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Lawmakers look to sti en penalty for auto theft

Sheri s support it, others do not

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Imagine walking out of your home or work or the store, and your car isn’t where you left it. Panicked, you call the police to report a theft. at’s the scenario thousands of

Coloradans have likely endured in recent years as motor vehicle thefts have become a notoriously common crime in the state.

State lawmakers want to change that, putting forth a bill with support from Republicans and Democrats that would tighten the penalty for auto theft. Local law enforcement leaders, too, are on board.

“Stolen vehicles in the state of Colorado is the nexus for many crimes in our communities,” said

Douglas County Sheri Darren Weekly. “Many people who are intent on committing crimes, be it burglaries, robberies, homicide, or breaking into other vehicles to get valuables from those vehicles or sell those vehicles on the black market or to fuel a drug habit, they often do that in a stolen vehicle.”

Colorado’s number of attempted and completed auto thefts stayed relatively consistent from 2008 to 2014 but started rising in the next

few years. After attening again, the number boomed amid the coronavirus pandemic, more than doubling from 22,000 in 2019 to 45,000 last year, according to Colorado’s database of reported crimes.

e state has become known for the problem: Colorado led the nation in 2021 with the highest overall vehicle theft rate at 661 thefts per 100,000 people, according to the

SEE THEFT, P2

SNAP aid falls to pre-pandemic monthly totals

Dropping $90 per month

BY HALEY LENA

HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

ose who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, bene ts will see a reduction in monthly totals after February as emergency allotments are slated to end.

Part of a federal nutrition program, SNAP helps low-income households in Colorado purchase food by providing monthly bene ts based on income, resources and the number of individuals in the household.

Commissioner

Another round of Thomas postcards sent

is “conduct unbecoming (of) an elected o cial.”

tions of omas.

In March 2020, in an e ort to ease the nancial impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on households, Congress approved temporary bene t amounts known as Emergency Allotments.

At the end of February, SNAP bene ts will not disappear but bene t amounts will go down to pre-pandemic levels.

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e mailings from an unknown source criticizing Douglas County Commissioner Lora omas continue, according to images omas provided Colorado Community Media in mid-February.

e postcard calls out what it says

Starting in December, an unknown number of Douglas County residents received postcards that accused omas of wasting taxpayers’ time and money.

One part of the newer mailing references a news story about omas threatening to take legal action unless the county agrees to pay for her legal bills stemming from an ongoing dispute that involved investiga-

Another part of the newer mailing criticizes other matters involving omas, citing older news articles.

An earlier postcard reads “You’re being scrooged by Lora omas” and asks voters to support state Sen. Kevin Van Winkle to replace omas. omas is term limited and can’t run for her commissioner seat again.

According to the Colorado Department of Human Services, the last emergency allotment bene t was delivered this month.

According to a report released by the Colorado Department of Human Services, the SNAP program case load for Douglas County for 2022 was 3,549, with a client count of 6,998. This includes non-public assistance and public assistance.

Many people don’t feel Douglas

COURTESY OF LORA THOMAS

“Not only is it unfair, it simply doesn’t make sense,” state Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, an Arvada Democrat, said in a news release. She added: “A stolen car represents much more than stolen property — it impacts people’s ability to get to work, shop for groceries and live their daily lives.”

If state Senate Bill 23-097 passes, the penalties for auto theft would no longer be based on the value of the vehicle stolen. The proposal would make most auto theft a felony regardless of the vehicle’s value.

Some portion of what would be misdemeanors — on the low end of stolen vehicle value — would then be treated as felonies, but Weekly said he had not seen specifics on what percentage of thefts would be classified differently.

Arapahoe County Sheriff Tyler Brown also did not know. But Brown, another supporter of the bill, highlighted another change he says would strengthen accountability.

“We’re seeing a lot of people in stolen cars saying, ‘Oh, I just borrowed this car from so and so — I didn’t know it was stolen,’” Brown

said.

If the vehicle is in a situation that would make a “reasonable person” likely to know it was stolen, the bill makes it easier for authorities to charge that person, Brown said.

Pasko argued the bill doesn’t address the “front end” of why people are stealing cars.

A web of influences

Pasko, who wrote a commentary on recent media coverage of the increase in Colorado’s crime rates, pointed to a range of factors that can influence crime.

“As we have long known, increase in crime is tied with housing insecurity, drug misuse and abuse, gun sales, unemployment and joblessness, mental health struggles, family disruption and violence, as well as fewer youth in school, (and) lower consumer confidence,” Pasko wrote.

