FORT LUPTON PRESS S E RV I N G T H E C O M M U N I T Y S I N C E 19 0 6
VOLUME 119
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ISSUE 25
WEEK OF JUNE 23, 2022
W ,N 25 , 2020 Primary elections run through June 28
VOLUME 117
EDNESDAY
Ballots have been mailed to households BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
While the main drama this election season comes later this fall, there is plenty of drama wrapping up later this month in the Colorado state primaries. Primary voting continues through June 28, and Weld County voters can return their ballots by mail or by hand-delivering them to one of the 17 24-hour ballot drop boxes scattered around the county. Weld County itself should be settled with the primary ballot since there are no Democrats on the county ballot at all. Incumbent District Two Commissioner Scott James has the sole spot
OVEMBER
T H E S E A S O N F O RfaceSDemocrat H A RSpring I NErickG
on the Republican primary ballot to return to his seat, as do Clerk and Recorder Carly Koppes, Assessor Brenda Dones and Sheriff Steve Reams. The only race that’s not settled is the contest to replace outgoing Commissioner Steve Moreno. Two Republicans, Kevin Ross of Eaton and Elijah Hatch of Kersey are on the ballot for that seat. There are no Democrats listed on the ballot, so either candidate is virtually guaranteed the seat. You can read their profiles on page 8 or online at ftluptonpress.com. The races surrounding the next state legislature are just approaching the starting lines, with only two primary races featuring more than one candidate. In District 48, which includes Fort Lupton, Gabe Evans faces Terry Lee Robert DeGroot. The winner will
son in November. Elsewhere on the Democrat’s primary ballot, State Senator Faith Winter is unopposed seeking the nomination for District 25. She would face Republican Melody Peotter, also alone on the ballot. In State Senate District 1, Republican Byron Pelton has no challengers on the ballot, neither Republican nor Democrat. In major state races, three Republicans are running for the chance to replace incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold. The candidates are Tina Peters, Mike O’Donnell and Pam Anderson. Looking to unseat incumbent Gov. Jared Polis, the Republican ticket has the options of Greg Lopez and Heidi Ganahl. With ballots already hitting mailboxes, election officials say residents
ISSUE 48
have until June 28 at 7 p.m. to vote. Where to drop your ballot Weld County has 17 drop box locations from Grover in northern Colorado south to Hudson and includes the Weld County Election Office at 1250 H St. in Greeley. Those locations that will be open and accepting completed ballots until 7 p.m. June 28. A full list of the sites are available at Weldvotes.com but six most local to Fort Lupton are listed here: Carbon Valley Recreation Center, 701 5th St., Frederick Erie Community Center, 450 Powers St., Erie Fort Lupton Recreation Center, 203 S Harrison Ave., Fort Lupton Hudson Library ,100 S Beech St., Hudson Lochbuie Town Hall, 703 County Road 37, Lochbuie Southwest Weld County Services Complex, 4209 Weld CR 24½, Longmont (Del Camino)
Weld County Commissioner at-large candidate profiles
Hatch
Ross
SEE ROSS, P8
SEE HATCH, P8
Evergreen Jazz Festival
Order tickets by June 30th and
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Every year before Thanksgiving, First United Methodist Church in Fort Lupton and the Fort Lupton Food and Clothing Bank provide community members with food boxes. This will be the program’s 10th consecutive year. Above, Joe Hubert, left China Garcia and Sue Hubert with Change 4 Change, another organization that helps with the food drive. See more on Page 2.
July 29, 30 & 31
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2 Fort Lupton Press
June 23, 2022
Our Family Helping Your Family SAKATA
24-Hour Phone Lines 303-654-0112 • 303-857-2290 Brighton: 75 S. 13th Avenue Obituaries, Arrangements and Resources Online at
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Robert “Bob” Sakata
April 15, 1926 - June 7, 2022
Robert (Bob) Yoshiharu Sakata was born on April 15, 1926, in San Jose, California to Aki Nishimura and Mantaro Sakata. His mother died of pneumonia leaving his father to raise 5-year-old Bob and 3 older siblings. Bob’s father farmed a small plot of land near Centerville, California where Bob learned to love farming. Following the declaration of war against Japan, the United States government interned 120,000 Japanese Americans including Bob and his family. As a teenager, Bob was sent to an internment camp located in Topaz Utah in 1942.
Additionally, in 1994, Bob and Joanna hosted Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan and in 2001, His Majesty awarded Bob with The Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette, for his work in building mutual understanding and friendship between the United States and Japan. In 2004, the Sakata Family was given the honor of visiting Their Majesties at their private residence in the Imperial Palace, Tokyo, Japan.
Bob served on various boards and commissions including the 27J School Board, With assistance from his former high school First National Bank of Englewood, Bank One Corporation, Cooperative Extension teacher willing to vouch for his conduct and character, Bob garnered an early release from Advisory Board at Colorado State University, Adams County Economic Development the internment camp by working on a dairy farm located in Brighton, Colorado. Bob lived Board, Colorado Food Safety Task Force, in the dairy barn valuing the opportunity he National Federation of Beet Growers, was given. In 1944, the dairyman generously National Onion Association Board, Japan loaned him the money to purchase 40 acres of American Society, as well as local irrigation farmland in Brighton. This provided a way for ditch boards. A true patriot, Bob helped lead a national capital campaign to build the his family to leave the internment camp and National Japanese American Memorial to relocate to Colorado. Patriotism located in Washington D.C. and Bob graduated from Brighton High School attended the unveiling in 2000. In 2021, he and took a heavy coursework in math and attended the grand opening of the Bob Sakata science which he knew would be valuable Education Campus located in Brighton. for modernizing agriculture. He played the But more importantly, Bob believed deeply drums and made life-long friends through in giving back. In 1959, he joined a small various school activities. group of Brighton visionaries to help raise Bob endured numerous hardships as a local funds to build the community’s very young man including the untimely death first hospital. He was proud that no federal of his father in a car accident, his brother to funds were needed and served on the Board cancer, and a farming accident that burned of Directors for 9 years. He was an advocate 80% of his body. After a year in the hospital for local health care and continued to support Bob was never expected to walk again but Platte Valley Medical Center throughout through determination and his faith in God, his life. He was a long term member of the he relearned to walk with the help of crutches Brighton Rotary Club and participated in and leg braces. numerous civic activities. Bob was a member of Brighton First Presbyterian Church for over In 1955, Bob was nominated by the 65 years, and served in a variety of capacities Brighton Jaycees for the Outstanding including elder, capital campaign chair, and Young Farmers of America award. 14,000 pastor search committee member. young farmers were nominated, and Bob was selected as one of only four national Bob felt a deep gratitude to his employees winners at a ceremony held in Pittsburgh, and considered them family. His community Pennsylvania. of friends across the globe were diverse and he was thankful for them all. He loved spending He met the love of his life, a local farmer’s daughter named Joanna Tokunaga, and they time with his grandchildren and family and was a devoted husband. He was a man of were married in 1956 at the original First many accomplishments, and his legacy of Presbyterian Church in Brighton. Together, generosity, good humor, faith, and family will Bob and Joanna grew Sakata Farms from 40 acres to over 3,000 acres producing sweet live on in all he touched. He often said it is “not how high up the ladder you get but who corn, broccoli, cabbage, onions, and beans. you take with you”. Bob’s innovation in seed development and consumer packaging changed the sweet corn Bob is survived by his wife Joanna, son industry in the 1980’s with the introduction Robert (Julie Kerr), daughter Vicki, daughter of Sakata Farms Gourmet Sweet Corn. Lani (Don Dolifka) and grandchildren David Dolifka and Madison Dolifka, and his sister Bob’s agricultural innovations garnered Mistie. He is preceded in death by both his widespread recognition, including an parents, his brother Harry, and sister Fusie. appointment by President Nixon to the Advisory Board of the Commodity Credit Corporation in 1973 and an invitation to the White House honoring American agriculture. Among the many accomplishments, Bob and Joanna were inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame, Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame, and received the Colorado Proud Lifetime Achievement Award.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Platte Valley Medical Center Foundation, with a note in the memo line “in memory of Bob Sakata”. Checks can be mailed to 1600 Prairie Center Parkway, Brighton, CO 80601. Online donations can be made at https:// www.sclhealth.org/locations/platte-valleymedical-center-foundation/donate/
Memorial
Rosanna Trujillo-Flores Saturday, July 16, 2022 | 11:30 am Brighton Recreational Center 555 No. 11th Ave. Brighton, CO 80601
Memory In Loving
Place an Obituary for Your Loved One. 303-566-4100 obituaries@coloradocommunitymedia.com Self placement available online at thebrightonblade.com
Fort Lupton Press 3
June 23, 2022
Love is in the air at McDonald’s Couple who met at fast food shop celebrate their anniversary BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
For Brighton Mcdonald’s franchise owner Brian Boselli, you could say his love of his particular brand of fast food is all in the family. His grandfather Francis bought his first McDonald’s in 1974 in Thornton. His dad Richard bought his McDonald’s in 2000 at U.S. Highway 85 and Kuner Road in Brighton. Brian bought his McDonald’s at the Prairie Center Parkway shopping center in 2018. Brian is building a new McDonald’s with a potential opening in August at 50th and Bridge. But beyond putting food on the family’s tables for three generations, Boselli said there’s romance, too. His dad Richard and mom Denise met at the family’s Thornton McDonald’s and have now been married for 42 years. So when Brighton residents Dennis and Janice Koning wanted to celebrate their 45th anniversary May 28 at his family’s restaurant, you could say he was lovin’ it.
Love by the grill Janice and Dennis met in the summer of 1973 while working the same shift at an Illinois McDonald’s. “He asked me to go out and we had a nice time. I thought he was cute and had a good personality and our personalities clicked. We continued dating,” Janice said. Dennis said, “She was cute and both of us were hard workers. We wanted to earn money, of course, and we were in high school. We both had our cars and we both worked as much as we could. In those days were both making $1.35 an hour.” Dennis said their bosses found out they were dating, so they were put on different shifts. But just like a french fry grease stain on an apron, their stubborn love would not go away. “It wasn’t fun, but we made it work,” Janice said. They married in 1977 and have two daughters and three grandchildren. They purchased a home in Brighton ten years ago to be closer to their daughter and grandbabies. “When it was our anniversary, I wanted to see if my wedding dress still fit. I said if it fits, I’ll take a picture wearing it every year and it’s been 45 years. We tried to make the most out of life and have fun, “ Janice Koning said.
That’s why they decided to celebrate the day at Boselli’s restaurant. He was happy to have them. “We are there for any celebration. You never know when it is going to happen and we don’t encourage dating between crew members. It’s been known to lead to some relationships,” Boselli said. The family business is going through some transitions now. Richard Boselli will retire at the end of the end, and Brian will purchase his dad’s franchises to keep them in the family and run all three Brighton locations. Owning a McDonald’s is a 24/7 operation, he said, and it’s a tough job. Brian has four children, so he can’t predict which child will go into the McDonald’s business. “I come from a family of four and I’m the only one in the business. It’s not for everybody, it’s a tough job, but a good job. It’s definitely rewarding,” he said. “It was just a great opportunity with a great company. It’s a chance to be involved in communities and to help next-generation enter the workforce,” he said. “And we’re excited to be a part of the community and to make an impact on the lives of people in Brighton. We focus on staying local in the city of Brighton.”
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Dennis and Janice Koning celebrated 45 years of marriage in Brian Boselli’s Brighton McDonald’s on May 28. PHOTO COURTESY JANICE KONING
4 Fort Lupton Press
June 23, 2022
FORT LUPTON POLICE BLOTTER
Here are the police reports for May 28 to June 3 to the Fort Lupton Police Department. Not every call made to the police is not listed on this report. May 28 Police arrested a Denver man, 27, at U.S. Highway 85 and Mile Marker 244 for DUI, open container and not having a driver’s license. He was held on bond at the Weld County Jail. Police issued a summons to a Fort Lupton man, 27 and a Greeley man, 65, for causing a traffic accident for reckless driving at U.S. Highway and Weld County 8. A Denver man, 59 was arrested at 11th Street and Denver Avenue on a Weld County warrant alleging his failure to comply with conditions of probation on a possession of amphetamine charge. He was held in the Weld County Jail.
May 29 Police issued a summons to a Fort Lupton woman, 36, for causing a traffic accident, DUI, and leaving the scene of an accident and driving while her license was under restraint in the 1100 block of Fourth Street. May 30 A Fort Lupton man, 19, was arrested at Ninth Street and Park Avenue on a Weld County warrant for failure to appear on a DUI charge. He was held on bond at the Weld County Jail. Police issued a summons to a Fort Lupton woman, 38, for causing an accident by backing into a vehicle in the 1300 block of Dexter Street. A Fort Lupton man, 34, of Fort Lupton was issued a summons for driving while his license was under restraint and for obstructing a police officer in the 900 block of Dexter Street. Police issued a warrant for a Greeley man, 33, after he was pulled over for speeding in excess of 100 mph at U.S. Highway 85 and Weld County Road 18. The man then allegedly fled the scene. The warrant alleges eluding and obstructing a police officer, reckless, driving while license suspended and multiple traffic offenses.
May 31 Police issued a summons to a Fort Lupton woman, 80, after a causing a reckless driving traffic accident at South Denver Avenue and Weld Count Road 12. June 1 Police arrested a Commerce City woman, 23, at U.S. Highway 85 and Mile Marker 240 for DUI and speeding. She was held on bond at the Weld County Jail. June 2 A Fort Lupton man, 32, was issued a summons after animal complaint of a dog running at large that created a dangerous situation was made in the 600 block of Hoover Avenue. Police issued a summons to a Fort Lupton man, 38 for driving without a valid driver’s license, no insurance and for failing to yield the right away at Denver Avenue and 14th Street. June 3 A Fort Lupton man 22, reported his front and back license plate stolen at Asen Street and Mountview Avenue. The theft was under investigation.
