and doubt, we are only anchoring ourselves in that negative cycle of gloom and doom. As Zig Ziglar said, “Failure is an event, not a person, yesterday really did end last night.” It’s time for another season of new beginnings.

How about you? Are you asking yourself why things are so di cult right now? Would it be helpful if you could see the light and love at the end of the tunnel? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@ gmail.com, and when we can prepare our hearts and minds for our own season of new beginnings, 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.

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percent.

In seeking this study, the river district wants legislators to be aware of what is at stake.

Rod Lenz, who chairs the river district board, put it in human terms. His extended-family’s 5,000-acre farm amid the sandhills can support 13 families, he told me. Returned to grasslands, that same farm could support only two families.

An “evolution of accountability” is how Lenz describes the big picture in the Republican River Basin. “We all knew it was coming. But it was so far in the future. Well, the future is here now.”

e district has 10 committees charged with investigating ways to sustain the basin’s economy and leave its small towns thriving. Can it attract Internet technology developers? Can the remaining water be used for higher-value purposes? Can new technology irrigate more e ciently?

“We do know we must evolve,” Lenz told me. e farmers began large-scale pumping with the arrival of center-pivot sprinklers, a technology invented in Colorado in 1940. ey’re remarkably e cient at extracting underground water. Now,

they must gure out sustainable agriculture. at’s a very di cult conversation. Aquifers created over millions of years are being depleted in a century.

e Republican River shares similarities with the better-known and much larger Colorado River Basin.

e mid-20th century was the time of applying human ingenuity to development of water resources. Now, along with past miscalculations, the warming climate is exacting a price, aridi cation of the Colorado River Basin.

Globally, the latest report from climate scientists paints an even greater challenge. To avoid really bad stu , they say, we must halve our greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. ey insist upon need for new technologies, including ways to suck carbon out of the atmosphere, that have yet to be scaled.

We need that evolution of accountability described in Colorado’s Republican River Basin. We need a revolution of accountability on the global scale.

Allen Best, a longtime Colorado journalist, publishes Big Pivots. You can nd more at BigPivots.com

Area

BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Ca ring, compassionate hands — and sometimes feet — are used by massage therapists to help improve the lives of their clients. Massage is an ancient practice, and there are more than two dozen types throughout the world, therapists say.

Four massage therapists interviewed by Colorado Community Media say massage has become more accepted by the public, and more scienti c research is being done to document the health bene ts.

Massage can help with pain and injuries; decrease muscular tension; reduce blood pressure, swelling and in ammation; release endorphins; and much more, according to massage therapists.

“Even people who don’t have speci c problems can bene t from massage,” Destine Robertson with Alpine Medical Massage in Centennial and Conifer said. “Everybody has so much stress, and massage can help relieve that.”

People’s perceptions of massage have come a long way, the therapists said.

“A lot of people think of massage as pampering and relaxing,” Ti any Shocklee with Hearth re erapeutics in Golden said, “but it can help people who have many other issues, too.”

A blend of massage styles

Massage therapy is not an easy profession, requiring hours of training, a certi cation exam and licensing in Colorado.

“It’s become a more regulated eld,” said Mary Davis with Healing Traditions Bodywork in Evergreen, “which I think is best. I think it’s needed and necessary to protect people when they are potentially vulnerable going in for a personal treatment like massage.”

But education doesn’t stop at the 600 hours of initial training for most therapists. ey continue to learn di erent techniques to add to their repertoire.

“ e single most popular, most widely done type of massage in the U.S. and maybe in the world is

Swedish massage,” Davis said. “ at is part of your basic training. It is a bit lighter, more relaxing, with long strokes. en what I do and what a lot of therapists do is integrative massage. We have received additional training in areas that have spoken to us.”

Davis said most of the time she’s integrating di erent styles and techniques in one massage.

“I have a toolbox, and I pull di erent things out based on what I’m feeling that day in their tissues and what they need,” she explained.

Jenna Courage of Littleton erapeutic Massage Center said she has blended together many styles to create her own technique.

“I make each session specialized for each client,” Courage explained. “Some techniques I use on one client but not another. I feel like I am learning from my clients. ey come in with something new, and I gure out how to work with it, then take that knowledge and use it on someone with a similar issue.”

A satisfying career

Some massage therapists like Shocklee chose the practice as their rst career, while others nd massage therapy along their career paths. Davis and Shocklee have been massage therapists for 19 years, while Robertson has spent 22 years in the profession and Courage 31 years.

“Massage is important for me,” Shocklee said. “It’s what I’m meant to do. It helps me stay connected to myself. For me to go to work feels very focusing and a relief from other parts of my day that may be chaotic. It’s doing something that is single-minded by working with one person.”

Courage was working on a premedicine degree when she realized she had a strong interest in alternative health care. She visited a massage school and signed up the next week.

Robertson, for example, worked in a bakery before moving to massage therapy, quipping that kneading bread dough helped pave the

TYPES OF MASSAGE

Some of the many di erent forms of massage, including some employed by the massage therapists interviewed for this story. Definitions are provided by healthline.com.

