An ordinance establishing Planned Unit Development zoning for the Elizabeth West development was decisively shot down by Elizabeth voters on Tuesday, with 487 “no” votes and just 181 “yes” votes in uno cial results.
e Elizabeth High School Class of 2023 took to the eld on Saturday, May 13 in the annual graduation ceremony. Clad in red and white, students walked across the stage to receive their well-deserved recognition.
“As their principal I am humbled by what our students and sta can accomplish. e dedication put forth by these students, their parents and our sta make my job worthwhile every day,” commented Principal Bret McClendon in an email correspondence from May 15. “My advice to the class of 2023 is to not take yourself too seriously. Instead, focus on what you can control and what you can do to make those around you better.”
Earlier in the month, seven members of the graduating class were named as this year’s valedictorians. e seven exemplify exceptional scholastic and extracurricular achievements.
e 2023 EHS valedictorians are Ava Archer, Bethany Breikss, Reiley Callighan, Ella Hedman, Sydney Kissinger, Brady Mowbray and Karli Pronske.
“ is class of valedictorians is outstanding. We have a National Merit Finalist, as well as athletic state champions,” said McClendon.
“All of these individuals have been
A few miles from the Nebraska border on Colorado’s Eastern Plains, Danny Wood’s family has been growing wheat, corn and other grains for generations. Wood is a dryland farmer, which means he relies on rain to water his crops instead of irrigation, so planting has to be carefully timed.
“If you don’t get your crop planted, or you lose it in a hailstorm, it’s just devastation because you don’t go to work and get a paycheck. ere went your paycheck,” he said in an interview just before this year’s planting
Wood has over a million dollars’ worth of farm equipment like tractors, planters and combine harvesters to manage his 8,000 acres of crops. He bought his massive computerized red tractor just over a year ago. It is controlled by touchscreen monitors and can even be programmed to carry out tasks like tilling and planting a eld autonomously.
When the new tractor broke down during planting season last year, however, he had to wait four days for an authorized technician to come x it - at a cost of nearly $10,000.
“We tried everything. Couldn’t get it to work. So, we just waited for them to come and he put that code in,” Wood said. “If they would have just told us the code, we could have put it in ourselves.”
Wood’s experience is far from unique. Farmers and ranchers across Colorado can’t x their equipment because manufacturers don’t give them access to the specialized tools and technical manuals to do so.
at’s going to change soon, however. A new state law recently signed by Gov. Jared Polis guarantees the right to repair one’s own agriculture equipment by requiring manufacturers to hand over parts, software, instructions, and other necessary tools. e law takes e ect on January 1, 2024.
e law is the rst of its kind in the U.S., although other states have tried and failed to pass similar legislation, including Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Texas and Vermont.
e head of the National Farmers Union, Rob Larew, said that’s mostly because lawmakers don’t understand the problem. To him, it’s an individual rights issue.
“If we think about it as our car or our phone or something like that, we have this idea that this is our property, right?” Larew told KUNC. “Farmers are very independent.
ey feel the exact same way about
their equipment that they’ve made an incredible investment in.”
State Rep. Brianna Titone, a Democrat from Arvada, helped write Colorado’s new right-to-repair law.
“ is puts them in that category of being able to have the latest, greatest equipment, be able to stay on top of their repairs, and keep the production going,” Titone said. “Producing more stu to grow and feed our communities — that’s a good thing.”
Titone sponsored the new legislation along with Republican Rep. Ron Weinberg of Loveland. Most of Weinberg’s GOP colleagues voted against the bill, though, including Rep. Richard Holtorf of Akron.
“ is is big government forcing business to do things, perhaps against their will. It’s an overreaching extension of government,” Holtorf said. “ e real problem is we don’t have enough technicians out there.”
Manufacturing trade groups also have fought bills that allow user repairs. Joani Woelful, president of the Far West Equipment Dealers Association, which represents agriculture equipment dealers across the Western U.S., said the industry has put a lot of time and money into training technicians.
“ ey want to take everything that the industry has done, all the investment that they’ve made in their employees, and they want you to hand it over to them,” Woelful said.
Woelful and Holtorf say farmers and ranchers often have to wait days for a technician to show up because there aren’t enough to go around.
Danny Wood, back in northeastern Colorado, is one of Rep. Holtorf’s constituents. He said the new state law will help take some pressure o the technicians.
“ ey’re gonna have plenty of service,” he said. “When it takes ve days for him to come look at your combine and three days for him to come back and look at your tractor, they’re overbooked anyway, so they need some other help.”
He just wants farmers like himself to be able to x what they can, when they need to, so they can successfully plant and harvest their crops.
is is from e Associated Press
Right-to-repair law will take e ect starting in 2024 ‘We tried everything. Couldn’t get it to work.’Danny Wood, Northeastern Colorado farmer
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involved in multiple activities outside of their academics, all showing to be wellrounded students.”
e Elbert County News asked the seven EHS valedictorians to share their post-graduation plans, their favorite EHS memories, and their advice for the Class of 2023.
Ava Archer
Post-graduation plan: I plan to attend the University of Colorado Boulder in the fall. I am going to pursue a degree in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology. After I receive a bachelor’s degree from CU Boulder, I am going to continue my education at the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus in hopes of becoming a physician assistant in emergency medicine.
Favorite EHS memory: Among my favorite memories are the league volleyball games, the football playo game my junior year, and nearly every aspect of my senior year.
Advice for the Class of 2023: Work hard for everything you want because only you are responsible for making your dreams come true.
Bethany Breikss
Post-graduation plan: I plan to go to CU Boulder
and have a major in biology to get a pre-medical degree.
Favorite EHS memory: My favorite memories from EHS are the close connections I made with other people in gymnastics, track and in class.