BRIEFS Free breakfeast and lunch With school out for the summer, Weld Re-8 district will be serving free breakfast and lunch starting June 6th through July 29th. Monday through Friday all kids and under 18-years can receive a free meal at the Fort Lupton Middle School. Breakfast is served from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For more information contact Mary Carmen, Food Services Director at Taher 303-857-3200. Fort Lupton Middle School is at 201 So. McKinley Avenue, Fort
Lupton. Summer Camp with Platte Valley Historical Society Platte Valley Historical Society will be offering historical camps the one-room Independence School for students through the eighth grade. The society is offering two sessions. Session one runs June 2729 and session two from July 11-13. Camps run each week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. till 3 p.m. The program costs $60 per week, but tuition help is
Return to the Magic & Mystique!
available. Eligible students must have completed first through eighth grade. The school house is at 2001 Historic Parkway, Fort Lupton. Go to www,spvhs.org and click on Annual Events, Independence School for flyer and registration form or contact LaVon 720-273-3609 July 4 party is July 2 Fort Lupton’s Independence Day celebration is two days early this year. It starts at 4 p.m. Saturday, July 2, at the city’s recreation center, 203 S. Harrison Ave. PAID ADVERTISEMENT
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The ingredients didn’t change. There will be food, fireworks, the region’s only Ninja Warrior Course, a bounce house obstacle course, a bouncy boxing arena, a tractor people mover, face painting, food trucks, shaved ice-cream cones and a live concert. The fire department is in charge of the water slide The fireworks show at Coyote Creek Golf Course, courtesy of the Fort Lupton Fire Department, starts at dusk. Vendor, volunteer and sponsorship opportunities are available. Call 720-928-4071 for more information. Movie night The Fort Lupton Recreation Center will be the scene for a pool party at 7 p.m. Friday, July 15. There will be a DJ by the pool, followed by a movie night featuring “Finding Nemo” on the pool patio starting at dusk. It’s free. Kids under 6 cannot swim without an adult in the pool. National Night Out Fort Lupton’s observance of National Night Out will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2, at Koshio Park, 131 McKinley Ave. It’s a chance to meet police officers in an informal setting. It’s also an opportunity to enjoy hot dogs and hamburgers hot from the grill. There will be bounce houses, games and a tug-o-war.
Gummball 5K The fifth annual Gummball Rally will be Saturday, Oct. 1, at Adams County Regional Park, 9755 Henderson Road, Brighton. The 5K walk/ run is in honor of former Adams County sheriff’s deputy Heath Gumm, who died in the line of duty in 2018. The cost is $30 for racers 13 and older and $10 for 12 and younger. Those 12 and younger get in free. Each includes a shirt/swag bag guaranteed with entry by Sept. 14. Packets will be available for pickup at 4201 E. 72nd Ave. from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30. Proceeds benefit a nonprofit that supports law enforcement and first responders. For more information, email tracykilgore71@gmail.com.
Fort Lupton Press 5
June 23, 2022
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6 Fort Lupton Press
LOCAL
June 23, 2022
VOICES Is it better to build bridges, or burn them?
T
he origin of “burning bridges” has its roots in ancient Rome. And we see where they were not only burning the bridges, but also burning the boats. In some cases, they burned the bridges and the boats so the enemy could not pursue them. And in other cases, they burned both bridge and boat so they enemy could not flee. Throughout our journey in this life, we have all heard the expression or received guidance around burning bridges. It’s interesting because sometimes we are encouraged not to burn the bridges, and other times people may suggest that we burn the bridges behind us. In a recent conversation this topic came up and it was fun, but also a bit polarizing for the group as there were very strong opinions. In doing a little research on the topic I stumbled onto a page with some audacious quotes about burning bridges. The list of quotes started out with some very strong feelings about why we should burn the bridges behind us. “Sometimes burning bridges isn’t a bad thing. It prevents you from going back to
a place you should never have been to begin with.” — Anonymous While others support not burning bridges such as the person who anonymously made this statement, “The bridge you burn today may be the one Michael Norton you have to cross tomorrow.” For me, if at all possible, I prefer not to burn the bridges behind me. I do agree where there are times when moving ahead and never looking back makes sense. But before I do that, I would really rather preserve the opportunity to save a relationship, resolve a conflict, or just maintain the potential for a better outcome in the future. Just because we disagree today, doesn’t mean we will disagree tomorrow. The intensity of opinions has created a heightened state of awareness when it comes to burning or not burning bridges. And unfortunately, sadly, it has escalated into not just burning bridges and
WINNING WORDS
burning the boats but leaving nothing but scorched earth behind when conflict or disagreements arise. I always wonder why there is a need to take this route. I understand that people have very strong feelings and opinions, and those feelings and opinions may not line up with our own. However, if there is no room to find middle ground on a given topic, there could be an opportunity to work together or to help one another in the future. The song, “It’s a Small World (After All)” was written in 1963. If you have visited Disney, you have probably taken a ride through the attraction named after the song, and you probably couldn’t get the song out of your head for the rest of the day. There was no internet in 1963, nor was there any social media. Access to information was limited to what we saw in the newspaper, watched on television, or listened to on the radio. Today, we have instant access to information and can reach people in a matter of a few clicks, creating a very small world. This is important when it comes to burning bridges because when we burn a bridge, the boat, and leave
scorched earth behind us because of one person, group of people, or company, we could also be burning bridges with everyone that is associated or connected to someone else that we may want to get to know, or a place where we are hoping to work, or even a referral where we are trying to make a sale. I am not suggesting that anyone compromise their integrity or their position just to appease others. What I am suggesting is that perhaps we can try an alternate approach because we, or someone we know, may really need that bridge again one day. Romans 12:8 — “Do all that you can to live at peace with everyone.” How about you? Do you prefer to burn the bridges or build the bridges? I would love to hear your story at mnorton@xinnix.com, and when we realize that when we leave roads, bridges, and doors open for the future, it really will be a better than good year. Michael Norton is the grateful president of XINNIX, a personal and professional coach, and a consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator to businesses of all sizes.
SBA helps with disaster recovery
C
olorado is no stranger to disasters, both natural and man-made. The state has a long history of natural disasters including flooding, wildfires, tornadoes and drought. The recent Marshall Fire in Boulder County is an example of this problem. It is more important now for residents and small businesses to remember that the best course of action to limit damage from natural disasters is preparing before the disaster hits. The Biden administration and SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman have been at the forefront of ensuring that small businesses and nonprofits, as well as individual homeowners and renters, impacted by natural disasters around the nation have the support and recovery relief that they need, and the tools to build resilience. Natural disasters are not just more devastating; they are also coming faster, more frequently, and are often rapidly changing in their complexity and scope. In 2020, the United States suffered 22
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separate billiondollar disasters — the most in our history — but experts in the space expect that number to continue to climb. As the anchors of our communities, small businesses rely on resilient neighborAikta Marcoulier hoods for their customers and their employees, and the SBA’s disaster relief loan programs help communities recover swiftly. SBA’s disaster loan program is the only federal assistance program that provides private property owners an affordable way to mitigate disaster impacts and protect their homes, families, businesses, employees, and livelihoods against the next disaster. SBA disaster loan funds can be used to cover insurance deductibles, refinance an existing mortgage, pay for mitigation and protective upgrades, relocate to a safer and lower-risk area, and
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LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com
more. These loans have fixed interest rates amortized over 30 years for low monthly payments and offer an affordable way for property owners to fully repair/ replace their disaster losses not covered by other resources. Borrowers using SBA’s physical disaster loan programs are also eligible for up to 20% of their total physical losses, as verified by SBA, to incorporate additional protective measures to mitigate future damage and losses against the next disaster. SBA offers non-pandemic-related economic injury disaster loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, and most private nonprofit organizations located in a declared disaster area rebuild after suffering a substantial loss. The SBA has several local resource partners to assist business owners develop a disaster continuity plan — whether your business is in the relief, recovery, or continuity phase. In Colorado, we have multiple resource partners statewide including Small
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Business Development Centers, SCORE, a Veteran Business Outreach Center, and a Women’s Business Center to assist you with your disaster planning. The best way to mitigate the effects of a disaster is to create a disaster continuity plan. This plan should discuss how you will contact family, friends, employees and first responders following a disaster. You should also review your insurance coverage to make sure it is current and covers all necessary costs. Most importantly, practice and evaluate your plan with family members, managers, and staff to make sure it works. For more information on SBA’s disaster programs please visit www.sba.gov/disaster, and remember to follow us on Twitter @ SBArockymtn.
Aikta Marcoulier is the Small Business Administration’s regional administrator based in Denver. She oversees the agency’s programs and services in Colorado, Montana, Utah, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
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.
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What makes you the best candidate for this seat? I believe what makes me the best candidate for the Weld County Commissioner at Large seat is my extensive experience in business that spans across multiple industries, combined with 13 years of volunteer work for the county on many different boards and committees. Each and every position that I’ve served in has provided me with the overall capability necessary to get the job done. What is the most pressing issue facing Weld county, and why? In my opinion, I believe the most pressing issue in Weld County is WATER. Because we have an ever increasing demand and a dwindling supply. How would you deal with that issue? My plan to deal with our water issue is to advocate to keep all of Weld County water within Weld County. Stopping the release of unused water to surrounding states, as once it is gone, it is never coming back. A big way to help our water crisis is by incentivizing the creation of more water storage basins and increasing our supply capabilities. Currently, Weld County does not have the ability to store its current allotment of water, and what we cannot store gets lost as it flows down the river. What is another issue that you would make a priority if elected? If elected, another issue I believe should be
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What makes you the best candidate for this seat? With Weld County facing so many challenges from the state, I believe Experience matters. I served as commissioner in 2020 and was Eaton’s Mayor. I have chaired numerous transportation boards and understand the challenges facing our great county. I am able to hit the ground running and I bring solutions immediately to the role. What is the most pressing issue facing Weld county, and why? I believe the most pressing issue is infrastructure, specifically transportation needs. Weld’s population is expected to double by 2045 according to the state demographer. We are considered the third fastest growing region in the entire country. This growth is putting huge strains on all of our infrastructure, especially transportation corridors. Residents are experiencing gridlock as they go to work or take their children to school. How would you deal with that issue? I will tackle this just like I did as chair of the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization to expand I-25. We will work collaboratively with our municipal partners to design corridors for efficient flow of traffic. By working together, we will score higher for state and federal funding to help with these projects. If we are able to bring additional funding sources to the table, we can get more projects done sooner. What is another issue that you would make a priority if elected? Water is going to become a critical role of the commissioners. Historically water is not an issue that is handled at the commissioner
June 23, 2022 a priority for the commissioners is supporting and encouraging our local small businesses. Entrepreneurs and small business owners are the lifeblood of our rural communities. We need to be nurturing and providing as much support and guidance as possible, sometimes it helps just having a place to ask questions. Steve Moreno has served in this seat since 2014. Looking back over his record, what would you have done differently? After looking back over Mr. Moreno’s 8-year record as Commissioner, he has provided a tremendous service for Weld County as a current Commissioner and as the Clerk and Recorder before that. He has always had the county’s best interest in mind, has advocated for the citizens and truly loves what he does. He is leaving some big shoes to fill, but I accept the challenge. What can you do to protect water rights in Weld County, both from in state and out-of-state pressures? There are many pressures regarding water rights in Weld County both from in state and out of state. To combat these pressures, I plan to fight for the people of Weld. We must push back against other government agencies that are demanding more. The rights of Weld County citizens are my first priority, and any bureaucratic overreach will not be tolerated. Does Weld County have a role to play in meeting the demand for workforce or attainable housing? If so, what are some of the measures the county should be taking to spur development of that kind of housing? I do believe Weld County has a role to play in meeting the demand for workforce and attainable housing. Currently, Weld County has a very
level however, with Nebraska wanting to make a play on our farmers water, it will be critical we help become a voice for ag. I currently work in the market arena, there are several solutions that can be brought forward to protect ag resources and accommodate the growth we are experiencing. Steve Moreno has served in this seat since 2014. Looking back over his record, what would you have done differently? Commissioner Moreno has served the constituents of Weld very well. I would make a stronger effort to communicate with our 32 municipalities across Weld and work collaboratively with them. I believe communication is key. I would also go back and review some of the land use policies and make sure they are being effective in today’s market. If there are areas of unnecessary red tape, I would like to get those removed. What can you do to protect water rights in Weld County, both from in state and out-of-state pressures? I have been working with our Ag producers to start discussing solutions to this very issue. Ag understands the problem and wants to be part of the solution. It will be vital not only to Weld County to keep this water here, but other eastern counties rely on us leading the way and being their voice as well. These solutions will be critical, if water leaves Weld county it’s economic impact is felt forever. I believe it will come down to partnerships with ag, because I don’t believe we should mess with the free market. Does Weld County have a role to play in meeting the demand for workforce or attainable housing? If so, what are some of the measures the county should be taking to spur development of that kind of housing? The best role we can play is to make sure there are no barriers. The natural market will
robust economy with an average of two jobs available per unemployed person. We are in dire need of skilled individuals willing to relocate to Weld County. But attainable housing (not to be confused with affordable housing!) is tough to combat. Since Weld is zoned 98% agriculture, cheaper, high-density housing is encouraged within municipalities.
Should Weld County have a role in regulating the oil and gas industry and if so, what should that role be? I do believe that Weld County should have a role in regulating the oil and gas industry and that role should be supporting the producers all the while encouraging the most cost effective, yet safest and efficient manner possible to transport our oil and gas resources. What does Weld County need to do to ensure its residents’ votes are encouraged and counted fairly? In order to ensure that residents’ votes are encouraged and counted fairly, Weld County commissioners need to support our Clerk and Recorder and encourage election volunteers regardless of affiliation. We need to be able to have checks and balances just like you do in other business procedures. Some counties and cities are considering new regulations due to the national wave of gun violence. What would you do regarding this issue? In regard to the issue of some counties and cities considering placing new regulations due to the national wave of gun violence, I completely stand behind our Sheriff. I promise to continue in the legacy of Commissioner Moreno’s support of Weld County’s Second Amendment Sanctuary. With that, I promise to never step on a citizen’s right, based on someone else’s fear.
dictate what type of housing will be built. Developers aren’t going to build a product that won’t sell. When government inserts itself into the free market there is always unintended negative consequences, we need to avoid those. If municipalities would like our assistance, I am always happy to partner to provide them the resources they need. Should Weld County have a role in regulating the oil and gas industry and if so, what should that role be? When I served as commissioner, I was able to help get favorable rules within the state’s new guidelines only because we have our own oil and gas department. The state issued 2,000 foot setbacks for drilling, because we had our own department we were able to negotiate 500 foot setbacks. This allows mineral owners to continue to be able to explore their right. This department is key to allowing the continued mineral exploration in Weld County and we will continue to lead the state in production. What does Weld County need to do to ensure its residents’ votes are encouraged and counted fairly? As Weld commissioner’s our only role in elections is the approval of the budget brought forth by the County Clerk and Recorder. I will make sure that person has the tools they need to ensure that votes are counted accurately. Some counties and cities are considering new regulations due to the national wave of gun violence. What would you do regarding this issue? First and foremost I stand up for and defend the constitution and the 2nd amendment. I believe we have a mental health problem in this country not a gun problem. I will continue to support our Health and Human Services department to help them engage individuals who need mental health services. I will also support Sheriff Reams to make sure he has the tools to effectively deal with inmates who need mental health services.
