Fort Lupton Press 102722

Suburbs face reality of less water Turf bans, other measures taken

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

Growth is good. But hold the sod. And have the checkbook handy. Colorado’s population growth and

the swelling stress on state water resources amid climate change and drought are sending Front Range suburbs in a scramble to shore up sustainable supplies.

Castle Rock is banning traditional grass turf in front yards of new homes and offering developers steep fee discounts for water-saving “Coloradoscaping” yards. The Douglas County town that is a center for

Braving the haunted

Maize in the City shows its scary side after dark

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

It was a scene from a nightmare come true along the infamous Riverdale Road. A simple trip into

the the woods is met by a zombie revving a chainsaw while scary dolls come to life, jumping up on the passing vehicle.

The Haunted Field of Screams is Colorado’s largest haunting

housing sprawl in Colorado foresees dwindling aquifer resources and ever-higher prices to secure new surface water from the state’s overtaxed mountain river basins.

Arvada, on the opposite corner of the Denver metro area to the northwest, is more than doubling homebuilders’ water and sewer connection fees and sharply raising existing homeowners’ utility rates.

The city has so far avoided turf bans or other strong conservation measures on development, while a debate builds on whether the its new $54,000 connection fees are making homes even less affordable.

The two cities’ big moves, combined with Aurora’s recent decision to restrict new lawns and ban new

SEE SUBURBS, P3

New library responsibilities to be determined in agreement City of Fort Lupton and Weld RE-8 School District to negotiate

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As the Fort Lupton Public and School Library builds a second facility, some details about its operations remain to be solidified. Who will provide the facility’s janitorial services? Who will plow the snow?

along Riverdale Road

attraction, built on 40-acres corn fields. It’s a mile-long journey along Riverdale Road that then veers off to walk through a corn maze with stops into haunted houses chased by a zombie apocalypse with monsters, ghosts, killer clowns and haunting scarecrows popping out from everywhere.

THE SEASON FOR SHARING Check out

School of Choice

Currently, a 2014 intergovernmental agreement between the City of Fort Lupton and the Weld RE-8 school district outlines obligations for managing the joint library. The city and school district will soon make adjustments to their IGA to reflect responsibilities for the institution in its new form.

The current library is located in Fort Lupton High School, but a new facility is being built at 370 S. Rollie Ave. in order to better serve the community.

At its current location, library maintenance, custodial care and utilities are responsibilities of the school district, according to the IGA.

SEE LIBRARY,

Lynx Reh in the pumpkin patch choosing a pumpkin to carve from Palombo Farms stock.

PHOTO BY BELEN WARD

New housing development for seniors breaks ground

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Eastman Properties completed its model home for residents that are 55-years-old and older and celebrated its grand opening on October 21 with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The new project, The Courtyards at Lupton Village at 207 S Rollie Ave., is the first Colorado project from national homebuilders Epcon, a company that specializes in housing for 55+ buyers.

“After starting my real estate journey, I realized that the 55+ market has been tremendously under-served. I knew there had to be a way to capitalize on this market – and that’s when I found Epcon,” said David Krafsur, owner and managing member of Eastman Properties.

Krafur’s expert knowledge of the baby boomer demographic inspired him to build The Courtyards at Lupton Village, a 27-unit community. Its community is near downtown Fort Lupton, a recreation center, a golf course and a new library. The homes will have open floor plans, high ceilings, and room for entertaining.

“David’s unique engineering background and owning his own business make him an ideal Epcon Franchise Builder,” said Paul Hanson, president of Epcon Franchising. “We look forward to leveraging our experience and sharing our substantial knowledge with Eastman Properties to develop their Epcon communities.”

“I thought to myself, I want to do something that makes people happy, and what better way to do that than with beautiful homes with amenities that appeal specifically to the Fort Lupton demographic,” Krafsur said.

LIBRARY

FROM

Assuming responsibilities

“The main purpose of redrafting the IGA is to have the library assume those responsibilities with the new facility so that the school board isn’t responsible for plowing our snow or janitorial services when it’s not inside of their building,” Library Director Thomas Samblanet said.

In addition to adjusted operations, the library board of trustees wants the updated IGA to include their board as a signee.The school district and city do not plan to include them

as an official signee on the agreement.The library board proposed an updated version of the IGA with this change, which would formalize their involvement in operations and decisions as the institution evolves.

“Because we are a joint library, because we are a board of trustees, I feel like we should be a part of the discussion,” a library board member said at an Oct. 12 RE-8 study session. “The IGA is about how the library operates, which is in the purview of the library board.”

In an interview with CCM, Weld RE-8 Superintendent Alan Kaylor said that both attorneys for the city and the school district said the library could not enter into an IGA because it is not a governmental

entity.

According to Fort Lupton City Administrator Chris Cross, the current IGA tasks the library board with assisting in adoption and implementation of operating policies and procedures to manage the library. He thinks this advisory role will remain in the updated version.

“They can provide local input and help make the library better,” he said.

During the study session, a library board member advocating for the three-party IGA said the library board was a signee on the 2006 version of the IGA.

Samblanet told CCM he has heard varying legal opinions in regards to the exact limits of governance of a

Obituaries Have Moved

library board. He said this situation is “one of the most confusing situations” he has ever stepped into.

“The thing I want the most at the end of the day is for everyone involved… in this decision-making process to understand just how complicated and nuanced this is,” he said. “I think all the voices in the room have something that are worth contributing, and I really hope that everyone would be willing to listen to each other’s ideas through this negotiation process.”

According to Cross, the city and school board will make final decisions on updates to the IGA.

Samblanet said there will be several steps of drafting and negotiation before an IGA is finalized.

David Krafsur, with Epcon sta , builders, and Re/Maxx associates, are cutting the ribbon in front of the first model home.

PHOTOS BY BELEN WARD

The community of Fort Lupton gathers to celebrate and tour the inside of the model home.

golf courses, reflect the strains on high-growth Colorado cities confronted by higher water prices and dwindling supply, older collection and treatment systems hitting capacity, and everyday inflation. Arvada says it is paying 30% more for water treatment chemicals, and triple for piping, amid worldwide price increases.

“Water is a critical resource here,” Castle Rock Water Director Mark Marlowe said. “These are the things we can do to make that resource go further.”

“We are at capacity, and parts of our system are full in places that we expect that growth is going to pay for itself,” said Sharon Israel, Arvada’s director of utilities.

Aurora sent water messages loud and clear over the summer by moving to ban new golf courses and sharply limit the amount of traditional thirsty lawn grass installed in the yards of new homes.

Now comes fast-growing Castle Rock, which Tuesday night was expected to give final passage to a ban on front yard grass in new homes and a limit on backyard grass to 500 square feet. The new rules also demand that developers oversee all water-wise landscaping if they want to qualify for discounts off steep tap fees.

City water agencies are ramping up those tap fees charged to developers to link to local water systems to pay for higher water acquisition and distribution costs amid the historic Western drought. The tap fees have risen so high that homebuilders are arguing — out of self-interest, but also reflecting concerns of town officials — that water fees are a major contributor to the lack of affordable housing on the Front Range.

Castle Rock’s utility system fees for a newly built single-family home in 2023 will be $42,097, up from $37,067 this year. Developers who agree to oversee landscape installation themselves using certified conservation contractors can trim more than $16,000 from that total under the new rules, officials said.

Arvada’s vote Monday night boosted charges for water, sewer and stormwater connections that it calls “system development fees” to $54,000, more than double the previous $25,000 fee, according to city officials and the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver.

Builders know water conservation is crucial now more than ever, and agree with the gist of the Aurora and Castle Rock initiatives, HBA’s Morgan Cullen said. They did seek concessions, not wanting to be responsible for overseeing all the landscaping.

But the rapid increase in new home tap fees, in Arvada and to a lesser extent in places like Castle Rock, is exacerbating crushing affordability problems for new buyers, Cullen said. “Water is getting prohibitively expensive,” he said. At current median home prices, the rising tap, storm and wastewater fees represent about 10% of the overall price, he noted.

The stress on water resources and homebuyer resources will only worsen. Castle Rock expects to grow from 81,000 people to 140,000 in the

next couple of decades. The city wants to cut per capita water use by 18% in the next 10 to 20 years, Marlowe said.

Castle Rock gets its drinking water from a combination of withdrawals from aquifers under Douglas County, which are depleting and can’t continue to be used at current rates, and buying from Denver and Aurora. Water law allows much of Castle Rock’s water to be reused — withdrawals from aquifers and transmountain diversions can be recycled “to depletion.” The town is working on recycling more aquifer water back into the system after it is spread on landscapes and flows back to local creeks.

Restricting water use in new development also helps keep costs lower for existing Castle Rock homeowners, Marlowe said, a key consideration as electric, water and other utility rates soar. On a winter day, Castle Rock uses 4 million to 5 million gallons of water, while summer days peak at 19 million gallons. The city must build out enough infrastructure to handle the peaks, and charge ratepayers for the capacity and upkeep.

Avoiding new infrastructure through keeping the summer peaks lower “will help on rates” over the long term, Marlowe said.

Castle Rock calls its alternative home landscaping models “Coloradoscaping,” and Marlowe said such water-saving designs will be part of many new developments up and down the Front Range. “We certainly think it’s a good thing for the state as a whole,” he said.

Arvada’s steep increases to both development fees and rates for existing water and sewer users will shore up existing systems and allow growth that supports future city budgets, council members said in approving the increases unanimously Monday night.

“Development has to pay its own way,” Arvada Mayor and Councilmember Marc Williams said. “We’re not going to do it on the backs of existing ratepayers. Yes, we recognize this is going to have an impact on housing costs.” Like other council members, Williams said Arvada now needs to redouble efforts on both utility support programs for lower-income customers, and creating more affordable housing units.

“We invite all of you to work with us on that,” Councilmember Lauren Simpson told developers and community members in the audience.

“As much as I hate to do it, it’s a necessary evil. I hope this doesn’t deter development in our community,” Councilmember David Jones said.

Developers speaking at Monday night’s public hearing said the connection fees were high, but praised the council for agreeing to delay higher payments until July 2023 to allow them to line up permits and financing before the new fees take effect.

“I hope that with the modification, developers will still see Arvada as a great place to be,” Jones said.

Arvada purchases most of its water from Denver Water. The Jefferson County community is paying for onesixth of the controversial expansion of Denver Water’s Gross Reservoir Dam in Boulder County, and will receive one-sixth of the new water supply from that, Israel said.

The city and consultants spent the past three years studying water supply and capacity for water treatment, stormwater and sewage, Israel said. Council members mentioned their tours of the aging sewage treatment facilities reaching their limits, and having helped neighbors shovel sewage out of basements after the 2013 floods on the northern Front Range.

Denver Water, meanwhile, is raising its raw water charges to Arvada by 15%, Israel said. Every stage of utility handling is undergoing massive inflation, from water cleaning chemicals to pipelines to fuel and equipment. Arvada needs to issue $100 million in bonds for its water and sewage utility systems, and interest rates on that new borrowing will be far higher than the rates contemplated three years ago.

At the same time the new development fees were passed, the council approved a 12.3% increase in existing water rates and a 9.8% boost to sewage rates. Both systems will also charge higher fixed monthly service fees.

“So all of that together we estimate it would be about $9 more a month for a typical single-family residence,” Israel said. “We are still in the bottom third of the metro area in terms of fees for water and sewer services. So it sounds like a big jump, but it’s a big jump on a relatively smaller number.”

Israel acknowledged Arvada has not made the same push that Castle Rock and Aurora have made to reduce thirsty grass lawns. Landscape watering typically makes up about 50% of municipal water use in arid states that are thick with traditional turf grass. Arvada customers have access to consultation on creating a more water-wise landscape, she said, and the city is gradually installing smart water meters in homes that alert customers to leaks and their overall use.

“We haven’t gone the same route as some other communities,” 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.

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A home in Castle Rock that won the town’s Coloradoscape contest in 2020. On Sept. 20, the town council approved a new ordinance requiring new homes have Coloradoscape front yards and incentivizes limited turf in back yards.

PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD

A movement for midri and hats

Two Fort Lupton High School seniors advocate for dress code changes

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Earlier this fall, Fort Lupton High School senior Anisty Hernandez was sent to the principal’s office for wearing a shirt that showed about an inch of her midriff. According to her friend Victoria Ingino, Hernandez returned to class in tears.

The next day, the students went to the principal’s office again – this time, with a mission to change the dress code.

“We were very full of motivation because, for Anisty, this has been happening her whole time at high school. And when somebody gets dress-coded, it can discourage them,” Ingino said. “We really felt like it was important to do something about it.”

For about six weeks, Hernandez and Ingino have been advocating for two changes in their dress code. They are asking for the policy to allow students to wear hats and expose three inches of midriff.

Among other rules, the current district-wide dress code policy bans hats worn inside the building. In addition, students may not expose “traditionally private parts of the body including… the stomach.”

After garnering student and staff support, the students presented their requests to the RE-8 Board of Education, which will be voting on the proposed changes at its Oct. 27 meeting.

Following the process

When Hernandez and Ingino had their idea, they brought it to FLHS Principal Doug Gordon.

“The biggest part is that we wanted to go about this the right way,” Ingino said. “We didn’t want to just go outside and start rioting... So we took it to Mr. Gordon first.”

When the administration team realized the dress code rules were part of a district-wide policy and not within their own power to change, they laid out the steps for the girls to bring their request to the board.

First, Hernandez and Ingino circulated a petition. In two days, they gathered 248 student signatures and 21 staff signatures, according to the students. Gordon said all three members of administration signed the petition.

“Enforcing these two small parts of the dress code, which we don’t feel takes away from the learning environment or the safety in the building, it requires a lot of energy on our part,” Gordon said. “Sometimes it strains the relationships that we’re trying to build with these students.”

After the petition, Hernandez and Ingino crafted a presentation to make their case to the board of education.

“We couldn’t be more proud of the way… Victoria and Anisty carried this out, following the process and all that,” Gordon said. “Teenagers sometimes don’t want to go through a six-week process to get an answer for something.”

Board member Michelle Bettger was also pleased with the way the students asked for changes.

“They did a nice presentation,

they did the petition, they followed the procedures and so I was impressed by that,” she said.

Reasons for change

According to the students’ presentation, being “dress-coded” creates harmful effects on students’ selfesteem, body confidence and mental health.

“Students want to be comfortable with themselves, style is a way of expression and also boosts confidence,” Hernandez said in the presentation. “People don’t want to be targeted or alienated on a daily basis.”

