Fort Lupton Press 051823

Bluedevils’ greenhouse is planting for the future

Legislature asks voters to approve 10year property tax relief plan

BY JESSE PAUL AND ELLIOTT WENZLER THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado voters will decide in November whether to approve a 10-year plan to rein in skyrocketing property taxes, as well as whether the state should distribute about $2 billion in Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights refunds checks next year in equal amounts rather than linking their size to people’s income level, with more money being sent to higher earners.

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Fort Lupton High School students opened a greenhouse to provide plants for the community.

“We started a school-based enterprise, the Devils Garden, which we call our greenhouse, to provide plants to our community from heir-

loom seeds and safe for the bees, said Judy Howell, Career Explore teacher.

“It gives the kids some experience and ownership in something and some skills that they can apply to other aspects of their lives.”

Career Explore is a grant-funded program throughout the state that seeks to reengage students at risk of dropping out.

“It’s been around for about six years. is is my second year doing this,” Howell said. “For the plants we sell, the proceeds come back into the greenhouse to educate more students and run the program.”

Howell said the program has 86 kids, either full-time or part-time this year.

“ e majority of the kids in the program are juniors and seniors, and we try to get them to the point that they can graduate,” she said.

Empty greenhouse

Howell said she noticed that the greenhouse at the school was empty about a year ago. It was 27 years old and had been vacant for years and was only used for storage. She asked her principal if they could use the greenhouse.

e questions were placed on the November ballot on May 8 by Democrats in the Colorado legislature as the General Assembly wrapped up its 120-day lawmaking term. e legislature worked until about 10 p.m., just before its 11:59 p.m. deadline, to complete its work, when the Capitol carriage turns back into a pumpkin.

e last few hours of the session were chaotic, with Republicans walking out of the House chamber in protest, Democrats in the House lambasting each other and the Senate limiting debate to stop a GOP libuster.

e property tax plan, pushed for by Gov. Jared Polis, will appear on the ballot as Proposition HH and

Sherry Corp transfers plants from the small sprawling pots into the four-by-fours. When the plant grows out of the four-by-fours, she transfers them to a bigger pot and waters the plants that don’t get watered by the automated system.

PHOTO BY BELEN WARD

Fort Lupton students

growing, selling plants for the community.

SEE PLANTING, P5

Fort Lupton High school students help the homeless

Three-on-three basketball tournament, ra e help Miracle House

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A Fort Lupton High School National Honor Society fundraiser May 11 managed to collect $1,000 for the Hope at the Miracle House, which provides shelter for homeless families.

“In between the tears, it’s amazing that the students thought of our homeless in the community, said Deb DeMille, Program Director.

“ e National Honor Society students are the best students that any principal can ever want to have. eir sacri ce for other people is incredible.” Fort Lupton Principal Doug Gordon.

“I’m glad that the kids have the opportunity to understand and learn the importance of being able to give back to a nonpro t that gives so much to families that go to the school,” said Annette Kokoszka, National Honor Society sponsor at Fort Lupton High School.

Kokozka said the National Honor Society has a yearly fundraiser event

with a three-on-three basketball tournament each year. It is the third year doing the fundraiser. ey voted to donate to Hope at Miracle House for 2023.

“ e members of the National Honor Society vote for the nonpro t organization locally. All the proceeds this year will go to the Hope at Miracle House,” Kokozka said.

Kokozka said the students started putting the fundraiser together in

mid-February and opened it up to the community, not just high school students.

“At the time, we wanted to get community members to form basketball teams, ve players to be able to play three-on-three. We created a bracket and ended up with nine teams, a mix of community teams, and a combination of student teams, Kokozka said. ey hosted a tournament April 26 after school but raised donations in

several ways.

Kokozka said students could buy tickets to the tournament and support the fundraiser that way.NHS members had also collected donations from local businesses for a ra e, which were awarded at that game.

ey also got a lot of donations from the school, di erent sports, and other businesses that were sold at a silent auction outside of the gym.

“So people could bid on items such as football helmets, jerseys, team swag, iPods, cheerleaders, and wrestling girls’ donated baskets,” Kokozka said. “ e girl’s sports team played as well.”

“With entry fees of the registered teams and the ra e and the silent auction items, we were able to raise just under $1,000,” Kokozka said

“Our students provide a huge contribution to those families. It’s great for them to be able to give back to something like that and have the opportunity to learn the importance of giving,” Kokoszka said.

“It’s great that we can support her in helping Fort Lupton parents through tough times,” Gordon said. “And I can’t say enough about Annette Kokozka as the leader of the National Honor Society, she’s unbelievable. She’s tireless at what she does for it to your work.”

DIVERSIFY RETIREMENT STRATEGIES

Principal Doug Gordon with the National Honor Society students, Annette Kokozka giving Deb DeMille a check for a $1,000.

PHOTO BY BELEN WARD

Golden Eagles Broadcast Network named best in state

Frederick High School’s play-by-play team has big first year

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When it comes to broadcast sports coverage at the high school level, Frederick High School’s Golden Eagles Broadcast Network (GEBN) has established high standards.

