Fort Lupton Press 032323

Communities try design to improve public safety

State dollars aim to prevent crime with environmental changes

BY BRITTANY FREEMAN AND CULLEN PURSER ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

Mike Burns bought a home right on the river near Delta, Colorado, with plans to spend the summers

shing outdoors with his grandkids. But those kinds of excursions haven’t always felt safe, since the family learned more about what had been happening in their new neighborhood.

“Crime, drugs, theft, things like that,” he said. “Because of the things that are going on, it’s created some anxiety in us.”

It turns out the Burns family had moved to a 2,000-foot stretch of dirt road that is at the epicenter of

roughly 10 percent of every call the small local sheri ’s o ce receives.

e sheri sent more deputies to patrol the area but that has left some neighbors even more unnerved.

“You’ve got four or ve sheri ’s vehicles parked next to your yard,” neighbor Steve Martinez said. “What are people going to think about what kind of neighborhood it is that you’re living in?”

But there’s a new sense of hope on this rural Delta County road these

State warns of avian flu surge amid migration

nationwide, is expected to have a surge in cases as the migratory season begins in Colorado.

BY PAOLO ZIALCITA COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

It’s been nearly a year since the rst outbreak in Colorado, and while cases have slowed, Colorado state veterinarian Maggie Baldwin said the risk will go up as more ocks of birds pass through.

that virus into our domestic poultry operations on both the commercial and the backyard side,” Baldwin said.

days, thanks to an infusion of state dollars set aside to prevent crime — not with more police o cers — but with environmental improvements.

e Crime Prevention rough Safer Streets grant program is providing communities with millions of dollars funds for projects like installing new lighting and fences, removing overgrown vegetation in highcrime areas, and building sidewalks

Fort Lupton has events in mind and promotion ideas, too

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Like a lot of people, the city of Fort Lupton is getting ready for warmer weather so it can host its 11 events this spring and summer.

e rst one is the Easter egg hunt Saturday, April 8, outside the recreation center at 203 S. Harrison Ave. While that speci c event may not get the out-of-area promotions as others (Field of Honor in late April, Fourth of July, Trapper Days in September will), special events coordinator Christy Romano said the overall goal of any city event is community engagement.

“We want to build in fundraisers within these events, especially Trapper Days and Independence Day, Romano said at the council’s March 14 town hall. “We want to focus on some of the nonpro ts that are willing to come forward and talk about how they serve our community.”

Part of her e ort also includes some swag for those who attend, such as a grab bag.

Highly pathogenic avian in uenza, the disease spreading among wild and domestic bird populations

“[ ese wild birds] are bringing more virus, they’re shedding more virus in the environment, and we’re likely gonna see more spillover of

So far, about 6.4 million chickens have either been killed by the virus or put down to prevent outbreaks within a ock. Hundreds of wild birds, mostly geese and ducks, have also been killed by the virus. Death is all but guaranteed for birds that

“We want to reward the sponsors who come forward, either in-kind or monetarily,” Romano said. “We want

Every year before Thanksgiving, First United Methodist Church in Fort Lupton and the Fort Lupton Food and Clothing Bank provide community members with food boxes. This will be the program’s 10th consecutive year. Above, Joe Hubert, left China Garcia and Sue Hubert with Change 4 Change, another organization that helps with the food drive. See more on Page 2.

As flocks head north, increase in virus shedding will heighten risk

Great horned owls are kept in the hospital area of the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program in Fort Collins. The program rehabilitates around 300 birds a year, 78% being treatable cases that can be returned to the wild.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA SUN; THE COLORADO SUN VIA REPORT FOR AMERICA

Fort Lupton Community Park gets upgrades

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e City of Fort Lupton Community Park will be renovated to provide outdoor recreation for all ages to support a growing community, ofcials announced this week.

e Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) board awarded a grant to Fort Lupton for $790,000 to revitalize its Community Park.

“We are grateful for GOCO’s generous support of this important park renovation in our community,” said Doug Cook, recreation manager at the City of Fort Lupton.

In addition, Fort Lupton residents, local businesses, council members, recreation center sta , and volunteers raised additional funds for $50,110 in cash. Dale’s Pharmacy made a $20,000 challenge grant to support park renovations, according to o cials.

GOCO develops a Community Impact grant focused to help cities revitalize their infrastructure, such as parks, trails, school yards, fairgrounds, environment education facilities, and outdoor projects to provide a quality of life for its com-

COUNCIL

everyone to understand that we are going to treat them the same.”

The city signed partnership deals

munities.

Fort Lupton’s plans for Community Park are to add a splash pad area, American Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible, playground equipment, trail improvement in and out of the park, restrooms facilities, and outdoor picnic tables with a shade structure.

Also, the park will be accessible with walking and biking trails. Community Park will be designed as outdoor recreation for all ages and physical disabilities and provide a safe environment.

e City of Fort Lupton conducted community feedback. ey wanted the splash pad, ADA and stroller accessible facilities and a safe place for all ages as well as shade for the playground equipment for children. e city will continue to communicate with the residents on ideas for project design through 2023.

“ is project is an opportunity to positively and directly a ect the well-being of the region by providing a joyful outdoor space designed with accessibility in mind. ese park improvements will lead to an inclusive space that brings families who do not currently have access together in

with a half-dozen businesses, including Bank of Colorado, the Fort Lupton campus of Aims Community College and United Power.

“We want to make sure we’re offering opportunities for smaller businesses at lower levels,” Romano told the council.

Field of Honor update Romano said event organizers are partnering with area schools for a youth day Friday, April 28 ) at the Field of Honor program. The event continues at Pearson Park, U.S. Highway 85 and State Highway 52, through Saturday, April 29.

Organizers want to bus area students to the park to visit with veterans and first responders.

“These kids can talk to them about what they do, what they did,” Romano told councilors. “When they talk to the veterans and first responders, they get an understanding of what they did.”

The ceremonial flyover and mili-

tary speeches are set for 1 p.m. on April 29.

Early request for police equipment

The Fort Lupton Police Department needs new, onboard vehicle cameras for its fleet of 15 cars.

Part of the new equipment includes a better way to track down stolen cars and a more efficient system to load information to a web-based evidence collection point.

“It’s a year lead time for us to get things ordered,” Police Chief John Fryar told councilors. “It’s going to be an upgrade to what we’ve been doing.”

TURN TO THE COLORADO SUN FOR NEWS ACROSS THE STATE

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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 non-partisan journalism. It covers everything from politics

and culture to the outdoor industry and education.

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

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

GOCO has funded the revitalization side Park in Evans and the construc-

City of Fort Lupton donors of raised money to support the Community Park renovation. COURTESY CITY OF FORT LUPTON

Pizza and beer a good match for Brighton

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Beer and pizza are the perfect mix, so it makes sense that local pizza makers

Simply Pizza found a way to make a brewery their home.

Simply Pizza and Something Brewery celebrating their ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 1, opening a dedicated portable pizza kitchen located right outside – in the parking lot.

“We came up with an idea of designing and building hybrid container kitchens, the mobile units that can be dropped o on locations but are still readily moveable and self-contained,” Simply Pizza owner Melinda Carbajal said. “We have parked at a few locations already; the Westy food truck park, and Jurassic World Exhibit.”

Simply Pizza has been in business since 2015 by previous owners, and the Carbajal family – Melinda and husband Armando and her sister Mary Littler – purchased it in October 2019.

“We all had di erent careers, and hired Simply Pizza to cater for events and I fell in love with the Pizza and its concept. e family who built it o ered it to me and I got my family onboard,” Melinda Carbajal said.

e Carbajals served their pizza from food trucks around town from the beginning. COVID gave the small crew the time to learn new things about her business.

Ultimately, it led them to build a pizza kitchen out of a shipping container that they parked outside on the back patio of Something Brewery, 117 North Main St. e container unit plugs into an outlet; ip up the

door and pass out the menus and people can start ordering.

“We are excited, it’s easy to have them here,” said Something Brewery co-owner David Allegrezza, “It’s nice because we don’t have to deal with anything on the business aspect to have a kitchen such as licensing, sta , overhead, electricity, build it out and have the space. It just turns into a whole ordeal.”

“It has been great so far since they have been here for six months. Our numbers have been increasing daily, not only for them but for the community and us, “ Allegrezza said.

“We are very excited. I’ve lived in the area for over 19 years, so it’s fun to have our business here,” Littler said.

“It has been the perfect pairing! Our families live in Brighton, our kids attend school here, and we are ac-

tive community members. e spot was excellent, and it has been nothing but fantastic,” Carbajal said. “We are looking forward to summer nights on the patio at Something.”

e pizza menu will be rotating monthly, so people can try various styles and pizza recipes.

“We also will be doing date night pairings, pizza classes, and hopefully hosting many private events throughout the summer,” Carbajal said.

“ ey have been around for a little while, and now they have more of a semipermanent presence here, and they can still operate their food truck in other areas. So, it’s good for them. ey are a local business and a community member. It’s good to support them,” Brighton Mayor Greg Mills said.

Carbajal said the company will continue sending its food truck to local events. More changes are coming, she said.

“In terms of our business, something big is on the horizon,” she said. “So hopefully, we will be able to share that news in the near future! For now, you can catch our truck at select festivals & fairs or have us cater your wedding or next big event.”

