Elbert County News February 22, 2024

VOLUME 128 | ISSUE 52

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 22, 2024

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

CHILD-CUSTODY HAND-OFF ENDS IN SLAYING P5

School safety chief takes methodical path P8 Jeremy Casey, the safety and security director for the Elizabeth School PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY District, in his office.

VOICES: 14 | CALENDAR: 19 | PUZZLES: 24

PARKER DOC TRACKS RISE IN COLON CANCER

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FULFILLING A WEEK OF WISHES IN ELIZABETH P22 ELBERTCOUNTYNEWS.NET • A PUBLICATION OF COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

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Nothing like a bowl of soup to warm you up

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February 22, 2024Fe

Family protests schools’ ongoing ‘silence’ on group chat

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Exactly one year after Black students at Castle Rock Middle School were targeted in a racist chat group, Jeramiah Ganzy and his family took to the front lawn of the Douglas County School District building in protest. The family said they are disappointed that the district has not created anti-hate policies that would protect marginalized students from harassment in the future.

The Ganzys are one of three families suing the district over its handling of Snapchat group messages where Black students were called slurs, threatened and harassed. The suit was filed in August 2023.

“I believe that our protesting and everything we’re doing out here can’t go unnoticed forever,” Jerami-

ah said. “School is a place for every person, every race, to learn and we should not feel oppressed in a place of learning.”

Lacey Ganzy, Jeramiah’s mom, said she is coming to the district building every day throughout this month for an hour of silence and planned rallies at the start and end of the month.

The Ganzys chose February because the group chat was created last year to denigrate Black History Month.

“We’re standing in silence because we’ve heard nothing but silence from the school district,” Lacey said.

Ganzy said she hopes the efforts to bring awareness back to the topic of discrimination in schools will stir the school board to create a policy on hate crimes and hire a student advocate for students who report

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Jeramiah Ganzy, a former Castle Rock Middle School student, speaks about his experiences with racism at the school at a rally on Feb. 1 at the Douglas County School District building. The Ganzys, one of three families suing the district over its handling of racist harassment, plan to rally outside of the district building every week day during Black History Month to encourage action from the school board. PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD

them.

“I think it’s not a lot to ask for and I think they’re completely capable of doing it,” she said.

More than 25 others from around the metro area joined the Ganzys in solidarity during a gathering on Feb. 1, carrying posters and standing for a moment of silence while Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech played over speakers.

Community members are also leaving blue flowers at the district building to show support for the Ganzys.

Jeramiah said he is thankful for those standing with him and hopeful for change.

“It feels great to know that people support our message and we’re not completely alone,” he said.

Jeramiah first reported the Snapchat messages in March of 2023 through an online feedback form, but the Ganzys say the district didn’t respond until they spoke publicly about the racism at an April 2023 school board meeting.

During the meeting, Superintendent Erin Kane denounced the behavior.

“I want to make it really really clear

that racial slurs are not OK,” Kane said.

In a statement, the district’s public information officer, Paula Hans, said the district takes racial discrimination very seriously and encourages students to report discrimination to the school administration or the district’s Compliance Office.

District policies prohibit bullying, discrimination and harassment by students and staff.

“Our focus is on taking care of each and every one of our students in the Douglas County School District,” Hans said. “Racial slurs and discrimination are absolutely unacceptable in our district.”

The Ganzys feel the policies don’t go far enough in differentiating between bullying and racism and lack protection for students who report discrimination.

Hans said that district policies don’t define crimes, which is the responsibility of the Colorado Criminal Code.

“We take every concern very seriously as we are dedicated to ensuring that all of our students experience a welcoming and caring environment in our schools,” she said.

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You’ll probably want to know their level of experience, competence and success in selling similar properties, hopefully within your city or neighborhood.

Like most people, not just Realtors, I monitor the real estate activity where I live, and I’m astonished how many homes are listed by agents I’ve never heard of. As I write, there are 70 active or pending listings within five miles of our office, represented by 66 different agents from 58 different real estate offices, only four of which are local to Golden. And despite practicing real estate here for 21 years, I only recognize the names of 18 of those 66 listing agents.

Where did the sellers find all those different agents to list their homes? Many, I suspect, are friends and family — every agent’s biggest “competitor.” In other cases, the seller just went under contract or closed on their replacement home elsewhere and was convinced by that listing agent to list their current home. Don’t fall for that. It’s not the best decision if that agent is unfamiliar with your neighborhood, lives far away, and is unable to show the home on short notice, answer questions from buyers, or keep your brochure box well stocked.

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interview listing agents and make a rational hiring decision. Good idea?

First, select two or three agents to interview based on their location and experience in your neighborhood. Second, study their active/sold listings to see (1) their geographic distribution and (2) how well their listings are presented on the MLS. To get an accurate history and profile of an agent you may need the help of another agent such as myself who has access to your MLS. You want to see each agent’s profile and their active, pending and sold listings.

Do a web search of the agents you’re considering. Read their profile, if they created one. Look at their current and sold listings. Click on one or more listing to see how they described the home on the MLS. Did they list all the rooms, not just bedrooms and bathrooms, and did they provide dimensions and descriptions, or did they just enter the mandatory fields?

Not all MLS fields are mandatory. For example, only half of those 70 listings I mentioned above indicate what direction the house faces, and 28 of them didn’t indicate whether or not there is fencing, both of which are optional fields. Only 20 of the 70 listings indicated whether it is in an incorporated or unincorporated location.

Those and other non-mandatory fields provide information that is important to many buyers. Since they are searchable fields, your listing may not be found by a buyer who has one of those optional fields as a search criterion.

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whether they hired a professional photographer to shoot magazine quality photos or did their own point-and-shoot pictures, and whether they created a narrated video tour or just a slide show with music. Only 2 of those 70 listings (one of them mine) had the maximum number of photos uploaded to the MLS. And, although 37 of the 70 had URLs in the “virtual tour”

Keep in mind that the best indicator of how a listing agent will serve you is how they have served previous sellers. field, all but one of them were for either an interactive slideshow, a slideshow with a music track, or a gallery of pictures. The only one that was an live-action narrated video tour was my own listing! I’ve been doing narrated video tours for over 18 years and even gave a tutorial at my Realtor association to show other agents how easy it is to shoot and edit a video tour, yet I can only count on one hand the number of listing agents who are shooting videos now. It’s inexplicable to me why that is.

Having chosen who to interview, ask these questions of those you invite into your home for an interview:

What commission percentage do you charge? Keep in mind, there is no standard commission. It’s totally negotiable, and the industry average is in the mid-5’s, not 6%.

Will you reduce your commission if you don’t have to share it? Hopefully they include that in answering your first question. If you have to ask them, consider that a red flag. They hoped you wouldn’t ask. Only 17 of the 70 active or pending listings mentioned above indicate that they offer a “dual variable commission.” One of the things a fellow MLS member can research with their access to the MLS is whether that’s the established practice of the agent you’re interviewing.

Will you reduce your commission if I hire you to purchase my replacement home? (Again, did they volunteer that, or did you have to ask?)

Hopefully the candidate will have researched the market and will make a sound recommendation of listing price.

Beware of agents who inflate their suggested listing price so you will list with them.

When setting the appointment, ask the agent to bring a spreadsheet of their sold listings with dates, days on market, listing price and sold price.