Their presentation cited language from dress codes at nearby Weld Central High School and Brighton High School to defend their argument, as neither policy mentions midriffs and one doesn’t prohibit hats.

According to Ingino, only hats that keep identity clearly in view, such as baseball caps and beanies, are part of their request. The students would leave the prohibition of hoods for safety reasons.

Regarding the midriff request, the students said it’s often difficult to find shirts that comply with the dress code in junior sections at stores nowadays.

“A lot of women have to actually shop at the men’s section to find school-appropriate clothing,” Ingino said.

Discussion

In an interview with Colorado Community Media, board member Matthew Bovee said “torso exposure” may not be the most appropriate thing for school. He added that the same goes for business.

“I’m not in favor of relaxing the dress code to show more skin,” he said at an Oct. 12 study session.

He also said he was concerned about the embarrassing situation that could arise from a teacher or administrator measuring midriff exposure length.

“I don’t really like the idea of someone taking a ruler to a young lady’s outfit,” he said in an interview with CCM.

But according to Hernandez, getting dress-coded can be uncomfortable as it is.

“Personally, I was told my shirt was distracting from a male teacher and it made me very uncomfortable,” she said.

During the Oct. 12 RE-8 study session, President Susan Browne said she would be okay with allowing hats but was not in favor of allowing midriff.

Bettger and Bovee said the vote should be “all or nothing” because it would be unfair to Hernandez and Ingino to only grant the hat request.

Ingino said she’s happy the board recognized how hard and respectfully she and Hernandez have worked for this cause, and she hopes they take a moment to see the issue from their eyes.

“I know that they’re not in our situation anymore, but they were. They were in high school, so… I really want them to try and see what we’re seeing,” she said.

The Oct, 27 board meeting will be open to the public in-person and via Zoom. Schedules and agendas for Weld RE-8 meetings can be found at https://go.boarddocs. com/co/weld8/Board.nsf/ Private?open&login#.

Weld County government secures a new URL to frustrate hackers

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A subtle change in Weld County’s offiicial URL address -- swapping “weldgov.com” for “weld.gov” -- should help securre the website information from hackers with intentions to destroy or damage computer network systems, county officials said.

“The public can still type in weld-

gov.com as it will redirect the user to our more secure weld.gov site,” said Weld County’s Chief Information Officer Ryan Rose. “ It seems like a minor change to some, but it’s a change that makes our website more secure and provides visitors to our site the assurance that they are on a genuine government website.”

Rose said there is no adjustment for the public communicating with county employees over email on

the user end. Its change to a dot-gov website and email is for security reasons. The Weld County government will continue to have the weldgov.com website, which will go directly to the weld.gov site. The email addresses remain usable.

“Moving to the dot.gov site added security and improved searchability on its official Weld County Website. Anyone could purchase dot-com domains, and dot-gov domains are only purchased by certified government agencies requiring secure HTTPS connection as well as security improvements,” Rose said.

Rose said that Weld County Government did not initially use dot-gov

because government domains are expensive to purchase and hard to access. In 2021 changes were implemented on how dot gov domains were accessed, so government domains are now accessible under the Federal Department of Homeland Security and eliminated fees.

“Over the years, as technology has improved and increased in our daily use, people looking to commit online fraud have become more sophisticated. Government at all levels understand the importance of keeping their systems and information safe, and this is just one more way Weld County is doing just that,” Rose said.

Council cools liquor license application

Family Dollar approval waits on alcohol server training

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Acting as the city’s liquor licensing authority Oct. 18, Fort Lupton City Council delayed a decision on an off-premise liquor license request from a Family Dollar business on South Denver Avenue.

The decision could come as soon as Tuesday, Nov. 1, council’s next

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regular business meeting. If approved, the license would be for beer sales and not wine sales.

The reason for the delay was TIPS training, a requirement for alcohol servers and sellers. Mayor Zo Stieber-Hubbard asked if such training was in place. The applicant’s representative, Tim Jackson, just took over as the company’s representative for this area and was not aware of the required training.

“I can’t speak to formal training,” he said by phone from Georgia. “I’m new to the process, but I’m aware of the training so people know what to do.”

“When employees come to work,

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will they be trained in alcohol sales?” asked City Attorney Andy Ausmus.

“I can’t speak to that issue,” Jackson said. “It’s not my area. I do know there is training.”

“Is there someone in the corporation who is in charge of training?” Ausmus asked.

“I know there is someone who makes sure things are done the way they should be, that we are good corporate citizens,” Jackson said. “I can’t say what his name is. But I know they train and apply the proper statutes.”

Council agreed to the delay unanimously, pending more information

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on available training for employees.

Ninety-seven percent of those surveyed were in favor of a liquor license, according to a state-required survey by Liquor Licensing Professionals and paid for by Family Dollar. Of those who supported the application, 29 responses came from businesses and 59 were residents.

The firm knocked on 273 doors. Almost one-third declined to sign the petition, and 18 people were younger than the age of 21.

The application met the 500-foot distance requirements from schools and from other retail liquor establishments, according to City Clerk Mari Pena.

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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.

We get up close and personal in understanding your business, then cater our products and services to fit its needs. That way you can focus less on banking and more on what’s in front of you.

THAT’S THINKING OUTSIDE THE BANK.

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VOICES

Can we handle the truth?

She vacillated for months. Her boss was micromanaging everything that she and her team were doing. Never satisfied with anything that was produced by anyone on the team, her boss felt compelled to change even the smallest of details. It was a blind spot for the leader for sure, and unfortunately demoralizing to the entire team. When she found what she thought was the right opportunity to discuss this blind spot with her boss, hoping it would make a change, she unfortunately found herself on the receiving end of even tighter scrutiny and micromanagement, eventually ending in her termination.

He was experiencing some erosion of trust with his friend. The friend began acting and behaving in a way that was outside their normal behavior. As the behavior became increas-

ingly amplified, he began wondering what the truth was and what were lies any time that his friend shared a story. He invited his friend to meet for breakfast one morning to talk about it.

Defensiveness was their shield. His friend took offense at what was being shared, so much so that they got up and left. As he sat their wondering if he had made the right call to bring this change in behavior to his friend of more than 20 years, his first feeling was regret. That feeling quickly gave way to relief as he knew the conversation had to happen. To this day they have not spoken, and the hopes are that his friend has made some changes in their life, wherever they may be today.

There was a deep family secret. Something that was held onto for a very long time. So many opportunities to get the skeleton out of the closet, yet too many excuses about why it was never the right time. Then one day the truth was shared, the skeleton set free from its chains. Thinking that finally the air would be cleared, knowing it might take time for the

family and friends to understand, they believed all would eventually be OK and the sins of the past forgiven. It was not to be, not yet anyway. The truth and pain were too much. Those secrets hidden for so long brought too much current-day pain.

The truth will set us free. For those of us hearing the truth, I guess sometimes it depends on if we are ready to handle the truth. For those delivering the truth, it truly is freedom.

How often have we wished we could say exactly what is on our mind? Probably more than we can count on our fingers and toes. We remain quiet, but why? Political correctness? Maybe we don’t want to hurt a family member, friend, peer or employer. The issue could be so white-hot that anything we say will possibly be misconstrued and the tables turned on us. We might stay quiet because we fear being canceled, shut out, unfriended or blocked on social media.

Here’s the real question, as the examples above were about real people who shared their stories and experienced negative repercussions. The question is, the title of this column,

can we handle the truth? We live in a world of chaos, corruption, and lies. Chaos, corruption, and lies that companies, politicians, television, social media and people will justify because they believe it is for our greater good. Is it? Is it really? We cannot manage what we do not know. Maybe it’s not our place to manage it anyway. But we all want the truth. Can we handle it?

Who is the arbiter of truth? For me, I find it through my faith, as it is the way, the truth, and the life. Even for my many, many sins of the past, by the way probably the record holder of sins, I know that the truth comes from one source, our God. I would love to hear your story of handling the truth at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can get to a place where we can handle the truth, no matter how hard it is, it really will be a better than good life.

Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

Business exit planning crucial

FINANCIAL STRATEGIES

The way we conduct business after COVID has changed forever. Business owners continue to struggle to find good employees and customers in this new “flex” work world. One of the biggest challenges continues to be consolidation and business closures. However, few are prepared for these changes.

Maybe you were a fan of Banana Republic downtown, or Echo Lake Gift Shop and Lodge Restaurant. Perhaps you purchased a car from Rocky’s Autos or furniture from Larrabee’s over the last 40 years. There are hundreds of well-known, longstanding businesses shuttering. It could be a COVID hangover, or higher rents and a labor shortage. Or you could be part of the mass of baby boomers wanting to retire and transition their business.

This is why the State of Colorado Office of Economic Development

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and International Trade, and the Exit Planning Institute launched a Business Owner Readiness Survey to help business owners determine how to exit from their business. This survey indicated that 70% of respondents would like to sell in 10 years, referred to as the “Silver Tsunami.”

It is always better to plan and be prepared then find out in a lurch that your lease is not being renewed or your talent pool has gone off to find themselves. Entrepreneurs are a different breed. They eat, sleep, and breathe their business 24/7. It is a life choice but also a life cycle that eventually comes to an end.

“Having a plan to transition prior to an exit enables the owner to unlock the wealth of the business and create the future and legacy a business owner envisioned,” Robert Lee, CFP explained. Lee is involved with the Exit Planning Institute where they help businesses prepare an exit strategy. The recent survey results from the Business Owner Readiness Survey state that:

Seventy percent of companies put on the market today fail. Six in 10 respondents indicated that they had no exit planning advice or educa-

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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

SCOTT TAYLOR Metro North Editor staylor@coloradocommunitymedia.com

BELEN WARD Community Editor bward@coloradocommunitymedia.com

tion. And 68% were either unsure or didn’t know of the transition options available to them. Lee further stated, “When business owners connect the concept that an exit strategy is a business strategy, they are more likely to embrace their decision to transition.”

Business owners find it challenging to be personally ready to transition. Owners often struggle to envision life after the business while focusing on growing their business. When asked in the survey “how ready the owner considered themselves personally for a major transition of their company,” 84% of the respondents said they were below average, or they were not ready at all for their personal transition from their company.

It is crucial for business owners to integrate business planning with personal and financial planning to increase the likelihood that their exit will be successful.

The Exit Planning Institute encourages business owners to take a holistic and focused approach to align the critical elements necessary to prepare for transition. Steps can include:

STEVE SMITH Sports Editor ssmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

TERESA ALEXIS Marketing Consultant Classified Sales talexis@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

• Learn about the options on how to transition a business.

• Obtain a business valuation.

• Envision the next phase of your life.

• Establish an advisory team with your CPA, attorney, and financial advisor.

There is usually a better success rate and smooth succession when you have time to plan, choose your advisors and develop your successors. No one likes an emergency exit. Planning ahead will help in your day-to-day operations as well as give you a roadmap to guide you through the next steps.

There are resources to help you improve your readiness and advisors to help with financial reviews and valuations. Now is the time to prepare for your own future, even if it is many years away. You don’t want to be caught off-guard, and not be able to protect your legacy, family, and employees.

Patricia Kummer has been a Certified Financial Planner professional and a fiduciary for over 35 years and is Managing Director for Mariner Wealth Advisors.

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.

Fort Lupton Press (USPS 205880)

A legal newspaper of general circulation in Ft. Lupton, Colorado, Fort Lupton Press is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 143 S. 2nd Pl., Brighton CO 80601. .

PERIODICAL POSTAGE PAID AT Ft. Lupton and additional mailing o ces.

POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Fort Lupton Press, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110

102-year-old WWII vet in Colorado shares stories

BY KYLE COOKE AND BRIAN WILLIE ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

Leo Lewis is glad that his army jacket still fits.

When Rocky Mountain PBS visited the 102-year-old Lewis in his Lakewood home, the former master sergeant sat on a recliner with a blanket on his lap, proudly pointing at the stripes on his left arm.

“I had a lot of fun with these guys,” Lewis said, flipping through a photo album of his time spent overseas. He said that when you’ve been out of the military as long as he has, “it’s difficult to remember so many of the names of the guys that served under you.”

Lewis was born on June 9, 1920 in the small town of Butte, Nebraska. One of six children, he experienced tragedy at a young age — when he was 12 years old, his mother died in a house fire and Lewis was subsequently put in foster care.

After graduating from high school in Alliance, Nebraska, Lewis earned a football scholarship at the University of Nebraska. But in the winter of his sophomore year, on Dec. 20, 1941, Leo enlisted in the Army Air Corps as a private.

Lewis worked his way up the ranks and on July 15, 1942, he was deployed.

Our Family Helping Your Family

“And nobody would tell us where that assignment was,” Lewis recalled. Two weeks later, Lewis and his group arrived in Karachi, India. This was before Pakistan gained its independence from British India.

Lewis was a field director for the China-Burma-India Air Service Command. Two of his brothers also served during World War II, one in the Army and another in the Navy.

“I actually enjoyed serving my country in 1941,” Lewis said. “Things were a little bit different then, but we have a good Air Force.”

After the war, Lewis returned to Nebraska and got married. He then moved to Colorado to attend the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he played football once again.

Lewis had two children and started a business selling and repairing televisions in Denver, but once televisions no longer relied on vacuum tubes for operation, Lewis closed the business and transitioned to construction, where he had great success. His current home in Lakewood is one that he built.

Today, Lewis has four grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. One of his granddaughters, Dawnette, told Rocky Mountain PBS that Lewis “set a great example of working hard to get the things you want, and most importantly be grate-

ful for your family and country.”

As for the next generation of service men and women, Lewis’ advice is simple. “When you join the service, concentrate on your basic training and you’ll be happy that you did, because you’ll be able to advance your rank in the military if you do that.”

More than 16 million Americans served in World War II. Today, fewer than 170,000 are still alive. And according to the National World War II Museum, close to 200 World War II veterans pass away each day.

24-Hour Phone

303-654-0112

This is why for Lewis, it’s important that he remembers his time overseas and that he shares stories with his family. Looking through his photo albums, Lewis said, “sometimes, I don’t really comprehend how far back that really was.”

This story is from Rocky Mountain PBS, a nonprofit public broadcaster providing community stories across Colorado over the air and online. Used by permission. For more, and to support Rocky Mountain PBS, visit rmpbs.org.

303-857-2290

75 S. 13th Avenue Obituaries, Arrangements and Resources Online at taborfuneralhome.com

AVINA Joseph “Ralph” Avina May 10, 1923 - October 18, 2022

Joseph “Ralph” Avina, age 99 died Tuesday October 18, 2022, peacefully at his home in Aurora surrounded by loved ones. He was a beautiful person who spread joy and happiness wherever he went and to whomever he met.