June 23, 2022
RE PUBLI C AN PRI MARY E LEC TI ON 2022
Fort Lupton Press 9
Where the four Republicans running to represent the 8th Congressional District stand on the big issues BY SHANNON NAJMABADI THE COLORADO SUN
Four candidates are running in the June 28 Republican primary in Colorado’s new 8th Congressional District for the chance to face Democratic state Rep. Yadira Caraveo in November. The 8th District is the most diverse U.S. House district in Colorado and it’s expected to be one of the most competitive in the nation this year as Republicans fight to take back control of Washington, D.C. More than 40% of active registered voters in the district are unaffiliated, and the rest are about evenly split between the Democratic and Republican parties. The Colorado Sun asked the four Republican candidates in the 8th District, which covers parts of Adams, Larimer and Weld counties, their positions on what are expected to be the top issues in the race. Who are the candidates Tyler Allcorn, a former U.S. Army Green Beret. He is a political newcomer who lives in western Arvada, which isn’t in the 8th District. He plans to move into the district if voters elect him to represent them. • Barbara Kirkmeyer, a state senator from Brighton. She is a former Weld County Commissioner and dairy farmer. • Jan Kulmann, the mayor of Thornton and an oil and gas engineer. • Lori Saine, a Weld County Commissioner. The conservative firebrand, from Firestone, served eight years in the state House. When should abortions be allowed and under what circumstances? All four candidates identify as being anti-abortion. Kulmann and Allcorn don’t support abortions except in cases of rape and incest or if the life of the mother is at risk. Kirkmeyer thinks abortions should be allowed only in cases where a mother’s life is endangered by pregnancy. As a state lawmaker, Saine sponsored legislation that would have made all abortions illegal, including in cases of rape and incest, and would have made doctors who perform abortions subject to crimi-
Republican candidates in the 8th Congressional District clockwise from top left: Tyler Allcorn, Barbara Kirkmeyer, Jan Kulmann and Lori COLORADO SUN FILE PHOTOS Saine.
nal penalties, including life in prison or the death penalty. “We believe this is a murdering of a human being,” she said, according to a 2019 Colorado Sun article. Here are more details on where the candidates stand on abortion: ALLCORN: “I’m prolife and believe in exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother,” Allcorn said in a written statement. His campaign website says he believes in the “sanctity of life and the unborn” and that “taxpayer money should never be used to subsidize abortions.” KIRKMEYER: “I am prolife but accept an exception for when the life of the mother is in imminent danger.” KULMANN: “I’m pro-life, and don’t support abortion except in the case of rape, incest and the life of the mother. If Roe vs. Wade is overturned, it will be up to the states. Colorado
voters have spoken on this issue several times, and the Supreme Court decision won’t change much here. I do support federal legislation that would limit late-term abortion, except in cases when a mother’s life is at risk, and I strongly support the Hyde Amendment — taxpayers shouldn’t pay for abortion.” SAINE: “I am pro-life and my record speaks for itself,” Saine said in a written response to The Sun. She described the recently passed House Bill 1279, which affirms abortion access in Colorado, as allowing for “the butchering of children up until the day of birth.” Saine has also tried to make Weld County a “pro-life sanctuary” as a symbolic stance against abortion. If elected to Congress, she has said she will sponsor legislation — already introduced by Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and West Virginia U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney, both Republicans — to ban abortions
starting at conception, essentially extending personhood to fertilized eggs. Would you support any additional federal restrictions on guns, including expanding background checks or enacting safe-storage requirements? ALLCORN: “We don’t need more laws on the books, and I will stand against any efforts to disarm law-abiding Americans,” Allcorn said in a statement. “Passing laws that restrict firearm usage will only affect law-abiding citizens,” Allcorn’s campaign website says. “Criminals will ignore these laws, and good people will suffer.” KIRKMEYER: “Our goal must be to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. That starts with better enforcement of laws and ending the revolving door that allows bad guys back onto the streets to create more crime,” she said in a written response. “I have yet to see a proposal
regarding gun laws that would prevent crimes and shootings. If someone is willing to commit murder, he or she is not going to be dissuaded by a new gun law.” Asked in an interview whether she supports requiring universal background checks, she asked what purpose they would serve at the federal level “if they are being handled” by states. KULMANN: Kulmann has not directly answered this question, emphasizing in written responses the need to comprehensively address a national “mental health crisis” and expand the number of police in communities and schools. “Groups as diverse as Children’s Hospital, the American Medical Association, and the American Psychological Association have all pointed to this crisis in our kids,” Kulmann said in a written answer. She added: “Those who say we don’t need more law SEE PRIMARY, P10
10 Fort Lupton Press
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enforcement in our communities and in our schools are reckless and wrong.” SAINE: “Would-be mass murderers want easy targets and will find a way to get weapons regardless of the laws that they ignore. Folks should investigate for themselves why… mass shootings haven’t happened at thousands of schools with armed teachers. I see that many of those same schools’ post signs warning that staff is armed and trained,” Saine said in written responses. “I was once approached by a superintendent in my district who asked me a question: ‘The sheriff is over 30 minutes away, Rep. Saine — am I supposed to hide with the kids in a dark corner and hope the shooter doesn’t find us?’ Shortly thereafter, that same school board chose to arm certain teachers and staff.” Saine sued — so far unsuccessfully — to overturn a Colorado law that allows judges to temporarily order the confiscation of guns from those deemed at risk to themselves or others. She voted no on a 2013 bill requiring background checks for all gun sales, as did every other Republican in the state General Assembly. She also led the charge to repeal a Colorado ban on high-capacity magazines, and recently advocated on Twitter — after a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas — to “let teachers carry.” Do you support a path to legal citizenship for immigrants living in the U.S. illegally? Kirkmeyer, Kulmann and Saine expressed some openness to offering a path to citizenship for people living in the U.S. illegally who were brought to America as children. Many of those immigrants currently have deportation protections and work authorization under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA. Allcorn does not support a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already in the country. All four candidates also called for tighter border security and other immigration system reforms. Here’s where they stand: ALLCORN: “No.” KIRKMEYER: “If they’re already in the country, I think there’s a lot of discussion that needs to occur there,” Kirkmeyer said in an interview with The Sun. “My kids went to school in Fort Lupton and they had friends whose parents brought them here when they were 2 months old, and they didn’t know it. They didn’t know that they weren’t American citizens. They always thought they were until they turned 18. I think in those cases, we need to have compassion and we need to work with them to find a path (to citizenship). Is it just an automatic, you’re done? No.” KULMANN: Kulmann said “a humane and sensible immigration policy means stopping the flow of illegal immigration and finding a commonsense solution for those who are here, especially children.”
June 23, 2022 Securing the border “with a massive commitment of resources, including a wall” should come first, she said. But children who came to the U.S. through no choice of their own deserve legal status, she said. And there should be a process for working unauthorized immigrants who haven’t broken the law to seek legal citizenship. “Those who have followed the rules should be at the front of the line. Those who came here illegally should be at the back of the line,” she said in a written response. SAINE: “Children brought across the border should be offered an opportunity to become a citizen like all other immigrants in a naturalization process that is fair, understandable and that works,” Saine said in a written response. She also said that the immigration system is bureaucratic and encourages malfeasance. “I have worked personally with a business owner who was struggling with our citizenship process. … He was asked to provide monetary compensation by an outside agent to move things along when his paperwork got stuck. That is unacceptable and, as your congresswoman, I will work to fix this so we have a legal immigration system that works for those who want to become Americans,” Saine said in a written response. How would you represent a district as diverse — economically, demographically, etc — as the 8th District? The 8th District has the largest percentage of Hispanic people of any of Colorado’s U.S. House districts at 39%. And it stretches from north Denver to the conservative stronghold of Weld County, which has notable agriculture and oil and gas industries. ALLCORN: “I’m an immigrant to this country. I came here in 1993. I understand what it is to come to a new place somewhere that’s very different from where you were growing up and where you’re from. I understand what the challenges are,” Allcorn said at a May event hosted by the Republican Women of Weld. KIRKMEYER: “Voters across the district, no matter their economic or demographic status, face the same challenges and concerns: rising crime and lawlessness, inflation, illegal immigration, and attacks on energy and agriculture jobs. I will appeal to our diverse district by attacking those challenges, head on.” KULMANN: “By doing what I’ve always done, listening to the people and following through on what I say I’m going to do. My experiences as an oil and gas engineer in the fields up in Weld County and as the mayor for the City of Thornton have allowed me to not only develop a strong understanding of the issues, but it has allowed me to develop strong relationships with the community.” SAINE: “I approach every voter the same when I talk to them about freedom because they all have the same concerns about the loss of freedom in our country and the loss of opportunity for their children. And I am finding all mothers are concerned about the rising cost of gas, food, and rising crime plaguing
their neighborhoods, all exacerbated by Joe Biden’s failed extreme economic agenda.” Who won the 2020 election? Three of the four candidates say Joe Biden won the election. Saine has not clearly answered the question. ALLCORN: “Whether you like it or not, Joe Biden is currently sitting in the Oval Office. And he shouldn’t be, but he is because he was elected,” Allcorn said at the Republican Women of Weld forum. He added, “that doesn’t mean that there isn’t voter fraud that needs to be addressed in our country, and that we need to look for policies to prevent that from happening again.” He supports a requirement that voters show photo identification to cast a ballot, which Colorado does not require. KIRKMEYER: “Joe Biden won the election,” Kirkmeyer said at the Republican Women of Weld forum. She added it “doesn’t mean that we don’t need to go back and look at what’s going on within election law.” KULMANN: “Joe Biden won the election and he’s a lousy president. I am running to take back the House and put a stop on his radical agenda that continues to hurt working families across the country.” SAINE: Saine has not directly answered the question. “A lot of voters in this district have reached out to me about election questions and concerns about election integrity,” she told The Sun. “I think both parties could meet these concerns head on by passing a photo voter ID law. It makes sense to folks that you would need some kind of photo ID to vote and this would allay many concerns for our constituents now and in the future,“ she added in a written response. As a state lawmaker, Saine initiated a late 2020 hearing over election security issues that turned up no evidence of widespread voter fraud. What will be your top priority as a member of Congress? ALLCORN: Allcorn’s campaign did not respond to this question from The Sun. KIRKMEYER: She said her “most immediate priority” is to secure the Southern border. “This is something a new, Republican Congress can do something about immediately by using our leverage to force the Biden administration to act,” she said. “After that, my priorities are to rein in inflation, reduce deficit spending and debt, and restore America’s energy independence.” KULMANN: “I’m an oil and gas engineer, and the No. 1 thing I hear from voters is just how difficult record-breaking energy costs are making their lives. My top priority in Congress would be to find solutions that unleash American energy dominance.” SAINE: “My No. 1 priority will be to stop President Biden’s Marxist-socialist agenda and use the power of the purse to force the executive branch to bring back policies to secure our border, strengthen our military and increase domestic energy produc-
tion… Biden-era inflation must be halted and reversed before our economy, family budgets and businesses are destroyed.”
Do you believe climate change is human caused and, if so, what should be done about it? None of the candidates clearly answered whether anything should be done to address climate change. ALLCORN: “We don’t need to destroy our economy or pursue the Green New Deal policies of the radical left to protect our environment. Colorado is a world leader in responsible energy development, and we can supply the world if radical liberals would just get out of the way,” Allcorn said. At a March candidate forum, he said that the country needs to be energy independent and that the “green energy industry” is “not ready to take over.” KIRKMEYER: “The climate is always changing, and the Earth has been gradually warming since the Little Ice Age. To what extent any warming is a result of mancaused activity is unknown. The United States has been reducing its emissions of carbon dioxide in recent years, but worldwide emissions continue to grow due to China, India and other emerging economies.” KULMANN: “Climate change is happening, and humans contribute, but it is innovation and technology that will solve it, not bureaucracy and certainly not far-left policies. Witness: carbon emissions have plummeted in the U.S. in recent years because of the growing prevalence of natural gas to power our economy. It wasn’t a law or a mandate that made this happen. It was private sector innovation, and some really smart engineers,” Kulmann said in a written response. “Where Biden and the Democrats get energy wrong is by trying to make one good and the other bad. The truth is, we need an all-of-the-above energy strategy in this country. And we need to get serious about American energy independence. If I have my way, America will never beg for another drop of energy from OPEC or Putin again.” SAINE: “Weld County not only has the largest production of oil and gas in Colorado, it also has the largest renewable energy production portfolio in the state, including wind, solar and biogas. • Government should not pick winners and losers in the energy market and Weld (County) now encourages an all-the-above energy production that our consumers and businesses have asked for. The petroleum industry and farmers and ranchers in Weld are teaming up to produce solar at record rates. Farmers particularly like the stability of the extra income that solar provides.” As commissioner, she supported a county solar code, she said. This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.