This & That: Smaller Topics Not Worth Full Articles Could Concrete Be Made to Absorb CO2?

The production of Portland cement, used to create concrete, is a major producer of carbon dioxide emissions which contribute to climate change—an estimated 9% of all human emissions.

Now a startup called Carbon Limit says it has created an additive that causes concrete to pull CO2 out of the air, mineralize and store it. The additive is called CaptureCrete.

Turning Straw into Building Boards

Farmers around the world are used to burning straw and other agricultural waste, contributing an estimated 3.5% of global greenhouse emissions. Now a Swedish startup called Our Ecolution has devised a process for making boards that can replace drywall, subflooring, ceilings and doors.

Colorado Firm Awarded DOE Contract

Alpen High Performance Products of Louisville has been producing the nation’s top brand of high performance triple- and

quadruple-pane windows for over four decades. Golden Real Estate replaced the windows in our previous office on South Golden Road with triple-pane Alpen windows as part of our effort to make it a net zero energy building.

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Links to all three of these articles are at http://RealEstateToday.Substack.com.

Please Share Your Experience Renewing Your Homeowners Insurance Policy

I am planning to write a future column about the problems homeowners, especially those in the foothills, are encountering when it comes to renewing their homeowners insurance policies. We have heard reports of excessive rate increases and outright refusals to insure homes.

What has been your experience in this regard? Please share them with me by email at Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com. Thanks!

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February 22, 2024Fe

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Douglas County School Board President Christy Williams appointed Tim Moore to replace Mike Peterson in a special meeting on Feb. 13. Moore’s term ends in 2025.

PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD

Moore joins Douglas County School Board

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Douglas County school board President Christy Williams has appointed Tim Moore to the board, replacing Mike Peterson, who resigned in December.

In a special meeting on Feb. 13, Moore took the oath of office, stepping in for Peterson, who stepped down because he was planning to move out of state.

Williams appointed Moore after the board hit a stalemate in a vote between Moore and another finalist, Sandra Brownrigg. Brownrigg later withdrew her name from consideration.

Williams said she thinks Moore’s three decades of service to the community will provide a beneficial skill set to the school district.

“When I think about a new member, it’s that they can provide something different than any of the six of us,” she said.

In his first comments as a board member, Moore said he was honored to be appointed.

“It means a lot to me to contribute

and serve with such a strong board with diverse people of strong backgrounds and good character,” he said. “It’s really for one of the most exceptional causes of volunteer work, which is doing something for the success and livelihood of children.”

Moore worked for the Douglas County Sheriff ’s Office as a deputy and media relations officer and previously oversaw the district’s school resource officer program.

Moore was asked to resign from the sheriff ’s office in 2021 after an internal investigation over political endorsements for the 2022 election.

Moore has also served on the boards of the Crisis Center, a domestic violence nonprofit, and Developmental Pathways, a nonprofit serving people with developmental disabilities.

Moore’s term ends in 2025.

Peterson ensured Williams would have the power to pick his predecessor before he left the board by being the decisive vote to name her president. By policy, the president gets to appoint a new board member if no candidates get a majority vote.

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February 22, 2024

Child-custody hand-off ends in slaying Witness at gas station says shooter was winning fight and then pulled gun

Presidential Primary Election March 5, 2024 *

Instructions for unaffiliated voters Unaffiliated voters receive both the Democratic and Republican ballots but can vote and return ONLY ONE.

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Vote and return your ballot Place your voted ballot in your official return envelope and mail it or return it to convenient ballot drop boxes across Douglas County.

Locations at DouglasVotes.com/ballot-drop-off-locations

*

Track your ballot Sign up at DouglasVotes.com/track-your-ballot to check the status of your mail ballot.

STAFF REPORT

An El Paso County man was jailed on suspicion of first-degree murder after allegedly shooting the father of his fiancee’s child shortly before 3 p.m. on Feb. 11 in northwestern Elbert County.

Jeffrey Allen Church, 26, who lives north of Black Forest in El Paso County, allegedly shot and killed Parker resident Michael Bolan, 36, outside the Sinclair gas station just off Singing Hills Road (Elbert County Road 166) near Madrid Drive.

Bolan had gone to the gas station that Sunday afternoon to meet his ex-girlfriend for a custody exchange of their 4-year-old daughter. Church is the mother’s fiance, the Elbert County Sheriff ’s Office said.

Witnesses told police Church and Bolan began physically fighting, and one witness said it appeared that Church had the upper hand in the fight and that Bolan was already on his way to the ground or lying on the ground when Church pulled a handgun from his pocket and fired, according to an arrest affidavit.

Bolan was found beside the gas station with a gunshot wound to the chest. The affidavit says Elbert County Sheriff ’s Office dispatch, which was receiving information from the scene while deputies were en route, advised that Bolan “appeared to be beyond help” after the shooting and that Church had placed the handgun in his vehicle after the shooting but remained on the scene.

After lifesaving efforts by the sheriff ’s office and Elizabeth Fire Rescue, Bolan was transported to AdventHealth Parker and pronounced dead.

The fight and killing may have been captured on dashcam video by an Amazon driver who activated the van camera after seeing Church and Bolan start fighting, the affidavit says.

A sheriff ’s office press release and

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Jeffrey Allen Church, 26, allegedly shot and killed the father of his fiancee’s child on Feb. 11 at an Elbert County gas station.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ELBERT COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

the affidavit describe the first deputy from Elbert County and a Douglas County deputy arriving at the Valero and holding Church at gunpoint until other Elbert County deputies arrived and Church was taken into custody. The ultimately unsuccessful efforts to save Bolan’s life began then.

After firefighters arrived and took over the lifesaving efforts, a deputy checked Church’s Chevrolet Tahoe and found a brown semiautomatic handgun in the driver’s door.

The sheriff ’s deputy who transported Church to the Elbert County Jail noted in the affidavit: “During this transport Jeffrey only made one statement, asking where his kids were.”

Church exercised his rights not to speak with Elbert County investigators at the jail, where he was booked on a charge of first-degree murder.

Church had an advisement hearing in Elbert County District Court on Feb. 12 and was scheduled to return for formal filing of charges on Feb. 20.

Nominate a special teenager for a 2024 Youth Initiative Award Do you know a Douglas County teenager, between the ages of 13 and 19, who has overcome adversity and created positive change in their lives, as well as the lives of others?

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February 22, 2024Fe

A rise in colorectal cancer among younger patients A Parker doctor is tracking the trend

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.

When Cynthia Delgado Rojas noticed blood after using the restroom, she didn’t imagine that she would undergo surgery to remove a tumor and months of chemotherapy.

Initially, Rojas’ primary doctor told her she was most likely suffering from internal hemorrhoids.

But as months went by and she saw blood in her stool more often, doctors did more testing. They ruled out any autoimmune disease such as Crohn’s.

It wasn’t until eight months later, when she had a colonoscopy in late 2023, that doctors discovered a tumor in her sigmoid colon. She was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer and less than two weeks later, Rojas had a minimally invasive surgery to remove the tumor and had to start chemotherapy.

Though not a public person, she decided to share her story in the instance it can help one person.

“The opportunity to help one person piqued my interest,” said Cynthia. “Because it’s not something you want to see anyone else go

through. If I can help one person not go through this, then that’s worth it.”