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Helping break the cycle of nicotine

Melinda Carbajal and her sister Mary Littler celebrate cutting the ribbon with sta from Something Brewery and the community of Brighton.

PHOTO BY BELEN WARD

Shooting puts Brighton schools on ‘secure’, lockdown status

Three suspects arrested in wake of shooting outside of Brighton High

BY SCOTT TAYLOR STAYLOR@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

One person was wounded after a shooting on March 15 at South Ninth Avenue and Bush Street, near Brighton High School.

“We believe we have all the suspects in custody at this time,” Brighton Police Chief Matt Domenico said at a press conference at the scene. “We have three individuals in custody, two that were taken into custody at a tra c stop and another that was taken into custody a little later.”

e resulting investigation put both Brighton and Prairie View high schools on lockdown, meaning all doors were closed and locked, connement of students to the school and no entry to or exit from the school. Other schools were on “secure stats,” meaning a threat in the area near a school. is was formerly called a “lockout.”

“ e school district is working with the Brighton Police Department now and conducting a controlled release,” Domenico said at the 3 p.m. press conference.

“ is came out at about 12:30 p.m., and this is lunchtime, and there are multiple schools in the area. ere were a number of students in the area,” Domenico said. “I just want to

share that our concern right now is that incidents like this are traumatic for everyone involved, but especially our school community and we do send our thoughts to everyone there.”

Counselors were available March 16 for those who needed them, according to district spokesman Kevin Denke.

e incident happened near South Ninth Avenue and Bush Street. One victim went to an area urgent care clinic with a gunshot wound and Brighton police tweeted that potential suspects were near East 120th Avenue and Salem Street.

Police searched several classrooms inside PVHS -- not far from the reported sighting -- but did not nd a suspect.

At his press conference, Domenico declined to say how old the people involved in the shooting were or if they were students at either school.

In a written statement issued later in the day, Brighton Police said that additional juveniles believed to be involved were contacted and detained.

Detectives believe this was an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat to the community.

Neighbor Betty Ho man said she heard a noise around 12:30 p.m. but assumed it was reworks.

“Nothing ever happens around here,” she said. “I just thought it was reworks.”

BPD spokeswoman Kylynn Delohery said police recovered shell casings near the original shooting scene

but no weapons. Police searched Orchard Church next to PVHS and the school’s ball elds without success.

Police used a drone around the original crime scene at Ninth Avenue and Bush Street to do grid mapping of the area.

e schools on secure status were Brighton High School, Vikan Middle School, Prairie View Middle School, South Elementary School, Southeast Elementary School, the Innovations & Options campus and Bright Beginnings campus. 27J added more schools to that list, including Northeast Elementary School, Overland Trail Elementary School, immig Elementary School and Henderson Elementary School. Authorities issued an all-clear shortly before 3 p.m. e parking lot at Prairie View HS remained closed while police search around the school for a suspect and a potentially related vehicle. Police said there was a “controlled release” by section of the school once the search inside the school was nished.

Commerce City police, Adams County sheri ’s deputies, ornton police and the Colorado State Patrol assisted.

Brighton Police are asking neighbors surrounding 9th Avenue and Bush Street to review any camera footage they may have. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to please contact the Brighton Police Department at 303-6558740. You may also remain anonymous and contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7876.

Several law enforcement agencies descend on Prairie View High School after a shooting in Brighton March 15. Police thought the suspect was inside PVHS.

PHOTO BY BELEN WARD

Heating and ventilation company opens shop in Brighton

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e heating and air conditioning service that celebrated its grand opening March 9 may be new to Brighton, but the owners are not new to the business.

Cynthia Perez and her husband Benjamin Flores celebrated the opening of their Aire Serv of the Front Range Heating, and Air Conditioning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the City of Brighton Chamber of Commerce on March 9.

“We’ve have been in the industry for many years. Benjamin has been in the heating and air ventilation humidi cation indoor air quality for over 15 years,” Perez said.

Aire Serv currently serves customers in the Carbon Valley and Brighton, Erie, Dacono, Fort Lupton, Firestone, Broom eld, Northglenn, Longmont, Lafayette, Lewisville, and Superior.

“It’s a vast area; we’re looking to expand our sta to be able to service that considerable territory, Perez said.

Aire Serv not only service heating and ventilation systems, they can o er advice on nding a replacement a furnace that ts your

Our Family Helping Your Family

“We always advise that not getting the right furnace size could be dangerous when you’re trying to nd a replacement, so we help you nd a furnace and nance it,” Flores said.

“We do proper load calculations

size for your home. All types of efciencies, high-e ciency systems, single stage, modulating variable speed – it’s the whole gamut,” Perez said.

“We wanted to thank everyone

want to build relationships with the community and hope it’s a longlasting one.”

Visit the website for all the services they o er at AireServ.com/ front-range.

FARNSWORTH

Rose Ann Farnsworth April 11, 1947 - February 27, 2023

We are sad to announce that Rose Farnsworth, 75, of Apache Junction, AZ/ Brighton, CO, passed away, 27 February 2023.

She was survived by brother Lee Poole,

daughter Mary Vines (Jason), and grandsons Jackson, Maddox and Jarrett Vines. A memorial service will be held on April 3 at 10:30 a.m. at e Alli Event Center in Brighton, CO.

Cynthia Perez and Benjamin Flores cutting the ribbon with the community members of Brighton.

COURTESY PHOTO

Vulnerable and transparent, and the courage to be both

The team-building event was held at Top Golf. e vice president of sales was reluctant to have the meeting there as he had never played golf and didn’t want to embarrass himself. His team convinced him that he could just join them and not have to worry about playing or swinging a club.

As the night went on, the team did everything they could to get their boss to step up and give it a try. ere were others on the team that were in the same spot, having played very little or never; Men and women taking their turns embarrassing themselves with awkward attempts to hit that little white ball. In the end, the vice president of sales chose to keep his dignity intact and did not take his turn amongst the team.

Having spoken with some of the salespeople and the VP of sales privately, I heard mixed opinions about the decision not to join the group.

Some thought it showed poor leadership in not being vulnerable enough to laugh at yourself and have a little fun with your team as there were more

hacks trying to hit the ball than there were any good golfers. When I asked the VP of sales why he chose not to try, he was completely transparent with me, sharing that he just didn’t want to embarrass himself. He felt he was being open and vulnerable to his team as well sharing with them the very reason he chose to stay in the background. It was a bit of a shame because sometimes it’s OK to show humility among our teams and peers.

Two of the words that we hear often when it comes to expectations of leadership and really people in any role are vulnerability and transparency. We no longer must have all the answers or pretend that we do. We no longer have to be perfect or pretend that we are. Maybe the world we live in places that kind of pressure on some of us, and the stress of that pressure can drive us further away from nding the ability to

be vulnerable and transparent.

Last week I wrote about courage and discretion, and when we should exercise both. What I am sharing here is a di erent kind of courage, the courage to be open to failure, being brave enough to take a swing at a golf ball with our team when we have never played the game before and being daring enough to admit we don’t have the answers right now but will work hard to nd them.

Some of the most courageous people I have met have also been the most transparent and vulnerable. Being grounded in honesty and integrity provides them with the strength they need to be vulnerable and transparent. Looking at failure and saying “So what” positions them to achieve greater things in life as they move past those mistakes, learning from each one.

One of the synonyms for courage is audacity. Sometimes when we hear the word audacity we think of a negative connotation. inking things like, “ e audacity of that person.” I like to think of audacity in the positive sense, having the audacity to be courageous in the

face of possible embarrassment, to have audacious bravery to own our decisions and our mistakes. To be audacious in the way that we can laugh with others while we laugh at ourselves. is week you may be asked to do something uncomfortable, something completely outside of your swing zone or comfort zone. And if you are, I hope you will make the decision to audaciously pursue the opportunity. We all learn in di erent ways, and one way that I know we learn the best is by getting knocked o balance. So take the chance, say “So what,” and watch how your vulnerability and transparency endear others to you. As always, I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can show courage in ourselves during moments of vulnerability, 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.

What will this three-wire winter do for Lake Powell?

During early March I traveled to Colorado’s Yampa Valley to see, hear, and feel what a big-snow winter looks like and to ponder the implications for the Colorado River. is has been an epic winter, both wondrous and awful.

Ranchers in that valley have long measured snow depths against threewired stock fences. In Steamboat Springs and along anks of the Park Range, it’s three wires and more. Nearing Hahns Peak, only dimples in the snow marked the tops of fence posts.

Along the Wyoming-Colorado border, rancher Patrick O’Toole reported that this has been the hardest winter since he arrived in 1976. at includes 1983, when snowstorms persisted until June, catching Colorado River water managers at-footed. Gargantuan ows into Lake Powell nearly ruptured Glen Canyon Dam.

“ is year is more,” said O’Toole.

O’Toole’s family operation moved 7,000 head of sheep from winter range north of Craig to more hospitable desert range. e deep snow, cold, and winds that seem to be worsening were too much for his woolies. He told of pronghorn antelope left behind, some just lying along roads, too weak to stand.

“And there’s a lot of winter left,” he said.