Advice for the Class of 2023: My advice would be to work hard but not worry too much because it will all work out.
Reiley Callighan
Post-graduation plan:
rently planning on attending Colorado School of Mines for an aerospace engineering degree.
Favorite EHS memory: One of my favorite memories from high school would be one of my last football games, where we beat TCA on my senior night.
Advice for the Class of 2023: My advice for our class would be to push yourself
much more. Contact
to your limits and never doubt what you are capable of. If you put your mind to it and put in the hours, you can do almost anything.
Ella Hedman
Post-graduation plan: I will be attending University of North Dakota for commercial aviation and track and eld.
Favorite EHS memory: My favorite memory is probably qualifying for state in the 200-meter dash. It really felt like my hard work was paying o .
Advice for the Class of 2023: I would say my best advice is to make sure to nd purpose in everything you do. It will make working hard a lot easier if you have something outside of yourself as motivation.
Sydney Kissinger
Post-graduation plan: I plan on studying kinesiology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa after high school.
Favorite EHS memory: My favorite
and the ornate buildings of the cities, not to mention the friendships I built with the other high schoolers.
Advice for the Class of 2023: My advice to the class of 2023 is to make the most of the summer and enjoy the little things, as I said in my valedictorian speech. Spend as much time as possible with friends and family and know that you can quite literally do anything.
Karli Pronkse
Post-graduation plan: I will be attending York University, Nebraska, this upcoming fall to play volleyball and study strategic communications.
Favorite EHS memory: My favorite memory from my time at EHS would probably be my junior year prom. Taking pictures and going to dinner with our group of friends was so much fun, and we were really close with the seniors that year, so it was fun hanging out with all of them! My boyfriend and I also won Prom Prince and Princess, which was really cool!
Advice for the Class of 2023: Go chase your dreams and do what makes you happy. It doesn’t matter what other people think of you. As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.
Douglas County offices will be closed Monday, May 29, 2023. Many services are available at DoItOnlineDouglas.com
Energetic, friendly volunteers age 16 and older are needed during the Douglas County Fair & Rodeo from July 28-Aug. 6. Serve your community, celebrate your County’s history and have fun all at the same time. Visit douglascountyfairandrodeo.com and click on the Get Involved tab, to learn more and sign up.
Searching for a job, changing career paths, or discovering new skills to advance your career can be stressful and challenging. Arapahoe/ Douglas Works! is your one-stop-shop for employment assistance to land your next job, learn new skills or explore a new career path. For more information and to get started, visit adworks.org
Douglas County’s water provider locator allows you to enter your address or last name and find your water provider on an interactive map. This tool will guide you to your provider’s site where you can better understand seasonal water restrictions and more. Visit douglas.co.us and search for Water Providers
Roads are a necessity and they have to be maintained. Here’s where you’ll find everything you need to know about them all. Visit DouglasRoadWork.com to find out what’s going on in your neighborhood.
Colorado’s smaller cities and towns saw the greatest growth from 2020 to 2022, new U.S. Census Bureau estimates show, while the
state’s largest cities and ski towns saw declining or stable populations.
e population of Elizabeth rose from 1,717 to 2,285 in that period, a 33.1% increase, making it the fourth fastest-growing Colorado town.
e changes come as Colorado’s population ages and people search for more a ordable housing, state demographer Elizabeth Garner said.
Keenesburg, a Weld County town
along Interstate 76 about 40 miles northeast of Denver, logged the most growth with a 65% population explosion over two years. at town grew to 2,080 in 2022 from 1,258 in 2020.
e census estimates released ursday are based on births, deaths, people moving in and out and the number of housing units, Garner said. So they aren’t based on survey data like the census taken
every 10 years or the annual American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Previous estimates showed the state’s total population in 2022 at just over 5.8 million people, up about 1% since 2020.
Of the top 15 cities and towns for growth between 2020 and 2022 most were under 10,000 population.
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Six of the top 16 were all or partially in Weld County, with most of the top-growth towns north or east of the Denver metro area.
“ e area is ripe,” Garner said of the growth in so many small towns. “If you go out (I-76) east, you’re going to see the same thing, like in Wiggins. You’re going to see it east and north, because that’s areas where we have the most available land.”
Keenesburg saw signi cant growth after developers constructed hundreds of new homes in the small town in recent years. e project was expected to take about four years to complete. e homes were nished and sold in about 18 months, interim Town Manager Roger Tinklenberg said.
“Obviously there was pent-up demand in the area,” he said.
New residents say they moved to the area to get out of the big cities while still being able to commute to the Denver region for work, Tinklenberg said. Homes are also much more a ordable with a median home price about $100,000 cheaper than in Denver, according to Zillow. e town is set to develop further with up to 10,000 more homes possible over the next 30 years.
Still, Tinklenberg says there hasn’t
been any talk of changing the town’s motto: “Home of 500 happy people and a few soreheads.”
Some of those happy people (and maybe even the soreheads) are welcoming the growth, even if they don’t want to see it become anything close to a metropolitan area.
Brian Anderson, the director of school for a local commercial driver’s license school, said he’s hoping to see the town expand in a sustainable way.
“It’s going to impact infrastructure. … But at the same time, I think it’s going to bring some of the bene ts of growth, which could be more activities for the kids, maybe a rec center,” he said. “If the town doesn’t grow, it’s gonna get swallowed by the surrounding towns.”
e town of Timnath, which is just southeast of Fort Collins along I-25, saw the second highest growth, up 40%. at’s an increase of about 2,600 people.
“Northern Colorado just really is a very desirable place,” Timnath Town Manager Aaron Adams said. “I think that there’s a lot of things that are appealing to folks when they see those options, the options of new construction, new builds, a desirable school district, and then a town that they perceive to be well run and o ering a lot of things to draw them in.”