Last week, GEBN took home the “First-Place in Play-by-Play Sports Program” award from the Colorado Student Media Association. e Golden Eagles’ coverage of the boys’ basketball matchup between Frederick and Harrison in the Sweet 16 of the CHSAA playo s in February claimed the gold.

Jake Marsing, GEBN advisor and social studies teacher at FHS, said the award is essentially winning the state championship in broadcasting. at’s especially impressive, considering this is the rst year the network has existed as it’s currently constructed.

“It’s really been a testament to our students who work hard every day. We have amazing student leaders,” Marsing said. “ e thing that’s really allowed us to take o has been the leadership and the work ethic of students, who put in an enormous amount of work every day to make us better.”

ere’s been an exponential amount of improvement from the be-

ginning of the year to where they are now. It wasn’t too long ago they were streaming on an iPad with little-to-no idea what they were doing. But a lot of the credit goes to underclassmen who stepped up, Marsing said.

Two of those underclassmen are Carly Evans and Zoe Wittler, the broadcasting team that won the award for the Golden Eagles. Evans is a freshman and Wittler is sophomore, but they’re both naturals on the mi-

crophone.

While Evans handles the play-byplay, Wittler, a standout basketball player in her own right for the school, adds experienced color commentary.

“De nitely jumping into the color helps having played basketball before,” Wittler said. “You’re able to bring all of your knowledge and perspective of the game from a player’s standpoint to the color commentary… You’re able to say ‘this

is how the players might feel in this

Wittler admits it can be di cult to call the games without wanting to lace up her own shoes, but she’ll often walk o the court directly after playing her own games to call the boys’ games on air.

“To be honest, I think it just kind of came up, you know what I mean?” Evans said. “It was kind of in the back of my head. I always knew that I wanted to do something that involved being on-air. But I didn’t think it would go this far. I’m really honored to be a part of this program and it’s just a really cool opportunity, especially to win this award.”

Evans always provides some color commentary during the football season, and she was nominated by FHS to be the Colorado Broadcaster

Students have the opportunity to serve di erent roles within the network, such as the associate producer, executive producer, play-by-play broadcaster, and more.

Khloe Gould, a sophomore, is the current executive producer who will move into the associate producer role next year.

e commitment to the program by the students who run it has resulted in success, Gould said. Before nding the winning recipe, they stuck through the harder months, and allowed themselves to make mistakes and learn from them, she added.

But there’s still room for success,

Carlie Trujillo-Strange conducts a court-side interview in the broadcast that the school submitted to win the award. COURTESY OF FREDERICK HIGH SCHOOL

SEE EAGLES, P5

PLANTING

“I want to see kids out here and do some gardening with them. Also, my purpose of gardening is hands-on; many of my students are male, and they like doing hands-on things,” Howell said.  “It’s about seeing something grow and bring it to life from a seed,” she said.

Howell and the program began last summer and continued into the fall season, with several working in the greenhouse. Students built an automatic watering system with tubes and sprinklers connecting a water-

EAGLES

according to sophomore Mason Shafranek. He sees the success that GEBN has experienced, but he’s not satis ed. When he moves into the executive producer role next year, he’ll be hungry to keep growing.  “Moving forward into next year, we have a lot of new stu coming for the program. I think we can continue to up our quality and [get to the] tiptop. I think we keep pushing forward and make some big progress next year,” Shafranek said.

way for the plants, designed to water plants at a particular time.

“We built the automatic watering system so the students don’t have to come in water every day, on the weekends, and on vacations,” Howell said.

e greenhouse’s roof is damaged, meaning the plants don’t get natural light. So the students built stands for grow lights to get enough light to the plants.

ey also release ladybugs into the greenhouse to eat the pests. ey use no pesticides or other harsh chemicals.

“We use worm juice waste products,” Howell said. “ e worm feces is good fertilizer. We are working on

Now many of the underclassmen will take larger roles as upperclassmen, while still having years of time to contribute and continue to build the award-winning program.  e seniors are sad to leave, but have nothing but the utmost condence in the underclassmen to hit the ground running and continue to enjoy success for years to come.

“I’m super con dent in this group,” senior Carlie Trujillo-Strange said. “I know I’m leaving with a really good play-by-play broadcaster in Carly Evans [and Zoe Wittler] as well. Everyone has done so well in guring it out, and I know we’re leaving this with a good team.”

getting worms to sell so people can use them for shing or put in their gardens.”

When the student sells the plants, they give instructions on how to plant and water them and eventually will have information cards to go with them.

“It’s a way for us to get back to the community and for the kids to take ownership in something about their education and maybe get some memories,” Howell said.

e greenhouse will be open May 13 in anticipation of Mother’s Day, from 8:00 a.m. to noon. ere will be a sign outside with greenhouse hours.

Howell said she expects they will

Trujillo-Strange was the rst member of the network to conduct oncourt interviews on the game versus Harrison, a favorite memory she’ll carry with her into the future.