In Craig, walls of icicles hung from roof edges, and the motel parking lot

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BIG PIVOTS

had snow and ice a half-foot thick. Along the edges of the frozen Yampa River, six cow elk huddled, looking perplexed, as another storm moved in. Glancing at my phone, I saw that in Denver, the temperature was near 50. In the opposite corner of Colorado, Lamar had been warned of potential prairie res.

Driving twisting, snow-covered county roads made me tense, but the whitened landscapes blanketed by snows lled me with joy. My mind’s ears erupted in the chorus from Bach’s “Hallelujah.”

e Steamboat ski area surpassed last season’s total snowfall in mid-January. In the town itself, banks of carefully placed snow head-high and taller form a labyrinth of slots and passages, the city’s streets, sidewalks and driveways. Mindful that spring will eventually arrive, city crews have already ordered sandbags.

Nobody can know for sure when melting will begin in earnest. Along the Elk River, north of Steamboat, Jay Fetcher has faithfully recorded the day each year that the nal snow on his pasture melts. His father began the records in 1949. e “snow o meadow”

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

date varies, as do the snowpack and temperatures, but has arrived on average one day earlier every ve years.

Will this epic snowpack end the drought, ll Lake Powell, and cause Colorado River states to get chummy instead of testy?

It’s still early March. Much uncertainty remains. e Upper Colorado Basin River Forecasting Center report on March 1 projected runo for the Yampa and White rivers at 120% to 170% of average as de ned by runo totals during the last three decades.

Will the weather stay cold and snowy or, as has happened in some recent years, will turn warm and dry in April, May and June? In 2020, for example, a mid-March snowpack of 108% snowwater equivalent yielded runo of 79% of average. On the Colorado River altogether, an average snowpack that year yielded runo 52% of average.

How much melted snow will the thirsty soils sop up? Last year’s summer rains restored the soil moisture somewhat in northwestern Colorado, but they remain subpar and thirsty. Runo will again underperform the snowpack.

It’s also useful to note that not all sub-basins in the Colorado River Basin have had the same plentitude as the Yampa. On the Green River, upstream of Flaming Gorge Reservoir, the runo is forecast to be only 84% of average.

As for Lake Powell, the runo from the Yampa can only help—but only so

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

far. It was 21.8% full on Tuesday, March 7. One winter’s heavy snows will not re ll it, though. Colorado State University climate researcher Brad Udall told KUNC’s Alex Hager in January that it will take ve or six winters of 150% snowpack to re ll Powell and Lake Mead.

Filling Flaming Gorge and other upper-basin reservoirs drawn down to keep Powell levels high enough to produce electricity need to be re lled. Peter was robbed to pay Paul. Now Peter’s pockets need replenishing. at will take time, too.

is has not been drought, as conventionally understood. Udall and other climate researchers call it a “hot drought,” the result of rising temperatures caused by atmospheric pollution.

“We are not changing any of our tactics based on one year,” said Lindsay DeFrates, a spokeswoman for the Colorado River Water Conservation District in Glenwood Springs. “It’s such a long game. We need to be sure we are prepared for a hotter, drier future.”

is year’s epic snow in the Yampa Valley means plenty of water for ranchers to grow grass this summer. Beyond that, little can be said.

Allen Best tracks the energy and water transitions in Colorado and beyond at BigPivots.com. He welcomes comments and contributions.

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

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

Email letters to staylor@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Deadline Wed. for the following week’s paper.

Allen Best

Thu 3/23

Friday Bingo at Eagle Pointe 3/24

@ 7pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Sat 3/25

Failure is an option: Embroi‐dered Temari egg workshop @ 5pm

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

National Tamale Day

@ 5pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Fri 3/24

Recess Games

@ 12:30am

Mar 24th - Mar 23rd

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

Potluck (3/24)

@ 5pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Bird Conservancy Bird WalkMarch @ 9am / Free

Bird Conservancy's Environmental Learning Center, 14500 Lark Bunting Lane, Brighton. 303-6594348 ext. 53

"Heart for the Arts" Scandinavian Brunch - Augustana Arts' 25th

Anniversary @ 10am / $35-$240

Augustana Lutheran Church, 5000 East Alameda Avenue, Denver. info@augus tanaarts.org, 303-388-4962

Sun 3/26

Wed 3/29

Breakfast & Savory Spice @ 3pm Fort Lupton Recreation & Parks De‐partment, 203 S Harrison, Fort Lupton. 303-857-4200

Wii Bowling 3/29

@ 4pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

WWE Road to WrestleMania @ 7pm / $20-$115 Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

Mon 3/27

Denver Nuggets vs. Philadelphia 76ers @ 7:30pm / $39-$5040 Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

Dinner Out "Gunther Toody's" (3/27)

@ 10pm

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

Tue 3/28

5k training 2023 @ 12am Mar 28th - May 4th

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

Arvada Performing Arts "Our Town" (3/29) @ 6pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Catch Me If You Can @ 7pm / $30-$35

The Unitiive Theatre, 800 South Hover Road, Longmont

Custom Hat Making Experience @ 11am 9490 Co Rd 25, Fort Lupton, CO 80621, USA, Brighton

Hunter Safety : MARCH @ 3pm

Mar 25th - Mar 26th

Fort Lupton Community / Recreation Cen‐ter, 203 S. Harrison Avenue, Fort Lupton. 303-857-4200

MiniCon @ 4pm

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

Tiny Treks on the Road at RMANWR @ 4pm Offsite, 6060 E Parkway Drive, Commerce City. 303-289-3760

Colorado Avalanche vs. Arizona Coyotes @ 7pm / $59-$999

Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

Denver Nuggets vs. Milwaukee Bucks @ 7pm / $95-$5040

Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

Laser cutting 101 @ 4pm

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

Hiking Program- Mount Galbraith Park

@ 7pm Offsite, 6060 E Parkway Drive, Commerce City. 303-289-3760

Tuesday Movie Matinee at Eagle Pointe 3/28

@ 7pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

1776 @ 7:30pm

Buell Theatre, 1031 13th St., Den‐ver

Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild @ 8pm / $52-$999 Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

Thu 3/30

Trevor Noah @ 8pm Bellco Theatre, 1100 Stout Street, Denver

Denver Nuggets vs. New Orleans Pelicans @ 8pm / $24-$3970

Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Circle, Denver

powered by

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Type in “restaurant” on Google Maps and set the lter to “open 24 hours.” You’ll be hard-pressed to nd any local restaurants serving up food to the night owls, late workers and early risers.

Unless you’re seeking around-the-clock Mexican food.

“We’re open 24 hours, and it’s something fresh, you know?” said Govanny Alvarado, a member of the family who runs Alvarado’s Mexican Fast Food. Compared to other restaurants, “you can taste the di erence,” Alvarado said.

e new Englewood spot that opened in August adds to a small but mighty list of Mexican joints that o er all-day, all-night service in the Denver metro area — a type of restaurant that’s becoming more di cult to nd since the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

“Most people like us, you know, we’re always looking for a late-night snack,” said Alvarado, 21, adding that his family “understands the struggle” to nd restaurants that are open late.

His family members, longtime workers in the Mexican fast-food industry, gained experience at his uncle’s restaurant in Arizona. ey later started working for Taco Star and Tacos Rapidos, two chains with 24-hour locations in the metro area, Alvarado said.

“And Taco Star, the one in ornton here, that’s where my dad worked, and that’s where I started as well when I was young,” Alvarado said of the location near 84th Avenue and Washington Street.

When his family members had the chance to start their own restaurant about six years ago, they opened Tacos Los Compas — another 24-hour eatery, near downtown Denver and the Auraria Campus.

“Most of the people that I’ve known or talked to customer-wise, they’re all from Arizona or California, and they all say they miss that taste of authentic Mexican food,” Alvarado said.

Carrying on authentic recipes is part of the job as well for Tamale Kitchen, a longstanding family business with locations around the metro area.

What makes the restaurant unique is “the green chile, the New Mexico-style red chile, the tamale avors, just the avors in general of just old grandma recipe — the beans, the rice, everything’s grandma’s recipes,” said Jose Bishop, owner of the Westminster and Northglenn locations.

e restaurant grew out of an e ort to sell tamales door to door in 1980, and the rst Tamale Kitchen opened in Lakewood in 1981, according to its website.

Its Northglenn location at 104th Avenue and Huron Street stays open around the clock on the weekends, running from 5 a.m. Friday through 10 p.m. Sunday.

e business has expanded to eight locations, stretching from Adams County all the way to Highlands Ranch, and some are franchises run by people outside the family, Bishop said.

Familiar places see challenges

Alvarado noted that after the COVID-19 pandemic shook up the

LATE-NIGHT

economy, it’s di cult to nd 24hour restaurants.

Staples of late-night food in Denver permanently closed amid the pandemic, including the Denver Diner o Speer Boulevard and Colfax Avenue and, to the south, the Breakfast King at Santa Fe Drive and Mississippi Avenue. Both had been open 24/7.

Tom’s Diner, also on Colfax Avenue near downtown, shut down in March 2020 during the pandemic’s early days. It reopened in 2022 as a bar and lounge called Tom’s Starlight, no longer open 24/7.

Pete’s Kitchen, located on Colfax in central Denver, remains open 24 hours Friday and Satur-

LATENIGHT SPOTS

Looking for a late-night meal? Here are some local restaurants that o er 24-hour service on at least some days each week.

