4 Fort Lupton Press
June 2, 2022
FORT LUPTON POLICE BLOTTER
Here are the police reports for May 14 to May 20 to the Fort Lupton Police Department. Not every call made to the police is not listed on this report. May 14 Police issued a summons to a Loveland man, 37, for criminal mischief and assault in the 60th block of Grand Avenue. An employee of Martin Marietta reported a vehicle trailer and tools stolen from a construction site in the 1200 block of Weld County Road 6. The case is under investigation.
Police arrested a Fort Lupton man, 36, in the 100 block of Sixth Street for domestic violence menacing charges. He is being held on bond at the Weld County Jail. May 15 A Denver man, 20, was taken into custody at Ninth Street and Rollie Avenue for DUI, protection order violation, driving while license is revoked and possession of marijuana by a minor. He is being held on bond at the Weld County Jail. May 16 A Commerce City 17-year old was issued a summons by police for animal abuse for running over a baby goose at the golf course.
May 17 Police arrested a Fort Lupton man, 35, in the 300 block of Ponderosa Place on a warrant out of Weld County for failure to appear on harassment and assault on a child. He is being held at Weld County Jail. May 18 Police arrested a Lochbuie man, 32, for a protection order violation at U.S. Highway 52 and Weld County Road 29.5. He is being held on bond at the Weld County Jail. May 20 An Aurora man, 43, was issued a summon at Rollie Avenue and First Street for causing a traffic accident by failing to obey a traffic signal.
New Weld County public works director started at the ground level BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Curtis Hall started with the Weld County Public Works Road and Bridge Division in 1996 as a seasonal worker, and today, he is the county’s new public works director. “I am grateful the board of commissioners has entrusted me with this position,” Hall said. “I know my experience and background will provide me with a good foundation to continue to lead this team of amazing employees who plan, design, build and maintain the county’s infrastructure.” Hall replaced current director Jay McDonald as the department head after McDonald retired
last year. While Hall was moving up the ladder, he continued with professional development courses and certificates. He also gained experience training employees in several divisions and was a supervisor and manager. “Curtis has grown with the department and has experience in multiple divisions as a trainer, supervisor and manager,” said Commissioner Chair Scott James. “The board is confident Curtis will continue to lead the department in a professional manner that keeps up with the growing infrastructure needs of the county while also reflecting the fiscal responsibility desired by the board.”
TAZA FROM PAGE 3
eventually moved up to shift lead and manager and now director. Churches ran her own nonprofit
Curtis Hall has been named as Weld County’s new public works COURTESY OF WELD COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS director.
and a children’s theater company for 20 years. “Management also takes a twohour training to have crucial conversations within the workplace, how to identify people skills and build teamwork,” Churches said. Taza coffee house teaches prac-
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ARTIST 1: CAUDALES DEL NORTE
tical skills such as how to save money to buy a car and rent an apartment but also how to have a crucial conversation and handle relationships with friends, family, parents, roomates and partners. “We are trying to build lives,” Borrego said. Aletta Torrez, 21, has been working with Taza since it opened. “I heard about the program from Chris Churches,” Torrez said. “It’s been a great experience, and I love the classes. I’m learning how to do their social media. It’s amazing. “It’s the best job I’ve ever worked at, and I used to dread going to work, and I look forward to being at work,” Torrez said. Jacqulyn Churches has been with CUP for two years. “I started as just a barista, and now, I do the marketing for all three-coffee houses, videos and signage,” Churches said. “I love working here.” The Cup also operates the Anythink Coffee shop in the Thornton Anythink Library and is planning to open a fourth location in the Greyhound Park Development in 2023.
BUDGET FROM PAGE 1
Kaylor told the board it budgeted $321,000 for high-school sports programs and spent $305,000 as of May 26. Jessica Holbrook, the district’s director of finance and business services, presented a draft budget to the board May 26. It included no plans to disband the football program. “To cut the football program, or any other program, due to budget cuts is absurd,” Michelle Galicia told the school board. “We are supposed to be here for the students. Now, let’s show them we are.” She said cutting the football program will have a trickle-down effect on other sports programs, the school’s marching band and student council, as examples. “You still have to pay to upkeep the stadium,” she said. “If the program is cut, you start losing current and future students. In turn, that means loss of funding.” Kathy Rodriguez told the board it was time to start asking questions of the people making these decisions. “In 2019, the superintendent was making 10% more than the average superintendent. The teachers’ salaries were 6% below other teachers in the state,” she told the board. “In 2021, the superintendent was making 15% more than average. Teachers were still making 6% (below average.)” Galicia told the board a football program isn’t about wins and losses. She cited the examples of several students who have gone on to college with football scholarships. Galicia also suggested that the district start hiring people “who are vested in the town” and “who aren’t here to use it as a stepping stone.” “We need an urgent plea to CHSAA to ask them to drop us to 1A so we can rebuild,” Galicia said. “The current two-year league placement has already been implemented. Right now, we don’t have an AD to fight for this (present athletic director Cora Lanter will move on to a similar job at Severance High School), so we need to do it.” The school board has to adopt a budget by the end of next month. “We want answers,” Rodriguez said. “We want decisions that place the interests of the students first.”