June 23, 2022
RE PUBLI C AN PRI MARY E LEC TI ON 2022
Fort Lupton Press 11
Get to know the Republican candidates for governor BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN
Greg Lopez and Heidi Ganahl are the two Republican gubernatorial candidates facing off in the June 28 primary for a chance to unseat Democratic Gov. Jared Polis in November. Colorado voters have elected only one Republican governor in roughly a half century, and whoever wins the primary will face a tough opponent in Polis, a deep-pocketed self-funder who polls indicate is well liked. We combed through documents and attended several candidate forums to put together this guide to the candidates in the Republican gubernatorial primary. Who are the candidates? • Lopez, 58, is a former Democrat who served two terms as the mayor of Parker in the 1990s. He became a Republican during his mayoral tenure. Lopez ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2016 and for governor in 2018. He was the Colorado director of the Small Business Administration between 2008 and 2014, is an Air Force veteran and lives in Elizabeth. • Ganahl, 55, is a University of Colorado regent. She was elected to her at-large seat in 2016 and is the only statewide elected Republican in Colorado. Before entering politics, she started Camp Bow Wow, a doggy day care with a national footprint that she later sold. She lives in Lone Tree. Two stances on abortion With the U.S. Supreme Court poised in the coming weeks to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision protecting the right to an abortion without excessive government restriction, abortion is set to be a central issue in the midterm elections. Ganahl said she strongly opposes a bill passed by the legislature this year and signed into law by Polis that affirms abortion access in Colorado with very few limitations. “We’ve got to do everything we can to roll it back,” she said. But Ganahl doesn’t endorse a blanket ban on abortion, saying there should be exceptions “for rape and incest and life of the mother.” Lopez agrees that Colorado’s new abortion access law should be repealed. He thinks the procedure should be completely outlawed without exception. Climate change Lopez rejects the broad scientific consensus on climate change. “I truly do not believe that it’s caused by human behavior,” he said. When asked at a recent candidate forum if she thinks climate change is caused by humans, Ganahl didn’t say, though she acknowledged that climate change does exist. “The climate is changing all the time,” she said, “but we don’t have to sacrifice our livelihoods. We all care about clean air, clean land and clean water and we can make that happen without giving up our economy.” If elected, Ganahl plans to submit a waiver to the Environmental Protection Agency to try to unwind the EPA’s decision to downgrade the Denver area’s air quality status to severe
from serious. Her aim is to prevent implementation of a requirement that specially formulated, and more expensive, gasoline be sold in the metro region. Colorado’s education system Ganahl is a proponent of school choice and giving parents public funding to spend as they see fit, essentially a voucher program. “We have got to fix public schools,” she said, “and the way we do that is through competition. So we’ve got to fund the student, not the system. We’ve got to give power back to parents to take their kids out of schools and put them in situations where it works, whether it’s homeschool, microschool, private school, charter school.” She was the founding member of a charter school. Lopez said he wants to get social issues out of schools and argued against teaching students about how the nation’s racist past has contemporary effects. “The educational system has now been converted into state indoctrination centers,” he said. Boosting school safety The mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, thrust school safety back into the spotlight. Lopez said law enforcement is part of the solution. “I am going to put a police officer in every single school across the state,” he said at the Western Conservative Summit. Ganahl believes addressing mental health is paramount. “This is a deep, deep issue that goes back to the family, the community reconnecting with people (and) curing our mental health crisis,” she said at the summit. Ganahl has released a five-step school safety plan that includes implementing the 988 crisis hotline, launching a “school safety accountability dashboard” for the public and hosting monthly governor’s “school safety reports” to track metrics. Neither candidate has endorsed any new restrictions on firearms. Was the 2020 presidential election stolen? Lopez said that “I fully believe that President Trump did win the election” in 2020, a claim that’s false. The 2020 presidential election was won by Joe Biden. Lopez has also said that if he’s elected he will pardon indicted Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, an election denier, if she is falsely accused and convicted of the felony and misdemeanor charges brought against her in a security breach of her county’s voting system. He told a conservative talk radio host that he “has a lot of concerns about what I’ve read in the indictment” leveled against Peters. Ganahl has not directly answered the question of whether the 2020 election was stolen from Trump. “Joe Biden is our president,” she said. “I think there’s a lot of questions about what happened in the election. And for four years the Democrats yelled ‘Russia! Russia! Russia!’ And, for the last couple years, we had some questions about what happened.
I don’t understand why they’re so averse to transparency and people asking questions and gaining confidence again.” MORE: Colorado’s June 28 primary will test just how much Republicans embrace 2020 election conspiracies The candidates’ big policy proposals Ganahl says she wants to phase down Colorado’s income tax rate to 0% in her first term while also cutting Colorado’s 22-cent gas tax, which is among the lowest in the nation, in half and still paying for infrastructure projects and repairs. “There’s plenty of money, you guys,” she said. But Ganahl has not said what program she would cut to make her campaign promise a reality. Income tax revenue makes up a significant portion of the pool of money that funds the state budget. Ganahl also has not answered how she would make the changes if she is elected governor and Democrats control one or both chambers of the legislature. Lopez says that 30% to 40% of Colorado’s budget is fraud, waste and abuse, though he hasn’t provided specifics. One idea Lopez has floated on the campaign trail is moving Colorado toward a statewide electoral college system that gives rural areas of the state with less population more political power. 9News, which first reported on the proposal, said the idea would be to give each of Colorado’s 64 counties electoral votes based on turnout, with 11 votes going to counties with the highest turnout and 3 votes going to counties with the lowest turnout. Lopez has since distanced himself from the idea saying it is just a “conversation.” “There is no official proposal on the table,” he said. But Lopez said the plan would lead to “true representation” What else you should know about the candidates Lopez also has had several run-ins with law enforcement, all of which have been previously documented and that he has openly talked about. In 1993, he and his wife were both cited in a domestic violence incident in which he was accused of pushing his wife, who was six months pregnant, to the floor and kicking her after she hit him on the top of his head. The Denver Post reported in 1994 that both Lopez and his wife pleaded guilty to a single charge of harassment. Lopez was also accused, in a separate case, of driving under the influence. Then, in October 2020, Lopez settled a lawsuit filed by federal prosecutors alleging that after he left the Small Business Administration, where he was the Colorado district director from 2008 to 2014, Lopez violated federal law by attempting to improperly influence actions of the agency. Prosecutors alleged Lopez “attempted to influence the SBA’s handling of its loan guarantee” to Morreale Hotels, which was owned by Lopez’s friend. Lopez paid $15,000 to settle the case and “acknowledged that the United States could prove the facts alleged in
the civil action by a preponderance of the evidence,” per a news release from the Trump administration’s Justice Department. Lopez said he wasn’t aware at the time that he did anything wrong. He said prosecutors brought the case just days before the statute of limitations expired. “They wanted $157,000 for a phone call and an email,” he said. “I settled for $15,000.” Colorado’s Trump-appointed U.S. attorney at the time, Jason Dunn, framed the case differently. “Mr. Lopez’s attempts to exert improper influence over a federal agency on behalf of his friend were serious violations of the rules for former federal officials,” he said in a written statement. “The American people deserve to have confidence that the federal government runs its programs without favoritism towards former officials.” The Sun could find no record of Ganahl being arrested before in Colorado. Ganahl’s first husband, Bion, died in a plane crash in the 1990s when she was 27. She remarried and then divorced. She is now married to her third husband, Jason, who runs GQue, a barbeque restaurant with locations in the Denver area. Ganahl was diagnosed with a noncancerous brain tumor in 2020 that was surgically removed. Her term as regent ends early next year. Republican candidate for governor Heidi Ganahl speaks during the GOP assembly at the Broadmoor World Arena on Saturday, April 9, 2022, in Colorado Springs. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun) How to beat Jared Polis Colorado voters have not elected a Republican governor since 2002, when Bill Owens was elected to his second term. The last GOP governor in Colorado before Owens was John Arthur Love, who was elected to his final term in 1970, 52 years ago. Polis has a solid approval rating and a fortune that he’s willing to spend to get reelected. In 2020, he spent more than $23 million to secure his first term. He’s already spent more than $5 million on his 2022 campaign.
So how do Ganahl and Lopez plan to beat Polis? Ganahl said she “will raise the millions of millions of dollars that we have got to raise to build a movement to beat Jared Polis.” So far, however, Ganahl hasn’t been able to keep up. Ganahl’s campaign had raised a little more than $1 million through April 27. Lopez, on the other hand, is taking a different approach. “No one is going to outspend the governor,” he said, ”it doesn’t matter who you are. You’ve got to outwork him.” This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.
12 Fort Lupton Press
June 23, 2022
RE PUBLI C AN PRI MARY E LEC TI ON 2022
A look at GOP secretary of state hopefuls Anderson, O’Donnell, Peters have dramatically different positions BY SANDRA FISH THE COLORADO SUN
Three Republicans are running this year to be Colorado’s next secretary of state, a position in which they would oversee the administration of elections and handle business registration. It’s a job that’s become highly politicized since the 2020 presidential election, which former Republican President Donald Trump and his supporters baselessly claim was stolen from him through fraud and malfeasance. Two of the three GOP candidates embrace those claims. The Republican candidate who wins the June 28 primary will go on in November to face Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold, who has risen to national prominence defending election systems in Colorado and elsewhere. The Colorado Sun asked the three GOP candidates about some of the major issues in the contest. Who are the candidates? • Pam Anderson, a former Jefferson County clerk and recorder and the former executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association • Mike O’Donnell, an Australian immigrant and Yuma County resident who has worked at nonprofits that make loans to small businesses. He does not have experience in election administration. • Tina Peters, the Mesa County clerk who was indicted earlier this year in a security breach of her county’s election system. She has also been barred by a judge from overseeing the 2022 elections in Mesa County partly because of the breach, which stemmed from her belief that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. Yes or no: Was the 2020 presidential election stolen? ANDERSON: “No. Here in Colorado we have independent, verifiable paper ballots audits that have found no evidence that the outcome was incorrect.” O’DONNELL: “Well, I can’t say yes or no to that. We have a president (Joe Biden) who’s in power today. So whether or not it was stolen, we probably won’t know for quite a while, but (Biden) is the elected president.” PETERS: Yes. “This is a personal opinion based on the evidence that I have seen and gone through and based on what I know from our reports. I do believe there may have been enough fraud that it turned the election.” Top priorities for the candidates ANDERSON: She said she wants to restore “trusted professionalism” to the Secretary of State’s Office and to county clerk and recorder offices across Colorado. “We have
Left to right, the three Republicans running to be Colorado’s next secretary of state: Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, former Jefferson County Clerk Pam Anderson, and FILE PHOTOS BY THE COLORADO SUN Mike O’Donnell, a nonprofit leader.
had a long tradition of nonpartisan administration in these offices that sort of remain above that partisan fray,” she said. “That’s been my record, as both a municipal and county clerk both from the management side as well as the elections administration side.” O’DONNELL: He said he wants to work with the legislature and members of his executive team at the Secretary of State’s Office to craft bills, including a measure that would “wind back” automatic voter registration, the process in which people are registered to vote when they get their driver’s license. O’Donnell said he also wants to “look at what we can do to not decimate the small business sector the same way we did during COVID.” PETERS: “For sure it would be election security. If someone is voting who shouldn’t be voting, that’s diluting your vote.” Mail-in ballots and early voting We asked the three candidates if they’d support ending Colorado’s all-mail-ballot elections, which became statewide in 2013, and if they’d limit or end early in-person voting. ANDERSON: She’d keep the current system. “For access to our constitutional rights here in Colorado, our model provides freedom of choice to the voter. While we proactively mail a ballot to every active eligible voter, the choice still remains for the voter if they wish to utilize that mail ballot or to go to a vote center anywhere in their county. I think that choice remaining with the voter is important.” O’DONNELL: He didn’t directly answer the mail-ballots question. “There are people who pretend to be residents here who get their ballots sent out of state and are voting from out of state.” On early voting: “I’m not sure that I have a strong opinion about that. I think we start voting very, very early here.” PETERS: She said use of mail-in ballots should be limited to people who can’t vote in person because of physical disabilities or overseas voters, though she added “if we can eliminate the fraud any other way, I’m all for solutions. … I think that some of these, what they call conveniences, have gotten to the point where they’re being abused.” She said, however, that early voting is fine.
On changing or eliminating election rules The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office enacts election rules that county clerks have to abide by. We asked the three GOP candidates how they would approach the rulemaking process. ANDERSON: She said she would like to examine rules on candidate and petition signature collection, as well as rules ballot signature verification. And she wants to return “to being inclusive with the local election officials and how these rules impact voters on the ground.” O’DONNELL: He said he’s concerned that current rules allow potential noncitizens to register to vote, in turn inflating voter rolls. He said he’d want to change such rules. PETERS: She said she’d eliminate a 2021 rule prohibiting third-party audits of election equipment, which was aimed at addressing calls from her and her followersothers for an Arizona-style audit of the 2020 presidential election results in Colorado. She said she might also get rid of other rules. “This secretary of state — and I’ve talked to other clerks who have been around for 20 years — has passed more legislation, has rolled out more rules than any one secretary of state in the last 20 years.” Relationship with county clerks and their association Elections are managed at the local level by county clerks, who oversee ballot printing and counting and audits of results. The secretary of state works closely with those clerks and the Colorado County Clerks Association, so The Sun asked the three candidates about how they would work with both. ANDERSON: She said that all elections are local and thus maintaining good relationships with county clerks and recorders is paramount. “There is a regulatory role that’s appropriate as well, but making sure that we’re collaborating on resources, training, education and security (is critical),” Anderson said. O’DONNELL: He said he’s been meeting with county clerks and believes the state is creating too much work for them in some areas, such as when it comes to motor vehicles and a new requirement from the legislature to sell park passes with
vehicle registrations. He said he isn’t “connected with the County Clerk’s Association.” PETERS: She said she disagrees with how the clerks association has handled the Mesa County controversy that ensued after she allegedly allowed an unauthorized person access to voting equipment and a sensitive election system software update. She implied that other clerks don’t understand the conspiracy she baselessly claims occurs between Griswold and Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems, which provided machines that process the vast majority of ballots in Colorado.