“ e future of GEBN is extraordinarily bright,” Marsing said. “We have underclassmen leadership across the board. ree of our four producers for next year are going to be juniors; they aren’t even seniors

be open from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for the rest of the school year.

e kids will be going on summer break so the greenhouse hours will be slightly di erent. But they plan on having regular hours over the summer and will have plants constantly for sale. Watch their Facebook page for updates.

Visit the greenhouse Facebook page Devils’ Garden FLHS Greenhouse. It shows pictures of the plants and what’s in stock, where to place an order, and what time to come and pick it up, and they will have it ready for you. ere is also a link to their website on Facebook.

To place an order or call 303-8577100.

next year. We’ve really bene ted from a couple seniors especially who have been with us since last year when we were just trying to gure out what outlet plugs into where. But the future is super bright and we’re excited about the evolution of the program.”

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Will nuclear energy arrive on time and at cost?

Oliver Stone has a new movie, “Nuclear Now,” that made its Colorado debut in Boulder on May 1. In it, Stone argues that the grave risks posed by climate change require we embrace nuclear energy.

A few hours before, at a hearing in Denver, state legislators heard an even more urgent equation. “Anybody who opposes nuclear I believe is a climate denier,” an individual testi ed before the Senate Transportation and Energy Committee.

And in Pueblo that evening, city council members heard about a committee formed by Xcel Energy to study options to replace tax base, jobs, and electrical generation once the last coal plant there closes. e group will hear about nuclear.

In the background is the federal government, o ering gambling money on all sorts of decarbonization solutions, including nuclear. People on the left and right nd common ground in support of nuclear energy, but their motivations di er. Some, like Stone, the moviemaker, are driven by the existential danger posed by climate change. Even the pleasant days of spring are spoiled by news that the carbon dioxide detector atop Mauna Loa recently rolled past 425 parts per million, up from 315 ppm in the 1950s. We’re dancing ever farther on the snow cornice, ddling with our phones in busy tra c. We’re irting with real

danger here.

Some in Colorado see nuclear energy replacing coal plants. e last coal unit at Pueblo will close no later than 2031. Xcel has guaranteed property tax revenues through 2040, but not to 2070, the original retirement date.

Craig also faces giant uncertainties. Increased tourism?

“We don’t want to become sheetchangers,” one Mo at County landowner told me.

Western Montrose County, where a uranium boom occurred during the 1950s — and which lost a small coal plant in 2019, is also interested in nuclear.

HB23-1247, titled “Assess Advanced Energy Solutions in Colorado,” now awaiting the governor’s signature, will direct study of nuclear energy but also other options. All have upsides but questions marks. Green hydrogen, made from renewables and water, can store energy for use when renewables are unavailable. However, the technology remains costly. Too, some scientists question whether accidental release of hydrogen into the atmosphere will create as many problems as it solves.

Nuclear can also backup intermittent renewables. Nuclear does pro-

vide 20% of U.S. electricity. We have a eet of nuclear-powered submarines. ey seem to operate without problems. But some questions remain about nuclear safety. Would you want a large-scale reactor in your town or city? I have to also wonder about nuclear technology falling into the wrong hands.

Many have been closely following the progress in Wyoming of a nuclear plant planned next to a coal plant at Kemmerer. TerraPower,  the company founded by Bill Gates in 2008, says it will require less water and produce less nuclear fuel waste while plugging nicely into old coal plants. It projects cost of $4 billion for this plant that will use Natrium technology.

WyoFile reported that while in Kemmerer during early May, Gates called it a “pioneering move,” key to the global energy future. is project is projected to be ready in in 2030. Paci Corp, a major regional power provider,  has said it could add ve more such Natrium reactors at existing coal- red plants in Wyoming and Utah.

Another potential model is assembly-line-style production of small modular reactors, lowering costs. at sounds appealing, but by de nition that model will not replace the big coal plants at Pueblo and Craig. For that matter, it does not yet exist.

Here in Colorado, I hear people with degrees in nuclear engineering express doubts about nuclear. State

Sen. Chris Hansen, at the recent legislative hearing, objected to how a witness had characterized his skepticism about nuclear. “It has nothing to do with science or technology,” said Hansen, who has a degree in nuclear engineering. “It’s the cost pro le.” He cited a recent Georgia reactor that came in at $33 billion, three times the projected cost. It’s not the only example.

Chuck Kutscher got his master’s degree in nuclear engineering and worked in the nuclear sector California before turning his attention to solar in 1978 and moving to Colorado. “New  nuclear power plants, including new U.S. reactor technologies currently under development, will likely be too expensive and take too long to build to make a signicant contribution to climate change mitigation,” he says.

In Boulder, Oliver Stone’s movie talked little of costs. But in Pueblo, a representative of Idaho National Laboratory, speaking to a municipal energy study group, openly conceded that cost remains the million dollar question.

She misplaced a comma or two in that string of zeroes, though. It’s the billion dollar question. Many billions.

