Highlands Ranch Herald 110322

Deputies kill two in suspected car theft case

Discussions on chase continue

BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Douglas County sheriff’s deputies killed two suspects during a shootout at the RTD Lincoln Station parking garage in Lone Tree, Sheriff

Tony Spurlock said during a news conference Oct. 26.

The two suspects were identified by the Douglas County Coroner’s Office as David Strain, 31, and Clarissa Daws, 29, the sheriff’s office announced Oct. 27 on Facebook. Both suspects were from Pueblo.

The incident began about 11:40 p.m. on Oct. 25, said an email from

Deputy Cocha Heyden, a public information officer for the sheriff’s office.

A deputy from the sheriff’s office Pattern Crimes Unit, a unit that specifically looks for auto thieves and stolen cars, was checking the parking garage and noticed a suspicious black Kia with no license plates, Spurlock said.

A total of six deputies were involved in the incident, according to the sheriff’s office.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office released edited body camera footage on Oct. 27 of the fatal shootout.

The edited video, about a minute

Kane is hopeful voters will pass bond, mill levy

Funding could help teacher retention

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

With less than two weeks until the election, Douglas County School District Superintendent Erin Kane is feeling positive about the fate of the $60 million mill levy override and $450 million bond on the ballot.

In the last few months, Kane said she has done more than a hundred events to spread the word about the need for the funding to pay staff more competitively, build the first new neighborhood schools since 2010 and expand career and technical education opportunities.

Lone Tree resident launches company o ering guided hikes

inspiraHike o ers hikes at Blu s Regional Park and Trail

BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As the sun set on an October evening in Lone Tree, a golden glow was cast upon Lorene Jervik as she

walked silently with headphones on at the Bluffs Regional Park and Trail.

Beside her was her husband, Jeff Jervik, and four others walking quietly with headphones on, participating in a guided hike led by Adam Passarelli, the founder of the newly launched company, inspiraHike.

“We provide guided inspirational hikes to get you outside and really connecting with what’s most impor-

tant in your life,” Passarelli said.

Participants were given headphones to listen to as they quietly walked on the trail, hearing peaceful music curated by Passarelli while taking in the beauty of the park.

As the hikers traveled behind him, Passarelli occasionally spoke into a microphone connected to the headphones’ audio, sharing words

“I feel like we have done everything possible over the last four to five months to educate voters on how our district is funded and what the implications of the funding means for us,” she said.

Kane acknowledged obstacles to the funding questions passing, such as rising inflation and a majority of voters that don’t have students in the schools, but said she feels the district and the school board have taken the needed steps to make the questions successful.

Polling done by the district earlier this year showed only about 40% of voters supported the idea of a bond and mill levy override.

“We absolutely know it’s a challenging environment, but I think when the board made the decision to put the questions on the ballot,

Participants in the Oct. 21 inspiraHike event at Blu s Regional Park and Trail in Lone Tree on Oct. 21.

PHOTO BY TAYLER SHAW

Worried about rising

HIKES

of encouragement and inspiration.

“It was beautiful,” said Lorene Jervik, a Highlands Ranch resident. She learned about the event from Passarelli, who used to work with her husband.

“This is clearly a dream that he has had for quite some time,” Jeff Jervik said, explaining he wanted to support Passarelli.

At the end of the hiking experience, Passarelli asked each participant to share a word that came to them.

“I said peaceful, but, you know, it’s also — there’s so much more than that,” Jeff Jervik said. “My mind was just starting to fill up with things, and such good things.”

Bringing a sense of peace and inspiration to others is one of Passarelli’s favorite parts of inspiraHike, a company he had thought about creating for a while.

The majority of his professional life has been working in the wellness industry, he said, explaining he previously worked as the chief operating officer for WellBiz Brands, a health and wellness franchise.

“Our communities, we’re facing more and more mental health challenges every day,” he said. “I wanted to start inspiraHike because we’re all on the go these days, so stressed, that there really isn’t time anymore to just kind of think about and appreciate some of the things that are kind of most important in life.”

Having always loved the outdoors and a desire to start his own business, Passarelli officially launched inspiraHike in October.

“I think what really ties it together is being together with folks and then this sense of community that comes along with it,” he said about the hikes. “Going on that experience with others kind of enhances the feelings, and it’s a really cool way to do it.”

Establishing the business was a fun, challenging and rewarding process, he said, expressing gratitude for the help of his friends and family, especially his wife, Sarah.

“It feels great,” he said. “It is so

cool to see a brand and a vision start to come to life.”

Passarelli has lived in Lone Tree with his wife and two children for six years, he said. His family loves the area and has often visited the Bluffs Regional Park and Trail, making it the perfect place to launch his business.

Currently, Passarelli leads all of the hikes, a role he gains a lot from. “I love leading the hikes,” he said, explaining he enjoys going on the journey with others and getting their feedback. “It’s a very emotional and, kind of, connecting process that I really love.”

Although the inspiraHike events are currently only taking place in Lone Tree, Passarelli would love to see inspireHike grow and expand to more Colorado locations, such as mountain towns and resorts.

“Every community has a beautiful space to some degree that you could do this in,” he said. “I want to make sure we continue to focus on improving the mental health and wellness of all of our individual communities that we operate in.”

He said inspiraHike plans to expand to some new locations in the metro Denver area next year, and the company has some plans in store for activities this winter as well.

A portion of the proceeds inspiraHike raises goes to PawsCO, an animal rescue nonprofit in Colorado.

“As we created a business, I always knew I wanted the business to give back in some form or fashion, you know, not just for profit, but to be able to do good in the world,” he said. “We’ve always wanted to support rescue dogs. We’ve had two rescue dogs. It’s extremely important to us.”

As the company name implies, Passarelli said he wants inspiraHike to help people feel inspired by the end of the hike.

“I wanted people to feel something that they didn’t quite feel when they came into the evening,” he said. “I think it can bring a lot of good to the world and help people’s mental health and well being.”

Those interested in learning more about inspiraHike and the schedule for hikes can visit inspiraHike.com.

FROM PAGE 1

The view of Lone Tree homes from Blu s Regional Park and Trail in Lone Tree on Oct. 21.

PHOTOS BY TAYLER SHAW

Adam Passarelli leading hikers at Blu s Regional Park and Trail on Oct. 21.

Adam Passarelli takes in the view.

Campaign finance complaint filed against Invest in DCSD

Group supports district mill levy

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The political issue committee supporting the Douglas County School District’s bond and mill levy override is facing possible campaign finance violations for promoting an event at the Larkspur Fire Station with other Republican candidates.

A review by the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office into Invest in DCSD, the political issue committee supporting DCSD’s $60 million mill levy override and $450 million bond, found three potential campaign finance violations regarding the event held on Oct. 20.

The Secretary of State’s Office identified the possible campaign finance violations as inappropriate use of government property to hold a campaign event, improper contributions to political candidates by advertising the event and not including a mandatory financial disclaimer on the ad for the event.

Christa Gilstrap, a founder of Invest in DCSD, said she is working with the Secretary of State’s Office to address the potential violations.

“I have been in contact with (the Secretary of State’s Office) since I

was made aware of this complaint and they’ve basically told us it’s unlikely a violation has occurred, but we need to go through the process,” she said.

The review was prompted by a

complaint filed with the Secretary of State’s Office on Oct. 17 alleging that Invest in DCSD inappropriately advertised for Republican candidates by participating in the Larkspur event and sharing pro-

motional materials for it.

The event, which took place at the Larkspur Fire Station, was a conversation on education and crime moderated by Tom Wiens, the CEO of New West Capital, and featuring DCSD board member Mike Peterson, who spoke about the bond and mill levy override at the event.

Also invited were Republican candidates Mark Baisley in Colorado Senate District 4 and Brandi Bradley in Colorado House District 39, as well as Darren Weekly, a candidate for Douglas County sheriff, Sheri Davis, who is running for Douglas County clerk and Toby Damisch, a candidate for Douglas County assessor.

Evidence for the violations comes from an Oct. 16 Facebook post on the Invest in DCSD page that promoted the event with an ad including the names of the participating candidates and no information on who paid for the event, which is required by law. The Larkspur Fire Station is government property.

Gilstrap told Colorado Community Media that Invest in DCSD did not host the event, just shared information about it after Peterson was invited to attend.

Under state law, Invest in DCSD can dispute the allegations or submit documentation showing the violations were fixed. Invest in DCSD has until Nov. 10 to cure the potential violations.

HolidayContest

the board was expressing that they felt there’s some urgency around this situation for our schools,” she said.

When it comes to the cost of the mill levy override for taxpayers, the district calculated it at $52 per year -- or $1 per week -- for each $100,000 in home value as determined by the assessor’s office. For a house valued at $500,000, the annual cost would be $255.

Passing the bond would maintain current property taxes, but residential property taxes would decrease $10 per year for each $100,000 of home value if the bond fails.

Should the mill levy override pass, the school board has already approved a salary schedule to increase teacher pay by an average of 9%, non-licensed staff would see an average 8% increase and starting salaries would increase around 10% to 12%.

“It will help us be very competitive with JeffCo and Littleton public schools and it will get us about halfway to the distance between us and Cherry Creek schools,” Kane said. “I anticipate it will help us hold on to our folks.”

If approved by voters, the bond would go to building three new elementary schools, as well as improving and maintaining the district’s other 111 buildings. Kane called the district’s capital assets a “never-ending” investment.

“Continuing to be able to take care of our buildings benefits every single child in the district,” she said.

If the funding questions don’t pass, Kane said it’s not a world-ending

situation, but the district wouldn’t be able to raise pay or build new schools.

“If (the mill levy override) doesn’t pass, we don’t have the ability to pay competitively to our neighbors and we’ll continue to struggle with that,” she said.

Kane said that if the bond and mill levy override don’t pass this year, it’s likely district staff will recommend to the school board to put funding questions on the 2023 ballot.

“I would anticipate staff would

Douglas County Superintendent Erin Kane presenting to Lone Tree City Council on Sept. 6.

PHOTO BY TAYLER SHAW

Voting experts note state’s ‘Gold Standard’

BY VIGNESH RAMACHANDRAN COLORADO NEWS COLLABORATIVE

For 102 years, the League Of Women Voters has helped Americans understand how they can cast their vote in elections.

The nonpartisan organization has never endorsed a political party or candidate, providing a valuable resource for voters of all political persuasions.

The Colorado News Collaborative is speaking with nonpartisan experts to help voters understand more about the integrity of the vote as unfounded claims of voter fraud continue to run rampant ahead of November’s midterm election.

Beth Hendrix is executive director of the League of Women Voters of Colorado, which educates voters about the security and effi cacy of Colorado’s election system. The group recently published a whitepaper breaking down the components of the state’s voting system to explain why it often is regarded as leading the nation. It also produced a nonpartisan guide to the 11 state issues on Colorado’s ballot this year in English and

Spanish. This Q&A has been edited for clarity and length.

Some have said Colorado’s election system is better than those in all other states. Is that true?

Absolutely. We say [it’s the] gold standard. There are a few states

that are close behind — Washington, Oregon. It’s always the Western states.

Why? Aren’t there aspects to Colorado’s election system that need improvements?

Here in Colorado, we’re doing pretty well. That said, we have

people in our legislature that want to get rid of mail-in ballots and want to go back to voting only on Election Day because they feel that’s the only way it can be secure. I disagree. The League disagrees.

Other states are purging voter rolls, making it more diffi cult to vote, and that’s not happening in Colorado, yet. We’re going to do everything we can to not allow it to happen.

We’re not resting on our laurels [in Colorado], but we’re good. We have a safe and secure and innovative system that’s ahead of any place else in the nation.

How hard would it be to defraud the vote in Colorado?

I think it would be pretty darn hard [to defraud the vote in Colorado].

I suppose that someone could take their spouse’s ballot and forge a signature, and then hope their spouse didn’t complain. But I don’t think it happens.

How can we trust that every vote gets counted in Colorado?

Counties have a small bit of variation, autonomy in how they do it. But generally speaking, a ballot is never alone with only one

HEALTHINSURANCE HEADACHES

Colorado’s elections system praised for its accuracy

STANDARD

person. There are always at least two and usually a group of bipartisan people. The number of safeguards is pretty extraordinary.

The complaint I hear most is that voter registration rolls aren’t up to date and that dead people still get ballots and things like that. I’m sure that does happen.

But overall, Colorado keeps its voter registration rolls pretty well up-to-date — partnering with the Postal Service for change of address, social security death index, the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) to make sure people aren’t voting in other states.

Then there’s the ballot tracing. You can sign up very easily for

ballot tracing. And you get a text when your ballot is opened, when it’s counted. So the process is very transparent, while maintaining security.

What are common misconceptions about Colorado’s election security?

The process is sometimes seen as more partisan than it is — that political parties have a say in the counting. And while the political parties have election judges there, it is bi-, tri- multi-partisan.

People [also] think that the process of counting ballots is up to just a small handful of people, it’s very secretive and nobody knows what’s going on. It’s just not true.

People don’t understand how easy it is to get involved in poll watching, if they so choose. A lot of people think that it’s a secretive, closed, non-transparent process, and that is not the case.

So, in addition to poll-watching, how can someone who is skeptical of the process better understand it?

Call your county clerk and ask for a tour, but it’s kind of a bad time of year to make that request. They’re getting threatened and harassed like never before. We just had to pass a law to protect election workers.

Are there other concerns you have about our democracy in Colorado?

