Fort Lupton Press 050423

FIELDS OF HONOR

Assessors predict sticker shock for homeowners

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

is week, homeowners across the Denver area will be staring at numbers that may come as a shock: eir property values may have jumped by up to 45% — or even higher.

“We do ask property owners to take a good look at the notices they receive,” said Denver Assessor Keith Er meyer, urging homeowners to let their local assessor’s o ces know if they dispute the value they receive.

Driven by a costly real-estate market, home values — as calculated for property tax purposes — have spiked since the last time homeowners received notices of value two years ago. Since then, residential properties in the Denver metro area typically saw value increases between 35% and 45%, a group of assessors from across the Front Range announced April 26.

For owners selling their homes these days, the bump in home prices has been good news. But it also means owners are on the hook for higher property tax bills, Er meyer noted.

Public o cials are openly hoping homeowners will get relief from the state legislature, where lawmakers are expected to take action to lower property tax bills this year.

It’s a fraught equation, though, because local governments depend on property tax revenue, and too much adjustment could threaten cuts to their services.

Property taxes partly fund county governments, but they also fund school districts, re and library districts, and other local entities.

Toby Damisch, who heads Douglas County’s property tax o ce, emphasized

SEE TAXES, P5

Volunteers placed 1,020 flags in the Pearson Park Fields April 26-29 to honor veterans as well as first responders. It’s the third year for the display, which moved from the fall to the spring for 2023. See more on page 4.

PHOTO BY SCOTT TAYLOR

New design, same commitment

To our valued readers: If you have made it to this article, you already know that something feels a little di erent about this publication. We have redesigned our nameplate atop the front page, or the “ ag” as we call it in the newsroom.

As the primary symbol of our publication, our ags represent our values and mission. From time to time, we believe it’s important to update and refresh our identity to re ect the evolution of our company. But be con dent that the reliable and quality news you have come to expect has not changed; in fact, we’re working to make it better than ever.

e change to our nearly two dozen publications gives them a cohesive feel, and combined with a change to a more compact size in printing, allows the news content to take center stage, as it should.

Two years ago this week, our publications became owned by a new company, the Colorado News Conservancy. Its mission and purpose are right there in its name: to conserve local news, keep it in local

TAXES

FROM PAGE 1

NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Linda Shapley

hands and keep it vibrant. We recognized that folks get their news in di erent forms, not just in print, so this is just the rst stage in a project to demonstrate our commitment to innovation and progress.

We want you to feel proud and connected to whichever of our publications you receive. We hope you will appreciate the e ort and attention to detail that went into this redesign. We welcome your feedback and comments on our new look, and any part of our newsgathering. Your opinion matters to us, and we always strive to improve to meet your expectations.

ank you for your continued support and loyalty to our publication. We believe there are better days ahead.

— Linda Shapley, publisher, Colorado Community Media

the urgent nature of the situation for homeowners and a ordability.

“If the state lawmakers don’t act immediately on this, then it will be a crisis, in my opinion,” Damisch, the Douglas County assessor, told reporters.

Not an isolated problem

Across Colorado, property values have risen signi cantly, Damisch said. In notably a uent Douglas County, residential properties saw increases between 30% and 60%, with a median of 47%.

Other metro-area counties have seen high spikes as well:

• In Denver, the median increase in single-family home property values is 33%, Er meyer said.

• In Je erson County, median singlefamily residential values increased by 37%, the county said in a news release.

• Arapahoe County’s assessor, PK Kaiser, announced the county will see almost a 42% increase in residential values.

• Broom eld saw a median value increase for single-family residential of 41%, according to Broom eld County’s assessor.

How does that all stack up with property value jumps in recent years?

Er meyer recalls talking about median increases that were “largely in the 20s” in Denver in 2015, 2017 and 2019.

“Douglas County, we had 30% increases in the 1997 reappraisal as well as the 1999 appraisal. at felt monumental at the time,” Damisch said. “What we’re looking at this year is that’s at the low end.”

Apartment renters a ected

While property tax discussions often focus on homeowners, the spike in values could also a ect renters in apartments — sometimes called “multifamily” buildings — though it’s unclear by how much.

Asked whether apartment landlords will raise rent because of increases in property tax bills, Damisch said they may try, “but they can only do what the market allows.”

“And taxes is just one of their cost streams,” Damisch said, adding that landlords have seen increased labor and insurance costs as well.

Er meyer noted: “We’ve seen some historic increases in multifamily in the past that haven’t been met with immediate rent spikes.”

e median total property value change for apartment buildings is 20% in Je erson County, according to a news release.

In Douglas County, the median increase in multifamily property values is 25%, Damisch said.

Growing pains

In an expensive real-estate market, it seems like new property developments pop up constantly around metro Denver. A common concern from existing residents is that new developments will cause their property values to drop. But market forces keeping property values high can also elicit fears of high property

tax bills.

Asked about the tension between those two concerns, Damisch acknowledged it’s a di cult question.

“Growth has always been, in Douglas County, one of the hottest topics. We’ve had thousands of people moving in for a few decades,” Damisch said. “Once they get here — myself included — they don’t like the growth.”

Er meyer pointed to the shortage of housing in general around the state.

“I don’t think you could disconnect what we’re talking about today from that particular fact,” Er meyer said. “ at’s one of many, many things that contribute to property (values).”

Lawmakers may step in

It’s the job of county assessors’ o ces to establish accurate values of homes and other properties to determine how much property owners will owe government entities in taxes — a process meant to ensure that the amount of taxes people pay is fair and equitable.

( e assessor doesn’t set the tax rate but determines the value of the property that the tax rate then gets applied to. Local government entities like counties and school districts set the tax rates. Property tax rates are o cially called “mill levies.”) e law requires the assessors to value properties every two years. e property valuation homeowners will soon receive is based on June 2022 data, near the recent peak in the real-estate market.

So even though home prices have declined since then, property values re ect last year’s exceptional highs. Also at play is a number called the “assessment rate,” another factor that helps determine how much in property taxes a person owes. e state legislature sets the assessment rate.

JoAnn Gro , Colorado property tax administrator, said she “can pretty well guarantee” that the property tax information homeowners receive next week won’t be accurate.

“It’s because your legislature isn’t immune to what’s going on right now,” Gro said. “ ere’ve been lots of discussions … about providing some additional property value adjustment.”

“I truly expect to see some adjustments and some relief in 2023,” she added.

She also advised the public “to watch every one of your taxing jurisdictions that’s going to have conversations about setting their mill levy.”

Colorado ranks lower

Despite the public concerns over property taxes, Gro noted that “we still have one of the lowest obligations of property taxes of any state.”

Nationally, Colorado has relatively low residential property taxes, according to an analysis by the conservative Tax Foundation. Colorado ranked 47th in property taxes paid as a percentage of owner-occupied housing value in 2020, according to the foundation.

And while businesses pay more, their taxes still appear to be lower than the national average, according to the Colorado Sun. Colorado had the 17th best “State Business Tax Climate” for 2020, according to the Tax Foundation. Colorado had the 14th best “property tax rank” for businesses in 2020, according to the foundation.

Cinco de Mayo 5K is year’s Cinco de Mayo 5K run will be at 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 5, at Railroad Park, across the street from the Fort Lupton Recreation Center, 203 S. Harrison Ave.