Allen Best publishes Big Pivots, which chronicles the energy and water transitions in Colorado and beyond. Subscriptions are free at bigpivots. com; donations are welcomed.

The U.S. dollar as world currency

There is a lot of news about the U.S. dollar (USD) and how sustainable it is as the world currency in the future. While I don’t expect a major shift away from the dollar during my lifetime, we do see currencies and their use gradually changing over time.

• Currently the USD represents 58 percent of the world’s central bank reserves. is is down from 75 percent in 2000. is reserve currency is a magnet for foreign investment in the United States, according to William Greiner, CFA®.

• Some of the reasons for the renewed interest in world currencies is

FINANCIAL STRATEGIES

due to Russia, China and India talking with Brazil and South America about creating a new currency to challenge the USD. ey want to trade directly with each other in their own currencies. Let’s take a look at the current facts, according to JP Morgan.

• China’s currency the Renminbi (RMB) was the fth most traded currency in the world last year.

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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

• e U.S. share of global trade is about twelve percent, and the U.S. share of global GDP is about 25 percent. Yet the dollar’s share of foreign exchange, trade, debt, and exchange reserve is much higher, which is why the dollar is known as the world’s reserve currency.

• About 35 percent of all Treasury bonds are owned by foreign investors.

• e dollar’s role in foreign exchange markets has been mostly unchanged over the last 20 years or more. In 2022, the dollar accounted for about 89 percent of all foreign exchange transactions. e dollar’s dominance in international nance

STEVE SMITH Sports Editor ssmith@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

is clear with the dollar used in about half of all trade invoicing—much higher than the twelve percent share in global trade.

• e dollar is still the dominant currency of choice for investment of foreign exchange reserves at about 60 percent.

• Some central banks are diversifying holdings away from the dollar and the euro, but only 25 percent of the shift is explained by increased allocations to the Chinese RMB. Much of this was driven by Russia which holds one third of all RMB reserves.

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would work by tamping down the effect of rising residential and commercial property values on the tax burden for homeowners and businesses.

Here’s how it would work for residential property:

• The residential assessment rate would be reduced to 6.7% from 6.765% in 2023, for taxes owed in 2024, and to 6.7% from 6.976% for taxes owed in 2025. The 6.7% rate would remain unchanged through

KUMMER

• U.S. sanctions remain on many countries, most notably the freezing of Russian assets after the Ukraine invasion.

• Commodities such as oil are priced and traded in dollars worldwide.

the 2032 tax year, for taxes owed in 2033.

• In addition to the assessment rate cuts, residential property owners would get to exempt the first $50,000 of their home’s value from taxation for the 2023 tax year, a $10,000 increase made through an amendment adopted Monday. Residential property owners would then get to exempt $40,000 of their homes’ values from taxation for the 2024 tax year. The break would persist until the 2032 tax year, except for people’s second or subsequent single-family homes, like rental or vacation properties, which would stop being subject to that benefit in the 2025 tax year.

• More foreign currencies are pegged to the U.S. dollar than any other currency including China’s. China is also our largest trading partner with foreign trades pegged to the dollar.

Investment Strategist Brett Lapierre, CFA states, “I see some weakness in the USD over the next few years as it is fundamentally overvalued. is, combined with stronger economic growth outside of the U.S., higher interest rates and trade de cit, could

Here’s how it work for commercial property:

• For commercial properties, the assessment rate would be reduced to 27.85% through 2026, down from 29%. The state would be required to evaluate economic conditions to determine if the rate reduction should continue. If the rate reductions persist, the commercial assessment rate would be reduced to 27.65% in 2027, 26.9% in 2029 and 25.9% starting in 2031.

• For agricultural properties and properties used for renewable energy, the assessment rate would be reduced to 26.4% from 29% through the 2032 tax year. For properties that fall under both clas-

all put pressure on the USD. A recession could mean the dollar bounces in the short term in a ight to quality trade but over time, I expect the dollar to weaken.”

Given these facts, the U.S. dollar is alive and well and remains the stronghold currency worldwide. is could change over time as we see improved economic growth in other countries, and as we incorporate more foreign trade.

sifications, such as those used for agrivoltaics, the rate would be cut to 21.9%.

Property taxes in Colorado are calculated by multiplying the statewide assessment rate by the value of a property — sometimes referred to as a market value — as determined by a county assessor. That number is then multiplied by the local mill levy rate.

On the 29th of April 2023, Big Ed Stieber went to the happy hunting ground in the sky while hospitalized at MD Anderson in Houston, TX. Born March 12, 1958 to Rich and Marlene (Davis) Stieber, Eddie grew up loving the outdoors. He held passions for so many things including (in no particular order) elk hunting, his wife & soulmate Dianne, shing, bear hunting, wood working, his family, deer hunting, his nieces and nephews-including “greats”, duck hunting, camping, gardening, goose hunting, cooking-especially making salsa and pies, their cabin in Crystal Lakes, and more hunting.