Swedish massage: gentle full-body massage that’s great for people who are new to massage, want to release tension and desire gentle touch. It can help release muscle knots, and it’s also a good choice for when you want to fully relax during a massage.

Deep-tissue massage: uses more pressure than a Swedish massage. It’s a good option if you have muscle problems, such as soreness, injury, imbalance, tightness, chronic muscle pain. The massage therapist uses slow strokes and deep-finger pressure to relieve tension from the deepest layers of muscles and connective tissues.

Sports massage: a good option for repetitive-use injuries to a muscle such

as what you may get from playing a sport. It can be used to help prevent injuries. Sports massage can increase flexibility, improve athletic performance, relieve pain, reduce anxiety and release muscle tension.

Trigger point massage: best suited for people who have injuries, chronic pain, or a specific issue or condition. Sometimes, areas of tightness in the muscle tissues, known as trigger points, can cause pain in other parts of the body. By focusing on relieving trigger points, this type of massage can reduce pain.

Reflexology: a gentle to firm pressure on di erent pressure points of the feet, hands and ears. It’s best for people who are looking to relax or restore their natural energy levels. It’s also a good option for those who aren’t comfortable being touched on

CIRCLE PHOTO: Mary Davis with Healing Traditions Bodywork in Evergreen uses her forearm to massage areas of a client’s back.

massage therapists laud the benefits of the practice on their clients’ ailments, stress

Destine Robertson with Alpine Medical Massage in Centennial and Conifer massages a patient’s back. COURTESY PHOTOS

TOUCH

way to her next career. However, she said she should have known that massage therapy was her calling because as a young girl, she rubbed her grandmother’s shoulders. Her grandmother suggested massage therapy as a career.

Davis had a 20-year career in the nonpro t sector rst.

“I like doing things that help people, but I didn’t want to make the commute and sit in an o ce,” Davis said.

Helping others

e massage therapists agree that they continue to practice massage therapy for so many years because of the relationships they have with

MASSAGES

the entire body.

Shiatsu massage: best for people who want to feel relaxed and relieve stress, pain and tension. It’s a Japanese type of massage that promotes emotional and physical calm and relaxation, helps relieve pain, may relieve headaches, reduces muscle tension, improves sleep and fatigue, and may improve mood.

Thai massage: best for people who want a more active form of massage, and want to reduce and relieve pain and stress. It can also help improve flexibility, circulation and energy levels. Thai massage works the entire body using a sequence of movements that are similar to yogic stretching. The therapist uses palms and fingers to apply firm pressure to the body, and you will be stretched and twisted into various positions.

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their clients and because of their ability to help others with a multitude of issues.

“It’s a pretty amazing feeling to have somebody come in (for a massage) in pain or with an issue that is a big problem in their lives, and you’re able to gure out how to work with them to help either greatly improve or resolve that issue,” Courage said. “Just the feeling of seeing them feel better, to know that they are healthier, happier, more functional in their lives, and you helped create that.”

Shocklee added: “I feel like it’s very rewarding being able to increase people’s wellbeing. It de nitely can be therapeutic for me to help other people and make them feel better. For me personally, doing things like continuing education so I can keep learning new things and taking care of

Myofascial release therapy: involves releasing sti ness in the fascia, the connective tissue system that contains each muscle in the body. The therapist uses massage and stretch to any areas that feel tense with light pressure.

John F. Barnes Myofascial Release: a treatment used to treat chronic pain from the following: back, neck, menstrual, jaw, headaches, and others.

Ashiatsu massage: a technique where massage therapists use their feet to apply deep pressure to your body. It’s often called barefoot massage. Methods allow the deep tissues, joints and muscles to be massaged while easing the nervous system.

Reiki: a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is based on the idea that an unseen life-force energy flows through people and is what causes us to be alive. If one’s life-force energy is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

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Ti any Shocklee with Hearthfire Therapeutics in Golden massages a client’s shoulder. Shocklee also o ers ashiatsu massage during which she uses her feet.

COURTESY PHOTO

Polis targets local land use over a ordability

Governor backs sweeping reductions in cities’ powers to control zoning

BY JESSE PAUL AND ELLIOTT WENZLER THE COLORADO SUN

Fast-growing, housing-strapped Colorado communities would be barred from limiting construction of duplexes, triplexes and add-on housing units under a marquee measure unveiled in March by Gov. Jared Polis and Democratic state lawmakers aimed at addressing the state’s housing crisis by increasing residential density.

e land-use bill would also block limits on how many unrelated people can live in the same home and prevent Colorado’s largest cities from restricting what kind of housing can be built near transit stops. A separate measure, meanwhile, would ban municipalities from imposing new growth caps and eliminate existing ones.

e land-use proposal would apply di erently throughout the state depending on population size and housing needs, with the biggest impacts on Colorado’s most populous cities — Denver, Aurora, Boulder, Lakewood, Colorado Springs and Grand Junction and smaller suburbs near them — but also rules for rural communities and resort towns, which have faced their own unique housing struggles.