Adams said the town, which draws shoppers from throughout the region for its retail (including the
area’s only Costco), works to maintain a “small-town feel” by consistently hosting local events.
Over the next 15 to 20 years, Adams expects the town to reach its maximum capacity of about 35,000 residents, he said.
Castle Pines, 10th on the list, is one of the only two municipalities in the top 10 with more than 10,000 residents. Between 2020 and 2022, the city grew about 20% to 13,486 from 11,215.
City Manager Michael Penny told e Colorado Sun much of that expansion came from development agreements made in the 2010s that just recently came to fruition.
“I’m not surprised. I think it was intentional by the council,” Penny said. “ ere’s probably ex-council members that are thinking, ‘Finally, why’d it take so long?’”
Still, the city sees its growth as having stagnated recently.
“I think that (growth) would have continued except for the economic worldwide issues that are out there and I think it’ll pick up again once that all gets gured out,” Penny said.
Several mountain towns, including Vail and Aspen, were among the biggest population losers between 2020 and 2022.
at’s in part due to Colorado’s aging population.
“What we’re seeing is a lot of net migration out of the older adults,” Garner said.
About 75 municipalities saw less
than 1% change in their population, including ornton, Steamboat Springs, Golden, Crested Butte, Englewood, Lakewood and Pueblo.
And the state’s largest population centers are also seeing slower growth, with the exception of Castle Rock in Douglas County, which grew 8.5% between 2020 and 2022.
Denver, the state’s largest city, saw a slight population dip, while Colorado Springs, the second largest city, saw a 1.2% gain. Boulder saw the largest drop among the largest 15 cities, losing 2.4% of its population.
“Colorado is slowing down in terms of growth,” Garner said. “Colorado is in the middle of a pretty big transition, especially with the aging.”
Rising housing prices and that aging population likely mean more population changes ahead for the state.
“It’s going to be harder for Colorado to attract and retain the best and the brightest and we’ve never had that struggle before,” Garner said. “If a place is going to be ghting for you that has lower housing costs, you’re going to go there.”
e Colorado Sun co-owns Colorado Community Media as a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy. It is a reader-supported news organization dedicated to covering the people, places and policies that matter in Colorado. Read more, sign up for free newsletters and subscribe at coloradosun.com.
Even as the number of Coloradans ling to start a new business hit a new high this year, a “light” recession may come sooner than later, said economists from the University of Colorado during the Secretary of State’s quarterly economic update this month.
It was a week, after all, where another bank failed and the Federal Reserve increased interest rates. And it followed a recent report that the nation’s economic growth saw a signi cant slowdown in the rst quarter.
“It’s already increasing lending standards and it’s requiring the banks to be more cautious about making loans,” said Richard Wobbekind, senior economist and faculty director at the Business Research Division at CU’s Leeds School of Business. “ at could really slow down small business in particular given the types of banks we’re talking about.”
e Leeds economists have been hinting at a recession for several quarters but were pinning it to the
A bright spot? Consumer spending. It grew at an annual rate of 3.7%, which was better than the fourth quarter growth of 1%.
“ at’s notable because there are
rates,” Lewandowski said. “ ese are all things that should logically point to a slowdown in consumption. But, in fact, rst quarter consumption came in pretty strong.”
Next up is jobs and whether the slowing job growth in Colorado will improve. e state’s lagging job growth rate of 1.2% last year ranked Colorado as the second slowest state nationwide, behind West Virginia.
But the state Department of Labor and Employment said the number was likely undercounted and revisions of 17,400 are expected. at would improve Colorado’s outlook but still put the state around a 2% job growth rate last year, ranking it around 39th or 40th in the nation, Lewandowski said.
“A lot of this rests on hiring nationally,” he said. “I think what keeps us between slow growth and light recession is the pace of job growth.”
e number of job openings in the state translates to 2.4 job openings for every unemployed Coloradan.
Translating economic data seems like a Sisyphean task and one that is most accurate in retrospect. Economist Joe Craig addressed the topic earlier this week during a public meeting for the University of Colorado Colorado Springs Economic Forum, where he serves as interim director.
“People always ask, ‘Are we going into recession?’” Craig said. “Maybe? Probably? I don’t know. If you guys have been paying attention to my dashboard, I swear I switch every month.”
e important thing, he said, is
“Do you feel like you’re in a recession if you’re still employed and you can still meet all of your bills? Probably not,” he said. “A lot of what life is about is how do you feel about it? If you have a job, if you’re working, if you’re not worried about being evicted next month, even if you are in a recession, I’d argue that most people are OK with that situation. Maybe they’re not happy. ey’re not taking all the vacations they want to take, but they’re still employed.”
El Paso County had a 2.8% unemployment rate in March, which he called “crazy low.” Unemployment rates are pretty low all over the place, including Colorado’s 2.8% and the U.S. at 3.6%. at’s showing that even though wages are up, it’s still hard for employers to hire, he said. Hence, the back and forth with the recession since more jobs show growth.
For now, data from the Pikes Peak Workforce Center is showing that there are 43,000 job openings compared to 10,000 unemployed workers in Colorado Springs. at’s four jobs for every unemployed worker. It’s the skills mismatch that causes the disconnect, so that’s why job training is a priority at the workforce center.
In Colorado Springs, the top types of job openings were registered nurses, software developers and computer workers.
“ ere’s a skills mismatch, and that’s a problem,” he said. “ e upside is we do have people who want jobs.”
is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com.
e Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media
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The season is here for high school and college students to walk across the stage to get that document saying they are o cially ready for the next level. What the next level will be largely depends on what they decide.
However, I love this time of year for re ection purposes. At the high school level, and to some degree, the college level — what these students accomplished is also due to the love and support of family.