People not being able to recognize opinion versus fact — looking at Tucker Carlson and Rachel Maddow as newscasters as opposed to opinion-casters. We’ve been trying to also put out information about news literacy.

The League has used our volunteers as government watchdogs and observers since our founding 102 years ago. We’re now expanding that to allow those trained

observers to bolster local news, where there are news deserts. If there’s just one little newspaper with one reporter down in Cortez, and they can’t get to the city council meetings and the county commission meetings and the meeting of the water board … our observers are going to do that and report out about what happened at that meeting, if sunshine laws are being followed, if behavioral norms are being followed, things like that.

This story is brought to you by COLab, the Colorado News Collaborative, a nonprofit coalition of more than 170 newsrooms across Colorado working together to better serve the public. Learn more at https://colabnews.co

What are you waiting for?

‘The nation’s report card’ shows big declines in math in Colorado

BY JASON GONZALES CHALKBEAT COLORADO

Colorado students posted the lowest scores in more than a decade on the test known as “the nation’s report card,” with the steepest declines in middle school math and with Hispanic students losing the most ground. And while Colorado students posted better reading scores than did students in 27 other states, that was largely because other states lost even more ground.

The learning loss from 2019 to 2022 on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as NAEP, points to the devastating impact the pandemic has had on the education of children in almost every pocket of Colorado and the nation.

While research has already shown that academic progress reversed, NAEP results released Monday provide the most detailed and authoritative accounting yet, with data coming from a representative set of students nationwide and allowing for comparisons across states and some cities.

“The results are appalling and unacceptable,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said. “This is a moment of truth. How we respond will determine our standing in the world.”

This year’s results reaffirm what Colorado education leaders and teachers already knew thanks to statewide assessments: Students fell behind.

But parents, teachers, and students

are working hard to rebound, said Joyce Zurkowski, Colorado Department of Education chief assessment officer.

“There are some indications that things are on the way back up,” she said. “But there’s work to do.”

What is NAEP?

Mandated by Congress, the national assessment tests math and reading skills in fourth and eighth grades roughly every two years among a random sampling of students — about 450,000 students in 10,000

schools in 2022. The administrators break down scores by state and for select cities that vary with each test.

Denver was one of 26 urban districts that NAEP sampled last winter. Outside of those cities, NAEP does not issue district scores.

Unlike state exams, the NAEP tests are low stakes for students, teachers, and schools. But the NAEP test offers a valuable look at the progress of the nation.

“We knew results would reflect historic disruptions to schools,” said Peggy Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, which organizes the test. “NAEP results should give us all pause. They also remind us how essential schools are for our children and families.”

Colorado dip in math skills

In both Colorado and Denver, Hispanic students experienced greater declines in most grades and subjects than did other student groups. The pandemic pummeled Colorado’s Hispanic families, who have suffered higher death rates and more job losses. An estimated two-thirds of Colorado children without internet access are Hispanic, and many of them had parents working essential jobs and who could not stay home with them.

Zurkowski said learning gaps among Hispanics remain an area of “significant concern.” The state has some of the largest gaps in the nation between Hispanic and white students.

Students faced many challenges during COVID

The pandemic imposed hardships and barriers to student learning: switches between remote and hybrid classes, quarantines and other disruptions, spotty internet access, and general instability. Students also experienced major stressors, like parents losing jobs and caregivers falling ill and dying.

Melissa Snyder, a Cherry Creek School District fourth grade teacher, said student absenteeism has soared since the start of the pandemic.

“There’s a lot of pieces to the puzzle,” said Snyder, who teaches at Pine Ridge Elementary. “Everything with COVID is so much more complex.”

Lorelei Jackson, a Denver Language School eighth grade math teacher, said teachers had to choose which lessons to teach and students are missing skills they would normally have learned.

“We wanted to make sure that we were focusing on what was going to be the most impactful for students,” she said. And now, “we’re seeing those gaps.”

LEADERSHIP MATTERS

As your County Commissioner, Abe has worked hard with you to make a positive impact in our community.

A few of his achievements include:

Balanced budget - zero debt

Approved the largest tax cut in the history of Douglas County returning millions back to citizens

Kept Douglas County free and open during COVID

Advocated for the economy, public safety, mental health, and your constitutional rights

Protected natural resources - introduced wildfire initiative and support preservation of open spaces, parks, trails, and historic resources

The Colorado Measure of Academic Success, or CMAS, standardized tests show students recovering ground from 2021 but still below pre-pandemic levels in most cases. Similar to NAEP, the state’s test scores show particularly concerning drops in middle school math scores and draw attention to the impacts on students who transitioned to more complex material in a highly disrupted environment.

NAEP shows fourth grade Colorado math scores declined steeply. Proficiency dropped by one-quarter, from about 44% of students in 2019 to 36% of students this year. Eighth grade math proficiency fell by about the same proportion, from 37% of students in 2019 to 28% this year.

Colorado reading skills did not decline as much. On the fourthgrade test, 38% of students tested proficient, down from 40% in 2019. In eighth grade, 34% of students tested proficient, compared with 38% in 2019.

In Denver, reading scores declined similarly. Fourth-grade proficiency scores fell from 32% to 29%, and eighth-grade scores fell from 29% to 28% — which may not be statistically significant — from 2019.

Denver fourth-grade math proficiency dipped from 35% of students in 2019 to 28% this year. Eighth grade proficiency also fell, from 29% in 2019 to 22% of students this year.

A Chalkbeat analysis found mixed evidence on the link between remote learning and changes in state test scores, with some correlation in math and fourth-grade reading but none in eighth-grade reading. More granular research has shown that students who experienced more virtual learning tended to fall further behind.

The Colorado education department didn’t require districts to report changes in learning mode, which sometimes varied weekly, but its staff did try to track who was in-person, remote, or hybrid using district websites and Facebook pages. Using state data, the COVID-19 School Data Hub estimates that Colorado students on average spent 28% of their time learning in person during the 2020-21 school year.

Melanie Asmar, Matt Barnum, and Erica Meltzer contributed to this report.

Jason Gonzales is a reporter covering higher education and the Colorado legislature. Chalkbeat Colorado partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Contact Jason at jgonzales@chalkbeat.org.

This story is from Chalkbeat Colorado, a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools. Used by permission. For more, and to support Chalkbeat, visit co.chalkbeat. org.

ABELAYDON.US

Paid for by the Committee to Elect Abe Laydon. Registered agent Marge Klein.

The state’s standardized tests are being used as a measure to see how students are recovering from the pandemic.

SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

Less-obvious signs point to possible COVID-19 upsurge

Omicron-targeted vaccines are available

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The omicron variant is causing milder illnesses than earlier variants of COVID-19, but Elizabeth Carlton implores Coloradans not to underestimate it.

“It still killed a lot of people,” said Carlton, an associate professor at the Colorado School of Public Health.

“So it’s no joke.”

Coronavirus data watchers see signs of a possible upswing in COVID-19 case in the coming months and are working to minimize the impact of upswing on Colorado’s health care system by imploring residents to stay up to date on vaccinations and to take prudent measures to protect others if they become ill.

Reported COVID-19 cases plateaued in the past several weeks. There are less than 900 cases across the state, down from surges in excess of 3,000 cases in June and more than 20,000 in January.

Colorado is also far from the bed crises hospitals weathered during some of the worst months of the pandemic. In late October, roughly 3% of hospital beds were in use by coronavirus patients, according to Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment data.

But the numbers don’t tell the

whole story, Carlton said.

“Reported cases are the tip of the iceberg,” Carlton said.

The percent of tests coming back positive has jumped up from around 5% in early October to about 9%. And wastewater data from the Denver area also indicates the virus is more prevalent.

Carlton doesn’t know for sure what’s causing it, but after two years, pandemic restrictions have loosened everywhere. The way people “mix” with each other is different.

“Not just school, but all the ways people gather is probably closer to pre-pandemic levels than it has been before,” Carlton added.

Spikes have been tracked in the fall and it is unclear exactly why, she said. It could be that the colder weather leads people to gather more indoors. Or it could be due to changes in humans’ immune system at this time of year.

With flu cases typically rising around the same time of year, health officials are doubling down on their messaging about vaccines and haven’t ruled out that a more severe version of coronavirus can appear, as strains have in the past.

New shots can protect self, vulnerable Coloradans

Coronavirus vaccines don’t always stop the illness, but they may prevent a serious case that requires hospitalization. Vaccines also help protect people who cannot take the vaccine, like those who have imparied immune systems. Health officials

SITES AND INFORMATION

Coloradans can get the updated vaccine booster shot at major state vaccine sites. Locations also o er an initial vaccine dose for anyone aged 6 months and older.

Go to https://covid19.colorado.gov/testing or call 1-877-COVAX CO (1-877-2682926).

Select sites in the Denver area.

recommend a mindset that mini-

recommend a mindset that minimizes risks for exposure to oneself and others.

“People who are at higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 or who interact with people at higher risk should consider their individual risk, which may include taking additional precautions such as masking and avoiding crowded public spaces,” said a statement from the Colorado State Joint Information Center.

People at high risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID include those older than 65, people who are medically obese or overweight, people with other medical issues.

For those who are infected, Paxlovid, an oral antiviral pill that targets COVID-19, is available.

Another form of treatment is “monoclonal antibodies,” which are given as infusions, either through an IV or through injections, like with a vaccine. They help a person’s immune system recognize and respond to the virus.

• Ball Arena: 1000 Chopper Circle, in the downtown Denver area o Auraria Parkway and 9th Street. Open seven days a week; hours vary

• Dick’s Sporting Goods Park: 6000 Victory Way in Commerce City, o Quebec Street and 60th Avenue. Open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday; noon-7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday

• Southwest Weld County Services Complex: 4209 County Road 24 1/2 in the Longmont area, north of Interstate 25 and state Highway 119. Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, Thursday, Friday; noon-7 p.m. Tuesday; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday

• Water World: 8801 N. Pecos St. in Federal Heights o 88th Avenue. Open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday

• Summit County Public Health: 360 Peak One Drive in Frisco area o state Highway 9 Open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday

A resource for uninsured Coloradans seeking treatment is the federal Test to Treat program. For info call 303-389-1687.

BEFORE VOTING  MEET BOB MARSHALL

Before returning your ballot, meet Bob at the Veterans Memorial at the Highlands Ranch Library Sunday, November 6 from 12:00-1:00 P.M

A Representative should be open, transparent and accessible. Bob’s incumbent opponent has not held any functions open to the public since becoming a state legislator in a closed door “good ole boy” GOP selection process. And he refuses to debate Bob in a public forum. By contrast, Bob has held, and will continue to hold as a State Representative, multiple functions open to the public. Bob does not hide from constituents, the public or the opposition.

RETIRED MARINE LTCOL COLORADO NATIVEATTORNEY

Substitute teacher arrested on suspicion of sexual exploitation of children

Centennial resident charged

BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A Centennial resident and local substitute teacher was arrested Oct. 28 on suspicion of sexual exploitation of children, a class 5 felony, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Offi ce said in a news release.

Jose Tamayo, 25, worked as a substitute teacher for Littleton Public Schools in 2021 and 2022, the sheriff’s offi ce said in the release.

He reportedly also worked for Englewood Public Schools as a substitute teacher and paraprofessional during the 2020-2021 school year.

Investigators worked with the school districts and concluded they “have no reason to believe any victims were students of either district,” the sheriff’s office said in the release.

According to the release, investigators received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, revealing someone had uploaded suspected child pornography through Snapchat, a social media app, using the

screen name, “freakygurls420.”

Through an investigation done by Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children, investigators determined the suspected person lived in the City of Centennial and worked as a substitute teacher for Littleton Public Schools, the sheriff’s office said in the release.

The sheriff’s office asked that if anyone has any information on this case to call its investigations tip line at 720-874-8477.

Colorado Community Media has reached out to Littleton Public Schools and Englewood Public Schools for comment and to confirm any emplyment of Tamayo in the school districts.

Man accused of discharging gun at middle school

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The negligent discharge of a firearm at a Douglas County middle school flag football game led to the arrest of one man on Oct. 29.

Douglas County law enforcement responded to a shots fired call around 3:45 Oct. 29 at Crestview Middle School, according to a police news release.

Police determined that David Drummond, 65, of Aurora, attended the flag football game with a concealed handgun, which fell out of Drummond’s pants and discharged

as Drummond picked it up.

The release says there were no injuries as a result of the discharge.

Drummond was taken to the Douglas County Jail on charges of prohibited use of a weapon, unlawful carrying of a weapon on school property, reckless endangerment, and disorderly conduct. Unlawful carrying of a weapon on school property is a felony offense.

Drummond’s concealed carry licenses for Arapahoe County and Utah were also confiscated by police.

Drummond posted $1,250 cash or surety bond on Oct. 29. He is scheduled to be in court on Dec. 1.

VOTE EARLY. NEAR YOU. Ballot drop box locations countywide. Find yours at DouglasVotes.com

Register to vote

Replace a ballot

Vote in person

Use an ADA-accessible voting machine

Visit DouglasVotes.com or call 303-660-7444 for Nov. 8 Election information.

Need help with home heating costs?

Eligible low-income households in Douglas County may apply for energy assistance through the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP). Visit douglas.co.us fand search LEAP for more information or an application, or email LEAPHELP@discovermygoodwill.org

Skip the trip - motor vehicle services just a click away

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

Questions about snow removal in unincorporated Douglas County?