Many people are stealing cars to live in them, a problem that could reflect how unaffordable the Denver area is to live in, she told

Colorado Community Media.

“We see evidence of living in (stolen cars) including drug use. We also see the drug of choice here is meth,” Pasko said.

Sometimes there are habitual offenders, Pasko said, “but they are not the ones accounting for thousands and thousands of car thefts. It’s just not possible.”

Weekly spoke to the pattern of repeat offenders in his jurisdiction in Douglas County.

“They’re out on bond very quickly, and they’re going out and committing auto theft again,” Weekly said.

Pasko pointed to other historical periods in the 1970s, `80s and `90s in evaluating crime policies.

“We’ve done this same thing, which is increase penalties, increase jail time and increase incarceration, and it’s never given us the results we want,” Pasko said.

She added: “We need police, jails, and prison, for sure. But we need more front-end services too, to avoid crime in the first place.”

Mental health needs

Brown, a Democrat, pointed to the need for those kinds of services, noting the lack of “community bedspace” for people going through mental health crisis and the lack of mental health clinicians to help with those situations.

“People that are struggling with mental health don’t have the resources they need, and then there’s certain times — and it’s not all the time — but there are certain times when they’re selfmedicating and they’re involved in these activities that can fall into the categories that we’re talking about,” said Brown, who noted the problem of people getting involved in the “illicit drug trade.”

It’s important to expose people

to programs for recovery, Brown said.

Weekly, a Republican, pointed to programs in the Douglas County jail.

“I do think that obviously the drug issues play a big factor into (crime), mental health issues play a big factor into this. But at the end of the day, they can get drug treatment quite frankly in a detention setting. They can get mental health treatment in a detention setting,” Weekly said.

The Douglas County jail has a “very robust” drug treatment program, Weekly said.

“We don’t just put people in jail and let them languish — not in my jail. There’s a lot of programs that can help them get back on their feet and live a productive life,” he added.

He felt a harsher approach in criminal penalties is necessary to get people off a criminal path.

“My perspective is at the end of the day, people are responsible for their actions,” Weekly said.

Another part of the solution to addressing crime could be adding more officers in the right places, according to Pasko, which can be difficult amid police experiencing hiring issues.

“Denver did hot spot policing with positive results in the past few years. Instead of patrol broadly in high-crime areas, really zone in on the hot spots, including some problem-oriented approaches,” Pasko said.

Weekly agreed that putting more officers on patrol is critical.

“That is one of my goals as sheriff,” Weekly said. “I am putting more deputies and marked cars on the street. That’s what I’m focusing on is the fundamentals.”

The proposed legislation also includes a “joy-ride” provision that would make it a misdemeanor to use a vehicle without the owner’s permission as long as the car is returned within 24 hours without damage and only minor traffic offenses were committed, The Colorado Sun reported. A second and subsequent conviction for the joy-ride offense would be a felony, however.

As car theft cases continue to skyrocket in the state, lawmakers have introduced a bill to increase penalties for o enders. Local sheri s have signed o on the bill. SHUTTERSTOCK

‘Not only is it unfair, it simply doesn’t make sense. A stolen car represents much more than stolen property — it impacts people’s ability to get to work, shop for groceries and live their daily lives.’

State Sen. Rachel Zenzinger

Abe Laydon, one of the other two commissioners who make policy decisions for the county, said he does not know who paid for the postcards and that the postcards do not have any connection to him.

He has received at least some of the postcards at his home address, he said.

“I know that our citizens expect good governance and positive upstream work, and negative campaigns undermine the credibility of our work, from my perspective,” Laydon said.

Complaint dismissed

Thomas took the issue to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office, filing a complaint in January because a postcard did not include a paid-for-by disclaimer and doesn’t indicate who sent the mailers outside of the postage license naming Vistaprint, a Nevada printing company.

The secretary of state’s office ruled the postcards did not violate campaign finance laws because there’s no evidence Vistaprint paid for the postcards and the postcards were mailed after the election. The ruling also found no

evidence that the mailers cost more than $1,000, which is the threshold for requiring a paid-for-by disclaimer on election materials.

In its response to the complaint, Vistaprint’s attorney said 153 postcards were ordered for a total of $248 but didn’t provide information about who the customer was.

Though one of the postcards Thomas identified in her complaint encouraged

voters to support Van Winkle to replace her, Thomas has said she confirmed with Van Winkle that he is not paying for the mailers. Asked whether the postcards affect the commissioners’ ability to put personal issues aside, Laydon said the betterment of the county is “always my top priority.”