Joseph was born May 10,1923 to Jose and Rose (Tarin) Avina in Punta de Aqua, N.M. He was the second of eight siblings. He and his family grew up in Wattenberg, CO.

Joseph was a great family-oriented man. On May 18, 1941, he married Ramona (Garcia) Avina and together they had 5 children. ey were happily married for 81 years.

He joined the U.S. Army in 1943 and served in the 2nd Armored Division during World War II. is division played important roles in the invasion of Germany under Colonel George S. Patton. He was a Brigade Tank driver in Normandy’s ‘’Hell on Wheels” and the Rhineland region and believed that was what saved his life. He was the recipient of four distinguished medals, one being the Gold Conduct Medal, recognized for honorable service and given on a selective basis. It exempli es honor, conduct, e ciency, and delity. Words he valued and lived by throughout his life and instilled in his family. He was discharged in 1945, and immediately began working at Rocky Mountain National Arsenal. He was instrumental in

implementing the Equal Employment Opportunity rights at the Arsenal. He remained Manager of this division until he retired in November 1978 at 55 years old.

Joseph enjoyed reading, dancing, camping, and shing but took the most pride in spending time with family. He spent the rest of his retired life enjoying quality time with them, which he loved and cherished every moment.

Joseph is preceded in death by his parents, seven siblings, son Kenneth Avina and daughter Diane Morales.

Joseph is survived by his wife, Ramona Avina; daughter, Christine and Alfred (Vialpando); daughter, Kathleen “Kitty” and Tony (Abeyta); daughter Joyce Sandoval; 9 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, 8 great, great, grandchildren and one on the way.

Funeral Services will be held at 10am Wednesday, October 26,2022 at St. Augustine’s Catholic Church in Brighton, CO. Burial will take place at Fairmont Burial Gardens followed by a reception at the church rectory. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Tabor-Rice Funeral Home.

“ ose we love don’t go away; they walk beside us every day. Unseen, unheard, but always near still loved, still missed and very dear.”

Leo Lewis was master sergeant in Army Air Corps.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Every fall, pumpkin lovers rejoice in knowing their favorite flavors will start migrating from humble gourds to morning mugs. While the specialty beverage has corporate origins, local baristas put a hometown twist on “PSLs” across Colorado.

The origins of pumpkin spice lattes trace to 2003, when Starbucks’ Director of Espresso Peter Dukes came up with the idea out of a desire to replicate the seasonal success of the eggnog latte and peppermint mocha, according to The Daily Meal.

“Pumpkin spice latte has become more than just a beverage,” Dukes said. “It has become a harbinger of the season.”

Since then, the drink has evolved into an annual tradition outside Starbucks.

At Nixon’s Coffee House in Englewood, one barista said pumpkin pie syrup is used instead of pumpkin spice because it gives the drink a more unique flavor.

La Dolce Vita in Arvada uses pumpkin puree sauce and has served the drink since around the time Starbucks began the trend. Unlike the big chain, at LDV the taste will depend on the barista.

Barista Tamara Hansen said she adds vanilla to her PSL so that it gets a more robust flavor profile.

“I’m putting pumpkin sauce, of course, and vanilla, and I’m going to put whipped cream and cinnamon sugar,” Hansen said. “(The vanilla) adds a little bit of sweetness.”

Her co-worker Josh Crouch’s take on the drink is inspired by pumpkin pancakes and features some maple flavors.

“It’s got real pumpkin,” Crouch said, pointing to the pumpkin puree sauce used to flavor the drink.

Not just lattes

The PSL trend has spread far beyond espresso drinks. Local breweries have jumped on the flavor train as well — somewhat begrudgingly, in certain cases.

Colorado Plus Brew Pub in Wheat Ridge serves a “darker style of pumpkin ale,” according to Manager Jordan Peck. The “Don’t Call Me Pumpkin, Pumpkin Spice Ale” ale has a slightly higher-than-average alcohol content than other pumpkin beers, Peck said.

“It’s really full-bodied,” Peck said. “It’s pumpkin spice without being over the top.”

Chris Hill, owner of Odyssey Beerwerks in Arvada didn’t necessarily want to make a pumpkin beer, so he took the idea and went a different route.

“We opened in May of 2013,” Hill said. “As fall was rolling around, everybody was telling us we needed to do a

pumpkin beer because everyone does a pumpkin beer in fall. I didn’t really want to do one, but I asked our assistant brewer if he could do a different one. He came back with the idea to do a marshmallow porter with a pumpkin spice.”

The result is the “Fluffy Pumpkin Toasted Marshmallow Porter,” which was such a hit in 2013 that Odyssey kept it going on a seasonal basis.

“It was a one-off to appease customers,” Hill admits. “The reason we brewed a second batch was we had two bar owners and two friends of owners who called and said they had or had heard of this been we did and they really wanted to put it on tap. So, we did enough to make four-eight kegs and sold it to them. In 2014, we did a full batch and sold out before we were done fermenting.”

Despite the Fluffy Pumpkin’s beginnings, Hill says he’s come around on the pumpkin porter.

“I’m in a happy place with it now,” Hill said. “It’s a really good beer. I won’t say we were opposed, but since everyone does a pumpkin beer, we don’t need to do one, but we did and it was fantastic. I won’t downplay the beer. It’s really good.”

Barnett and Son Brewing Co. in Parker began their pumpkin beer with a homespun tradition.

Owner Andrew Barnett said their ‘Nevermore Pumpkin Ale’ — fittingly named after ‘The Raven,’ by Edgar Alan Poe — originated with a Halloween tradition at the Barnett home.

“It’s an old home brew recipe. As a home brewer, we used to deck out the Barnett house for Halloween,” Barnett said. “I’d hand out beers in the driveway for neighbors who came out to Halloween. When we opened the brewery, that tradition survived.”

COURTESY OF BARNETT & SON’S Barnett house for Halloween,” Barvegetable,” and said he was cautious

Barnett describes the ale as “a really good balance between the spices and the vegetable,” and said he was cautious against adding too much cinnamon, a move he believes undercuts the flavor of other pumpkin beers.

flavor of other pumpkin beers. the silver medal at the 2021 The seasonis avail-

Nevermore Pumpkin Ale won the silver medal at the 2021 Denver International Beer Competition and is entering its 7th year on tap at Barnett and Son Brewing. The seasonal libation is available from the first Friday in September through about Thanksgiving.

Friday in through

Barnett & Son’s Nevermore Pumpkin Ale.

La Dolce Vita’s Josh Crouch makes a pumpkin spice latte with their signature pumpkin sauce.

PHOTO BY RYLEE DUNN

The Flu y Pumpkin in fall foliage.

COURTESY OF ODYSSEY BEERWERKS

LDV’s Tamara Hansen’s pumpkin spice latte.

Odyssey Beerwerks’ Flu y Pumpkin Porter.

PHOTO BY RYLEE DUNN

“Each year, we challenge ourselves to make the haunted attraction a more thrilling, memorable experience for our visitors,” said Mark Villano, co-owner of the Haunted Field of Screams. “We purposefully play on the natural elements of our site – the corn field, the woods, the moonlight – and use these elements to create a more realistic, daunting and bone-chilling scare.”

At night, the site is Haunted Field of Screams. With dawn, it transforms into the benigh Maize in the City attraction with family-friendly activities. Families can participate with sand art, a barrel train, mini maize, a petting zoo, pony rides, and a pumpkin patch, including a market to buy Halloween merchandise, homemade salsas, jam, and pumpkins. There are backyard hay stacks for kids to play on, and families could take photos.

The Haunted Field of Screams and Maize in the City is family owned by Gina Palombo, Joe Palombo, and Mark Villano. Joe Palombo said this idea of the Haunted Field of Screams and Maize in the City chose them. They are a third-generation farming family.

“I was still in high school in 2000 when my dad planted some corn told me and my sister to get out there and design a maze,” Palombo said. “It was up and running to see where it went. My sister and my mom ran it for the first couple of years and it kind of got bigger ever year with more people and attractions.”

In 2001 Palombo said the maize was not haunted. That didn’t deter customers who visited during the day

from wanting to come back and walk through at night. They suggested it would be great if it had something to scare them.

That convinved the family operation to start adding some actors. The rest is history.

“It’s great to see how something like a family business can grow, especially from transforming something that a farmer makes into a different kind of business, a different kind of revenue stream,” said Joe’s wife, Christina Palombo.

Palombo’s brother Mark Villano and their Dad grow corn on the 40 acres. Their crops depends on the yearly conditions, how fast the corn dries whether or not they harvest it. But it is feed corn, and they harvest depending on when our Halloween season ends.

“My dad and brother are irrigated vegetable farmers they grow peppers, green tomatoes and lettuce and sell it commercially all year,” Palombo said.

They watch the weather daily and hourly; the farmer is very dependent on the weather, Palombo said, with farming and agriculture tourism, especially in October in Colorado.

“You get storms rolling through with hail and wind all kinds of conditions, a crop can be wiped out in an afternoon, it’s nerve racking, but it’s nice coming in December we don’t have worry about it anymore, “ Palombo said.

The Haunted Field of Screams is open September 30 through October 31, Friday through Sunday nights, Thursday, October 20, Thursday, October 27, and Monday, October 31. Visit hauntedfieldofscreams.com for the full schedule.

Haunted Field of Screams and Maize in the City is located at 10451 McKay Road, Thornton

Someone is watching you day and night from across the street.

PHOTOS BY BELEN WARD

Something sinister is on top of a car on Riverdale Road.

Thu 10/27

Pumpkin Painting (10/27) @ 5pm

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

John Summit @ 9pm

Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St,, Den‐ver

Sat 10/29

Not So Flatt Breast Cancer Awareness Run/Walk @ 9am / $30-$40

10200 W 100th Ave, Westminster

PLAN Jeffco Stewardship Academy @ 9am / $35

American Mountaineering Center, 710 10th Street, Golden. ContactUs@PLANJef fco.org

Natural Endings: Green options for the end of life @ 5:30pm

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

Nature Photography @ 10:30pm

Oct 27th - Nov 10th

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

Recess Games

@ 11:30pm

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

Fri 10/28

Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz @ 7pm / $14-$3410

Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

Spooky Nature walk @ 10am

Standley Lake Regional Park & Wildlife Refuge, Simms St & W 100th Ave, Westminster. standley lake@cityofwestminster.us, 303658-2790

Sun 10/30

Turkey Trot @ 4pm

Nov 1st - Nov 15th

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

Discovery Kids- Farmers and Harvest @ 8pm

Nov 1st - Nov 17th

Halloween Spooktacular with Colorado Symphony @ 2:30pm / $27

Boettcher Concert Hall at Denver

Performing Arts Complex, 1000 14th Street, Denver. tickets@col oradosymphony.org, 303-6237876

Mon 10/31

Halloween Biscuits & Gravy (10/31) @ 2:30pm

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

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

Sports Conditioning Nov. @ 9pm

Nov 1st - Nov 22nd

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

Wed 11/02

Bruce Cook: Odde's Music grill @ 8pm

Odde's Music Grill, 9975 Wadsworth Pkwy N2, Westminster

Broncos Trick-or-treat @ 11:30am / $10

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

Teens: Meow Wolf @ 6pm

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

Farm-to-Table Dinner!

@ 6pm

5820 Lowell Blvd, 5820 Lowell Boulevard, Denver. dappelha@regis.edu, 720-6662228

Denver Halloween 2022Paranormal Palace 13th Annual @ 8pm / $108.53-$162.33

McNichols Event Center, 144 W. Colfax Avenue, Civic Center Park, Denver. kevin@ kevinlarsonpresents.com, 720-507-1376

Teen Try 'N Escape - Haunted House @ 11:30pm

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

Lizzo: The Special Tour @ 8pm / $45-$150

Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

The Fright Fest Tour | Slacker University @ 9pm Fox Theatre, 1135 13th Street, Boulder

Tue 11/01

Legal Self-Help Clinic @ 2pm

Anythink Wright Farms, 5877 East 120th Avenue, Thornton. morgan@ hayday.org, 303-520-6088

Nutrition as We Age @ 3:30pm

Nov 1st - Nov 15th

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

Día De Los Muertos at Anythink Commerce City @ 4pm

Anythink Commerce City Library, 7185 Monaco Street, Commerce City. rcardenas@anythinkli braries.org, 303-287-0063

Vic Dillahay, Guitarist: First Wednesday Jazz at Dry Land Distillers @ 7pm

Dry Land Distillers, 519 Main St, Longmont

Archery @ 10:30pm

Nov 2nd - Nov 16th

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

Thu 11/03

Arise Roots @ 7pm

The Oriental Theater, 4335 W 44th Ave, Denver

Dropkick Murphys - This Machine...Theater Tour

@ 8pm / $42.50-$79.50

Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glen‐arm, Denver

powered by

Food for Hope volunteers understand their impact

Food charity that helps schools find demand is growing

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Emily Stromquist, the CEO of Food for Hope, understands that her group is not simply keeping bellies full.

Food for Hope provides meals for Adams County school students, including in-school food banks at numerous schools in the Adams 12 Five Star, 27J and Adams 14 districts as well as Westminster Public Schools. It also offers weekend food bags and in-school snacks to help kids concentrate on their work.

Stromquist said when they started to serve an elementary school in the 27J school district and she learned of a fifth-grade boy who was having behavior issues in the classroom that staff could not figure out.

The boy came in and received a bag of food for his family.

Stromquist said he started crying and shared how hungry he was and how little food they had a home.

“It turned out the whole year he was hungry because he wasn’t receiving enough food. It was causing his behavior issue,” Stromquist said. “Sometimes signs of hunger can be hard to miss with children and sometimes parents too, it’s embarrassing for them to say any-

“Since then Food for Hope has placed food banks in Adams 12, 14 and 27J. We are also working with a Westminster school serving them

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students snacks to get through the day, said Emily Stromquist, Food for Hope executive director.

Besides the Fuel snack program, Food for Hope offers two other programs through the Feed 5000 program: Volunteers regularly pack up Thanksgiving boxes for needy families and pack weekend nutrition bags that go to specific children registered with the schools.

They buy most of the food they give out from Food Bank of the Rockies, but supplement from local sources as well. The goal is to find healthy meals, according to Darcie Castigliano-Ball, Food for Hope development director.

“We also receive a donation from some businesses and individuals with food drives, but most of the food comes from Costco. We set high standards for our food, with low sugar, low salt, and healthy items that are high in protein,” Castigliano-Ball said.