Questions about citizen snow removal responsibilites? Anwers to these questions and more can be found by visiting douglas.co.us and searching for Snow and Ice Removal.

What’s happening with your County government?

Our commitment to open and transparent government includes online posting of information about public meetings at which the business of government is conducted. To view public meeting agendas, participate in-person or remotely, or watch select meetings via live stream, visit douglas.co.us and search for Business Meetings / Public Hearings.

O ces Closed Nov. 11

Douglas County offices will be closed on Friday, Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day. Many county services are available online at DoItOnlineDouglas.com

Visit a Voter Service and Polling Center to:

SHUTTERSTOCK

An arrest has been made after a gun

at a

football game.

in length, appears to show three patrol cars parked around a black Kia, where Strain and Daws were allegedly inside, at approximately 11:45 p.m. on Oct. 25.

The Kia was parked, turned off and had a shade visor across the windshield, the video shows.

A deputy is shown holding up a firearm and announcing the presence of the sheriff’s office, ordering those inside the Kia to roll down the windows. Other deputies make the same command, but no response is given.

The video shows the Kia turn on and start moving back and forth, appearing to hit a patrol car parked in front of it.

As the Kia is moving back and forth, a deputy is shown hitting a side window of the vehicle with a long tool. The video then shows gunfire exchanged between the suspects and the deputies.

“There were three separate volleys of shootings between the suspects and our officers,” Spurlock said. “In each one of those, the suspects fired at us first.”

Spurlock said he was told the span between the three volleys of shootings was about seven to nine minutes. He estimated there were about 35 rounds fired between the suspects and deputies.

Both suspects, one sitting in the passenger seat of the car and the other sitting in the driver’s seat, were killed in the car while they were allegedly shooting at officers, Spurlock said.

They were the only two people in the car.

Spurlock said the suspects were in a stolen car out of Pueblo, and both suspects had warrants for their arrest related to auto theft and theft.

One deputy was injured during the incident, Spurlock said.

The deputy was not hit by any bullets, though a bullet reportedly went through the sleeve of his shirt. He was hit “with glass in the face from the driver’s side window,” Spurlock said.

Spurlock said the officer was treated and released at a local hospital in Lone Tree the same day, and he is fine.

The incident is being investigated by the 18th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team, Spurlock said, and detectives from the Aurora Police Department are the lead as the investigation moves forward.

All six deputies are on administrative leave while the response team investigates, per protocol, Spurlock

said.

Spurlock said this is the first officerinvolved shooting the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has had this year.

“Our officers were very, very lucky last night that something didn’t happen more dangerous to them,” Spurlock said. “This is, again, is another one of the things that law enforcement across the metro area are seeing every day — stolen cars, suspects in the stolen cars armed, and they’re engaging police officers around the metro area.”

Spurlock says auto theft is top issue

“We have been saying for the last year and a half that auto theft has been the number one crime that has been affecting the, basically the metro area, because it’s related to other … crimes — theft, burglary and drugrelated,” he said.

According to Colorado Crime Statistics, the number of attempted and completed motor vehicle thefts in Colorado in 2021 was 42,049, compared to 31,441 in 2020 and 22,395 in 2019.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office 2021 Statistics Summary reported that, according to the CATPA-Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force, motor vehicle thefts increased 39% across the Denver metro area from 2020 to 2021.

Residents can help in a number of ways, Spurlock said, including taking valuables out of their car, making sure their car is locked and calling local law enforcement if they see something suspicious.

“If you steal a car in Douglas County, we’re going to chase you,” he said. “We have a specific unit just designed to go after folks that are stealing cars, and it is our goal to make sure that the people (who) are stealing cars, they don’t come to this county and do it.”

Colorado Community Media previously reported on the chase-policy differences between Littleton police and Douglas County, given that at least five crashes have occurred in the City of Littleton since 2019 after police pursuits by Douglas County deputies.

While Littleton’s policy calls for officers to rarely engage in chases, Douglas County’s policy is widerreaching, allowing for pursuits of potentially non-violent offenders and for cars believed to be stolen.

In the article, Littleton Police Chief Doug Stephens said anything short of a violent felony is not worth the risk to the general public. Spurlock justified the pursuit of reported stolen vehicles, saying if officers did not choose to pursue anyone with a stolen car, “every car would be subject to be stolen at any time with no retribution whatsoever.”

Spurlock said the sheriff’s office has a number of license plate readers stationed around the county, as well as mobile license plate readers on some of its vehicles. He said they are “very

successful” and helpful in identifying stolen cars.

He said there are also some Flock cameras in the county, which are cameras that capture images of license plates of cars driving by.

“We’re going to be aggressive on anyone who steals cars in this county,” Spurlock said. “And I’m asking for every other judicial district to be aggressive in the prosecution of auto thieves.”

Spurlock calls for stopping PR bonds

Spurlock said he urges anyone who was the victim of an auto-theft to contact the district attorney in their jurisdiction and “demand prosecution of auto-thefts.”

“We can no longer be letting people that are stealing cars just out on PR bonds,” he said, referring to a personal recognizance bond.

According to the Colorado Judicial Branch’s website, a PR bond is “a signature bond that involves no money or property as long as the defendant appears at all future court dates.”

“We need the district attorneys behind us, saying that they are going to prosecute these cases. And we’ve got to find ways to stop PR bonding every person who steals a car,” Spurlock said.

John Kellner — the district attorney for the 18th Judicial District, which includes Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln County Combined Courts — addressed PR bonds in an online article posted Sept. 8.

In the article, published on the 18th Judicial District Attorney Data Dashboard, Kellner said some law enforcement leads have suggested that reductions in the frequency of PR bonds would help solve the motor vehicle theft crisis.

“When 3 out of every 4 defendants charged with aggravated motor vehicle theft have at least one other pending case, we agree that there is a problem with the frequency these individuals are being released during the course of their case,” Kellner said in the article.

However, Kellner said this “doesn’t appear to be an issue in our judicial district,” citing an internal review of 61 cases filed in January 2022 which included at least one charge for aggravated motor vehicle theft.

Of those 61 cases, 16% of the defendants received PR bonds from the judge, according to the article.

Kellner noted in the article that having a cash/surety bond instead of a PR bond does not guarantee a defendant will stay in custody, but “it does raise the stakes and incentivize compliance.”

During a news conference on Oct. 19 about the indictment of six individuals allegedly involved in a criminal enterprise, Kellner said he hopes the legislature will increase the penalties for car theft, “making all car theft a felony offense next year at the legislative session.”

Douglas County Sheri Tony Spurlock speaking during a news conference near the RTD Lincoln Station parking garage in Lone Tree on Oct. 26.

PHOTO BY TAYLER SHAW

Behind every victim is an advocate

every patient is a doctor, behind every student is a teacher, and behind every victim is an advocate. Despite the chaotic and devastating circumstances of COVID-19, advocates of the Victim Services around Colorado have adapted to social guidelines, solved unfamiliar problems and flourished in efficiency to provide for victims across the state.

Interestingly enough, the Victim Services unit in Greeley, Thornton, Northglenn, Longmont and Littleton limited their on-site service to major crime-related cases (homicide, domestic violence, sexual assult, felony), sending a limited number of trained staff to report in-person. On the other hand, units in Lakewood and Fort Collins responded strictly through phone calls for most of the pandemic, making the interaction between staff and volunteer advocates scarce.

Flipping the system upside-down had both its pros and cons. It opened up the idea that services can be provided virtually, and made victims reaching out to advocates more approachable. According to the Victim Services of Thornton/Northglenn and Lakewood, victims who felt overwhelmed with crowds of people (including advocates) present during the scene were able to find time on their own, after processing the situation, and reach out personally. Surprisingly, as time passed, more victims began to prefer a phone call over an on-site reply.

However, as reported by victim

advocates in Longmont and Greeley, this abrupt change in organization led to a drastic advocate shortage. Masks and physical distance (as well as the subsequent removal of facial expressions and body language) made it difficult for advocates to discern the immediate needs of the victim. The Arvada Victim Services added that grants— initially given to the Victim Services — were shifted to fund other, COVID-related issues, the lack of monetary assistance forcing a change in various departments and volunteer programs. Most fatal of all, the boundaries between “work” and “home” began to blur. Phone calls about traumatic experiences would leak past working hours, and follow-ups about excruciating cases would flood into the private lives of advocates.

But while caring for a single individual is, indeed, demanding, the Victims Services in Broomfield, Thornton, Northglenn, Arvada (Jefferson County), Longmont, Fort Collins, Lakewood, Littleton and Greeley serve an astounding average of 287 victims monthly. That is hundreds of devastating stories and cries for help that are heard monthly by these people. Sacrifices of time, energy, and mentality are made to save the ones of those who need to hold onto it.

What this service needs the most is education. Education on who they are, what they do and how they do it. People should know what they can offer and why they’re here in the first place. Education on what they need, and what you — the public — can do for it.

Gina Jung is a senior at Stargate High School in Thornton who hopes to pursue studies in sociology and psychology.

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 non-partisan journalism. It covers everything from poli-

tics and culture to the outdoor industry and education.

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

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

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VOICES

Thankful for news

COLUMN

In September, I attended the Colorado Press Association annual awards ceremony, where we watched some of our own reporters and staff members be honored for excellent work along with others throughout the state who work day and night to bring the public the news. Bringing the public the news has not been an easy task — especially in the last four or five years.

One of my favorite parts of the annual newspapers awards is the advertising design category. While not in my area of expertise, I absolutely respect what newspaper designers can do for companies and programs. These ads are always creative, beautiful and informative.

This year, in the “House Ad” category, I noticed a common theme. A house ad is one that a newspaper creates to promote our work and abilities. These ads might talk about circulation, staff, programs, etc.

However, a theme this year is what would likely happen without them, creating these amazing designs with the term “News Desert.” A news desert is essentially a community where residents have significantly diminished access to important local news and information that feeds a local democracy.

I understand that major news stations are not going anywhere. We need our information on Congress and current administration. We need to know about major news events on a national level.

I get that publications and digital outlets such as People magazine give the endless updates on what is happening with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry today. I understand those clicks are going to continue and, while I do not care, those headlines will continue fill my news feeds.

However, what I worry about is losing my local news coverage, and not because I collect a paycheck from them.

No other media outlets cover the nuts and bolts of your community. It is the local newspaper telling you what is happening with the local school districts. It is reporters like those working with Colorado Community Media who will tell you that your local town council has now adopted an increased fee schedule for water rates.

It is organizations like Colorado Community Media who will ask the questions on why one county, such as Douglas County, will continue chasing a suspect in a stolen car while the City of Littleton or Arapahoe County likely won’t.

We are the ones who can truly answer whether or not teachers in Douglas County are underpaid to help you make a decisions on the current election ballot.

We are the ones who will take the time to talk to the candidates running in the less flashy races like treasurer and coroner to help in making an Election Day decision.

I am thankful for the work my reporters did on local candidates because I was definitely able to fill out my ballot with knowledge because of it.

I am happy to read about a new business opening that no one else outside of my area will care about.

I am thankful to have that local news that, as I got older, I realized truly provides the information that affects my everyday life. Taxes, schools, retailers, restaurants. I would not know a thing about them if it was not for local news outlets.

However, as newsrooms and fundings continue to decrease – the local, community newspapers pay a price. Pay a price that, I fear, will not be absolutely missed until it is gone.

Engagement makes all the di erence

After checking in, the couple decided to head to the hotel bar for a nightcap. Luckily two seats opened up just as they walked in. They sat down and the bartender stood with his back turned watching the television as a Thursday Night Football game was being televised. The couple waited and when they saw a second bartender come in their direction, they thought they might finally be able to order a drink. They were disappointed as the second bartender also turned their back to watch the game.

Finally getting their attention, they received their drinks. No engagement with the patrons, just back to watching the game. Having visited more than a bar or two in my day, and having been a bartender earlier in my life, I have a great appreciation for those great bartenders who know that sometimes people come looking for an ear that will listen, a friend to talk to, a therapist to hear their problems, or someone to celebrate with. The couple finished their drinks and left.

Here’s another story that was shared with me by a sales leader. She was on a virtual sales call with one of her salespeople. They were using Zoom so they could all turn on their webcam and see each other, almost as if they were face-to-face and in person. The sales leader was invited to the meeting to share specific and new information with the prospect. The salesperson thought it would be better received coming from a senior leader.

As the meeting went on and the sales leader started discussing important data while also gathering great information

through relevant questioning, she noticed that her salesperson wasn’t really paying attention. They looked distracted and were probably multi-tasking. Although she noticed it, her hopes were that the prospect wouldn’t really notice. Well into the discussion the salesperson finally started paying attention, but as it turned out, it was a little too little and a little too late. The final straw was when the salesperson brought up an irrelevant topic and asked an unrelated question. Unfortunately, they did not win the business.

How many times have we tuned out those around us only to tune into a game, an app, or something else? If we are being honest, it’s probably happening more often than we care to admit.

Imagine the teacher not being truly engaged with their student, the spouse not tuned in to their better half, the parent not engaging with their child, or a best friend losing interest in something that is important to their friend in that moment. In any one of those situations, I believe the relationship will suffer when we fail to truly engage.