At 41 years old, having recently completed treatment, Rojas medical journey still has not ended. She is one of many younger patients to face colorectal cancer in recent years.

New findings from the American Cancer Society indicate that colorectal cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in younger adults. Colorectal surgeon Dr. Brandon Chapman at AdventHealth Parker Hospital has noticed the rise first-hand.

In general, older patients have had a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, said Chapman, primarily related to increased screening guidelines. The medical field noticed since the early 1990s that the incidence in people under the age of 50 has increased.

“It’s still a smaller amount than the older population, but it’s increasing,” said Chapman.

Studies have found that colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in men under 50 and is the second leading for women younger than 50, just after breast cancer.

“Similar to Cynthia’s story is that they are young, healthy people and were not supposed to have cancers,” said Chapman. “Symptoms may get overlooked for a longer period of

time.”

As the incidence in younger patients has increased, the screening guidelines went from age 50 to 45 a couple of years ago. Chapman believes that was part of the problem in Cynthia’s case. She didn’t meet the criteria.

Medical professionals commonly classify colorectal cancer together in statistics, but are treated separately. Cancers in both the colon and rectum develop from polyps that left over time, and remain in place, can eventually develop into cancer.

“When they’re younger, they tend to happen more on the left side of the colon and near the rectum,” said Chapman.

Chapman said that’s why they recommend a colonoscopy to catch them before they turn into cancer.

In Rojas’ case, through imaging, doctors found that the cancer did not spread to organs outside of the area. With colon cancer, the next treatment is surgery, said Chapman, in which they take all of the tumor out and the lymph nodes surrounding that area.

Whether those lymph nodes are positive or not, will determine whether the patient undergoes chemotherapy. On the other hand, the treatment approach for rectal cancer is more with up front radiation

and chemotherapy.

While the cause of why colorectal cancer is becoming more common, Chapman said it’s most likely a combination of a lot of factors, such as environmental changes, dietary changes and family history.

“You can’t control your family history or genetics,” said Chapman.

“But just being aware that if you have a family history and you have symptoms, that should be even more reason.”

Other contributing risks can include alcohol, smoking, obesity and physical inactivity, said Chapman.

But ways he suggested people could try and prevent colorectal cancer is living a healthy lifestyle, staying physically active and eating lots of fruits and vegetables as well as avoiding processed foods.

Chapman added that bringing attention to both patients and providers that there needs to be more increased awareness is critical because the longer people wait, the longer the cancer has to progress.

Common symptoms include unexplained abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, anemia, changes in bowel habits like diarrhea or constipation and unintentional weight loss.

“It’s just being aware of symptoms that may be related to common conditions, but can also be cancer,” said Chapman.

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February 22, 2024Fe

A publication of

750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110 Phone: 303-566-4100 Web: ElbertCountyNews.net To subscribe call 303-566-4100

School safety chief takes methodical path Jeremy Casey joins Elizabeth district after resigning from U.S. Secret Service

BY NICKY QUINBY SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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

SCOTT GILBERT Editor sgilbert@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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Columnists & Guest Commentaries Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Elbert County News.

We welcome letters to the editor.

Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com Deadline Tues. for the following week’s paper.

ELBERT COUNTY NEWS (USPS 171-100) A legal newspaper of general circulation in Elizabeth, Colorado, the Elbert County News is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110.

PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Elbert County News, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110

The Elizabeth School District got a new director of safety and security in November — Castle Rock resident Jeremy Casey, who recently retired from the U.S. Secret Service.

Casey replaced Mike Newton, who left the position in October.

The director of safety and security supervises district security staff and school resource officers. After Casey’s hiring, the ESD Good News Bulletin explained that the director is also responsible for the “physical security of all district buildings, emergency planning, partnerships with law enforcement and emergency management, and is the first point of contact for Safe2Tell reports.”

Until his recent retirement, Casey was a senior special agent with the U.S. Secret Service. He has a background in criminal justice and security management. Before joining the Secret Service, he was briefly a state trooper.

Currently a Castle Rock resident, Casey said that working for ESD has been a welcome change of pace from the chaos of the Secret Service. He said the Elizabeth community has been welcoming and “tremendously supportive of the safety and security mission.”

Casey also appreciates the rural, small-town atmosphere of the Elizabeth area. “I love the people here, they’re the salt of the earth,” he said.

Casey said he spent his first weeks on the job “carefully observing the district’s existing security systems, policies, and personnel.” He does not want to rush into huge changes but would rather conduct a thorough vulnerability assessment. He feels that “rushing into change based on a hasty assessment and a desire to put your stamp on a product is never the path to success.”

Waiting to make any huge changes has the added benefit of being fiscally responsible. “By taking a methodical and well-planned approach, I intend to utilize the district’s funds in the most judicious and impactful manner possible,” he explained.

Casey was trained to build a secure environment using a multi-layered ap-

A poster in the office of Elizabeth School District Safety and Security Director Jeremy Casey’s office illustrates the Silent Panic Alert system within the Raptor app.

PHOTO BY NICKY QUINBY

proach, a concept which can be applied to the K-12 environment. Two critical pieces of this approach are behavioral threat assessments and management strategies to identify and address mental health needs or concerning behavior. “The appropriate use of technologies to protect school staff and students, coupled with well-trained security specialists, further enhances the security package,” Casey said.

Technologies refers to tools like hand-held radios and the Raptor security system. Raptor includes a staff phone app to quickly notify other district employees in case of an emergency. The app issues a mass notification and makes it possible to have immediate contact with teachers and staff.

Adding consistent training and edu-

cation on a community level can also provide an additional layer of security.

“Redundancies are the key to conducting a security operation that cannot fail,” Casey said.

Thankfully, Casey hasn’t had to face any major security concerns as of yet.

In early January, Elizabeth Schools were secured when the Elbert School District became the victim of a swatting attempt. Swatting is a term for deceiving law enforcement and sending emergency services to someone else’s address. Out of an abundance of caution, ESD chose to treat the threat as legitimate and Elizabeth Schools were secured.

More information about Casey can be found on the ESD site at tinyurl. com/4fdz3mrc.

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February 22, 2024

Patrols stepped up after sexual assault report

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A woman was “severely attacked” and sexually assaulted in a neighborhood south of Parker earlier this week, prompting an increased lawenforcement presence in the area.

That’s according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, which says that deputies responded to a hospital. The woman alleged that she was attacked around 9 p.m on Feb. 13 near a home in her neighborhood in the Pinery area. While walking home, she was sexually assaulted by a male she did not know, she told deputies.

More than one suspect could have been involved in the incident, said Deputy Cocha Heyden, a sheriff’s office spokesperson.

The sheriff’s office responded to the hospital in the early hours of Feb. 14. As of the afternoon Feb. 15, the sheriff’s office had not released to the public a description of a suspect.

“Unfortunately, she was severely attacked and assaulted, so we’re interviewing her and trying to get as much information as we can,” Heyden said.

In response, deputies have stepped up patrols in the area, which Heyden described as “kind of an out-of-theway subdivision.”

She urged people to report anything that appears suspicious and advised those who go out to “stay together.”

“We’re just encouraging people to use common sense if they’re out and about,” Heyden said, adding: “It’s very unusual to have this happen, so we just want to make sure we find who did this.”