“ is is an a ordability crisis around housing in our state,” Gov. Jared Polis told e Colorado Sun.

“Absent action, it’s only going to get worse. We absolutely want to move our state in a way where homeownership and rent are more a ordable, and this will help get that done.”

Polis said the bills — one of which is more than 100 pages long — represent the most ambitious land-use policy changes in Colorado in about 40 years. e policy changes would take years to go into e ect, but the governor said if the state doesn’t act, Colorado could start to look like California, where homes are even less a ordable, and tra c is worse.

“We want to make sure we get ahead of the curve,” he said.

Local government leaders have been wary of the proposals, previewed in the governor’s State of the State address in January, because of how it would restrict their power to create and enforce housing policies.

“Respectfully, get o our lawn,” Kevin Bommer, executive director of the Colorado Municipal League, said at a gathering of local o cials in February when describing negotiations on the legislation with Polis’ o ce.

e organization’s board voted to oppose the land-use bill last week, Bommer said. “CML opposes this sweeping and breathtaking attempt to centralize local land use and zoning policy in the state Capitol, while doing nothing to guarantee a ordability,” Bommer said in a written statement, also calling the measure a

“breathtaking power grab.”

e only Colorado mayor who spoke in support of the bill at a Capitol news conference on March 22 rolling out the legislation was Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett. “ ere’s still some work to be done and I’m sure there’ll be changes hashed out,” he said. “But there is so much at value here.”

e bills are also expected to meet erce pushback from the few Republicans in the legislature, who are in the minority in the House and Senate and have little say over which measures pass or fail.

e measures have been the talk of the Capitol since the 2023 legislative session began in January, but the details of what’s in the legislation have been under wraps until now. Democrats will have less than two months to pass the bills through the House and Senate before the lawmaking term ends in early May.

e governor’s o ce says the landuse bill was drafted after more than 120 meetings with housing and business experts and local o cials and through research on similar policies passed in other states. Oregon, for instance, passed a law in 2019 requiring cities with a population greater than 1,000 to allow duplexes, while cities with more than 25,000 people must allow townhomes, duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes.

Rep. Steven Woodrow, a Denver Democrat who will be one of the prime sponsors of the land-use bill, said the measure is supposed to prevent some Colorado communities erecting barriers to development while their neighbors sprawl out of control, which can cause gentri cation and water issues.

“We have to do this at the state level because local political pressures are such that it hasn’t been hasn’t been done until now,” Woodrow said.

e measure reshaping land use in Colorado would apply only to municipalities, not counties. e governor’s o ce and the bills’ sponsors believe they can impose policy restrictions on cities and towns because housing is an issue of statewide concern, a position that could be tested in court.

“Research has shown that increasing housing supply, like building units like duplexes and townhomes, can increase a ordability,” Senate Majority Leader Dominick Moreno, a Commerce City Democrat and a lead sponsor of the bill, said at a news conference as the bill was unveiled. “Yet these types of housing are often prohibited in many of the communities that need them the most. And that doesn’t make sense.”

An unanswered question is whether developers will take advantage of the bill, should it pass.

“I think that people are anxious to provide housing,” said J.J. Ament, president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, which supports the bill. “I don’t think it really is a capital problem in Colorado. It is regulatory and environment. I think the capital will ow because the demand is there.”

e legislation is slated to be formally introduced this week. e measures were described in detail to e Sun by their sponsors and the governor.

e requirements will vary for di erent parts of the state depending on which of ve categories they fall into based on their population and housing needs. Here’s how the requirements would break down:

Tier 1, with cities that include: Arvada, Aurora, Boulder, Brighton, Broom eld, Castle Pines, Castle Rock, Centennial, Cherry Hills Village, Columbine Valley, Commerce City, Denver, Edgewater, Englewood, Erie, Federal Heights, Glendale, Golden, Greenwood Village, Lafayette, Lakewood, Littleton, Lochbuie, Lone Tree, Longmont, Louisville, Northglenn, Parker, Sheridan, Superior, ornton, Westminster and Wheat Ridge.

Outside of the Denver metro area, Greeley, Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Colorado Springs, Fountain, Grand Junction and Pueblo would also be considered Tier 1 cities.

Cities in this category have a population of at least 1,000 and are in a metropolitan planning organization — such as the Denver Regional Council of Governments — with a population greater than 1 million and in a Census Urbanized Area with a population greater than 75,000. Cities with a population greater than 25,000 and in a metropolitan planning organization with a population less than 1 million would also fall into this category.

Tier 1 cities would be most affected by the land-use bill. ey would be prohibited from restricting duplexes, triplexes and multiplexes up to six units, as well as accessorydwelling units, sometimes referred to as ADUs or granny ats. ey would also be prohibited from requiring parking tied to those kinds of housing.

ADUs are habitable structures that are on the same property as a house but a separate building, such as an apartment over a garage. Many municipalities across the state restrict where and how they can be built.