Individual questions for each candidate The Sun asked Anderson about her role as a director of the Center for Technology and Civic Life, which distributed grants from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s foundation to local election offices around the country in 2020 to help defray costs brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. (She’s on leave from the organization while running for office.) ANDERSON: She said she served with the center as a volunteer director, one of many volunteer roles she’s played “because of my expertise as a local election official.” ”I don’t know Mark Zuckerberg. Never met him. I’ve never been paid in these capacities,” she said. O’Donnell is a political novice and the only Republican candidate for secretary of state without experience administering elections. We asked him how he’d handle being the state’s top election official. O’DONNELL: He said he would join a national association for election officials and take online classes in election administration if he wins the primary. “A lot of the elections are handled by the county clerks and the system is well in place. There are a lot of rules that don’t make sense to me, there are a a lot of things that just inflate the t voter rolls and little issues we have d with not removing people from the c voter rolls.” The Sun asked Peters how she w could serve as secretary of state if a she ends up being convicted of the a charges against her, which could e result in a prison sentence. r PETERS: “I will never plead guiltyt because I’ve committed no crime … This is a political maneuver to colorm the minds of the voters to keep me h w out of the Secretary of State’s Office,” she said. She said that if she p fi were convicted and sentenced to prison she “will have in place in the Secretary of State’s Office … people c that are trustworthy, that are honest, that are strong, that are capable T — that can run that office.” t Colorado Sun staff writer Jesse Paul L contributed to this report. a This story is from The Colorado Sun,a a journalist-owned news outlet baseda in Denver and covering the state. Forw more, and to support The Colorado l d Sun, visit coloradosun.com. The y Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner t t of Colorado Community Media.
June 23, 2022
Fort Lupton Press 13
LOCAL
SPORTS
Garcia has her swan song among state’s best soccer players BY STEVE SMTH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
d
r Fort Lupton’s Reygan Garcia chases down the loose ball early in the Colorado High School Coaches Association’s all-state girls soccer match at Colorado Academy June 13. Garcia was the first Fort PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH Lupton girls soccer player to participate.
DENVER – Fort Lupton’s Reygan Garcia finished her high-school soccer career as part of the Colorado High School Coaches Association’s all-state girls soccer game at Colorado Academy June 13. “It was fun. I met a lot of people, and it was fun to touch the ball again,” she said. The last time she played was in May. “We practiced at 10 a.m. this morning (June 13), and then we came back at 6 and played the game.” There were some designed plays, but there was no team chemistry. “It was hard to know where everyone was going,” she said. “It didn’t matter. It was about having fun. It was nerve-wracking. My knee was hurting, but I enjoyed it.” Garcia, who left the game briefly at the end of the first half, tore her ACL but was able to play for the Bluedevils this spring. “I want to be more cautious with this because I am going to college (she signed with Northeast Community College in Nebraska earlier
this year),” Garcia said. “If anything is bothering me, I take myself out, stretch and then come back in. I had no trouble in the second half.” She didn’t score a goal. She tried one shot, and it went to the left side of the goal. But she enjoyed watching other players’ skills. “I’m an adaptive player. So, when I see it, I adapt to it,” Garcia said. “It teaches me to play with the ball. It’s a learning experience. I can take this into college. All the girls were giving constructive criticism. We were helping each other out.” Garcia said such an approach makes her play harder. “It comes differently when it comes from a player because you’re working with them,” she said. “Hearing it from them, I take it more to heart.” Garcia said the game will help her for college soccer. “I won’t know many of the players when I go to Nebraska,” she said. “Getting their constructive criticism will help me play better and build that chemistry. I’m not a very social person, so going to these kinds of things makes me come out of my shell a lot more.”
Local athletes adjust to the balance of school, athletics BY BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUITYNEWSPAPERS.COM
This is part three, the final part of a three-story series. The first part introduced the athletes and the second discussed academic support at their chosen schools. We’ve spent the last couple of weeks with former high-school athletes as they talk about their adjustments to college athletics - everything from more intense practice routines to being responsible for ytheir clean clothes. To wrap up our series, the newly minted college athletes talk about how to balance their athletic life with their new freedoms and the purpose of going to college in the first place - their education. Most think they made a good choice.
That delicate balance Vershon Brooks went from Brighton High School to college football at Luther College in Iowa. “Balancing life with academics and athletics in college was tricky at first,” he said. “You have to look at your schedule and plan ahead of when you’ll get things, like eating, laundry, cleaning and homework, done. You’ll find a routine around your classes and training with the team. It just becomes second nature.”
Former Brighton and Frederick High School pitcher Chase Prestwich, who’s playing collegiately at Northwestern State University in Louisiana, said a lot of people don’t think about that balance of life, academics and athletics. “But it’s really hard,” he said. “I have to really plan out my days and just squeeze in time for things like eating, doing laundry, etc. I have to take advantage of every bit of free time I get because I don’t get much.” In the case of Izayah Elize, former Frederick High School basketball player and now a collegiate player at Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington, Wyoming, it was “hard and scary being by yourself.” “But once you get in a routine and schedule you realize it’s not that hard,” he said. His high-school classmate, Ryan Chacon, who is running cross country at Butler Community College in Kansas, agreed. “Balancing daily chores and things is difficult,” he said. “But if you make a schedule every week and stick to it, you’ll be fine. Either a team study time will be put into play or making a time to do things.” Emma Kulbida, who attended Stargate School, swam for Legacy High School and is swimming at Carnegie Mellon in Pennsylvania, said balancing her academic, athletic and other needs was difficult.
“Managing the rigorous course loads that CMU has to offer is extremely challenging by itself and competing at a high athletic level on top of that makes it so much harder,” she said. “However, having set practice times forces you to keep somewhat of a schedule, and being a high-level athlete makes you prioritize sleep and nutrition, which helps with school as well.” Brighton High School’s Eli Bowman, who played football at the South Dakota School of Mines, said balancing all of necessary things in school was tough - on occasion. “But it’s something I’ve gotten used to,” he said. “Whether it’s when to do laundry or managing my relationship with my girlfriend, it all took some adjusting and figuring out what works best for me, my schedule and my health. Ultimately, school has to be my No. 1 priority, and I understand that.” Bowman’s classmate, Jespyn Bishop, who is playing water polo at McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois, split the difference. “I wouldn’t say it has been too difficult, but it hasn’t been easy,” he said. “It honestly all depends on the classes you take. My first semester, none of my classes was extremely hard, but I just had a lot of work. So I ended up scheduling my week to where I could get everything done and still be able to go to bed early
enough to be able to get up and go to morning practices. I also have a work study on campus at the library, which I am able to work while being able to do homework. So normally I get a lot of my homework done then.” Bishop said he tried to plan for other needs a few days ahead of time “which helps me with not having any conflicts.” His second semester was an off-season for water polo. “I get done with all my classes at 12, and then I have practice TuesdayThursdays from 1-3, then weights from 4-5 Tuesdays and Thursdays,” he said. “After that the rest of the day is mine. I normally try to get all my homework done by 10 and then leave two hours to do whatever I want. I normally leave store runs to the weekends because it’s easier to get everything all at once.” Adding structure Erica Derby, who took her soccer skills from Stargate School to Northeastern Community College in Nebraska, said it hasn’t been hard to balance her daily tasks. “Playing soccer adds structure to my day. I have to be at practice and the games. So all my classes and tasks I do revolve around that,” she said. “If my classes conflict with SEE ATHLETES, P14
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June 23, 2022
ATHLETES FROM PAGE 13
soccer, I either can take it fully online or come up with a solution with my coach.” When she comes home, she helps with cooking meals and the laundry. “So coming to college and having to do my own laundry wasn’t a big change,” Derby said. “Our cafeteria is open at certain times, so I make sure I can eat during those times. I do my laundry on the weekend. I don’t have any classes, and I have extra time.” Gerardo Caldera, who graduated from Adams City High School and went on to play football at Waldorf University in Iowa, said his ability to balance all things college wasn’t too hard. “Maybe when I first got here it was a hassle. But once you know the flow of things and you play around with your schedule, you can figure out when to do what at a certain time,” Caldera said. “For example, I may not always get breakfast or lunch at our café. But we have a thing called a `Warrior Crossing.’ It’s like a little store where you can get some quick snacks and some quick sandwiches. As for laundry you could do it at night while you’re doing assignments and homework, so you can pass time while doing laundry. But right after practices, everyone goes and eats dinner at our cafeteria.” Riverdale Ridge alum Dakota Pruitt, who played baseball at Otero Junior College in southern Colorado, said it was easy to find that balance. “You just have to find a routine and
understand that you’re completely in control of your actions, so you have to make sure you’re doing everything you can to make you comfortable and successful,” he said. Stargate School graduate Madison Roecker, who is cheerleading at Nebraska Wesleyan, said her combination of experience in sports, clubs, academics and holding down a job “helped to prepare me to manage my schedule now in college.” The overall experience Brooks, the Brighton High School grad and Luther College football player, said he found no surprises. “The experience overall is what I expected, that being time management with school and chores and your responsibilities to the team,” he said. “What I didn’t expect was how much I would miss home and the people that made it home.” Brooks former Brighton classmate Bowman said his experience at the South Dakota School of Mines wasn’t what he thought it would be. “I knew sports would be hard, so that wasn’t a huge surprise,” Bowman said. “I underestimated how difficult school would be and how much work is involved. I didn’t think I’d be able to make such good friends as well. We all have to rely on each other to keep going, though, so it brings us all together. I’ve made some really good friends already.” McKendree University’s water polo player Bishop said he doesn’t regret his decision at all. “College athletics are definitely a different atmosphere but totally worth it at the end of the day,” he said. “I didn’t expect it to be this busy,”
said Northwestern State University in Louisiana’s Prestwich. “But overall, it has been good and much like what I expected. I didn’t really know what to expect about living on my own, but I like being responsible for things myself.” Frederick alum Elize he knew what he was getting into. “It’s been a good experience,” he said. “ I have grown as a basketball player overall, and that’s all I can ask for.” Stargate soccer standout Derby said the experience was what she expected ... and better. “I have met some amazing friends on the soccer team that I probably wouldn’t have met if I didn’t play,” she said. “I have been able to take classes that are giving me insight to future career options. I work at the basketball games by helping take stats and go to school events that are held to be involved.” Frederick alum Chacon said the experience at Butler Community College in Kansas was what he was expecting. “As long as you stick to your goals and be smart with time management you will strive,” he said. Maturing fast is a key to so say `survive’ college. If you take advantage of your resources and be mature about things, the goals you make will be closer than ever before.” Former Legacy swimmer Kulbida said she knew the experience would be a challenge. “But it was way more difficult than I expected,” she said. “However, being around peers who have similar drive and determination to succeed has been really helpful. It pushes you to reach a higher level and be the best
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version of yourself that you can be.” Riverdale Ridge alum Pruitt said the experience was about what he figured, too. “I expected to find myself in a position where I have to grind to ensure I get to stay,” he said. “But I wouldn’t change it for the world. I get to play the sport I love most every day.” Adams City alum Caldera said the experience was what he thought, but more so. “It has also opened up a lot to be grateful for everything in life as well,” he said. “Sometimes, you have to take it in that you’re a part of that small percentage of student athletes that move on to play at the next level.”
In closing Caldera had one parting piece of advice. “If you’re going to play a different sport, make sure you’re willing to lose some playing time in some sports. For example, I played baseball in the spring for Waldorf but I am losing spring ball and learning my playbook for football to play another sport,” he said. “Make sure if you’re going to play something else, it’s because you love playing that sport.” “I am grateful to my high-school coach, Meaghan Walsh, for starting our cheer program and guiding me to get where I am today,” said Stargate School graduate Madison Roecker.“I am enjoying my time here at Nebraska Wesleyan and love our cheer team.” “Playing football in college is the best decision I could’ve made,” Bowman said. “As much work as it is, college football has already been a blast and has made me a better person.”
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Fort Lupton Press 15
June 23, 2022
How Colorado plans to spend $12M in new funding on an e-bike program
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Colorado officials are detailing plans to give out $12 million in statewide electric bike rebates approved by this year’s legislature, following on the wild success of a Denver ebike assistance plan that maxed out its first round of 3,250 applications in a matter of weeks. Denver, meanwhile, said it plans to announce a new round of e-bike assistance after the Fourth of July. The timing and scale of e-bike purchase programs is apparently being affected by near-universal supply chain problems and high demand. Bike shops haven’t been able to find enough stock for surges of customlers, transportation advocates said, and state and local officials are checking with stores before expanding programs. The Colorado Energy Office will administer the new state e-bike program, aiming at a January launch, to open up more access to the bikes meant to replace fossil fuel-driven cars with transportation that runs on cleaner electric power. The legislation seeks to help 12,000 people statewide with e-bike and equipment purchases, safety training and aid to governments, tribes and nonprofits setting up distribution programs. Smaller state pilot programs called Can Do Colorado use a triplogging app designed by the National Renewable Energy Lab, and the results show “people are using them and that they’re being used for their intended purpose, to offset vehicle miles traveled,” said Sarah Thorne, who is administering the e-bike program for the Colorado Energy Office. Advocacy groups can’t wait for more. “These are the steps that states and cities need to take to address transportation change,” said Piep van Heuven, director of government relations for Bicycle Colorado. “Household motor vehicle trips are one of the biggest drivers of transportation emissions in the country, and nearly 60% of these trips are a distance of 6 miles or less, the perfect distance for an e-bike trip.” While Denver’s program was split between assistance for lowincome applicants, and those who did not need to be income qualified, Colorado will aim all of its e-bike rebates at lower income residents, Thorne said. As a way to reach more residents, Colorado’s program may allow bikes to be purchased from online and big box retailers. Denver’s vouchers are redeemed at participating specialty bike shops. The new state program, using Colorado taxpayer money, will not require applicants to use the tracking app as part of efforts to gather data on how many car trips are replaced with cleaner energy trips. “It’s optional,” Thorne said. In the pilot program, some people tired of entering trip logs after a few months. “It’s a big ask.” E-bikes use a battery pack and motor to make pedaling easier or extend coasting, with variable settings that can set the bikes cruising from
FattE-Bikes’ models, ranging around 45 miles, can accelerate to 25 miles per hour. The Denver-based company has designed and built compact, hybrid and cargo bikes since 2017. PHOTO BY OLIVIA SUN/THE COLORADO SUN VIA REPORT FOR AMERICA
15 to 30 mph. They can help take hundreds of pounds of cargo across town and up hills, and advocates say they make commuting safer by allowing bikers to surge at green lights, merge into traffic or avoid accidents. Advocates also mention commuters may arrive at a job site “not sweaty” with the assist from the battery pack. Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency, announced $9 million in electrification subsidies on Earth Day, with millions of that allocated for the first round of e-bike vouchers. The program, which also included rebates on swapping out natural-gas burning home appliances, like furnaces and hot water heaters, for electric versions is financed by a sales tax approved by city voters in 2020 estimated to raise more than $40 million a year for climate action. The climate office capped e-bike applications at 3,250, and the rebates will pause until Denver allocates more money periodically throughout the year. More than half the applicants sought the $400 e-bike rebates that don’t depend on income level, and about 40% applied for rebates that go up to $1,200 for incomequalified candidates. Those buying e-cargo bikes, set up to carry kids to school or make deliveries, can get an additional $500. The state e-bike program is part of a host of electrification measures included in Senate Bill 193, which also offers tens of millions to school districts to swap dirtier diesel buses for electric versions. Colorado has set reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions of 26% by 2025, 50% by 2030, and 90% by 2050, from a 2005 baseline. The bill package also includes $2 million to “increase energy efficiency, reduce water use, promote renewable energy implementation” at pot-growing facilities, which are heavy users of electricity and water. This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.