I remember when I graduated from high school. I was so excited to be one of the rst in my family to go to college. I grew up in a family where women mostly stayed home with the kids and worked if they had to. On the male side — most, including my three brothers, went into the military after high school.
For me, becoming a journalist was a dream and I believed I could do anything. I did become a journalist and am de nitely proud of what I have accomplished on that level. However, believing I can do anything is something tampered down a bit by life’s realities.
But, those days after high school and college graduation are great feelings of accomplishment in our lives.
Moving years down the road, another graduation moment I will always remember is one with my daughter. While she was 16 when her mom died and mostly had me o cially adopt her to take my husband’s name and get her through her nal year of high school — it was challenging.
She struggling to nish school. We struggled together. When she nally walked across that school stage that windy, rainy night in Arizona — she handed me this fake carnation. e rule for the ower was for all graduates to hand it to someone who made an impact in their lives.
For her to give it to me after struggling for some time after her mom died and her life changed — I was moved to tears. After giving me the ower, she walked passed me and put her arms around my dad’s shoulders and they walked away together. at image of pride and happiness will always be embedded in my mind.
As so many graduates are taking the steps to the next stage this month — it is a time for them to not worry about the what the future holds or how to pay for college — but instead to take a moment and enjoy the accomplishment, be proud of the hard work and thanks those around them for helping get them there.
For parents, grandparents and other family members — smile and take a breath, or just enjoy the importance of the moment without questioning what the future holds.
I love graduation season because maybe these ceremonies, parties and celebrations do force us to re ect a bit more. Something we should all do more often in the happy moments of our lives.
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
Many years ago, I remember hearing this question posed to a group of people going through some training, “How often should you tell your spouse that you love them?” Take a moment to consider what your response might be, and I will share the answer a little later in this column.
In speaking with a friend of mine who is a salesperson, he shared with me that he recently lost one of his best accounts. When I asked him what happened, he didn’t blame his company, the competition, the economy or anything else. He took full responsibility for not paying enough attention to them once the agreement was signed, he took the relationship for granted, never showing the customer how grateful he was that they trusted him with their business.
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ere is another story that I will share that came from a woman I know that I think we can all relate to. As she re ected on her relationship with her daughter, she said that she thought she was doing everything right when it came to raising her daughter, but like most of us parents who are far less than perfect, we miss things along the way. Her daughter grew distant and started making bad choices relative to the friends she was hanging around with. e woman said the one thing she could have done better is letting her daughter know just how much she loved her and appreciated her. Even though she did say those things, she felt like maybe it wasn’t enough.
Do you have your answers ready to the question of how often we should tell our spouses that we love them? e answer is this, before someone else does.
How often should we tell or show our customers how much we love and appre-
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A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado, the Elbert
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and this annual observance hits close to home for me, as a former single parent resident of Warren Village.
a domestic violence situation. Little did I know that this decision would not only provide me with a ordable housing and education opportunities, but also vital mental health services.
Before coming to Warren Village, I had already earned a certi cate in medical assisting, but was struggling to make ends meet. I saw the nonpro t as an opportunity to not only continue my education and pay low rent, but also access a range of services such as career development, housing and personal nance, child development and, of course, mental health counseling.
to virtual sessions. Despite the challenges, this counseling proved to be life-changing for me. I was diagnosed with PTSD and ADHD, and being able to work with a professional to organize my thoughts and feelings was a game-changer.
to prioritize your mental well-being. e recent pandemic has taken a toll on all of us, but particularly those who were already struggling with psychological issues.
Warren Village is a Denver-based nonpro t organization that helps low-income, single-parent families achieve sustainable personal and economic self-suciency. I moved in with my 4-year-old daughter in August of 2019, hoping to build a new life after leaving
Jada GalassiniIt was just before COVID-19 struck that I began meeting with Pam, a counselor at Warren Village. In response to the pandemic, we shifted
ciate them? How often should we tell our children how much we love them and cherish them? How often should we let our friends know how much they mean to us? How often should we tell the people who report to us how grateful we are for all that they do? e answer of course to each one of these questions is, before someone else does.
A spouse who feels unloved will eventually turn to someone else for love. A customer who isn’t feeling the love from a company will bring their business elsewhere. A child who isn’t receiving love, recognition or time from us will be left to their own to decide where they can feel like they are wanted or where they belong. Even our closest friends will start to drift away if they feel ignored or feel like it is a one-sided friendship. And we know how hard it is to nd great people to join our team, and how hard it is to retain top talent, we know that people usually don’t leave the company, they leave their leader or manager. Money isn’t the reason they leave either, it’s usually because they feel under appreciated.
I have asked the same question to
many groups over the years when I was conducting sales training or leadership training, so I have heard many of the responses that may have been running through your mind as you considered your response, every day, three times a day, all the time, every time you part company and every time you see each other again, morning noon and night, and many others. And these are all great answers, and when we can internalize the thought around, “Before someone else does,” we will more than likely increase our frequency for showing love and appreciation for those that matter most to us.
Are you making sure that the people around you are feeling loved and appreciated? Or was this a good reminder that even if we think we are saying it enough, we might be able to show it and say it a little bit more often? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com and when we can let others know how much we love them before anyone else does, 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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Since leaving Warren Village, I now own a home and possess the necessary resilience and coping skills to prioritize other aspects of my life, such as decorating my new house and providing my daughter with quality possessions without relying on government aid. I consider myself lucky to continue receiving help from Pam through regular counseling sessions, and I will always be appreciative to Warren Village for facilitating this connection.
Now, more than ever, it is crucial
So I urge all of us to take the time this month to focus on our mental health and well-being. It is not always easy to prioritize ourselves, but it is crucial to living a healthy and ful lling life. Seek help now instead of potentially having problems compound over time.