“I came into 2023 as the board chair asking the board and our staff to focus on upstream, positive,

Dear Davis Schilken,

enced by the newer mailing stems from an investigation Teal and Laydon initiated after accusing Thomas of circulating an anonymous letter that criticized specific employees in the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, allegedly creating a hostile work environment. They also accused her of emailing county legal representation with a request not authorized by the full board.

The $17,000 investigation into Thomas by outside legal counsel found that while Thomas had distributed the letter, doing so did not create a hostile work environment. It also found she did direct legal representation to provide her with information the board had determined to keep secret.

civil discussion,” Laydon said.

He added: “And disagreement is fine. I think it’s normal for a board of county commissioners to disagree, but what’s inappropriate is incivility.”

Commissioner George Teal did not return Colorado Community Media’s call for comment regarding the mailings.

Legal layers

The legal dispute refer-

Thomas appeared in a CBS Colorado news story in July discussing the confidential report that showed the results of the investigation, prompting the Douglas County government’s attorney to find that Thomas could have broken the law by doing so.

A second investigation ordered by Laydon and Teal — this time conducted by the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office — did not find probable cause to believe that Thomas committed the crime of firstdegree official misconduct.

I just recently proposed to my girlfriend (now fiancée) and now her parents insist the two of us sign a prenup before we get married. How can I appease my in-laws while still protecting my rights?

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Postcards sent to Dougco residents by mail about Commissioner Lora Thomas. COURTESY OF LORA THOMAS

Vi seniors experience special art class

Rosalind Cook looks to advance self expression

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Accomplished sculptor Rosalind Cook breathes art and passion into Vi at Highlands Ranch by sharing her love for art through teaching classes that allow others to creatively express themselves.

As Cook and her husband got into their seventies, Cook sold her art studio and home in Tulsa, Oklahoma and moved permanently to Colorado.

With a home in the mountains and her children in Denver, Cook and her husband spend the winter at Vi at Highlands Ranch, a senior living community.

Taking her experience from teaching sculpting classes throughout the country, Cook recently taught an acrylic painting class at Vi.

“I thought, you know what… they have this great art studio at Vi and they’re just a few people that come in and do a little watercolor and I thought, I want to shake things up a bit and do some big sort of impressionistic acrylics,” said Cook.

Hoping to let people loosen up, laugh and have fun, participants were also served wine, ice tea and appetizers.

Cook was so inspired by the class that she plans to do an art class each month at Vi, including a class

for the sta .

“People just loved it and laughed and every one of them felt so good about their own work,” said Cook.

“A gentleman in there who has had a stroke and he could only paint with one hand, it was one of the most creative of all the paintings.”

Cook encouraged each person to do what they felt like, which is why the class was based on impressionism, not realism.

“ e rst thing I have them do is have an imaginary trash can, so all the ‘I can’ts’ or ‘I won’t be able to compare mine to someone’ - all that gets put in an imaginary trash can and taken out of the room and then we can start having fun.” said Cook.

Cook’s passion for art, especially sculpting, began after she had her rst child and she started taking classes.

“I describe it as the ‘aha’ of my life,” said Cook. “It was like something I knew was going to be a part of my life.”

While raising three children, sculpting was just a hobby. As the children got older, Cook took the medium more seriously and began studying sculptors such as Glenna Goodcare, who did the Vietnam Women’s Memorial.

Cook’s art career started when she entered some art shows and soon got accepted into some galleries.

“ en I wanted to move into lifesize work and so I had to go back and ll in some empty holes,” said Cook.

of a summer in Italy, studying the work of famous sculptors.

Faces, emotion and movement were captured in Cook’s 30 year career.

Among many tremendous sculptures, Cook has done com-

life-size sculptures for Compassion International in Colorado Springs as well as for the Cleveland Heart Clinic.

“It’s like there was something so intrinsically ful lling,” said Cook. “I always feel like my work is coming through me and not from me.”

Rosalind Cook standing by her painting from the acrylic painting class she taught.

PHOTO BY BRETT O’ BRIEN

Rep. Marshall applauds result

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A number of trans and non-binary athletes rallied to defeat legislation that would have required athletes to participate in sports based on sex assigned at birth.