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16 Fort Lupton Press
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
E
ver wanted to take a road trip across the state without slogging through an hours-long drive on highways? Residents can let public transportation take the wheel on trips to places near and far, including a new long-distance shuttle line that runs from the Denver area to places such as Idaho Springs, Frisco and Vail. Other bus routes can take you to Fort Collins, Longmont, Colorado Springs and even Grand Junction. And public transportation can also take you to some destinations in the suburbs you may not be familiar with. Here’s a look at the public transportation routes that run through these places and more — with a rundown of some attractions along the way. RTD in the suburbs You might not think twice when you watch a Regional Transportation District, or RTD, bus roll past, but the bus and rail systems can drop riders close to many scenic areas around town. Olde Town Arvada, for example, sits along the RTD G Line, a commuter rail line that runs between Union Station in the downtown Denver area and Wheat Ridge. As opposed to RTD’s light rail lines, the commuter rail lines travel at faster speeds. The historical atmosphere and “social hub” feeling in Olde Town Arvada — near Ralston Road and Wadsworth Boulevard — make it a great place to visit, said Austin Nettleton, a RTD
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spokesperson. “That’s pretty much one of my favorite spots to go to — there’s so many cool food and drink places,” said Nettleton, who used to live near that area, in Broomfield, and would go down to the RTD Olde Town Arvada station. Meanwhile, the N Line can take you from Denver through the north and east suburbs of Commerce City, Thornton and Northglenn. The N rail line largely weaves through residential areas, but the Northglenn-112th Station — near York Street and 112th Avenue — sits within walking distance of Carpenter Park, a place that offers a laundry list of activities. “They’ve got a pretty cool skate park there (and) a huge outdoor park. A boathouse, you can rent those little paddle boats. And they’ve got a huge rec center there too,” Nettleton said. (Paddle boats have been unavailable due to a staffing shortage, the City of Thornton’s website said as of June 12.) Other Carpenter Park amenities include a carousel, horseshoe pits, sand volleyball courts and a “sprayground” with a spray pad for enjoying in warm weather, according to Thornton’s website. Near Denver’s southeast edge sits RTD’s Dayton Station along Interstate 225, where riders can exit at a trail connection that leads to Cherry Creek State Park. “There’s even a bridge that goes across 225 to take you to the mountain bike trails,” Nettleton said, referring to a mountain bike skills area along the paths. Another destination in the suburbs is Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, a large outdoor concert
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SEE TRANSPORT, P17
In light of changing federal mask policy for transportation, masks might not be required in your area on public transit. Austin Nettleton, a spokesperson for RTD in Denver and surrounding areas, said masks are not required for all passengers and drivers on RTD transportation. “We encourage and recommend facial coverings, but they are not required or enforced for employees and customers,” Nettleton said. Anna Russo, a spokesperson
for the Transfort transit system in Fort Collins that extends to Boulder, also said masks are not required for all passengers and drivers. “We do encourage people to wear masks, but it’s not a requirement,” Russo said. “We ask that you don’t ride Transfort if you have COVID symptoms,” she added. Bob Wilson, a Colorado Department of Transportation spokesperson, said passengers are not required to wear masks but drivers are on Bustang routes.
The FLEX bus route that runs between Fort Collins, Loveland, Berthoud, Longmont and Boulder is currently “fare free.” “So someone could board the FLEX in Boulder and get all the way up to Fort Collins for free,” said Anna Russo, a spokesperson for Transfort, the part of the City of Fort Collins government that operates FLEX. All the routes that are operated by Transfort, which includes FLEX and MAX and the numbered routes in Fort Collins, are currently free, according to Russo. Transfort started providing service for free around spring 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic reached Colorado, Russo said. It was an effort to “help with the pandemic and just support people who might need some financial assistance getting around town,” Russo said. “But then we’ve just continued it through up until now. We might
go back to charging fares in the future, but at this time, we don’t have a date for that.” Officials are conducting a study of Transfort’s revenue sources and costs, and they are looking at the feasibility of continuing to operate fare free permanently, but it’s still unclear, Russo said. To track a bus or find out when a bus will arrive, see ridetransfort.com/rider-tools/rider-tools. For tips on how to ride the bus, visit ridetransfort.com/ridertools/how-to-ride-transfort or call 970-221-6620. Those using RTD in Denver and surrounding areas can see the bus or rail lines that can get them to their destination — and how long it will take — at rtddenver.com/app/plan. For a look at how to ride RTD, see rtd-denver.com/rider-info/how-to-ride or call 303-299-6000.
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Fort Lupton Press 17
June 23, 2022
TRANSPORT FROM PAGE 16
venue a short walk from RTD’s Arapahoe at Village Center light rail station. The venue in Greenwood Village hosts well-known music artists and sits close to Arapahoe Road and Interstate 25. Those who don’t live close to a rail station can bike, take a ride-sharing service such as Lyft or catch an RTD bus to get to a station. Getting farther north If you’ve been to Boulder, you may have seen the FLEX bus, a nonRTD transit line that serves several places in Colorado’s northern Front Range corridor. The FLEX route includes stops between Fort Collins, Loveland, Berthoud, Longmont and Boulder. It’s operated by Transfort, a part of the City of Fort Collins government. “Downtown Fort Collins is full of history, and the sugar beet industry was big in town,” said Anna Russo, a spokesperson for Transfort. Downtown Fort Collins is also known as one of the places that inspired Disneyland’s Main Street USA, according to Russo. Visitors can take a self-guided walking tour of downtown’s history, learning about the “architecture, wild characters and iconic historic sites,” according to the tourism website VisitFtCollins.com. If you’re seeking some color, you can swing by Colorado State University’s Annual Flower Trial Garden. The purpose of the trial garden program is to evaluate the performance of different annual plant cultivars under the unique Rocky Mountain environmental conditions, according to CSU’s website.
ROUTE FROM PAGE 16
See mobile apps that can help with riding RTD at rtd-denver.com/ business-center/open-spatial-data/ mobile-apps. The RTD Mobile Ticketing app, for example, lets riders buy and use Day Passes instantly
Ways to traverse the state CDOT’s Bustang routes make up a network of paths that run through northern, western, southern and part of eastern Colorado. Bustang routes go between Fort Collins and Denver, Grand Junction and Denver and Colorado Springs and Denver, according to the service’s website. Additionally, the “Bustang Outrider” routes go between Lamar, Pueblo and Colorado Springs; Alamosa and Pueblo; Durango and Grand Junction; Crested Butte and Denver;
Craig and Denver; and Telluride and Grand Junction, according to the website. Just last month, the state launched another option for travel along the Interstate 70 mountain corridor with the introduction of Pegasus, CDOT’s new express shuttle that began providing passenger service May 27. Pegasus was to depart year-round from Union Station in Denver, stopping at the Denver Federal Center in Lakewood along with stops in Idaho Springs, Frisco, Vail and Avon, according to a CDOT news release. A Pegasus shuttle seats up to 11 people, is wheelchair accessible and is equipped with USB ports, power outlets and Wi-Fi. Each vehicle also has luggage storage, bike racks and ski or snowboard containers, according to the news release. Each Bustang bus is equipped with a restroom, bike racks, free WiFi, power outlets and USB ports, and there are also a wheelchair lift and two wheelchair securement areas on each bus, according to the Bustang website. Pegasus service runs on weekends, but CDOT plans to expand it to daily service although there isn’t a set date for that yet, said Bob Wilson, a CDOT spokesperson. The many CDOT routes offer opportunities to explore Colorado’s mountain towns, Wilson said, along with chances to take care of more practical matters. “It provides people an opportunity if you’re living in Craig, for instance, if you need to see a doctor, you’re able to do that in Denver,” Wilson said. During the Denver Broncos football season, riders can catch a “Bustang to Broncos” bus, Wilson said. It provides round-trip transportation from both Colorado
Springs and Fort Collins to Empower Field at Mile High stadium in Denver. “So people can not worry about drinking and driving,” Wilson said. The first Bustang route became operational in July 2015, Wilson said. It started off only running between Fort Collins and Denver, Colorado Springs and Denver, and Glenwood Springs and Denver, but over the last seven years, the service has expanded to more routes, Wilson said. “And expansion is expected to continue” as resources and funding allow, he added. Hearing demand from Front Range and rural areas of Colorado drove the creation of the Bustang service, Wilson said. “We had heard from a lot of people (that there was no) option to get from locations throughout the state to Denver” unless you had a car, Wilson said. Randy Wheelock, a Clear Creek County commissioner, welcomed the recent addition of the Bustang Pegasus route. “Whether addressing local air quality or climate change, or addressing both local and state mobility needs, we must transform how we use our roads,” Wheelock said in the news release. “Pegasus has the potential to be that transformational catalyst, helping us want to change how we travel and building ridership for a more thoughtful transportation future.” The state also offers the Snowstang service during the ski season, providing round-trip service on weekends and holidays from Denver to four resorts: Loveland Ski Area, Copper Mountain, Arapahoe Basin and Steamboat Resort and Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs, according to the Bustang website.
on their phones. Asked about the most cost-effective way to ride, Austin Nettleton, a spokesperson for RTD, “highly recommends” getting the regional/ airport day pass. It’s $10.50 for adults and allows people to ride any bus or rail line and make as many transfers as they want for the entire service day, Nettleton said.
Discount fares apply to seniors 65 and older, individuals with disabilities and Medicare recipients, according to RTD’s website. The RTD Transit Watch app allows riders to report “unusual and suspicious” activities directly to transit police without having to make a phone call. Riders can also opt in to receive updates, alerts and safety information, according
to RTD’s website. RTD encourages riders to also dial 911 if there is an emergency, Nettleton said. For information on the Bustang and Pegasus routes offered by the Colorado Department of Transportation, see ridebustang.com or call 800-900-3011. To plan a trip, visit ridebustang.com/plan-my-trip. For the Bustang mobile app, see ridebustang.com/fares-tickets.
“They plant different varieties and different colors of annual flowers, and it’s open to the public. You can walk through them and look,” Russo said. Nearby in Loveland, visitors can check out the Loveland Museum of Art and History, the Benson Sculpture Garden and the Swim Beach area at Lake Loveland. “And they can get to those destinations by transferring to City of Loveland transportation from the FLEX,” Russo said. In the Boulder area, the FLEX line ends at the University of Colorado Boulder campus. “So that’s a nice area to walk around, and there’s also a museum of natural history on their campus,” Russo said. Another type of long-distance transit, Bustang, managed by the Colorado Department of Transportation, also connects to the FLEX. Bustang buses “do pick up at our downtown Fort Collins transit center and the Harmony transfer center at Harmony (Road) and I-25,” Russo said. That’s another way people coming from the south could connect to transportation in Fort Collins, she said.