• Alvarado’s Mexican Fast Food

4901 S. Broadway in Englewood, a couple blocks north of Belleview Avenue

Open 24/7 720-664-9260

• Tamale Kitchen

1030 W. 104th Ave. in Northglenn, a short drive west of Interstate 25, at Huron Street

Open 5 a.m. Friday through 10 p.m. Sunday; 5 a.m.-10 p.m. on other days; other locations in the metro area, including in Highlands Ranch, have di erent hours 720-379-7825

• Taco Star

503 E. 84th Ave. in Thornton, a short drive east of I-25

day night, according to the diner’s webpage.

Other than that, though, 24hour options in the metro area tend to be con ned to chains that aren’t local, such as IHOP, Denny’s, McDonald’s or Wa e House.

e trend of restaurant headwinds during the pandemic applies to the entire industry, not just 24-hour restaurants, said Denise Mickelsen, a spokesperson for the Colorado Restaurant Association.

“Operations are proving increasingly di cult in the face of the ongoing labor shortage and soaring costs, causing restaurant owners and operators to make changes that include decreasing operating hours,” Mickelsen said.

‘All walks of life’

Bishop, the owner of the north-

ern Tamale Kitchen locations, has felt the challenges himself. His Westminster location used to o er some 24-hour service like the Northglenn spot, but sta ng issues led to shortened hours starting around spring 2020, he said.

ough they can be tough to operate, Bishop, 38, said 24hour restaurants serve di erent parts of a community.

“ ere’s still 11 p.m. (movie) showings, so people going home at 1 or 2. We get a lot of nightshift workers, people who are going to work at 4 in the morning, a lot of construction workers bringing burritos to their coworkers,” Bishop said.

“It’s a little mixed — people of all walks of life going out for entertainment, getting o of work late. Just a variety of di erent people out and about.”

1050 W. 104th Ave. # 8 in Northglenn, near Huron Street

1760 S. Havana St. in Aurora, a short drive north of Parker Road

Open 24/7

303-288-9228 for Thornton location

• Tacos Los Compas

1385 N. Santa Fe Drive in Denver, about a block south of Colfax Avenue

Open 24/7

720-328-0299

• Tacos Rapidos

2800 W. Evans Ave. in Denver, o Federal Boulevard

Open 24/7

Other locations nearby; hours di er 303-935-0453 for Evans location

• Pete’s Kitchen

1962 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver, about 1 mile east of Broadway

Open “24 hours Friday and Saturday night,” according to the restaurant’s website 303-321-3139

A sign is lit up at Alvarado’s Mexican Fast Food, one of several Mexican restaurants open 24/7 in the Denver metro area.

The sign at the Tamale Kitchen location in Westminster. The Northglenn location stays open around the clock on the weekends.

PHOTOS BY ELLIS ARNOLD

Alvarado’s Mexican Fast Food, seen here in January, recently opened in Englewood.

BRIEFS

Easter egg hunt

The annual Easter egg hunt takes place at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 8, at Community Park outside the Fort Lupton Recreation Center, 203 S. Harrison Ave.

The traditional event also includes fresh coffee for the adults and fun for the kids.

Hunting areas are set off by age .. up to 3 years, 4- to 8-year-olds and 9- to 12-year-olds. Ten gold prize eggs will be in each of the hunting areas. There will be an opportunity for pictures with the Easter bunny, too.

Visit https://fortluptonco. gov/857/Easter-Egg-Hunt.

Great Plains Field of Honor

Pearson Park, U.S. Highway 85 and state Highway 52, will be the scene of a four-day display of the Great Plains Field of Honor. It runs from April 26 through April 28.

The event honors veterans and first responders. Vis.it https:// www.healingfield.org/event/fortluptonco23/.

Cinco de Mayo 5K

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

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

ONGOING

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, 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.

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 303-718-4440. 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 303-8574200, ext. 6166.

Coffee 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-Pen-Pal-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.

Free short-term radon test kits

Weld County residents can receive a free radon test kit (one per household, while supplies last). Test kits can be requested online at www.drhomeair.com/weld, according to a statement.

Call the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment at (970) 400-2226 or visit: www.weldgov.com/go/ radon.

Warm line up and running Community Reach Center is offering a warm line (303-2806602) for those who want to talk to mental-health professionals about anxiety, lack of sleep and strained relationships, among other topics. The professionals can facilitate referrals to other programs for assistance.

The line is not for crisis intervention. Those feeling unsafe or suicidal should call Colorado Crisis Services (1-844-493-8255) or text 38255 or visit the Behav-

FORT LUPTON POLICE BLOTTER

March 5

A ornton man, 30, was issued a summons at U.S. Highway 85 & Highway 52 for driving with a ctitious plate, driving while license is under restraint and having no insurance.

March 6

A Dacono man, 58, reported a possible identity theft involving a Fort Lupton gas station in the 1500 block of Second Street. e case was under investigation.

Police arrested a Brighton man, 30, in the 2900 block of Second Street on a Weld County warrant

BRIEFS

ioral Urgent Care Center, 2551 W. 84th Ave., Westminster.

Brighton’s community intake location is at 1850 E. Egbert St., on the second floor. It’s open from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesdays.

Alcoholics Anonymous

The Brighton chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous meets at 147 S. Second Place. Meeting times are 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sundays, noon and 7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 6 p.m. Thursdays and 9 p.m. Fridays.

Call 303-659-9953 or visit www.brighton1aa. org.

for failure to comply with conditions of probation on a DUI charge. He was held on bond at the Weld County Jail.

A Windsor man, 46, was issued a summons for causing a careless driving accident at U.S. Highway 85 & Weld County Road 14.5.

A Fort Lupton 17-year-old male reported harassment in the 300 block of South Denver Avenue. e case was under investigation.

Police arrested an Aurora woman, 48, in the 100 block of McKinley Avenue for failure to appear on a tra c o ense. She was released on a personal recognizance bond.

March 8

Police issued a summons to a Fort Lupton woman, 29, after a complaint of a dog running at large in the 1000 block of Village Drive.

A Fort Lupton 16-year-old male reported his vehicle vandalized in the 1300 block of Sixth Street. e case was under investigation.

Police issued a summons to a Keenesburg

Volunteers needed

Qualified Listeners needs volunteers to drive veterans to and from appointments, run errands for veterans who cannot get out, handyman services, help administer veteran and family resource guide inventory in local libraries and veterans to be trained to become qualified listeners.

Visit qualifiedlisteners.org/volunteerapp and fill out the form or call 720-600-0860.

Eagle Express rides

Barr Lake State Park will offer virtual rides aboard the Eagle Express. Join Ranger Michelle and her friends as they read a story about our natural world that is sure to entertain your preschooler while teaching them about plants, animals and our planet. Call 303-659-6005.

man,43, at First Street & South Grand Avenue for driving without a vehicle registration violation, no driver’s license and no insurance.

Police arrested a Fort Lupton man, 39, for criminal mischief in the 100 block of Fourth Street. He was held on bond at the Weld County Jail.

Brighton police arrested a Fort Lupton woman,35, in the 100 block of South McKinley for possession of schedule II drugs and paraphernalia.

March 9

Police arrested a Fort Lupton man, 31, in the 200 block of South Grand Avenue on an Adams County warrant for sexual assault on a child. He was held on bond at the Weld County Jail.

March 10

A Greeley man, 37, reported a theft of a concrete break and sweeper for construction equipment at U.S. Highway 85 & Weld County Road 14.5. e case was under investigation.

Help for vets

Qualified Listeners, a veteran and family resource hub serving northern Colorado and southern Wyoming, has several power chairs, power scooters and electric wheelchairs available.

The VA offers urgent care services to eligible veterans, both at VA medical facilities or at several in-network urgent care clinics that are closer to home.

To find the closest facility to you visit www. va.gov/find-locations or call 720-600-0860. Qualified Listeners also needs volunteers to drive veterans to and from appointments, run errands for veterans who cannot get out, handyman services, help administer veteran and family resource guide inventory in local libraries and veterans to be trained to become qualified listeners.

Here are the police reports for Mar. 4 to Mar. 10 to the Fort Lupton Police Department. Not every call made to the police is not listed on this report.

Remembering former Rep. Pat Schroeder in Colorado and beyond

BY CAITLYN KIM CPR NEWS

Coloradans and people elsewhere are remembering former U.S. Rep. Pat Schroeder, a trailblazer who paved the way for women’s rights in national and local politics. She died on Monday, March 13, at 82.

“Representative Schroeder was a one-of-a-kind leader and barrier breaker,” said Gov. Jared Polis in a statement. “Our daughter’s future and women across our country’s future are better thanks to her service.”

Schroeder was the rst woman to represent Colorado in Congress. She had a stroke recently and died at a hospital in Florida, where she had been living, according to her former press secretary, Andrea Camp.

Her legislative record included several bills that helped advance women’s rights, from the Pregnancy Discrimination Act to the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993.

In the male-dominated halls of Congress, she was known for her quick wit and barbs. She coined the phrase “Te on President” for former President Ronald Regan, a moniker that still sticks for any politician who can avoid blame. When asked how, as a mother of two young children, she’d balance Congress and her family, she famously replied, “I have a brain and a uterus and I use both.”

Polis knew her since he was a kid and described Schroeder as a mentor.