ThornCreek Church in Thornton gave Food for Hope another room to build the food bank program. They needed a place to store food and sort food that specifically went to each location. Its expanded room also has a fridge and a freezer to store milk, meats, and produce.

“The church is gracious enough to share split space with us,” Stromquist said. “We are paying three times as much for the same thing as you were paying last year, so we’re having to make those decisions, and this space and owning a delivery truck saves us money to buy more food.”

Preparations

A community of volunteers comes in on Mondays every week to help Food for Hope prep all the food for the week, and then it goes out on Thursday into the communities. The volunteers also help to distribute

PHOTO BY BELEN WARD

nity to jump in and support to what

based on its culture.

Stromquist said the communities they serve have a high population of Hispanics and a refugee population, so the food bank is culturally adaptable to their culture to ensure its custom.

“Every food bank is custom for that community so we are a little bit different than a standard Food Bank and serves a particular school or a particular district,” she said.

Catering to taste

At the Adams 14 food bank, for example, the volunteers have learned that the community doesn’t like cucumbers, but they like zucchini. Similarly, Ukrainian refugees in Brighton have particular cultural food choices as do the South American refugee families in Commerce City and the Afghan refugees in Thornton.

It’s been hard-won knowledge. Their original Thanksgiving donations used to include the typical Thanksgiving meal with all the sides. Stromquist said one Ukrainian mom at a food bank said she tried to make the turkey and it did not go well, confusing her husband and her family.

“We realized four years ago not everyone eats turkey. So now we give out a gift card now, versus a turkey,” Stromquist said.

“We find a way to help them have a holiday meal at home that’s meaningful to their culture and meet their needs. We started doing gift cards so they could purchase meat and produce and get what they want,” she said.

After COVID

Stromquist said the staff is seeing more than 1,200 people per month – a significant increase from last

SonderMind employees Tannor Murray and Lorena Goddard volunteered to help with the stocking at the Pinnacle Charter School food bank.

BRIEFS

Donate old cell phones

The Commerce City-Brighton Victim Services Unit wants to put used cell phones into the hands of a crime victim who may need it in an emergency. The VSU is collecting used mobile phones and chargers in donation bins at city facilities through the end of the month.

All mobile phones sold in the United States can call 911 in an emergency, even without service from a carrier. Secure the Call, a nonprofit partner organization, wipes the donated phones of all personal information, returns them to factory settings and distributes them to victims of domestic violence, seniors and other at-risk individuals for use in emergencies.

Donation bins are available at Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Ave., Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 Parkway Drive, and Commerce City Civic Center, 7887 E. 60th Ave.

Visit https://www.c3gov.com/ living-in/public-safety/contactpolice-department/victim-services.

Trick or treat street

Downtown Fort Lupton will host its annual trick or treat street from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31 near Fourth Street and Denver Avenue./

Start the evening of trick or treating withlocal businesses, nonprofits and churches

If you are interested in setting up a booth and handing out candy, sign up at https://fortluptonchamber.org, then click on “Events” and scroll down to Trick or Treat Street. Businesses that want to help with sponsorships should visit https://fortluptonchamberofcommerce.growthzoneapp.com/...

‘High-Rise High Jinx’

Fort Lupton High School’s drama club will present “High-Rise High Jinx,” a series of stories of “com-

plex” comedy at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 3, 4 and 5, in the school auditorium. Tickets are $5.

Voting closes rec center gym

The Fort Lupton Recreation Center gym is closed through Wednesday, Nov. 9, because of the midterm elections.

Home tour

The Fort Lupton Historic Preservation Board presents its first historic home tour at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at City Hall, 130 S. McKinley Ave.

The tour takes in homes in the first and second Reynolds additions, most of which were built in the first half of the 20th century. R.S.V.P. by calling 720.466.6111.

ONGOING

Hours change at the historical park

The South Platte Valley Historical Park will be open for public visitation on the first weekend of the month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Individual tours outside of the first weekend of the month are available by contacting the society at lancaster.lupton@spvhs.org or calling 303-857-9360 and leaving a message.

Splash pad

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

Sponsor funds will be used for the splash park and amenities. Call 303-857-6694

Donation time

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

Other potential donations could include chicken, Vienna sausages,

ent hotel room every night, she said.

spam and salmon. The bank also needs personal items, such as toiletries and baby needs.

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

Teen hangout

Teens can stop by the Fort Lupton Public & School Library Wednesdays to play crafts and video games and to hang out with friends after school.

Walk with a doc

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

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

Blessings in a Bag

Fort Lupton’s Backpack Program helps school children in need with a backpack of healthy food. It’s an all-volunteer program and is in need of volunteers. If interested in volunteering or donating, call 303718-4440. Mail donations to Blessings in a Bag, 306 Park Ave., Fort Lupton 80621.

Drop-in child care

The Fort Lupton Recreation

Center offers drop-in child care from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call 303-857-4200.

Fort Lupton senior lunches

Senior lunches are available at noon Mondays at the Fort Lupton Recreation Center, 203 S. Harrison Ave. Sign up by noon the previous Thursday. Call 303-857-4200, ext. 6166.

Co ee group

Fort Lupton’s weekly coffee group sessions are at 8 a.m. Wednesdays. Call 303-857-4200.

Silver Sneakers

Silver Sneaker Yoga is available Fridays from 9 to 9:45 a.m. and from 10 to 10:45 a.m. at the Fort Lupton recreation Center, 203 S. Harrison Ave.

Water aerobics

The city’s water aerobics class meets from 6 to 6:45 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Fort Lupton Recreation Center, 203 S. Harrison Ave. Call 303-857-4200.

Pen pals

Fort Lupton’s senior pen pal program through Twombly Elementary School is looking for participants. Learn more at: https://www.

fortluptonco.gov/950/Senior-PenPal-Program.

Craft classes

Monthly craft classes through the Fort Lupton Recreation Center (203 S. Harrison Ave.) are available. Call 303-857-4200, ext. 6166 with questions.

FROM

year. During COVID, students were receiving free and reduced lunch and the food bank’s help was not as important. But now that the COVID programs are going away, families have to enroll in these programs, which often come with income restrictions. People who make slightly more money than their neighbors might find they no longer qualify for free lunch programs.

“These families don’t make enough money, with housing costs,” Stromquist said. “They are still struggling to feed their kids. We see a lot of those families in our food banks, because their kids can’t get a free breakfast and reduced lunch at school. So the families try to feed their kids before they go to school and some families can’t send snacks with their kids to school.”

Stromquist said with the housing crisis, Adams 12 district typically has 15 to 20 homeless families volunteers help during the school year. Now, however, that number is over 100. These kids are homeless, sleeping on a friend’s couch, in a car, in a hotel room, or in a differ-

“The kids are expected to go to school, and perform, do their homework and just be attentive. It makes it hard for them,” she said.

Thanksgiving work underway

Food for Hope is now starting its holiday program Feed 5000 Thanksgiving Box program, a separate event. They distribute boxes to the school locations the week of November 14.

“We ask our communities to help support families, so every box will help a family from up to four to six. There is $30 donation and they have sponsorships for businesses that can come in an sponsor up to 100 boxes or 250 boxes, whatever they want to contribute for the different levels,” Castigliano-Ball said.

According to Food for Hope’s 20212022 annual report, the non-profit delivered 10,890 weekend food bags and provided 92,397 School Fuel snacks. Feed 5000 distributed 2,000 Thanksgiving boxes across Adams County and provided 36,000 pounds of food to the in-school food banks.

To donate, visit: http://foodforhope.net or call Reba Mackintosh at 303-434-7498 or email reba@foodforhope.net.

A look at Proposition GG on ballot

Measure targeting TABOR referred by Democrats

BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

Proposition GG is a ballot measure about ballot measures.

It represents Colorado’s latest battleground over the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights as Democrats seek to work around the 1992 constitutional amendment, known as TABOR, and Republicans battle to prevent any changes. The initiative, if passed, would require the state to more prominently display detailed information about how citizen-initiated ballot measures changing the income tax rate would affect Coloradans.

Proposition GG was referred to the ballot by Democrats in the Colorado legislature this year through the passage of Senate Bill 222, a measure that Republicans universally opposed Here’s what you need to know about Proposition GG:

What it would do

When an initiative changing Colorado’s income tax rate makes the statewide ballot, a table outlining how the change would affect people at different income levels is shared in the state ballot information booklet — also known as the blue book — that’s sent to every voter.

The table includes the average income tax owed by people at different income levels, as well as how much higher or lower their taxes would be if the rate were changed.

Proposition 121 on the November ballot is a great example of this. It would change Colorado’s income tax rate to 4.4% from 4.55%, and on page 24 of your (Englishlanguage) blue book this year you can see a table explaining how it would affect people at different income levels.

Proposition GG would require that the table — with some slight modifications — also be included in petitions used to gather signatures to get income tax changes on the ballot, as well as on ballots.

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Proposition GG will ask voters to allow a change in state statute.

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The slight modifications include only specifying eight income tax categories and more specific information about how income tax changes would affect individual taxpayers.

Note: Proposition GG only ap plies to citizen-initiated ballot measures. If the legislature were to refer a measure changing the income tax rate to the ballot it wouldn’t apply.

The arguments for The proponents of Proposition GG say it is a tax-transparency measure aimed at ensuring Coloradans have a full picture of how changes to the state’s in come tax rate would affect them.

Some people do not open the blue book, people who support the measure say, so Proposition GG is a way to ensure they can’t miss information about potential changes to the state’s income tax.

“I honestly think it’s pretty simple,” said state Rep. Chris Kennedy, a Lakewood Democrat and prime sponsor of Senate Bill 222. “It’s about giving vot ers more information about how income tax changes affect them personally.”

Kennedy said the current information on the ballot isn’t sufficient.

The arguments against Conservatives argue Proposition GG is unnecessary since detailed information on how income tax rate changes would affect Colora dans is already in the blue book.

Adding more information to the ballot would also increase printing costs.

“I hear from a lot of people that our ballot language is already way too long and too complicated,” said Michael Fields, a conserva tive fiscal policy activist. “This legislature should spend more time on increasing public safety and lowering the cost of living — and less on meddling in the citizens’ initiative process.”

Jesse Mallory, who leads the Colorado branch of Americans For Prosperity, an organization that fiercely defends TABOR, said “nothing screams ‘our friends have a tax increase coming’ quite like (this bill).”

One big thing you should know

Since Proposition GG asks vot ers to approve a statutory change, state lawmakers could have tried to make the alterations on their own by passing a bill and asking the governor to sign it into law.

But the Democratic proponents of the policy had a major road block in Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, who was wary of the change and appeared poised to veto any legislation aiming to alter ballot language.

“Gov. Polis believes that vot

ers should decide how issues are presented on the people’s ballot because it is their ballot, not the state legislature’s ballot,” Kara Powell, a spokeswoman for the governor, told The Colorado Sun earlier this year. “That includes whether or not to approve requir ing a table in the fiscal summary for any ballot initiative that would increase or decrease the tax rate.”

That’s why lawmakers went around the governor and referred Proposition GG to the November ballot through Senate Bill 222. (The governor’s signature isn’t re quired on bills referring questions to the ballot.)

One more thing you should know: Proposition GG comes as Colorado Democrats are trying to find ways to work on tax policy within the confines of the Taxpay er’s Bill of Rights.

Proposition GG is an extension of legislation passed by Demo cratic lawmakers in 2021 requiring that ballot measures cutting taxes include an explanation of how much revenue would be slashed and what programs would be most affected. The 2021 bill also now requires that ballot initiatives raising taxes explain how the new revenue would be spent.

In fact, the 2021 bill is the reason why there is a table in the blue book explaining how people in different income brackets would be affected by income tax rate changes.

EARLIER: Democrats avoid

Jared Polis in quest to ensure Coloradans get the full picture on income tax changes

The players and the money Coloradans for Ballot Transpar ency is the issue committee sup porting Proposition GG.

Denverite Merle Chambers, a longtime Democratic donor and former oil and gas executive, gave $100,000 to the group in May.

The committee raised $600,000 in August, $500,000 of which came from the national Democratic nonprofit Sixteen Thirty Fund. The Sun refers to the nonprofit as a dark-money group because it is a political group that does not have to disclose its donors.

The Rose Community Founda tion donated $50,000 to the com mittee Sept. 12. And the National Education Association gave Colo radans for Ballot Transparency $250,000 on Sept. 21.

Coloradans for Ballot Transpar ency spent $400,000 in mid-Septem ber to advertise about the ballot measure.

So far, no organized opposition to the measure has emerged.

This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news out let based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit colora dosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

Survey shows veteran homelessness decreased 31%

BY TATIANA FLOWERS

THE COLORADO SUN

The number of veterans who are homeless in metro Denver decreased more than 30% from 2020 to 2022, despite an overall increase in the region’s homeless population, according to new survey data released Oct. 20 by The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative.

Veterans have historically been overrepresented in homelessness in metro Denver, Colorado, and across the country. However, federal and local governments have been working together to increase housing resources specifically for the population.

“The government has stepped up their investment in resolving veteran homelessness. We’ve been seeing steady declines as those investments have kicked up,” said Cathy Alderman, chief communications and public policy officer for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.

The Obama administration made it a top priority to dramatically increase awareness about veterans’ high risk of becoming homeless, and in 2013, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Veterans Affairs announced almost $70 million in grants to assist in addressing the issue across the country through rental assistance, case management and clinical services pro-

vided by the VA.

In mid-September, the VA announced it had awarded another $137 million in grants to help house veterans and their families who were homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless.

Many states, including Colorado, are also targeting veterans who are homeless and working with an organization, Community Solutions, which runs a campaign, Built for Zero, that works to end homelessness among

subgroups, including veterans.

“It’s a subset of the population of people experiencing homelessness that really can be targeted and evaluated,” Alderman said.

Seen from across the South Platte River, a man dismantles a canopy during a sweep of a homeless camp in 2020.

FILE PHOTO BY DAVID GILBERT

SEE HOMELESS, P18

“And so we’ve seen this trend over the last few years: When you increase investment in resolving veterans homelessness, veterans homelessness goes down. When you target resources to better track, evaluate and connect veteran services together, we see better outcomes in veteran homelessness. If we took that same model and did it for fami lies experiencing homelessness, or youth experiencing homeless ness, or people who were experi encing chronic homelessness, we would see the same results.”

The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless has several programs focused on serving veterans, including a housing development it opened during the pandemic called The Veterans Renaissance Apartments at Fitzsimons in Au rora, and through its Fort Lyon supportive program in southeast ern Colorado for people who are homeless and have a substance use disorder.