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18 Fort Lupton Press
June 23, 2022
Feds ignore Polis’ plea to stop wild horse roundups Roundup planned on the Western Slope BY JENNIFER BROWN THE COLORADO SUN
Federal officials will begin capturing hundreds of mustangs roaming in far northwestern Colorado this week, dismissing a request from Gov. Jared Polis to halt roundups while the state and U.S. Bureau of Land Management find a “more humane” option for managing wild horses. The federal agency’s announcement of its next roundup — in the Piceance-East Douglas rangeland outside Meeker — came after 145 wild horses died in an equine flu outbreak at a Cañon City holding facility. The public land where the East Douglas herd lives is suited for no more than 235 horses, according to the BLM, yet there are 1,385 mustangs on the range. The roundup was scheduled to begin June 16 with a bait-and-trap operation, in which horses are lured into a corral with fresh water and food. Federal officials plan to bring in a helicopter and horseback riders in mid-July to round up more mustangs. The roundup was originally scheduled for September, but the BLM moved it up because the horses are so malnourished coming out of winter, officials said. “We saw some horses really suffering in March and April,” Elijah Waters, the BLM’s northwest district manager, said in an email. “We were getting quite a bit of feedback from the public to do something, and we felt like the best option was to gather as soon as we could for the horses in poor condition and for the horses that will remain and need forage before going into next winter.” The animals will go to a holding facility in Utah — not the pens on state prison grounds in Cañon City that were the site of the deadliest mustang flu outbreak on
record. The horse deaths, which began April 23 and stopped May 26, incited outcry from mustang advocates around the country and Colorado’s governor and first gentleman, Marlon Reis, an animal rights advocate. Polis already had urged federal officials last summer to pause wild horse roundups and work with Colorado on a gentler solution to the abundance of horses on public lands. That plea came ahead of a helicopter roundup last summer of 684 horses in the Sand Wash Basin in northern Colorado along the Wyoming border. After the Cañon City outbreak, Polis again wrote to the BLM asking them to call off scheduled roundups. The federal agency’s Stephanie Connolly, acting state director for the BLM, rebuffed the governor’s request in a June 2 letter, which was released to The Sun on June 14. She said that while the BLM appreciates the governor’s “engagement in managing wild horses,” the East Douglas herd is more than six times the size that the land can support. A few hundred of the horses have left the public rangeland, Connolly said, “in search of food and water on nearby private property.” The herd has grown by about 20% each year, she said. And BLM research found that 80% of the shrubs and grasses consumed on the rangeland last year were eaten by wild horses, which is out of balance for other animals that use the land, she said. Public land managed by the federal agency is leased to cattle and sheep ranchers, as well as used by elk, deer and other wildlife. “The situation will only grow more dire for these horses, wildlife and the environment,” Connolly wrote. The governor’s office told The Sun that it was disappointed by the BLM’s decision to move ahead with a “costly and wasteful roundup of our wild horses.” The governor offered “numerous costeffective and humane alternative
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methods of management,” including birth control, but those were ignored. “It is apparent not only that they will not seriously consider better alternatives, allowing only a few weeks for bait-and-trap methods, but that the agency truly doesn’t care to first listen to stakeholders before moving forward,” Polis’ spokesman Conor Cahill said. The governor was particularly disappointed that the BLM announced its plans for the roundup at the same time it announced a listening session to gather public input. The governor did get one of his wishes granted by federal officials: no additional horses are headed to the holding pens in Cañon City. All of the horses that died in this spring’s outbreak were from the West Douglas rangeland, along the Colorado-Utah border. The craggy, mostly inaccessible land was deemed “unsuitable” for wild horses by the BLM, and last summer, the agency announced an emergency roundup of horses and burros. The outbreak was caused by a fairly common equine flu virus and was further complicated by a streptococcus bacteria. Most of the horses had not received a flu vaccine despite being hauled to the holding facility seven months earlier, and the BLM has said it is investigating the reasons for the delay and will release details later. The American Wild Horse Campaign said it was alarmed by
the federal plan to accelerate the roundup, calling it inhumane to send more mustangs into holding facilities that have been plagued with disease. Holding pens across the country are already crowded, said the campaign’s executive director Suzanne Roy. “The BLM already has a capacity crisis on its hands,” she said in an email. “The agency must not use a limited emergency as an excuse to accelerate a wholesale helicopter roundup of hundreds of wild horses and send them to a broken holding system where they are at a heightened risk of disease and death.” Nationwide, the bureau has more than 56,000 wild horses and burros in holding pens or pastures, some awaiting adoption. That includes more than 2,000 horses in Cañon City, where prison inmates care for the animals. The agency estimates there are about 82,000 wild horses and burros roaming rangeland in 10 Western states, but says the land is appropriate for only about 26,000 of them. In Colorado, about 1,800 mustangs remain on range, but the federal goal is 827. This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.
TURN TO THE COLORADO SUN FOR NEWS ACROSS THE STATE The Colorado Sun is a journalistowned, 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 nonpartisan journalism. It covers everything
from politics and culture to the outdoor industry and 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.
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Fort Lupton Press 19
June 23, 2022
Democrats fund ads boosting controversial GOP candidates in critical Colorado primaries BY SANDRA FISH AND JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN
Groups linked to Democrats appear to be trying to use pricey television ads and mailers to boost the profiles of three conservative — and controversial — candidates in Colorado running in important Republican primaries this year. The effort seems to be aimed at giving Democrats a leg up in the general election. It’s not the first time Democrats have deployed such tactics in Colorado, and in the past they’ve been successful. The ad spending in the gubernatorial and U.S. Senate contests alone is at least $1.5 million, according to contracts filed with the Federal Communications Commission through Tuesday that were analyzed by The Colorado Sun. The ads, which are running statewide, began airing Tuesday and some are scheduled to last through June 28, Election Day. It’s likely the spending is even higher, as many TV stations don’t file contracts immediately. The ads are positioned to support Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Lopez, a former mayor of Parker. Hehas made controversial statements on the campaign trail and in 2020 settled a lawsuit filed by federal prosecutors alleging that after he left the Small Business Administration, where he was the Colorado district director from 2008 to 2014, he violated federal law by attempting to improperly influence the agency. They also seem geared toward supporting state Rep. Ron Hanks, a Fremont County Republican running for U.S. Senate who attended the rally preceding the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol and asserts the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump. Hanks says Republicans should be unapologetically conservative in order to beat incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. Meanwhile, mailers sent to voters in Colorado’s new highly, competitive 8th Congressional District appear to support Weld County Commissioner Lori Saine, one of four GOP primary candidates. Saine has called herself the most “far-right/ conservative/America First” Republican candidate running in the race
and has advocated for the impeachment of President Joe Biden. While it isn’t clear who sent the mailers — they didn’t include a disclosure, possibly in violation of federal election law — the postal permit used on them has been used in the past by the firm Plumb Marketing to distribute mailings by Democratic interests. The ads arrive during an election cycle that has seen relatively little TV advertising compared with past years. That’s in part because Republican candidates in competitive primaries are raising so little money, and Democratic incumbents are saving their cash for the general election. Big spending in Colorado Senate, governors primaries Democratic Colorado, a recently formed federal super PAC, is airing at least $780,000 worth of TV ads statewide in the next week that purport tooppose Hanksin the U.S. Senate contest. But they also highlight his conservative positions on issues including abortion and the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Hanks faces construction company owner Joe O’Dea in the June 28 GOP primary. O’Dea, a wealthy self-funding candidate, has more moderate views on issues including abortion, and he also has far more money to spend than Hanks, who has yet to air TV or radio ads. O’Dea plans to spend more than $300,000 in the coming weeks on TV ads in a race where polling shows voters don’t really know either candidate. Additionally, American Policy Fund, a super PAC funded in part by contractors with ties to O’Dea, has reported spending $600,000 on digital, radio and TV ads supporting O’Dea. Hanks praised the publicity about his conservative views. “Unaffiliated voters and Democrats fully recognize this economy is in shambles, and (President) Joe Biden caused it,” Hanks told The Sun. “I welcome their support, and I am pleased they recognize my straightforward policies and professional experience make me the only choice on the Republican side.” O’Dea’s campaign slammed the attempt to “hijack the Republican primary.”
And the NRSC, which supports GOP Senate candidates, issued a news release calling the ads a sign of Democratic “panic.” “In supposedly ‘blue’ Colorado, Democrats are reportedly dumping 7-figures into the REPUBLICAN Senate primary to try and stir up drama,” the release said. “Just goes to show you how vulnerable Michael Bennet is in a state that Joe Biden won by more than 13 points.” Democrats have been signaling for months that they would prefer Bennet face Hanks than O’Dea, including by calling Hanks the GOP primary frontrunner despite there has been very little public polling in the race. “We are an organization committed to ensuring that Colorado does not elect a Republican to the U.S. Senate and giving voters the facts about who’s running to represent them,” the spokeswoman, Democratic operative Alvina Vasquez, wrote in an email. “Ron Hanks is simply too conservative for Colorado and voters deserve to know the truth about him: At every opportunity, Hanks has consistently put conservative values ahead of our interests — from denying the results of the 2020 election to fighting to ban all abortions and increase access to guns.” In the governor’s race, the Colorado Information Network, a statelevel super PAC, is spending at least $688,000 on TV ads about Lopez that similarly highlight his conservative bona fides on abortion, gay marriage and former President Donald Trump though they end by criticizing the candidate for being too far right. Those ads are scheduled through the end of the month. Colorado Information Network spent more than $300,000 supporting Democratic candidates in the 2018 general election. Lopez faces University of Colorado Regent Heidi Ganahl in the GOP primary. Ganahl is far and away the fundraising leader in the race, which will decide who faces Democratic Gov. Jared Polis in November. Mystery mailers in 8th Congressional District In the 8th Congressional District, an unidentified group sent three mailers contrasting the views of
Saine with those of state Rep. Yadira Caraveo, the Democratic nominee in the district. The mailers don’t suggest people should vote for or against either candidate — and they don’t include a disclosure of who sent them. FEC rules require reporting of electioneering spending within 30 days of a primary election, and two of the mailers fall within that window. “The question Republican voters need to ask themselves before they vote is why is there a secret Democratic group sending out illegal mailers to try and help Lori Saine win the nomination,” said Alan Philp, a spokesman for state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, one of the other 8th District Republican candidates. Democratic involvement in Republican primaries in Colorado isn’t new. In 2010, for instance, a group called Colorado Freedom Fund spent more than $500,000 airing ads attacking former U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis in his GOP gubernatorial primary contest against political newcomer Dan Maes. The ads aired in the days before the primary, after the last campaign finance filing deadline for outside spenders, so it wasn’t until after the contest, which Maes won by 5,150 votes, that Coloradans learned the Democratic Governors Association and unions were behind the Colorado Freedom Fund. In 2014, Protect Colorado Values aired ads attacking former U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez and praising former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo in the Republican gubernatorial primary. That group spent $567,000 on TV, radio and digital ads, but Beauprez still won the nomination. Protect Colorado Values’ money also came from the Democratic Governors Association and other groups traditionally aligned with Democrats. Both Beauprez and Maes went on to lose to former Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat.
This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.
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20 Fort Lupton Press
June 23, 2022
C R O S SWO R D P U Z Z L E
© 2016 King Features Synd., Inc.
Solution
TRIVIA 1. TELEVISION: Which TV show is set at UC-Sunnydale?
Answers
2. FOOD & DRINK: What is an affogato?
1. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”
3. MOVIES: Which famous movie features a character named Almira Gulch?
2. Italian dessert of coffee and
4. HISTORY: Which U.S. state was the first to legalize marijuana for medicinal use? 5. ENTERTAINERS: What rapper/songwriter’s real name is Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr.? 6. SCIENCE: What part of the brain controls hunger? 7. GEOGRAPHY: The Gulf of Cadiz lies off the coasts of which two countries? 8. LITERATURE: Who are the best friends of Nancy Drew in the mystery series? 9. LANGUAGE: The archaic term “grippe” was used to describe what common ailment? 10. ASTRONOMY: What kind of star is the sun in our solar system?
ice cream 3. “The Wizard of Oz” 4. California, 1996 5. Snoop Dogg 6. Hypothalamus 7. Portugal and Spain 8. Bess and George 9. Influenza 10. Yellow dwarf (c) 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.
Crossword Solution
Fort Lupton Press 21
June 23, 2022
Xcel Energy wants customers to pay for plant shutdowns Public Utilities Commission officials want more study BY MARK JAFFE SPECIAL TO THE COLORADO SUN
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission on June 10 balked at approving a billion-dollar price tag to shut down Xcel Energy’s five remaining coal-fired generating units — to be paid by customers — and instead is seeking more detailed financial analysis. The proposed closing costs were part of a settlement agreement between Xcel Energy, the state’s largest electricity provider, and a group of state agencies, local governments and labor and environmental groups. The commission, however, wanted more scrutiny of the finances. “We’ve expressed concern over understanding these costs,” Commissioner Megan Gilman said. “We owe that to the ratepayers.” At issue is the financial method Xcel Energy is proposing to recover the closure costs. The commission said it wants Xcel to analyze a range of options, particularly using securitized bonds, which are seen as a potential cheaper financing mechanism.
“It is incumbent upon the company to model securitization and other options,” Commissioner John Gavan said. “We will need to take this off to a separate proceeding.” As part of its electric resource plan — which forecasts the utility’s electricity demand for the next four years and the generating resources to meet it — and its Clean Energy Plan, aimed at cutting the utility’s greenhouse gas emissions, Xcel Energy is moving to close all its coal-fired plants. The plan is to close the utility’s five remaining units — in Craig, Hayden, Fort Morgan and Pueblo — between 2027 and 2031 at a cost of a little more than $1 billion. The bulk of that figure — $732 million — is for shutting the 750-megawatt Comanche 3 unit, in Pueblo. The $1.3 billion plant only went into operation in 2010 and will be the last to close at the end of 2030. The plant has been beset with operating, equipment and financial problems, leading to more than 800 days of shutdowns. Initially, Xcel proposed running the plant until 2040 and then under pressure cut the closure date to 2035 and eventually 2031. The commission also asked for more detailed data on project operation and maintenance costs for Comanche 3, while it is still in use.
“We have seen escalating unexpected costs in terms of unit 3 maintenance,” Gavan said. Xcel Energy is proposing using securitized bonds to finance the Comanche 3 closure which includes $690 million to pay for the unamortized part of the utility’s investment in the unit, $32 million in cleanup costs and $10 million in bond costs. The securitized bonds are linked to a guaranteed revenue source from the utility and as a result can be offered lower interest rates, reducing overall costs. For the three other units, however, Xcel Energy proposed, in the partial settlement of its resource plan submitted to the PUC, using other financing mechanisms, such as accelerated depreciation and a so-called regulatory asset. A regulatory asset is a financial device in which all the costs associated with closing a coal-fired unit would be gathered in one place and paid off by customers over time — with Xcel Energy also getting an interest payment on the account. The PUC move may be a concern for the settling parties, said Gwen Farnsworth, a managing senior policy advisor for environmental group Western Resources Advocates, which signed on to the agreement. One of the goals of the settlement
The Comanche Generating Station in Pueblo on Oct. 21, 2021. PHOTO BY MIKE SWEENEY/SPECIAL TO THE COLORADO SUN
was to close the coal-fired plants as quickly as possible with Pawnee closing its coal-fired unit and switching to natural gas in 2025, followed by the Hayden 2 unit in 2027, and Hayden 1 and Craig closing in 2028. Breaking the retirement costs off to a separate proceeding could delay the closure process and even lead to knock-on-effects in delaying the acquisition on new, clean resources, Farnsworth said.