Live music and prizes are part of the agenda as well. Visit https://fortluptonco.gov/775/Cinco-de-Mayo-5K.

Spring Plant Sale at Aims

e Aims Agriculture Club is hosting a Spring Plant Sale fundraiser from 4-7 p.m. May 10 in the greenhouse at the Fort Lupton campus. Students have grown many types of gardens and indoor plants to help fundraise for opportunities for the club. All plants sold are grown by Aims Ag Club and Aims Horticulture students. Choose from plants for your vegetable garden, outdoor owers, succulents and more.

Fort Lupton Rec Center hosts lifeguard sessions

Don’t miss out on lifeguard training May 30 - June 3! Are you 15 years old or older and looking for a great part-time job with exible hours or a challenging career? American Red Cross Lifeguarding is the best place to start! Lifeguarding puts you in an exciting position, working as part of a

team to help people safely enjoy the water. You must attend every class to receive the American Red Cross certi cation. Call 303-857-4200 x6164 or email dcook@fortluptonco.gov for registration.

Sign Up Early - Space is Limited!

Mays Memorial Fore Youth Benefit Golf Tournament June 9

e annual Jacobs Jon Mays Memorial Golf Tournament returns to Coyote Creek Golf Course June 9 to bene t local youth.

e tournament is a four-person scramble. After an 8 a.m. start, golfers will enjoy 18 holes with fun games and contests. ere’s also a pre-round breakfast, post-event lunch and prizes.

Individual registration is $140 per player and $455 per team. Registration includes green fees, cart and lunch. Sponsorships are available at a variety of price points, and include bene ts like tee-box advertising, team registration, promotional opportunities and more.

To register for the tournament and view a complete list of sponsorship opportunities, visit www.golfgenius.com/ggid/jmay23. If you can’t participate in the tournament, but want to lend your support, consider a

Comprehensive cancer care that sets us apart.

monetary donation or an item for our ra

South Platte Historical Society is hosting summer at the Independence one-room school.

Children can have fun experiencing pioneer living.

2001 Historic Parkway, Fort Lupton, CO

Session #1 June 5-7

Session #2 June 12-14

Session #3 June 19-20

Go to www.spvhs and click Annual Events, Independent School for Flyer and Registration Form or contact LaVon lwatson@spvhs.org

LaVon Watson 720-273-3609

Splash pad

e city of Fort Lupton is searching for comments about and sponsorships for a new splash pad.

Sponsor funds will be used for the splash park and amenities. Call 303857-6694

Donation time

e Fort Lupton Food & Clothing Bank is asking for donations of canned fruits and nuts, varieties of dry pasta and pasta dinners, peanut butter and canned meat such as tuna (including the pouches).

Other potential donations could include chicken, Vienna sausages, spam and salmon. e bank also needs personal items, such as toiletries and baby needs.

Drop o donations at the food and clothing bank’s back door, 421 Denver Ave., weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Call 303-857-1096.

Walk with a doc

Platte Valley Medical Center’s cardiac rehab team and Walk With A Doc will host monthly walks with Dr. Christopher Cannon, an interventional cardiologist at Brighton Heart and Vascular Institute.

is is a walking program for everyone interested in taking steps for a healthier lifestyle. After a few minutes to learn about a current health topic from the doctor, spend the rest of the hour enjoying a healthy walk and fun talk.

Blessings in a Bag

Fort Lupton’s Backpack Program helps school children in need with a backpack of healthy food. It’s an allvolunteer program and is in need of volunteers. If interested in volunteering or donating, call 303-718-4440. Mail donations to Blessings in a Bag, 306 Park Ave., Fort Lupton 80621.

Jill Alldredge, MD

Kian Behbakht, MD

Bradley Corr, MD

Lisa Marie Babayan, PA-C

Lindsay Brubaker, MD

Jaime Arruda, MD

Catherine Bouts, PA-C

Nicole Marjon, MD

Christine Walsh, MD

Carolyn Lefkowits, MD

Marisa Moroney, MD Saketh Guntupalli, MD

Spyridon Mastroyannis, MD

Field of Honor marks another year

Flags fill Pearson Park to honor local heros

BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Judy Ceretto and her husband Ron, a retired Fort Lupton re ghter, were traveling through Nevada when they happened upon a sea of American ags.

“We had been out there for a week and we went by when they were just putting the ags out,” Ceretto said. “We didn’t get to see any of the events but just the ags, and we stopped and looked at it. I thought, ‘Wow. We need to bring it back home.’”

e patriotic display was her rst encounter with Fields of Honor, part of a national e ort to help communities celebrate their local heroes — veterans and police, re and emergency medical rst responders.

“I had to stop and go nd out who was behind it and how to go about doing it myself,” Ceretto said. “I told my husband, we are going to go home and we are going to do that in Fort Lupton.”

is is the third year Ceretto and a group of local volunteers, working the Colonial Flag Foundation, have

lled Fort Lupton’s Pearson Park Fields with American ags for the Great Plains Field of Honor. For 2023, the eld features 1,020 ags. More than half — 677 ags, to be exact — have been sponsored, paid for by local family and friends. ey all want to honor their family that have served publicly, as veterans and as rst responders.

“It’s the same for me now,” Ceretto said. “Each time I come up that hill and see those ags, I still bust out crying.”

It’s the third time in four year Ceretto and her friends have volunteered to make the event happen. e rst two years, in 2020 and 2021, the Fort Lupton event has held November. Two factors complicated both events, she said: e weather, with November gloom and early sunsets, and the calendar.

“We had to work around the recreation department schedule and the weather, so they decided we needed to move to April,” she said. “ ere wasn’t enough time to do it by April 2022, so we postponed it until now.” e event’s proximity to Veterans Day also made nding speakers and presenters that much more di cult, she said.

“We couldn’t get speakers, we couldn’t get yovers, we couldn’t get anything like that,” she said. “In November, they’re already spoken for. is year, we have plenty.” ere’s no lack of speakers this year at the April 29 ceremony. Featured guests include retired Larimer County Sheri Justin Smith, a yover featuring military helicopters, a 21 gun salute and a 13 folds ceremony, in which each fold of the ag represents a special meaning. ere will also be bagpipes from the Colorado Emerald Society and an honor bell. e ceremony is scheduled for 1 p.m. April 29 at the elds, northeast of the intersection of Highway 85 and Highway 52 in Fort Lupton.

But the eld of ags, the thing that caught Ceretto’s eye, are still the main draw. Volunteers opened the decorated eld on April 26, posting them in rows deep. e sponsored ags all carry memorial cards saying who is being honored, from World War I and II veterans, those from Vietnam, the Gulf War and Afghanistan to rst responders around the country with local family.

Flag sponsorships cost $25 per ag. Proceeds from those sponsorships go to Warrior NOW, an e ort to end veteran suicide, and Building Warriors. at’s a non-pro t group that seeks to provide wellness services to rst responders and their families.

e eld has been open daily in the eld since, from noon to 8 p.m. Sitting in a green tent at the entrance, volunteers have a listing of every sponsored ag on display and can help people nd the ag honoring their loved ones.