“If we can do it for veterans, we can do it for families, for individ uals, for youth, if we’re prepared and we have the political will to make these investments,” Alder man said.

The data released Thursday is from the annual point-in-time count, conducted Jan. 24, and in cluded people staying in shelters and outdoors in the seven-county metro Denver area. It showed an overall increase of 784 people

experiencing homelessness com pared with pre-pandemic levels in 2020, the last time the region com pleted a comprehensive count.

The count is only a snapshot of homelessness. Many variables could result in an undercount, Metro Denver Homeless Initia tive leaders said. On the night of the count, trained volunteers and staff cruise around local streets interviewing people and families who are homeless using a standardized survey before the results are released months later.

People living on the streets, in shelters and in transitional housing programs were counted. People at risk of becoming home less, such as those living with friends and family or in a motel, are not included in the count.

In January 2020, about six weeks before the beginning of the pandemic and the last time a comprehensive survey was con ducted, there were 6,104 people counted who were homeless. The region did not count people stay ing outdoors in 2021 because of safety concerns related to CO VID-19.

This year, 6,884 people were counted, a 12.8% increase. Ac cording to the results, 4,806 people stayed in emergency shel ters, transitional housing or safe haven programs, and 2,078 people slept on the streets or in places not meant for human habitation.

The number of people staying in shelters remained fairly consis tent while the number of people living on the streets significantly increased.

One in three people were home

less for the first time. An over whelming majority of people sur veyed, 5,317, were single adults, age 25 or older with no children. Surveyors also identified 1,207 families, defined as an adult age 25 or older with at least one child with them, and 360 people age 1824, who were unaccompanied or parenting.

Of those counted, 37% reported a mental health condition, 30% reported a chronic health condi tion and 16% reported experienc ing domestic violence.

Black people, Native Ameri cans/Alaska Natives, multiracial people and Native Hawaiians/ Pacific Islanders are significantly overrepresented in the region’s homeless population, according to the survey.

“The overrepresentation of people of color, specifically Black and Native Americans, among those experiencing homelessness is critical to the response,” said Jamie Rife, executive director of The Metro Denver Homeless Ini tiative, the regional system that coordinates services and housing for people experiencing homeless ness. “Homelessness is an issue of race and must be approached through this lens.”

While the count can help hu man service leaders understand homelessness on a single night, a comprehensive system dissemi nating real-time data regionally is the ultimate goal, Rife said.

The region has made strides in decreasing its reliance on the one-night count. Instead, provid ers and municipal leaders are working together to improve

participation with the region’s Homeless Management Informa tion System to make data about those experiencing homelessness accessible each day.

Boulder recently became the first community in the region to reach a new milestone: The county can now track every adult experiencing homelessness by name in real time. Only a small number of communities across the country have reached the same milestone, according to Thursday’s news release.

While the region was able to locate and count 6,884 people on a single night, the number of people who are homeless in the region is likely closer to 31,000 throughout the course of the year, Rife said.

“This data highlights the dy namic nature of homelessness and the importance of real-time data to allow the region to coor dinate effectively and allocate resources efficiently,” she said.

The organization releases an nually the State of Homelessness report with more data about re gional homelessness. Infographic reports by county and an inter active dashboard are available at The Metro Denver Homeless Initiative website.

This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news out let based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit colora dosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

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AG candidates Kellner, Weiser talk issues

Gay marriage, crime, abortion, discussed

BY SANDRA FISH THE COLORADO SUN

Democratic Attorney General Phil Weiser is running for reelection against Republican John Kellner, the top prosecutor in the 18th Judicial District.

The winner of the race will serve as the top law enforcement official in the state and preside over an office that represents state government in court, oversees law enforcement officer training and enforces consumer protection and antitrust laws.

Here’s what you need to know about Weiser and Kellner.

The candidates’ background

Weiser, 54, is a former dean of the University of Colorado Law School, where he founded the Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology and Entrepreneurship. He served as a law clerk to Supreme Court justices Byron R. White and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and previously worked as a deputy attorney general in the U.S. Department of Justice.

He was elected attorney general in 2018. He lives in Denver.

Kellner, 41, was elected district attorney in the 18th Judicial District in 2020 after working in the office’s

cold case unit. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps after graduating from the University of Florida, and attended law school at the University of Colorado. His four years of active-duty military service included a deployment to Afghanistan. He now serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves. He lives in Arapahoe County.

The attorney general’s role in criminal matters

The Colorado Attorney General’s Office has limited criminal jurisdiction, meaning it can’t prosecute every crime committed in the state. The office typically prosecutes criminal matters when they span multiple counties or are statewide, such as Medicare fraud and organized crime rings. The main focus of the office is on civil court matters, like lawsuits.

Still, rising violent crime rates in Colorado have become a major centerpiece of the race between Weiser and Kellner.

Kellner acknowledges the limited role the attorney general plays in criminal matters, but says Weiser should have done more as attorney general to advocate at the legislature for a tougher criminal code, namely when it comes to fentanyl and auto thefts.

“I see the attorney general’s office as being really the bully pulpit, the person who has the best ability to influence public safety outcomes and legislation at the state level,” Kellner said.

are responsible for prosecuting most crime.

“The attorney general prosecutes only organized crime and fraud cases, which means the only auto theft case that we would do is like an organized criminal enterprise,” Weiser said.

Fentanyl Kellner says he would have opposed a bipartisan 2019 state law that made personal possession of up to 4 grams of fentanyl and most other drugs a misdemeanor.

Weiser said he opposed and wasn’t involved with the 2019 measure: “It was a bipartisan bill that I hadn’t supported.”

The legislature amended the 2019 law earlier this year to make it a felony to possess a gram or more of fentanyl and to increase penalties for fentanyl dealers. The legislation also allocated millions of dollars to treatment, prevention and law enforcement response.

“I would have gone further and reduced the possession to as low as we could get, but the lowest we could get it was 1 gram,” Weiser said.

Kellner said he would have preferred that the bill passed this year apply to a wider range of synthetic opioids so that the state is better prepared for the next wave of the opioid crisis.

Water issues

The two candidates differ on a major water case before the U.S. Supreme Court, Sackett v. EPA, which seeks to limit the Environmental Protection Agency’s enforcement of clean water regulations. It’s a case out of Idaho where the EPA prevented a couple from building a house on a lot the agency considered a wetland.

Weiser’s office supports the EPA’s position in the case.

“Historically, the EPA has managed the system of permitting to ensure that projects will not harm water quality,” Weiser said. “Under the Sackett case, there’s now a real risk that the EPA will lose that abil-

PHOTO BY ROBERT TANN

ity, and that responsibility will be

But Kellner said Congress could respond if the EPA loses the case by passing laws regulating clean water enforcement. He said he would have intervened in the case on behalf of the landowners suing the EPA.

“We ought to be concerned about potential overreach by the federal government, especially when it comes to water,” he said.

Weiser said he’s hired a staff of lawyers to protect Colorado’s water rights when it comes to disputes with other states, as well as protecting smaller communities from metropolitan areas trying to build their water supplies.

“The worst water decisions are those that harm communities like the San Luis Valley, or like Crowley County, and basically undermine their economies,” he said.

Kellner said he is concerned about the attorney general’s office “basically getting ahead of the policymakers as the legal representative for the state.” He noted that water rights are property rights and if someone “wants to sell them, there’s a process to adjudicate whether or not that goes forward, and it’s through water court.”

Gun regulations

The National Rifle Association has endorsed Kellner, though he said he supports Colorado’s red flag law, which passed in 2019 and allows judges to order the temporary seizure of guns from people considered a risk to themselves or others.

Kellner originally opposed the red flag law, in part because of concerns that it isn’t limited to law enforcement taking such cases to court.

“I thought it should have been limited to police officers, but there’s been enough checks and balances in place and it’s worked,” he told The Sun. “OK to say I was wrong about that.”

He said he opposes measures passed by the legislature in recent years allowing some nonviolent

District Attorney John Kellner, left, speaks during a July 6 press conference.

felons to own guns.

“My opponent advocated for a bill that actually allowed convicted fel ons including car thieves and drug dealers to possess guns,” Kellner said in a 9News debate on Oct. 19.

But Weiser countered that the 2021 bill Kellner referred to had biparti san support and was unanimously supported by Colorado’s district attorneys, and that it still prohib ited gun possession for 60 felonies. Weiser said he wants to ensure people convicted of car theft and drug dealing are on the prohibition list.

Weiser is endorsed by Everytown for Gun Safety and other groups that seek to increase gun control mea sures. He said he’d like to see contin ued improvement of Colorado’s gun safety laws, which already include universal background checks, a ban on the sale and possession of maga zines with a capacity larger than 15 rounds and a temporary prohibition on gun ownership by people convict ed of certain violent misdemeanors.

“I think about this the same way our nation has thought about traffic fatalities,” Weiser said. “This is a public health challenge. We are losing so many people, particularly young people, to suicide because of firearms.”

Abortion and marriage Kellner said he would defend Colo rado’s new law guaranteeing access to abortion and contraception, but he’s also said he supported the U.S.

Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, leaving regulation of abortion to the states.

“Colorado, through its legisla ture, has spoken on the issue,” Kellner said at a debate earlier this year. “And, frankly, the people have spoken on this issue multiple times at the ballot box as well. As the at torney general, I can commit to you that I will defend the law.”

Weiser said he expects to see the abortion debate continue.

“I will defend the principles that underlie Roe vs. Wade,” he said.

“And I believe that our nation will protect access to reproduc tive health care, but it’s going to take continuing political and legal battles.”

Both Weiser and Kellner also said in a previous debate that they would defend anyone who travels to Colo rado to get an abortion despite laws in their home state prohibiting the procedure.

Weiser: “If any other state tries to criminalize a patient or doctor here in Colorado, I will be fighting to pro tect Colorado’s law and patients and doctors who are here in our state.”

Kellner: “No other state can reach in and say, ‘look, we’re going to tell you, Colorado, what to do.’”

Kellner has declined to elaborate on his personal position on abor tion.

If gay marriage were challenged in the courts, Kellner said he’d also intervene. “I would defend gay mar riage,” he said. “I wholly support (the right of) people to marry whom ever they love.”

Weiser noted that marriage isn’t protected by existing Colorado law,

and said that should change.

“I will push for a state constitution amendment in Colorado to protect same-sex marriage,” he said.

Changing one’s mind and compromising

We asked both candidates to share an example of a time they changed their minds on an issue or had to compromise.

Kellner said that as a Marine Corps lawyer he helped prosecute service members for drug use, caus ing them to be discharged from the military without benefits. Often, those people were suffering posttraumatic stress as a result of their combat deployments.

“That wasn’t the right thing to do,” Kellner said, so he helped cre ate a veteran’s treatment court in 2013 “to hopefully get them on the right path.”

Weiser said he compromised on the fentanyl bill passed by the leg islature this year. He wanted stiffer possession penalties.

“I told the speaker of the House, ‘you got to change it. It’s a prob lem,’” Weiser said. “I pushed hard, and then he came back and said, ‘the best I can do is (1 gram),’ and I said, ‘I’m sorry to hear that, but it’s better than four.’”

What else you should know

In 2019, Weiser supported a Phila delphia nonprofit in its legal battle with the Trump administration over whether the group should have been allowed to open a supervised drug consumption site in that city. The nonprofit eventually lost its case.

Weiser says he doesn’t support the concept — which was floated in Denver but shelved because of

political pushback — and that he got involved because he saw it as a states’ rights issue.

“I don’t support supervised injec tion sites in Colorado,” Weiser said during the 9News debate. “The ac tion in Pennsylvania wasn’t because I support those sites. It’s because of a principle that states should be allowed to experiment. We have legal and regulated marijuana. At that time, Attorney General Jeff Sessions was attacking our system of legal and regulated marijuana. What I support is state authority to make decisions for themselves, to experiment.”

Weiser has been a champion of law enforcement reform, but Kellner has staked a different position on the issue. He said he disagrees with the legislature’s 2020 move to elimi nate qualified immunity for police officers, allowing them to be sued in their individual capacities.

“There are a couple of bad apples out there, and we weed them out,” he said during a debate earlier this year. “But, writ large, I think the police in Colorado do a dangerous and difficult job and they do it to the very best of their abilities. We do need to hold people accountable when they break the law. But I want to be really clear that I support the police here and the valuable work they do.”

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 Colo rado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colo rado Community Media.

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Secretary of state candidates debate

Anderson, Griswold speak on the issues

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER AND SANDRA FISH THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, is running for reelection this year against Pam Anderson, a Republican who used to be Jefferson County’s clerk and recorder.

The winner of the race will oversee Colorado’s elections for the next four years, as well as enforce the state’s campaign fi nance laws and oversee business registration, notaries and the regulation of charities.

The two candidates clashed at a debate on Oct. 12 hosted by The Colorado Sun, the University of Denver’s Center for American Politics and CBS4.

Here’s what you need to know about the candidates and where they stand on the issues:

The candidates’ background Griswold, 38, was elected secretary of state in 2018. She is a lawyer who worked in the Obama administration and directed then-Gov. John Hickenlooper’s Washington, D.C., offi ce. She is currently chairwoman of the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State.

Anderson, 52, served as Jefferson County’s clerk and recorder

for eight years from 2007 to 2015 and is also the former executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association, where she worked on legislative issues at the Colorado Capitol. She has also worked with national organizations on elections and voting policy.

Should Colorado’s secretary of state be elected? And should it be a partisan office?

Both Griswold and Anderson agreed that the secretary of state in Colorado should be elected as opposed to appointed, which is how the position is fi lled in some other states.

“I think it’s important the secretary of state be accountable to the people,” Griswold said.

Making the secretary of state an appointed position wouldn’t dispel the politics of the position, Anderson said. “It really enforces that we have responsiveness to our electorate if we are elected.”

Anderson said, however, that Colorado should consider making the secretary of state a nonpartisan position similar to city council and school board seats.

Should the secretary of state dive into issues beyond the secretary of state’s role?

Anderson said she would try to keep the offi ce “above the political fray” by never endorsing a candidate or advocating on behalf of issues outside of the secretary

of state’s role because of how those actions could be perceived by the public.

“Even though I’m a person of political conscience, I am a prochoice woman, it’s not a central position for the offi ce of the secretary of state,” Anderson said. “Even if the perception is that you are putting your thumb on the scale … that creates doubt for the process.”

Griswold disagrees, saying she would use her position to stand up for abortion access and the right for same-sex couples to marry.