Engagement is so vitally important in any relationship. Combine engagement with intentionality and we have a true winning recipe for a winning relationship to thrive. An example of intentional engagement is when we are watching television and our spouse or child asks us a question or wants to talk and we simply turn off the TV and intentionally engage. A common mistake that sends the wrong message is when we say, “OK, how about at the next commercial or at halftime, or when the show is over?” When we do that, we are saying that the game or show is more impor-

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

Thelma Grimes

County Councils on Aging — your advocates

Enacted in 1965, in response to concerns by policymakers about the lack of community social services for older citizens, the Older Americans Act (OAA) established the Administration on Aging and the aging services network. Since then, the OAA has been amended numerous times. Recently reauthorized in 2020 through 2024, this law ensures that the voices of older adults are heard by decision makers and elected officials.

The Seniors’ Council of Douglas County (SCDC) is our county’s Council on Aging. It is an all-volunteer organization that promotes living well/aging well for our residents age 60 and older. We aim to understand and communicate the

NORTON

FROM PAGE 14

tant than our child or spouse.

And if it’s not TV, can we close our computer, put down our phone, or stop what we are doing to actively

views, needs and aspirations of our older population to decision makers, increase older adult involvement in the community and support anti-ageism efforts at the local level to enhance the quality of life for all residents. We accomplish this through advocacy, education and collaboration with local government, various community members and local service agencies. Although we are not part of local government, we are affiliated with Douglas County government and appreciate its past and continuing support.

Our audience includes older adults, their adult children, health and home care providers, senior living facility representatives, Senior Center staffers and others serving the older adult population. SCDC meets on the first Thursday of the month beginning at 10 a.m. and ending at approximately 11:30 a.m. Our meeting consists of several brief announcements followed by an educational presentation and a com-

listen and engage with those around us? Engagement, intentional engagement, really does make all the difference.

How about you? Are you finding yourself distracted and multi-tasking and maybe even disengaged? Have you ever noticed when someone else doesn’t appear to be actively

munity conversation.

Our educational presentations focus on a wide variety of topics of interest to older adults. In the past we’ve hosted presentations on multi-generational outdoor fitness parks, such as the “Possibilities Playground” in Castle Rock, the changes in Medicare for 2023, how to start a business later in life, our libraries as a local resource, volunteer opportunities for older adults, using technology to enhance our health care, the health benefits of pet ownership and much more.

Please join us for our annual End-of-the-Year Review and Holiday Reception on Thursday, Dec. 1 in the Hearing Room of the Philip S. Miller building at 100 Third Street in Castle Rock. We’ll be reviewing our accomplishments of the past year, sharing our goals for 2023 and revealing details of our signature event “Vintage & Vibrant”, a daylong educational event scheduled for next Sept. 28 at the PACE Center

or intentionally engaged with you? How did that feel? And have you ever responded to someone looking for your undivided attention by saying, “After the next commercial or at halftime?” I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can engage with intentionality, it really will be a better than

in Parker. This event was hugely popular in 2018 and 2019. Due to COVID, it was necessary to postpone our plans for an event in 2020 until next year.

Our Dec. 1 meeting will be available virtually to accommodate those unable to attend in-person and can be viewed that morning via this link:

https://douglasco.webex.com/ douglasco/onstage/g.php?MTID=e6 2ab798b70ce271430db0a2a92cf31ce

Gretchen Lopez is the current chair of the Seniors’ Council.

For additional information about the Seniors’ Council, its meetings, events and presentations please visit our webpage mydougcoseniorlife.com or connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/MyDougCoSeniorLife. You can view some of our past meetings in our YouTube channel and to receive our electronic newsletter “First Friday Update” contact us at dcseniorlife@douglas.co.us.

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.

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

On Sept. 4, Chileans across the world anxiously checked their social media feeds and Whatsapp group chats, wondering about the future of their country. Would Chile adopt a new constitution?

The answer fl ashed across their phone screens that evening. In an overwhelming referendum result, about 62% of the population of Chile voted to reject what would have been one of the most progressive constitutions in the world.

In Santiago, supporters of the new constitution comforted each other in sadness while those who opposed it waved celebratory fl ags in the streets.

Meanwhile, Chileans in Colorado mourned and celebrated from over 5,000 miles away.

Pame Bradford, who works in Fort Collins Public Schools, was happy voters rejected the draft. An Aurora-based artist named Adolfo Romero, on the other hand, said the result felt like a deep blow to his heart.

Considering their opposing views on one of the most pivotal referendums in Chile’s democratic history, it may come as a surprise that Romero and Bradford are siblings.

Although they grew up under the same roof, the two Colorado-based Chileans have different opinions on what will cure their country’s ailments going forward.

From Chile to Colorado

When Romero was in high school and Bradford had recently fi nished, their family moved from Arica, a city in northern Chile, to the capital of Santiago.

Attending high school in Santiago among politically active peers was

a formative experience for Romero.

Although he does not identify with a particular party, he said his political beliefs are left-leaning.

beliefs are left-leaning.

Bradford, on the other hand, was she focused on “things with disci-

less interested in politics. She said she focused on “things with discipline” growing up, such as sports and martial arts.

When she was 25 years old, Bradford moved to the U.S.

“It might be kind of cheesy, but I moved because I felt that I was going to fi nd love here,” she said. “I actually did fi nd it.”

After traveling for a few years, she met her husband and settled down in his home state of Colorado. In 2008, her parents moved to the U.S. Romero followed suit in 2014 to be

her parents moved to the U.S. Romero followed suit in 2014 to be near his family.

The social explosion

On Oct. 18, 2019, an increase in the metro fare sparked massive demonstrations in Santiago.

On Oct. 18, 2019, an increase massive demonstra-

Both Bradford and Romero watched from afar.

This was the beginning of a nationwide sociopolitical movement referred to as the “ estallido social ” or the “social explosion.”

For months, protesters demanded changes in economic and social policies that had been in place since the country’s military dictatorship, which ended in 1990.

The estallido was a frightening time for some Chileans. Bradford said she was concerned as protesters burned metro stations and destroyed private property.

“I was really distraught… I mean, we are really connected to the country and when you see bad things happening, it affects you here,” she said. “I know we could have come up with better ways to do it… the reasons might be good, but not the way it was

Protesters climb a statue in Santiago’s central plaza under the watchful eye of a military helicopter.

PHOTO BY NINA JOSS

CUT OUT: Adolfo Romero with his sisters Pame Bradford, right, and Leslie Romero, left.

presented.”

Romero, unlike his sister, said he was hopeful when the demonstrations began. After being involved in community movements for most of his life, it felt like his country was fi nally awakening to its problems.

“One of the conversations that I used to have with my friends was, ‘Damn, when are the people gonna be awake? When are the people gonna react to these conditions in this country?’” he said. “Finally, it happened in 2019.”

Although he wishes political change were achievable through “just talking,” Romero said it’s sometimes necessary for people to take to the streets.

But Chileans who went to the streets were met with excessive force from police, according to the Human Rights Watch. From Oct. 18 to Nov. 20, in 2019 almost 9,000 protesters and bystanders were injured and 26 people died, according to the organization.

For Romero, the police response to the protests was the most tragic part of the situation.

“It was very sad… to see how many people got injured… by the police,” he said. “I felt very powerless.”

The road to referendum

The demonstrations during the social movement of 2019-2020 covered a wide range of issues, including wages, social security, water rights, education, healthcare, environmental concerns, gender inequality, indigenous rights and more.

As the movement continued, protesters started turning their attention toward a document that could address all of these problems at once: the constitution.

“That was the core of everything. That is the core that supports the model, that holds the entire system,” Romero said. “So when (the protestors) chose that point, it to me was fi nally the right pathway to get a change.”

Chile’s current constitution was written in 1980 under military dictator Augusto Pinochet, who held power from 1973 until 1990. After ousting socialist President Salvador Allende in a U.S.-supported coup d’etat, Pinochet implemented vast neoliberal economic reforms.

Under Pinochet, the availability and affordability of health care, social security, education and even water were largely driven by the free market. The 1980 constitution, despite modern amendments, maintains a role for private sectors for these services.

These neoliberal decisions bolstered Chile’s economy but did so at the expense of extensive human rights abuses during the dictatorship. More than 3,000 people were killed or “disappeared” under Pinochet’s regime and over 27,000 more were victims of torture, according to Chilean commission reports.

Still, some applaud the dictator for the economic growth during his reign. Others condemn his human rights abuses and point to his economic policies as the root of Chile’s devastating inequality.

About a month after the protests began, then-President Sebastián Piñera agreed to hold a nationwide referendum to vote on the possibility of rewriting the dictatorship-era constitution. On Oct. 25, 2020, 78% of voting Chileans approved the decision to rewrite a new charter.

A woman protests with a sign reading “No more abuse.”

On Oct. 18, 2019, an increase in the metro fare sparked a nationwide socio-political movement in Chile. Here, protesters in Santiago hit pots and pans in a common form of protest called “cacerolazo.”

PHOTOS BY NINA JOSS

Protestors in Santiago filled the central plaza to call for change. Formerly known as Plaza Italia, the space was renamed “Plaza de la dignidad” or “Dignity Plaza” during the social movement of 2019.

A protester on a lamp post waves the Chilean flag (top) and the Mapuche flag (bottom). The Mapuche are a group of Indigenous people in present-day Chile and Argentina.

Stories on Stage presents Buntport

Buntport Theater actors collaborate with Stories on Stage at 2 p.m. on Nov. 6 for “Modern Times” at Su Teatro, 721 Santa Fe Drive, Denver. Tickets $24. 303-494-0523.

Also: a Virtual Premiere Event at 7 p.m. on Nov. 10, which could also be watched later if you have a ticket. (Note: venue requires proof of vaccination and a mask.)

Next: “Making Merry” at 2 p.m. Dec. 17 at Nomad Theater, Boulder; 2 p.m. Dec. 18 at Su Teatro; and 7 p.m. Dec. 18 Virtual. (Beloved actor Jamie Horton returns

REFORM

FROM PAGE 17

Voters also determined that a convention of elected citizens would draft the new document. In a global first, the constitutional body was required to have gender parity. In addition, 17 seats were reserved for indigenous populations, according to the National Library of Congress of Chile.

In May 2021, voters elected a constitutional convention made up of 67% independent candidates, many of them part of leftleaning movements, according to Universidad de Chile professor Claudia Heiss.

The nontraditional makeup of the body gave some Chileans hope when the process began, but polls showed a decrease in voter confidence in the convention as time went on.

After one year of the convention’s work, the draft faced its fate in a referendum in which all Chileans were required to vote. The earlier votes in the constitutional process had been voluntary.

According to the Chilean Electoral Service, Chileans abroad voted to approve the draft but the overall population overwhelmingly rejected it.

Both Bradford and Romero would have had to travel to another state to vote, so neither was able to cast a ballot due to logistics.

SONYA’S SAMPLER

to Denver for this one.) See storiesonstage.org and buntport.com.

Littleton exhibit

The 57th annual Own An Original exhibit opens Nov. 4 at the Littleton Museum, 6028 S. Gallup St., running through Dec. 31.

The theme set by the Littleton Fine Arts Board is “Labyrinth.”

The draft

“Chile is a social and democratic state of law,” started the new constitutional draft. “It is ‘ plurinacional ,’ intercultural, regional and ecological.”

The 388-article charter included universal health care and rights to education, housing, pensions and water.

Along with vast environmental protections, it implemented gender parity rules for governing bodies. It also restructured the country’s legislative model and established parallel justice systems for indigenous groups.

Supporters of the document praised its progressive character while opponents stressed the far-reaching and unachievable nature of the constitution’s goals. Some opponents wanted to keep the 1980 version. Others said they desired a new constitution, just not this one.

In Bradford’s opinion, the members of the convention tried to take on too many topics.

“I do agree with some changes for the environment and things like that. But I think this proposal was covering way too many things and it became unreliable — people realized that,” she said.

But Bradford’s biggest concern about the new constitution was that it did not address what she sees as Chile’s main issues. Specifically, Bradford said she was concerned about danger and crime in Chile, which she attributed to a lack of control over immigration.

“I still have all my extended

Camp Christmas

Camp Christmas will run from Nov. 17 to Jan. 6 (closed Dec. 25) at Heritage Belmar Park, 801 S. Yarrow St., Lakewood. Tickets: denvercenter.org/tickets-events/campchristmas/#/.

Vintage Theatre

Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora, presents “Monty Python’s Spamalot: A Musical” from Nov. 4-Dec. 11 and a regional premiere of “Dot” from Dec. 11 to Dec. 18. (There are two theaters.) 303-856-7830, vintagetheatre.org. Friday/Saturday at

7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

Newman Center

Newman Center at the University of Denver presents “Winnie-thePooh” Nov. 11-13 various times. 303871-7720, newmancenterpresents. com.

History Colorado

History Colorado, 1200 N. Broadway, Denver, presents a new exhibit: “The Sand Creek Massacre: The Betrayal That Changed Cheyenne and

SEE SAMPLER, P21

family members (in Chile) and I hear every day what they’re suffering. And those real issues are not getting addressed,” she said.

She also opposed the idea of making the state “ plurinacional ,” which means recognizing the coexistence of multiple national groups within a country.

“We are a united country there. I don’t believe that we should start calling each other something different,” she said.

For Romero, identifying the country as such was one of the biggest strengths of the draft. He said it was important to recognize indigenous nations.

“When we talk about ‘ plurinacionalidad ,’ we are talking about the recognition of their territory and their cultural autonomy, and that they are asking for the right to organize themselves in some way,” he said. “For me, that’s good. It’s the minimum that can be offered after years of colonization — the minimum.”