Tier 1 cities would also have to allow the construction of multifamily housing near transit centers, which are de ned as the half-mile area around xed-rail stations. Cities wouldn’t be allowed to require new, o -street parking for multifamily homes built in transit corridors, though developers could provide any amount of parking they feel is needed.

Tier 1 cities would also be subject to development guidelines aimed at promoting housing density and walkable communities around socalled key transit corridors, which are de ned as areas within a quarter mile of bus-rapid-transit and highfrequency bus routes.

Finally, Tier 1 cities will also be required to complete a housing needs plan based on a state housing needs assessment, as well as participate in long-term planning to stop sprawl and address environmental concerns, like greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and limited water.

Tier 1 cities have the option of meeting minimum land-use requirements set by the state, which the governor’s o ce refers to as the “ exible option.” If not, they would be forced to adopt a state-developed

land-use code. e state code would be created by Colorado Department of Local A airs regulators at a later date.

Tier 1 cities would have to submit codes compliant with the bill to the state by December 2024. Any Tier 1 cities that don’t meet the minimum standards under the legislation’s so-called “ exible option” would be forced to operate under the model land-use code starting in December 2025.

Tier 2 is next, which includes Dacono, Fort Lupton, Firestone, Frederick, Evans, Berthoud, Johnstown, Timnath, Eaton, Miliken, Severance and Monument.

ey are de ned as cities in a metropolitan planning organization that have a population of between 5,000 and 25,000 and in a county with a population greater than 250,000.

Tier 2 cities would be prohibited from restricting accessory-dwelling units and parking associated with ADUs, though they would be able to block duplexes, triplexes and multiplexes. ey would also be exempt from provisions around transit centers and corridors.  ey would, however, still be required to conduct housing needs assessments and create the same type of long-term housing and sprawl and environmental plans.

Tier 2 cities would have to submit codes compliant with the bill to the state by December 2024. Any Tier 1 cities that don’t meet the minimum standards under the legislation’s

so-called “ exible option” would be forced to operate under the model land-use code starting in December 2025.

Another category is dubbed, Rural Resort Job Centers. is category includes Aspen, Avon, Breckenridge, Crested Butte, Dillon, Durango, Frisco, Glenwood Springs, Mountain Village, Silverthorne, Snowmass Village, Steamboat Springs, Telluride, Vail and Winter Park.

Rural resort job centers are dened as municipalities that have a population of at least 1,000 and at least 1,200 jobs and are outside of a metropolitan planning organization. ey also have regional transit service with at least 20 trips per day. is category is intended to prompt local governments to work with their surrounding region to

address housing shortfalls. e communities would be required to allow ADUs but then have to develop a regional housing needs plan to identify where zoning should happen for duplexes, triplexes and other multiplexes. e communities would also have to work together to boost transit corridors and housing surrounding them.

“ ere’s often a dynamic in rural areas where people may live in one community but work in another, and because of that the additional exibility is that they can reach agreements with their partner communities to have a more regional approach to some of the goals that are in the bill,” Moreno said.

Like Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, rural resort job centers would have the ability to choose between a mini-

mum level of housing policies while maintaining some of their own design standards or be forced to adopt a model land-use code that will be created by the state. e speci cs on those two options are not laid out in the bill and would be determined later by state regulators.

“ e goals aren’t as stringent as the (ones for) urban municipalities,” said Moreno.

Rural resort job centers would have to submit land-use codes compliant with the bill to the state by December 2026. Any rural resort job centers that don’t meet the minimum standards under the bill’s flexible option would have to operate under the state’s model land-us code starting in June 2027.

Yet another category is called NonUrban Municipalities. Any municipality with a population greater than 5,000 falls into this category — as long as it’s not in another category — including Alamosa, Brush, Cañon City, Carbondale, Cortez, Craig, Eagle, Fort Morgan, Gunnison, La Junta, Lamar, Montrose, Ri e, Sterling, Trinidad and Wellington. Non-urban municipalities would be prohibited from restricting accessory-dwelling units but won’t have requirements around duplexes, triplexes and other multiplexes or transit-oriented development. ey also won’t need to prepare a housing needs plan.

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.

Workers frame townhomes in Littleton.

FILE PHOTO BY DAVID GILBERT

Battling property tax bills could be settled at ballot

berg, D-Boulder, told reporters. “I know there’s conversations happening with advocates, with connected districts, with businesses etc.”

BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

e Colorado legislature’s inaction so far this year on a long-term x e ort to address rising property tax bills has prompted two scal policy nonpro ts — one conservative and the other liberal — to propose competing ballot measures that would dramatically reshape the state’s nancial picture.

e policy battle is a repeat of what happened at the Colorado Capitol last year, when the same groups, neither of which have to disclose their donors, initiated property tax ballot measures when the General Assembly was slow to act. ey backed down only when lawmakers passed a Band-Aid bill giving property owners two years of temporary tax relief.

Property tax revenue funds schools and local governments, meaning that any discussion about how they should change carries extremely high stakes. e stakes have only increased since Colorado voters in 2020 repealed the Gallagher Amendment, which prevented residential property tax bills from getting too big but, when combined with the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, strangled local government budgets.