The sheriff’s office is asking people in the area with outdoor security cameras — such as doorbell cameras — to check them to see if they recorded the incident. They are also asking anyone who believes they saw someone or something suspicious, to contact Detective Adam

Cummings at 303-814-7631 or acummings@dcsheriff.net.

People can also call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP and remain anonymous.

“Call us, reach out,” Heyden said.

“Even if they think it’s nothing, it certainly could be something.”

Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly said in a news release that his office is “committed to ensuring the safety of our community.”

“The search for the sex assault suspect is our top priority,” Weekly said in the release. “We have implemented increased patrols in the area to provide a visible presence and reassure residents.”

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February 22, 2024F

Report: ‘Greedflation’ driving consumer prices

BY ERIC GALATAS PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE

As corporate profits remain at alltime highs, a new report shows that more than half of rising consumer prices in 2023 were caused by corporate greed, or “greedflation.”

Elizabeth Pancotti - strategic advisor with the DC-based think tank Groundwork Collaborative said before the pandemic, corporate profits drove just 11% of price growth.

But even after supply chain snarls were resolved, companies chose not to pass savings along to customers.

“Keeping sticker prices much higher than they probably need to be,” said Pancotti. “And as a result, they have really padded their bottom lines on the backs of American consumers, to the tune of about 53% of inflation being driven by corporate profits for the most recent quarters.”

The report echoes analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City which identified price gouging as the driving factor for inflation during the height of the pandemic.

Some economists have argued these price hikes were due to companies bracing for future produc-

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“Even though their wage costs or their input prices have gone up, they are able to completely offset those by charging consumers more,” said Pancotti. “So you don’t have to listen to us, they’ve said it themselves.”

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investment bank has warned that greedflation could lead to widespread social unrest.

Pancotti noted that the Trump administration’s 2017 tax cuts gave corporations a tax break for profiteering, and those incentives are set to expire in 2025.

Economists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have also called for temporary price controls to prevent spiraling inflation in future crises.

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February 22, 2024

Washington portrait stolen from storage space

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The Englewood Police Department says a historical portrait of George Washington was stolen from a storage space in January.

Now police and the FBI are asking anyone with information regarding the theft to contact them.

Police said the piece, created in the early 1800s, was stolen from a storage facility in the 3300 block of South Sante Fe Drive on Jan. 10. It is approximately 2 feet by 30 inches and in a gold-colored frame.

“The value is undisclosed and hard to estimate due to its historical significance,” police said in a press release on Feb. 13.

Police said they received a call about the theft on Jan. 22.

Police encourage people who have information about the theft to call

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February 22, 2024F

Denver police ask families who used Apollo funeral home for help

BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Denver police are asking families whose loved ones were cremated at Apollo Funeral and Cremation Services for help. The Jefferson County funeral home closed in 2022, but has come to the attention of investigators, who have issued an arrest warrant for its owner, 33-year-old Miles Hartford.

Rick Kyle, division chief of investigations, said dozens of cremation remains, or cremains, in urns

and other receptacles, along with a body, were allegedly found where Hardford resided in Denver.

The remains were discovered shortly after Hartford was evicted from the residence on the 2500 block of South Quitman Street on Feb. 6. A cleaning crew discovered what police would later identify as cremains with the help of the city’s medical examiner.

Investigators then discovered a hearse parked on the property and the dead body of a 63-yearold woman inside. Police believe

that the body was “stored and concealed” in the hearse for a lengthy period of time and that the woman’s family were given an unknown person’s cremains. Police Major Crimes Division Cmdr. Matt Clark said Hartford apparently fell on hard timess and further alleged that Hartford gave multiple families the wrong cremains and said that some families may not have received remains at all.

The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner believes that about 30 decedents’ cremains were re-

covered at Hartford’s home. The remains were in urns and receptacles in Hartford’s home and in the hearse, Clark said.

Denver police have issued a warrant for Hartford on suspicion of abuse of a corpse, forgery and theft. The police ask that any clients of Apollo Funeral and Cremation Services (which had a Littleton Zip code) who did not receive the cremains of a loved one, or those who experienced any irregularity with, or had concerns about, the funeral home call 720-913-6610.

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14

LOCAL

February 22, 2024Fe

VOICES Confident courage driven by abundant resilience

R

ecurrent cycles of failure often drain our reservoir of courage. But cultivating gritty resilience, the ability to rebound after defeat, makes all the difference.

When we know our worth remains unchanged, confidence strengthens.

And confident courage steps forward boldly, determined to learn from failure rather than retreat in shame.

Two weeks ago, this column visited what it means to be consistently confident and courageous. Last week we tackled the benefits of living with an abundance mentality as opposed to one of scarcity. Now, we let’s talk about the type confident courage that is driven by abundant resilience.

Today’s leadership often wrestles with the lack of resilience of their younger team members. The first hints of a struggle or a project that is too difficult seems to shut people down. The younger sales professional who cannot deal with rejection is chipping away at the character and foundation of grittiness and resilience that had made their company famous and successful. This is a societal issue just as much as it is a corporate problem.

Resilience is built through small daily choices to show up again after setbacks. We reframe failures as lessons that equip us for next victory.

We silence cruel inner voices taunting our missteps. We affirm that

within and around us lies power to press on. Resilience believes better timing is coming. Resilience believes that for every no that a salesperson receives, there is a yes just around the corner.

As resilient confidence grows through Michael Norton repeatedly getting back up, courage is ignited. We no longer fear the failure itself but rather squandering the growth opportunity it presents.

Courage says, “Though I may stumble again, I know it will strengthen me, so I will keep pursuing my purpose.”

The courage fueled by resilience also drives innovation. In genius lies countless bad ideas. But the resilient genius tries new combinations while learning from each. They fail small and move quickly to succeed bigger. Confident they’ll eventually win, they persevere until the breakthrough.

Of course, acknowledging real suffering matters deeply. Some defeats deliver blows that do require grieving. Resilience is not dismissing agony but insisting present pain will not have the final say. Light still flickers in the darkness if we have eyes to see.

WINNING WORDS

When confident courage is driven by gritty, hard-won resilience, we become unstoppable forces for good.

Failures remain inevitable but can no longer chain us. We rise stronger, bolder and wiser.

Life often delivers unexpected blows that tempt us to retreat in selfpity. But adopting an abundance mentality while embracing opportunities in life despite real limitations empowers relentless resilience. Believing we already have more than enough fortifies us to endure seasons of scarcity and keep pursuing purpose.

Resilience is the ability to rebound after adversity, to bend but not break.

Resilient people grieve loss genuinely while insisting present turmoil will not dictate the future. Progress may require a circuitous route, but they keep marching forward.

Abundance thinking provides the mental framework and spiritual strength to persevere. Despite current shortfalls, it recalls times of surplus, remembering that seasons change. Abundance acknowledges “enough” looks different across life’s terrain. Where abundant resilience abounds, hope is instilled.

An abundance mentality also combats victim mindsets that paralyze resilience. Scarcity thinking fixates on how life has damaged us. But abundance declares we possess ev-

erything needed, however hidden or dormant, to recover and thrive again.

It empowers personal responsibility amid hardship, it fuels resilience.

Of course, positive thinking alone cannot erase real suffering or constraints. But abundance provides perspective that setbacks are often setups for greater impact. With this long-view lens, we turn stumbling blocks into steppingstones. Our trajectory trends upward even while sometimes moving sideways.