On Feb. 13, the State, Civic, Veterans and Military A airs Committee killed HB23-1098, or the Women’s Rights in Athletics bill, in an 8-3 vote. e bill would have required Colorado sports organizations to offer male, female and coeducational teams, restricting athletes to the team that matches their sex assigned at birth.

Speaking against the bill, Brayden Parsons, a Douglas County student, said he felt it would hurt athletes of all identities by introducing unnecessary obstacles.

“I’ve learned that a team is a place for everyone to come together, a place for people to push each other and a place where everybody makes themselves both a better athlete and a better person,” Parsons said. “I can tell you from experience that a team is not a place for barriers and it is not a place for hate. A team is not a place for discrimination, homophobia or transphobia.”

Sponsored by Douglas County Representatives Brandi Bradley and Lisa Frizell, the Women’s Rights in Athletics bill claimed to protect female students’ rights in athletics.

Frizell and Bradley said the intent is to support Title IX and insisted the bill wasn’t discriminatory.

“ is is a bill about fairness and women being able to compete in sports on a level playing eld safely and successfully,” Frizell said. “I worry that in many sports the physical and physiological di erences of post-puberty trans women give them an unfair advantage over biologically-born women.”

Bradley said she brought the bill forward because of biological di erences between sexes, asserting that “sex determines win-share.”

If approved, the bill would have prohibited a governmental entity from investigating or taking action on complaints of discrimination against trans or nonbinary athletes. It would also allow athletes to sue organizations that allow trans and nonbinary athletes to compete on gendered teams.

A handful of people spoke in support of the bill, including Ri-

ley Gaines, an NCAA swimmer who competed and tied against Lia omas, a trans athlete, in the 200-meter race last year.

“Although the NCAA claims it acted in the name of inclusion, its policies in fact excluded female athletes,” Gaines said.

After two hours of testimony, a majority of legislators opposed the bill. Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Boulder, said it would further stigmatize and discriminate against trans and nonbinary athletes.

A recent survey done by the Trevor Project found that 85% of trans and non-binary youth say legislation targeting their rights has negatively impacted mental health.

In a public statement, Douglas County’s only Democratic representative, Rep. Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch, said the bill was misnamed as it had no legitimate purpose and it addressed no real issue or problem regarding women’s rights in athletics.

He said that the primary sponsors could not provide a case where the bill would apply in Colorado, calling it a solution searching for a problem.

“It’s disappointing that the entire Douglas County GOP State House delegation sponsored a messaging bill meant to attack transgender kids’ right to exist,” Marshall said in a press release.

Marshall added that the bill was a distraction from the necessary work that needs to be done such as increasing teacher compensation, improving water quality and ensuring equal treatment for disabled veterans.

Reporter Haley Lena contributed to this article.

William Peterson, Rocky Mountain PBS. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

Metro Denver median home prices finally dropped

After 2 years of growth

BY TAMARA CHUANG THE COLORADO SUN

For the rst time in recent memory, the median price of a house in metro Denver is less than it was a year ago. And for some who make a living selling houses, there’s a sense of relief.

“Every single month in 2021 and the rst half of 2022, everybody in our (real estate) community went, ‘Oh my goodness. How much more can this go? What will buyers put up with?’

I mean having to pay a penny over the appraised value is just bonkers to me,” said Matt Leprino, CEO of Denver-based real estate brokerage Remingo.

Now, he said, “It’s calm, it’s a very tepid pool right now. It’s not increasing. It’s not going crazy. Days on market are up. But they’re up from historic lows. e majority of phone calls we get right now are … ‘Can I jump in right now?’”

New data for January from the Colorado Association of Realtors has median home prices attening statewide. Houses are taking twice as long — sometimes three times longer — to sell compared to a year ago. But that’s not very long. In the seven-county metro Denver area, that’s 53 days, or about four weeks longer than 22 days in January 2022. at’s getting back to the time just before the pandemic, or 48 days in January 2020.

Home prices in Denver and Colorado increased at unprecedented rates in the past two years. Metro Denver’s median sales price hit a

high of $660,000 in April, up 17.4% in a year. at dropped to $569,804, as of January, which is 1.4% lower than a year-ago January. As Littleton economist Patty Silverstein told the real estate industry at an economic summit last week, “We’re (in) some type of slowdown but that’s very welcome. We’re in a rest period here.”

e slowdown began last spring as the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to cool in ation. But mortgage rates have more than doubled in a year, making it much more expensive for home buyers who need a loan. Based on the Denver metro area’s median sales price, a buyer’s monthly payment is roughly $1,000 more than it would have been last January, according to Bankrate’s mortgage calculator.