After attending Fort Lupton schools and working for his dad’s Deere business, Ed’s career began with farming for Lloyd Land and continued 29 years with the Colorado Department of Transportation, where he found many, many friends, mentoring and giving advice even after retirement.

A big man with a heart just as big, he was known throughout his life for baking pies for birthday observances and special occasions. Every fall, dozens and dozens of jars were lled with his special salsa, pickles, and sauerkraut that he shared generously.

When he married his true love, Dianne Allison on December 31, 1994, she knew

In our opinion, it is important to make sure your investment portfolio is diversi ed based on your risk tolerance to include investments that can potentially bene t from these economic conditions.

Patricia Kummer has been a Certied Financial Planner professional and a duciary for over 35 years and is managing director for Mariner Wealth Advisors.

their kitchen was where she would always nd Ed preparing wonderful creations.

Only diagnosed recently with Chordoma, a form of cancer that attacks either end of the spinal column, Ed tried valiantly to overcome the rapid growth. Ed would have especially wished to thank family and friends who supported him following his diagnosis.

He will be mourned and missed by all his surviving friends and family: his wife Dianne, mother Marlene Stieber, siblings Zo (George) Hubbard, Chris (Liz) Stieber, & Jack Stieber as well as nephew Travis (Jessica) Stieber, nieces Sam (Rod) Dudley, Kenzie (Austin) Collier, Madison Stieber, Kyli (Marcus) Garcia and their families. He is also survived by brothers-in-law Barry (Diana) Allison (& nephew Dillon), Orie (Melanee) Allison (& nephew Justin), and adopted nephews Brady and Brycen Buum, and cousins with whom he held a very close kinship.

Gone before Ed’s passing were his dad Rich and brother Greg.

Memorial: Saturday, May 20th at 2:00 p.m. at the historic fort just west of highway 85 on County Road 14.5: 2001 Historic Parkway in Fort Lupton. All gentlemen are encouraged to wear shorts and boots-Ed’s year around attire.

STIEBER

Edward James Stieber March 12, 1958 - April 29, 2023

BY LUKE ZARZECKI LZARZECKI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

On most Tuesdays and ursdays and some Saturdays, a team of bikers meets to explore Colorado’s network of trails.

e group connects at a co ee shop in downtown Denver. When the weather isn’t too hot, it’s after work around 4 or 5 p.m. In the dead of summer, it’s usually in the morning.

ey sip on espresso and decide where they want to ride that day. It could be on the bike lanes of Denver, the 36 Bikeway to Boulder, the Platte River Trail to Brighton or other suburbs. Most of the time, it involves a stop along the way.

“We would go down the Platte River Trail to the C 470 trail and then Krispy Kremes along there. We call it the Krispy 50. It’s a 50-mile loop,” said Ted Schultz, one of the riders in the group.

e group started after Schultz and two colleagues in his o ce space decided to start riding together after work. Schultz rode with a few others and combined the two groups.

After the ride, they go to a brewery to catch up with one another and relax after the ride.

Colorado’s network of trails

Part of the reason the group exists is due to Colorado’s extensive bike trail infrastructure. Schultz said it’s only improved in the past two decades.

“When you add up the miles of really good trails, it’s just mind-boggling,” he said.

Schultz, who grew up in Colorado, said understanding for cyclists sharing the road and building more infrastructure has vastly grown. In the 70s

and 80s, he could almost count on angry driver backlash during his rides. Now, not so much.

Much of that may be due to more focus on improving trails and streets.

e Denver Regional Council of Governments built a map that shows all the trails and bike lanes across the region. ey stretch all the way from Boulder to Clear Creek to Castle Rock.

And more may be coming. e Greenhouse Gas Planning Standard, a new rule adopted by the Transportation Commission of Colorado in December 2021, requires agencies to measure greenhouse gas emissions from transit projects, with limits on how high those emissions go.

BIKE PATH

With bike infrastructure providing the option for drivers to ditch their cars and bike, it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Jacob Riger, multimodal transportation planning manager for the Denver Regional Council of Governments, said his group has already modi ed its 2050 Metro Vision Regional Transportation Plan based on the rule.

Emily Lindsey, active and emerging mobility program manager for DRCOG, said people are ready.

Of the 15 million daily trips in the region, 43% are less than three miles and 19% are less than one mile.

“So, super bikeable, even more so with e-bikes,” she said.

Chris Chen, one of the riders in the group, noted that some improvements are needed. Chen, who lives in Littleton, said there aren’t many bike lanes.

He said either more need to be

added or there need to be wider shoulders. He also said more education about how to share the road with bikers needs to be implemented, citing the death of Gwen Inglis in 2021.

Inglis was a national champion who was struck and killed by a driver in Lakewood.

“It’s been so long since I took the driver’s test, but I don’t know if they have incorporated anything into that,” Chen said.

He explained that it’s scary when vehicles go by fast, especially semi-trucks. e trucks, going fast enough, will push air to the side, which pushes the cyclist, but then will suck the air back in, bringing the cyclist in with it.

“If it’s really close, it’s really scary, not only the sounds of it and in the nearness of that fastmoving object, but the air actually pulling you in,” Chen said.

Compared to other places, Anthony Harvey, another member of the group, said the bike infrastructure ranks higher than the places he’s seen, including Texas, Califor-

nia and Chicago.

Benefits of riding e group ranges in age. Chen is one of the younger ones in his 40s with some of the older riders in their 60s. Meaning, biking is an activity for all abilities and ages.

Chen said he used to be a swimmer. But he didn’t like the fact he had to drive to the pool before 5 a.m. to be at practice in time.  at was too early for him, so he stopped swimming and started cycling more. Not only did it satisfy as a workout, but also was more convenient.

“I can combine commuting and exercise all together,” Chen said.  en he joined the group and it became a lot more fun. It was a way for him to make new friends, destress and get a workout. It also reminds him of his childhood.

“It’s the feeling of when you’re a little kid and you’re going fast and you’re like ‘this is awesome.’” Chen said. “It still feels like that. at sense of freedom.”

Harvey said he got into biking

after he was injured from MMA competitions and decided to switch sports. He participates in various races.

“I was able to actually race with bikes and can also stay t,” he said.

Benefi

ts of friendship

While the biking brings the group together, the camaraderie keeps them pedaling. Schultz, Chen and Harvey all talked about the importance of keeping up with each other, not just on the trail.

Each friend rides on their own and sees the bene ts of being alone. But with the group, they push each other to go faster and further and gives a chance to connect over a topic each is passionate about.

After each ride, they stop at a brewpub or a bar, with Chen’s recommendation for one with a food truck.

“ at’s when we can catch up on trips and things happening with the family and what new gadgets people have,” Chen said. “ at kind of stu .”

Ted Schultz points to the numerous bikes he has accumulated over the years.

Ted Schultz’s ‘cargo’ bike that he often takes to work and to run errands.

PHOTOS BY LUKE ZARZECKI

Thu 5/18

Storytime in the Park @ 3pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 East Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Explore the Ph scale with 4-H @ 5pm Anythink Brighton, 327 East Bridge Street, Brighton. rbowman @anythinklibraries.org, 303-4053230

Monthly Birthday Celebration (5/18) @ 7pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Fri 5/19

An Evening with CSO: A Tribute to John Williams

@ 12am

May 19th - May 18th

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

Breakfast Burrito Bingo @ 3pm Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-2893760

Fruit Bats @ 8pm Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave., Denver

Sat 5/20

Birding by Canoe! Day 2 @ 9am / Free Barr Lake State Park, 13401 Picadilly Rd, Brighton. 303-659-4348 ext. 53

Death Upon the Ignorant @ 7pm Trailside Saloon, 10360 Colorado Blvd, Thornton

Tue 5/23

Colorado Rockies vs. Miami Marlins @ 6:40pm / $6-$300

Coors Field, 2001 Blake St., Denver Hiking Program- South Valley Park @ 7pm Offsite, 6060 E Parkway Drive, Commerce City. 303-289-3760

Wed 5/24

Colorado Rockies vs. Miami Marlins @ 6:40pm / $6-$300 Coors Field, 2001 Blake St., Denver

Colorado Rapids vs. Real Salt Lake @ 7:30pm / $25-$999 DICK'S Sporting Goods Park, 6000 Victory Way, Commerce City

Kids to Parks Day @ 8pm Offsite, 6060 E Parkway Drive, Commerce City. 303-289-3760

Mon 5/22

Les Claypool's Frog Brigade @ 8pm Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St, Denver

Thu 5/25

Crafty Corner: Resin Bookmarks (5/25) @ 4pm Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

David Lawrence & the Spoon‐ful: Food Truck Carnival 2023 @ 1:30pm

E.B. Rains Jr. Memorial Park, 11701 Community Center Dr, Northglenn

AD. 5/22 Growing Naturally Nature Play @ 9am / Free Bird Conservancy's Environmental Learning Center, 14500 Lark Bunting Lane, Brighton. 303-6594348 ext. 53

New Belgium Brewing Tour @ 6pm Fort Lupton Recreation & Parks De‐partment, 203 S Harrison, Fort Lupton. 303-857-4200

Jenny Shawhan

@ 4pm Food Truck Carnival, 11701 Com‐munity Center Dr, Northglenn

Condemned to Burn @ 7pm Trailside Saloon, 10360 Colorado Blvd, Thornton

Colorado Rockies vs. Miami Marlins @ 6:40pm / $6-$300

Coors Field, 2001 Blake St., Den‐ver

Anavrin's Day: AD Hoffbrau Thursday! @ 9pm Hoffbrau, 9110 Wadsworth Pkwy, Westminster

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TRIVIA

1. ANATOMY: What is a common name for lateral epicondylitis?

2. GEOGRAPHY: What was the country of Portugal known as in Roman times?

3. MOVIES: What are the nal words spoken in the movie “ e Shawshank Redemption”?

4. LITERATURE: Which novel series includes a ctional place called Godric’s Hollow, England?

5. SCIENCE: What is cytology?

6. TELEVISION: What is the name of the ranch in the 1960s western show “Bonanza”?

7. U.S. STATES: Which state has the longest cave system?

8. FOOD & DRINK: In which country were bagels invented?

9. HISTORY: What kind of beetle was revered by the ancient Egyptians?

Solution

10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is the largest lizard on Earth?

Answers

1. Tennis elbow.

2. Lusitania.

3. “I hope.”

4. e “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling.

5. e study of cells.

6. Ponderosa.

7. Kentucky.

8. Poland.

9. Scarab.

10. Komodo Dragon.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Real Estate & Rental Real

Home for Sale

3 bed/2 bath Fort Lupton, priced at $77K 303-637-7001

Market Place

Garage and Estate Sales

Garage Sales

Red Hawk Golf Course Community Wide Garage Sale

Merchandise

Health & Beauty

DENTAL INSURANCEPhysicians Mutual Insurance Company. Covers 350 procedures. Real insurancenot a discount plan. Get your free dental info kit! 1-855-526-1060 www.dental50plus.com/58 #6258.

VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS!

50 Generic Pills SPECIAL $99.00 100% guaranteed. 24/7 CALL NOW! 888-445-5928 Hablamos Espanol

Medical

Attention oxygen therapy users!

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

Miscellaneous

Free high speed internet if qualified. Govt. pgm for recipients of select pgms incl. Medicaid, SNAP, Housing Assistance, WIC, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefits, Lifeline, Tribal. 15 GB internet. Android tablet free w/one-time $20 copay. Free shipping. Call Maxsip Telecom! 1-833-758-3892

Inflation is at 40 year highs

Interest rates are way up. Credit Cards. Medical Bills. Car Loans. Do you have $10k or more in debt? Call National Debt Relief to find out how to pay off your debt for significantly less than what you owe! Free quote: 1-877-592-3616

MobileHelp, America’s premier mobile medical alert system. Whether you’re home or away. For safety & peace of mind. No long term contracts! Free brochure! 1-888489-3936

Miscellaneous

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months!

Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 855-761-1725

Caring for an aging loved one? Wondering about options like seniorliving communities and in-home care? Caring.com’s Family Advisors help take the guesswork out of senior care for your family. Free, noobligation consult: 1-855-759-1407

Pets

Dogs

The City of Fort Lupton is looking for a motivated Building Maintenance worker to assist with maintaining the public buildings in the city. The buildings include City Hall, Recreation Center, the new Library, Museum, and Golf Course.

Under general supervision of the Buildings Maintenance Supervisor the Buildings Maintenance Worker performs a variety of skilled and unskilled manual labor duties associated with the maintenance of City grounds, buildings and equipment.

Typical working hours are from Monday through Friday from 7:00 am – 4:00 pm. This position is 40 hours per week.

Starting pay for position: $20.00-$24.00 per hour.

Full range of position: $20.00-$30.00 per hour

Apply

By:

The public hearings shall be held at the Fort Lupton City Hall, 130 S. McKinley Avenue in Fort Lupton, Colorado. In the event that the City Hall is closed at the time of the hearings, the public hearings will be held remotely, accessible to the public by phone and internet. Information on how to attend the hearings will be provided in the agenda as posted on the City’s website, www.fortluptonco.gov.

Further information is available through the City Planning and Building Department at (303) 857-6694.

ALL INTERESTED PERSONS MAY ATTEND LEGAL DESCRIPTION

ALL OF THAT PARCEL DESCRIBED IN A WARRANTY DEED TO JOHN F. FITZSIMMONS AND CYNTHIA J. FITZSIMMONS, FILED FOR RECORD IN THE OFFICE OF THE WELD COUNTY CLERK AND RECORDER AT RECEPTION NO. 3449195, AND ALL OF PARCEL II AS DESCRIBED IN A SPECIAL WARRANTY DEED TO FTL LAND ASSEMBLAGE, LLLP, A COLORADO LIMITED LIABILITY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, FILED FOR RECORD IN THE OFFICE OF THE WELD COUNTY CLERK AND RECORDER AT RECEPTION NO. 4688892. SAID PARCELS ARE LOCATED IN THE NORTHWEST ONE-QUARTER OF SECTION 9, TOWNSHIP 01 NORTH, RANGE 66 WEST OF THE 6TH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, COUNTY OF WELD, STATE OF COLORADO DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS:

COMMENCING AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF SAID SECTION 9, AS MONUMENTED BY A SET 3.25 INCH ALUMINUM CAP MARKED “PLS 38780 2022”, THENCE SOUTH 00°48’44” EAST, ALONG THE WEST LINE OF SAID NORTHWEST ONEQUARTER, A DISTANCE OF 30.00 FEET;

FEET, MORE OR LESS, TO THE CENTER ONE QUARTER CORNER OF SAID SECTION 9, AS MONUMENTED BY A FOUND 3.25 ALUMINUM CAP MARKED “PLS 38046 2014”; THENCE SOUTH 89°35’20” WEST, ALONG THE SOUTH LINE OF SAID NORTHWEST ONE-QUARTER, A DISTANCE OF 2612.35 FEET, MORE OR LESS, TO A FOUND 1.5 INCH ALUMINUM CAP WITH ILLEGIBLE MARKINGS;

THENCE NORTH 00°48’44” WEST, ALONG

THE EAST LINE OF THE THIRTY (30) FOOT RIGHT OF WAY FOR WELD COUNTY ROAD 12 , 30.00 FEET EAST OF AND PARALLEL WITH THE WEST LINE OF SAID NORTHWEST ONEQUARTER, A DISTANCE OF 2611.53 FEET, TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING.

CONTAINING 157.379 ACRES 6,855,445 SQUARE FEET) OF LAND, MORE OR LESS.

Legal Notice No. FLP871

First Publication: May 18, 2023

Last Publication: May 18, 2023

Publisher: Fort Lupton Press

Metro Districts

Budget Hearings

Public Notice

NOTICE AS TO PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF 2022 BUDGET

BROMLEY PARK

METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 2

ADAMS AND WELD COUNTIES, COLORADO

sonAllen LLP, 8390 E. Crescent Pkwy., Suite 300, Greenwood Village, Colorado 80111 and on the District’s website, which is listed below.

The District Board meeting will be accessible to the public by video conference or by conference call.

You can attend the meeting in any of the following ways:

•To attend via Teams Videoconference, the link to the video conference may be obtained from the Notice of Special Meeting & Agenda posted on the website: bromleyparkmd2.com

To attend via telephone conference, dial 1-720-547-5281 and enter the following additional information: Phone Conference ID – 454 503 363#

You may also email Cindy Jenkins at cindy. jenkins@claconnect.com to obtain the link and call-in information.

BROMLEY PARK

METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 2

/s/ Lisa Johnson

District Manager

Legal Notice No. FLP870

First Publication: May 18, 2023

Last Publication: May 18, 2023

Publisher: Fort Lupton Press

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Weld County, Colorado on or before September 11, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred. Sadie Moore Personal Representative C/O Harvey J. Williamson, Esq. 4450 Arapahoe Avenue, Suite 100 Boulder, Colorado 80303 303-716-9666 Legal Notice No. FLP865

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the City of Fort Lupton is in receipt of an application for a Preliminary Plat known as the Vista Meadows Preliminary Plat, this application includes 4 parcels. The project is located south and adjacent to County Road 12, and east and adjacent to County Road 29 within the City of Fort Lupton, pursuant to the City of Fort Lupton Municipal Code Notice Requirements.

The public hearings are to be held before the Planning Commission on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at 6:00 P.M., and before the City Council on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, at 6:00 P.M. or as soon as possible thereafter.

THENCE NORTH 89°14’03” EAST, 30.00 FEET SOUTH OF AND PARALLEL WITH THE NORTH LINE OF SAID NORTHWEST ONE-QUARTER, A DISTANCE OF 30.00 FEET, TO A FOUND RED PLASTIC CAP MARKED “PLS 12330” AND THE POINT OF BEGINNING.

THENCE NORTH 89°14’03” EAST, ALONG THE SOUTH LINE OF THE THIRTY (30) FOOT RIGHT OF WAY FOR WELD COUNTY ROAD 12 , 30.00

FEET SOUTH OF AND PARALLEL WITH THE NORTH LINE OF SAID NORTHWEST ONEQUARTER, A DISTANCE OF 2621.61 FEET, TO A POINT ON THE EAST LINE OF SAID NORTHWEST ONE-QUARTER, SAID POINT BEING MONUMENTED BY A FOUND RED PLASTIC CAP MARKED “PLS 12330”;

THENCE SOUTH 00°36’32” EAST, ALONG

LINE, A DISTANCE OF 2627.72

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Sections 29-1-108 and 29-1-109, C.R.S., the necessity has arisen for the amendment of the 2022 budget of the Bromley Park Metropolitan District No. 2 (the “District”). A copy of the proposed 2022 amended budget is on file in the office of the District’s Accountant, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, 8390 E. Crescent Parkway, Suite 300, Greenwood Village, CO 80111, where same is available for public inspection. Such proposed 2022 amended budget will be considered at a special meeting to be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 5, 2023, which will be held via video and teleconference. Any interested elector within the District may, at any time prior to the final adoption of the 2022 amended budget, inspect the 2022 amended budget and file or register any objections thereto. The address of the office of the District where the names and addresses of the Board Members and the address, telephone number, fax number and email address of the District may be obtained is: c/o CliftonLar-

Estate of GEOFFRY R. JOHNSON, Deceased Case Number: 2023 PR a30225

All persons having claims against the abovenamed estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Weld County, Colorado on or before September 5, 2023, or the claims may be forever barred.

Jared A. Johnson

Personal Representative 5333 S. Robb Court Littleton, CO 80127

Legal Notice No. FLP864

First Publication: May 4, 2023

Last Publication: May 18, 2023