Abundance thinking combined with bold faith and courageous action transforms us from victims into victors. We become forces for revival, equipped to lead others from dormancy to destiny.

In a world where many focus on the barriers to success and the negative forces of life that seem to surround them, there are many who look for the opportunity amid the challenge.

Which one are you? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@ gmail.com, and when we can live our lives with confident courage driven by abundant resilience, 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.

Parker launches events platform

O

ne of Parker residents’ favorite aspects about living in our community is the ability to participate in a wide variety of community events and activities. In our latest Community Survey performed in 2021, 74% of residents rated the opportunities to participate in community events and activities in Parker as excellent or good.

The Town of Parker’s elected officials and staff also place a high priority on customer service, and we want to do everything we can to help local groups continue hosting the type of events that contribute to our community’s unique hometown feel.

To help us meet our customer service goals, town staff has been working hard over the past year to streamline and simplify our community event permit application process. In January, we launched Jeff Toborg a new community event permit application platform that will make the process of applying for and hosting events in our community simpler than ever. The new system, which previously was managed through

PARKER MAYOR

the town’s building and planning permit software (TRAKiT), is more customer-friendly and will lead to an easier application process for those community groups planning events.

With the new streamlined process, events are organized into one of three categories, each with their own specific application requirements and deadlines: Block Parties (45-day approval requirement), Community Events (90-day approval requirement) and General Events (60-day approval requirement).

Additionally, any event hosted outdoors on private property featuring 1,000 or more attendees will also now be subject to this community

event permit process. Including these events in the process better aligns the town’s requirements with those of our partners, including South Metro Fire Rescue, which oversees part of the Town of Parker’s Fire and Life Safety Code for public gatherings.

We are excited to see how our new community events system and processes can assist our community event organizers. Adjustments will likely be necessary as we learn more about how we can best serve these stakeholders, and we will continue to make improvements as the new platform evolves in the future.

SEE TOBORG, P15

15

February 22, 2024

Black-owned businesses are making history in Colorado and across America

C

olorado small business owners are some of the strongest, most creative, and resilient people you will ever meet.

In recent years, our small business community has weathered a global pandemic, persistent supply chain issues, sometimes volatile prices, and a tight labor market. Blackowned businesses in our state have faced disproportionate impacts from these pandemic challenges.

Despite those headwinds, Black entrepreneurs across Colorado are fueling one of the largest and most diverse waves of new business creation America has ever seen—what President Biden calls America’s Small Business Boom.

As we mark America’s 48th national celebration of Black History Month, the SBA is highlighting Black entrepreneur achievements here in Colorado and throughout the nation. The past three years have been the three strongest years of new business formation in American history. The 16 million new business applications filed during this period show Americans starting businesses at nearly twice the rate—86 percent faster—compared to the pre2021 average. During that time, U.S. small businesses have created more than 7.2 million net new jobs. And Black-owned businesses are responsible for some of the most significant gains.

This historic entrepreneurial boom didn’t come out of nowhere. President Biden’s Investing in America agenda reopened our nation’s economy, brought back Made in America manufacturing, and restored America’s global competitiveness. We’re rebuilding America’s roads, bridges,

TOBORG FROM PAGE 14

To view the town’s new community event permit platform, visit ParkerOnline.org/EventPermits.

The new system is now live, and event organizers can begin planning for their 2024 events today. If you have

ports, and water systems while we build the clean energy economy of tomorrow. We’re also expanding high-speed internet access nationwide including to many of Colorado’s rural areas.

These investments are powering the Aikta Marcoulier Biden Small Business Boom, and unlike many economic recoveries of the past, this one includes entrepreneurs of color. One of the reasons for that is the SBA’s Community Navigator Pilot Program. This innovative hub-and-spoke partnership connected hundreds of community organizations around the country — like the U.S. Black Chambers of Commerce and the National Urban League-with entrepreneurs, helping them make the most of SBA resources so their small businesses can grow and thrive.

Under SBA Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman’s leadership, the agency has also delivered recordbreaking government contracting for small businesses—including the most federal contracting dollars going to minority-owned businesses in history. And we’re addressing longstanding gaps in access to capital for Black entrepreneurs, more than doubling our small business loans to Black-owned businesses since 2020.

These investments are making a big impact. Black business ownership is growing at the fastest pace in 30 years. The share of Black house-

GUEST COLUMN

SEE MARCOULIER, P18

questions about using the new system, please contact our community events staff at 303-805-3380.

The Town of Parker is excited to offer this new experience for our local event organizers. We hope it leads to the addition of more of these types of activities that make our community such a great place to live.

Jeff Toborg is the mayor of Parker.

OBITUARIES MULLINS

Ardyce Lynn (Faris) Mullins

August 31, 1943 - February 12, 2024

Lynn Mullins, age 80, of Parker, CO, passed away peacefully with family at her side on Monday, February 12, 2024. She was born on August 31, 1943, in Fort Morgan Colorado, the daughter of Nadine (Nash) and Robert K. Faris. Survivors include her children, Rob (Lisa) Mullins of Parker, CO, Keary (Bryan) Hallack of Highlands Ranch, CO, and Kelly (Neil) Parker of Aurora, CO. She was Grandma Lynn to Hunter Mullins, Christopher Parker, Anna Hallack, Bryan BENJAMIN

Parker, Sophie Hallack and Matthew Parker. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ray P. Mullins on September 17, 2019, her parents and brother, Robert K. Faris, Jr. A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 am, Friday, February 23, 2024, at Parker Presbyterian Evangelical Church, 9030 Miller Road, Parker, CO 80138. A private family burial will be held in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Castle Rock, CO.

Nathan “Nate” Benjamin

January 23, 1981 - February 12, 2024

1/23/1981 - 2/12/2024 Nathan, 43, son of Royal and Elaine Benjamin of Parker, passed away unexpectedly at his parent’s home after being treated the previous day at a local hospital for a severely broken ankle.

In recent years he also struggled with his diagnosis of Chiari Malformation.

In addition to his parents he leaves behind his son Jackson, 17, two sisters, Niki and Noelle, nieces, nephews, and a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins.

He was self-employed with his company, Nathan Benjamin Home Improvements where he employed his nephew, Kendrick.

A celebration of life service will be held Saturday, March 2, at 2:00 p.m. at Parker Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 9030 Miller Road, Parker, CO. The service will be livestreamed: https:// pepc.online.church/ Memorial gifts may be sent to a fund set up for Nathan’s son at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ jackson-benjamin-grief-and-educationalfund?utm_campaign=p_cp+sharesheet&utm_content=buttons_swapped_ var_a&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_ source=customer

In Loving Memory Place an Obituary for Your Loved One.

303-566-4100 obituaries@coloradocommunitymedia.com

16

February 22, 2024F

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As winter’s cold permeates throughout Colorado, folks may find themselves craving the warm comfort of soup.

Luckily for those of us in the Denver metro area, local eateries are serving up delicious bowls of soups from around the world right here in the Centennial State. From Mexican Pozole to Polish Orgórkowa, here are seven cozy soups made by small businesses that can take you on a culinary journey without ever leaving town.