“ e major thing we have seen is a dramatic slowdown in activity,” said Ann Hayes, a Realtor with Keller Williams Colorado West Realty in Grand Junction. “A lot of people, with the change in the interest rates, were priced out of the market.”

Mesa County saw a 3.4% dip in its median-sales price, falling to $379,950 in January. at makes it a little more a ordable for rst-time buyers. But even though mortgage rates are below their peak, they are still above 6.5%. And that’s keeping homeowners in their homes, too.

“Sellers don’t like the fact that they’re at a 3% (mortgage loan) rate and if they buy a replacement, they’re going to be at six, or six and threequarter rate,” Hayes said. “A lot of sellers are not even coming on the market.”

SEE HOUSING, P10

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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). For more information, visit douglas.co.us and search LEAP or email LEAPHELP@discovermygoodwill.org

Spring cleaning is at your curbside

Do you have hazardous waste from a painting project, old oil from your car’s maintenance, or other waste from your recent DIY project? This curbside service is available to Douglas County residents for $30. For details call 1-800-4497587 or visit douglas.co.us and search Household Waste Management.

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

Funds available to veterans

Emergency assistance is available for veterans struggling with housing (mortgage/rent), transportation, employment, healthcare or other emergency needs. To apply for the veteran assistance funds, visit douglasveterans.org or call 303-663-6200

Equestrian Hobby Shops

Garages And More!

A sign calls attention to a home for sale

5 in southeast Denver. PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

Vitamins not always helpful in preventing heart disease

A healthy diet is better

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Vitamins and supplements are not the best way to lower your risk of heart disease, instead Cardiologist Dr. Je Park says eating in moderation and nutritious foods is the most bene cial.

According to Park, of Aurora Denver Cardiology Associates at e Medical Center of Aurora, aIS vitamins can help the body but they can also be harmful as there are also toxicities.

“If vitamins were universally acceptable to improve heart health, then I believe that there would be a strong push for the FDA to approve these and say, everyone with heart disease should be on these vitamins, these supplements,” said Park. “But there’s never going to be that push.”

e risk of heart disease is not strictly determined by the food one consumes. Rick factors also include environment and genetics.

Park says people need to realize there are a lot of lters in supplements and people don’t always know

what’s in them.

Vitamins and supplements can be seen as alternatives to modern medicine but the unknown of what exactly is in pills can have an a ect on the body.

“Without some form of regulation, and if you don’t know what those pills are lled with, right?” said Park.

“And so, the actual vitamin itself might be safe, but the stu that’s in it with it, you have no idea about.”

A 2018 publication of Circulation: Cardiovascu-

lar Quality and Outcomes concluded multivitamins do not reduce cardiovascular disease, heart attacks or strokes.

In addition, John Hopkins researchers - including Dr. Edgar R. Miller III, say consuming too much of certain vitamins can be harmful.

“Too much calcium and vitamin D are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease,” Miller said in the John Hopkins article.  Food and proper nutrients is the best way to manage

heart health.

Park said breaking habits is stressful and eating a healthy diet is becoming expensive, which is why moderation is important.

e American Heart Association suggests getting adequate nutrients through a variety of foods in moderation instead of supplements. Omega-3 fatty acid supplements are an exception as they have been associated with decreased risk of heart disease.

“When I see patients for

the rst time and a lot of them do have a lot of comorbid conditions, metabolic syndrome, they’re obese, they have diabetes and it’s a matter of if they’ve had bad habits for a long period of time,” said Park.  Park says that it is a team e ort.

“I can’t change how you work, what kind of foods you’re accessible to,” said Park. “But the only advice I can give you is that you can do those things but in moderation.”

A nutritious diet is more e ective in treating heart disease than taking vitamins and supplements. SHUTTERSTOCK

South Metro Fire to hold spring election

4 board members up

BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

South Metro Fire Rescue, a re rescue authority that serves approximately 560,000 people in the south Denver metro area, will hold an election this spring to select four members of its board of directors.

e agency will accept self-nominations through Feb. 24.

e agency covers many cities and towns, including Bow Mar, Castle Pines, Centennial, Cherry Hills Village, Columbine Valley, Fox eld, Greenwood Village, Littleton, Lone Tree and Parker, along with nearby unincorporated portions of Arapahoe, Je erson, and Douglas counties.

South Metro Fire Rescue is governed by a seven-member board of directors who are publicly elected and oversee an annual budget of more than $127 million, according to the agency’s website.