“She championed family leave, healthcare and equal rights. She was known and loved for her incredible

our whole state and the entire nation. Farewell Pat, and thank you for being uniquely yourself.”

President Joe Biden said Schroeder

“stood up for basic fairness, sensible policy, and women’s equal humanity.

“I saw rsthand Pat’s moral compass, legal mind, and political savvy when we worked together on the Violence Against Women Act,” Biden said in a statement. “She was the primary sponsor in the House; I led the charge in the Senate. Together, we got it done. With Pat as my partner, I never doubted that we would.”

Schroeder served as national cochair for then Colorado Sen. Gary Hart’s presidential run in 1987. Hart described her as a longtime dear friend and very e ective member of Congress.

“She was highly intelligent and took the responsibilities of public service

U.S. Rep. Pat Schroeder, DColo., sits on the porch outside her Capitol Hill headquarters in Denver on July 18, 1994. Schroeder, a pioneer for women’s and family rights in Congress, has died at the age of 82.

seriously. e citizens of the rst Congressional District could not have had a better representative for those 24 years than Pat,” he said in a statement. “She left the House a better place than when she joined it.”

Denver area Rep. Diana DeGette, who was elected to Schroeder’s seat, praised her as “a trailblazer, a role model, a mentor and a friend.”

“Pat was elected to Congress when I was in high school and she inspired a generation of young women, like me, to dream high,” DeGette said in a statement. “She became a mentor and dear friend after I succeeded her, and I am eternally thankful, not only for all of the incredible work she did for our state, but for the guidance and friendship she provided along the way. My condolences to Jim, Scott and Jamie during this di cult time. Pat’s brilliance, passion and wit will never be duplicated, but will always be remembered.”

Schroeder may have been a congressional trailblazer from Colorado,

but it would be awhile before more women would break through. Until 2021, there were never more than two woman in the Colorado congressional delegation at a time. Now there are four.

Former Republican Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell served with Schroeder in the House.

“She was a good friend,” he said. “But one of the things I remember about her was her fantastic sense of humor. She could nd something funny in almost anything. And I enjoyed serving with her. And she really was a wonderful friend.”

Nighthorse Campbell also noted she was a good Democrat, but wasn’t always “the Democrat that all Democrats wanted her to be because she crossed over and supported Republican concepts a number of times, too, as I remember.”

While he and Schroeder had political disagreements, former Republican Rep. Scott McInnis of Mesa County who served with her said he admired Schroeder, especially her leadership on women’s right. And he added, when she felt strongly about an issue, “she would use every tool in the tool bag to put her point her view (and) make sure it received its appropriate attention. She was tough.” Congress members who did not serve with her, also had praise for the former legislator.

GOP Rep. Ken Buck described Schroeder as “a ghter and trailblazer for the causes she believed

FILE PHOTO BY JOE MAHONEY

SEE SCHROEDER, P13

in. My prayers are with her family, friends, and loved ones.” While, Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse, the rst African American Colorado elected to Congress, also sent condolences to Schroeder’s family. He said, “An incredible public servant and historic trailblazer, Pat Schroeder’s countless contributions to the State of Colorado and our country will truly have a lasting impact.”

Democratic Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi described Schroeder as “an e ective legislative force, whose bold vision and rm values helped deliver progress for America’s women, servicemembers and working families.”

“It was my great personal privilege to serve with Congresswoman Schroeder, whom many of us consider one of the bravest women to ever serve in the halls of Congress,” she said in a statement. “Her courage and persistence leave behind an indelible legacy of progress and have inspired countless women in public service to follow in her footsteps.”

Former New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney served with Schroeder in Congress and described her as a consequential feminist leader who loved Colorado. Maloney said she was heartbroken.

“It’s a great loss for Colorado, for the country, for women. She accomplished so much and she was a trailblazing, monumental leader.”

Maloney said Schroeder was the chair of the women’s caucus her rst year in o ce and often it was just the two of them in the room. She also de-

scribed Schroeder as “a great strategist.” She noted that when Rep. Newt Gingrich was appointed Speaker and started chipping away at women’s rights with actions on the oor, Schroeder “had all of us on beeper and would get us to the oor.”

“She initiated projects and actions and worked hard to get things done. I thought she was an incredible person and leader…When she left [Congress] it was a great loss. I loved her counsel, her advice and leadership,” Maloney said.

Another woman who bene ted from Schroeder’s outspokenness was law professor Anita Hill. Schroeder was one of seven congresswomen to march to the Senate in 1991 and demand that Clarence omas’ Supreme Court con rmation be delayed so that Hill could be heard.

“It just showed me that the leadership was there in Washington… with the ability to speak to women’s lived experiences and the understanding that what was happening in that moment was going to a ect women’s political power for the rest of, at least, that decade.”

Looking back at Schroeder’s career, Hill said it was clear that the Colorado congresswoman was ready to lead.

“She continued to lead, even after she retired, to be a thought leader. She was very outspoken about gender equity and equality, whether it was economic equality, whether it was Title IX in sports or whether it was Title IX anti-harassment and sexual assault,” said Hill, who is now a professor at Brandeis University.

“She continued to be that leader and she was so bold and so smart that she didn’t limit her voice.”

Former New York Rep. Nita Lowey was one of the Democrats that marched to the Senate with Schroeder. Like many others, she called Schroeder a role model. “She was strong, she was wise, she was smart… she was there to give advice to women such as myself.”

‘A great strategist’

Schroeder was born in Portland, Oregon, on July 30, 1940. She was a pilot who paid for college tuition with her own ying service. She graduated from the University of Minnesota before earning her law degree in 1964. From 1964 to 1966, she was a eld attorney for the National Labor Relations Board.

In 1972, Schroeder ran for Congress without support from the Democratic Party. She won that race, and at 32 became the youngest member of Congress, at that time. She sailed to reelection 11 times in the Denverbased rst congressional district.

After Gary Hart withdrew from the presidential race in 1987, Schroeder brie y ran for President. In her campaign announcement speech at Denver’s Civic Center Park, Schroeder said she was running to change minds about what women could do in politics.

“I said that I wanted America to see me as a candidate for president who was a woman rather than a woman’s candidate and label me and pigeonhole me. Because I felt my quali cations were every bit as good, and had my name been Patrick, that’s how they would have treated it,” Schroeder said.

In 2016, Schroeder told Colorado Matters that at the time she ran, the U.S. was far from electing a woman as

president.

“In fact at that time, we were getting polls showing that 25 percent of people were saying that they wouldn’t vote for a woman for president. But the number was even higher if you asked them if they had friends that would not vote for president. And I tended to believe the second one even more.”

When she withdrew from the presidential race, she was criticized, including by some women, for tearing up in the middle of her speech.

“It became who could lecture me the most on that,” said Schroeder, who kept a le of male politicians that cried. “And yet men were weeping all the time. Sports guys, [John] Sununu, President Regan. So really it was kind of a di erent standard.” She joked that she kept waiting to hear “these scathing things about how [former House Speaker John Boehner] ruined men’s chances for the rest of the century.” Boehner developed a reputation for crying and choking up.

When asked if she thought she’d see a woman president in her lifetime, she said, “I had always hoped, but I really worry I won’t.”

Schroeder is survived by her husband, James W. Schroeder, whom she married in 1962. Also surviving are their two children, Scott and Jamie, and her brother, Mike Scott, as well as four grandchildren.

Andy Kenney contributed to this report.

is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t news source. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.

and trails. It’s one piece of a package of public safety legislation rolled out in the 2022 Colorado legislative session aimed at reducing crime.

“ ose improvements alone cannot make a safer community. But those improvements are an indicator that a community is involved in its own well-being,” explained architect Ignacio Correa-Ortiz, an urban planner who helped choose projects for the state to fund.

Twenty-three communities large and small across the state have until the end of June to complete more than $6.2 million in grant-funded projects that authorities say are part of a shift in the mindset around law enforcement and crime prevention.

“We’re really good at responding and arresting somebody for drugs or assaults or thefts or burglaries, but of course they get out of jail and recidivism happens,” said Delta County Sheri Mark Taylor. “We think that through this process we’ll be able to prevent crimes rather than just responding to crimes.”

e program’s funding could not be used to hire more o cers, or for projects

that are typically used to investigate or solve crimes once they have happened, such as facial recognition programs or license plate reader cameras.

“In my opinion, the future of law enforcement is all in crime prevention,” said Delta County code enforcement o cer Everett Neil.

“ e best way to handle an issue properly is to keep it from happening in the rst place.”

Neil helped to dream up his county’s grant-funded project after neighbors got together and asked the sheri and county commissioners to help them reduce the crime in their community.

He said he suggested the county fund removal of an abandoned mobile home in the neighborhood that had become a draw for criminal activity and drug use. Neil said he also came to believe the remote wilderness near the river drew criminals who believed it was a good place to hide. When he learned the state was funding environmental improvements to reduce crime, his wheels began to turn.

“ at’s when I realized, well, if we’re getting rid of the mobile home, you know what? Let’s do some fencing. You know what, if we’re gonna do fencing, shoot, let’s do some lighting,” Neil said. “Let’s do a bus stop too, for the kids. And so we

started brainstorming.”