Pho Khang — Centennial — 20 Pho Varieties (Vietnamese Soup)

8283 S Akron St. Suite 140, Centennial, CO 80112 | (303)-792-2200 | skiplinow.com/shop/Hgs5lGL-3/site Open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Sunday Pho Khang Manager Henri Ly said the secret to his restaurant’s pho — served alongside Banh Mi and other Vietnamese staples at the family-owned eatery — is using fresh ingredients and going slow.

“We do not use powder at all,” Ly said. “We use all beef bone and slow simmer for 16 hours. We have six pots in the back. That’s what we’re known for — the broth. It’s a family-owned business; everyone that works here is mom, dad, aunt, grandma.”

Pho Khang also serves lobster pho and vegetarian varieties, along with over a dozen other pho options.

Pho Khang, a Vietnamese restaurant in Centennial, has 20 varietCOURTESY OF PHO KHANG ies of Pho, including this lobster special Pho.

Mi Tierra Caliente — Arvada — Pozole (Michoacán style pork and hominy stew)

5350 W 64th Ave., Arvada, CO 80003 | (720)-968-4634 | Mitierracaliente.net Open 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sunday Mi Tierra Caliente owner Ayax Silva said Pozole is a centuriesold soup that’s been made in his native Michoacán, Mexico for hundreds of years.

“It’s a soup that’s been made in Mexico for centuries by the native people,” Silva said. “Tamales were also made by Mexican natives before the Spaniards came to Mexico. A lot of the traditional dishes have been served in Mexico for centuries.

“Every region of the country gives these dishes their own touch, and it changes from family to family,” Silva continued. “With Pozole there are different kinds; red Pozole — which we serve — there’s also white, cream, chicken Pozole. We use dried chili guajillo, made with pork and white hominy in Michoacán style. We serve it with radishes, cabbages, lime and pork chunks.”

Silva said Pozole is such a tradition in some Mexican states that restaurants serving it only operate on Thursdays and going to eat the dish is a family activity. Luckily for those of us in the Denver metro area,Mi Tierra Caliente serves Pozole every day.

Croc Soup Company — Golden — Broccoli Gruyere Soup

16950 W Colfax Ave., Golden, CO 80401 | (303)-216-2566 | crocsoupcompanymenu.com Open 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday (Closed weekends) SEE WARM THE HEART, P17

Mi Tierra Caliente serves up authentic Michoacán-style COURTESY OF MI TIERRA CALIENTE Pozole every day in Arvada.

17

February 22, 2024

WARM THE HEART FROM PAGE 16

While broccoli and cheese soups — especially broccoli cheddar — abound in the metro area, Croc Coup Company takes that idea up a notch with its broccoli gruyere soup. Made from scratch with fresh ingredients, this soup is sure to keep you warm through the chilly foothill winters.

African Grill and Bar — Lakewood — Palm Nut Soup

955 S Kipling Parkway, Lakewood, CO 80226 | (303)-985-4497 | Africangrilllakewood.com 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday (Closed Sunday) African Grill and Bar in Lakewood offers a sampling of African cuisine spanning the entire continent, according to owners Sylvester and Theodora Osei-fordwuo. The restaurant features over a dozen soup varieties including palm nut soup, which originates in west Africa.

“Palm nut soup, also known as banga soup, is made out of the fruit from the palm tree plus other vegetables like onions, ginger and tomatoes added to it preparation,” Theodora said.

In Westminster, Polish Restaurant Cracovia serves Orgórkowa COURTESY OF CRACOVIA — pickle soup — made from scratch.

Damascus Grill — Littleton — Lentil Soup

1399 W Littleton Blvd., Littleton, CO 80120 | (303)-797-6666 | facebook.com/DamascusGrillLittleton Open 11:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday; 11:30-7:40 p.m. Wednesday; 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Sunday Damascus Grill’s lentil soup has a flavor that literally can’t be found anywhere else in the area. A family recipe, most of the spices used in the soup are imported directly from the Middle East.

The soup calls for all fresh ingredients and is made fresh every morning, taking about three hours to prepare.

The staff at Damascus said they were not at liberty to share which spices go into the lentil soup, calling them a “secret ingredient.”

Pierogies Factory — Wheat Ridge, Littleton — Rosol (Polish Chicken Noodle Soup)

The Broccoli Gruyere Soup at Croc Soup Company in Golden.

COURTESY OF CROC SOUP CO.

The beef bone pho at Pho Khang.

COURTESY PHO KHANG

3795 Wadsworth Blvd., Wheat Ridge, CO, 80133 | (303)-425-7421 7961 South Broadway, Littleton, CO 80122 | (303)-797-3649 | pierogiesfactory.com Both Locations: Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday – Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

While the local favorite might be better known for their pierogies, kielbasa or schnitzel, the Polish eatery also serves up Rosol; a Polish chicken noodle soup served with egg noodles. Rosol is defined by its clear broth and is served at both Pierogies Factory locations, in Wheat Ridge and Littleton.

Cracovia — Westminster — Zupa Orgórkowa

Palm Nut Soup from African Grill and Bar. COURTESY AFRICAN GRILL AND BAR

8121 W 94th Ave., Westminster, CO 80021 | (303)-484-9388 | Cracoviarestaurant.com 4 p.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday through Sunday Polish restaurant Cracovia’s pickle soup — or Zupa Orgórkowa — is a family recipe from owners Maria and Lester Rodzen’s home kitchen. Head Chef Jutta Dellert says Orgórkowa is “Everyone’s favorite” in the winter months and that to her knowledge, Cracovia is the only restaurant around that sells the traditional Polish soup.

“We use homemade pickles and we grind them,” Dellert said. “We sauté carrots, parsnip, leeks, onions and celery, and add that to a vegetable broth with pickled, flavored with vegeta; a polish spice. Then we add heavy cream.”

Dellert says the soup — along with everything else at Cracovia — is made from scratch.

“Nobody cooks from scratch anymore, but that’s what we do here,” Dellert said. “We do sauerkraut from scratch, all out sauces and everything. That’s what I love about this restaurant. It takes me four hours to make the goulash.”

Orgórkowa takes about an hour and a half to two hours to prepare, Dellert said — but that’s mostly thanks to chopping the vegetables.

18

February 22, 2024Fe

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Laydon’s character lacking

Mr. Laydon’s behavior after a 2019 hit-and-run accident in a county car calls into question the quality of his character. The community deserves better than an attorney who skirts and verbally dismisses leaving the scene of an accident as minor. He did plead guilty to an accusation of careless driving before the charge was dismissed. In a recent news article, Laydon downplayed his role in leaving the parking-lot accident scene. He instead wanted to discuss his accomplishments.

Laydon’s lack of character overshadows his accomplishments. His character and civility are called into

question by several actions. He has berated fellow commissioner Lora Thomas for practicing good governance and questioning BOCC spending. Recently, Laydon and George Teal voted to give $500K to Lockheed Martin from the county’s general fund for a business incubator. Rightly, Thomas voted against this plan, does Lockheed need taxpayer money? The company has an $8B operating cash flow. Fiscal responsibility is part of good governance as well as an indicator of a public servant’s core character when evaluating how to spend our county’s money.

Laydon’s slavish support of George Teal, who has his own ques-

tionable actions, shows a stunning lack of judgment and backbone.

How did DougCo end up with a huge water board with almost no water experts and too many developers drooling over San Luis Valley water? At their first public meeting, Jan. 22, 2024, it was embarrassingly apparent the members had no idea of the water board’s mission.