Each board member represents a speci c geographical portion of the overall re district, known as a director district, the agency explained in a 2020 governing body document.

Four of the directors’ terms expire

in 2023, including Sue Roche of District 1, Jim Albee of District 3, Cindy Hathaway of District 4 and Renee Anderson of District 5.

e agency announced the election will be held May 2 and it will be a mail ballot election.

Ballots will be mailed to all eligible electors between April 11 and April 18, per the agency’s website.

ere will not be an election precinct or polling place, but ballots can be dropped o at 9195 E. Mineral Ave. in Centennial, according to the agency’s resolution about the election.

e director position is a fouryear term and people can nominate themselves for one of the four open seats. According to the agency’s website, all candidates must complete a self-nomination form and either email the completed form to DEO@southmetro.org or hand deliver the form to 9195 E. Mineral Ave.

Residents who are interested in learning more about the election and how to become a candidate can nd information, including the self-nomination form, at bit.ly/ southmetronom. ose who wish to check which district they live in and who represents them can visit: bit. ly/southmetromap.

On Jan. 10, South Metro Fire Rescue responded to a small fire at Damascus Grill, a Middle Eastern restaurant at 1399 W. Littleton Blvd.

PHOTO BY NINA JOSS

DECREASE

FROM PAGE 1

County has this need but Executive Director of SECORCares Mark Heistand said it is prevalent in the community.

“ e county’s always like ‘we’re one of the… whatever… fth richest counties in the United States,’ well yes, we may be per capita income, but we have our friends and neighbors that are right next to us and are experiencing all sorts of life issues,” said Heistand. “ ere are people that are deciding between paying the rent or purchasing groceries or paying a medical bill.”

SECORCares is a nonpro t organization that provides food and nancial assistance to Elbert, Arapahoe and Douglas counties.

On an average day, SECORCare will serve 400 to 500 people and on

HOUSING

Some perspective

But the past two years have just been unprecedented, said Hayes, who’s sold houses in the area since 1994. Fifteen years ago, mortgage rates were in the 6% to 7% range, and back in the 1980s, they were double digits, with 30-year xed rate loans averaging 18.63% in 1981, according to Freddie Mac historical data.

Still, Mesa County is a relatively hot

Saturdays they serve up to 3,000 people. Of those served, about 35 to 40% are Douglas County residents according to Heistand.

e Colorado Department of Human Services estimates an average reduction of $90 per person each month.

“So it’s a pretty hefty drop o happening, at the same time we are seeing kind of these record highs in grocery prices,” said Brie Dilley, director of philanthropy at SECORCares. “Along with all of the economic instability that we’re seeing across all of the di erent socioeconomic statuses. It feels a little bit like the straw that’s gonna break the camel’s back.”

Not only will the reduction in bene t amounts impact residents, it will also impact organizations like SECORCares that serve the community.

e increase in grocery prices will a ect the amount of resources these types of organizations re-

market. e number of houses for sale in the area in and around Grand Junction has doubled in the past year to 456, compared with inventory of 1,816 homes in 2016, according to CAR. Over time, she said, buyers adjust to higher rates and higher prices if that’s where the market goes.

“People will have more babies (and) that will encourage people to think about doing other things,” Hayes said. “Life will start happening where it’s, ‘Well, I don’t like the interest rate, but, you know, a twobedroom house with four kids isn’t going to work anymore.’”

ceive. About 30 to 40% of the food that SECORCares passes out depends on donations they receive from grocery stores and partners.

SECORCares grocery rescue program includes items such as cans of beans, vegetables and rice.

“What happens is our guests then don’t have the ability to pick up the kind of food that they normally get,” said Heistand. “So it’s compounded by the fact that we no longer have a lot of pre-rescue food coming in, in order to give our hosts and their guests the amount of food they need.”

In addition to SECORCares, Douglas County provides various food, medical and nancial assistance programs.

Rochelle Schlortt of Catholic Charities of Central Colorado said there is not just one program that can o set the reduction of SNAP bene ts.

“It will require a re-examination of a family’s entire budget,” said

Ask anyone in the real estate industry and they’ll tell you buying a house is a long-term investment. Values go up overtime even after slumps during downturns.

“At no time in recorded history have prices, generally speaking, decreased,” said Leprino, pointing to the price dips of 2008, the early 1990s and other recessions. For the most part, the price of a house today is much higher than it’s ever been.