“That’s not partisan, that’s American,” Griswold said.

Politicizing the Secretary of State’s Office

Anderson isn’t among the Colorado Republicans who’ve gone along with former President Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, but during The Sun’s debate she criticized Griswold for invoking election deniers, including indicted Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, as fodder for national television appearances and fundraising emails.

“I will not put fuel on the fi re with hyperpartisan and polarizing and divisive rhetoric to fuel my political campaign,” Anderson said.

Griswold, meanwhile, attacked Anderson for appearing at campaign events with Republican candidates who have questioned the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. She specifi cally mentioned 7th Congressional District candidate Erik Aadland, who said the election was “rigged,” and Danny Moore, the GOP candidate for lieutenant governor who was removed from his role as chairman of Colorado’s Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission in 2021 after social media posts surfaced in which he questioned the outcome of the

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2020 election.

“I think it’s inappropriate to campaign with election deniers spreading the big lie,” Griswold said, challenging Anderson to stop appearing with the Aadland and Moore.

While Anderson didn’t directly respond to the challenge, she noted that she’s objected to Aadland’s statement and other Republican election deniers. “I will continue to push back on candidates, even in my own party, about the big lie,” she said.

Anderson also repeatedly criticized Griswold during The Sun’s debate for spending more than $1 million in federal election assistance money on TV ads cautioning voters against disinformation. The ads featured Griswold and former Secretary of State Wayne Williams, a Republican Griswold defeated in 2018 and who this year has endorsed Anderson.

That money should have been directed to county clerks for election security, Anderson said.

Tina Peters

In August 2021, Griswold announced she was investigating Peters after images of passwords to Mesa County’s voting equipment were posted on a conservative website. A grand jury indicted Peters in March on 10 counts, including charges of attempting to infl uence a public servant and criminal impersonation. Peters is scheduled for a trial in early March.

Anderson defeated Peters, who also ran for secretary of state this year, by a 14 percentage point margin in the Republican primary in June.

Anderson said that while she agreed with the investigation of Peters — “I supported you on that,” Anderson said to Griswold — she said Griswold crossed a line when she raised money based

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on the active investigation of the Mesa County clerk.

“We need to make sure that we take the politics out, take the fun draising out of the scenario, and maintain that fairness as a fair referee for the entire process,” Anderson said. “It’s not appropri ate to do that for your political ca reer and it denigrates the office.”

Griswold touted her work on and support for a law passed by Colorado’s legislature following the investigation of Peters that made it a felony to allow unau thorized access to voting equip ment.

“I was the first secretary of state in the country to actu ally have to deal with an insider threat,” Griswold said. “I acted quickly and decisively.”

Making Colorado’s elections more secure

Responding to a question about how to improve the security of Colorado’s elections, Griswold said that while there is room for innovation, pointing to her work around automatic voter registra tion, Colorado’s elections are already safe and secure.

Anderson said she would im prove audits for voter lists and signature verification. She has also recommended improving regulation around “ballot har vesting,” referring to Coloradans’ ability to return up to 10 ballots for themselves and other voters.

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, back, follows Republican candidate for Colorado secretary of state Pam Anderson on to a stage for a candidate debate Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022, on the campus of the University of Denver in south east Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Some worry that allowing Colo radans to return so many ballots for others could result in fraud.

Griswold said there’s no evi dence fraudulent ballot harvest ing has occurred in Colorado. She accused Anderson of pandering to the far right by voicing con cerns about the practice.

“Ballot harvesting is a con spiracy theory made popular by Donald Trump,” Griswold said.

Anderson said she supported the law allowing Coloradans to turn in up to 10 ballots, and “I also support enforcing the law if there’s a complaint.”

“Let’s make sure that we can enforce the law and provide all the access and security we can,” Anderson said.

Postcards to noncitizens

For the second election cycle in a row, Griswold’s office this year mistakenly sent postcards urging noncitizens to register to vote even though they are ineligible.

This year’s postcards went to some 30,000 ineligible people.

“There was a data error,” Griswold said. “Anybody with a noncitizen ID would be blocked from registering. No one has at tempted to register from that list who is ineligible.”

Griswold noted during The Sun’s debate that Anderson made a similar error when she was Jefferson County clerk, sending postcards to 22,000 voters saying they’d failed to vote when they actually had.

Anderson said making the mis take twice is an issue.

“I think making the same error again points to a management problem, points to a lack of lead ership,” Anderson said.

Anderson noted that turnover in the Secretary of State’s Office has been high, potentially result ing in the mistake.

Griswold defended her actions.

“I’m very proud of my office’s response to this,” she said. “If we really want to get into the minu tiae of a blame game, that’s not something I’m willing to do. You have not seen me blame anybody within my staff. You’ve seen me take responsibility and that’s what I do as secretary of state.”

Managing the 2024 presidential election

Griswold and Anderson were asked what they would do if Trump should run for reelection in 2024 and ask them to change the results of the presidential contest, as he did in 2020 in Geor gia. Both candidates said they would stand up to Trump.

“I would say ‘absolutely not’ and my first call would be to the attorney general,” Anderson said.

When asked a follow-up ques tion about whether she would vote for Trump, Anderson didn’t answer, saying she has never

revealed which candidates she supports and won’t take sides in elections.

Griswold said she would never support “someone who is using the office for their posture, to destabilize this country, to try to destroy democracy for their own political benefit.”

Why should you vote for them?

If elected, Anderson said she would work to restore profession alism to the Secretary of State’s Office by focusing on bipartisan leadership.

Anderson noted that she has been endorsed by former Boul der County Clerk Hillary Hall, a Democrat, and current clerks Tif fany Lee, of La Plata County, and Michelle Nauer, of Ouray County, who are both unaffiliated.

In a closing statement, Gris wold emphasized her role in expanding voter access during the pandemic and creating a new process for businesses to fight identity theft.

“In a new term, I will continue to protect the right to vote for ev ery Coloradan and make this the best state in the nation to open a business,” she said.

Colorado Sun staff writer Jesse Paul contributed to this report.

This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news out let based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit colora dosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

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Fort Lupton bows out in quarterfinal round

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

AURORA -- Fort Lupton’s softball team made it to the quarterfinal round at the state 3A softball tournament for the second year in a row. And for the second year in a row, that’s where the Bluedevils’ season came to an end.

Fort Lupton won the first game Oct. 21, a 7-2 decision over Delta High School. No stats were available for either team.

“The bats were really strong this game,” said winning pitcher Sammy Gonzales. “I was hitting my spots. It was a team effort that won the game.”

She relied on a couple of pitches to get the win .. a screwball and a drop pitch.

“The screwball is where it looks like it’s going down the middle, but at the last minute, it goes inside,” she said. “The drop is flat and then drops off at the last minute. Usually, the drop works and the curve. I couldn’t find my release (for the curve ball).”

“We have a good idea what we’re doing now,” coach Albert Vasquez said. “The maturity and experience has helped us out. Pitching kept us in the game. We took away the inside half of the plate.”

Eaton High School was waiting in the quarterfinals and beat FLHS 11-1 in six innings. The Reds put the game out of reach with a seven-run second inning. Stephanie Bingley

had a base hit and drove in three runs. Jaeli Lewis had a base hit and two RBIS, as did Julia Meagher. No stats were available for Fort Lupton.

“You’ve got to tip your hat to them,” Vasquez said. “They pitched well. They played defensively well. They hit the ball well. They didn’t have any faults, and that was the result. We didn’t have very many good approaches at the plate. We weren’t very disciplined. Our pitching didn’t come through as it usually does.”

The Bluedevils captured their second straight regional title and finished with a record of 20-7. FLHS loses six to graduation.

Gonzales said this year’s squad had more confidence than in other years.

“We bonded more as a team this year,” she said. “That helps a lot. The night before regionals, we did a movie night. And last night (Oct. 19), we had a movie night. That brings us all together.”

“They have passion. You see the emotion. That’s the passion they have,” Vasquez said. “They wear that uniform with pride. I greatly appreciate that. We don’t call it rebuilding. We call it reloading. They bought into the whole family thing. We wanted them to become a team. On the field, the pitching was great. The hitting was great. The defense was great. There were a lot of things that made this a great season.”

State 4A softball: Frederick’s run ends in semifinals

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

AURORA – Frederick’s run through the state 4A softball tournament consisted of three familiar opponents and a berth in the semifinals.

But that’s where the season came to an end, thanks to the eventual state champions from Lutheran High School. LHS beat the Golden Eagles 8-2 at Aurora Sports Park Oct. 22.

First things first

The Golden Eagles rallied to beat Golden 5-3 in the tournament opener Oct. 21 at Aurora Sports Park. The two teams met twice last year in the regional round of the playoffs at Riverdale Ridge.

The Demons had a 3-1 lead in the third inning at the state tournament before Frederick rallied for the win. Carlie Nagy had two hits and drove in two of Frederick’s runs. Alexandra Kennedy had a pair of base hits. Golden’s Dani Philip had two of her team’s six hits. Teagan Sherman and Lyla Wilde got credit for the RBIs.

“The Achilles’ tendon of this team is when we give freebies up,” Frederick coach Roger Dufour said. “We gave up too many freebies early. The team responded. This team has been very resilient. They believed in themselves and were able to put some runs up.”

Frederick relied on a season-long

Frederick baserunner Hailey Simmons slides into second as Lutheran infielder Aleksia Severson throws to first during a CHSAA 4A semifinal playo game at Aurora Sports Park Oct. 22. The Lions won, 8-2 and later shut out Holy Family 3-0 to win the 4A crown.

PHOTO BY STEFAN BRODSKY

Fort Lupton’s Areliana Bravo takes a swing during the first round of the state 3A softball tournament at Aurora Sports Park Oct. 21. FLHS beat Delta 7-2.

PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH

Fort Lupton High School

Cross country

LYONS -- Fort Lupton’s Jonathan Trejo qualified for the state 2A cross country meet Oct. 20.

He finished 12th at the regional meet at Lyons High School, posting a time of 18:42. His teammate, Cameron Reeves, placed 55th in a seasonbest time of 23:10.4.

Football

Fort Lupton put together a seasonhigh point total Oct. 21 and beat Steamboat Springs 52-35 in Fort Lupton. The Bluedevils are 4-4 this season.

Bluedevils’ quarterback Will Alvarado was 15-for-27 for 245 yards and four touchdowns.Danny Gonzales caught six of Alvarado’s passes for 48 yards and two TDs. Joseph Gallegos caught four passes -- one was a scoring pass) and gained 120 yards. Antonio Gonzales ran 20 times for 125 yards and scored twice.

Sailors’ quarterback Cade Gedeon was 15-for-24 for 286 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran the ball

SOFTBALL

FROM

strength – the late innings – to produce the win. FHS scored a single run in the third, added two in the fourth and one more run in the fifth. Nagy pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed four hits while striking out three.

“I’ve got to give Carlie a lot of credit. She’s done this four times this year, coming in as that second pitcher. She didn’t give up a lot of runs. She gave us a chance,” Dufour said.

Riverdale Ridge Part 3

Frederick’s quarterfinal round opponent was a familiar one – Riverdale Ridge. The Golden Eagles and the Ravens played twice during the regular season. RRHS won both. Dufour thought it would be hard for Riverdale Ridge to win a third time. And he was right.

eight times for 63 yards and a score. Jay Phillips caught two of the touchdown passes, and Austin Moore finished with nine receptions for 158 yards.

Volleyball

Fort Lupton split a pair of games Oct. 22 at the Frontier League tournament. The Bluedevils beat Lake County 25-19, 25-16, 25-23. Payton

Faulhaberhad eight kills to pace fort Lupton. Dani Aviles had four. No stats were available for Lake County.

Bennett turned back FLHS 19-25, 25-19, 25-13, 26-24. No stats were available.

Soccer

Fort Lupton wrapped up the regular season with a 6-2, senior night win over Arrupe Jesuit Oct. 19.

Mauri Ochoa and Jose Barrios scored the goals for the Generals. No stats were available for the Bluedevils.

Frederick HS scores

Football

Three Ravens’ errors in the fourth inning gave Frederick five unearned runs and sent the Golden Eagles on their way to the semifinals with a 10-6 win.

“That’s some advice I got a long time ago from some of the great coaches I was able to play for and coach with. I conveyed that same message to our girls,” Dufour said.

“It’s time we beat them. It’s the first time we’ve beaten them since they came into that league. I felt they feared us a little bit. Third time is a charm.”

Nagy contributed three hits and three RBIs to the cause. Lani Davis had two hits and an RBI. Kennedy added a hit and an RBI. Aubree Davis had a base hit and drove in two runs for Riverdale Ridge. Madyson Ortiz had two hits.

“Being familiar with an opponent gives you the edge. I don’t think Brynn (RRHS starting pitcher

Brynn Trujillo) was up to her normal standards. She’s a good enough player she can control the game,”

Frederick routed Denver North 57-21 in Frederick Oct. 21. FHS improved to 6-2 this season. No stats were available for either team.

Soccer

Skyline shaded Frederick 2-1 in the regular-season finale for both teams Oct. 20. angel Pereura and Luis Ramirez scored the goals for the Falcons. No stats were available for the Golden Eagles.

Cross country

LYONS -- Here are the Golden Eagles’ results from the regional meet at Lyons High School Oct. 20:

Girls

14. Jessica Ellinger, 21:58.7 (qualifies for state). 44. Hailey Pollard, 25:41.7. 63. Kassidy Lear, 27:22.6. 73. Mya Wilcox, 29:55.5. 76. Kendall Willis, 30:13.9.

Boys

12. Nikolas Carrillo, 18:11.6 (qualifies for state). 43. Brandt Hartman, 19:53.2. 49. Darren Reynolds, 20:14.6. 57. William Hershey, 20:37.4. 60. Nicholas Aasmundstad-Williams, 20:42.7.

Dufour said. “At this time of the year, it’s survive and advance .. and you have to have a little luck. Those things went our way.”

A rematch with Lutheran Frederick and Lutheran paired up in the semifinals Oct. 22, and the Lions led from start to finish en route to the 8-2 win. Malea Yoxsimer’s tworun single opened the scoring in the first inning, part of a three-run rally.

“We had a couple of plays we didn’t quite execute,” Dufour said. “We gave them that three-run cushion right away. When you’re down to four teams, that’s tough to do. We were able to put a couple back on. That’s a good team. You can’t give them anything.”