The last example is the hiring of an outside park and recreation expert for $70K (with more promised).

This action is a slap in the face to our county’s award-winning parks and recreation department. These actions do not show respect for our community and the good people who work for Douglas County.

George and Abe are disrespecting good governance with accountability by backing each other’s questionable decisions. We need to ask to whom their loyalties lie.

Irony abounds when Laydon has decided he is the arbitrator of commissioner behavior. By placing himself on almost half of the county service boards, 15 of 28. His actions appear to limit the valued voice of one commissioner. I also understand Laydon wants to monitor another commissioner’s newsletter because he objects to the transparency? This citizen expects

MARCOULIER FROM PAGE 15

holds owning a business doubled between 2019 and 2022. In 2023 alone, Census data showed Americans filed 5.5 million new business applications across the country, including 143,000 here in Colorado.

That success is creating a rising tide.

Black wealth is up a record 60% from before the pandemic, and Black unemployment has reached historic lows since 2021.

These positive impacts are not isolated—in fact we’re seeing positive gains for small businesses across demographics, regions, economic sectors, and beyond.

While Colorado’s Black-owned businesses continue to power the Small Business Boom, our work is far from done. Despite record federal dollars reaching Black-owned businesses through government contracting, longstanding disparities persist. Recently, the president announced his new goal to increase

reporting out on all meetings and gatherings that propose to spend my money.

Laydon, along with his questionable character, will be driving to attend many meetings. Don’t let him use the company car.

Katie Barrett, Castle Rock Misleading claims

Douglas County Republican commissioners are attempting to fill taxpayers with misleading figures in saying they are giving homeowners a property tax break by cutting county budget while out of the other side of their mouth increased the budget. Instead of decreasing mill levy, they will give rebate checks for those that apply.

What percentage of households will seek remedy in this form? To compound spending, they will spend over $68,000 to inform taxpayers through mailings that probably the majority will not read. We have Democrats that spend our tax money freely and Republican lawmakers that whitewash spending cuts that only provide them with more money in disguise. The political system is broken and all of us suffer while career politicians stay in office. Change is needed!

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the share of federal contracts with Small Disadvantaged Businesses to 15 percent by fiscal year 2025. This represents a massive increase over historical averages—and a 50 percent increase from when he first took office, and a huge step towards equity.

The SBA also understands that, even in good times, minority entrepreneurs and other historically underserved communities (including women, veterans, and rural) still face obstacles accessing capital.

That’s why the SBA is committed to ensuring that anyone with a good idea can pursue that opportunity.

We’re helping more Americans than ever access the funds they need to realize their dreams of small business ownership – and that means more jobs, more goods and services, and more resilient communities, no matter the zip code.

For more information on SBA’s programs and services please visit www. sba.gov and remember to follow us on Twitter (X) @SBArockymtn and @SBA_colorado.

19

February 22, 2024

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Christopher Morse: South South Broadway Variety Show

Eddie Ifft: Castle Rock CO @ 7pm Spotlight Theater, 680 Atchison Way Suite 100, Castle Rock

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The best place to promote your events online and in print. Visit us @ https://littletonindependent.net/calendar

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February 22, 2024Fe

High school juniors can learn about civics American Legion program is now accepting applications

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORACOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The American Legion is seeking high school juniors for an immersive learning experience about political parties and their role in shaping Colorado government.

The American Legion Colorado Boys State is a six-day long program in which young men learn about city, county and state government by creating their own party platform, conduct party conventions, campaign, nominate and elect officials.

There is also a Colorado Girls State that offers the same.

This year, the boys’ program will take place at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado June 2-8. And the girls’ program, offered by the legion’s auxiliary, takes place at the college June 10-15.

Marine veteran Homar Alvarado learned about the program through the Highlands Ranch American Legion Post. He is encouraging students to apply.

“I’m just an advocate for young people’s development,” said Alvarado. “I see the impact of this program.”

In addition to having the opportunity to interact with various state delegates, the program involves civics, political science and students learn about the structure of the government. In this, they must figure out how to govern one another.

By walking through the democratic process, they will learn how to elect

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leaders, debate, pass laws and more.

The program takes a non-partisan objective education approach, according to the website, and problems will be considered without reference to existing political parties.

Alvarado emphasized that high school girls should apply.

“I’m a dad of daughters,” said Alvarado. “And if there’s anything I want to emphasize it’s that this is open to young ladies.”

Those who are interested in careers in law, community services and the military could benefit from the program, said Alvarado. Looking at the history of who has gone through the program, Alvarado believes it lends itself to leadership roles and impactful, meaningful opportunities within their own community.

“We’re looking at congressmen, we’re looking at predominant folks in the community,” said Alvarado.

Applications for Boys State can be found at https://colegionboysstate. org/ and applications for Girls State can be found on the American Legion Auxiliary website at https://alacolorado.org/girls-state/.

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“Some who have participated in this program have risen to prominence.”

Boys State has been a program in the American Legion National Americanism Commission since 1935 and the Colorado Boys State has taken place annually since 1949.

Also, the participation fee for those who are accepted will be covered by an American Legion scholarship.

“So the only cost to these young men and women would be to get yourself there,” said Alvarado.

And completing this program, said Alvarado, could be a positive note on applications to college and military academies.

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22

February 22, 2024Fe

Hoops tourney wraps up Elizabeth Wish Week Hunter’s Legacy basketball event brings good times to EHS

BY NICKY QUINBY SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Cheers of exuberance filled Elizabeth High School when the Second Annual Wish Week culminated in the ever-joyful Hunter’s Legacy Basketball Tournament.

About 17 teams, made up of all ages, competed on the night of Feb. 9 in fast-paced, five-minute games with a running clock. Teams wore a cacophony of “uniforms,” from simple white tank tops to flannel shirts with overalls. No one took themselves too seriously — there was definitely more camaraderie than competition.

EHS officially celebrated Wish Week from Feb. 5 to Feb. 9, although the kickoff took place Feb. 2. EHS Student Council organized a week of events to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and to help send 3-year-old Karina Haney to Disney World. Karina has severe aplastic anemia, a rare disease characterized by an inability to make red blood cells.

Each day during Wish Week marked an opportunity to raise money for Karina. Students participated in games at lunch, fundraisers during home basketball games, and partnerships with restaurants.

There were several Spirit Days, many with a Disney theme, in honor of Karina’s favorite things. The fundraising events during Wish Week help families pay medical bills or do something fun.

“Brave the Shave,” another fundraising opportunity, took place dur-

A basketball game in progress in front of a Disney-themed banner in honor of Karina Haney, the 3-year-old honoree of the Elizabeth High School Wish Week. A few of Karina’s favorite characters decorated the gym during the Hunter’s Legacy basketball tournament.

ing the basketball tournament halftime. Around 20 people had their heads shaved to show support for those who have cancer.

The first Hunter’s Legacy Basketball Tournament took place 10 years ago, in 2014, and benefits a different cause each year. The tournament was organized just before its namesake, Elizabeth student Hunter Neelley, passed away on Oct. 12, 2014. Hunter was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 2010 and endured chemotherapy treatments and 18 surgeries over the next four years.

EHS teacher Alana Wolner wrote in a district email that Hunter always thought of others first. “He loved basketball, and wanted a tournament that would raise money for other families battling cancer,”

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A brave man goes up against a team of teenagers at the Hunter’s Legacy basketball tournament. His strategy relied on successfully making multiple three-point shots.

she said.