People are welcome to visit the eld at anytime, and just take it all in, she said.

Judy Ceretto in front of the display of flags that she helped sponsor, the Great Plains Field of Honor in Fort Lupton’s Pearson Park.

SCOTT TAYLOR

FREEDOM. TO BE YOU.

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

Force Main and Lift Station Project

Weld County, Colorado Rural Development

U.S. Department of Agriculture

City of Fort Lupton

Prepared by:

Andy Gupta, State Engineer Rural Development April 2023

A. INTRODUCTION

The City of Fort Lupton plans to submit a financing request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Development to construct the proposed Force Main and Lift Station Project in Weld County, Colorado. USDA RD is considering this financing request. Prior to taking a federal action (i.e., providing financial assistance), USDA RD is required to complete an environmental impact analysis in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (U.S.C. 4231 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and RD’s NEPA implementing regulations, Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part 1970). After completing an independent analysis of an environmental report prepared by the City of Fort Lupton and its consultant, USDA RD concurred with its scope and content. In accordance with 7 CFR § 1970.102, USDA RD adopted the report and issued it as the Agency’s Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed Project. USDA RD finds that the EA is consistent with federal regulations and meets the standards for an adequate assessment. The City of Fort Lupton published newspaper notices, announcing the availability of the EA for public review, in accordance with 7 CFR § 1970.102. In addition, USDA RD considers the proposed Project an undertaking subject to review under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), 16 USC 470(f), and its implementing regulation, “Protection of Historic Properties” (36 CFR Part 800). The following NEPA documents are related to this proposal:

Environmental Assessment

B. PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE/NEED

The overall purpose of the Project is to construct a force main and lift station to deliver wastewater flows from the City’s current wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to Metro Water Recovery’s Northern Treatment Plant located at 51 Baseline Road in Brighton, Colorado. The Project will construct a 6.5 mile long, 20-inch diameter pipeline located northeast of Denver in Fort Lupton, Colorado. A lift station will be retrofitted from the existing structures in the current WWTP to deliver the required flows to Metro. Completion of the force main and lift station would allow all wastewater flows to be transferred to Metro for treatment. The Project is situated adjacent to U.S. Highway (US) 85, beginning north of HW 52 and ending north of East 168th avenue in Weld County, Colorado (Project Area) (Attachment A). Construction of the pipeline requires 1,250 feet of horizontal directional drilled (HDD) pipe approximately 40 feet underneath the South Platte River and two trenchless crossings of Weld County Road 8 and Weld County Road 6. Most of the pipeline and lift station in the Project Area will be constructed within the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Right of Way (ROW) and the existing WWTP. The anticipated area of disturbance, including all trenching, excavation, and equipment staging, encompasses approximately 42.35 acres.USDA RD has reviewed the purpose and need for the Project and determined that the proposal will meet the present and future needs of the City of Fort Lupton.

C. ALTERNATIVES EVALUATED

1. No Action

Under the No Action Alternative, USDA RD would not provide financial assistance to the City of Fort Lupton, and/or the proposed Project would not be constructed. The No Action Alternative would maintain existing condition and would not provide improvements that would allow the Town to meet the permit conditions. The No Action Alternative would result in failure to comply with CDPHE Regulation 85 (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment) permit as well as effluent limitation and capacity requirements for the expected growth rate.

2. Action Alternative (Preferred Alternative)

Under the Action Alternative, USDA RD would consider financing the proposed Project, and the City of Fort Lupton would construct the Project. The proposed project would involve retrofitting several existing structures at the Fort Lupton WWTP, located at 12285 State Highway (HW) 52 in Fort Lupton, Colorado. The most notable changes to the WWTP site include retrofitting the existing aerobic digester to a wet well, while the existing return activated sludge pump and blower building will house the lift station pumps. The Project also includes a force main that is approximately six and a-half (6.5) miles of pressurized pipeline which will run parallel to HW 85.

3. Other Alternatives

In addition to the No Action Alternative and Action Alternative, the City of Fort Lupton evaluated the following alternatives as described in the Alternatives section of the EA: Upgrading the Existing Wastewater Treatment Plant, Privatizing Wastewater Service, Joining St. Vrain Sanitation District. In addition, the following alternatives were identified but eliminated from further consideration: Upgrading the Existing Wastewater Treatment Plant, Privatizing Wastewater Service, Joining St. Vrain Sanitation District.

D. SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

The analyses in the EA documented that the proposed Project would have no adverse effects to Land Use, Floodplains, Wetlands, Cultural Resources, Biological Resources, Bald Eagles And Migratory Birds, Water Resources, Environmental Justice, Air Quality, Noise,Transportation, and Aesthetics. In accordance with the requirements of § 1970.104(b), a summary of anticipated impacts on the human environment is provided below, including any mitigation measures deemed necessary to avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts. The City of Fort Lupton is responsible for implementing these measures. Lastly, the mapping systems of various federal and state agencies indicate that the planning area does not contain any formally classified lands.

Land Ownership and Land Use:

The location of the facilities would not be incompatible with local land use plans and would not adversely affect inhabited areas due to the majority of the Project occurring within CDOT ROW area, and the lift station being retrofitted from existing structures in the City’s current WWTP. Additionally, the Project would not have adverse impacts on older existing land uses and would not contribute to land use in association with recreation, mining, or other large industrial and energy developments. All disturbances to the existing ground would be restored after construction has completed. A temporary easement has been acquired from Asphalt Specialties, Inc at the County Road 8 intersection to expand the available construction area for the proposed trenchless crossing.

Formally Classified Lands:

The mapping systems of various federal and state agencies indicate that the planning area does not contain any formally classified lands.

Floodplains:

Some aspects of the Project are within the 100-year floodplain (designated as Zone AE) of the South Platte River. A Flood Hazard Development Permit (FHDP) is being submitted for approval by Weld County which requires the approval of a Professional Engineer. A “no-rise” certification will be provided with proof of such conclusion. The basement of the pump building which is to house the proposed lift station containing three pumps will be below the base flood elevation and therefore within the floodplain. Other infrastructure proposed such as the force main pipeline and the access manhole to be located at the Metro Water Recovery Northern Treatment Plant will be within the 100-year floodplain as well. However, since these are buried infrastructure, there will be no change to the floodway or base flood elevation. In total, there exists 14.8 acres of construction area that exists within a regulated floodway or special flood hazard area. Impacts to the existing surface will be monitored and the topography in the area will be returned to preconstruction grade and elevations at the time of completion. The project design includes detailed erosion and sediment control plans as well as a Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP). Construction scheduling will limit work during wet weather.

Wetlands:

As currently designed, no permanent impacts are expected to wetlands and water bodies as the Project construction would not impact the stormwater retention pond and the identified irrigation ditches would only be temporarily impacted and would be restored to pre-construction conditions. The construction footprint was redesigned to avoid the wetland adjacent to the river. This wetland will not be affected by construction. There are several protocols specified in this Project to mitigate for HDD drilling risk. The contractor will be required to develop and submit a Fuel and Hydraulic Fluid Containment and Contingency Spill Plan, which will include means and methods for managing, containing, and cleanup of related spills. Furthermore, contingency plans for several other spill scenarios will be provided including loss of drilling fluid circulation, inadvertent return fluids, and utility strikes. Additionally, all open-cut work has been shifted to avoid the wetlands identified, as well as the need for a Section 404 permit. To further mitigate potential secondary impacts, the boundary of the wetland will be lined with a silt fence and sediment control logs. The project design includes detailed erosion and sediment control plans as well as a SWMP.