Romero also applauded the draft’s inclusion of rights to healthcare and education.

“The right to health care exists in various countries, and it works well,” Romero said. “It’s the same with the right to education… The people ignore it because they simply haven’t lived (that) reality.”

Romero added that he thinks many people who voted against the new draft were influenced by misinformation campaigns about its contents. Bradford said she knew people who read the draft itself and still rejected it.

Delightful differences

For Bradford, the new constitution was not the right move for Chile. But in Romero’s eyes, there

is still hope for a new constitution in the future.

“The process isn’t over in Chile,” he said. “It’s a battle that was lost, but the people are going to continue fighting.”

Despite their differences, Romero and Bradford say they are close.

Adding their parents, younger sister and extended family into the mix, they are surrounded by a wide range of political opinions.

“We tease each other, we laugh, but we know we’re not gonna change our views — and we don’t want to change our views,” Bradford said. “We accept each other how we are and we love each other regardless.”

She compared their political differences to other differences she and her siblings have, such as the ways they like to relax and their tastes in music.

“You put priorities in life and family’s the first priority. Love — love for your family,” she said.

According to Romero, his family’s differences represent the diversity that should exist in a healthy society.

“If I expect that all my friends think exactly the same as me, it will be me (who is) the problem,” he said.

Even when an entire new constitution is on the line, he says differences are valuable.

“This is the base of a society, what society should be,” he said. “It’s a plus when you have a difference.”

Editor’s note: Some sections of this story have been translated from Spanish. Parts that remain in Spanish are designated with italics.

Thu 11/10

Teague Starbuck @ 6pm

Sunroom Brewing, 3242 S Acoma St, En‐glewood

Vamonos Pest/Mobro: Mobro at Brewability Lab @ 6pm

Brewability Lab, 3445 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

Mon 11/14

Winter Valor Wrestling Club @ 6pm / $375 Nov 14th - Feb 1st

Valor Athletic Building, 3775 Grace Blvd, Highlands Ranch. 303-471-3000

Mark Schultz: Hilton Denver Inverness @ 5pm

Hilton Denver Inverness, 200 In‐verness Dr W, Englewood

Dirty Side Down Band: Dirty Side Down @ Q's Pub @ 8pm

Q's Pub and Grill, 10133 W Chat‐�eld Ave, Littleton

Dial Drive at Moe's Englewood @ 8pm Moe's Original BBQ, 3295 S Broadway, En‐glewood

Justin Farren @ 8pm

Swallow Hill Music, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

Sat 11/12

Kids' Zone Events: Princess Ball (2-11 yrs) FALL22 @ 1:15am

Nov 12th - Nov 11th

Twenty Hands High @ 7:30pm

Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Mainstreet, Parker The Record Company @ 8pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

Fri 11/11

Kids’ Zone: Princess Tea Party (3-6 yrs) FALL22 @ 5pm Parker Recreation Center, 17301 E Lincoln Ave., Parker

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

Featured

Cory Pearman Music @ 6pm

The Pint Room, 2620 W Belleview Ave, Littleton

Red Rocks Worship: Dare2Share LIVE @ 10am

Mission Hills Church Littleton Campus, 620 Southpark Dr, Little‐ton

Ninja Robotics and Coding @ 5:30pm / $40

Z Ultimate Studio - Parker, 12999 S Parker Rd, Parker. 515-708-0433

Pert' Near Sandstone @ 7pm

Five Strings Barn Concerts, Castle Rock

Cary Morin @ 7pm Swallow Hill, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

Featured Featured

The Fabulous Equinox Orchestra @ 8pm

Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St, Lone Tree The Peacemakers @ 9pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

Roger Clyne @ 9pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, En‐glewood

Sun 11/13

Reuter Hess Trail Race @ 8:30am / $35 11865 Heirloom Pkwy, Parker

Andrew Finn Magill: Murray & Magill @ 7pm Swallow Hill Music Association, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

El Gran Combo 60 Years Anniversary World Tour 2022 @ 9pm / $60 Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Modern Swing Mondays @ 6:30pm / $10 Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Tue 11/15

Culinary: Thanksgiving Side Dishes (16+yrs) @ 1am Nov 15th - Nov 14th PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

Wed 11/16

Ladies Night @ 6pm / $5 Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Featured Featured

DJ Rockstar Aaron: Forbidden Bingo at 'Bout Time Pub & Grub @ 8pm

Bout Time Pub & Grub, 3580 S Platte River Dr A, Sheridan Rosie @ 8pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

Thu 11/17

LUNAY EN CONCIERTO @ 9:30pm / $60 Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

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Chamber music fills Englewood hall

Schubert octet was program for October performance

BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Franz Schubert’s Octet in F Major, Op.166 (1824) was the program for Oct. 22 and I’m still thinking about how fortunate we are to have Englewood Arts’ fine series of chamber music concerts in Hampden Hall, at the Englewood City Center — as well as symphony orchestras in Littleton, Lone Tree and Parker, and theaters that present musicals, jazz, vocalists, dance and productions for children ... Tickets are reasonably priced — in this case: $30/$25/$10.

The Schubert Octet was commissioned by famous Austrian clarinetist Ferdinand Troyu and first performed at the home of the musician’s employer, Archduke Rudolf, in 1827. It was not published for other orchestras to use until 1853, some time after Schubert’s death at 31 in 1828. In his brief life, he was astonishingly productive.

Concert notes say that Schubert was in ill health and in pain when he was writing this and there are some stormy notes, but I certainly left the hall feeling optimistic and happy ...

Jason Shafer, principal clarinet with the Colorado Symphony since

2013, served as spokesman for the eight expert performers, commenting on how it was originally commissioned by a clarinetist.

Also included: Tristan Rennie, bassoon; Young Kim, horn; Yi Zhao, violin; Dmitri Pogorelov, violin; Sofia Basile, viola; Seoyin Min, cello; and Owen Levine, double bass. In addition to performing with the Colorado Symphony, several are faculty members at UNC and all seem to travel nationally and internationally.

The program biographies lead one to think of a richly varied life, language skills, flexibility — and a packable wardrobe!

Two more programs are announced for 2022 and we will watch for an announcement on 2023 programs and report — Nov. 12: Brahms Piano Quartet in G Minor; and Dec. 17: Schubert Quintet in C Major.

Cellist Silver Ainomae, former CSO cellist, now with the Minnesota Orchestra, will return here to perform with pianist Joshua Sawicki and others from the Colorado Symphony, tba, on Dec. 17 in Schubert’s Quintet in C major.

Director Eric Bertoluzzi announced after the concert that more than 100 children want to learn to play a violin in the Englewood Arts’ popular school programming and donations towards that project are badly needed. (A charming wee violin was exhibited at the entrance.) Also, 30 preschoolers at Englewood’s Maddox Preschool are learning to dance!

Colorado Symphony Orchestra assistant concertmaster Yi Zhao will perform on violin at the Nov. 12 Englewood Arts concert.

COURTESY PHOTO

SAMPLER

Arapaho People Forever.” Based on tribal accounts of the massa-

cre. Will look at today’s culture in Montana, Oklahoma and Wyoming.

Firehouse Theater Firehouse Theater Company will present “Miss Bennet: Christ-

mas at Pemberly” by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon, directed by Linda Suttle of Littleton, from Nov. 19 to Dec. 18. 303562-3232, fi rehousetheatercompany.com. John Hand Theater, 7653 E. First Place, Denver. (Colorado

Free University.)

Holiday Art Market

The Holiday Art Market will run from Nov. 22 through Dec. 31 at the Depot Art Gallery, 2069 W. Powers Ave., downtown Littleton. See depotartgallery.org.

Cherry Creek Chorale

Cherry Creek Chorale performs “Ring in the Season” on Dec. 9 and 10 at Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E. Hampden Ave., Cherry Hills Village. Director is Brian Leatherman. They will be joined by the Rocky Mountain Ringers handbell ensemble. Tickets: $25/$20/$15. 303789-5920, cherrycreekchorale.org.

Pop-up

A pop-up art show at the Depot Art Gallery Nov. 8-19 will include works by Pam Roth O’Mara. See depotartgallery.org.

Arts workshop

Cliff Austin will teach a Nov. 5 workshop for the Heritage Fine Arts Guild from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There may still be places available Check heritage-guild.com/ workshops if interested. Class will be pastel painting from photographs. $35 members/$50 non-members.

Paint Box Guild

The Paint Box Guild will exhibit works by members at El Meson Mexican Restaurant, 3506 W. Town Center, Highlands Ranch. See paintboxguildlittleton.org.

Renee Anderson Brian Anderson

Barnard

Anderson

Aversa

Barnard

Bauer

Boeglin

Danielle Coursey Carissa Cronin Christopher Cronin Amanda Cushing Connie Davison

DiPasquale

Van Divier

Ferguson

Fiduccia

Fitzsimons

Elizabeth Hanson Cory Hawk Lydia Hayes Serenity Hayes Danelle Hiatt Knight Hinman Whitney Humphrey Jennifer Iversen

Johnson Jeff Johnson

Johnston

Jones

Jones

McDowell

Kahler

Karcz

Lisa Kassay Erin Kiyan Anthonette Klinkerman Holly Kluth Amy Kraus Kristin McCord Allyson Kulinski Amanda Lackey Brandon Lackey Abe Laydon Amy Lee Lisa Loomer Marianne Margheim Kelly Mayr Michael McDonald Jim McCord Janeen McDonald

Brian McDowell Susan Meek Jake Meuli Becky Myers Kate Osmundson Fabiola Paulson Mike Peterson Kelly Pointer Chris Pratt Lisa Preble Allison Pulaski Stacy Rader David Ray Amanda Reilly Laura Reynolds Heidi Sandman Jessie Shier

Matt Simmons Zachariah Smith Jill Sprafke Mark Squire Stephanie Stauber John Talarico Chelsea Thompson Laura Van Divier Elvia Vella Alexandra Walker Juli Watkins Katherine Welsh Christy Williams Jeff Williamson Kaylee Winegar Danny Winsor

Castle Pines; Castle Rock; Larkspur; Lone Tree; Parker and the

Chamber

Commerce/Government

and the Castle Rock Economic

FROM PAGE 18

Buntport Theater’s crew will perform the next Stories on Stage production, set for Nov. 6 at Su Teatro in Denver.

COURTESY PHOTOO

Couple from Ukraine finds support from town

Castle Rock community welcomes Olena and Kostya Plangeu

BY MADDIE BROWNING SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, the country has suffered devastating destruction with 6.6 million people displaced inside Ukraine, and more than 6.3 million people fleeing to neighboring countries. The war has also taken more than 6,000 Ukrainian civilian lives.

Olena and Kostya Plangeu recently moved to the Castle Rock area after leaving their home in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. They first moved to Germany about seven months ago to stay with friends and relocated to the U.S. three months later with help from United for Ukraine.

United for Ukraine — an international non-government organization working to provide emergency relief and help rebuild the country — provided the resources they

needed to reestablish their lives in the U.S.

The couple’s 17-year-old daughter, Jenifer, is still in Germany studying violin at The Hanover University of Music, Drama. Olena said it has been difficult not seeing her in person, but they still call each other every day.

“She’s OK. We think it is good decision that stays there because we didn’t know how it will be in United States,” said Olena.

Olena and Kostya owned an auto body repair shop in Kyiv until it closed for three months after the war began. It has since reopened, but the family decided to leave Ukraine, concerned about their safety.

Their family members and friends are still living in the country, but many did not survive the attacks.

“Not all our friends alive now because of war. It was a lot of death,” said Olena.

Kostya does not speak English yet, but he is studying the language six times a week. He is currently working at a local auto body repair shop. Olena has been taking English

classes in Denver and is still waiting on her employment authorization.

Olena said everyone in the Castle Rock community has been very kind to her and her husband, eager to assist in any way they can. The couple recently started renting a home with help from the community.

“A lot of people want to help you,

very helpful and friendly and all understand situation, and everyone’s supporting us,” said Olena.

She said the best part of living in Colorado is feeling safe.

The couple’s program with United for Ukraine lasts two years, and Olena said they feel an overwhelming sense of not knowing what comes next.

“We can’t plan anything because we didn’t plan on coming to United States before,” said Olena.

She said their future residence will depend on where she and her husband can find good jobs and whether it becomes safe to return to Ukraine.

Olena said she is very proud of Ukraine’s soldiers as well as their president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but the toll of war weighs heavy on her.

“It’s the death of children. It must not be. It’s terrorism, I think,” she said.

The war continues to hurt people every day, and she said people around the world need to understand what is happening to her people.

Olena said, “People must know.”

Often the only man in the room

BY DANA KNOWLES, LINDSEY FORD ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

According to the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB), of the more than 13,000 AMCB-

certified nurse-midwives across the United States, 85% of them are white and only 39 (0.3%) are men.

Alvarez hopes to change that. He said that as the population of pregnant people becomes more diverse, so should those who provide their health care.

“I have had and seen [pregnant] patients who did not identify as women. They are non-binary, or they identify as men,” Alvarez added, saying that nurse-midwives are part of the community, not outsiders telling patients what to do. “Nurse midwives do more than just see you at the time of your visit. They know you outside the hospital and inside the home. They are concerned about your health and, do you have child care? Do you have access to healthy food and transportation? It’s knowing more than just what you are in that moment.”

One of the main reasons Alvarez chose this profession is its history.