Hunter’s parents, Scott and Robin, shared that having Hunter’s name mentioned, as well as knowing that his memory and legacy are still making a difference through the tournament, means the world to them.

“Hunter was also a Make-A-Wish recipient, which makes this fundraiser all the more special. He would be so proud that we are helping another child battling a life-threatening disease make her dreams come true. Thank you for continuing to help us live Hunter’s legacy,” they shared.

The winners of the tournament were the Skellywags, a group of

young men who previously played basketball at EHS and graduated in 2018.

At the end of the week, EHS raised a total of $4,300 for Karina.

To read more about Wish Week and Karina’s prognosis, visit the ESD Good News Bulletin at tinyurl. com/ehswishweek.

To donate to Karina, visit the EHS Wish Week Instagram account at instagram.com/ehs_wishweek24.

Karina’s family encourages everyone to donate platelets at Vitalant.org and, if possible, to enter the bone-marrow registry at National Marrow Donor Program, bethematch.org.

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To provide the most accurate results by geographical area, Colorado Community Media does not require, but does encourage readers to vote for businesses in their immediate local community. All nominated businesses have an equal opportunity of winning, no purchase required. Please see voting website for complete contest rules and regulations.

February 22, 2024Fe

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25

February 22, 2024

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26

February 22, 2024F

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The property has an amazing open space kitchen with a large master bed room, large walk in closet and wow en-suite. bathroom. The property is superb for entertaining with a large deck and breakfast nook.

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The 3rd buyer is a family care situation where one will support the other but do not want to be too close.

The last buyer would be a mid to older age couple who would like to have additional space for guest and for them to have private space. The home is all on one level.

Any buyer who does not take the 2-1 buydown and does give a full price offer will get a custom package for $20,000.00. The upgrades could include and of these: Private garden, custom front porch, hottub, man cave in the garage or custom tile and paint throughout the home, RV parking or off street parking for the ADU. Please call Alan Davis at 303-378-7537 or alandavis@levelengineering.com

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February 22, 2024

SERVICE DIRECTORY Cleaning

Drywall

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February 22, 2024Fe

SERVICE DIRECTORY

ng

Handyman

TM

REPAIRS & REMODELING HOMEHOME REPAIRS & REMODELING

• Drywall • Painting • Tile • Trim • Drywall • Painting••Doors Tile •• Trim • Doors • Painting • Decks • Bath Remodel Painting • Decks • Bath Remodel • Kitchen Remodels MuchMore!

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exterior • interior • residential repaints Re-caulk all home complete prime all caulked areas / replace any damaged boards / popcorn removal drywall and texture repair / fences and decks / insured and bonded

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Lawn/Garden Services

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29

February 22, 2024

SERVICE DIRECTORY Roofing

Solar

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www.ColoradoCommunityMedia.com/Notices

PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088 Legals Public Trustees PUBLIC NOTICE Parker NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0201 To Whom It May Concern: On 12/7/2023 8:17:00 AM the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Douglas County.

Original Grantor: CHRIS JON HAMMERBERG Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. AS NOMINEE FOR FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION, ITS SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: COLORADO HOUSING AND FINANCE AUTHORITY Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 6/1/2018 Recording Date of DOT: 6/5/2018 Reception No. of DOT: 2018033623 DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $314,204.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $291,384.25 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Borrower's failure to make timely payments as required under the Evidence of Debt and Deed of Trust.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust.

Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 100, COTTONWOOD SUBDIVISION FILING NO. 1, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 17605 Ponderosa Ave, Parker, CO 80134

purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

First Publication: 2/8/2024 Last Publication: 3/7/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press Dated: 12/7/2023 DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

legals@coloradocommunitymedia.com

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust.

Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 8, BLOCK 3, STROH RANCH FILING NO. 9C, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 12649 Buckhorn Creek St, Parker, CO 80134 NOTICE OF SALE

The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: DAVID R DOUGHTY Colorado Registration #: 40042 9540 MAROON CIRCLE SUITE 320, ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO 80112 Phone #: (303) 706-9990 Fax #: (303) 706-9994 Attorney File #: 20-024128 *YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/ Legal Notice No. 2023-0201 First Publication: 2/8/2024 Last Publication: 3/7/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press PUBLIC NOTICE Parker NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0200

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 20, 2024, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

First Publication: 1/25/2024 Last Publication: 2/22/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press

To Whom It May Concern: On 11/28/2023 9:28:00 AM the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Douglas County.

Original Grantor: KENNETH NEAL PAULICK AND CONNIE J PAINE Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. ACTING SOLELY AS NOMINEE FOR UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: NEWREZ LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 6/25/2019 Recording Date of DOT: 7/2/2019 Reception No. of DOT: 2019039010 DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $418,599.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $390,763.48

Dated: 11/28/2023 DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: RYAN BOURGEOIS Colorado Registration #: 51088 1391 Speer Boulevard, Suite 700 , DENVER, COLORADO 80204 Phone #: (303) 350-3711 Fax #: Attorney File #: 00000009905324

To Whom It May Concern: On 12/19/2023 8:39:00 AM the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Douglas County.

Original Grantor: Brent Hines and Amy Hines Original Beneficiary: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for Commerce Home Mortgage, a California Corporation Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 1/25/2016 Recording Date of DOT: 2/5/2016 Reception No. of DOT: 2016007004 DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $356,125.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $331,833.92 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof.

DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: ARICYN J. DALL Colorado Registration #: 51467 216 16TH STREET SUITE 1210, DENVER, COLORADO 80202 Phone #: (720) 259-6714 Fax #: (720) 259-6709 Attorney File #: 20CO00068-12 *YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/ Legal Notice No. 2023-0208 First Publication: 2/22/2024 Last Publication: 3/21/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press

###

Elbert County

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

Legals

The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust.

Notice to Creditors

Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 41, STONEGATE FILING NO. 21A, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Public Notice NOTICE TO CREDITORS Estate of JOHN FRANCIS PEPE, also known as JOHN F. PEPE, and JOHN PEPE, Deceased Case Number 24PR30003

Which has the address of: 17545 Celestine Court , Parker, CO 80134 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

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 Monday, June 15, 2024, or the claims may be forever barred.

Veronica Pepe, Co-Personal Representative 3827 Lupine Lane, Apt. L Calabasas, CA 91302 Randy Benjamin Pepe Co-Personal Representative 423 W. 22nd Avenue, Apt. 307 Anchorage, AK 99503

Get Involved!

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the

Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof.

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/ Legal Notice No. 2023-0200 First Publication: 1/25/2024 Last Publication: 2/22/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press PUBLIC NOTICE

Parker NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0208

First Publication: 2/22/2024 Last Publication: 3/21/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Timothy Pepe, Co-Personal Representative 10334 Vienna Street Parker, Colorado 80134 Legal Notice No. 205111 First Publication: February 15, 2024 Last Publication: February 29, 2024 Publisher: Elbert County News ###

Dated: 12/19/2023

Every day, the government makes decisions that can affect your life. Whether they are decisions on

this one to publish public notices since the birth Elbertnewspapers Legals February 22, 2024 of theParker nation.| Local remain the most * 1

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February 22, 2024Fe

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