Higher

prices, multiple o ers still exist

But every market is di erent. Places like Pagosa Springs are dealing with

Schlortt. “Looking at where income can be increased, where expenses can be reduced, how families can change meal planning to lower meal costs, tapping into monthly supplemental programs, shopping pantries, couponing and taking advantage of grocery sales.”

Heistand said there has already been a trend developing in the number of people coming in for assistance.

“I don’t think we know for sure what kind of impact we’re going to see,” said Heistand. “And if that trend stays like it is and then we add on top of this, this reduction in the amount of money that folks are going to have for groceries, it could be critical very quick.”

e Colorado Department of Human Services provides tips for families to make the transition. Tips include rolling over unused SNAP bene ts to the next month and stock up on non-perishable items.

a scarcity of houses below their median sales price, which increased a whopping 33% to $520,000 in January. Local Realtor Wen Saunders said the lower-priced homes below the $400,000 range “were gobbled up with low interest rates and cash buyers,” and many who were buying a second home.

“ e bread and butter for Pagosa was always somewhere in the $300,000s. at was a beautiful thing. In 2021, we sold 105 and in 2022, we sold 56. Why? Because we didn’t have

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any more,” said Saunders, who’s been a Realtor in Pagosa for 14 years.

Meanwhile, the million-dollar homes went the other direction. Back in 2017, she said Pagosa had a ve-year inventory of million-dollar homes and only about ve sold in a year.

“In 2021, we sold 48 homes that were in the million-dollar price point. And then there were another 11 that were in the $2 million range,” she said. “ e number of sales will drop, but I just don’t see the prices dropping.”

In Fort Collins, the median sales price in January was also higher than a year ago. ere are still multiple offers going on, said Chris Hardy at Elevations Real Estate in Old Town Fort Collins. For one of his fellow agents, 8 out of 10 sales in January involved multiple o ers.

“It wasn’t like it was back in April or May when there were 15, 20 and 30 o ers on any home that came on the market. But there were at least two or more o ers on these homes,” Hardy said.

e data from the Northern Colorado multiple listing service recorded the city’s median price in January at $549,999, up about $11,000 from a year ago. In Larimer County, median sale prices increased 6.4% to $570,000, according to CAR data. Inventory has nearly doubled in a year, but it’s only taking two weeks longer to get a house sold in the county.

But Hardy added a caveat to the

higher prices. Houses aren’t necessarily getting their full list price, especially those on the market since November. ose have likely reduced their price. And competition among buyers doesn’t mean houses are selling above the asking price.

“Last summer, you couldn’t buy anything inside the city limits of Fort Collins for under $500,000,” Hardy said. “ ere wasn’t anything and now that’s changed a little bit and so there are some homes in the mid-fours that get snapped up relatively quickly. In those highly desirable price points, there’s still quite a bit of activity.”

A busier spring?

Since the fourth quarter, the number of people hoping to get pre-quali ed for a mortgage has increased 50%-60%, said Shawn Ostho , president of Bank of Colorado, which has branches all over the state and is headquartered in Fort Collins. ere are seasonal reasons for the uptick in this quarter and the overall number of loans is still lower than a year ago.

“I think many people have come to the realization that we’re at kind of a new normal for mortgage rates and therefore they’re choosing to proceed with a home,” Ostho said. “We’ll see how strong the demand is this spring, but historically springtime has been a time when people are out looking for a new home and upgrading their house. We expect more activity this spring than we’ve seen in the last six months.”

Prospective buyers are not just gearing up to hunt for a house again; more seem to be opting for a di erent

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The Highlands Ranch Cultural Affairs Association is proud to present our ever-popular Winter Cultural Series. Please join us for this four-part, family friendly series, all showcasing unique local talent that is sure to entertain the whole family!

Tale of 2 districts FROM THE EDITOR

In Arapahoe County and Douglas County we are watching a tale of two school districts unfold. at tale is all about how teachers are compensated and what it will all mean as the scenarios play out.

On one side, in Douglas County, you have a situation where voters said no to a mill levy that would have resulted in teachers getting pay raises. In November, voters pretty soundly rejected the measure.

Whether it was because they were still feeling a little saucy over how the school board handled the termination of the former superintendent, or, just didn’t want more money to go to the government, even if it is a school district, doesn’t matter. What matters is it did not happen and the district, which is located in the ninth richest county in the nation, is paying a teacher a starting salary of just over $43,000.