Let us remember that mental health is just as important as physical health, and work towards ending the stigma and ensuring that everyone has access to the care they need.
Jada Galassini is a resident of southeast Denver.
On most Tuesdays and ursdays and some Saturdays, a team of bikers meets to explore Colorado’s network of trails.
e group connects at a co ee shop in downtown Denver. When the weather isn’t too hot, it’s after work around 4 or 5 p.m. In the dead of summer, it’s usually in the morning.
ey sip on espresso and decide where they want to ride that day. It could be on the bike lanes of Denver, the 36 Bikeway to Boulder, the Platte River Trail to Brighton or other suburbs. Most of the time, it involves a stop along the way.
“We would go down the Platte River Trail to the C 470 trail and then Krispy Kremes along there. We call it the Krispy 50. It’s a 50-mile loop,” said Ted Schultz, one of the riders in the group.
e group started after Schultz and two colleagues in his o ce space decided to start riding together after work. Schultz rode with a few others and combined the two groups.
After the ride, they go to a brewery to catch up with one another and relax after the ride.
Part of the reason the group exists is due to Colorado’s extensive bike trail infrastructure. Schultz said it’s only improved in the past two decades.
“When you add up the miles of really good trails, it’s just mind-boggling,” he said.
Schultz, who grew up in Colorado, said understanding for cyclists sharing the road and building more infrastructure has vastly grown. In the 70s
and 80s, he could almost count on angry driver backlash during his rides. Now, not so much.
Much of that may be due to more focus on improving trails and streets.
e Denver Regional Council of Governments built a map that shows all the trails and bike lanes across the region. ey stretch all the way from Boulder to Clear Creek to Castle Rock.
And more may be coming. e Greenhouse Gas Planning Standard, a new rule adopted by the Transportation Commission of Colorado in December 2021, requires agencies to measure greenhouse gas emissions from transit projects, with limits on how high those emissions go.
With bike infrastructure providing the option for drivers to ditch their cars and bike, it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Jacob Riger, multimodal transportation planning manager for the Denver Regional Council of Governments, said his group has already modi ed its 2050 Metro Vision Regional Transportation Plan based on the rule.
Emily Lindsey, active and emerging mobility program manager for DRCOG, said people are ready. Of the 15 million daily trips in the region, 43% are less than three miles and 19% are less than one mile.
“So, super bikeable, even more so with e-bikes,” she said.
Chris Chen, one of the riders in the group, noted that some improvements are needed. Chen, who lives in Littleton, said there aren’t many bike lanes.
He said either more need to be added or there need to be wider shoulders. He also said more education about how to share the road with bikers needs to be implemented, citing the death of Gwen Inglis in 2021.
Inglis was a national champion who was struck and killed by a driver in Lakewood.
“It’s been so long since I took the
driver’s test, but I don’t know if they have incorporated anything into that,” Chen said.
He explained that it’s scary when vehicles go by fast, especially semi-trucks. e trucks, going fast enough, will push air to the side, which pushes the cyclist, but then will suck the air back in, bringing the cyclist in with it.
“If it’s really close, it’s really scary, not only the sounds of it and in the nearness of that fast-moving object, but the air actually pulling you in,” Chen said.
Compared to other places, Anthony Harvey, another member of the group, said the bike infrastructure ranks higher than the places he’s seen, including Texas, California and Chicago.
Benefits of riding
e group ranges in age. Chen is one of the younger ones in his 40s with some of the older riders in their 60s. Meaning, biking is an activity for all abilities and ages.
Chen said he used to be a swimmer. But he didn’t like the fact he had to drive to the pool before 5 a.m. to be at practice in time. at was too early for him, so he stopped swimming and started cycling more. Not only did it satisfy as a workout, but also was more convenient.
“I can combine commuting and exercise all together,” Chen said. en he joined the group and
it became a lot more fun. It was a way for him to make new friends, destress and get a workout. It also reminds him of his childhood.
“It’s the feeling of when you’re a little kid and you’re going fast and you’re like ‘this is awesome.’” Chen said. “It still feels like that. at sense of freedom.”
Harvey said he got into biking after he was injured from MMA competitions and decided to switch sports. He participates in various races.
“I was able to actually race with bikes and can also stay t,” he said.
While the biking brings the group together, the camaraderie keeps them pedaling. Schultz, Chen and Harvey all talked about the importance of keeping up with each other, not just on the trail.
Each friend rides on their own and sees the bene ts of being alone. But with the group, they push each other to go faster and further and gives a chance to connect over a topic each is passionate about.
After each ride, they stop at a brewpub or a bar, with Chen’s recommendation for one with a food truck.
“ at’s when we can catch up on trips and things happening with the family and what new gadgets people have,” Chen said. “ at kind of stu .”
and I did not feel that the meetand-greet organized by the Elbert County Stands Up! group was a fair representation of our school community.”
term. I was empowered to help host
Elizabeth School District Superintendent Dan Snowberger met on May 11 with area residents to
Singing Hills Elementary for a meet-and-greet last week,” Aviles wrote in a May 15 email. “While the weather did put a damper on
and interact with families who have children who attend our schools. I also wanted Mr. Snowberger to feel welcomed by our community
roughout the course of the May 11 event, Snowberger introduced himself, shared some background info on his career, and outlined his plan for the Elizabeth School District. He also elded questions from
the members of the community.
Snowberger has spent 37 years in the sector of public education and has two strong beliefs that drive his role as superintendent. First, he believes in the need for education transformation. Second, he believes in the need for choice in education.