Rising property values across Colorado after the COVID-19 pandemic began have caused property tax bills to jump, too. Coloradans will get new property assessments from their counties starting May 1.  Colorado’s property taxes are among the nation’s lowest. But a big increase in property tax bills will really a ect people with xed incomes, such as retirees, who bought their homes when they were worth much less and weren’t expecting such a large nancial burden.

Gov. Jared Polis and Democrats, who control the Capitol, say they are committed to coming up with a long-term x this year. But the legislative session is more than halfway over — the General Assembly adjourns May 8 — and no proposals have been made public.

e governor and lawmakers have committed to expanding an existing property tax relief plan in the 2023 and 2024 tax years to $900 million, $200 million more than what was approved during the 2022 legislative session in a deal that got the nonpro ts to abandon their ballot measures.

“Conversations are obviously ongoing,” Senate President Steve Fen-

In the absence of state lawmakers doing something, however, independent groups have stepped in to try to ll the vacuum — and also pressure the General Assembly to get moving.

Advance Colorado, the conservative scal nonpro t, entered the property tax conversation rst this year with Initiative 21, which would be on the November statewide ballot. It would amend the state constitution to cap property tax increases at 3% per property and set aside up to $100 million in state TABOR surplus each year for re districts.

TABOR caps government growth and spending each year based on population increases and the rate of in ation. Any money collected above the cap must be refunded to taxpayers unless voters say otherwise.

Michael Fields, who leads Advance Colorado, said the measure is an insurance policy against legislative inaction this year. “I think we’re wanting to see what the legislature comes up with,” Fields said. “But given that we can’t go back in time, we wanted to get it led and get it through the process.”

e Bell Policy Center, the liberalleaning scal nonpro t, responded last week by ling eight proposed 2023 ballot measures for review by the state’s Title Board. If they are approved, Bell Policy Center can begin collecting signatures to have them placed on the fall ballot.

e measures, submitted in partnership with the Colorado Education Association, the state’s largest teacher union, would reduce or cap property tax increases and/or use TABOR surplus to replace the revenue lost by school, re district and local water project budgets.

Scott Wasserman, who leads the Bell Policy Center, says the measures are intended to neutralize Initiative 21 from Advance Colorado and also serve as a hedge against legislative inaction on property tax policy this year.

“It is clear from the initiatives already led by those who seek to destroy Colorado’s revenue base that these interests want to undercut the legislature’s ability to address the uneven e ects of a property tax spike,” the Bell Policy Center and Colorado Education Association said in a joint statement. “ e measures we’ve led would restrict the damage of possible statewide reductions or limitations, and ensure communities are adequately funded, while also protecting property taxpayers at this time of increasing property values. In the event the legislature is unable to reach a solution this year, we fully intend to move them

forward and supersede any other initiative.”

Here’s the gist of what the Bell Policy Center/Colorado Education Association measures would do, in some combination:

Direct TABOR surplus — forecast to be more than $2.5 billion in the current scal year ending June 30 — to education, local re districts and water projects to make up for any money lost from property tax assessment rate reductions or caps on Coloradans’ increasing property tax bills. e measures wouldn’t a ect TABOR surplus until the 2023-24 scal year, which begins July 1.

Cap commercial and residential property tax increases at 3% annually, unless a property is valued at more than $2 million or $3 million, depending on the version of the ballot measure. Two of the initiatives would instead limit property tax increases by lowering property assessment rates.

Groups often le several iterations of the same or similar ballot measures and then decide later which one to pursue.

Some of the Bell Policy Center/ Colorado Education Association proposals would change statute and others that would amend the state constitution. Wasserman estimates the changes would reduce property tax revenue by about $800 million. If state economic and tax forecasts are correct, there should be enough TABOR surplus in coming years to replace the de cit.

In reality, it will be very di cult for either Advance Colorado or the Bell Policy Center to get a property tax measure on the November ballot.

It takes time and a lot of money — potentially millions — to go through the Title Board process and then collect the 125,000 voter signatures required to get an initiative on the statewide ballot.

It’s even harder to get a constitutional amendment on the statewide

ballot. at comes with the additional requirement that the voter signatures gathered include at least 2% of the registered voters in each of Colorado’s 35 state Senate districts. Advance Colorado has deep pockets — again, it doesn’t disclose its donors — and Fields has a proven track record of getting scal policy questions on the ballot.

Bell Policy Center, by comparison, is backed by some wealthy foundations, including Gary Community Ventures, a philanthropic group focused on policy change that helps children and families. But the Bell Policy Center hasn’t really spent the kind of money that Advance Colorado and its associated political nonpro ts have dedicated to ballot measures in recent election cycles.  Fields cast doubt on the Bell Policy Center’s ability to follow through.

“I would encourage Scott and his donors to do some polling on how popular TABOR refunds are with Coloradans. Last time, they couldn’t even get enough signatures to get their tax hike (Initiative 271 in 2020) on the ballot, so it’s hard to believe these are actually serious proposals.”