Before applying for the funds, Neil and the county’s grant writer visited the neighborhood to make sure the community would support the improvements, most of which would occur on private property.

“ e grant writer and I went down to the neighborhood. We knocked on every door. We talked to every resident, and we wanted to know if they would be willing to participate in this kind of a program, because there is some cost,” he said, noting that residents may see slight-

ly higher electric bills due to the new lighting. “We were met with 100% buy-in.”

“I can’t tell you how many times [Neil] has been to my door saying, ‘ is is what’s going on. is is where we’re at in the process. What do you think about this? I need your input,’” Burns said. “It’s a rare thing, honestly, to feel that the county is being this responsive.”

Neil said he anticipates the changes will make the neighborhood safer, and he made a bold prediction.

“I fully predict that we’ll be able to reduce the crime in

this area through this initiative, at least by 50%,” Neil said.

“It’s something that’s exciting to see and start from the ground up,” Sheri Taylor said. “I hope it works. I hope it’s something that we can use in the future.”

is story is from Rocky Mountain PBS, a nonpro t 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.

Mark Taylor, Delta County’s sheri , said lighting and fences, removing overgrown vegetation and other measures can reduce crime. ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

Colorado lawmakers want to o er scholarships to help fill workforce gaps

bill would stretch for two years and come from the state’s general fund.

BY ERICA BREUNLIN THE COLORADO SUN

As Colorado hurts for more early childhood educators, nurses, reghters and workers across other industries, state legislators are attempting to ll critical workforce gaps with a pair of bills that would provide free training to an estimated 20,000 students and support about 15,000 graduating high school students each with $1,500 scholarships.

One of the measures would cover education costs — including tuition, fees, books and supplies — for students wanting to teach elementary schoolers, preschoolers or infants and toddlers as well as students interested in nursing, construction, re ghting, law enforcement and forest management. A second bill would provide scholarships to students heading to community colleges, trades schools or universities to prepare for jobs in health care, manufacturing, construction, nance, engineering, IT, education and behavioral and mental health.

Both bills, expected to be introduced later this week, have bipartisan support as they aim to ease the heavy costs students often shoulder while learning skills they need to join the workforce. Funding for each

“With this signi cant infusion of resources, it really is a jump-start to try and get more of our traditional and nontraditional age students into these industries that are so desperate for workers,” House Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, said ahead of a Tuesday morning news conference announcing the pieces of legislation.  McCluskie is a prime sponsor on the bill that would fund training for students.

at bill proposes spending $45 million on students’ education costs from the state’s general fund, including $38.6 million to support students earning a certi cate or associate degree at a public community college, local district college or area technical college.

A separate $5 million would be directed to short-term nursing programs at community colleges with the goal of preparing more nurses to sta local hospitals. And $1.4 million would be funneled to a competitive grant program facilitated by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and available to registered apprenticeship programs in building and construction trades. e free education initiative builds on the Care Forward Colorado Program, which Gov. Jared Polis introduced in August as a way to help the state overcome a crippling shortage of health care workers.

at program, funded by $26 million of federal COVID stimulus funding over two years, is o ering free

schooling for students pursuing careers as certi ed nursing assistants, emergency medical technicians, pharmacy technicians, phlebotomy technicians, medical assistants or dental assistants.

More than 1,400 students in training through the program have graduated from the Colorado Community College System, local district colleges and area technical colleges since last fall, according to information Gov. Jared Polis cited during the news conference. Along with lawmakers, he hopes to replicate the success of the program in other industries that have been plagued by sta shortages throughout the pandemic.

e other piece of legislation that would award scholarships to graduating high schoolers could bene t more than one-fourth of the graduating class of 2024, according to lawmakers.

Two bills being considered at the Capitol would o er educational help to aspiring firefighters and other fields where workers are critical. In this file photo, West Metro Fire Rescue fire-

e bill would help students in eligible disciplines cover expenses for books, fees and tuition and would expedite their path through higher education and training, said Rep. Matt Martinez, D-Monte Vista, who is sponsoring the bill.

“ is is the type of meaningful legislation that is really going to put dollars in the hands of our students and (make) sure that they have the skills necessary to be successful,” said Martinez, who previously worked for nine-and-a-half years at Adams State University.

is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com.

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

fighters prepare to participate in a mock water rescue at Bear Creek Lake Park.

PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST

Bills seek to pay education costs, including tuition, fees, books and supplies

Hopes for designation for colleges serving first-gen students ends

Funding formula stymies House Bill 1114

BY JASON GONZALES CHALKBEAT COLORADO

On the surface, the bill had a simple premise — to recognize Colorado universities and colleges that enroll a high number of students who are the rst in their family to go to college and communicate to those students that they are welcome on campus.

e most symbolic bill, however, prompted a more complicated conversation about whether creating a rst generation-serving designation would lead to those schools getting more state funding. In a state that funds its public colleges near the bottom of the nation, any hint at changing the distribution of money raises concerns for university leaders.

Faced with opposition from larger schools that serve fewer rst-generation students, the sponsors pulled House Bill 1114 before it went to vote on the House oor.

Bill co-sponsor state Rep. Rick Taggart, a Grand Junction Republican, said he wants to talk more with university leaders and bring the bill back next year. He said it troubled him that the opposition centered on funding concerns when the bill didn’t call for any changes to the

AVIAN FLU

contract it, and symptoms include sudden fatigue, decreased egg production, and nasal discharge.

e avian u has recently been linked to deaths in mammals that consumed infected birds.

e nationwide outbreak has driven up egg prices across the country. According to federal data, a dozen eggs cost an average of $4.83 as of January 2023, up from the average of $1.93 recorded a year prior.

“What we can likely expect is

higher education funding formula. At the same time, he said he understands why money is a sensitive subject.

“I totally respect the reason that folks are really concerned about the funding formula is that higher education is way underfunded in this state, just severely underfunded,” Taggart said. “If you start messing with the formula, you’re going to rob Peter to pay Paul.”

For university leaders, the bill did place funding under the microscope. Supporters such as Colorado Mesa University President John Marshall said he hoped the designation would kick o a larger conversation about the money schools need to educate rst-generation students who often need more support. Colorado Mesa University and Metropolitan State University of Denver supported the bill and would have almost immediately earned the rst generationserving designation.

In a statement, MSU Denver President Janine Davidson said the school was proud to stand behind the bill.

“While we’re disappointed it didn’t pass, we remain committed to making MSU Denver a vibrant home for those trailblazing students who are the rst in their families to go to college,” she said.

Opponents such as Colorado State University System Chancellor Tony Frank said during committee testi-

across the nation, we’re going to see another increase in cases this spring, and that’s really what led to consumer impacts was when we had a lot of our commercial egg laying populations impacted around the same time,” Baldwin said.

With the length of the outbreak hitting “unprecedented” levels, Baldwin acknowledges that fatigue may be setting in for commercial and domestic owners. However, she urges owners to keep up their biosecurity measures. When big, commercial farms are impacted, it takes months and millions of dollars to recover from a mass death event.

From avian u to zoning per-

mony that other schools also serve students who are the rst in their family to go to college in their family. He worried that the designation would create unfair considerations later on. A CSU System spokeswoman did not return a request for comment.

e bill passed the House Education Committee unanimously last month, but Taggart and co-sponsor state Rep. Serena Gonzales-Guttierez, a Denver Democrat, pulled the bill from consideration before a full House vote last week.

Taggart said schools should get recognized for what they do for students, and students should know about their options. For example, schools whose student populations are 25% Hispanic or more are desig-

mits, here’s what you need to know about raising backyard chickens

Baldwin, along with experts from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Colorado State University, will host a webinar next week to share more information about the avian u and how to keep ocks safe this spring.

Avian u cases among humans are extremely rare, and they usually occur only when people are heavily exposed to infected poultry.

e federal government is discussing the possibility for a largescale avian u vaccination program for poultry, and e New York Times reports a potential vaccine is already being tested.

“ e USDA is really the rst step

nated Hispanic-Serving Institutions. However, that federal designation does come with extra money. Other schools or programs might get special designations for what they’ve accomplished, Taggart said.

Taggart hopes he can nd more agreement when he brings the bill back next year. Educating rst-generation students will be a big part of how Colorado gets a more educated population, he said.

“I am disappointed because this evolved into a funding discussion rather than sticking to a designation that these universities deserve,” Taggart said.

is story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters

in getting that approval process started because, if you vaccinate, there are potential trade implications,” Baldwin said.

In the meantime, agriculture o cials and veterinarians are still searching for other solutions. ere’s “no clear end in sight” for this avian u outbreak, Baldwin said. With no treatment available and the uncontrollable nature of bird migration coming back into play, it appears this strain of avian u is here to stay.

is story is from CPR News, a nonpro t news source. Used by permission. For more, and to support Colorado Public Radio, visit cpr.org.

Some Colorado public colleges like Metropolitan State University of Denver serve large populations of first-generation students. Pictured: Metropolitan State University’s Center for Visual Art on Santa Fe Drive in Denver. FACEBOOK IMAGE FROM 2013

Some Coloradans could save big on electric vehicles

Income-based credit adds thousands to existing lucrative discounts

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

State o cials are putting nishing touches on an electric vehicle rebate for income-quali ed buyers willing to trade in an older gas-fueled vehicle, adding up to $6,000 in price cuts on a new vehicle to a menu of credits that can already include $5,500 from utilities or up to $7,500 from federal sources.

e program is expected to launch in mid-July, with $2 million in state money over the following 12 months. Colorado is paying for the instant rebates and other EV infrastructure, such as public chargers, with a 6.9-cent portion of the 27cent delivery fee passed as part of a sweeping 2021 transportation policy and funding bill.