Cultural Resources:

The Area of Potential Effect (APE) was originally defined as a 400-ft wide corridor centered on the route as stated in a August 17, 2022 scoping letter to the Colorado State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). The APE was later changed based on feedback from SHPO to a direct APE, equal to the construction footprint. For the Proposed Action, the City of Fort Lupton, consulted with the Colorado (SHPO) regarding Section 106. A Class III cultural resource inventory of the APE was completed on September 8, 2022. A concurrence letter, agreeing with the findings and recommendations was received February 14, 2023 from SHPO. Subsequent consultation with the associated Tribal Historic Preservation Office’s (THPO) resulted in no comments received, and the Section 106 concluding with the Agency determining a Finding of No Adverse Effects to Historic Properties. Should unidentified archaeological resources be discovered during construction of the projects, work must be interrupted until the resources have been evaluated in terms of NRHP eligibility criteria (36 CFR 60.4) in consultation with SHPO.

Biological Resources: Minimal environmental consequences for general fish,

wildlife, and vegetation are anticipated as most of the Project disturbance will be within the CDOT ROW. Vegetation will be temporarily removed in areas where the force main is buried. These areas will be restored with a native seed mixture. A few trees may need to be removed on private property. This will happen either outside of the nesting season or a nest survey will be conducted prior to removal. Impacts to riparian areas will be avoided. Vegetation removal and disturbance will be minimized to the extent practicable, and work will be confined to the limits necessary to complete construction to lessen impacts on wildlife and habitat. Any temporarily disturbed areas would be reclaimed and re-seeded to restore habitat and vegetation. weed control plan will be agreed upon by Weld County and the City. This plan will be implemented during and after construction to mitigate the potential introduction and spread of noxious and invasive weed species, no impacts are anticipated to listed threatened and endangered species.

Bald Eagles and Migratory Birds

No bald eagle nests were observed in the Survey Area during the natural resource surveys; however, the CPW raptor nest database identified two bald eagle nests just outside of the Survey Area. These nests would not be directly impacted by construction of the Project, however during sensitive reproductive periods nesting bald eagles could experience impacts. It is not anticipated bald or golden eagle nests will be disturbed. Should an active bald or golden eagle nest be observed onsite or adjacent to the Project, an appropriately sized buffer would be established around the nest based on the Recommended Buffer Zones and Seasonal Restrictions for Colorado Raptors (CPW, 2020). No work shall take place within the established buffer until the nest has fledged or is no longer active. No burrowing owls were observed during the natural resource surveys, but they could inhabit the colony during the nesting season and experience impacts from the Project. If work will take place within nesting season, a burrowing owl survey would be completed before burrows are collapsed within the prairie dog colony. If burrowing owl nests are discovered in the affected environment during construction, coordination with CPW and USFWS would be initiated.

Water Resources:

The Project would not adversely affect the quality and quantity of groundwater or aquifers used as potable drinking water sources. The Project would not affect sole source aquifers as there are none located in the state of Colorado. The South Platte River is located within the Denver Basin aquifer system, which may receive effluent or runoff. However, the quality of wastewater discharge will be of higher quality than previous discharge and mitigation measures will be placed to avoid further impacts to this aquifer. There are no additional cost-effective water conservation measures that could be adopted by Fort Lupton to reduce sewage generation. A Fuel and Hydraulic Fluid Containment and Contingency Spill Plan as well as other contingency plans will be in place to mitigate potential spills or releases during the HDD drilling under the river. Best Management Practices (BMP), such as utilization of silt fences, temporary soil stabilization, and general implementation of grading, erosion, and sediment control plans will be implemented to prevent or minimize water quality impacts during construction. The project design includes detailed erosion and sediment control plans as well as a Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP).

Environmental Justice:

Since the Proposed Action is mostly within the CDOT ROW, it would have no effect on socioeconomics and environmental justice. Communities may benefit from the Proposed Action as the wastewater discharge into the South Platte River will be of higher quality. There will be minimal visual, noise, and transportation impacts to environmental justice communities.

Air Quality:

The proposed Project would potentially release some odors during construction. Odors possible could consist of vehicle exhaust, construction & heavy equipment exhaust, and odors from debris and dust. Furthermore, some odors could occur during the opening and connection of the force main to the existing well near the Metro Northern WWTP. The effect of these odors to the surrounding areas would be minimal, as the immediate area surrounding the treatment plant is sparsely populated and the plant itself is relatively small. Odor mitigation measures may be used to lessen the impact to the surrounding areas, such as limiting wet well work during easterly blowing winds. Dust control measures would be implemented as necessary to suppress or prevent the emission of dust into the atmosphere during construction. These measures include applying water or soil binders at regular intervals to the work areas and roads, limiting vehicular speed, and avoiding soil disturbing activities during periods of high winds.

Noise:

Temporary noise impacts during Project construction would result from noise from HDD, an emergency back-up generator, construction trucks, and other common construction noises (hammering, beeping, equipment alarms, etc.). No permanent noise disturbances are expected. The Proposed Action would result in a temporary increase in noise during construction of the lift station and force main. The hours of work are restricted by the applicable ROW permits issued by the applicable jurisdiction. All construction efforts related to HDD will take place during the normal working hours to avoid any adverse impacts to the surrounding area.

Transportation:

The Right-Of-Way (ROW) corridor along CDOT 85 varies in width from over 50 feet to slightly less than 15 feet. For this reason, there will be sections in which traffic would need to be confined to a single lane along 85. CDOT stipulates windows of time for which it is acceptable to limit traffic and would allow night work as well if needed. These requirements from CDOT would mitigate impacts to traffic sufficiently along CDOT 85. Additionally, access to Pearson Park will be limited to accommodate construction staging, equipment, and material storage. A traffic control plan will be developed by the contractor and approved by Weld County as well as CDOT prior to construction. This plan will limit the impact on traffic patterns in the area.

Aesthetics:

To provide access to the forcemain for maintenance purposes, there will be a small permanent impact of vegetation removal within the Pearson Park dog park. Additionally, the fence surrounding the dog park will be removed to allow for equipment staging. There may also be temporary impacts to the aesthetics along HW 85 in the ROW during construction. The dog park and open space trail will be closed for portions of construction using signage barriers. At the completion of construction, the dog park (apart from the small cleanout area) and open space trail will be restored to pre-construction conditions and the fence will be replaced following construction. Temporary aesthetic impacts along HW 85 would be restored to pre-construction conditions.

E. PUBLIC AND AGENCY INVOLVEMENT

A local newspaper advertisement, announcing the availability of the EA and participation under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, was/were published on April 6 2023, in the Fort Lupton Press. A copy of the EA was available for public review at City of Fort Lupton 130 S Mckinley Ave, Fort Lupton, CO 80621. The 14-day comment period ended on April 20, 2023. USDA RD received a single comment. The comment was to request to “pass along the idea of extending the walking/biking trail that goes along the South Platte coming out of Denver to Brighton along the right-of-way to Fort Lupton.” The Agency responded that USDA Rural Development will be funding the project through the Waste and Water Program, modifications to sidewalks/trails would be outside the scope of the project in question and would not be eligible for program funds. However, the Agency will notify the City to the request for consideration, through other possible funding sources they may be seeking.

F. FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

Based on its EA, USDA RD has concluded that the proposed Project would have no significant effects to Land Use, Floodplains, Wetlands, Cultural Resources, Biological Resources, Bald Eagles and Migratory Birds, Water Resources, Environmental Justice, Air Quality, Noise, Transportation, and Aesthetics. The proposed Project will have no effects on historic properties listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and no effects to federally listed species or designated critical habitat. The proposed Project would not disproportionately affect minority or low-income populations. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR 1500–1508), and RD’s Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR Part 1970), USDA RD has determined that the environmental impacts of the proposed Project have been adequately addressed and that no significant impacts to the quality of the human environment would result from construction and operation of the proposed Project. Any final action by USDA RD related to the proposed Project will be subject to, and contingent upon, compliance with all relevant federal and state environmental laws and regulations. Because USDA RD action will not result in significant impacts to the quality of the human environment, USDA RD will not prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for its potential federal action associated with the proposed Project.

G. LOAN REVIEW AND RIGHT OF ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW

This FONSI is not a decision on a loan application and therefore not an approval of the expenditure of federal funds. Issuance of the FONSI and its notices concludes USDA RD’s environmental review process. The ultimate decision on loan approval depends upon conclusion of this environmental review process in addition to financial and engineering reviews. Issuance of the FONSI and publication of notices will allow for these reviews to proceed. The decision to provide financial assistance also is subject to the availability of loan funds for the designated purpose in USDA RD’s budget. There are no provisions to appeal this decision (i.e., issuance of a FONSI). Legal challenges to the FONSI may be filed in Federal District Court under the Administrative Procedures Act.

H. APPROVAL

This Finding of No Significant Impact is effective upon signature.

Dated: April 25, 2023

DUANE DALE

Community Programs Director

Community Programs

USDA Rural Development Contact Person

For additional information on this FONSI and EA, please contact Andria Cox via email andria.cox@usda.gov or phone 970-592-9027.

What this energy bill does - and does not — do

Proposal would trim Xcel’s sails, start pushing back on natural gas expansion, but falls far short of the major overhaul that some believe is needed

Xcel Energy’s high and wide sails will almost certainly be trimmed by Colorado legislators. SB23-291, the bill crafted in response to spiking natural gas prices this winter, will impose small steps to protect consumer interests.

What this bill won’t do is make Colorado’s largest utility as innovative in this energy transition as it is successful in generating pro ts for its investors.

e company reported $727 million in pro ts from its Colorado operations in 2022. Investors in the company’s eight-state operating region earned yields of more than 9%.

BIG PIVOTS

Customers were chilled even more during this winter of uncommon cold by natural gas prices that polevaulted 75%. Xcel and other utilities protested that they were merely passing along costs.

State legislators leveraged the unhappiness into an investigation of long-standing complaints. Critics have long contended that investor-owned utilities enjoy an uneven playing eld at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, the state agency governing Xcel, Black Hills Energy, and other investor-owned utilities.

Hope,

We all learn life lessons as we go along. None of us were born knowing everything we needed to know to get us through our time here on earth. We all learn in di erent ways, some by watching, some by listening, and some by doing or experiencing. I have been blessed by so many people in this world who have taught me so many life lessons, and I am grateful for each person and every lesson learned.

May your journey be lled with people who inspire you, teach you, and keep you on a path of continuous learning.

One of the rst life lessons I would like to share is about hope. Hope for me is the genesis of inspiration and motivation. When we have hope, we have power. Hope is certainly not a strategy, but hope is a foundation on which we build our goals and dreams.

“ e doors of hope swing widest on the hinges of encouragement” - Zig Ziglar. When we feel hopeful, encouraged, and motivated, that leads to a better understanding of our purpose. ere are still many who share with me that they really do not know what their purpose is, as they say they

e bill’s most important provision would allow the PUC to “consider requiring each investor-owned electric utility to bear a percentage of its total fuel costs in order to incentivize the utility to nd e ciencies and reduce fuel waste.” In other words, it puts the company’s own skin in the game. It might heighten accountability.

Senate President Steve Fenberg, a Democrat from Boulder who headed the select committee, said the proposal would not dramatically alter the compact between monopoly energy utilities and consumers. Utilities enjoy monopolies in their service territories, assuring a steady stream of revenues - and pro ts. State regulators must oversee reliability, a ordability and, in recent years, pollution reduction. Fenberg told Senate Finance Committee members that

the changes amount to “tweaks” to the regulatory compact.

is bill has disappointed some consumer advocates but stretches hard to achieve a goal of key environmental groups by challenging the expansion of natural gas.

At the committee hearing, Robert Kenney, the president of Xcel’s Colorado division, warned of unintended consequences. Others summoned by the company from Grand Junction to Pueblo to Greeley described a dark picture of hindered economic development or worse.

Many said that that this bill endangers Xcel’s access to capital to do good things such as its developing emerging hydrogen and geothermal resources. is argument was thin.

Contact us: 143 S. Second Pl., Brighton, CO 80401 - 303-566-4100

Mailing Address: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110 Phone: 303-566-4100

Web: FtLuptonPress.com

To subscribe call 303-566-4100

WINNING

haven’t found it yet. I struggled with this for a long time too, and some days I still wrestle with it, wondering if I am doing what the good Lord has placed me on this earth to do. For me, I have come to appreciate that we were put here to serve others with the gifts that we have been given. I love this quote by Nelson DeMille, “ e problem with doing nothing is that you never know when you are done.”

We were not put here to do nothing, and that very thought should inspire our purpose daily, fueling our passion to live and serve.

Hope drive’s purpose, and purpose fuels passion. When our hearts and minds are lled with hope, it helps us to identify our purpose, and when that happens, the passion inside of us comes to life. Nelson Mandela put it perfectly when he said, “ ere is no passion to be found playing small, in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” It has

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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

SCOTT TAYLOR Metro North Editor staylor@coloradocommunitymedia.com

BELEN WARD Community Editor bward@coloradocommunitymedia.com

been debated that nding passion can lead to discovering purpose instead of purpose leading to passion, whatever way it works, let hope be the spark of both purpose and passion.

When the spark of hope ignites the purpose and passion within us, we are now in a perfect position to act. Again, never sitting back and doing nothing, it’s about performance and getting things done. And when we are hopeful, purpose driven, and passion fueled, we cannot help ourselves at this point, we must take action. “Having a vision for what you want is not enough. Vision without execution is hallucination.” — omas Edison. Well said, Mr. Edison. e fth lesson for today is this one, hope drives purpose, purpose fuels passion, passion primes the pump of performance, and performance delivered equals results. At the end of the day, it is about what we accomplished. What was the outcome of our e orts? Who did we serve? Who did we help? e de nition of success di ers for everyone, yet every de nition of success will have some form of measurement of results. Earl Nightingale teaches a lesson in his program

STEVE SMITH Sports Editor ssmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

TERESA ALEXIS Marketing Consultant Classified Sales talexis@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

e Strangest Secret, he says that we do not achieve success when we become rich, we achieve success rst by believing, doing the behaviors, and having the right attitude that leads us to our success.

e best way to get started on your way to getting things done is to create a list of all the things you are hoping for. Make room for hope, give hope a chance, and watch what happens.

