Highlands Ranch Herald 092922

Senior center is o cially under construction

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Highlands Ranch officials broke ground on the upcoming $16.5 million senior center on Sept. 19 with the goal of opening doors in January 2024.

The 20,000 square-foot community space for people over 55 will include a Douglas County Health and Human Services satellite office, a fitness area, meeting rooms, a large kitchen and more. It’s located on Highlands Ranch Parkway next to Mountainview Christian Church.

“The Highlands Ranch Senior Center will serve as opportunity to connect older adults to with vital community services with the goal of helpinhg them say active and independent,” Highlands Ranch Metro District Interim General

Manager Stephanie Stanley said at the groundbreaking. “The programs offered will expand upon current programs to specifically address the needs and interests of participants aged 55 and older.”

The Highlands Ranch Metro District Board of Directors is expected to approve a contract for sitework at their October meeting, and the district is planning for building construction to begin before December. The project is estimated to cost the district around $16.5 million, which will be paid using fees collected by the metro district on development.

Mark Dickerson, the chair of the metro district’s board of directors, noted the senior center is the largest project done by the metro district.

“The project represents the evolution of our 41 year old community,” he said.

Once open, the senior center will run on a membership model

with drop-in availability, Tammy Tucker, Director of Parks, Recreation and Open Space for the metro district, said in an interview with Colorado Community Media. Details of the fees for various programs have yet to be finalized.

Tucker is planning to host community input sessions throughout construction to gather feedback on what types of programming to offer, such as art classes, certain fitness sessions or educational talks.

“We’re going to ask (seniors) to come and tell us what programs and classes and thing they actually want and what they’ll actually show up for,” she said. “It’s not what we think they want.”

A portion of the senior center will be dedicated to Douglas County Health and Human Services, which will offer Medicaid assistance, SNAP and food assistance, adult financial programs

County libraries receive few book-ban requests

Displays highlight Banned Books Week

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Amid a sharp nationwide rise in the number of books facing library or school bans, Douglas County Libraries is spotlighting challenged media for National Banned Books Week.

Banned Books Week, which runs from Sept. 18-24, celebrates free and open access to information by highlighting the harms of censorship and books that are frequent targets of bans. So far this year, the American Libraries Association reports 681 challenges to books, which almost reaches the 2021 total of 729 book challenges.

Bucking the trend, Douglas County Libraries hasn’t seen a large number of challenges to books on its shelves, according to Douglas County Libraries Executive Director Bob Pasicznyuk. He said he has handled only a single complaint so far this year and has never reached the point of removing materials from the library due to a challenge in his eight-year tenure.

Most complaints are handled by hearing patrons’ concerns, but there’s often not much the libraries can do in response, Pasicznyuk said. He noted that libraries being taxpayer-supported essentially means they operate as an arm of the government, so removing access to material would be censorship.

Highlands Ranch and Douglas County o cials pose for photos before breaking ground on the Highlands Ranch Senior Center on Sept. 19.

PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD

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Suspect pleads not guilty in double murder

December hearing set

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The man accused of killing his sister and her boyfriend earlier this year in rural Douglas County pleaded not guilty to the crime on Sept. 23.

Casey Devol, 30, appeared in a packed courtroom to enter his plea through public defender Ara Ohanian.

Devol remains in jail as he awaits trial.

The victims in the case, Jessica Mitchell, 32, and Bryan Todd Gray, 34, were discovered on Feb. 8 in a garage adjacent to a house they lived in on Russellville Road near Franktown. Mitchell was Devol’s sister.

The next hearing in the case will be Dec. 8 at 9:30 a.m. for the judge to hear motions. There will then be a pre-trial hearing Jan. 5 at 9 a.m. followed by a trial beginning Jan. 23. The trial is set to last three weeks.

Loved ones and community members from the area at the border of Douglas and Elbert counties have come to hearings, filling the courtroom. When Devol’s arrest was first

announced, comments poured in from residents, many of whom said they knew the victims and Devol for years.

A coworker of Gray’s discovered him and Mitchell in the Russellville Road garage at about 1:30 p.m. Feb. 8.

A man who police identified as Devol had been seen on security cameras entering the garage “carrying multiple handguns and a long gun.” Devol’s vehicle was also scanned by a traffic camera in Castle Rock at about 7 a.m.

When found, Mitchell appeared to have been shot in the stomach and had a “pry bar” on top of her. Gray was found with a plate of food on him “as if he was getting ready to eat.” He had been shot in the head.

Investigators reported the rear door was left open and the residence appeared ransacked, according to the affidavit. In February, Sheriff Tony Spulock said there was not yet a clear motive in the case. A motive has not been announced since then.

After he was identified, the sheriff’s office asked for the public’s help in finding Devol, calling him “armed and dangerous.” A few hours later, Devol was found in Salina, Kansas.

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Teens arrested after crashing into Highlands Ranch home

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A police chase in Highlands Ranch ended with a teenage driver crashing her vehicle into a home Friday night.

Around 10:45 p.m. Sept. 23, Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies were responding to a noise complaint in the 9000 block of Miners Place when they heard shots fired in the area and saw a white Mercedes SUV speeding away, according to a DCSO news release.

When a deputy attempted to pull over the Mercedes, the driver turned into a neighborhood and escaped

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sight of police. DCSO found the car crashed into a house in the 8600 block of Forrest Drive.

The driver, 16, and a passenger were transported to a local hospital with injuries. A second passenger was not injured. Residents were in the home, but they were not injured.

The driver faces potential charges of vehicular eluding, driving under the influence and reckless driving.

DCSO determined none of the juveniles in the car had fired the shots heard on Miners Place, but they were at the scene when it occurred, the release says.

The investigation into the shots fired on Miners Place is ongoing.

Summer may be over, but annual summer roadwork continues in Douglas County. Well-maintained roads are safer and last longer. Doing this work safely takes us all. Please slow down and drop the distraction. For information road projects in your area visit DouglasRoadwork.com

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Renew your driver license or motor vehicle registration and more from the convenience of your smartphone, tablet, desktop or laptop. You can also renew vehicle registrations at MVExpress kiosks. Find information at DouglasDrives.com

Have late-season gardening questions?

Reach out to your Douglas County Master Gardenersthey are ready and waiting to help seven days a week. Send your questions to dcmgardenr@gmail.com or learn more by visiting douglas.extension.colostate. edu/horticulture/master-gardener/

General Election Nov. 8, 2022

Douglas County is Election-Ready - Are You?

Visit DouglasVotes.com to: Register to vote

Update your voter registration

Learn about election security

Find a ballot drop box near you Registered voters in Douglas County, watch your mailbox for your ballot the week of Oct. 17.

Learn more at DouglasVotes.com or 303-660-7444.

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South African American Krugerrands, 1 oz. each, 80- Buffalo Silver rounds, 80- other Silver rounds 1 oz. each.

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Minimum Bid: for unidentifiable will be set for 80% and 95% of the spot price per troy ounce as of the day preceding the sale for identifiable coins.

Mail in bids are not accepted For more info visit our website at www.irsauctions.gov

Contact: Kelila Callahan @ 925-260-4087

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HRCA to discusses transition to in-person-only meetings

Virtual option to be halted

BY NINA JOSS COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

After almost three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations are adopting hybrid options as a new permanent way of conducting business. The Highlands Ranch Community Association, on the other hand, is considering a return to pre-pandemic modes of gathering.

In a delegate meeting on Sept. 20, board members of the Highlands Ranch Community Association discussed their intent to move future meetings to in-person only. After some type of virtual meeting option has been available since April 2020, this decision would eliminate the possibility for community members to attend meetings virtually for the time being.

Board member Melissa Park said the goal of transitioning to in-person meetings was based on the results of a survey sent to the delegates. According to executive assistant Theresa Hill, the survey was sent at the end of August.

In an interview with Colorado Community Media, Bailey said 51 out of 85 delegates responded to the survey and 60% of them favored a return to in-person meetings.

“A lot of it was based on the feedback that we got regarding the technology — we just don’t have what is needed,” Park said. “And obviously, we’ve all shared in those frustrations. So for now, we’re ready to move forward with in person.”

During the meeting, Bailey cited improvements that need to be made to the

screen, projector and sound system in the meeting room at Southridge Recreation Center, where in-person meetings would be held going forward. Technology purchases in these areas could be utilized for a virtual setting in the future, Bailey said.

“We’re not going to combust the virtual option, just at this point in time the survey said (people) would like to get back together,” he said. “We’re still going to move expeditiously to see if we can find a permanent solution.”

Thirty-five participants joined the Sept. 20 meeting via Zoom, according to the application. During the discussion, online participants expressed frustration in the Zoom chat.

Teri Hjelmstad, delegate of district 70, commented that the survey questions seemed as though they were written to encourage people to vote for in-person meetings over virtual ones. Others wrote that they never even saw the survey.

While a few commenters supported in-person meetings, most comments

expressed concern that eliminating the virtual option would reduce community engagement.

“I’m not proposing that we take away the in-person meetings, and other people shouldn’t propose that we take away the virtual meetings,” said district 11 delegate Mike Woodland over Zoom to the group. “We should be given the option.”

He also said delegates should have a chance to vote on the matter.

“Who made this decision? Was it the board voting on it? Because in my opinion, it being the delegates meeting, we should be the ones voting on it,” he said.

Woodland acknowledged there had been audio and bandwidth issues with a couple of past meetings, but said many meetings had no technological issues.

In response to these concerns, Park announced the decision would be put on hold for review of the Zoom chat comments and further discussion.

The board will discuss the topic further at its next working session on Oct. 10, Bailey told CCM. All HRCA meetings are open to members.

With new drought restrictions, the Highlands Ranch Metro District is working to cut water use by 20%, a di cult task with all of the communities parks and fields. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

Castle Rock limits turf at new homes

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

New homes in Castle Rock will no longer be able to sport a turf front yard under a recently approved ordinance aimed at conserving water.

Town council unanimously approved new requirements for developers of single-family homes to Coloradoscape front yards and incentivizes similar conservationfriendly landscaping in back yards at the Sept. 20 meeting.

Coloradoscape is a type of xeriscape that utilizes native low-water plants and landscaping.

The proposal comes from the town’s goal of reducing per capita water usage to 100 gallons per day and reducing peak water demands.

“This, at least in my opinion, is one of the most important things we will do with respect to our longterm water plans this year for sure, but maybe even in the next 10 years,” said Mark Marlowe, director of Castle Rock Water.

Under the new ordinance, the town requires develop-

ers to install Coloradoscape front yards and will offer developers lower system development fees and prorated water rates in exchange for installing Coloradoscape back yards with a maximum of 500 square feet of turf.

Castle Rock defines Coloradoscape as having 75% plant coverage.

Developers that don’t install the back yard will not get discounted system development fees or prorated water rates. Developers are still required to design the back yard, though homeowners are not required to implement those designs.

Developers at the meeting pushed back against the incentive structure for being too punitive.

“Our homebuilders do have concerns on Castle Rock’s insistence on homebuilders being responsible for installing back yard landscaping features for new homes,” said Morgan Cullen, of the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver. “Builders in Colorado do not typically install back yard landscaping. They leave this to the homeowners.”

Marlowe responded to concerns by noting that 42% of homes in Castle Rock last year had both yards installed so that developers could take

advantage of the lowered fees offered at the time, resulting in lower water usage.

“It’s certainly not unprecedented and can certainly be done and it’s done here in Castle Rock all the time,” he said.

Marlowe said the cost for Coloradoscape is competitive with turf landscaping and noted that the Coloradoscape yards would result in lowered water rates for homeowners since Castle Rock Water uses a rate structure based on usage.

“We’re trying to change the look and feel going forward so that people don’t want grass necessarily in Castle Rock because, again, it’s a very challenging thing to grow here and handle from a water resource point,” he said.

The ordinance also removes the town’s requirement that developers submit a water efficiency plan, discontinues the previous developer incentive for reduced water usage, and commercial developments will not be allowed non-functional turf.

The town council will vote on a second reading of the ordinance at the Oct. 18 meeting and, if approved, the requirements will apply to homes permitted Jan. 1, 2023 and after.

Meet Our Providers

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Nicole Hoffman, DOAmanda Judd, NPNicole Hoffman, DO Amanda Judd, NP

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

PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD

Developers to Coloradoscape

Good monsoons help fall colors thrive

BY HAYLEY SANCHEZ COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

Cooler evenings, shorter days, all the pumpkin-themed drinks and foods you can think of — the start of fall is just a few days away. And that means seasonal fall colors are right around the corner, according to state forestry officials.

“It’s not an exact science,” said Dan West, a Colorado State Forest Service entomologist. Fall leaf colors will have average timing this year, he added.

When predicting fall colors, West breaks the state into thirds — northern, central and southern Colorado. By the end of September, northern Colorado should see changing leaves, then early October for central Colorado and mid to late October for the southern portion of the state.

The 2022 fall foliage prediction map predicts similar peak colors. It analyzes data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration like historical temperatures and precipitation, and other markers.

This year, monsoon moisture through the summer helped drought-stressed trees recover, West said.

That means leaves likely won’t have brown edges like they’ve had the last few years when drought was more prevalent. So while he said this year’s autumn colors will be quite average relatively, they’ll seem

“The next month or so looks fantastic for the state of Colorado for leaf colors,” West said. “I think that we’re gonna have a pretty good year as opposed to years past.”

The best fall foliage conditions are a combination of abundant sunshine to get rid of chlorophyll — which gives leaves their green color — and cool nights to produce sugars that create brilliant reds and purples. And you’re in luck because West said NOAA’s 30-day forecast predicts that kind of environment. (Word to the wise: We live in Colorado so you and I both

always change. And if it snows, say goodbye to the cool colors.)

When taking in the views, West said he likes to follow Colorado’s fall colors from north to south. He starts in Routt National Forest near Steamboat Springs and moves southwest near La Veta Pass into Alamosa and toward Durango.

“The Oaks give you a beautiful show of that red and orange in the bottom of the forest and then the aspens over top of that, it’s just, breathtaking,” West said.

Although many areas of Colorado should expect beautiful scenery, some places in the south-

severe drought or burn scars like the Spring Creek fire will take more time to recover and produce similar foliage.

West’s best advice for checking out the scenery: “If things don’t look good in your favorite spot or where you normally drive, I’d say just keep for a couple more minutes and I think your chances are pretty good that you’re going to get into a good spot. Enjoy beautiful Colorado.”

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

As the colder temperatures arrive, the fall colors are expected in the mountains. Monsoons may help the colors.

JON GRIMES PHOTO

LIBRARIES

FROM PAGE

“We stock what people have in demand, so if a book is in demand by citizens, for another citizen to ask for it to be removed so that they can’t use it is where (the complaint) usually falls apart,” he said. “For us the definition of censorship is not people making decisions for themselves … but when they are trying to make a choice for their neighbor.”

Pasicznyuk said library policies do allow for parents and guardians to have slightly more control over what materials their children can check out. For parents of children age 14 or younger, there is an option to limit library card use to media in the youth category.

“Some folks may say a particular book is not safe for children or it’s risky for a child to have that book in their hands. Our policies place those decisions squarely in parents hands,” Pasicznyuk said.

Many of the top 10 most challenged books for 2021 were young adult novels, mainly with LGBTQ themes or characters, or discussions of racism.

Pasicnyuk said he’s received comments and concerns about a wide range of books in the libraries, such as media that depicts violence, includes

anti-vaccine perspectives, has descriptions of sex or sexuality, or reflects anti-law enforcement ideas.

Pasicnyuk said book challenges often reflect civic tensions or contemporary controversies.

“If you look over a 10-year period of the books that people object to you would see almost everything in there, including a lot of classics,” he said. “It’s almost a mirror of societal pressures of the time.”

When it comes to stocking library shelves, Pasicznyuk said the library orders books and media based on what’s popular, such as bestsellers, classics or trends, as well as ordering specific materials for patron requests. DCL also partners with other Front Range libraries and universities to share media across the region.

“We look at the trends from the previous year and dissect what people are looking for and that governs our purchasing, so it’s a very market-driven approach,” Pasicnyuk said. “We keep some money aside for requests and I would say 75% of the time we just buy it and maybe 25% of the time we have other sources to get a book from anywhere in the Front Range.”

Currently, DCL offers every single book on 2021’s top 10 most challenged list, though some are already checked out or have hold lists.

Highlands Ranch Library displays frequently challenged books on Sept. 23 near the front entrance as a way to participate in Banned Books Week, a national event from Sept. 18-24 that celebrates open access and highlights censorship concerns.

PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD

BY SARAH MULHOLLAND COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO

Colorado’s minimum wage will jump to $13.65 per hour next year — an 8.68% increase — amid persistent inflation.

The new hourly wage will take effect Jan. 1, according to the state’s department of labor and employment. The annual adjustment, based on the consumer price index in Denver, Aurora and Lakewood, is written into the state’s constitution. In Denver, the minimum wage will rise to $17.29 per hour next year, up from $15.87.

Businesses and consumers are struggling with the highest inflation in 40 years. The Federal Reserve is raising interest rates in an effort to slow price gains, but costs for many goods and services are still climbing. On Sept.

13, the U.S. Labor Department said the consumer price index rose 8.3% in August compared to last year, dashing hopes that the reading would show inflation receding. Food and housing costs were big contributors to the most recent gains.

Pegging minimum wage to inflation is helpful for workers, but it doesn’t help families recoup the higher costs they’ve already absorbed, according to Paula Cole, a professor of economics at University of Denver.

“It doesn’t offset the pain that workers were feeling this year because of prices being higher now,” Cole said.

Moreover, the tight labor market means that a lot of service jobs are already paying above the minimum wage, she said, and the annual increase won’t affect those wages. The increase will likely be felt most in rural areas where pay tends to be lower, she said.

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

GOVERNOR

Heidi Ganahl,

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

Under Jared Polis, Colorado’s crime and drug use epidemic has risen to

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

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

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

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

PAID FOR BY HEIDI FOR GOVERNOR; REGISTERED AGENT SAM SCHAFER

Paid

NyQuil chicken — no thanks

Iam often fascinated at things people worldwide will do based on something they saw online. The latest attention to the problem was an FDA warning that NyQuil chicken is not something people should consume. I’m sure I do not have to state the obvious, but I will. Who in the world would event want to try such a recipe?

Apparently, the NyQuil chicken concept came from a cooking challenge in a video that actually went viral more than a year ago.

FROM THE EDITOR

VOICES

Thelma Grimes

However, with the FDA just now coming out with the warning, the subject has again become much more popular.

Like many online challenges, the NyQuil chicken started as a joke that some decided to actually try.

While I have no inclination to try NyQuil chicken — I do not like NyQuil ever — I was curious why the FDA was warning against it.

Turns out, the warning said, “boiling a medication can make it much more concentrated and change its properties in other ways. Even if you don’t eat the chicken, inhaling the medication’s vapors while cooking could cause high levels of the drugs to enter your body. It could also hurt your lungs.”

I think that’s clear enough to make me not want to even attempt to cook NyQuil.

However, this is not the first-time warnings have had to come out because of some nonsensical viral challenge on TikTok or another social media platform.

In June, the FDA had to warn people against keeping avocados fresh by placing them in water. Apparently, the video was popular several years ago, but as government often does, it has to catch up with warnings.

I have to admit while I have never stored an avocado in water, it is interesting to note that the FDA warns that doing so can encourage bacteria growth and lead to foodborne illness.

Then, you have one of the most popular/ridiculous challenges deriving from social media — the Tide Pod challenge. Starting as a joke in 2017, the challenge made its way to YouTube, pushing the Consumer Product Safety Commission to get involved and put out warnings against eating them.

Admittedly, this is one of the most head-shaking instances of social media nonsense for me. I cannot figure out how in the world anyone saw this and thought it was a good idea.

There is a question thrown out on occasion — “What would we do without the internet?”

In some of these cases, I guess we would not be eating Tide Pods.

But wait, there is more.

In France, there have been warnings put out telling people to stop getting out of their cars and dancing in traffic.

In all of these instances, the governments in various jurisdictions and countries are usually behind because a posting or challenge like these can go viral in within hours or a couple of days.

Once the governing body does try to put the warnings out — they are late and it is not always clear if they are even reaching the demographic who are willing to take on such challenges.

When it comes to teenagers, challenges are always a growing trend and many of them are dangerous. From holding their breath to dangerous levels, inhaling whipped-cream propellant and more — the internet may provide valuable education at times — it also can be a source for teaching something very dangerous.

What is the answer? I really do not know. I would say make sure to educate and watch over your children, but the problem is adults are sometimes doing what seems cool online.

Thelma Grimes is the south metro editor for Colorado Community Media.

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher

lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

THELMA GRIMES

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MCKENNA HARFORD

Community Editor mharford@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Pride without the arrogance

Whenever he finished an amazing run, resulting in a touchdown, and having weaved his way through the defense and even running over a defender or slipping past another with some lightning-quick footwork, he never carried on, didn’t even spike the football, he just glided over to the referee and handed him the ball. The NFL Hall of Famer and icon I am speaking about is Barry Sanders.

When Barry Sander retired, he had played in 159 games, had 110 touchdowns, 3032 receiving yards, and 15,655 rushing yards, for a total of 18,805 yards. Known as one of the fiercest and hardest-to-tackle running backs to ever play the game, but also recognized as one of the classiest players to ever take the field. Plenty of accomplishments with zero arrogance.

We all have completed something in our life where we had that tremendous sense of accomplishment. Maybe it was something in our personal life where we achieved a health, fitness, or financial goal. Or perhaps we completed a small project or much bigger endeavor where we took pride in the work we have completed.

At work, we may have been promoted, received an award, or we were recognized for contributing to the growth of the organization. Again, it feels good, and whether we are recognized or not, we know in our hearts that we got the job done.

And as we accomplish our goals or contribute to success, people have an even greater appreciation and respect when we walk humbly regardless of what we have achieved.

There are times where the accomplishment or achievement is so amazing that we cannot help but jump for joy and let out a shout or two. Celebrating is much

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WINNING WORDS

different than arrogance. Especially when it’s a big win, or it’s been a long-term goal that was met or exceeded. Yes, for sure, party it up and celebrate while we enjoy those moments in time.

Arrogance is when we change our demeanor, look down on others, walk with a new sense of entitlement, sharing and boasting of incredible deeds. The impact of arrogance can wreak havoc on relationships and even when making first impressions.

Michael Norton

Recently I had an opportunity to spend a weekend with my in-laws. My brotherin-law and his wife, as well as her parents, had hosted his parents and my wife and I for the weekend at their summer home in Ocean City, Maryland. They had only bought the home recently, so it was our first time visiting them in their new summer home. When we arrived, the first thing on the agenda was to go for a tour on the boat. My brother-in-law took us around the bay and pointed out all the things and places they were excited about. We stopped at a couple of places for some drinks and food, and then made our way home.

What stood out to me as I watched my brother-in-law was his sense of accomplishment in life. He is only 38 years old, and I have watched him grow personally and professionally. He has risen through the ranks at work and now leads a team. His team walks with the same sense of achievement, but no arrogance, they are there to get the job done. He works out and

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SENIORS

and an accessible place to pick up an EBT card. However, Tucker noted the senior center won’t offer medical care and isn’t residential.

The goal of the facility is to offer a centralized location for senior resources, activities and socialization as the number of residents over 55 continues to grow in Highlands Ranch. It will also provide space for existing groups, like the Highlands Ranch Senior Club and Active Adults, to meet and expand.

“It’s a place for seniors to go and do the things they’re interested in, which really isn’t currently available,” Tucker said.

On the day of the groundbreaking, Dickerson, thanked the crowd of around 75 people, including Douglas County Commissioners Abe Laydon and Lora Thomas, for the ongoing support for the project.

“This turn out proves what I’ve been saying, that we are ready to make these changes to serve our senior population,” he said. “We’re excited about the needs that will be met by this facility.”

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Support school bond and MLO

As a resident of Douglas County for over three decades and former law enforcement officer, I’m supporting ballot issues 5A and 5B, the mill levy override and bond for the Douglas County School District.

As a conservative, when I first became aware of the ballot issues I was against any new taxes. Especially now. I have no children in public schools anymore and we sent our kids to private schools for high school.

But I did my due diligence and studied it. After extensive research, a couple things are worth mentioning. The bond issue is no different than what Douglas County initiated and ultimately the citizens voted on a few years ago, to extend the Justice Center Sales Tax Capital portion +, which was to sunset. We voted to continue this tax and put it toward roads to make our county safer. The school district bond will continue taxes that we are already paying, not increase them. Bonds fund schools in neighborhoods that need them, lessening the risk of transportation, keeping kids out of unsafe trailers, and keeping kids closer to home. It also funds maintenance and upgrades, which are a safety factor. Increased physical school safety enhancements like public safety radio repeaters for

NORTON

FROM PAGE 12

keeps himself in top physical condition. He practices his golf game and gets better all the time. When he gets a par or birdie, he is excited, but knows the next hole needs his focus. And now he is a part owner of a summer home with his in-laws. As I watched him last weekend, I was truly happy for him and his wife, they showed pride, but more than that they showed growth, appreciation, and joy, no arrogance.

fire and police, and other physical safety improvements funded by bonds can’t be argued against either in my mind.

As far as the MLO, state school funding formulas are extremely complicated, and a few numbers don’t tell the whole story. I encourage you to study this: leg.colorado.gov/ sites/default/files/2020_booklet_-_final.pdf. In my opinion the Douglas County School District has been very transparent about funding, budget and spending issues, and initiatives. I haven’t seen an example of such transparency in government that I am aware of. See dcsdk12.org/cms/one. aspx?pageId=5761709.

In Douglas County we love our freedom, we love our roads, we love our parks and open space, and we love our public safety. Our property values and economic health depend on all these things. I don’t want our schools to fail to keep up and not attract, or lose good staff, not just teachers but counselors, administrators, and security staff to other districts while we settle for what’s left. This will affect the quality of life we have here and the safety and education of our kids. I encourage you to research and support 5A and 5B.

Holly Nicholson-Kluth Roxborough

We should take pride and experience joy when we achieve our goals, big or small, we should celebrate and let ourselves feel that true sense of accomplishment. I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can enjoy pride of accomplishment without the arrogance, 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.

Highlands Ranch Metro District scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony for the senior center project at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Mountainview Christian Church. RENDERING FROM HIGHLANDS RANCH METRO DISTRICT

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Dustin Smith and his wife grew up spending time at their grandparents’ farms, but many years later, the Smiths’ kids weren’t getting that same experience.

So the Smiths opened The Patch, a farm in Elbert County that puts on fall festivities and provides a chance for kids to throw horseshoes, learn about tractors and pick up crafting skills, such as how to spin wool.

“We really like the generational aspect of what we do,” said Smith, whose farm has offered the event since 2017.

The Patch features a corn maze, a pumpkin patch and the chance to meet “farm critters,” according to its website. Also part of the fun: a hay wagon ride, apple cannons, roping and corn hole.

Dustin Smith’s dad — affectionately called “grandpa Smith” — often comes out from Kansas to help at the farm, and when he was at a Subway restaurant back in Wichita, somebody recognized his shirt and asked whether he was part of The Patch.

“They had said that grandpa Smith had played with their grandson from Castle Rock, and on their way home, their grandson asked where he could ‘buy a grandpa Smith’ because he had so much fun,” Dustin said. He added: “Even as far as Wichita, it just shows that people love to connect.”

People come to the farm from all over — roughly from as far north as Broomfield, as far west as Conifer, as far south as Colorado Springs and as far east as Burlington, along with some

attendees from out of state, Smith said. The farm sits in the Elizabeth area, east of Douglas County.

The event has become a staple for some who say they’ve come every year, Dustin said.

“It’s the memories that they’re going to have for the rest of their lives. This is how the grandparents are going to remember their grandkids, how the grandkids are going to remember their grandparents,” Dustin said. “Just family time together.”

The public can visit thepatch. farm for tickets or call 720-4466001 with questions. The farm sits at 39980 Fox Trot Circle, several miles north of state Highway 86.

The Patch opened for the season Sept. 17 and is open 10 a.m.6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays.

‘Annual tradition’ in Weld

Up north in Weld County, a longtime fall event arose out of a deep agricultural history.

“My grandpa and his brother bought the property in 1958,” said Rachelle Wegele, the operations manager for Anderson Farms in the Erie area.

The location was “really a tenant farm for my family from the 1950s up until the pumpkin patch (started) in 1997,” Wegele said. Tenant farming is a system where landowners contribute their land while tenants contribute their labor.

“We actually farmed closer to Mead, and that’s where I grew up,” Wegele said, referring to a town farther north.

Her father started the pumpkin patch event because some friends in another state were

holding pumpkin patches and telling him how fun it was, Wegele said.

Today, the farm’s Fall Festival includes a corn maze, wagon rides to the pumpkin patch, a “pumpkin cannon,” farm animals and many other attractions, according to its website.

“A lot of families have made it an annual tradition,” Wegele said. “It’s something that the whole family can do, from little kids up to grandparents. Families just look forward to it every year.”

The festival is running through Oct. 31, and it’s open every day except Tuesdays. Call 303-828-5210 for questions or see andersonfarms.com for tickets and hours, which vary.

The farm is limiting the number of tickets available per day, so people should buy tickets ahead of time to make sure they can get in this season, Wegele said. The farm sits at 6728 County Road 3 1/4, west of Fort Lupton and west of Interstate 25.

Suburbs meet rural feel

Started in 2001, Maize in the City provides a rural fall atmosphere near the edge of Thornton.

The event features a 20-acre corn maze, a mini maze, and a variety of locally grown pumpkins, gourds and “other fall decor,” its website says. It also offers many other attractions, including sand art, a corn launcher, “5-minute escape rooms” and pony rides, according to its website.

The event takes place at 104th Avenue and McKay Road, a short drive east of Colorado Boulevard. It opened for the season Sept. 24. See maizeinthe-

city.com for tickets and other details.

New event down south

In Douglas County, the relatively new fall festivities at Lone Creek Farms include a large array of activities.

Among them are “pumpkin jump pads,” tire swings, a large pedal-kart race track, panning for gemstones, a corn maze and hay wagon rides, according to the farm’s website. And, of course, there are pumpkins for sale.

“Since 2018, we have strived to create a fun, family-friendly environment for the fall season. We are a family-owned business, and from our family to yours, we hope to create memories that will last from year to year,” the website says.

Lone Creek Farms is open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursdays to Sundays through October.

For tickets, see lonecreekfarms.com. The location has a Franktown address of 3879 N. State Highway 83 and sits in the east Castle Rock area, north of state Highway 86.

Chatfield-area event

Southwest of Littleton in unincorporated Jefferson County, the Pumpkin Festival at Chatfi eld Farms offers a pumpkin patch and corn maze, an antique tractor exhibit by Front Range Antique Power Association, hayrides and an obstacle course, according to the festival’s webpage.

See tinyurl.com/Chatfi eldFarmsFestival for tickets or call 720-865-3500 with questions.

The festival runs 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 7-9 at 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Road, just southwest of Wadsworth Boulevard and the C-470 highway.

BOB’S THREE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES:

1.PUBLIC SAFETY. 50% of DougCo’s jail population are on psychotropic drugs. In the 60s, Colorado had 2K mental health beds. Now, we have 200. Law enforcement should not be mental health providers. And revolving door auto theft bail must end.

2.PUBLIC EDUCATION. Our teachers are horribly paid & treated worse than they are paid. THIS MUST END.

3.ENVIRONMENT. Bob is a Colorado native and remembers Denver’s “brown cloud” of the 1970s. Environmental issues must be addressed BEFORE they become a crisis.

A

at Smoky

Methodist Church in

Centennial.

PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

Pumpkins sit at The Patch, a farm in Elbert County that puts on fall festivities.

COURTESY PHOTO VIA

People take a ride at The Patch, a farm in Elbert County that puts on fall festivities. The farm sits near the Town of Elizabeth.

PHOTO

Butterfly Pavilion stages spider spectacular

SONYA’S

Spiders from 20 countries will be featured at the Butterfly Pavilion in October. Included: the cobalt blue tarantula. The Butterfly Pavilion is located at 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster. Several species of tarantulas are threatened due to habitat destruction and the Butterfly Pavilion has participated in tarantula conservation work, including ecology and breeding.

Craft fair

Reminder: The 51st Annual Littleton Craft Fair will be held on Oct. 1 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ketring Park on South Gallup Street at West Shepperd Avenue, Littleton. Booths are pretty well sold, admission is free. Great spot to start holiday shopping ...

Curtis Center

The “Recombobulation” exhibit continues through Oct. 29 at Curtis Center for the Arts, 2349 E. Orchard Road, Greenwood Village. Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission free.

Aurora Fox

“Futurity” is a new musical scheduled at the Aurora Fox, 9900 E. Colfax Ave. in Aurora, from Oct. 7 to 30. Helen R. Murray will direct this Colorado regional premiere before she leaves the Fox for the American Stage in St. Petersburg, Florida. Angela Steiner is music director and Patrick Mueller is choreographer. The actors will serve as musicians for this production, led by Adam Leigh. aurorafox.org or 303-739-1970.

Czech please!

The Parker Symphony Orchestra will perform

symphonic works by Czech composers Antonin Dvorak, Bedrich Smetana and Julius Fucik at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 14 at the PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker. parkerarts.org or 303-8056800.

Denver Center

“The Chinese Lady” by Lloyd Suh runs through Oct. 16 at the Denver Center Theatre Company’s Singleton Theatre. “Much Ado About Nothing” plays in the DCPA’s Kilstrom Theatre Sept. 30Nov. 6. 303-893-4100, denvercenter.org.

Sand Creek

Tesoro Historic Lecture Series begins with “Remembering the Sand Creek Massacre” by George Curtis Levi. Lecture at 4 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Lone Tree Hub, 8827 Lone Tree Parkway. Free, but registration required through South Suburban Parks and Recreation website at ssprd.org or by calling 303-347-5999. Oct. 23 lecture at 1:30 p.m. at Goodson Recreation Center, 6315 S. University Blvd., Centennial. Register

with South Suburban. Dinner lecture Oct. 23 at 6 p.m. at The Fort, 19192 Highway 8, Morrison. Dinner plus lecture: $80 non-members; $70 Tesoro members. Call 303-839-1671, tesoroculturalcenter.org. Menu: buffalo sirloin, marinated grilled quail, potatoes, chocolate negrita in edible chocolate tulip cup.

MOA

Museum of Outdoor Arts has announced collegiate winners of its Design and Build contest: First ($5,000): Auburn University architecture students Daniel Mejia and Tanmay Shetty. Second ($2,500): University of Minnesota architecture students Andrew Runde and Ensar Smailagic. Third ($1,000) University of California Berkeley architecture students Pericles Bien, Jared Calvo, Daniel Chiu, Alexis Kelly-Patino, Ethan Oh. Honorable Mention ($500): Southern California Institute of Architecture student Firdavs Yuldashev.

Newman Center

The University of Denver’s Newman Center presents Capitol Comedy (formerly Capitol Steps) at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17 in the Gates Concert Hall. Tickets start at $24. 303-871-7720, newmancenterpresents.com.

Art on display

“Far Away Places” exhibit by Littleton Fine Ats Guild members at Stanton Gallery, Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St., downtown Littleton. 303-794-2787. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and during performances.

Littleton Symphony

Littleton Symphony Orchestra, directed by Catherine Sailer, performs at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21 at Littleton United Methodist Church, 5894 S. Datura St., Littleton Tickets: $25/$22/ $5 for age 25 and under.

2022 MID TERM ELECTIONS

Connect with voters in your local area with a candidate profile. Basic profiles are o ered free of charge. UPGRADE your profile for $50 to include links to your campaign website and social media.

profile

If you have questions, please contact Erin Addenbrooke at 303-566-4074.

Littleton Craft Fair will be held The cobalt blue tarantula will be among spider species featured at the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster in October.

COURTESY PHOTO

Thu 10/06

Art: Hands-On Introduction to DSLR Photography (16+yrs)

@ 12am

Oct 6th - Nov 2nd

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

Evergreen Chamber Orchestra - Season Opener Concert (Denver)

Ballet Ariel presents 'Carnaval' and 'Sleeping Beauty's Dream'

@ 6pm / $20-$30

PACE Center Drive, PACE Center Drive PACE Center Drive, Parker. balletariel@comcast.net, 303-9454388

Trouble Bound: The Alley Presents: A Night of Trouble

@ 6:30pm

The Alley, 2420 W Main St, Little‐ton

@ 2pm / $25

First Universalist Church of Den‐ver, 4101 East Hampden Avenue, Denver. board@evergreencham berorch.org, 303-670-6558

Adam’s Camp Reunion at the Ranch

@ 11am / $5-$25

Promise Ranch Therapies & Recreation, 873 Lake Gulch Road, Castle Rock. karli@ adamscamp.org, 303-563-8290

Big Head Todd and The Monsters: Breckenridge Brewery Hootenanny 2022

@ 11:30am

Breckenridge Brewery, 2920 Brewery Ln, Littleton

Bill Nershi

@ 6pm

Breckenridge Brewery, 2920 Brewery Ln, Littleton

Mon 10/10

Basketball: Youth-Girls - Ages 8 to 10 - Fall 2022

@ 9:30pm

Oct 10th - Dec 10th

Parker Fieldhouse, 18700 E Plaza Dr, Parker

Tue 10/11

Pusha T

@ 7pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, Englewood

YS: 3-4 Sports Experience @ Eisenhower @ 8pm

Oct 6th - Oct 27th

Denver Parks and Recreation (EIS), 4300 E Dartmouth Ave, Denver. 720-913-0654

Ipecac with Dead on a Sunday

@ 7pm

Moe's Original BBQ, 3295 S Broadway, Englewood

Dear Marsha,: DM at Brewabilty @ 5pm

Brewability Lab, 3445 S Broadway, Englewood

Dirty Side Down Band: Dirty Side Down @ Q's Pub @ 7pm Q's Pub and Grill, 10133 W Chat�eld Ave, Littleton

Sun 10/09

Jeremy Camp: I Still Believe Tour

@ 6pm

Cherry Hills Community Church, 3900 Grace Blvd, Highlands Ranch

Katy Nichole: I Still Believe Tour @ 6pm

Cherry Hills Community Church, 3900 Grace Blvd, Highlands Ranch

Gaelic Storm at Gothic Theatre (Denver, CO)

@ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

Water For People World Water Classic

@ 11:01pm / $30-$40

Oct 6th - Oct 16th

Virtual, Anywhere

Fri 10/07

Quilting- Beginner

@ 2pm

Oct 7th - Dec 16th

Heather Gardens Clubhouse, 2888 S. Heather Gardens Way, Aurora

Dead On A Sunday (album release show)

@ 6pm

Moe's Original BBQ, 3295 S Broadway, En‐glewood

Jane Monheit

@ 7pm

Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St, Lone Tree Mikel Erentxun

@ 8pm Stampede, 2430 S Havana St, Aurora

Sat 10/08

Railroad Earth: Breckenridge Brewery Hootenanny 2022

@ 11:30am

Breckenridge Brewery, 2920 Brewery Ln, Littleton

First Annual Upstander 5K Run/Walk Bene�ting Bullying Recovery Resource Center

@ 11am / $20-$30 deKoevend Park and Shelter C, 6301 S University Blvd, Littleton

Wed 10/12

Ladies Night

@ 5pm / $5 Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Alexander 23 @ 6pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

Thu 10/13

Keith Hicks

@ 4pm

Inverness Hotel, Englewood

Om (band)

@ 7pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

powered by

‘Xanadu’ on a roll at Town Hall

Skating and singing cast provides energizing musical

BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Lights go up on a courtyard. We are told it’s Venice, California, 1982. Or is it? A long time ago, poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote a poem about the Mongolian emperor Kubla Kahn, who sought for Xanadu ... a magical mystical

“Town Hall has been dallying with the muses for 40 years,” writes director Nick Sugar in an introductory piece about the show “Xanadu,” which opens the 40th season at Littleton’s Town Hall Arts Center and runs through Oct. 16 ... We meet some of the legendary Greek muses during this festive evening ...

Tall blonde Kira/Clio (Anastasia Koshevaya) sings “I’m Alive” as live music fills the theater. She is actually one of the nine muses of Greek mythology, here in California, magically ... (Muses aren’t supposed to fall in love with humans, Clio, the muse of history,

Disco music was at the top of the 1980 pop charts and filling the airwaves, so it would seem that a movie filled with those tunes would be a hit when it was released that year ... but alas, “Xanadu” bombed in movie theaters, even though Olivia Newton- John, who played Clio, had been hugely popular two years before in the film “Grease.”

“Xanadu,” with book by Douglas Carter Bean, eventually opened on Broadway in 2007, Sugar wrote, and ran for a notable 512 performances, nominated for four Tony Awards ... The song list, which includes the familiar “All Over the World,” “Strange Magic,” “Have You Never Been Mellow” and of course, “Xanadu,” was written by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar.

Jake Bell, California boy Sonny,

IF YOU GO

If you go: “Xanadu” runs through Oct. 16 at Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St. in downtown Littleton. Please note a special benefit performance for the Denver Actors Fund on Monday, Oct. 3, when ticket sales will go to this fund to help theater people with medical expenses. Performances otherwise: 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. See townhallartscenter.org, 303-794-2787.

is in love with Clio at first sight, of course, and the action takes place in a pink stucco courtyard of a theater, run by manager Danny (THAC veteran Scott McLean), who worries about opening the theater “until times are better ...”

He observes Kira/Clio and is reminded of a girl he once knew ... He had built the theater just for her ... To Kira/Clio, he says: “If you run into her, tell her I loved her and I never loved again ...”

Enter two more muses: comically gifted Melpomene, the Muse of Tragedy (Annie Dwyer), and Calliope (Jamie Molina), Muse of Epic Poetry, who play well off each other and other cast members — you’ll want to keep an eye on that pair when they are on stage--it takes great skill to be that silly!

Other ensemble members are Charlotte LaFonte, Nathan Petit, Kelly Maur and Gabe Morales. Dancers move throughout in Nick Sugar’s carefully choreographed style ... everything flows smoothly.

Swings for this production include Kelly Kates, William Riley Holmes and Jessica Meyer.

And, most of the cast performs the entire show on roller skates! We were told that Littleton’s Skate City was the site for some training sessions and is a co-sponsor of the production, which will send one out with a happy feeling ...

Next at Town Hall: “Putting It Together,” Sondheim music, Oct. 27, 28, 29, 30. “Newsies,” Nov. 17Dec. 30.

TURN TO THE COLORADO SUN FOR NEWS ACROSS THE STATE

The Colorado Sun is a journalist-owned, award-winning news outlet that strives to cover all of Colorado so that our state — our community — can better understand itself.

In this way, The Sun contributes to a more vibrant, informed and whole Colorado.

The Sun, launched in 2018, is committed to fact-based, in-depth and nonpartisan journalism. It covers everything

from politics and culture to the outdoor industry and education.

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

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

The cast of “Xanadu” will perform at Littleton’s Town Hall Arts Center through Oct. 16.

PHOTO BY GAIL MARIE BRANSTEITTER

‘Dry Land’ dives into the deep end

One of the great things about theater is its ability to reflect the challenges and convulsions of society with a speed and alacrity that most other performing arts mediums just aren’t capable of achieving.

That fact is highlighted by Benchmark Theatre’s regional premiere production of Ruby Rae Spiegel’s “Dry Land,” which runs at the theater, 1560 Teller St. in Lakewood, through Sunday, Oct. 8. Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

“Dry Land” tackles the timely topics of abortion, female friendship and much more. We spoke to Haley Johnson, executive director at Benchmark, about the show.

Answers edited for brevity and clarity.

-Tell me about selecting “Dry Land” to be part of Benchmark’s season?

When Texas enacted the Texas Heartbeat Act on September 1, 2021, we knew that a play like “Dry Land” couldn’t be more relevant. Of course, we didn’t have the foresight of what was to come from the US Supreme Court in June of 2022. As a result, “Dry Land” is eerily timely, probably more so than any of the plays in the rest of our season.

-What is the show about?

“Dry Land” is a story that follows teammates on a Florida high school girls’ swim team. Underage and pregnant, Amy has enlisted the help of Ester as she is unable to obtain

an abortion without her mother’s consent.

-Tell me about the cast?

We have a phenomenal cast that are all new to the Benchmark Theatre stage. Director Abby Apple Boes selected a group of artists that have been a delight to work with and really brought the story to urgent life. The play sits in realism and honesty and every member of this five-person cast has done a tremendous job grounding themselves in a genuine and raw performance.

-The show has an all-female/ non-binary creative team — how did that affect the way you told this particular story?

It was very important to us that we had the right voices around the creative table. Surrounding ourselves with female and non-binary artists, we were able to focus on the artistry of the show from a perspective that everyone could relate to on some level. This is a story about teenage girls and the adversity they face.

Inherently, having female and nonbinary voices to support the artistry of the story was vital.

-What do you hope audiences come away with?

I hope audiences leave the theater with, perhaps, a sober understanding of the lengths to which some people

may need to stretch to make the choice that’s right for them. The playwright does a careful and intentional job of not politicizing this play. We simply want to present the piece as a cautionary tale and a reminder that what happens in this fictitious story is all too real in high schools, summer camps and bedrooms all across the nation and beyond.

For more information and tickets, visit www.benchmarktheatre.com

LSO celebrates works of the cello

The Lakewood Symphony Orchestra is getting into its new season in a thrilling way with the upcoming “Cellists’ Favorite” performance, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6 at the Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway.

The concert will feature cellist Seoyoen Min performing Elgar’s “Concerto for Cello in E minor, Op. 85.” Min, a South Korea native, has been Principal Cello of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra since 2019 and has performed with a range of international ensembles.

All the details and tickets can be secured at www.lakewoodsymphony. org.

Walker Fine Art examines the natural world

There’s a reason so many people are worried about the state of the climate and environment. Mixed in with all the beauty the world offers are danger and fear about the future

of the planet.

“Environmental Reflections,” the latest exhibit at Walker Fine Art, 300 West 11th Ave., No. A, in Denver, gives six artists — Theresa Clowes, Elaine Coombs, George Kozman, Bryan Leister, Heather Patterson and Zelda Zinn — the opportunity to explore their understanding and appreciation of landscape, climate and habitat.

The exhibit runs at the gallery through Saturday, Nov. 18. Find all the information at www.walkerfineart.com.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Night Moves at Red Rocks

I have a pretty firm rule that if the name of your band references Bob Seger’s best song (and one of the best songs ever written), I’m going to be inclined to give your band a chance. Over the last decade or so the Minneapolis-based group Night Moves have fine-tuned their approach to reverb-drenched roots rock. Their 2019 album “Can You Really Find Me,” is home to some of the year’s best songs and their recently released “The Redaction” EP hints at great things ahead.

The group swings by Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St. in Denver, at 8 p.m. Oct. 6. Get tickets at https://globehall.com.

Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail. com.

Nicole Hoffman, DOAmanda Judd, NPNicole Hoffman, DO Amanda Judd, NP

Clarke Reader

Voting questions answered

How to vote and more

BY SANDRA FISH THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado Election Day is Nov. 8 with a U.S. Senate seat, eight congressional contests, races for four statewide offices, 100 state legislative jobs, 11 ballot initiatives and more at stake at the county and local levels.

As part of our 2022 election guide, we’re here to answer some questions about voting and how the election works. Let us know what other questions you have by filling out the form at the bottom of this article and we’ll do our best to answer them.

How do I register to vote?

Colorado has automatic voter registration if you get a driver’s license or interact in some other way with state government. But you may also register online with a valid driver’s license, Colorado identification card or Social Security number.

Is there a deadline to register?

No. Coloradans may register in person or online to vote through Election Day. To receive a ballot in the mail, you must be registered by Oct. 31, and you will have to return it to a drop box or vote center.

How do I check whether I’m registered?

Check your voter registration by entering your name, ZIP code and date of birth. You may also change your address online. But if your name changed, you’ll have to fill out a paper form. If your registration says it’s “inactive,” that’s because you’ve missed voting more than once or your ballot was returned as undeliverable.

You may re-register online or by submitting a paper

request.

When will my ballot arrive?

Oct. 17 is the first day that ballots will go out in the mail to registered voters and must all be mailed by Oct. 21. If you want to receive a ballot in the mail, you must register by Oct. 31. If your ballot doesn’t arrive, contact your county clerk.

What if I don’t receive a ballot in the mail?

Contact your county clerk’s office and they will be able to help you.

How do I return my ballot?

Once you’ve filled out your ballot, sealed it in the return envelope and signed and dated the envelope, put it in the mail or take it to one of 400 drop boxes or 350 voting

centers. (Most voters drop their ballots off.) Your ballot must be received by 7 p.m. Nov. 8. The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office says ballots should be deliver in person, not mailed, after Nov. 1.

You may sign up to use BallotTrax, and you’ll receive an email, text or both when your ballot is accepted.

What if I want to vote in person?

More than 350 voting centers will open Oct. 24 at the latest (some counties may open earlier). Contact your county clerk for nearby locations and hours where you may vote in person. Polls are open Saturday, Nov. 5; Monday, Nov. 7; and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election

Day, Nov. 8.

Do I need identification to vote?

If you vote in person or are voting by mail for the first time, you must present identification such as a driver’s license, U.S. passport or other identification on this list.

Where can I find more information?

To register online, check your current registration and get key election information, GoVoteColorado. gov is the place to start. It includes a variety of election information.

Where can I get more information about the state questions on the ballot?

Every election, the Bal-

lot Information Booklet (known as the Blue Book) is produced by the state. It provides voters with impartial analysis of each initiated or referred constitutional amendment, law or question on the ballot. It includes a summary of the measure, arguments for and against, and a brief fiscal assessment.

Download a copy at bit. ly/2xjpqAd.

This story is from The Colorado Sun, a journalistowned news outlet based in Denver and covering the state. For more, and to support The Colorado Sun, visit coloradosun.com. The Colorado Sun is a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy, owner of Colorado Community Media.

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New tennis format goes over well

CHSAA changes playo mechanism for ‘best of both worlds’

BY JIM BENTON JBENTON@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

There has always been a debate about whether tennis is an invididual or team sport.

Most people agree that it is both. The Colorado High School Actitivies Association agrees and its new state playoff format strengthens that notion.

This season, individual state championships in No. 1 singles through No. 4 doubles will be determined in a three-day tournament Oct. 13-15 at City Park. Individual postseason regionals begin Oct. 5. The team championship will be determined by a 16-team, dual-style tournament that will conclude Oct. 18 at City Park.

In the past, both the individual and team championships were decided at the state meet with teams earning points for each individual win.

“It should be the best of both worlds,” CHSAA associate commissioner Bethany Brookens said when the new setup was announced.

Most South Metro boys high school coaches agree.

“The new 16 team dual playoff is a fantastic addition and change,” said Arapahoe coach Peter Weyhrich. “It has really made each and every dual match this season extremely important. Each individual match has become even more important as

a 6-1 victory may carry more weight than a 4-3 victory. I am sure there will be adjustments made, but I think this is a positive change for high school tennis.”

Dan Padrnos of Chaparral is another coach who favors the changed postseason format for many of the same reasons as Weyrich.

Valor Christian coach Bill Epping said the new format is good for tennis.

“I like it,” he said. “It gives tennis a little more notoriety. It values the team concept a little bit more to where No. 4 doubles is just as important as No. 1 singles whereas the old format was a little bit weighted towards the top of the line vs the bottom of the line.

“I’m looking forward to the format and see how it goes. It will make 4A and 5A a little more interesting for sure and I like they kept the old format for the individual matches.”

Cherry Creek coach Art Quinn obviously liked the previous method of determing the state championship team but welcomes the postseason changes despite winning the past two Class 5A state crowns.

“It has changed and change is good,” said Quinn. “We’ll find out what it means in the long haul. It makes the postseason a little bit longer.

“It doesn’t change what we’re doing. We’re going to do what we do and that’s all we can control. We hope everybody has a great experience, all players and all programs. We’re ready to do battle.”

TENNIS,

Creek whallops Regis Jesuit 42-14

Bruins are top-ranked team in statewide poll

BY JIM BENTON JBENTON@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Cherry Creek wrapped up its non-conference schedule on Sept. 22 and now faces another challenge against Centennial League teams.

The three-time defending state champion Bruins, the top-ranked team in the CHSAANow.Com poll, rolled to a 42-14 victory over fourth-ranked Regis Jesuit.

Creek is now 4-1 with its lone loss coming in a 13-9 defeat to St. Edward of Lakewood, Ohio. Regis slipped to 2-3 on the season after opening the year with an overtime victory over Valor Christian.

‘We’re happy to get out of our non-conference part of the schedule and now we focus on the Centennial League,” said coach Dave Logan, whose team will take on Cherokee Trail on Sept. 29 in its league opener. “The Centennial League is the best league in the state. It’s never easy when you play

any of those guys.”

Cherry Creek, at least from the final score, had an easy time handling Regis as the Bruins’ strong rushing attack set the tone for the game.

The Bruins. led by running backs Jordan Herron and Carlson Tann, and a physical offensive line, rushed for 360 yards and averaged 9.5 yards per carry. Creek finished with 593 yards in total offense.

“It always starts with us up front and how we run it,” added Logan. “I thought we played hard. Regis is a very good team but I liked how we competed and I thought our physicality was good. We got a couple guys nicked up that we are going to have to get back. I thought the kids executed the game plan really well.”

The Creek offensive line that contributed to the offensive output included Hank Zilinskas, Ben Lastrella, AJ Burton, Taki Dadiotis and Maxwell Parrott.

Herron, a junior, gained 156 yards on 14 carries and rushed for two touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 81 yards and a TD.

The Cherry Creek football team raises the championship trophy and banner in December 2021 at Empower Field at Mile High.

FILE PHOTO BY PAUL DISALVO

Cherry Creek’s No. 1 singles player Aram Ismirian delivers a serve in a Sept. 21 dual meet against Kent Denver.

PHOTO BY JIM BENTON

FROM PAGE 22

Cherry Creek has won 44 of the 50 state titles since 1972 and captured 49 of 50 Centennial League crowns in that time. Bruins players have won 207 of the 349 individual state titles in the past 50 seasons.

In the Sept. 19 Universal Tennis Ratings, which is used by the CHSAA, Valor Christian was the top-ranked 5A team in Colorado and Cherry Creek was second.

Arapahoe was sixth, Regis Jesuit 10th, Ponderosa 12th Chaparral 14th, and Heritage 15th.

The CHSAA Tennis Committee released its 16-team single elimination bracket on May 23 for both 5A and 4A where the higher seed will

FOOTBALL

FROM PAGE 22

Tann had 145 yards rushing on 17 carries and scored one touchdown.

The final score might have been lopsided but the game was close for a while. An 87-yard kickoff return by Grant Drotar cut the Creek lead to 14-7 in the second quarter.

“It really was close,” said Logan. “It was 14-7 late in the first half. We had a couple big plays in the second

host three rounds before the championship finals. In each round, the teams will play head to head at all seven ladder spots to determine the winner and which team will advance to the next round.

Cherry Creek was the top-seed in Class 5A and hosted No. 16 Heritage in a first round match which was set for Sept. 28.

Valor Christian, second seeded, faced No. 15 Fort Collins in the first round. Rocky Mountain, seeded 12th, drew No. 5 Arapahoe in the opening round while No. 11 Mountain Vista was at No. 6 Ralston Valley.

Other first round matches had No. 13 Rock Canyon playing at No. 4 Fossil Ridge and No. 14 Boulder traveled to meet No. 3 Regis Jesuit in first round match.

Kent Denver was the top seed in Class 4A.

half and when you play good teams you have to be prepared for a dogfight. And for the most part it was.

“We scored right before halftime (5-yard run by Herron) which helped. We had a big play in the third quarter and now all of a sudden it is 28-7. We’ll take it, learn from it and move on.

“We have to fix our kickoff coverage team.There’s always things to work on. It was a short week for us. We had one less day of preparation so I was proud of the way we played.”

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Young teens in foster care don’t know about birth control

BY JENNIFER BROWN THE COLORADO SUN

Teenagers in the child welfare system have sex two years young er on average than other young people and are 2.5 times more likely to get pregnant.

New research from the Universi ty of Colorado points toward why: About two-thirds of eighth and ninth graders in metro Denver who have been involved with the child welfare system say they have never received information about birth control.

The teens interviewed were mostly 13 and 14 — not far off from 15, the average age that fos ter youth report first having sex.

Teens with an open child welfare case, whether placed in foster care or still living at home, have experi enced many of the adversities that lead to risky behaviors, said the study’s lead author, Katie Massey Combs, with CU’s Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence.

Child abuse, neglect, domestic violence, community violence, incarcerated parents and other childhood traumas are all linked

to risky behavior, including re garding sex, Combs said. On top of that, young people in the child welfare system are often missing out on opportunities available to other kids — possibly even sex education, she said.

“They are constantly missing op portunities that typical kids would get,” said Combs, who previously worked as a case manager for homeless teens. “They miss school a lot. They might miss that one day or one week where there was a conversation about sex educa tion. They miss relationships with trusted adults, whether it’s the coach or the aunt or mom and dad. They miss a lot of opportunities to learn about sex in positive ways.”

Combs and fellow researchers interviewed 245 eighth and ninth graders in four metro Denver counties, asking students whether anyone had told them about birth control and whether they were concerned about becoming preg nant.

About 65% of teens interviewed said they had never received information about birth control or family planning. Almost half,

Public Notices

Roxborough Marketplace

Legals

City and County

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF ELECTION

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022

DOUGLAS COUNTY MERLIN KLOTZ, CLERK AND RECORDER

In compliance with the provisions of Colorado

Revised Statute 1-5-205(1) notice is hereby given that a General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Ballots will be mailed to all eligible electors be ginning on October 17, 2022. Voters who do not receive a ballot by October 26, 2022, may request a ballot from the Douglas County Elections Office, located at 125 Stephanie Place, Castle Rock, CO 80109, or by calling 303-660-7444.

Completed ballots may be returned by U.S. Mail or hand delivered to a Douglas County BALLOT DROP BOX LOCATION or VOTER SERVICE AND POLLING CENTER. If you choose to return a completed ballot by mail, you must affix a forever stamp to the OFFICIAL BALLOT RETURN ENVE LOPE before mailing. Ballots must be received by the Douglas County Elections Office no later than 7:00 p.m. on November 8, 2022. Postmarks do not count as a received date.

24-HOUR BALLOT DROP BOX LOCATIONS:

These locations are available 24-hours a day beginning Monday, October 17, 2022, until 7:00 p.m. Election Day, Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

Castle Pines Library 360 Village Square Lane Castle Pines

Crystal Valley Ranch Recreation Center 2160 Fox Haven Drive Castle Rock

Douglas County Elections Office 125 Stephanie Place Castle Rock

Douglas County Off-Leash Area 1100 Plum Creek Parkway Castle Rock Douglas County Office, Phillip S. Miller Building 100 Third Street Castle Rock

The Grange 3692 Meadows Boulevard Castle Rock

The Ridge House 4501 Enderud Boulevard Castle Rock

Douglas County Parks and Trails Division 9651 S. Quebec Street

Highlands Ranch Highlands Ranch Motor Vehicle 2223 Wildcat Reserve Parkway

Highlands Ranch Highlands Ranch Sheriff Substation 9250 Zotos Drive Highlands Ranch Redstone Park 3280 Redstone Park Circle

Highlands Ranch Larkspur Town Hall 8720 Spruce Mountain Road Larkspur

however, said they knew how to get birth control if they needed it.

Most of the teens interviewed were confident they could avoid sex if they wanted to, and half said there was a high chance of pregnancy with unprotected sex. Nearly 40% said there was a high chance of contracting a sexually transmitted disease.

Girls were more likely than boys to have received informa tion about birth control. And boys were less concerned than girls about the risks of unprotected sex.

The state child welfare division does not track how many young people in Colorado become preg nant while in foster care, spokes woman Madlynn Ruble said. And there is no requirement under state law or Colorado Department of Human Services rules for kids in the system to learn about birth control, she said.

Data collection is a challenge across the country, Combs said. It’s one reason there are few stud ies about why young people in foster care get pregnant and how it affects them and their children.

“This is, nationwide, a problem. We have no way of counting this,” she said. When Combs worked as a case manager, she said, about half of her young clients had children of their own.

But through a handful of proj ects, including California research that links birth records to child welfare records, researchers know the pregnancy rate is 2.5 times higher for teens in the system. About half of young women in the U.S. child welfare system are pregnant by age 19.

Teenagers, on average, report first having sex at age 17, com pared with age 15 for those in fos ter care. Foster youth also report having more sexual partners and more sexually transmitted dis eases.

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

8357 N. Rampart Range Road

Littleton

South Suburban Sports Complex 4810 E. County Line Road

Littleton

Sterling Ranch Civic Center 8155 Piney Ranch Avenue Littleton

Lone Tree Motor Vehicle 9350 Heritage Hills Circle Lone Tree

Lone Tree Municipal Building 9220 Kimmer Drive

Lone Tree

Douglas County Facilities Building 9040 Tammy Lane

Parker EchoPark Stadium 11901 Newlin Gulch Boulevard Parker

Parker Town Hall 20120 E. Mainstreet Parker

Parker Police Department 18600 Lincoln Meadows Parkway Parker

VOTER SERVICE AND POLLING CENTER LOCATIONS AND HOURS:

Voter Service and Polling Centers offer the fol lowing voter services: register to vote, update voter registration, replace a ballot, vote in person, drop off a voted ballot, use an ADA accessible voting machine.

Phase 1 locations are available Monday - Friday, October 24 – November 7, 2022, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturday, November 5, 2022, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Election Day, Tuesday, November 8, 2022, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Douglas County Kirk Hall 500 Fairgrounds Road Castle Rock

Douglas County Parks and Trails Division 9651 S. Quebec Street Highlands Ranch Northridge Recreation Center 8800 S. Broadway

Highlands Ranch Parker Town Hall 20120 E. Mainstreet Parker

In addition to Phase 1 locations, Phase 2 locations are available Friday, November 4, 2022, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturday, November 5, 2022, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday, November 7, 8:00 a.m. – 5 p.m., Election Day, Tuesday, November 8, 2022, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Castle Pines North Metro District 7404 Yorkshire Drive Castle Pines

Douglas County Human Services 4400 Castleton Court Castle Rock ChristLife Community Church 5451 CO-86

Franktown

Larkspur Fire Department 9414 Spruce Mountain Road Larkspur Roxborough Library 8357 N. Rampart Range Road Suite #200 Littleton

Louviers Village Clubhouse 7885 Louviers Boulevard Louviers Parker Fieldhouse 18700 E. Plaza Drive

Parker Parker Recreation Center 17301 Lincoln Avenue Parker

In addition to Phase 1 and 2 locations, Phase 3 locations are available Monday, November 7, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Election Day, Tuesday, November 8, 2022, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

ACC Sturm Campus 4500 Limelight Avenue Castle Rock

Canyons Community Church 4825 Crowfoot Valley Road Castle Rock

Crystal Valley Ranch Recreation Center 2160 Fox Haven Drive Castle Rock

The Ridge House 4501 Enderud Boulevard Castle Rock

Southridge Recreation Center 4800 McArthur Ranch Road Highlands Ranch Westridge Recreation Center 9650 Foothills Canyon Boulevard Highlands Ranch Franktown Fire Station 6120 Bridle Path Lane Parker

Parker United Methodist Church 11805 S. Pine Drive Parker

Voters will be MAILED a ballot that contains only those races and/or measures on which the voter is eligible to vote.

Please contact the Douglas County Elections Office at 303-660-7444 or visit DouglasVotes.com if you have any questions.

Legal Notice No. 942836

First Publication: September 29, 2022

Last Publication: September 29, 2022

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

Misc. Private Legals

Public Notice

NOTICE OF PURCHASE OF REAL ESTATE AT TAX LIEN SALE AND OF APPLICATION FOR ISSUANCE OF TREASURER’S DEED

To Every Person in Actual Possession or Occu pancy of the hereinafter Described Land, Lot or Premises, and to the Person in Whose Name the Same was Taxed or Specially Assessed, and to all Persons having an Interest or Title of Record in or to the said Premises and To Whom It May Concern, and more especially to:

HIGHLAND MEADOWS PROPERTIES LLC

- OCCUPANT - WARREN R & SALLY A HOP KINS - GLEN RAMON JARRELL - JAMES BRENT JARRELL AKA JAMES BRENT JARRELL JR - LYNDA KAREN JARRELL - TERRI LYN FUDICKAR AKA TERRI LYN JARR FUDICKAR AKA TERRI LYN JARR FUDICKAR HORNSBY AKA TERRI LYN JARRELL FUDICKAR - WAL

TER A KOWALSKI & ALLEN H HEDRICK AKA WALTER ANTHONY KOWALSKI & ALLEN HUGO HEDRICK - WALTER A KOWALSKI AKA WALTER ANTHONY KOWALSKI & KARREN E KOWALSKI AKA KARREN ELLEN KOWALSKI - ALLEN H HEDRICK AKA ALLEN HUGO HEDRICK - HIGH LAND MEADOW PROPERTIES LLC, WALTER A KOWALSKI AKA WALTER ANTHONY KOW ALSKI, KARREN E KOWALSKI AKA KARREN

You and each of you are hereby notified that on the 20th day of October 2011 the then County Treasurer of the County of Douglas, in the State of Colorado, sold at public tax lien sale to WARREN R. & SALLY A. HOPKINS the following described real estate situate in the County of Douglas, State of Colorado, to wit:

LOT 10 BLK 6 MERIBEL VILLAGE 1 329-309 0.472 AM/L

and said County Treasurer issued a certificate of purchase therefore to WARREN R. & SALLY A. HOPKINS. That said tax lien sale was made to satisfy the delinquent* taxes assessed against said real estate for the year 2010. That said real estate was taxed or specially assessed in the name(s) of HIGHLAND MEADOWS PROPER TIES LLC for said year 2010

That said WARREN R. & SALLY A. HOPKINS on the 2nd day of May 2022 the present holder of said certificate, has made request upon the Treasurer of said County for a deed to said real estate; That a Treasurer’s Deed will be issued for said real estate to the said at 1:00 o’clock P.M., on the 5th day of January 2023 unless the same has been redeemed. Said property may be redeemed from said sale at any time prior to the actual execution of said Treasurer’s Deed. Witness my hand this 22nd day of September 2022

/s/ David Gill County Treasurer of Douglas County

Legal Notice No. 942804

First Publication: September 22, 2022

Last Publication: October 6, 2022

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

Bids and Settlements

Public Notice

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) CI 2022-025

CONSULTANT SERVICES FOR GENERAL PUBLIC INFORMATION SERVICES

The Department of Public Works of Douglas County Government hereinafter referred to as the County, respectfully requests a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) from responsible and qualified providers of Consultant Services to Assist with General Public Information Services.

The contract documents will be available after 10:00 A.M., on Wednesday, October 6, 2022. Documents may be reviewed and/or printed from the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System website at www.rockymountainbidsystem.com. While the RFQ documents are available electronically, Douglas County cannot accept electronic SOQ responses.

All questions are due to Caroline Frizell, Digital Communications Manager, by 5:00 P.M., on October 28, 2022.

RFQ responses will be received until 11:00 A.M., on Friday, November 18, 2022. Please submit three (3) hard copies and one (1) electronic copy (pdf format on USB or CD) of your Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) in a sealed envelope that is clearly marked with marked “Request for Qualifications (RFQ) CI 2022-025, Consultant Services for General Public Information Services”. Mail or hand-carry all responses to Douglas County Government, Public Works Department, Engineering Division, 100 Third Street, Suite 220, Castle Rock, Colorado 80104, prior to the due date and time. Electronic or fax responses will not be accepted. SOQ responses will not be considered which are received after the time stated and any SOQs received will be returned unopened.

Publicnoticesare acommunity’swindow

regulations tolocalbudgets,governments haveusedlocalnewspaperstoinform citizensofitsactionsasanessentialpart ofyourrighttoknow.Youknowwhereto look,whentolookandwhattolookforto beinvolvedas acitizen.Localnewspapers provideyouwiththeinformationyou needtogetinvolved.

Douglas County Government reserves the right to reject any SOQs, to waive formalities, informalities, or irregularities contained in a said SOQs, and to award a contract for items herein, either in whole or in part, if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the County to do so. Additionally, we reserve the right to negotiate optional items/services with the successful vendor.

Please direct any questions concerning this RFQ to Caroline Frizell, Digital Communications Manager, 303-660-7351, cfrizell@douglas.co.us, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

Legal Notice No. 942857

First Publication: September 29, 2022

Last Publication:October 6, 2022

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

ELLEN KOWALSKI - WALTER A KOWALSKI AKA WALTER ANTHONY KOWALSKI PRESIDENT HIGHLAND MEADOW PROPERTIES LLC