Shoppers who are looking for used EVs and have an old car to trade in could get $4,000 from the new state rebate program, taken o the sale price at the cash register instead of rebated the next time they le taxes. Electri cation advocates say upfront price cuts in the form of instant tax credits are the most attractive for shoppers considering EVs. e dealer then claims the payment from the state.

State o cials also announced a package of forthcoming energy and climate bills for the current legislative session that could add even more to those incentives. Colorado currently o ers a $2,000 state tax credit for new EVs, no trade-in required, and elements of the bill package could increase the state’s credit to $5,000.

Not all the credits and rebates will be stackable, though state o cials are at pains to de ne how they can combine. Not all those decisions have been made. Further confusing the matter is that the existing, about-to-be-expanded state credit for new cars without a trade-in will be refundable, meaning quali ed

buyers could wipe out all of their state tax obligation and get a cash refund back.

is month, the Colorado Energy O ce said the proposed $5,000 state credit could be expanded by up to another $2,500 if the legislative package passes, for vehicles priced under $30,000. at extra amount is intended to ll gaps for vehicles that don’t qualify yet for the full $7,500 federal credit because not enough of their parts are made in the U.S., a CEO spokesperson said. e state’s gap- ller will boost lower-income buyers while the automakers revamp their assembly systems.

An income quali ed customer making the trade-in could theoretically combine the $6,000 state tradein rebate for a new car, a $5,000 state tax credit, and a $7,500 federal tax credit expanded this year, for a total of nearly $19,000 o a new EV. Xcel Energy and Black Hills o er a $5,500 rebate for income-quali ed buyers of new EVs, which are stackable with the trade-in rebate but not stackable with the State EV tax credit— customers may have to choose.

Some customers will be in the sweet spot of combining a number of the rebates and credits for a qualifying car, said Travis Madsen, transportation program director for the Southwest Energy E ciency Project.

“So, the total stackable amount could be in the $20,000-plus range for a purchase that met all eligibility criteria,” he said.

e federal tax credit is “nonrefundable,” meaning it can only o set federal taxes the earner would otherwise pay. ose who are incomequali ed for the new state trade-in credit might not pay enough in

federal taxes to bene t from the full $7,500 federal credit.

e car being traded in must be a 2011 model or older, or have failed Colorado emissions tests.

e trade-in program, dubbed Vehicle Exchange Colorado, takes on multiple goals of state o cials and environmental justice advocates. Taking older, higher-polluting gas vehicles o the road can be one of the quickest ways to reduce ozonecausing emissions from the transportation economy. And signi cant additional credits for new and used EVs can put electri cation in reach for far more households, as Colorado agencies work to transform the collective vehicle eet to run on cleaner electricity.

e state’s greenhouse gas reduction plan and e orts to come under EPA ozone limits depend on getting 940,000 EVs on Colorado roads by 2030.

“I like the concept,” said Madsen.

“Reaching our climate goals will require a broad, society-wide shift in our vehicle eet to zero-emission technology and fuel. e upfront purchase cost of a vehicle is one of the largest obstacles we face,” he said. e state’s program should help push EVs out to people at different income levels, Madsen said.

e Colorado Energy O ce said the exact amounts of the trade-in credits have not been set, but community presentations mention the $6,000 toward a new EV and $4,000 toward a used EV. More details should be set by April, when the Community Access Enterprise board related to the Colorado Energy Ofce will see a nal plan.

Fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles would qualify, under

current plans. e income criteria involve the household being below 80% of the area median income, or be participating in another incomequali ed program such as Medicaid.

As an “area median” example, in Denver a household would qualify for the trade-in EV credit if a single person was making less than $62,600, or a family of four made less than $89,400.

e price of the used EV must be more than the rebate amount, and a new EV cannot be priced higher than $50,000. ere are a limited number of lower-priced EVs currently on the market, but the Chevy Bolt sells for about $26,000 to $28,000 before tax credits.

Dozens of new EV models from all the major car manufacturers are expected to hit the market in the next year or two. Some have lowered prices as batteries get cheaper or companies want to get under the price caps to qualify for tax credits.  Expansion of tax credits and rebates at multiple levels makes the annual cost calculation better than ever, Madsen said, noting that transportation costs can eat up to 20% of a lower income family’s budget.

In ation and the temporary shutdown of the state’s only gas re nery, Suncor Energy, pushed gas prices to $4 a gallon and means the typical Denver metro household is spending about $3,000 a year on gas, Madsen said. Given current o -peak electricity prices, at 16,580 miles driven a year, an EV like the Bolt would save a family $2,400 on fuel, Madsen calculated.

Plus, there are no expensive oil changes and little other maintenance besides tires.

“So if a low- or moderate-income person can get their hands on one, they o er meaningful savings that can help improve their nancial position,” Madsen said.

is story is from e Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support e Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com.

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

CROWSSUPDRO ELZZ

©

TRIVIA

2. SCIENCE: What is the tallest grass in the world?

3. MOVIES: What is the name of the camp in “Friday the 13th”?

4. GEOGRAPHY: What is the term when two water streams join to form a larger stream?

5. INVENTIONS: What is Tim Berners-Lee credited with inventing?

6. ANATOMY: Where are the quadriceps located?

7. LITERATURE: Which poet wrote a six-volume biography of President Lincoln?

8. TELEVISION: Timothy Lovejoy is a minister on which animated TV series?

9. ANIMAL KINGDOM: Yaks are native to which region?

Solution

10. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Before he was elected president, which of the founding fathers attended the coronation of Napoleon at Notre Dame Cathedral?

Answers

1. Levi’s.

2. Bamboo.

3. Camp Crystal Lake.

4. Con uence.

5. World Wide Web.

6. ighs.

7. Carl Sandburg.

8. “ e Simpsons.”

9. Tibet, China.

10. James Monroe and his wife Elizabeth.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

NOW HERE’S A TIP

* e way some items are packaged these days, you need to be Houdini to get into them. When you’re dealing with blister packs -- items sealed inside a hard plastic wrapper that looks to be heat crimped on the outsides -- try your can opener. You can run it around the edge of stubborn plastic packages, enough to get the item out. It’s more secure than a carpet knife or razor.

* Want to be able to tell at a glance which key belongs to the front door, the shed, your grandma’s house, etc.? Raid your (or your wife’s or daughter’s) stash of nail polish to paint the tops of keys to color code them.

* “Styrofoam trays that come with meat or in the produce area are very handy helpers for lots of little jobs. If yours are clean and unmarred, wash with hot, soapy water, rinse and dry for later. ey are perfect for sending a friend home with leftovers, as you can cover the meal with plastic wrap. ere is then no need to return a plate.” -- D. in

Indiana

* For a deck of playing cards that has gotten sticky, put it in a bag (paper or plastic) and add a bit of baby powder. Shake vigorously. Take the cards out and shu e to get o the extra powder. ey are likely good as new.

* “Tidy loosely folded electric cords by storing them in cardboard tubes. e tubes can be cut to t from a paper towel roll, or you can use a smaller, toilet-paper roll. Even long cords can be stored together in a gift-wrap core. Do not over ll a tube, nor wind any electrical cord too tightly.” -- O.R. in Nevada

* If you have a juice spill on clothing, try club soda to remove it when the stain is fresh.

Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

FLASHBACK

1. Who released the English translation of “Seemann (Deine Heimat ist das Meer)” in 1960?

2. Who topped the charts with “ e Way You Make Me Feel”?

3. Which artist wrote and released “Lean on Me”?

4. Roger Daltrey is the lead singer of which band?

5. Name the song that contains these lyrics: “I’ll go it alone, that’s how it must be, I can’t be right for somebody else if I’m not right for me.”

Answers

1. Anne Shelton, who had a Top Ten version with “Sailor (Your Home is the Sea).” en Anne Murray released a chart topper with her own version.

2. Michael Jackson, in 1987. e song rst appeared on his album “Bad.”

3. Bill Withers, in 1972. It came in at No. 208 on e 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list in 2010. e list has been updated periodically, most recently in 2021.

4. e Who. Daltrey made his rst guitar when he was 13 years old and modeled it after a red Stratocaster.

5. “I’ve Gotta Be Me,” by Sammy Davis Jr., in 1968. e song was used in the musical “Golden Rainbow.” In more recent years the song has been used in soda and vehicle commercials.

(c) 2023 King Features Syndicate

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Help Wanted

Director of Student Re-Entry

The Director is responsible for identifying student populations who have not graduated but have left MCC with few remaining requirements left to nish their degree/certi cate.

Title V Director

The Director is responsible for ensuring activities of the grant are implemented, monitoring projects, collecting data and assessing project success, reporting as required to the U.S. Department of Education, monitoring the project budget, and adhering to all program regulations.

Manufacturing Pathways Advisor

The Advisor develops the manufacturing pathway pipeline throughout the college service area. The position advises current and prospective students about college and career opportunities in the manufacturing industry.