Wasserman pointed out that Initiative 12 — which would have tied income tax rates to the amount of money people make, charging higher earners more — was a proposed constitutional amendment and that signature gathering for the measure was launched during the pandemic. He said his proposals this year are 100% serious.

“We always are serious when we le measures at the Title Board,” he said. “You can’t just cut local revenue without a back ll for the loss.” 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.

As time runs out at the Capitol to address property tax issues, advocates for change look to take the issues to voters. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

Governor wants fix as competing nonprofits o er their solutions

CROWSS UP DRO ELZZ

Legal paraprofessionals will be able to represent some clients

Goes into e ect July 1

BY PAOLO ZIALCITA COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

e Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that licensed legal paraprofessionals without law degrees will be able to represent clients in certain cases.

Starting July 1, licensed legal paraprofessionals may le court documents and represent their clients in mediation during domestic cases involving divorce proceedings and child custody hearings. LLPs will also be able to accompany clients to court and answer a judge’s questions, but will be unable to present oral arguments or question witnesses.

e state Supreme Court’s decision was done in the hopes of making legal representation more widely available and more a ordable.

“Making it easier for people to secure legal representation in these often di cult matters has been a long-term goal of our commitment to ensuring access to justice for all Coloradans,” Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Brian D. Boatright said in a statement. “Allowing non-lawyers to provide limited legal representation for people who otherwise couldn’t a ord it will not only help those litigants, but it will help the courts e ciently and e ectively handle their cases.”

According to Colorado’s Judicial

Answers

THANKS for

Branch, 74 percent of parties involved in domestic-related cases between July 2021 and June 2022 represented themselves.

Prospective legal paraprofessionals will be subject to similar educational requirements as lawyers before they’re able to represent clients, as outlined by the new Rule 207 of the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure.

First, applicants must either work the equivalent of three full-time years in family law, or obtain certi cation, such as an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies, or a paralegal certi cate while completing a four-year degree program. ose who pursue their license through obtaining a degree must also work 1,500 hours in “law-related practical experience,” including 500 hours of experience in Colorado family law.

Applicants also have to pass several courses, including ones on ethics and professional conduct.

After those requirements are met, applicants have to pass a written exam administered by the O ce of Attorney Regulation Counsel. e rst LLPs could receive their licenses in July 2024.

Colorado will be one of ve states who allow non-lawyers to practice limited law, joining Arizona, Minnesota, Oregon, and Utah.

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

Paraprofessionals will be able to represent some clients starting July 1. SHUTTERSTOCK

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Service Directory

experience. May also be eligible for loan forgiveness! Excellent benefits, including full health benefits & mileage reimbursement. Flexible scheduling with the opportunity to complete some work at home. To apply for this position, please visit our website ecboces.org and click on the “Jobs” page, click on the job you are interested in & then click on the grey button “Apply Online”, located at the bottom of the job listing. EOE. Questions contact Tracy at (719) 775-2342, ext. 101 or email tracyg@ ecboces.org

Help Wanted

Registered Occupational Therapist/ COTA Full-Time and part-time Registered Occupational Therapist/COTA for 2023-24 School Year! OTR must have, or be eligible for appropriate Colorado licensure. Provide Pre-12 intervention, assessment, direct & indirect services just east of Denver on I-70, Bennett, Strasburg Byers & Kiowa areas COTA Needed for Limon & Surrounding Areas

Support from an experienced

COTA is available for OT. Full

Time Salary range: MA $50,450$56,050 PhD $55,700 -$61,300.

Part-Time Salary prorated based on the number of days employed. COTA Salary range BA $41,222$46,600. Excellent Benefits. Access to a company vehicle or mileage reimbursement. May be eligible for a loan forgiveness program! Flexible scheduling with the opportunity to complete some work at home. To apply for this position, please visit our website ecboces.org and click on the “Jobs” page, click on the job you are interested in & then click on the grey button “Apply Online”, located at the bottom of the job listing. EOE Questions contact Tracy at (719) 775-2342, ext. 101 or email tracyg@ ecboces.org.

Help Wanted

Educational Audiologist

East Central BOCES is looking for a part-time Educational Audiologist for the 2023-24 school year

• CDE Special Services and Colorado Audiologist licensure required; CCC’s or AAA certificate; knowledge of current technologies in Audiology including HAT systems and cochlear implants preferred.

• Experience with children 0-21 preferred.

• Complete evaluations, provide direct services, and consultation services, manage hearing equipment and oversee hearing screening program.

• Benefits include: a signing bonus, mileage reimbursement

• Flexible scheduling with some opportunity to work from home.

• May be eligible for a loan forgiveness program.

• Ph.D. Salary $51,450-$60,550.

• For Questions, please contact Tracy at tracyg@ecboces.org or 719-775-2342 ext. 101.

• To apply for this position, please visit our website ecboces.org and click on the “Jobs” page, click on the job you are interested in & then click on the grey button “Apply Online”, located at the bottom of the job listing. EOE

Colorado GOP starts battle against open primary

Letter to federal agency asks for ‘advisory opinion’

BY CAITLIN KIM COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

e Colorado GOP is taking its rst step towards closing the Republican primary.

In a letter sent to the Federal Election Commission last week, the Colorado Republican State Central Committee and its new chairman Dave Williams asked for “an advisory opinion” on whether the party can “establish a legal fund to challenge the constitutionality” of Colorado’s open primary election law.

“ e Colorado Republican Committee wishes to explore a lawsuit against

the State of Colorado, which would challenge the constitutionality of Proposition 108,” stated the letter, written on behalf of the party by attorneys with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. e legal fund would defray the costs of legal action.

In 2016, Colorado voters approved Proposition 108, which allowed una liated

voters, now the state’s largest bloc, to vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary. e law does have a provision allowing a party to opt out of the open primary system and instead pick its candidates through a caucus process, but 75 percent of the members of the state central committee must support the move.

An e ort two years ago to close the party’s 2022 primary failed to win enough support from the central committee.

In 2022, individual Republicans tried to challenge the constitutionality of the law, but the case was dismissed because the court said they did not have standing, only the party would.

According to the letter, the committee chairman, Williams, would establish the fund and appoint a governing board with “ nal authority” over spending the money. “ e Fund plans to accept unlimited amounts from individuals, political committees, corporations, and labor organizations,” the letter states, and would only be used for the lawsuit.

e move is not surprising. Williams talked about closing the GOP primary as

he campaigned for the state party chair job.

“We must work to close the primaries so that only Republicans choose our Republican nominees,” he said. “We cannot a ord to let Democrats become una liated so that they then can meddle in our primaries, like they did with (Rep.) Lauren Boebert. We must defend and protect our caucus assembly.”

Williams was referring to a grassroots campaign where some Democrats dropped their party a liation to vote in the CO-3 Republican primary. It proved unsuccessful, as Boebert easily won the primary.

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.

Legals

Metropolitan Districts

Public Notice

NOTICE OF HEARINGS CONCERNING INCLUSION OF REAL PROPERTY

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that there have been filed with the Board of Directors of the Spring Valley Metropolitan District No. 1 (“District”), located in Elbert County, Colorado, three (3) petitions requesting the Board adopt resolutions approving the inclusion of certain property into the boundaries of such District (“Petitions”).

1. The name and address of the Petitioner and a general description of the property that is the subject of such Petitions is as follows:

Petitioner: Spring Valley Metropolitan District No. 1 c/o Special District Management Services, Inc. 141 Union Blvd., Suite 150 Lakewood, CO 80228

Description: Tract B2, Spring Valley Subdivision Filing No. 1, County of Elbert, State of Colorado, consisting of approximately 2.013 acres; and

Tract B, Spring Valley Subdivision Filing No. 7, County of Elbert, State of Colorado, consisting of approximately 0.921 acres; and

Tract C, Spring Valley Subdivision Filing No. 7, County of Elbert, State of Colorado, consisting of approximately 2.756 acres.

2. Accordingly, pursuant to Section 32-1-401(1) (b), C.R.S., notice is hereby given that the Board of Directors of the District shall hold a public meeting to hear the Petitions on Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. Meeting information is as follows:

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7636703470

Meeting ID: 763 670 3470

To join by phone: Call In: 1 720 707 2699 Meeting ID: 763 670 3470

Participant Code: press #

3. All interested persons shall attend such meeting and show cause in writing why such Petition should not be granted. All protests and objections shall be deemed to be waived unless submitted in writing to the District (c/o McGeady Becher P.C., 450 E. 17th Ave., Ste. 400, Denver, CO 80203) at or prior to the hearing or any continuance or postponement thereof in order to be considered.

SPRING VALLEY METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

1

By:/s/ MARYANN M. McGEADY Attorney

for the District

Legal Notice No. 24982

First Publication: April 6, 2023

Last Publication: April 6, 2023

Publisher: Elbert County News

Public Notice NOTICE OF OPEN MEETING FOR HEARING ON PETITION FOR EXCLUSION OF REAL PROPERTY FROM THE ELIZABETH PARK AND RECREATION DISTRICT

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to all interested persons that a Petition for Exclusion of real property has been filed with the Board of Directors of the Elizabeth Park and Recreation District. The Board of Directors has fixed Tuesday, the 18th day of April, 2023, at the hour of 7:00 p.m., at Casey Jones Pavilion, 4189 Highway 86, Elizabeth, CO 80107, as the date, time and place of an open meeting at which such Petition shall be heard.

The name and address of the Petitioner is:

Dean E. Barrett

L. Barrett

Loretta

Sharon D. Barrett

Ty R. Barrett 36600 County Rd 13 Elizabeth, CO 80107

The property to be excluded from the District is generally described as follows:

Section: 31 Township: 7 Range: 64 TRACT OF LAND W2 Section: 36 Township: 7 Range: 65

E2NE4DESC B491 P541

Elbert County, State of Colorado, set forth in the legal description of the property contained in the Petition for Exclusion which is on file with the District and available for public inspection.

Also known as 36600 County Rd 13 and 36500 County Road 13, Elizabeth CO 80107

All interested parties may appear at such hearing to show cause in writing why such Petition should not be granted.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE ELIZABETH PARK AND RECREATION DISTRICT.

ELIZABETH PARK AND RECREATION DISTRICT

By:/s/ Kelly Moffatt, President

Legal Notice No. 24981

First Publication: April 6, 2023

Last Publication: April 6, 2023

Publisher: Elbert County News

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that there have been filed with the Board of Directors of the Spring Valley Metropolitan District No. 3 (“District”), located in Elbert County, Colorado, two (2) petitions requesting the Board adopt resolutions approving the exclusion of certain property from the boundaries of the District (“Petitions”).

1.The name and address of the Petitioner and a general description of the property that is the subject of such Petitions is as follows:

Petitioner: Spring Valley Metropolitan District No. 1 c/o Special District Management Services, Inc. 141 Union Blvd., Suite 150 Lakewood, CO 80228

Description: Tract B, Spring Valley Subdivision Filing No. 7, County of Elbert, State of Colorado, consisting of approximately 0.921 acres; and Tract C, Spring Valley Subdivision Filing No. 7, County of Elbert, State of Colorado, consisting of approximately 2.756 acres.

2.Accordingly, pursuant to Section 32-1-501(2), C.R.S., notice is hereby given that the Board of Directors of the District shall hold a public meeting to hear the Petition on Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. Meeting information is as follows:

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7636703470 Meeting ID: 763 670 3470

To join by phone: Call In: 1 720 707 2699 Meeting ID: 763 670 3470 Participant Code: press #

3.All interested persons shall attend such meeting and show cause in writing why such Petition should not be granted. All protests and objections shall be deemed to be waived unless submitted in writing to the District (c/o McGeady Becher P.C., 450 E. 17th Ave., Ste. 400, Denver, CO 80203) at or prior to the hearing or any continuance or postponement thereof in order to be considered.

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Special Administrator or to the Elbert County District Court on or before August 6, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Marco D. Chayet Jennifer R. Oviatt Special Administrator 18th Judicial District Public Administrator’s Office P.O. Box 460749, Denver, CO 80246 (303) 355-8520

Legal Notice No. 24984

First Publication: April 6, 2023

Last Publication: April 20, 2023

Publisher: Elbert County News

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF CARL F. PITCHFORD, aka CARL FREDRICK PITCHFORD, aka CARL PITCHFORD, aka FRED PITCHFORD, DECEASED

Case Number: 2023 PR 30016

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of ELBERT County, Colorado on or before August 5, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

W. Douglas Hoak, Reg. #43148

Attorney to the Personal Representative 8055 E. Tufts Ave., Suite 1350 Denver, CO 80237

Legal Notice No. 24970

First Publication: March 23, 2023

Last Publication: April 6, 2023

Publisher: Elbert County News

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS:

Estate of Noel Claire Dalbey, a.k.a. Noel Dalbey, a.k.a. Noel C. Dalbey Deceased

Case Number: 23PR30017

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or the District Court, Elbert County, Colorado, on or before July 23, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Carla Dalbey Schwartzkopf, Personal Representative, 11634 E Evans Ave. Aurora, Colorado 80014

Legal Notice No. 24974

First Publication: March 23, 2023

Last Publication: April 6, 2023

Publisher: Elbert County News

Public Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Janet Marie Turbett, a/k/a/ Janet M. Turbett, a/k/a Janet Turbett, Deceased. Case Number: 2023PR30008

All persons having claims against the above named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Elbert County, Colorado on or before August 4, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Marta Arndt, Personal Representative C/O Peek Goldstone, LLC, 822 7th Street Suite 520 Greeley, CO 80631

Legal Notice No. 24980

First Publication: March 30, 2023

Last Publication: April 13, 2023

Publisher: Elbert County News

Name Changes

PUBLIC NOTICE

Public Notice of Petition for Change of Name

Public notice is given on February 16, 2023, that a Petition for a Change of Name of an adult has been filed with the Elbert County Court.

The Petition requests that the name of Jodell Rennae Mutschler be changed to Jody Rennae Mutschler Case No.: 23C7

By: Jafeen Jenkins, Clerk of Court / Deputy Clerk

Legal Notice No. 24971

First Publication: March 23, 2023

Last Publication: April 6, 2023

Publisher: Elbert County News

PUBLIC NOTICE

Public Notice of Petition for Change of Name

Public notice is given on March 6, 2023, that a Petition for a Change of Name of an adult has been filed with the Elbert County Court.

The Petition requests that the name of Erica Shinya Kim be changed to Erica Kim Shinya

Case No.: 23C81

By: Brian Fields, Magistrate

Legal Notice No. 24972

First Publication: March 23, 2023

Last Publication: April 6, 2023

Publisher: Elbert County News

***

Elbert County Legals April 6, 2023

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