“I’ve been in education for a long time, and I’ve seen lots of things that have happened over the years in public education. I’m a true believer in public education but I’m also a believer that we’ve got to transform education. We’re in a new day. We’re preparing kids for very di erent careers and very di erent futures than all of us were prepared for in our school time,” explained Snowberger. “I’m also a true believer in school choice. I want to make sure our families come to our schools because they are the right choice. I want to make sure that we’re making our schools the very best that they can be and that we’re supporting families in the choices that they make with education.”
He tackled several subjects in his presentation, the biggest being district challenges and his plans to alleviate them as superintendent.
District challenges and Snowberger’s comments:
Funding
“Our funding is much lower than our neighboring districts. Teachers in some districts make 50k or more. Teachers in our district make 40k.”
Infrastructure
“With funding comes infrastructure challenges. We have schools that have a lot of deferred maintenance. We have things that are aging in our district, and we don’t have money sitting in an account waiting. For every challenge that we face infrastructure-wise, it’s a matter of a decision: Do we fund this for our kids, or do we x that?
Staffing
“We’ve had a number of open sta ng positions. We have been to some degree a training ground for some. ey’ll come here, they’ll get their experience, and then they become very attractive to a neighboring district who’s paying sometimes $20,000 more a year. How can you begrudge a young teacher who can go next door and make $20,000 more in our society and the economy we’re in today?”
“Right now the school is growing drastically. We’re anticipating 92 new students next year. at is multiple classes across the district. We have to be prepared to know where we’re putting these kids. We don’t want class sizes of 36, 38, and
40 kids. at is unacceptable. We’re going to have to address some of those growth issues in our community.”
Exodus of children from public education
“We also have children choosing to leave public education. As a school district, I happen to feel very strongly that it is our job to advocate for education for our kids, whether they choose our traditional public schools, whether they choose a charter school, or whether they choose to homeschool, we the district have some responsibility to support families and education.”
Community divisiveness
“We have to quit focusing on what divides our community and start agreeing on what unites us. We need to make sure that when our kids walk across the stage at Elizabeth High School that they are prepared for success. at has got to be what we focus on.”
Snowberger’s plan to combat the challenges:
1. Deeply analyze the budget to ensure e ciency and e ectiveness with the district budget.
2. Transform compensation and bene ts for teachers and sta . Recruit teachers who truly want to teach and stay away from controversial topics.
3. Create a long-range plan to address facility needs, plan for
growth, and ensure the safety of our students.
4. Closely review the curriculum, adopted standards, and establish systems to track student growth and achievement.
5. Ensure that the district operates with transparency and builds trust across all stakeholders in the community.
6. Ensure that the district provides choice and options for families, including those who choose to homeschool or take greater control over their children’s education.
“ e information he presented outlined successes within the Elizabeth School District as well as areas for growth,” Aviles said. “He appears to be very interested in partnering with the community to better our schools for the success of all of our students. I believe parents should be actively engaged in their children’s education and meeting with school personnel is a great rst step in demonstrating parental rights as well as responsibilities. I look forward to holding Superintendent Snowberger accountable along his path to uniting the Elizabeth School District and our community so that all of our students thrive and ESD becomes a place where students and sta are proud to call home.”
For more information on Superintendent Dan Snowberger, visit elizabethschooldistrict.org/ Page/244.
acres generally south of Highway 86 and east of Legacy Ridge Street, allowing development of up to 623 residential units and 39 commercial units, with requirements for 130 acres of open space and a 300-year water supply.
e May 16 balloting came after many years of contention regarding the development of the Town of Elizabeth and the surrounding areas.
In a statement after the uno cial vote tally was released, Elizabeth Mayor Nick Snively, who had supported the PUD zoning, said: “ e residents have spoken and have chosen to stop the development of Elizabeth West. Clearly, that was the method chosen by the Colorado Legislature as a means of expressing the will of the citizens. It is important to note that the future of the development is now left to the
developer, and likely the county, to determine how to proceed.”
Snively continued: “Contrary to the statements made by many, the developer has several means to withdraw his land from the town boundaries. e course of action will be decided by the developer; not by the Town Board of Trustees or the citizens they represent.”
Larry Gable, a resident of unincorporated Elbert County who opposed the town’s zoning plan, commented: “Today we are victorious. But if you think there is pushback with the town, you haven’t seen anything yet. If it goes to the county there will be a ght.”
Snively’s statement said the Eliza-
beth Town Board “will work hard to maintain the current level of service to the community. As the Elizabeth West project will likely proceed outside of the town limits, the town will need to prioritize needs within the community with a xed tax base.”
Snively added: “I want to encourage members of the community to continue to be involved in the governmental process. Attend meetings, join the various methods that the town uses for communication (mailing list, social media, etc.), or even watch the live meetings from your own computer with our new live video feeds. We look forward to moving forward as a community together.”
Informational meeting
e May 16 vote came on the heels of a May 11 informational meeting that developer Jim Marshall held at Legacy Academy, focusing on the proposed Elizabeth West development and the upcoming vote. At the meeting, which lasted over an hour, Marshall gave a brief presentation, but most time was dedicated to elding questions from the crowd.
Several times during the meeting Marshall suggested that concerned citizens should come up one-by-one so he could personally answer their questions. e crowd refused and wanted the meeting to remain in the open format. Not only was there heated debate between Marshall and those in attendance, but also between members of the crowd who shared di erent perspectives on development in the area.
One commenter at the meeting stated: “We have a water problem here in Colorado. We have a shortage. We’re over-developing. When you say `300 years of water,’ that formula is a snapshot for today, it does not include other developers and other developments that are already on the books. We are concerned about the water, we are concerned about tra c, we are concerned about the overpacked schools, we are concerned about changing. We want to welcome you into our community. We are not against — no growth, just don’t take over our community. Be a part of it. Be a good neighbor.”
Mayor explains board actions
In an statement before the election, Snively defended the actions of the Elizabeth Town Board, saying: “ e process of development in and around the Town of Elizabeth has been a contentious item for years.