“In the antebellum South, many of the enslaved women were the primary caretakers of the women in their communities. They were the ones delivering the babies, even those of their enslavers. But then the white male physician comes

along and says, ‘That Black woman is uneducated, she is dirty and you should not get care from her.’ OBGYNs [obstetrician gynecologists] have been delivering babies for 100 to 200 years; midwives have been doing it for millennia,” he explained.

Alvarez also pointed out that he sees dads getting more involved in caregiving for their newborn babies after watching him help their partners.

“They’re like, ‘Wait, this guy is supporting my wife? Let me go in there and let me do something, or maybe I can change my baby’s diaper too!’” Alvarez said. “They don’t feel the need to be on the opposite side of the curtain while their wife is having a baby.”

Alvarez told Rocky Mountain PBS that sometimes, his patients are so over the moon to have someone who looks or speaks like them.

“I’ve had patients who were so excited because, ‘Oh my god, my nurse is Black! How amazing is that?’ Or when I speak Spanish to my Spanish-speaking patients they are just like, ‘Thank goodness.’”

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancyrelated cause than white women. Alvarez ultimately hopes to change that and care for people, which is at the core of his motivations.

“At the end of the day, I came into this profession knowing that I want to help women and help my sisters of color,” he said. “I want to do some good and do right by people.”

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

COURTESY PHOTO

Eric Alvarez is one of the few men at University of Colorado College of Nursing pursuing a career in nurse-midwifery.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS

Invasive mussels have ‘infested’ Colorado lake

BY TATIANA FLOWERS THE COLORADO SUN

Invasive zebra mussels have “infested” the water at Colorado’s Highline Lake — a reservoir north of Loma, near Utah — despite a 15-year effort by Colorado Parks and Wildlife to keep the state free of the harmful species, the agency said this week.

CPW staff have discovered at least 10 zebra mussels in Highline Lake.

After the first adult zebra mussel was found in the reservoir Sept. 14, Parks and Wildlife staff found almost a dozen more of the mussels in the same body of water on Oct. 21 and 22. Soon after, the department changed the status of the lake from “suspect” to “infested,” according to a news release sent Oct. 25.

The new infestation could lead to millions of dollars in damage to water-based infrastructure, and threatens to impact water quality and limit recreational opportunity.

A single mussel can produce up to 1 million babies in a single year, officials said, making it challenging to contain the species, and nearly impossible to eradicate them once they’re introduced.

The aquatic nuisances attach to solid or semi-solid surfaces and clog up boat engines or distribution pipes at water treatment facilities. If knocked off, the mussels can drop into and infest a body of water.

The mussels can live outside of water for 27 days under the right conditions, and can pass almost a liter of water through their shells each day, consuming nutrients needed by other fish and plants in the ecosystem.

Their high levels of filter feeding can also alter food sources in lakes and reservoirs. And when mussels defecate or dry out on shorelines, they can cause a rancid smell, making it less desirable for people to recreate in these areas, said Robert Walters, CPW’s invasive species program manager.

Now, the agency will have in-

creased sampling and monitoring efforts at Highline Lake to help contain the infestation. They also have implemented a special program where they will inspect and decontaminate every boat that leaves the lake to stop the species from spreading to other bodies of water, he said.

“This is incredibly concerning,” Walters said Wednesday. CPW’s invasive species leaders are evaluating other steps to contain the mussels, he said.

There currently are no boats on Highline Lake, since the boating season ended Sept. 30, and so it is unlikely that the zebra mussels will be shuffled around by recreation, at this point, Walters said.

Highline Lake, which is northwest of Grand Junction and just a few miles east of the Utah border, is considered “high risk” for the spreading of mussels from boats. Many boats pass through the lake from out of state, particularly from Lake Powell on the Utah-Arizona border, a popular destination for Colorado boaters. Lake Powell has been infested with invasive mussels since 2012.

Now that Highline Lake is consid-

ered infested, it must go five years without further detections to be listed as free of mussels.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife leaders have been concerned for years about the possibility of zebra and quagga mussels popping up across the state. The department conducted an awareness campaign ahead of Memorial Day, when the boating season generally kicks off in Colorado, to encourage people to get their boats inspected each time they enter and exit Colorado’s waterways.

The department stepped up enforcement of its 15-year-old Aquatic Nuisance Species Program, a statewide decontamination program, where inspectors at 73 locations decontaminate people’s boats. Since the program’s inception in 2008, almost 500,000 boats have been inspected annually. Parks and Wildlife staff deploy instruments into high risk reservoirs for the purpose of detecting invasive species. Staff found the first zebra mussel in mid-September during this kind of water sampling.

Colorado is not free of all invasive aquatic nuisance species. Some bodies of water in Colorado contain

Eurasian watermilfoil, for example, which grows quickly and blocks sunlight, and can kill off native aquatic plants that fish and other underwater species rely on for food and shelter.

Now, after the new detection, CPW staff are asking people to help stem the spread of zebra mussels by ensuring that any boating equipment that enters Highline Lake, and any other body of water in the state, is clean, drained and dried, in between each use. Mussel infestations are increasing across the nation each year, Walters said.

“As more and more people use our water resources for boating, we must continue to work tirelessly to prevent the spread of these harmful invasive species,” said Heather Dugan, acting director for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

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

Invasive mussels are infecting Colorado waterways. The mussels are spread from lake to lake by boats not being cleaned and dried out correctly.

SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

Other waters can be contaminated by destructive species first found on Sept. 14

Suburbs face reality of less water

Turf bans, other measures taken

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

Growth is good. But hold the sod. And have the checkbook handy.

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

Castle Rock is banning traditional grass turf in front yards of new homes and offering developers steep fee discounts for water-saving “Coloradoscaping” yards. The Douglas County town that is a center for housing sprawl in Colorado foresees dwindling aquifer resources and ever-higher prices to secure new surface water from the state’s overtaxed mountain river basins.

Arvada, on the opposite corner of the Denver metro area to the northwest, is more than doubling homebuilders’ water and sewer connection fees and sharply raising existing homeowners’ utility rates. The city has so far avoided turf bans or other strong conservation measures on development, while a debate builds on whether the its new $54,000 connection fees are making homes even less affordable.

The two cities’ big moves, combined with Aurora’s recent decision

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

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

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

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

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

City water agencies are ramping up those tap fees charged to developers to link to local water systems to pay for higher water acquisition and

distribution costs amid the historic Western drought. The tap fees have risen so high that homebuilders are arguing — out of self-interest, but also reflecting concerns of town officials — that water fees are a major contributor to the lack of affordable housing on the Front Range.

Castle Rock’s utility system fees for a newly built single-family home in 2023 will be $42,097, up from $37,067 this year. Developers who

agree to oversee landscape installation themselves using certified conservation contractors can trim more than $16,000 from that total under the new rules, officials said.

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

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

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

The stress on water resources and homebuyer resources will only worsen. Castle Rock expects to grow from 81,000 people to 140,000 in the next couple of decades. The city wants to cut per capita water use by 18% in the next 10 to 20 years,

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

PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD

Marlowe said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arvada purchases most of its water from Denver Water. The Jef ferson County community is paying for one-sixth of the controversial expansion of Denver Water’s Gross Reservoir Dam in Boulder County,

and will receive one-sixth of the new water supply from that, Israel said.

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

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

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

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

Israel acknowledged Arvada has not made the same push that Castle Rock and Aurora have made to re duce thirsty grass lawns. Landscape

watering typically makes up about 50% of municipal water use in arid states that are thick with traditional turf grass. Arvada customers have access to consultation on creat ing a more water-wise landscape, she said, and the city is gradually installing smart water meters in homes that alert customers to leaks and their overall use.

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

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

Annual

Mountain Pine Yuletide Bazaar

Saturday Nov 12, 2022 9 AM - 4 PM

Parker Fieldhouse

18700 E Plaza Dr Parker, CO

Sponsored by Mountain Pine Woman’s Club A member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs

Colorado health insurance rates set to rise

“The rate review team worked their magic like they do every year,” Mi chael Conway, Colorado’s insurance commissioner, said in talking about the lower-than-initially-proposed increases in the final rates.

Why some people could end up pay ing less

BY JOHN INGOLD THE COLORADO SUN

Prices for people who buy health insurance on their own are set to increase next year in Colorado — but not quite by as much as initially proposed.

When insurers first filed rates with the state this summer, they requested an 11% increase in premium prices in the individual market, which is the category of the health insurance mar ket that covers people who buy insur ance without help from an employer.

In finalized rates released Tuesday, that increase had dropped to 10.4%.

In the small group market, where small companies buy insurance for their employees, premium prices are set to increase by an average of 7.4%. Insurers had originally requested a 9.2% increase.

Regulators at the state’s Division of Insurance must approve premium rates each year for the two markets, after examining whether the proposed prices are reasonably supported by the market circumstances. Most of the time, that results in the final rates being lower than those initially proposed, though sometimes it goes in the other direction if the division finds that the proposed rates are not sustainable.

Limiting increases by slimming down profits

One way regulators reduced the proposed increases is by targeting insurers’ profit margins. When com panies file their proposed rates they have to include a breakdown of how they arrived at their figures — how much of the premium goes to paying for prescription drugs, how much for hospital care, how much for admin istrative costs, how much for profits, and so on.

Conway said regulators this year limited insurers to a 2% profit mar gin, which for some insurers brought down their overall increase.

“They worked on the profit margin in particular and got the health insur ers to agree to reduce their profits,” Conway said, referring to his ratereview team.

How much insurers are increas ing their prices varies pretty widely.

Kaiser Permanente, for instance, did not request a rate increase in the individual market, and Denver Health Medical Plans is set to drop its rates by 2.6%. But Friday, Health Plans will increase its rates by an average of 25.1%, which is actually more than the 24.2% increase initially proposed for the individual market. Cigna, Anthem and Rocky Mountain Health Plans all have increases that are lower than what they proposed.

For people in the individual market, though, these rates are not necessar ily what they will pay for coverage. People who shop on the state’s health insurance exchange, Connect for Health Colorado, and who qualify for premium subsidies could end up pay ing a lot less.

The reason has to do with how the subsidies are calculated, Conway said. When premium rates go up, the value of the subsidies also goes up, meaning consumers have more power to effec tively buy their premium rates down. On top of that, Congress extended the enhanced subsidies first made available in the pandemic-era Ameri can Rescue Plan Act. That means a lot more people will be eligible for subsidies.

Conway said roughly 80% of the people who shop for individual health insurance on the state’s exchange are eligible for subsidies. And, for subsidy-eligible people in some parts of Colorado, the portion of their premiums that they pay is set to drop. Conway said that people in Summit County who receive subsidies and who auto-renew their existing plans could see what they pay for insurance premiums drop by up to 38%. That’s despite the underlying premiums in Summit County rising by an average of 8%.

As with previous years, Conway and other state officials say that consum ers who are just shopping on price will likely be able to find less expen sive options than what they currently have.

Did the Colorado Option succeed? It’s a muddle.

Next year also marks the rollout of the Colorado Option, the much-touted initiative backed by Gov. Jared Polis to create a government-designed health insurance plan that is sold by private insurance companies. The standard ized Colorado Option plan requires certain basic benefits — like $0 primary care and mental health care visits — while also requiring insurers to sell the plan at progressively lower prices.

So, did it work?

To Conway, the answer is yes. In a news release, the Division of Insur ance said consumers will be able “to collectively save $14.7 million by shopping and choosing the lowest cost Colorado Option plan in their preferred metal tier (bronze, silver or gold).”

Colorado next year will not be Colo rado Option plans. While insurers were told to price Colorado Option plans lower, they were also required to make the rates actuarially sound, meaning they had to be sustainable based on the level of services that plans provide.

“There were a number of decisions made that were part of the develop ment of the Colorado Option that would fundamentally make hitting the targets almost impossible,” she said.

The organization Colorado’s Health Care Future said in a news release that non-Colorado Option plans in many counties will have premiums that are 5% to 10% below the Colorado Option’s prices in those counties. The organization is a project of the Part nership for America’s Health Care Fu ture Action, which is itself an alliance of national insurance, hospital and pharmaceutical lobbying groups.

Competing with themselves?

Conway said he has not completed an analysis of how many insurers’ Colorado Option plans hit the pric ing goals — though Massey said she believes a number did not. He argued that having non-Colorado Option plans priced lower than the Colorado Option plans shows how the initia tive has led to greater competition in the marketplace. Basically, he argued, insurers are pricing other plans lower to make them competitive against the Colorado Option.

“They’re almost competing with themselves,” he said. “They’re trying to reduce their premiums to account for the fact that the Colorado Option is bringing premiums down.”

Massey disagreed with that idea. She noted a number of other legisla tive mandates passed in recent years — things like insulin price caps and rules requiring increased spending on primary care — that her association’s members estimate have increased in surance premiums by more than 5%.

She also pointed to the withdrawal of a couple of insurance companies from the Colorado market — both Oscar Health and Bright Health de cided not to offer plans in the state for 2023. Both withdrawals were part of national pullbacks by the companies, but Massey said their decisions are hard to square with a picture of the Colorado insurance market as a place where carriers can thrive.

“I don’t know that we would say that the market has gotten more competi tive,” she said.

BOB’S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

PUBLIC SAFETY • PUBLIC EDUCATION • ENVIRONMENT

Bob will represent YOU! NOT special interests.