How about you? Are there areas of your own life, personally or professionally, that can bene t from an infusion of hope, purpose, passion, performance, and achieving greater results? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can begin with a little spark of hope, to ignite the res of purpose and passion, to elevate our performance, results will happen and that really will make it 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.

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Press. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Email letters to staylor@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Deadline Wed. for the following week’s paper.

Allen Best

purpose, passion, performance

What more reliable income stream could Wall Street want than that of a monopoly responsible for essential goods and services?

e natural gas elements have provoked the noisiest opposition. e PUC and Colorado Energy O ce would be required to study implications of existing policy that allows utilities to bill existing customers of natural gas lines to pay for expansion of gas lines to new homes and buildings.

Defenders of the policy compared this to extensions of water, sewer, and electric lines, which are also socialized. True. But for Colorado to achieve its mid-century emission

reduction goals, it cannot continue expanding natural gas lines to tens of thousands of new homes each year. Meera Fickling of Western Resource Advocates told legislators that gas lines laid in 2023 won’t be paid o until 2080. We need to be more strategic in our investments, she said.

We have alternatives. Electricpowered air-source heat pumps can heat water and buildings in temperatures of down to 22 below zero. ey can also cool buildings. eir higher upfront cost will be recouped decades before the mortgage is paid. For new construction, it should be a no-brainer.

Natural gas is also threatened by a provision that would require state regulators to apply a discount rate that, in its long-term consequence, might make natural-gas genera-

TURN TO THE COLORADO SUN FOR NEWS ACROSS THE STATE

The Colorado Sun is a journalist-owned, award-winning news outlet that strives to cover all of Colorado so that our state — our community — can better understand itself. In this way, The Sun contributes to a more

vibrant, informed and whole Colorado.

The Sun, launched in 2018, is committed to fact-based, in-depth and non-partisan journalism. It covers everything from politics and culture to the outdoor industry and

tion for electricity less economically attractive. Xcel has major plans for natural gas plants.

Energy visionary Amory Lovins decades ago said that consumers don’t care about the energy itself, only the service it delivers. ey want their beer cold. It’s just not generating electrons that matters. As we decarbonize, demand-side management and the more wonkish programming of satisfying needs will become far more important.

Xcel has shown it can build big wind and solar projects, as it once built big coal plants. is comports with the regulatory compact that allows the company to reap substantial pro ts with small risk. To its credit, Xcel is also working on new battery technology, hydrogen and other wrinkles of the energy transition.

But in the customer-interface area, Xcel has been unremarkable. I remember a rare reprimand from the PUC commissioners several years ago when reviewing an Xcel demand-management program at Denver’s Central Park neighborhood. Boulder was to be a demonstration project for innovation. So far, I’ve heard nothing.

Critics say the incentive motive of these investor-owned utilities blinds them to more creative solutions. Companies wanting to earn pro ts usually must innovate. Monopolies have less incentive to innovate, because they don’t face competition. is bill won’t change that.

Allen Best can be found at BigPivots.com, where he chronicles the energy and water transitions in Colorado and beyond. Follow him @BigPivots.

education.

Now, The Colorado Sun co-owns this and other Colorado Community Media newspapers as a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy. The Sun is CCM’s partner for

statewide news.

For Colorado Sun stories, opinions and more, and to support The Sun’s misssion as a member or subscriber, visit coloradosun. com.

AGGEN

Richard William “Rich” Aggen

November 7, 1955 - April 21, 2023

Rich was born November 7, 1955 in Midlothian, Illinois to Alfred and Shirley Aggen.

Rich is survived by his wife Donna, two children, four grandchildren, his mother, three sisters, one brother and

many nieces and nephews.

A “Celebration of Life” will be held at the Ft. Lupton High School Gymnasium, Ft. Lupton, Colorado, June 10th, 2023 at 1:00PM.

2023

Ryan Christopher Martinez, 54, of Oshkosh NE passed away Friday April 14,2023 at his home.

Ryan was born June18,1968 in Denver CO. Following his birth, he was adopted by Mary (Della) Martinez and Robert Martinez. He grew up in Brighton Co. He loved being outdoors, shing, and sports. He attended Brighton High School, where he graduated in 1986. After High School he joined the army and earned his Airborne jump wings and being part of the 82nd Airborne division. After the army he married his rst wife Ginger. ey moved to Florida where they had 3 sons. Nathan, Scott, and Trenton. In 2006, Ryan and his boys moved to Oshkosh NE. In 2008 he worked for Cabela’s where he met the love of his life Dana and her two children. In 2018 they opened a military themed restaurant, the Patriot Grill.

Ryan was a loving father, a cherished husband and a fantastic grandfather. He loved spending time with family. He had a heart of

gold and loved helping anyone he could. Ryan is survived by his wife Dana Martinez of Oshkosh NE, His children Nathan (Angel)Martinez of Lincoln NE, Aaron Scott Martinez of Niceville FL. Trenton Martinez of Oshkosh NE, Amanda (Martin)Shmidt of Northplatte NE, and Jesse Juarez of Oshkosh NE. His grandchildren Bryce, Maddi, Braedyn, Jaxyn, Bellamy, Aubriella, and Zelda. His siblings Lonny (Vicky) Martinez, Roberta (James) Hicks, Julian, and Vicente Martinez of Brighton CO. Several nieces and nephews, as well as Great nieces and nephews. He will be remembered and missed by all.

Funeral services will be held at Oshkosh Wesleyan Church Saturday April 29th at 11:00am.

Gathering of family and friends will follow.

Burial with military honors will be Monday 12:00 pm MST at McPherson National cemetery near Maxwell NE.

TOMPKINS

Charles Edwin “Chuck” Tompkins

July 3, 1947 - March 30, 2023

Charles “Chuck” Edwin Tompkins, loving husband, father, and grandfather, was called home to Heaven on ursday, March 30, 2023. He was 75 years old.

Chuck leaves behind his beautiful wife of more than 54 years, Shirley Tompkins, his son, Dana Tompkins, and his granddaughter, Sydney. His parents, Everett and Nadine Tompkins, and his brother,

James Tompkins, welcome him in Heaven. A Funeral Service was held to honor Chuck on Monday, May 1st, 2023 at Ahlberg Funeral Chapel in Longmont. He was laid to eternal rest at Elmwood Cemetery in Brighton on the same day. To read Chuck’s full obituary and to share memories and condolences for his family, please visit www.ahlbergfuneralchapel.com.

April 12, 1959 - April 25, 2023

Sandra Helen Jones was born in Wauseon, Ohio, in April of 1959. She attended Wauseon High School. She made her home in Colorado for the last 30 years.

She worked as a caregiver and took care of multiple family members and friends her hobbies included puzzles, diamond art, spending time with friends and family.