“It is important for the residents of the town to understand that the decisions are not taken lightly. Considerable thought and study go into each and every step of the process. In the case of Elizabeth West, the process has literally been ongoing for several years. is was not a project that was simply thrown together or forced upon the town by the developer.
“ ere are many who are of the opinion that the board could simply decide to stop development because others in and around the community did not like the idea of additional homes in the town. To those who advanced that belief, or relied on those who advanced that belief, that is erroneous. It was never an option.
“Like the developer, the board is required to follow the laws in place at the time of application.
“As all requirements were met, the only available option for the Planning Commission and the Board of Trustees was to proceed with development.
“ e process is not subject to the whims of the loudest proponents or opponents - it is to follow the law. If the residents want a di erent outcome, then their role is to assist in changing the laws to re ect their desires, not to be swayed by those with
the loudest voices.
“We invite the public, the voters, to become more involved in the workings of the Town of Elizabeth. Citizen involvement should not only occur when there are topics discussed on social media. At every single meeting of the Town Board of Trustees, decisions are made which a ect the citizens and the community. Plan to attend meetings, learn about the community, and what happens within the community.
“As the mayor, I am concerned about the unkind, disingenuous, and malicious tone some of the debate on this topic has become. e Town of Elizabeth should set higher standards for itself in this regard. We are all neighbors who have found this town to be our special place. We have friendships, children, relatives, and relationships with others in the community. at needs to hold us together, even if we disagree about certain things for our community.”
Text of ballot question
e ballot text read as follows:
Shall Ordinance 22-10, adopted by the Elizabeth Board of Trustees on November 15, 2022, establishing Planned Unit Development (PUD) Zoning including standards for the design and development of a residential and commercial development called Elizabeth West, which is comprised of approximately 425 acres and located generally south of Highway 86 and east of Legacy Ridge Street, be given e ect in order to:
— Allow residential development of up to 623 residential units on 235.6 acres;
— Allow mixed use commercial development of up to 39 units on 34.1 acres;
— Require over 130 acres of open space; and
— Require such development to provide a 300-year supply of water?
BY BENTE BIRKELAND COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO
e Red Room of Doom. at’s the nickname one House Democrat gave the state Senate this past session. Others joked that the chamber — with its red wallpaper, carpet and ceiling — was where progressive bills went to die.
While Democrats held a near super majority at the Colorado legislature this session, closely divided committees in the state Senate frequently blocked or watered down some of the progressive priorities.
And that inspired one supporter of some of those policies to wonder why — why didn’t such big Democratic majorities translate into bigger margins on Senate committees in particular?
Coming down to a single vote
Alex Nelson, a public school teacher in Denver, is passionate about a ordable housing. He visited the state capitol this spring to back several Democratic housing bills and testify in committee.
Nelson sees the impact that the lack of a ordable housing has on schools, with students and families being priced out and having to move away, and also people choosing to have fewer children.
“Housing costs, costs of living are so high that we see diminishing enrollment every single year, which is leading to closure, consolidation, all sorts of things like that.”
e issue also a ects teachers.
“Friends in the teaching profession have a hard time accessing a ordable housing,” Nelson said. “A couple of my friends have left the state because of housing costs.”
Given how many people are struggling with housing, Nelson said he was surprised when measures like
a proposal to allow local communities to enact rent control narrowly died in a Senate committee. It failed on a 4-3 vote.
“I was thinking just about how many bills in the Colorado Senate came down to a single vote of either passage or failure,” said Nelson. e situation led him to wonder, “why those committees had only a single vote majority when the members on the oor held almost two thirds (of the seats)? … Is that a decision made by leadership?”
On seven out of the state Senate’s ten committees this year, Democrats only had a one-vote advantage. ose narrow margins made it possible for a single moderate member to side with Republicans to vote down a bill, or to demand signi cant changes in order to win passage.
Nelson was on the right track with his question about who decides the committee makeup; that power rests in the hands of Democratic Senate Majority Leader Dominick Moreno. He appoints lawmakers to committees and decides on each panel’s size and political split.
“ e committee makeup is dictated by the political makeup of the chamber as a whole,” he said. “ e rule says that the committee makeup has to be in rough proportion to the number of seats you occupy in the Senate chamber.”
But because it’s only a “rough proportion,” Moreno still has leeway on each committee. Moreno acknowledges he could have given Democrats a bigger advantage on some committees, but said he doesn’t have enough members to pad out all of them and that lawmakers’ individual expertise played a signi cant role in his choices.
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e situation put a spotlight on several of the Senate’s more moderate members, like Democrat Dylan Roberts. Roberts, who was the key no vote on the rent control bill, was a swing vote on three di erent committees.
“I reminded bill sponsors who were frustrated at my position that I didn’t make the committee assignments,” said Roberts. “I didn’t make the makeup of the committees. I was assigned to those committees, and I’m just doing my job. I got sent here by my district, not by a political party and not by a political philosophy.”
Roberts lives in Avon and represents a mountain district where Democrats hold a less than seven point advantage, according to redistricting maps. He said he scrutinizes every piece of legislation.
“ e goal is collaboration and trying to make bills better. But there were several policies where I just couldn’t get there.”
Republican lawmakers said they were more than happy the Senate acted as a moderating force.
“We haven’t killed that many bills,” said GOP Sen. Perry Will in the nal weeks of session, “But some of the bills that need to go away, it went away. I think it’s great and I think it’s
much needed.”
On the House side, where committees were much more steeply tilted in Democrats’ favor, Republicans said they were grateful that the Senate at times blocked policies they lacked the power to stop.
“ ere were Democrats that destroyed bills that would not be good for Colorado. It’s a teamwork e ort here,” said Republican Rep. Ron Weinberg who passed many bipartisan bills this session.
Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen said even though the GOP is at a disadvantage he thinks they are “still punching above our weight to kill bad policy ideas. We are actually trying to hold the ideals of freedom for individuals to live the lives they want to live and the way they want to live them.”
e narrow committee splits didn’t just result in more moderate Senators voting down progressive bills; in many cases, they were able to get concessions and amendments in exchange for their support.
For progressives, the Senate results were a source of frustration throughout the session. ey argue that Democrats’ surprising success last November — the party picked up legislative seats in a year many analysts expected them to lose some — show that they have a mandate to make big moves.
“Voters are wanting something bigger and bolder. And we tried and
that’s not what’s happening,” said Democratic Representative Lorena Garcia who is in her rst year at the Capitol. Garcia believes voters elected Democrats to do more this year on housing and criminal justice, in particular. But several key bills on those topics were defeated.
However, Moreno defended the committee makeup as a good re ection of the Senate’s general views. He notes that even when progressive bills did get to the Senate oor, they still didn’t have the votes to pass.
For instance, a bill to make it harder for landlords to evict people on month to month leases lingered on the calendar and ultimately ran out of time, in part because it lacked the support to move forward. e Senate also gutted a bill that would have prevented prosecutions of 10 to 12-yearolds, except in homicide cases. And when a proposal to allow local communities to set up supervised sites for safe drug use came up in a Senate committee, three Democrats joined Republicans in voting it down.
All of the policies managed to pass the House before hitting roadblocks in the Senate.
And it wasn’t always progressive policies that struggled in the Senate. e governor’s Land Use bill, which was sponsored by Moreno, also died in that chamber. e Senate watered down the bill signi cantly, setting up a showdown with the House, which passed a more robust version. In the
end, the bill was dropped in the nal hours of session for lack of Senate votes.
“Yes, we have a historic majority,” said Moreno. “It doesn’t mean that we have a super majority of progressive members. It means that everyone votes their own conscience in their own district.”
Senate defenders also note that some progressive bills didn’t even gain traction in the House. A proposed statewide assault weapons ban failed in its rst committee after three Democrats joined Republicans to defeat it. e House also handily rejected a measure to mandate more predictable schedules for restaurant and retail workers.
Progressive Democrats say they plan to try again with many of these ideas next session.
And as for Alex Nelson, the teacher who started us looking into this issue — he said he’s glad to learn more about how the legislature works, and is optimistic some of the housing proposals he supports will see more success down the road.
“I tried to remind myself that these things take time and that the rst go isn’t always gonna be the one that gets you exactly what you want,” he said,
is story is from Colorado Public Radio, a nonpro t news source. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.
Section 29: NW¼SE¼
DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION OF HEARING (Subject to change)
The assigned Hearing Officer will hold a hearing only on the above referenced docket number at the following date, time, and location:
Date: July 19, 2023
Time:9:00 a.m.
Place:Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission
The Chancery Building 1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 801 Denver, CO 80203
PETITIONS DEADLINE FOR PETITIONS BY AFFECTED PERSONS: June 19, 2023
Any interested party who wishes to participate formally must file a written petition with the Commission no later than the deadline provided above. Please see Commission Rule 507 at https:// cogcc.state.co.us, under “Regulation,” then select “Rules.” Please note that, under Commission Rule 510.l, the deadline for petitions may only be continued for good cause, even if the hearing is continued beyond the date that is stated above.
Pursuant to Commission Rule 507, if you do not file a proper petition, the Hearing Officer will not know that you wish to formally participate in this matter and the date and time of the hearing may change without additional notice to you. Parties wishing to file a petition must register online at https://oitco.hylandcloud.com/DNRCOGExternalAccess/Account/Login.aspx and select “Request Access to Site.” Please refer to our “eFiling Users Guidebook” at https://cogcc.state.co.us/ documents/reg/Hearings/External_Efiling_System_Handbook_December_2021_Final.pdf for more information. Under Commission Rule 508, if no petition is filed, the Application may be approved administratively without a formal hearing.
Any Affected Person who files a petition must be able to participate in a prehearing conference during the week of June 19, 2023, if a prehearing conference is requested by the Applicant or by any person who has filed a petition.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information, you may review the Application, which was sent to you with this Notice. You may also contact the Applicant at the phone number or email address listed below.
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if any party requires special accommodations as a result of a disability for this hearing, please contact Margaret Humecki at Cogcc. Hearings_Unit@state.co.us, prior to the hearing and arrangements will be made.
OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
By Mimi C. Larsen, Secretary
Dated: April 28, 2023
Agave Oil & Gas LLC
c/o Chris McGowne McGowne Law Offices, P.A. P.O. Box 1659 Hays, KS 67601 720-878-7688 cjmcgowne@McGowneLaw.com
Legal Notice No. 24999
First Publication: May 25, 2023
Last Publication: May 25, 2023
Publisher: Elbert County News
Notice
Public Notice
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Barbara Sue Miller; a/ka Barbara S. Miller; a/k/a Barbara Miller; a/k/a Barb Miller;
Barbara Sue DeHerrera;
Barbara S. DeHerrera;
Barbara DeHerrera;
Barb DeHerrera; a/k/a Barbara Sue Landry; a/k/a Barbara S. Landry; a/k/a Barbara Landry; a/k/a Barb Landry, Deceased Case Numbe: 2023PR30032
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 October 27, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.
Myka M. Landry, ATL for Personal Representative Jerry E. Miller PO Box 2276 Elizabeth, CO 80107
Legal Notice No. 24997
First
named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Elbert County, Colorado on or before September 11, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.
Marco D. Chayet Jennifer R. Oviatt
First
All persons having claims against
above-
All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate