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Public Notices call 303-566-4123 Legals City and County Public Notice NOTICE CONCERNING PROPOSED BUDGET OF WELD RE-8 SCHOOL DISTRICT NOTICE is hereby given that a proposed budget has been submitted to the Board of Education of the Weld RE-8 School District for the ensuing year of 2022-2023; that a copy of such proposed budget has been filed at the Weld RE-8 Administration Office located at 200 S Fulton Ave, Fort Lupton, CO 80621, and online at www.weldre8.org, where the same is open for public inspection; and that such proposed budget will be considered at a public hearing of the Board of Education of the District to be held at 200 South Fulton Ave, Fort Lupton, CO 80621, along with virtually, on June 09, 2022 at 6:00pm. Any elector with the District may, at any time prior to the final adoption of the budget on June 23, 2022, inspect the budget and file or register any objections thereto. WELD RE-8 SCHOOL DISTRICT By: Jessica Holbrook Director of Business and Finance Legal Notice No. FLP639 First Publication: June 9, 2022 Last Publication: June 23, 2022 Publisher: Fort Lupton Press
Metropolitan Districts Public Notice NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON AMENDED AND RESTATED CONSOLIDATED SERVICE PLAN IN RE FIRELIGHT IRRIGATION METROPOLITAN DISTRICT, FIRELIGHT COMMERCIAL METROPOLITAN DISTRICT, AND FIRELIGHT RESIDENTIAL METROPOLITAN DISTRICT, TOWN OF FIRESTONE, COUNTY OF WELD, STATE OF COLORADO
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to ? 32-1-204(1), C.R.S., a Amended and Restated Consolidated Service Plan (the ?Service Plan?) for the Firelight Irrigation Metropolitan District, Firelight Commercial Metropolitan District, and Firelight Residential Metropolitan District (each a ?District?) has been filed with the Town of Firestone, County of Weld, State of Colorado. The Service Plan amends and restates the existing service plan for the Firelight Irrigation Metropolitan District, Firelight Commercial Metropolitan District, and Firelight Residential Metropolitan District (formerly known as Highway 119 Metropolitan District Nos. 1-3). A public hearing on the Service Plan will be held by the Town of Firestone Board of Trustees (the ?Board of Trustees?) on July 13, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. at Town of Firestone Municipal Court and Board Room, 9900 Park Avenue, Firestone, CO 80504 , or as soon thereafter as the Board of Trustees may hear such matter. The purpose of the hearing is to consider the Service Plan and to form a basis for adopting a resolution approving, conditionally approving or disapproving the Service Plan. A general description of the land contained within the boundaries of the proposed District is as follows: North of Colorado State Highway 119, east of Fairview Street, south of Weld County Road 26 and West of Weld County Road 3 ? and lying wholly within the Town of Firestone, Colorado. Pursuant to ? 32-1-203(3.5), C.R.S., any person owning property in the proposed District may request that such property be excluded from the District by submitting such request to the Board of Trustees no later than ten days prior to the public hearing. BY ORDER OF THE TOWN OF FIRESTONE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Legal Notice No. FLP648 First Publication: June 23, 2022 Last Publication: June 23, 2022 Publisher: Fort Lupton Press
Misc. Private Legals Public Notice BEFORE THE OIL AND GAS CONSERVA-
TION COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO IN THE MATTER OF THE PROMULGATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF FIELD RULES TO GOVERN OPERATIONS FOR THE NIOBRARA FORMATION, WATTENBERG FIELD, WELD COUNTY, COLORADO CAUSE NO. 1 DOCKET NO. 220500095 TYPE: GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE NOTICE OF HEARING H&A Mineral Holdings, LLC (?H&A?) and South Weld Holdings, LLC (?South Weld?) (?Applicants?) filed an Application with the Commission pursuant to Rule 503.g.(10) for an order to deny nine Form 2, Applications for Permit to Drill (Form 2) for nine horizontal wells, filed by Verdad Resources LLC (Operator No. 10651) (?Verdad?), to be drilled from an existing location in a drilling and spacing unit established by Order No. 407-2473, on lands identified below. This Notice was sent to you because the Applicant believes you may own oil or gas (?mineral?) interests within the unit. APPLICATION LANDS Township 1 North, Range 65 West, 6th P.M. Section 29: S? Section 32: All DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION OF HEARING (Subject to change) The assigned Hearing Officer will hold a hearing only on the above referenced docket number at the following date, time, and location: Date: August 3, 2022 Time: 9:00 a.m. Place: Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission The Chancery Building 1120 Lincoln Street, Suite 801 Denver, CO 80203 PETITIONS DEADLINE FOR PETITIONS BY AFFECTED PERSONS: July 5, 2022 Any interested party who wishes to participate formally must file a written petition with the Commission no later than the deadline provided above. Please see Commission Rule 507 at https://cogcc. state.co.us, under ?Regulation,? then select ?Rules.? Please note that, under Commission Rule 510.l, the deadline for petitions may only be
continued for good cause, even if the hearing is continued beyond the date that is stated above. Pursuant to Commission Rule 507, if you do not file a proper petition, the Hearing Officer will not know that you wish to formally participate in this matter and the date and time of the hearing may change without additional notice to you. Parties wishing to file a petition must register online at https://oitco.hylandcloud.com/DNRCOGExternalAccess/Account/Login.aspx and select ?Request Access to Site.? Please refer to our ?eFiling Users Guidebook? at http://cogcc/documents/reg/Hearings/External_ Efiling_System_Handbook_December_2021_Final.pdf for more information. Under Commission Rule 508, if no petition is filed, the Application may be approved administratively without a formal hearing. Any Affected Person who files a petition must be able to participate in a prehearing conference during the week of July 5, 2022, if a prehearing conference is requested by the Applicant or by any person who has filed a petition. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION For more information, you may review the Application, which was sent to you with this Notice. You may also contact the Applicant at the phone number or email address listed below. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if any party requires special accommodations as a result of a disability for this hearing, please contact Margaret Humecki at Cogcc. Hearings_Unit@state.co.us, prior to the hearing and arrangements will be made. OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF COLORADO By: Mimi C. Larsen, Commission Secretary Dated: May 24, 2022 H&A Mineral Holdings, LLC South Weld Holdings, LLC c/o Steven Louis-Prescott Morgan L. Simpson Hamre, Rodriguez, Ostrander, & Dingess, P.C. 3600 S. Yosemite Street, Suite 500 Denver, CO 80211 303-779-0200 sprescott@hrodlaw.com msimpson@hrodlaw.com
First Publication: June 16, 2022 Last Publication: July 14, 2022 Publisher: Fort Lupton Press PUBLIC NOTICE
Coors Energy Company (PO Box 4030, Golden, CO 80402) has filed an application for a Phase I bond release work completed at the Keenesburg Mine with the Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety (DRMS, permit C-1981-028, approved November 3, 1981). The Phase I bond release application requests release of bond and liability for successfully completing backfilling and grading in Areas 35 through 38 and 42 through 45 within the mine site. Backfilling and grading in these areas took place in 2019 ? 2020 and has been shown to meet the approved post-mining topography for the site. Phase I bond release is sought for approximately 102 acres at the site. The current bond is a corporate surety of $1,201,563.00 prior to the proposed release and the amount requested for release is $574,531.00. The areas proposed are located within Section 25, Township 3 North, Range 64 West of the Sixth Principal Meridian, Weld County, CO. Coors Energy Company is the surface owner of the property for which bond release in being requested. The permit area is located 7 miles north of Keenesburg, CO and is accessed by Weld County Road 59. A copy of the bond release application is available for public review at the Weld County Clerk and Recorder?s Office (1402 N 17th Ave, Greeley, CO 80631), the Keenesburg Town Hall, and at the DRMS (1313 Sherman St, Room 215, Denver, CO 80203). In accordance with Rule 3.03.2(3) any person with a valid legal interest which might be adversely affected by release of the bond, or any federal, state, or local governmental agency with jurisdiction over regulated activities at the mine shall have the right to file written objections to or comments upon the requested release and/or file a request for an informal conference with the DRMS within thirty (30) days of the last publication of this notice, or within thirty (30) days of the completed bond release inspection to be conducted by the DRMS whichever is later. All comments, objections, and requests must be submitted in writing to the DRMS at 1001 E 62nd Ave, Room 215, Denver, CO 80216. Legal Notice No. FLP647 First Publication: June 23, 2022 Last Publication: July 14, 2022 Publisher: Fort Lupton Press
Legal Notice No. FLP645
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LOCAL BUILDINGS FOR 30+ YEARS! · SHOPS & GARAGES · EQUIPMENT STORAGE · SELF STORAGE · BARNS & AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS · EQUESTRIAN FACILITIES · COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS · AND MORE...
Hail Damage Repair Local Brighton Contractor
Call today to schedule a free estimate
303.948.2038
METALBUILDINGOUTLET.COM
Gary’s Siding 720.496.3146
Lawn Care
Tree Service
Yard Clean Up • Weekly Mowing Sprinkler Maintenance & Repair Gutter Cleaning • Aeration Landscaping • Bush Trimming
Jeff 303-210-1900 Pets
Dogs
Dogs
Become a published author. We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation, production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author`s guide 1-877-729-4998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ads Vivint Smart security. Professionally installed. 1 connected system for total peace of mind. Free professional installation! 4 free months of monitoring! Call to customize your system. 1-833-8410737
303-425-7531
Buildings, Metal
Doodle Puppies
Golden Doodles and Bernedoodles Home-Raised Heath Tested and Guaranteed Standard and Mini Size available Schedule a visit today! (970)215-6860 www.puppylovedoodles.com
Transportation Evergreen Bernedoodles Ready for forever homes 6/16 Ethically bred, family raised. Www.evergreenbernedoodles.com Contact Heather Jones 909-320-0540
Boats and Water Sports 1973 14’ Mirrocraft Too many extras, please call for details. Asking $2,000. Andy 303279-0888
30 Years Experience
Tree & Shrub Pruning, Removal, Stump Grinding
BBB+ Licensed & Insured
Call 303.833.5212 aandrtreeservices.com
FR
E EstimE ates
Motorcycles/ATV’s
Tree Service
2005 Yamaha Midnight 1700 Too many extras, please call for details. Asking $7,000. Andy 303-279-0888
A-1 Stump Removal
Service Directory Lawn/Garden Services
Landscape & Garden
Sod, Rock, Mulch, Retaining Walls, Sprinklers, Sprinkler Repair, Flagstone, Fence Repair, Power Rake, Fertilize, Aeration, Yard Clean-Ups, Shrub Trimming/Removal, Rock Removal, Weed Control, Trash Hauling and Much More! Senior Discounts Year Round!
720-982-9155 lawnservice9155@q.com
Stump grinding specialist
Most stumps $75.00 and up $55 Minimum. Free estimates. Call or Licensed & Insured. Text 41 years experience. 10% off when coupon presented A father and son team!
Terry 303-424-7357 Corey 720-949-8373
TO ADVERTISE CALL 303-566-4100
CLASSIFIEDS
Fort Lupton Press 23
June 23, 2022
COLORADO COMMUNIT Y MEDIA
CAREERS
MARKETPLACE
REAL ESTATE
Careers
Help Wanted
Help Wanted
Driver CDL HAZMAT DRIVER WANTED by Spring Valley Gas, Inc., family owned; 20 year old company, seeking local propane delivery driver with customer service experience. Join our team! Salary based on certification and experience. Class A or B with hazmat endorsements. Full time position. Propane experience preferred but not required. Clean MVR with no DUI or drug history. On call pay, holiday pay, paid industrial training, and paid time off. Call for interview: 303-660-8810.
MECHANICS Aero Mag is Seeking mechanics to work on our fleet of De-Icing trucks, other service vehicles, machinery & equipment. The ideal candidate will have experience in hydraulics and familiarity reading electrical schematics. The candidate should be able to demonstrate necessary skills required in troubleshooting equipment problems and identify issues with hydraulic systems within larger machines disassemble and repair hydraulic pumps, motors, and related parts; troubleshoot and repair hydraulic and electrical systems. Familiar with Volvo chassis a plus. Please submit all Resumes & Credential for consideration to jobs@aeromag2000.com. Contact info: US HR Coordinator Cheri Falter - (908) 477-7167
To Advertise, Call Us At:
303-566-4100
SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1903
SENTINEL EXPRESS C O M M E R C E
COURIER N
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www.canyoncourier.com
est. 1958
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DENVER Since 1926
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DEADLINES CLASSIFIED LINE ADS: MONDAY, 10 A.M. SERVICE DIRECTORY: THURSDAY, 5 P.M. LEGALS: THURSDAY, 3 P.M.
Looking for new customers?
All brick ranch style with1092 square feet and a full basement, 1 3/4 baths, family room and office in basement. Need some remodeling, paint, kitchen, some carpet, some windows.
Brighton Three Bedroom House Owner Terms with Below Market Interest Rate
Call Dan 720-308-4279
Handyman MR.FIX-IT
Priced at $385,000, cash terms only, owner can finance with substantial down payment. WAC.
Advertise with us to promote your local, small business!
FOR SALE by owner 6634 W. 96th Ave. • 2bds • full bath • 960 SF • 480 SF garage • remodeled
Call us at
303.566.4100
Dave: 303-888-9583 $489,000
STANDARD BLADE
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SERVICE DIRECTORY
SERVICE DIRECTORY ADS
Contact Teresa, 303-566-4125 talexis@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Home for Sale
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303-566-4113 classifieds@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Home for Sale
PUBLICATION PRINTERS IS HIRING Press Operators, Bindery Operators and Maintenance Technicians. Great Benefits, which also includes Retention/Referral Program, Tapcheck and Wellness Plans. Apply at www.publicationprinters. com or call 303-936-0303
B R I G H T O N
CLASSIFIED AD SALES
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Your Local News Source
FORT LUPTON PRESS S E RV I N G T H E C O M M U N I T Y S I N C E 19 0 6
75cI
Jeffco
www.ColoradoCommunityMedia.com
24 Fort Lupton Press
June 23, 2022
T H E N E X T C O LO R A D O G OV E R N O R
HEIDI GANAHL, is a mom on a mission to restore the Colorado way of life. Heidi is a mom of four and lived the American Dream. She started the country’s largest pet-care franchise, Camp Bow Wow, and is the ONLY elected statewide Republican in Colorado.
HEIDI IS A FIGHTER! Reduce the cost of living To u g h o n C r i m e Lo w e r ta x e s I m p r ov e e d u c at i o n P r ot e c t o u r s c h o o l s R e s to r e e n e r gy i n d e p e n d e n c e S u p p o rt r u r a l C o lo r a d o visit HEIDIFORGOV.COM to learn more.
VOTE FOR HEIDI FOR GOVERNOR
RESTORING AND REBUILDING COLORADO Paid for by Heidi For Governor; Registered Agent: Sam Schafer