She is survived by her children; Steven Jones and Sarah (John) Dennis. Grandchildren;

Dominic (Amanda) Dennis, Caleb Davis, Hannah Dennis, Joshua Dennis, her siblings; Michael (Gwen) Shippy, Sheldon (Linda) Shippy, David (Barb) Shippy, Becky (Sparky) Brendtke, Ronald (Cindy) Shippy, Malena Jones, Bertha (Bob) Hosker and Barbra (Jim) Roper.

She was proceeded in death by her parents; Lester Earl and Mary Louise (Spangler) Shippy as well as siblings; Frank Shippy, Terry Shippy, Dick Shippy and Gean Riches.

MARTINEZ Ryan Christopher Martinez June 18, 1968 - April 14,

JONES

Sandra Helen Jones

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

At e Alley in downtown Littleton, you might nd a musician who’s so into the music, they’ll get up and dance on the bar.

When a local band surprises the crowd with a stellar performance that no one saw coming, “it just knocks people’s socks o ,” said Mary Riecks, e Alley’s bar manager and a Littleton-area native. e watering hole on Main Street doubles as a music venue that nds and helps grow local talent — and the shows are free. It’s one of the bars in the metro Denver suburbs that o ers a window into up-and-coming homegrown performers amid a music scene that one longtime bar owner says is growing.

“Twenty years ago when I opened up the bar, there were a few bars around that had live music,” said Doug Jacobsen, owner of Jake’s Roadhouse in Arvada.

Since then, he’s noticed that “all of these di erent bars” now o er space for shows, said Jacobsen, who has friends who perform at spots around metro Denver.

“ ere’s a lot of great musicians here,” Jacobsen said.

Here’s a look at places o the beaten path where you can catch some lesser known — and sometimes famous — music artists in person.

‘Something for everyone’ Wild Goose Saloon in Parker

o ers a bit of a di erent environment: It’s a bar but also a large event venue.

It aims to be “Colorado’s version of the Knitting Factory” — a unique, independent venue that hosts local and national artists, said Chris Dellinger, who serves as co-owner of Wild Goose Saloon with his wife.

ey’re both longtime musicians themselves — they perform in a band called Lola Black, garnered play on the radio and toured around the country — and have played Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre several times, Dellinger said.

ey take their knowledge of the industry to running the Wild Goose, which was built around the concept of serving as a music venue and has a bigger stage,

sound and lighting setup than most bars do, Dellinger said.

It’s “kind of like every musician’s dream to own their own venue at some place and time, and we just ended up being able to pull it o ,” said Dellinger, who lives in Aurora.

After opening in July 2021, Wild Goose has hosted some large country artists and “some `80s artists that are still big,” Dellinger said. National pop-rock act American Authors is set to play there in late April.

“My motto always is, ‘If you don’t like the music one night, that’s OK — it’ll be completely di erent the next night or the next week,’” Dellinger said. “So we really try to have something for everyone here.”

His venue tries to get exposure for local talent by letting them open for national touring acts. For the audience, the typical admission cost for a national artist’s show at Wild Goose sits around $25 to $30, but local artists’ ticketed shows can cost as low as $10, and most of the local artists’ shows are free.

Dellinger and his wife have

“snuck in” a performance or two at Wild Goose, he said — they were set to play there in late April with the Texas Hippie Coalition, an American heavy metal band. Keeping classics alive

You might also see Jacobsen, a guitarist himself, playing with a band at Jake’s Roadhouse in the north metro area every now and then.

His bar started o ering live music “right away” after opening near the end of 2003. Sitting in east Arvada close to Denver and Westminster, the venue o ers mostly cover bands and blues, and on Wednesday nights, bluegrass is on tap. Sometimes, artists play original songs, but it’s rare, Jacobsen said.

“Our people come in to hang out, and most original bands don’t have four hours’ worth of original music,” Jacobsen said.

But playing covers at Jake’s Roadhouse is one way to get a new artist’s foot in the door in the local music scene.

“We have bands that come to us all the time that can’t get these other bars to give them a chance to play because they haven’t played anywhere before,” Jacobsen said. He added: “We’re not like that. I know a lot of musicians around town, and we will give a band a chance to play just on the word of a friend.”

He feels that live music is im-

Local suburban bars a place for up-and-coming music talent in Denver metro area

MUSIC

portant to promote — “especially nowadays.”

“I’m 68 years old, so I grew up with really a lot of good rock and roll from the `60s and `70s, and I think it’s important to keep that alive,” he said.

And there’s no ticket cost to watch the live music at Jake’s Roadhouse.

New talent in Littleton Music is always free to watch, too, at e Alley in Littleton on the southwest side of the Denver

suburbs.

e bar had its grand opening near the start of 2017 and has always featured live music, said Riecks, the bar manager.

“ ere were not that many places on Main Street here in downtown Littleton that featured live music other than karaoke or a DJ on the weekends, at least not regularly,” Riecks said. “If you did catch a live band, it was maybe one day a week.”

e Alley came in and established a consistent place for live music, leaning toward classic rock but offering a variety of genres including blues, jazz, folk and bluegrass. Most of the acts that Riecks books are

local. And among the original artists, performances typically include about 25% original songs and 75% covers, she said — catering to the crowds.

e small main-street outlet is still an ideal place where you can catch new talent: Some nights of the week are centered around new artists.

“If you come play my open mic night and the open mic host thinks you have some serious potential, they’ll send them to me,” and then the artist may be featured in “new talent ursday,” Riecks said. After that, Riecks may o er an artist a weekend spot — a paid opportunity to play from 8 to 11 p.m.

“So there’s kind of a ladder,” Riecks said.

Some well-known artists have played at e Alley, including Sean Kelly of e Samples, “which was a huge band in the `90s,” said Riecks, who added that she receives at least 40 to 50 emails a month from local artists and national touring acts.

A large part of e Alley’s crowd on any given night comes for the live music, Riecks said.

People can get a typical bar experience at many other places, she noted.

“But if they want to have a great craft-made cocktail and see some local talent,” Riecks said, “this is the place to do it in Littleton.”

James Steinbach, lead guitarist of Float Like a Bu alo, performs at The Alley in downtown Littleton. Josh Blackburn, a local musician, performs at The Alley in downtown Littleton.

A band plays at The Alley, a bar that features live music in downtown Littleton.

Thu 5/04

Colorado Rockies vs. Milwaukee Brewers

@ 1:10pm / $6-$300

Coors Field, 2001 Blake St., Den‐ver

Parent/Tot - Our Home (Bilingual)

@ 3pm

May 4th - May 18th

Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

All Levels Bird Walk @ 7am

Standley Lake Regional Park & Wildlife Refuge, 11610 West 100th Avenue, Westminster. standley lake@cityofwestminster.us, 303425-1097

Bouquets & Botanicals (Flower Arranging Event) - The Family Jones @ 11am 9490 Co Rd 25, Fort Lupton, CO 80621, USA, Brighton

Pollinatorpalooza: Hummingbirds @ 4pm

Anythink Wright Farms, 5877 East 120th Avenue, Thornton. mhibben @anythinklibraries.org, 303-4053200

Handmade Greeting Cards @ 11pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Wed 5/10

Snacks and spells: Saltmarsh @ 4:30pm

Anythink Huron Street, 9417 Huron Street, Thornton. swhitelonis@any thinklibraries.org, 303-452-7534

Fri 5/05

Let's Grow Together (Bilingual)

@ 3pm May 5th - May 19th

Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Man VS Food - Latke Love (5/5) @ 4:30pm

Offsite, 6060 E Parkway Drive, Commerce City. 303-289-3760

Sat 5/06

Handbuilding: Come Play In Mud @ 4pm

May 6th - May 27th

Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-2893760

Monster Energy Supercross @ 6:30pm / $20-$75

Empower Field At Mile High, 1701 Bryant St., Denver

Adams County Foster Care 5K Run/Walk and 1 mile fun run @ 7:30am / Free-$45

Riverdale Regional Park, 9755 Henderson Road, Brighton

Sun 5/07

Moonstruck Melodies @ 11am

Cristos Coffee Boutique Roastery & Cafe, 149 S Briggs St, Erie

CO-ED Sand Volleyball @ 10pm

May 7th - Jun 25th

Fort Lupton Recreation & Parks De‐partment, 203 S Harrison, Fort Lupton. 303-857-4200

Damn Yankees @ 2pm Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada

Mon 5/08

Pixies @ 7:30pm

Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St, Denver

Thu 5/11

5/8 Growing Naturally Nature Play @ 9am / Free Bird Conservancy's Environmental Learning Center, 14500 Lark Bunting Lane, Brighton. 303-6594348 ext. 53

Tue 5/09

Century Casino @ 2:15pm Fort Lupton Recreation & Parks De‐partment, 203 S Harrison, Fort Lupton. 303-857-4200

Birding by Canoe! Day 1 @ 9am / Free Barr Lake State Park, 13401 Pica‐dilly Rd, Brighton. 303-659-4348 ext. 53

Wildlife Series: Grizzley Country Heart of Yellowstone(5/11) @ 7pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

©

TRIVIA

2. THEATER: e musical “My Fair Lady” is based on which play?

3. SCIENCE: Who was the rst person to win Nobel prizes in two di erent sciences?

4. MOVIES: Which 1997 movie featured a character named Jack Dawson?

5. TELEVISION: What is the name of Ross’s pet monkey in “Friends”?

6. LANGUAGE: How many languages exist worldwide?

7. FOOD & DRINK: Which country produces Manchego cheese?

8. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: How many track and eld events are in a decathlon?

9. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which president had the most children?

Solution

10. MUSIC: What is the title of Britney Spears’ rst album?

Answers

1. 13.

2. “Pygmalion,” by George Bernard Shaw.

3. Marie Curie, physics and chemistry.

4. “Titanic.”

5. Marcel.

6. More than 7,000.

7. Spain.

8. 10.

9. John Tyler, who fathered 15 children.

10. “... Baby One More Time.”

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Real Estate & Rental Rentals

Commercial Property/Rent

RETAIL OFFICE/Light Industrial

142 6th St., Frederick. 1000 sq. ft., $995 plus deposit. Call Carolee, 303-857-8777 or Amanda, 970-381-2578.

Market Place

Merchandise

Medical

Attention oxygen therapy users!

Inogen One G4 is capable of full 24/7 oxygen delivery. Only 2.8 pounds. Free info kit. Call 877-929-9587

Miscellaneous

Electric wheelchair $5000/best offer (retail cost is $21,600)

Also have free shelves. 720-465-9022

DIRECTV Stream - Carries the most local MLB Games! Choice Package $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once. HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/Choice Package or higher.) No contract or hidden fees!

Some restrictions apply. Call IVS 1-866-859-0405

Safe Step. North America’s #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation and service.

Now featuring our free shower package & $1600 off - limited time! Financing available. 1-855-4171306

Garage Sales

GARAGE SALE! MAY 6, 2023

130 S. MAIN ST. | BRIGHTON

Families! Come join us as we prepare to open the new Brighton Academy with a Garage Sale on May 6th 2023 at 130 S. Main St. in Brighton, Colorado. Small tours will be available as well as we nish our last phase of construction.

You can pre-register for enrollment for May, June for Ages 6 weeks to 5 years! Spots could be limited as we are lling up. We will be offering infant care and have UPK registration available as well. That’s FREE CARE for the 2023-24 school year. As we move into this new space we are selling toys, learning equipment and furniture, cubbies, clothes, nap mats, art supplies, and much more.

More info to come soon about our official Grand Opening!

METAL

4 by 6 foot digital sign from Daktronics.

Digital Sign Perfect for Church, Restaurant or any business that needs to change messages frequently.

Comes with 3 year labor warranty. Asking $7,500. Installation will be about $2500 and permits is $450

Sign is 3 years old and original price was $44,500.

Call Alan 303-378-7537

Service

for pre-qualification to bid on the construction of the District’s Administration Building Remodel

(“Project”). Only general contractors who have been approved through this pre-qualification process will be eligible to bid on the Project.

Beginning 8:00 a.m. (MST) on Thursday, April 20, 2023, the pre-qualification application (“Application”) may be obtained either in-person at the District’s administrative office located at 8426 Kosmerl Place, Frederick, Colorado 80504, or by requesting a copy of the Application by email to Gary Cahill at the following email address: cahill@dunakilly.com. The subject line for the email must state: “Request for Prequalification Application – Administration Building Remodel”.

All Applications must be received by the District on or before 4:00 p.m. (MST) on Thursday, May 4, 2023 (“Submission Deadline”). Applications received after the Submission Deadline will not be considered. Applications must be submitted by email to Gary Cahill at the following email address: cahill@dunakilly.com. The subject line for the email must state: “Prequalification Application Submission – Administration Building Remodel

Contractors are solely responsible for ensuring that their emailed Applications have been received by the District. The District will not search for emailed Applications that are not delivered or are delivered to “spam” or “junk” folders. Contractors may contact Gary Cahill at 720.346.8377 to confirm that their emailed Application has been received. Contractors preparing and submitting an Application do so solely at their own expense.

Each Application must conform and be responsive to the standard application form provided by the District. Any deviation from the standard application form or failure to provide the required information may be considered nonresponsive and grounds for disqualification and rejection of the Application in the District’s sole discretion. The District has the right, in its sole discretion, to reject any or all Applications and to waive any irregularities in any Application received. The District also has the right to modify or terminate this selection

process or the Project any time in its sole discretion. Submitted Applications become the District’s property and will be considered public records within the meaning of the Colorado Open Records Act, unless a general contractor conspicuously labels the portion(s) of its Application that it deems confidential and proprietary as “Confidential and Proprietary”, and separates such materials from the rest of the Application. The general contractor is solely responsible for all costs incurred in preparing and submitting an Application.

Legal Notice No. FLP858

First Publication: April 20, 2023

Last Publication: May 4, 2023

Publisher: Fort Lupton Press

Notice to Creditors

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Jerre Sue Vos, Deceased

Case Number: 2023 PR 30188

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Weld County, Colorado on or before August 21, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Attorney for Personal Representatives The Hickey Law Firm, LLC 1075 South Yukon Street Suite 260 Lakewood, Colorado 80226

Legal Notice No. FLP856

First Publication: April 20, 2023

Last Publication: May 4, 2023

Publisher: Fort Lupton Press

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of David John Rothrock AKA David