From 06/23/22 to 10/26/22, MORE THAN TWICE AS MANY lobbyists and Special Interest Groups (57 total) donated to Bob’s opponent than Highlands Ranch residents (28).

By contrast, Bob had more than 250 contributions from individuals averaging around $60/donation during that period. And NO lobbyists. In the last reporting period ending 10/26/2022, Bob HAD EIGHT TIMES as many Highlands Ranch residents contribute to his campaign than his incumbent opponent, who only had contributions from two Highlands Ranch addresses. All the rest of the incumbent’s contributions came from people and special interest organizations from outside Highlands Ranch.

Bob will represent YOU, not lobbyists or interests outside Highlands Ranch.

See Secretary of State TRACER Filings - https://tracer.sos.colorado.gov

The division also said that consum ers in all but one county will be able to buy Colorado Option plans at the gold, silver and bronze levels that are at or below the average price for plans in those respective tiers. In Jackson County, only the silver level will have a Colorado Option plan at or below average price.

“The Colorado Option, which is being offered for the first time, allows participants to better understand what they are paying for and priori tizes mental and physical well being intended to better support total well ness,” Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera said in a statement.

But, to insurers, the Colorado Option failed to live up to its prom ises. Amanda Massey, the executive director of the Colorado Association of Health Plans, a trade group, said most of the lowest-cost plans across

Consumer advocates placed blame for rising premium prices on the health care industry. Mannat Singh, the executive director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative said the industry “shouldn’t use the ongoing pandemic or inflation to hike com pany profits.”

“Insurers and hospitals are not making enough of an effort to meet the required reductions for some Colorado Option plans, but are instead setting a baseline for failing to hit the targets without reasonable justifica tion,” Singh said.

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

RETIRED

Increases are lower than expected and some could pay less

Colorado won’t speed up air pollution fixes

Despite EPA warnings

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

The Air Quality Control Commission has declined to push for speeding up state plans to attack ozone and greenhouse gas pollution, despite another report from the Environmental Protection Agency that Colorado is falling behind on its own mandates.

Environmental groups and local officials demanded that the governor-appointed commission add new ozone and greenhouse gas regulations to get Colorado back on track. But the commission listened to updates from state agencies last week and avoided reconvening a strategy subcommittee that could recommend faster-acting policies.

“We have a process to get to a plan,” said Commissioner Elise Jones, usually the fiercest critic of the pace of state air pollution policy. “I feel much better,” Jones said, after hearing state regulators list policy votes planned for 2022 and 2023 and a promise of new models showing the pollution cuts that various rules would deliver.

The AQCC had passed a resolution in 2020 saying that if emissions results showed Colorado getting off track of the goals, it would consider new actions to close the gap. Jones said Monday that new modeling of additional policy proposals’ impacts will allow the AQCC to get tougher

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A coalition that had pressed for faster action blasted what they see as the AQCC’s passive approach.

“No one from the Air Pollution Control Division, the Colorado Energy Office or elsewhere has answered the question of how they might meet 2025 emission reductions required by Colorado law,” said Chandler Green, a spokesperson for the Environmental Defense Fund and the broad coalition.

The coalition wants the AQCC to consider new limits on oil and gas drilling and production, strategies for reducing miles driven by fossil fuel-powered vehicles, and an even faster schedule for retiring fossil fuel electricity plants.

The environmental coalition was hoping a new critical report from the EPA might give their arguments momentum at the AQCC’s monthly meeting.

The EPA’s state-by-state assessment of greenhouse emissions last year shows Colorado losing ground, similar to what state regulators reported to the AQCC earlier this year.

Major industrial emitters like power plants, refineries and cement producers in Colorado produced 42 million tons of greenhouse gases in 2021, up 5% from 40 million tons in 2020, the EPA’s tracker reported.

All it took for Colorado to see that setback to its greenhouse gas reduction was for the heavily polluting Comanche Generating Station to come back online.

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“The grand champion worst polluter was the Comanche Power Plant near Pueblo at nearly 8 million tons of CO2, way up from its 2020 total of about 4.5 million tons,” said Ted Zukoski, a senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity in Denver. “The Craig Power Plant in Moffat County was the second worst CO2 polluter at 7.8 million tons, up slightly from 2020.”

Coal-fired Comanche was offline much of the time in 2020 because of major operating problems, and ran more steadily in 2021.

A resurgence in fossil fuel electricity in 2021 and a boost in vehicle miles traveled also contributed to the state’s own accounting of falling behind on greenhouse gas reductions by 2025 and 2030, dates with mandatory cuts put in place by state lawmakers. State law requires a drop in overall greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 benchmark levels of 26% by 2025 and 50% by 2030.

Yet the state’s latest inventory update showed Colorado will exceed those limits by 11.4 million tons of pollution in 2025, “even under optimistic estimates of what current policies and regulations will deliver,” the environmental coalition told the AQCC. The coalition includes 13 groups, among them Western Resource Advocates, Sierra Club of Colorado, Protegete, 350 Colorado and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

By the state’s count, the electricity generation and transportation sectors of the economy each put out 8 million tons of carbon dioxide above what the state had projected for 2021, the coalition noted. They also

note that carbon dioxide emissions are cumulative, with all the excess between now and 2025 adding to atmospheric totals that have already pushed up average temperatures in Colorado and the West.

A slate of local officials and activists implored the AQCC to act faster on both ozone and greenhouse gases during the public comments preceding the monthly meeting. The commission also heard the annual ozone update from state air pollution regulators concluding that Colorado continued to violate EPA limits on the respiratory toxin and cannot meet stricter regulations by a 2024 deadline.

“While we may not know all the acronyms, we know how our lungs feel; and we know about making the decision between going to work or getting lung damage,” said state Rep. Jennifer Bacon, a Denver Democrat who said she was speaking for the House Black and Latino caucuses.

High levels of lung-attacking ozone have “become a defining feature of Colorado’s Front Range,” said Tonya Briggs of the Lafayette City Council. The state is “putting residents in harm’s way” while waiting for the EPA to force Colorado into compliance, Briggs said. “My residents can’t wait another day.”

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

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ACC to pour millions into center for healthcare training

To shore up supply of critical workers

BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Arapahoe Community College (ACC) is forging ahead on a multimillion-dollar renovation for a building set to house an expansion of the college’s healthcare programs.

“I really truly believe that what we’re going to accomplish, in partnership with the healthcare industry, will allow more students to be able to actualize their dream and make good livable sustainable incomes,” said ACC President Stephanie Fujii. “The fact that we get to be the facilitators of that, that’s the best thing in the world.”

Beginning work in May 2023, the college is slated to pour millions into modernizing and retrofitting the southeast building on its main campus in Littleton — known as the Annex Building — to accommodate an increased pool of students pursuing programs such as nursing and EMT certifications, which can be gained in one to two semesters.

“Even prior to the pandemic, ACC realized the need for high-quality healthcare workers was dire,” Fujii said of the renovation plans, which have been in the works since 2017 and were approved for state funding in 2021.

To date, the college has secured $8.4 million from a Colorado legislature-approved fund and $3.5 million in federal stimulus money from Arapahoe County. But as costs of supplies and labor have skyrocketed this past year, Fujii said ACC will likely need another $14 million to $15 million in funding to fully realize the plans.

“What we thought was possible, what the costs were in 2017, was very different to 2021,” Fujii said. But with a phased-in approach set to begin next year, students will begin to be able to take advantage of the new space and Fujii said she is confident the college will close the funding gap in the years to come through fundraising and grants. “I’m confident we will get there,” she said. “We’ll take advantage of every opportunity we can.”

Fujii said the college intends to

150 students to 300. The new space, Fujii said, will house more equipment for simulations, something that only currently accounts for about 10% of students’ training time but which Fujii said could be increased to 50%.

Those simulations will “help students have realistic experiences in their learning experiences,” said ACC Provost Cheryl Calhoun. Those experiences will include models of downtown main streets, roads, hospitals and two-story townhomes.

Students will find themselves interacting in simulations where they may have to work in a busy intersection or respond to a car accident, Calhoun said. And manikins will show symptoms such as irregular heartbeats or varying blood pressure, all to create a lifelike experience of being a healthcare worker in the field.

“What we’re doing that’s really innovative,” Calhoun said, adding that the simulations — coupled with expanded classroom space — will allow students in different fields to learn alongside one another. “It’s really helping students not only learn the career they’ve chosen but how it intersects with other careers.”

The renovation comes as Colorado and the nation faces a staffing crisis for the healthcare industry. Currently, there are estimated to be just seven to eight nurses for 1,000

Colorado projected to have a shortage of 64,000 nurses in Colorado by 2026, according to the Colorado Hospital Association.

“As this nursing crisis continues, we need to have other revenues to bring in a healthy, resilient workforce,” said Kari Hyland, ACC’s interim director of nursing. “With stress and burnout we’re seeing in healthcare right now, we need a healthy environment, a positive environment for our students to learn and grow in.”

Hyland said she is encouraged

the recently unveiled Care Forward Colorado program. Announced at ACC’s Littleton campus in late August by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Care Forward provides free community college tuition for aspiring healthcare workers statewide.

By removing the financial barrier of education, Hyland said she hopes more prospective healthcare workers can pursue training and certification through colleges like ACC. “It’s at a prime time for really helping with the labor market, especially in Colorado,” she said.

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Arapahoe Community College’s main Littleton campus.

PHOTO BY ROBERT TANN

Huskies softball wraps up great season

Douglas County girls ranked 12th

nation

BY ALEX K.W. SCHULTZ SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

To understand how the Douglas County High School softball team was able to go from 5A/4A Continental League afterthought to one of Colorado’s crown jewels in a matter of one year, one has to go back to mid-August and look 265 miles to the west.

There, as the team settled in at a small hotel in Grand Junction after playing in five preseason scrimmages over the course of two days, Huskies coach Katherine Drake was approached by three of her players: Madison Heiner, Sydney Montoya and Abby Trotter.

The matter was urgent.

“Coach, we need to talk to you,” the senior triumvirate said.

“What is it?” the second-year coach responded, almost worried.

To which the players replied: “We’re winning state this year.”

Wait, what?

The team that lost just as many games as it won in 2021 and finished in eighth place out of 11 teams in the 5A/4A Continental League? The team that, just one season ago, lost 14-4 to crosstown rival Castle View and 8-1 to Colorado high school softball darling Legend? The team with a 30-year-old head coach who would surely, it would seem, need at least a couple more years to embed her coaching philosophy and offensive and defensive blueprint into the fabric of the program?

That team is going to win the state title?

“Everyone had confidence not only in themselves but also their teammates,” Montoya said. “We had great pitchers and players up and down the lineup who could hit. I think we knew just how good of a team we had.”

Exactly 71 days after making that bold proclamation on Colorado’s Western Slope, Heiner, Montoya, Trotter and their Husky colleagues, after winning 21 games in the regular season, did indeed find themselves in the Class 5A state championship game against Columbine.

Columbine jumped out to an early four-run lead and ultimately won 7-3, dealing DCHS its lone October defeat.

“It wasn’t the ending any of us wanted, obviously, but everyone gave it all they had and left it all on the field. That’s a great feeling. That’s all you can ask for,” said Montoya, who will take her softball services to Coastal Carolina University.

While Douglas County didn’t capture the state crown, what the team did do is record the program’s best season since 1994, when the Huskies went all the way and prevailed in the state championship game. The 2022 Huskies were 26-3 overall and 8-1 in league play, they handed

Columbine its only loss of the year (a 2-0 regular-season DCHS win in early October), they finished the season ranked No. 12 in America, and Drake was named 5A Continental League Coach of the Year — all after the Huskies stumbled to a 13-13 record a year before and came nowhere close to even sniffing the state tournament.

So, how did they do it?

“We have love for each other,” said Drake, a Douglas County graduate herself. “We have fight. We don’t give up. I’ve never seen our team give up in a single game, no matter what.”

That was evident throughout the season as the Huskies recorded seven come-from-behind wins, including three games in which they were trailing — and in some cases trailing big — in the final inning. They were down 9-1 to Cherokee Trail before unleashing an offensive blitzkrieg in the seventh, scoring 10 times to win 11-9. They trailed by three against ThunderRidge but put seven on the board in the seventh to prevail 12-8. They mounted yet another fierce comeback against Eaglecrest, exploding for nine runs in the seventh to overcome a four-run deficit and stun the Raptors 11-6.

There was also the payback game in late August — a 6-3 comeback win against Broomfield, the team that ended DCHS’s season in the first round of last year’s regional tournament. And one can’t forget the Huskies’ game against Legend in the semifinal round of the state tournament on Oct. 22, a date with Columbine for all the Class 5A spoils on the line. “I remember everybody saying, `Who do you think is going to win — Legend or Columbine?’” Drake said. “Everybody thought Legend already had it in the bag and was going to beat us and go to the state championship game.”

Douglas County didn’t just beat Legend that day; Douglas County broke Legend in every possible way. The Huskies scored twice in the first inning, piled on six more runs in the

second, then added another half-dozen runs in the fifth for good measure, triggering the mercy rule in what was the Titans’ worst loss in more than three years.

“I think there were some doubters (outside the program) at the beginning of the year. When we run-ruled Conifer in our first game, I think that gave us all belief,” said Heiner, who will continue her softball career at California Baptist University.

Will people believe in the 2023 Huskies? Perhaps not. After all, Drake is losing do-everything standout Marina Tinari, who led the team in batting average (.553), hits (52), runs batted in (45) and earned-run average (1.49). Drake will also see her No. 2

pitcher (Channing Bower, 2.94 ERA), second-highest run scorer (Montoya, 34 runs), the player who reached base most frequently (Heiner, .610 on-base percentage) and a collection of other seniors depart.

If people don’t believe in DCHS next year, it won’t be anything new for Drake and the Huskies.

“I think it’s a mindset thing,” Drake said. “When you’re an underdog and nobody on the outside believes in you but you believe in yourselves in your own circle, when you have that mindset, that’s when good things happen.”

Sounds like another trip to Grand Junction may be in order next August.

The Douglas County High softball team poses for a photo after battling Columbine in the Class 5A state championship game on Oct. 22 at the Aurora Sports Park. While the Huskies came up short in the state title game, they recorded the program’s best season since 1994.

COURTESY OF ROSSANA URBINA

Douglas County High softball seniors Sydney Montoya, top, and Madison Heiner pose for a photo after beating Wheat Ridge 19-0 on Oct. 6. Montoya will take her softball services to Coastal Carolina University while Heiner will continue her softball career at California Baptist University.

COURTESY OF JAIME HEINER

South metro sports roundup

Rock Canyon QB Luke Wennogle (15) can’t avoid the grasp of Valor Christian defender Owen Downing (53). Wennogle’s Jaguars came up short with the final score 28-13, on Oct. 15 at EchoPark Stadium in Parker.

CROWSS UP DRO ELZZ

First-round games in the Class 5A state football tournament have been set.

Top-seed and three-time defending state champion Cherry Creek, No. 2 Valor Christian, sixth-seeded Arapahoe and No. 7 Regis Jesuit drew first-round byes.

In first-round contests scheduled for Nov. 5, ninth-seeded ThunderRidge will face No. 24 Doherty, No. 11 Rock Canyon goes against No. 20 Cherokee Trail, No. 13 Mountain Vista plays No. 20 Rocky Mountain and No. 15 Legend meets No. 18 Poudre.

In the Class 4A state football bracket, both Heritage and Ponderosa drew first round byes.

Boys soccer

Valor Christian, Castle View, Cherry Creek and Heritage won first-round games in the Class 5A boys soccer playoffs and faced second-round matches on Nov. 1.

Top-seeded Valor Christian blanked Brighton 8-0 in a first-

round game on Oct. 27. Castle View advanced with a shootout win over Fort Collins. Cherry Creek edged Regis Jesuit 1-0 and Heritage defeated Horizon, 4-0.

In other first-round matches, Broomfield got past Legend 1-0 while Rocky Mountain eliminated Arapahoe with a 1-0 victory. Fossil Ridge edged Rock Caynon 3-2.

Field hockey

Arapahoe defeated Cherry Creek 2-1 in a second-round game and the Warriors will challenge top-seeded Colorado Academy in one semifinal game which was played Nov. 1. Defending state champion Regis Jesuit and Kent Denver meet in the second semifinal match.

Girls volleyball

Regional state qualifying tournaments will be held Nov. 5.

Defending state champion Cherry Creek captured the Centennial League regular-season title. Mountain Vista and Rock Canyon tied for the Continental Leauge crown.

PHOTO BY PAUL DISALVO

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PUBLIC NOTICES

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

First Publication: 10/6/2022

Last Publication: 11/3/2022

Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Douglas County.

Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088

PUBLIC NOTICE

Littleton

NOTICE OF SALE

Public Trustee Sale No. 2022-0120

To Whom It May Concern: On 8/9/2022 10:32:00

AM the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Douglas County.

Original Grantor: Joseph Crowley AND Melissa Crowley

Original Beneficiary: KeyBank National Association

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: KeyBank, NA, s/b/m First Niagara Bank, NA Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 11/21/2007

Recording Date of DOT: 12/10/2007

Reception No. of DOT: 2007095284

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $35,000.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $34,760.79

Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: failure to make timely payments as required under the Evidence of Debt and Deed of Trust.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust.

Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 670 ROXBOROUGH VILLAGE #16A 0.392 AM/L.

Which has the address of: 7420 Bison Pl, Littleton, CO 80125

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 30, 2022, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

First Publication: 10/6/2022

Last Publication: 11/3/2022

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 8/9/2022

DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

AMANDA FERGUSON Colorado Registration #: 44893 355 UNION BLVD SUITE 250, LAKEWOOD, COLORADO 80228 Phone #: (303) 274-0155 Fax #: Attorney File #: CO11896

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/

Legal Notice No. 2022-0120

First Publication: 10/6/2022

Last Publication: 11/3/2022

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

PUBLIC NOTICE

Highlands Ranch NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2022-0133

To Whom It May Concern: On 8/23/2022 12:47:00 PM the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Douglas County.

Original Grantor: Randy D St. Onge and Cindy Kempton St. Onge

Original Beneficiary: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. as nominee for V.I.P. Mortgage, Inc.,

Its Successors and Assigns

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: Caliber Home Loans, Inc.

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 9/15/2016

Recording Date of DOT: 9/20/2016

Reception No. of DOT: 2016065608

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $360,000.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $326,892.34

Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: the failure to make timely payments required under said Deed of Trust and the Evidence of Debt secured thereby.

The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust.

Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 387, HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 111-B, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Which has the address of: 9709 Castle Ridge Cir, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

First Publication: 10/20/2022

Last Publication: 11/17/2022

Publisher: Douglas County News Press Dated: 8/23/2022

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

ILENE DELL'ACQUA

Colorado Registration #: 31755 7700 E. ARAPAHOE ROAD, SUITE 230 , CENTENNIAL, COLORADO 80112 Phone #: (877) 369-6122 Fax #: Attorney File #: CO-22-941671-LL

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/

Legal Notice No. 2022-0133 First Publication: 10/20/2022 Last Publication: 11/17/2022

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

PUBLIC NOTICE

Lone Tree NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2022-0125

To Whom It May Concern: On 8/12/2022 3:08:00 PM the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Douglas County.

Original Grantor: BROCK EWING AND KRISTINE EWING

Original Beneficiary: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 7/23/2021

Recording Date of DOT: 7/29/2021

Reception No. of DOT: 2021090495

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $306,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $302,450.33

Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Borrower's failure to make timely payments as required under the Evidence of Debt and Deed of Trust.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust.

Legal Description of Real Property: Lot 17, Intravest 320 Filing No. 1F County of Douglas, State of Colorado.

Which has the address of: 5875 Cheetah Cove, Lone Tree, CO 80124-9591

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 30, 2022, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

Publisher: Douglas County News Press Dated: 8/12/2022

DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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 bidder.

legals@coloradocommunitymedia.com

The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

ALISON L. BERRY

Colorado Registration #: 34531 9800 S. MERIDIAN BLVD. SUITE 400, ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO 80112 Phone #: (303) 706-9990 Fax #: (303) 706-9994

Attorney File #: 22-028217

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE

DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/

Legal Notice No. 2022-0125

First Publication: 10/6/2022 Last Publication: 11/3/2022 Publisher: Douglas County News Press

PUBLIC NOTICE

Lone Tree NOTICE OF SALE

Public Trustee Sale No. 2022-0126

To Whom It May Concern: On 8/17/2022 2:27:00 PM the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Douglas County.

Original Grantor: Donald Miller

Original Beneficiary: Credit Union of Denver Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: Credit Union of Denver

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 9/16/2016

Recording Date of DOT: 9/22/2016 Reception No. of DOT: 2016066429

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $122,750.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $104,723.66

Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: the failure to make installment payments of principal, interest, taxes and/or insurance as provided for in the Deed of Trust and Credit Agreement.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust.

Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 102, RIDGEGATE – SECTION 15, FILING NO. 14 1st AMENDMENT, COUNTY OF DOUG LAS, STATE OF COLORADO

Which has the address of: 10605 Ladera Dr, Lone Tree, CO 80124-5375

The Deed of Trust was modified by a docu ment recorded in Douglas County on 8/5/2022, Reception number 2022053695. Reason modified and any other modifications: Legal Description.

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 7, 2022, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

First Publication: 10/13/2022

Last Publication: 11/10/2022

Publisher: Douglas County News Press Dated: 8/17/2022

DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

IMAN TEHRANI Colorado Registration #: 44076 514 KIMBARK STREET P.O. BOX 298, LONGMONT, COLORADO 80502-0298 Phone #: 303-772-6666 Fax #: 303-772-2822

Attorney File #: MILLER/CUDENVER

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/

Legal Notice No. 2022-0126

First Publication: 10/13/2022

Last Publication: 11/10/2022

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

PUBLIC NOTICE

Littleton NOTICE OF SALE

Public Trustee Sale No. 2022-0118

To Whom It May Concern: On 8/2/2022 8:45:00

AM the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the

Original Grantor: CHRISTOPHER KELLY WATSON Original Beneficiary: LENDSURE MORTGAGE CORP.

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, as trustee of the Ellington Financial Mortgage Trust 2020-1 Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 1/31/2020 Recording Date of DOT: 2/3/2020

Reception No. of DOT: 2020007432

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $388,719.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $381,732.83

Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof.

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust.

Legal Description of Real Property:

LOT 46, CHATFIELD FARMS FILING NO. 1-A, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Which has the address of: 10219 Cavaletti Drive, Littleton, CO 80125

NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 30, 2022, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

First Publication: 10/6/2022

Last Publication: 11/3/2022

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 8/2/2022 DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

ANNA JOHNSTON

Colorado Registration #: 51978 1391 Speer Boulevard, Suite 700 , DENVER, COLORADO 80204 Phone #: (303) 350-3711 Fax #: Attorney File #: 00000009422601

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/

Legal Notice No. 2022-0118

First Publication: 10/6/2022 Last Publication: 11/3/2022 Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Please direct any questions concerning this IFB to Carolyn Riggs, Purchasing Supervisor, 303-6607434, criggs@douglas.co.us, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

Legal Notice No. 944107

First Publication: November 3, 2022 Last Publication: November 3, 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:

FRED A SLOCUM - OCCUPANT - MCCULLISS OIL & GAS INC - RODNEY C LARSON - DOUG LAS COUNTY - BRHISD COLORADO LLCBLANCHE I SLOCUM AKA BLANCHE SLOCUM

You and each of you are hereby notified that on the 21st day of October 2010 the then County Treasurer of the County of Douglas, in the State of Colorado, sold at public tax lien sale to KIM HAAR BERG the following described real estate situate in the County of Douglas, State of Colorado, to wit:

1/6 MIN INT IN SE1/4SE1/4 33-6-69 S1/2SW1/4, PT SE1/4NE1/4 & MOST SE1/4 34-6-69 PT SW1/4, PT NW1/4 35-6-69 MOST E1/2SW1/4, PT NW1/4 2-7-69 TOTAL = 490 AM/L MIN INT = 81.667 AM/L

and said County Treasurer issued a certificate of purchase therefore to KIM HAARBERG. That said tax lien sale was made to satisfy the delinquent* taxes assessed against said real estate for the year 2009. That said real estate was taxed or specially assessed in the name(s) of FRED A SLOCUM for said year 2009

That on the 27th day of April 2022 said KIM HAARBERG assigned said certificate of purchase to MCCULLISS OIL & GAS INC..

That said MCCULLISS OIL & GAS INC. on the 9th day of August 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 9th day of February 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 27th day of October 2022

/s/ David Gill Douglas County Treasurer

Legal Notice No. 944015

First Publication: October 27, 2022

Last Publication: November 10, 2022 Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

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:

MICHAEL D KADOLPH - OCCUPANTJERICHO HOLDINGS LLCJERRY P GRIFFIN

Notice

FOR BID (IFB) #033-22

PRINTING and STATIONERY

The Purchasing Division of Douglas County Government, hereinafter referred to as the County, respectfully requests bids from responsible quali fied companies for the provision of the purchase of Printing and Stationery, for all County Depart ments/Offices, on an as-needed basis.

The IFB documents may be reviewed and/or printed from the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System website at www.rockymountainbidsystem.com.

You and each of you are hereby notified that on the 7th day of November 2019 the then County Treasurer of the County of Douglas, in the State of Colorado, sold at public tax lien sale to OHAD BUKAI the following described real estate situate in the County of Douglas, State of Colorado, to wit:

LOT 14 NIGHTHAWK HILLS 1 TOTAL

ACREAGE 5.17 AM/L

and said County Treasurer issued a certificate of purchase therefore to OHAD BUKAI. That said tax lien sale was made to satisfy the delinquent* taxes assessed against said real estate for the year 2018. That said real estate was taxed or specially assessed in the name(s) of MICHAEL D KADOLPH for said year 2018

That on the 3rd day of December 2021 said OHAD BUKAI assigned said certificate of purchase to JERICHO HOLDINGS LLC.

That said JERICHO HOLDINGS LLC on the 2nd day of August 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 9th day of February 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 27th day of October 2022

December 1, 2022 by the Douglas County Finance Department, Purchasing Division, 100 Third Street, Suite 130, Castle Rock, Colorado 80104. Bids will not be considered which are received after the time stated, and any bids so received will be returned unopened.

Douglas County Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive formalities, informalities, or irregularities contained in a said bid and furthermore, to award a contract for items herein, either in whole or in part, if it is deemed

/s/ David Gill Douglas County Treasurer

Legal Notice No. 944016

First Publication: October 27, 2022

Last Publication: November 10, 2022

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

HIGHLANDS

Bob Marshall has held the same

Public

his