Student Support Specialist

The Student Support Specialist is responsible for providing support and training to students in the operation and use of instructional equipment for in-person and remote learning.

Nursing Faculty

Full-time faculty, responsible for teaching, recruiting, advising and outreach to the communities served by MCC.

Master’s degree in nursing or a bachelor’s degree in nursing with a plan to complete an MSN degree is required. Must have a Colorado R.N. license and 4000 hours of veri able nursing experience in the last ve years.

Director of Physical Therapist Assistant Program

Full-time faculty. The Director of the PTA Program manages the program in accordance with the mission, core values, and purposes of MCC. The individual serves in both an administrative position and faculty position. The Program Director is responsible for administrative and scal management of the PTA program, marketing, and recruitment, mentoring part-time instructors/faculty, accreditation compliance, revising program layout and delivery as appropriate to expand the program.

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From shoulder surgery to the baseball diamond

Fort Lupton’s Sanders recovers in time for senior season

BY STEVE SMITH SSMITH@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Fort Lupton’s Scotty Sanders can talk about baseball with just about anyone. He can play it, too, from club ball in the summer to highschool ball in the spring.

But what may not be visible is what he had to do in order to play his senior year this spring. It started with a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

“I decided to play football my junior year. It happened during the season,” he said. “I tore the labrum by dislocating my shoulder. Every time it would come back, it would rip on that muscle. When they went in, they made four incisions in my shoulder. When they got in there to x the labrum, they realized my shoulder socket was also shattered.”

e injuries were to his right shoulder, and Sanders is a lefthanded pitcher/ rst baseman.

“It didn’t create complications. You put an anchor in there, it holds everything together and, eventually, it heals back together,” Sanders said. “It wasn’t too big a deal with the shattered shoulder socket. But it de nitely didn’t help out.”

Surgery/rehab

“Going through it, I was really scared going into it,” Sanders said. “Looking back, I don’t remember. It was all a blur, trying to get in, get it done. I think the idea of them cutting me up is really weird. Surgery is just a scary thought. e doctors were good. I didn’t really sit down and think about them taking a knife into my skin. I have a piece of plastic in my shoulder is just crazy to think about.”

He can function, but he still has to be careful.

“ ey told me if I ever were to break this piece of plastic, I’d be in excruciating pain,” he said. “I don’t

know how I can be in excruciating pain from something I don’t understand. e right shoulder feels just like my left one.”

Sanders said the day after surgery were “really tough” because of the pain. But rehab awaited just the same.

“I overheard some people talking, and they said labrum tears were some of the hardest,” Sanders said. “ e pain was terrible for the rst little while. I was in a sling for about a month. (Afterward), I was supposed to stay limited with my arm. But I was trying to loosen it up, just trying to get ready to go.”

Physical therapy was two sessions per week.

“it was tough. It was grindy ..  the most boring exercises you could think to do on the planet,” Sanders said. “It was boring, repetitive. You’re asking your physical therapist, ‘Are we almost done?’ ‘Nope, you’ve got ve more left.’ You go from the TRX rows to the overhead press to the deadlift to make sure you can lift weight with that arm.”

He and Legacy High School player Cole Jaeger were in physical therapy together.

“We used to throw. He was the rst person I threw with after surgery,” Sanders said. “You’re going ‘bang, bang, bang, deadlifts. Oh Cole is here. Me and Cole are done throwing. Time to get set up on the pressure ice machine. Go do some pushups.’

“PT (physical therapy)? at was only the beginning,” Sanders continued. “as soon as the doctor told me I could throw, I was throwing. As soon as baseball kicked o , I was doing baseball practice. I was doing everything I could. But PT (Sanders singled out his therapist, Brooke Mans eld at Panorama Orthopedics for special praise) is what accelerated me through the process.”

On the road to the diamond Sanders said he had concerns –partially as a joke and partially for real -- that he wouldn’t be able to play.

“At some point, that serious thought does creep into your head,

coming back. I just didn’t know if I’d be the same. at was my biggest worry.”

Not only did he come back, Sanders thought he came back better than before.

“It was beneficial to tear my right shoulder. Muscles don’t develop if you only work one side,” he said. “If I would have only been doing things on my right side, I would have been strong on the right side but lost strength on the left by not doing both (sides). It helped me gain a lot of strength in my left arm. My left shoulder is stronger than it’s ever been. My right shoulder is as strong as it was before surgery. Before surgery, it was the best. The best baseball I played with summer, and it was with a torn labrum.”

Sanders has no limitations. He had two at-bats in a recent game

against Weld Central, and Sanders said his arm was sore the next day.

“It’s nothing ice won’t x. But it’s de nitely weird to get sore after swinging a baseball bat,” Sanders said. “When I ex my arms, you can see how much smaller the ball of my shoulder is.”

Reflections

“I was heartbroken to not play football and really heartbroken not to wrestle,” Sanders said. “Playing baseball after my season got cut short .. it feels amazing. It’s one of things I’m meant to do. It was weird when I rst came back from surgery. Before surgery, I loved this game. When I stepped on the eld the rst time after surgery, I realized how much I loved this game. Extra special? Yes, but not for the reason most people would expect.  It’s because of all the stu the injury prevented me from doing in the rst place.”

Fort Lupton’s Scott Sanders is back on the diamond this season after recovering from shoulder surgery.

PHOTO BY STEVE SMITH

Bill would encourage CPR training in high schools

Critics call proposal in Colorado legislature a ‘feel-good’ measure

BY HELEN SANTORO KAISER HEALTH NEWS

A bill advancing in the Colorado legislature would encourage schools to begin teaching students lifesaving skills before graduation, but critics contend it’s little more than a “feel-good” measure devoid of vital requirements and funding.

Colorado is one of 10 states where laws don’t mandate CPR training for high school students, according to the American Heart Association. In February, the Colorado House passed a bipartisan bill  to add training for CPR and how to use an automated external de brillator, or AED, to the Colorado Department of Education’s comprehensive health education high school curriculum.

But the proposal stops short of requiring public high schools to adopt the revised curriculum, or subsidizing the e ort. Instead, they would be strongly encouraged to implement the training on their own.

“ e bill is a noble e ort and is something that needs to be done,” said Lynn Blake, vice chair of the Eagle County Paramedic Services board. “However, it’s a feel-good law until mandates and dollars accompany it.”

In 2021, Colorado reported 3,727 cases of cardiac arrest — in which the heart abruptly stops beating — to the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival, or CARES, which tracks incidents occurring outside hospitals. is number is likely an underestimate, as the data was collected from less than 80% of the population. Last summer, Colorado became the rst state to establish an o ce within its state health department dedicated to collecting data on cardiac arrest incidents and nding ways to increase survival rates.

Nearly 90% of cardiac arrests experienced outside of a hospital are fatal, according to CARES. CPR can double or triple a person’s chance of survival if performed immediately after the heart stops beating.

So, the more bystanders who know how to administer CPR, the better, said Blake, who was 27 when she was stricken by cardiac arrest. A woman nearby performed CPR on her, and a few minutes later, paramedics arrived and shocked Blake three times with an AED, which saved her life. A 2022 study by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia found that states that require CPR training in schools have higher rates of CPR being performed by bystanders, thus improving survival rates.

“We have a huge need for people to learn to act quickly in emergency situations,” said state Sen. Janice Marchman, a Democrat sponsoring the bill. “ at’s why it would be great to train high school students

not just to do CPR, but also to use the AED machines.”

e bill encourages each public school to adopt a curriculum that includes “hands-on” training on performing CPR and using a debrillator. However, the proposal doesn’t allocate money to school districts to support the training, according to the bill’s scal note. A single CPR manikin and AED trainer together cost around $600, according to the American Red Cross store. School districts might be eligible to apply for a comprehensive health education grant funded by the state education department, to help pay for lessons, Marchman said.

e bill also stops short of making CPR training a graduation requirement for public high schools, leaving Colorado an outlier while 40 other states plus Washington, D.C., command it. Alabama has mandated CPR training for high school graduation since fall 1983 and Iowa has done the same since 2009.

All Colorado public schools are bound by the state’s comprehensive health academic standards, so it’s likely that most schools would abide by the change without making it a graduation requirement, Marchman said.

Colorado Senate Republicans are con dent schools will be eager to equip students and teachers with these lifesaving skills, caucus spokesperson Joshua Bly said.

e Colorado Department of Education’s role is to implement policy, not speculate on why CPR and AED

training is not mandated in high schools, department spokesperson Erica Grasmick said.

is isn’t the rst time Colorado lawmakers have sought CPR training in high schools. A 2012 bill pushed by the American Heart Association tried to mandate CPR and AED training for high schoolers. But the Colorado Association of School Executives opposed the legislation, as its members argued that school districts should be able to “decide what is important at a local level” as they are “tasked with the di cult job of balancing budgets.”

Not mandating CPR and AED training in high schools is a signicant loss, said Blake. “If I was the author of the bill, I would require that all students and administrators, teachers, coaches — anyone who is involved with any kind of education — to be trained in CPR,” she said.

Still, Blake sees this bill as a step in the right direction. “Stakeholders are eager to return to the Capitol in coming sessions with an even more robust bill, including CPR and debrillator requirements and funding,” she said.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonpro t organization providing information on health issues to the nation.