FHS scored its runs in the third inning. Hailey Simmons walked and came around to score when the Lions threw Makenzie Sais’ base hit into the outfield. Sais scored as well. The Lions countered with five runs in the fourth inning. Meredith Barnhart had a two-run double, and

Volleyball

The Golden Eagles lost all three of their games at a tournament at The Classical Academy Oct. 22.

Thompson Valley beat FHS 25-14, 25-16. Tatum Sharp had 10 kills for the Eagles. Chloe Duzenack added eight. No stats were available for Frederick.

Roosevelt got past Frederick 28-26, 20-25, 15-10. No stats were available. Severance tripped up the Golden Eagles 25-9, 24-26, 15-13. No stats were available.

Frederick downed Fort Morgan 25-21, 18-25, 25-19, 25-14 on the Mustangs’ floor Oct. 18. Katelin Sindelar had 13 kills to pace the Warriors. Delaney Frank was next with eight, and she added nine aces.

Kourtney Smith led the Mustangs with eight kills. Leighlah Montel added five. Katie Bell served up four aces.

Soccer

Frederick slipped past Severance 2-1 on the Golden Eagles’ pitch Oct. 18. No stats were available for either team.

Mackenzy Glenn added a two-run single.

Frederick left the bases loaded in the fourth inning and stranded two more in the fifth.

“I’m very proud,” Dufour. “Last year, she (LHS pitcher Hailey Maestretti) had a dozen or more strikeouts against us. They run-ruled us. We hit her hard at times., But I give her a lot of credit. She deals a lot of ground balls, a lot of pop-ups.”

In conclusion

The Golden Eagles were 24-4 and finished second to Riverdale Ridge in the Longs Peak League.

“To get to the final four with his group, I’m very proud of them,” Dufour said. “We have a goal to get down here every year. We wanted to get past that first round. It’s been a couple of seasons. It wasn’t a surprise. If we could get by Golden, I was confident about playing Riverdale a third time. I’m very glad we made it to the last day. We didn’t make it to the last game, but I’m

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1. MYTHOLOGY: What are the Nereids in Greek mythology?

2. LITERATURE: Which 19thcentury English novel has the subtitle, “The Parish Boy’s Progress”?

3. ACRONYMS: In printing, what does the acronym DPI stand for?

4. GEOGRAPHY: Which city lies near the largest natural harbor in the world?

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Prosecuting a person twice for the same offense.

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We continue to invest in innovation and people, developing new businesses and state-of-the art tools that support new products that produce superior ROIs for clients. We believe that a creative, learning environment staffed with talented people who want to grow and utilize the newest and best tools will result in a dynamic and successful culture that has a positive impact on our clients business and our community. Our brand is one of the most trusted in our community. We’ve built this reputation by providing award-winning news coverage and by being engaged in our community at all levels. As a true marketer, we want you to bring your experience and expertise to develop the best advertising and audience programs for local advertisers needing to engage with the community to grow their business. We value teamwork. We embrace opinions, perspectives, cultures and backgrounds that energizes the company and fuels our passion to do what’s right for our readers, our advertisers and our employees. If you’ve got the drive and the passion, together we can take your career farther than you’ve ever imagined. We are building a sales team that will be the face of the changing media landscape. We are looking for people who are excited to represent our emerging brands and our trusted, traditional ones too. Join our team, working from our Englewood offices and remote. If you’re as passionate as we are about our mission to grow and engage our community, please apply. This position offers competitive pay and a comprehensive benefit package that includes medical, dental, vision, life, and paid holiday, vacation, sick and personal time. As an added bonus, you’ll office less than 60 minutes from the best Colorado has to offer in outdoor recreation.

Public Notices

Weld

Public Notice

I need to:

1. Fort Lupton Recreation Center

Weekdays: Oct. 24th - Nov. 7th 203 S Harrison Ave, Fort Lupton

Monday-Friday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

2. Southwest Weld County Services Complex

[Closed Saturday & Sunday: Oct. 29th and Oct.30th] 4209 Weld CR 24½, Longmont (Del Camino)

Saturday: Nov. 5th ▪ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

3. Trinity Lutheran Church/School

[Closed Sunday: Nov. 6th] 3000 35th Ave, Greeley

ELECTION DAY: Nov. 8th ▪ 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

ADA accessible voting machines are available at any VSPC

1. Aims College Cornerstone Building

Opening Friday, November 4th 5401 W 20th St, Greeley

Weekdays: Nov. 4th - Nov. 7th

2. Erie Community Center

Monday-Friday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm 450 Powers St, Erie

Saturday: Nov. 5th ▪ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

3. Platteville Town Hall

[Closed Sunday: Nov. 6th] 400 Grand Ave, Platteville

ELECTION DAY: Nov. 8th ▪ 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

4. UNC Campus Commons 1051 22nd St, Greeley

5. Weld County Training Center 1104 H St, Greeley

6. Windsor Recreation Center 250 11th St, Windsor

ADA accessible voting machines are available at any VSPC

1. Carbon Valley Recreation Center

Tuesday: November 8th 701 5th St, Frederick

7:00 am - 7:00 pm

ADA accessible voting machines are available at any VSPC

Weekdays: Oct. 17th - Nov. 7th

2. Evangelical Free Church 1325 3rd St, Eaton

3. Hudson Town Hall 50 Beech St, Hudson

Johnstown Senior Center 101 Charlotte St, Johnstown

Keenesburg Old Town Hall 140 S Main St, Keenesburg

6. Nunn Town Hall 185 Lincoln Ave, Nunn

1. Weld County Election Office

Monday-Friday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm 1250 H St, Greeley

[Closed Saturday: Oct. 22nd, Oct. 29th]

Saturday: Nov. 5th ▪ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

[Closed Sunday: Oct. 23rd, Oct. 30th , Nov. 6th]

ELECTION DAY: Nov. 8th ▪ 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

1. Aims College Cornerstone Building

October 17th - November 8th 5401 W 20th St, Greeley

ELECTION DAY: Closing at 7:00 pm

2. Briggsdale School (District RE-10J) 420 Main St, Briggsdale

3. Carbon Valley Recreation Center 701 5th St, Frederick

Erie Community Center 450 Powers St, Erie

Evans Community Complex 1100 37th St, Evans

Fort Lupton Recreation Center 203 S Harrison Ave, Fort Lupton

Greeley City Hall 1000 10th St, Greeley

Grover Town Hall 315 Chatoga St, Grover

Hudson Library 100 S Beech St, Hudson

Lochbuie Town Hall 703 County Road 37, Lochbuie

Milliken Town Hall 1101 Broad St, Milliken

New Raymer Church 225 County Road 86, New Raymer

Nunn Town Hall 185 Lincoln Ave, Nunn

Platteville Town Hall 400 Grand Ave, Platteville

Southwest Weld County Services Complex 4209 Weld CR 24½, Longmont (Del Camino)

UNC University Center 2101 10th Ave, Greeley

Weld County Election Office 1250 H St, Greeley

Windsor Recreation Center 250 11th St, Windsor

Register to vote or update my voter registration

Obtain a replacement ballot

Drop off my ballot PRIOR TO Election Day

Drop off my ballot ON Election Day

Vote in person

Public Notices

will

NOTICE OF COORDINATED ELECTION

In accordance with the provisions of the Colorado Revised Statutes, notice is hereby given that a Coordinated Election will be held in the County of Weld, State of Colorado, between the hours of 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM on the 8th day of Novem ber 2022.

MAIL BALLOT ELECTION

The November 8, 2022 Coordinated Election will be conducted as a mail ballot election in Weld County. All eligible voters will be mailed a ballot beginning October 17, 2022. There will be Voter Service Polling Centers at three (3) locations for voters to apply for and obtain mail-in ballots.

Trinity Lutheran Church/School 3000 35th Ave. Greeley, 80631

Southwest Weld County Services Complex 4209 County Road 24 ½ Longmont, CO 80504

Fort Lupton Recreation Center 203 S. Harrison Ave. Fort Lupton, CO 80621

Weekdays: Oct. 24th – Nov. 7th Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Saturday: Nov. 5th 8 a.m. – 5 pm. Closed Sunday Nov. 6th Election Day: Nov. 8th 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Voters may drop off ballots at the 24-hour ballot box located at the Fort Lupton Recreation Cen ter, 203 S. Harrison Avenue or by walking into the Recreation Center. There are twelve (12) drop off locations, for a list of locations, please see the attached page or refer to www.weldgov.com Postage is not required when dropping off your ballot at the 24-hour ballot box. The ballot box is available from October 17th – November 8th and

PAYMENT

are locked at 7 p.m.

QUALIFICATIONS TO VOTE

FOR MORE INFORMATION Mari Peña, City Clerk Phone: 720-466-6101 mpena@fortluptonco.gov

OFFICIAL ELECTION BALLOT CITY OF FORT LUPTON, COLORADO TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022 City of Fort Lupton Ballot Issue 2C RETAIL MARIJUANA EXCISE TAX (tax on commercial marijuana growers)

SHALL THE CITY OF FORT LUPTON TAXES BE INCREASED BY ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($100,000) IN THE FIRST FISCAL YEAR (2023), AND BY SUCH AMOUNTS AS ARE RAISED ANNUALLY THEREAFTER BY IMPOSING, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2023, A NEW EXCISE TAX OF 1.5% WHEN UNPRO CESSED RETAIL MARIJUANA IS FIRST SOLD OR TRANSFERRED BY A RETAIL MARIJUANA CULTIVATION FACILITY WITH THE TAX REV ENUES BEING USED TO FUND GENERAL GOVERNMENT EXPENSES AS DETERMINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, WITH THE RATE OF THE TAX BEING ALLOWED TO BE INCREASED OR DECREASED WITHOUT FURTHER VOTER APPROVAL SO LONG AS THE RATE OF TAXA TION DOES NOT EXCEED 4%, AND WITH THE RESULTING TAX REVENUE BEING ALLOWED TO BE COLLECTED AND SPENT AS A VOTER APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE WITHOUT REGARD TO ANY EXPENDITURE, REVENUE RAISING, OR OTHER LIMITATION CONTAINED IN ARTICLE X, § 20 (TABOR), OF THE COLO RADO CONSTITUTION OR ANY OTHER LAW?

IMPUESTO ESPECIAL SOBRE LA VENTA DE MARIHUANA (impuesto a los cultivadores de marihuana comercial)

¿LOS IMPUESTOS DE LA CIUDAD DE FORT LUPTON AUMENTARÁN A CIEN MIL DÓLARES ($100,000) ANUALMENTE EN EL PRIMER AÑO FISCAL (2023), Y EN LAS CANTIDADES QUE SE AUMENTEN ANUALMENTE DESPUÉS, ES TABLECIENDO A PARTIR DEL 1 DE ENERO DE 2023, UN NUEVO IMPUESTO ESPECIAL DEL 1.5% CUANDO SE VENDA O TRASLADE LA MARIHUANA SIN PROCESAR POR PRIM ERA VEZ POR UNA INSTALACIÓN DE CUL TIVO DE MARIHUANA Y QUE LOS INGRESOS FISCALES SE UTILICEN PARA FINANCIAR LOS GASTOS GENERALES DEL GOBIERNO SEGÚN LO DETERMINE EL CONCEJO DE LA CIUDAD Y QUE LA TASA DEL IMPUESTO PUEDA AUMENTARSE O DISMINUIRSE SIN MÁS APROBACIÓN DE LOS VOTANTES, SIEM PRE Y CUANDO LA TASA DE IMPUESTOS NO SUPERE EL 4%, Y QUE LOS INGRESOS FISCALES RESULTANTES PUEDAN RECAU DARSE Y GASTARSE COMO UN CAMBIO DE INGRESOS APROBADO POR LOS VOTANTES SIN CONSIDERAR NINGÚN GASTO, RECAU DACIÓN DE INGRESOS U OTRA LIMITACIÓN INCLUIDA EN EL ARTÍCULO X, § 20 (TABOR), DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN DE COLORADO O CU ALQUIER OTRA LEY?

City of Fort Lupton Ballot Issue 2D DEBT QUESTION (extension of expiring tax)

WITHOUT IMPOSING ANY NEW TAX, SHALL CITY OF FORT LUPTON DEBT BE INCREASED $10,000,000 WITH A MAXIMUM TOTAL REPAY MENT COST OF NOT MORE THAN $18,240,000 AND A MAXIMUM ANNUAL REPAYMENT COST OF NOT MORE THAN $608,000 FOR THE PUR POSES OF CONSTRUCTING AND EQUIPPING PHASE TWO OF THE ORIGINAL DESIGN OF THE RECREATION CENTER TO INCLUDE, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, AN EXPANSION OF THE

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10/11/202272402CEM SALES & SERVICE INC 2500.40

10/11/202272403CENTURA HEALTH 42.05

10/11/202272404CITY OF FORT LUPTON 266.00

10/11/202272405CITY OF FT LUPTON-UTIL INVOICE 59487.18

10/11/202272406**VOID** 0.00

10/11/202272407COLORADO ANALYTICAL LAB 48.00

10/11/202272408COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA 68.80

10/11/202272409COMCASTCABLECOMM, LLC 174.80

10/11/202272410DHMDESIGNCORPORATION 3872.39

10/11/202272411DIGDEEP RESEARCH, LLC 13750.00

10/11/202272412DPGUARDIANINC 72367.50

10/11/202272413DXPENTERPRISES INC 2.07

10/11/202272414 EWING IRRIGATIONPRODUCTS INC 75.00

10/11/202272415FASTENALCOMPANY 01COFTL 73.98

10/11/202272416

FUREVERDOG RESCUE AND BOARDING 180.00

10/11/202272417GREENMILL SPORTSMAN’S CLUB 150.00 10/11/202272418H&JCARPETCLEANING 450.00 10/11/202272419HAYES POZNANOVIC KORVER, LLC 818.00 10/11/202272420 INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL 287.00 10/11/202272421KASEYAUSLLC 1047.90 10/11/202272422L.G. EVERIST, INC 267.62

Legals

Districts

Budget Hearings

Notice

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS ON PROPOSED 2023 BUDGET AND AMENDMENT OF 2022 BUDGET

SKY METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a proposed Budget has been submitted to the Board of Direc tors (“Board”) of the Mountain Sky Metropolitan District (“District”) for fiscal year 2023. A copy of the proposed 2023 Budget is available for inspec tion by the public at the office of the District’s accountant, Marchetti & Weaver, PC, 245 Century Drive, Suite 103, Louisville, Colorado. The District Board will consider the proposed 2023 Budget, and an Amended 2022 Budget, if necessary, at public hearings to be held during a regular meet ing scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 2, 2022, remotely, via Zoom. Meeting access information and the meeting agenda may be obtained from the District’s website: https://www.mountainskymetrodistrict.org/districtinformation

GYMNASIUM, FITNESS CENTER AND AQUAT ICS AREA; AND SHALL THE TAXES AUTHO RIZED AT THE CITY’S ELECTION IN 2002 TO CONSTRUCT THE COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTER BE EXTENDED AND AUTHORIZED TO BE USED TO PAY THE DEBT AUTHORIZED AT THIS ELECTION IN ADDITION TO THE DEBT AUTHORIZED AT SUCH PRIOR ELECTION; AND SHALL THE MILL LEVY BE ESTABLISHED IN ANY YEAR AT A RATE NECESSARY TO GENERATE AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL OF, PREMIUM, IF ANY, AND INTEREST ON SUCH DEBT OR ANY REFUND ING DEBT (OR TO CREATE A RESERVE FOR SUCH PAYMENT); AND MAY SUCH DEBT BE EVIDENCED BY THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS OR OTHER MULTIPLE FISCAL YEAR OBLIGATIONS TO BE SOLD IN ONE SERIES OR MORE, FOR A PRICE ABOVE OR BELOW THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT THEREOF, ON TERMS AND CONDITIONS, AND WITH SUCH MATURITIES AS PERMITTED BY LAW AND AS THE CITY MAY DETERMINE, AND BEARING INTEREST AT A MAXIMUM NET EF FECTIVE INTEREST RATE NOT TO EXCEED 5.00%; AND SHALL SUCH TAX REVENUES, DEBT PROCEEDS, AND THE EARNINGS FROM THE INVESTMENT OF SUCH DEBT PROCEEDS AND TAX REVENUES BE COL LECTED, RETAINED AND SPENT AS A VOTER APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE UNDER AR TICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION OR ANY OTHER LAW?

CUESTIÓN DE LA DEUDA (extensión de impuesto a vencer)

SIN ESTABLECER NINGÚN IMPUESTO NUE VO, ¿SE AUMENTARÁ LA DEUDA DE LA CIU DAD DE FORT LUPTON A $10,000,000 CON UN COSTO MÁXIMO DE REEMBOLSO TOTAL NO MAYOR A $18,240,000 Y UN COSTO MÁX IMO DE REEMBOLSO ANUAL NO MAYOR A $608,000 PARA FINES DE CONSTRUCCIÓN Y EQUIPAMIENTO DE LA FASE DOS DEL DISE ÑO ORIGINAL DEL CENTRO DE RECREACIÓN PARA INCLUIR, ENTRE OTROS, UNA EXPAN

LANGUAGELINE SOLUTIONS 40.18 10/11/202272424 LEGAL AND LIABILITY RISK MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE 150.00 10/11/202272425MB AUTO SALES & SALVAGE 2240.00 10/11/202272426MINUTEMAN PRESS 409.57 10/11/202272427NATIONAL TRENCH SAFETY 95.41 10/11/202272428OFFICE DEPOT 395.35 10/11/202272429O’REILLY AUTO PARTS 612.52 10/11/202272430PAYMASTER CHECKWRITER CO 449.50 10/11/202272431PEAK FORM, LLC 820.00 10/11/202272432PROCODE INC 107722.35 10/11/202272433QUADIENT FINANCE USA INC 290.00 10/11/202272434QUALITY WELL AND PUMP 3131.25 10/11/202272435R & M SERVICES 863.41 10/11/202272436ROCKY MOUNTAIN INFORMATION 100.00 10/11/202272437ROCKY MOUNTAIN LOW VOLTAGE 135.00 10/11/202272438SYNERGETIC STAFFING LLC 1029.20 10/11/202272439TAIT & ASSOCIATES, INC. 3508.00 10/11/202272440TARA ELIASON 50.00 10/11/202272441TRINITY SCS IN 262.02 10/11/202272442TRUDILIGENCE LLC 229.41 10/11/202272443USA BLUE BOOK 438.73 10/11/202272444 UTILITY NOTIFICATION CENTER 487.50 10/11/202272445VERIZON WIRELESS SVCS LLC 4401.19 10/11/202272446WASTE CONNECTIONS OF COLO, INC 778.68 10/11/202272447XCEL ENERGY-GAS 226.81 10/18/202272448AAA AUTO PARTS INC 16.23 10/18/202272449AMERITAS LIFE INSURANCE CORP 6737.80 10/18/202272450BANK OF COLORADO 110.26 10/18/202272451CASSIHISEPHOTOGRAPY 300.00 10/18/202272452CITYOFFORTLUPTON 1397.55 10/18/202272453COLORADOCOMMUNITY MEDIA 125.28 10/18/202272454COMCASTCABLECOMM, LLC 571.79 10/18/202272455DELLMARKETINGLP 3924.88 10/18/202272456JOHNSTINNETPLUMB & HTG, INC 58.92

The Board may take action on the proposed 2023 Budget, and the proposed Amended 2022 Budget, if necessary, during the special meeting following the public hearings. Any interested elector of the District may file or register any objections thereto with the Board during normal business hours prior to the final adoption of the proposed 2023 Budget and Amended 2022 Budget.

MOUNTAIN SKY METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

/s/Gene Osborne

of the District Board

FLP734

COTTONWOOD GREENS METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 5

OF REGULAR MEETING AND NOTICE AS TO PROPOSED 2023 BUDGET NOTICE AS TO PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO 2022 BUDGET

November 22, 2022

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Cottonwood Greens Metropolitan District No. 5 (the “District”), County of Weld, State of Colorado, will hold a regular meeting at 11:30 AM on November 22, 2022 for the purpose of conducting such business as may come before the Board. Pursuant to § 32-1-903 CRS, as amended, the District’s meetings may also be conducted electronically, telephonically

or by other virtual means.

FURTHER, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a proposed budget has been submitted to the District for the fiscal year of 2023. A copy of the proposed budget has been filed in the office of CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP, 8390 E Crescent Park way, Suite 300, Greenwood Village, CO 80111, where the same is open for public inspection. Such proposed budget will be considered at the meeting of the District to be held at 11:30 AM on November 22, 2022. Any interested elector within the District may inspect the proposed budget and file or register any objections at any time prior to the final adoption of the 2023 budget.

FURTHER, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a proposed amended budget has been submitted to the District for the fiscal year of 2022. A copy of the proposed amended budget has been filed in the office of CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP, where the same is open for public inspection. Such pro posed amended budget will be considered at the meeting of the District to be held at 11:30 AM on November 22, 2022. Any interested elector within the District may inspect the proposed budget and file or register any objections at any time prior to the final adoption of the 2022 budget amendment.

Directors and members of the public that wish to participate in the meeting may do so via teleconfer ence by dialing +1 669 900 6833 and entering Con ference ID: 839 8959 8417 or videoconference on https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83989598417.

This meeting is open to the public.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS COTTONWOOD GREENS METROPOLITAN

SIÓN DEL GIMNASIO, CENTRO DE FITNESS Y ÁREA ACUÁTICA?; Y ¿LOS IMPUESTOS AUTORIZADOS EN LAS ELECCIONES DE LA CIUDAD EN 2002 PARA CONSTRUIR EL CEN TRO DE RECREACIÓN DE LA COMUNIDAD SE AMPLIARÁN Y AUTORIZARÁN PARA SU USO EN EL PAGO DE LA DEUDA AUTORIZADA EN ESTAS ELECCIONES, ADEMÁS DE LA DEUDA AUTORIZADA EN LAS ELECCIONES ANTERI ORES?; Y ¿SE ESTABLECERÁ EL IMPUESTO SOBRE BIENES INMUEBLES EN CUALQUIER AÑO A UNA TASA NECESARIA PARA GENER AR UNA CANTIDAD SUFICIENTE PARA PAGAR LA PARTE PRINCIPAL, LA PRIMA, SI LA HAY, Y LOS INTERESES DE ESA DEUDA O CUALQUI ER DEUDA DE REEMBOLSO (O PARA CREAR UNA RESERVA PARA DICHO PAGO)?; Y ¿ESA DEUDA PODRÁ DEMOSTRARSE CON LA EMISIÓN DE BONOS DE OBLIGACIÓN GEN ERAL U OTRAS OBLIGACIONES DE VARIOS AÑOS FISCALES PARA VENDERSE EN UNA SERIE O MÁS, A UN PRECIO MAYOR O MENOR A LA CANTIDAD PRINCIPAL CORRESPONDI ENTE, EN TÉRMINOS Y CONDICIONES, Y CON LOS VENCIMIENTOS QUE SE PERMITAN POR LEY Y SEGÚN LO QUE LA CIUDAD PUEDA DE TERMINAR, CON UN INTERÉS EN UNA TASA EFECTIVA NETA MÁXIMA QUE NO EXCEDA EL 5.00%?; Y ¿SE RECAUDARÁN, RETEND RÁN Y GASTARÁN DICHOS INGRESOS FIS CALES, INGRESOS DE DEUDA Y GANANCIAS DE LA INVERSIÓN DE DICHOS INGRESOS DE DEUDA E INGRESOS FISCALES COMO UN CAMBIO DE INGRESOS APROBADO POR LOS VOTANTES BAJO EL ARTÍCULO X, SECCIÓN 20 DE LA CONSTITUCIÓN DE COLORADO O CUALQUIER OTRA LEY?

10/18/202272457

JOHNSON CONTROLS SECURITY SOLUTIONS 196.93

10/18/202272458KUSTOMSIGNALS, INC. 2530.00

10/18/202272459L.G. EVERIST, INC 4.01

10/18/202272460LLJOHNSONDISTRIBUTING 238.74

10/18/202272461NICOLEGREIN 60.00

10/18/202272462OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT INT 123747.00 10/18/202272463PERKINS + WILL, INC. 20893.07 10/18/202272464RUBY EILEEN SHARP 50.00 10/18/202272465STERICYCLE 120.00 10/18/202272466SYNERGETIC STAFFING LLC 1029.20 10/18/202272467SYSTEM76 2149.86 10/18/202272468TODDHODGES DESIGN, LLC 5644.23 10/18/202272469UNITEDPOWER 35551.55 10/18/202272470**VOID** 0.00 10/18/202272471**VOID** 0.00

10/18/202272472UNITEDSITE SERVICES 814.38

10/18/202272473WASTE CONNECTIONS OF COLO, INC 391.42 10/18/202272474WELD COUNTY ACCTG DEPART 10158.77 10/18/202272475WHITE BEAR ANKELE TANAKA & WALDRON 427.94

10/18/202272476WILLIAMS AND WEISS CONSULTING 2635.00 10/07/2022DFT0002044BANK OF COLORADO 6382.04 10/07/2022DFT0002045BANK OF COLORADO 675.83 10/07/2022DFT0002046VALIC_1 35988.66 10/07/2022DFT0002047IRS 59727.09

10/07/2022DFT0002048CODEPARTMENT OF REVENUE 11130.00

DISTRICT NO. 5

By: /s/ LAW OFFICE OF MICHAEL E. DAVIS, LLC

Legal Notice No. FLP731

First Publication: October 27, 2022

Last Publication: October 27, 2022

Publisher: Fort Lupton Press

Misc. Private Legals

Public Notice

Legal Notice of Attempt to Settle Unclaimed Capital Credit Retirements

Commencing on October 27, 2022, and con tinuing through April 30, 2023, UNITED POWER, INC. (hereafter “United Power” or “the cooperative”), will make a final attempt to pay the unclaimed retirements of capital credits to its former members who were served by the cooperative prior to and through December 31, 2018. This notice does not apply to current United Power members. Representatives for the estates of deceased former members may also apply for unclaimed retired capital credits on behalf of the former member. Former members, or their repre sentatives, who may be eligible to receive these unclaimed retired capital credits can access a list of eligible accounts at the cooperative’s website at www.unitedpower.com, or in person at United Power’s headquarters office located at 500 Coop erative Way in Brighton, Colorado.

Former members or their representatives who may be eligible to receive a payment of unclaimed retired capital credits must complete and submit

an Unclaimed Retired Capital Credits Refund Request form (available at www.unitedpower.com) and verify all necessary information to ensure their eligibility for payment. A copy of the Unclaimed Retired Capital Credits Refund Request form may also be requested by emailing capitalcredits@ unitedpower.com or by calling United Power’s Member Services line at 303-637-1300.

Submitting an Unclaimed Retired Capital Credits Refund Request form does not guarantee a disbursement will be made; proper documenta tion and valid proof of membership during the applicable time period is required. No refund checks will be issued for unclaimed retirement amounts below $5.00. Unclaimed retired capital credit refunds can be donated to the United Power Round Up Foundation, which provides assistance to community organizations within the coopera tive’s service territory. After the notification period closes on April 28, 2023, all unclaimed retired capital credits for the applicable time period will be considered an assignment and contribution of capital to United Power.

Additional questions about this notice and unclaimed retired capital credit refunds should be directed to United Power Member Services at 303-637-1300 or by email to capitalcredits@ unitedpower.com

UNITED POWER, INC.

By: /s/Mark A. Gabriel President & CEO

Legal Notice No. FLP720

First Publication: October 27, 2022

Last Publication: November 3,

Publisher: Fort

GOVERNOR

Heidi Ganahl, founder of the nation’s largest pet care franchise, Camp Bow Wow, is running against Jared Polis next month to be Governor of Colorado. Heidi is a mom of four beautiful young children and a mom on a mission to restore common sense in Colorado. As a CU Regent for the past six years, Heidi has been a champion for students, free speech, school safety, and affordability.

Under Jared Polis, Colorado’s crime and drug use epidemic has risen to Under Colorado’s use epidemic unprecedented levels. Colorado has the second highest drug addiction rate and the sixth highest suicide rate amongst kids in the country; 60% of Colorado children cannot read, write, or do math at grade level. “Our kids are in a crisis!” is often heard at large rallies around the state, in support of Heidi Ganahl for Governor.

Colorado’s schools are in rapid decline, with the most affected being schools are rapid those in the major Colorado metro areas (Jefferson County, Denver County, Arapahoe County, El Paso County, etc). Including parents in what happens in the classroom and school-choice is a top priority for Ganahl. Teachers and other public servants have been hamstrung by spending on high-level administrators.

When Heidi defeats Jared Polis on November 8th, she will become the Heidi 8th, first mom to occupy the highest office in the state!

To learn more about Heidi Ganahl and her candidacy for Governor, visit www.heidiforgov.com.

PAID FOR BY HEIDI FOR GOVERNOR; REGISTERED AGENT SAM SCHAFER

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