I have to give credit to Superintendent Erin Kane and the school board — they didn’t let the election rejection halt discussions. ey are trying to be creative in what to do next. e most recent discussion centers around having a ordable housing built just for teachers. at means low-income apartments. However, the problem here is besides paying teachers like crap, the current messaging throughout Douglas County seems to also be against building a ordable housing.

Without a ordable housing, good teachers, good cops and the much-needed working class is going to disappear. at leads us to neighboring Arapahoe County. Arapahoe County is home to another large school district, Cherry Creek. Cherry Creek seems to be a lot more focused on keeping good teachers and recruiting new ones.

It’s no secret there is a teacher shortage not just in Colorado but nationwide. ere are not enough substitutes, certi ed teachers and paraprofessionals at any level. at means districts who treat teachers better are going to at least fare better as the battle to meet sta ng levels drags on.

Recently, Cherry Creek opted to pay teachers a starting salary of $57,000. Let’s put that in perspective. If you are a teacher currently working in Douglas County but can’t a ord to live there — you are likely to drive from a metro city to the north. If you were a teacher in Douglas County driving past Cherry Creek to teach for $14,000 a year less — would you stay? Would you want to keep going to a district where the residents outright said no to you having a better life?

e e ect of what is happening is going to become clear in years down the road. Douglas County might go from being the ninth richest with one of the best school districts in the nation to much worse.

ink about the good families currently raising their kids in Douglas County. Parents are going to start looking at whether or not their children are receiving a quality education. If they realize the neighboring district not only pays teachers more but provides students a better education because their good teachers went there — they too are going to leave.

Who can blame them? As parents, we want our kids to have the best education possible. I moved from another state for that very reason, to make sure my adopted daughter got the education she deserves. Other parents will do the same even if it means moving one district over.

In Cherry Creek, teachers are going to feel more appreciated. ey are going to feel as though residents believe in them and they are going to work for those students even as times are tough. In Douglas County, teachers are receiving a clear message that while the school board and superintendent are doing their best with the resources they have — their best may not be good enough to stay.

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

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

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Humility — the lost character trait of success

While working with one of our clients, I had the opportunity to observe an interaction between a leader and someone on their team. We had all been working on a project that spanned several months, and the leader was an integral part of making the project a huge success as they battled behind the scenes removing roadblocks, pushing decisions through and advancing timelines.

When it was announced that the project was nished and considered a huge success, the leader was asked to share a few words on an all-company meeting. As she began to talk about the project, she started by naming each and every person who contributed to the success that the team had achieved. Not only did she mention everyone by name, but she also included something special about everyone’s contribution. She even went as far as saying she played a very small role, if any role at all.

In a world where many strive for attention or are OK with receiving the accolades for the hard work of the people around them or on their team, it was so refreshing to witness such humility. You can probably guess that she has a very loyal team with hardly any turnover at all.

Humility isn’t only about giving others the proper credit, it’s also being humble enough to admit when we have made mistakes. Now just as some like to receive the accolades and take credit for work they did not do, there are some people who refuse to admit their mistakes, instead nding a way to blame others. And just as the leader described above who developed a loyal following, the leader who takes the credit and who shifts the blame on

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others will soon nd themselves with no one left to lead.

I love this quote by Ezra Taft Benson, “With pride, there are many curses. With humility, there come many blessings.” Pride can be a dangerous thing. When it is about the satisfaction we feel when we have achieved a goal or realized a dream, that can be inspiring. It becomes dangerous when it leads to egotistical and narcissistic behavior. I heard it said that egotism is the only disease that makes everyone else sick except the person carrying the disease.

We are leaders in some way, even if it means we are leading ourselves for now. ere are many traits that today’s leader must try and master as they grow personally and/or professionally. Leading with character, empathy, integrity, honesty, transparency, vulnerability, a servant’s heart, courage, respect and humility, just to name a few. Again, in a “me” centered world, humility shows up last or sometimes not at all. Whether we are leading at home, at work, in our community or in our house of worship, humility shows up when we start to live in a “we” centered world.

e Merriam-Webster de nes humility as freedom from pride or arrogance: the quality or state of being humble. Where leaders or people striving for success sometimes make the mistake is that they believe they need to

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Thelma Grimes

Osteopathic benefits explained

Th e healthcare needs of older adults are unique. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 85% of older adults have at least one chronic health condition. While medical advances have made a huge di erence in the treatment and management of chronic diseases, prevention is a critical piece of healthy aging. A healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a nutritious diet, along with regular preventive screenings and visits, can help mature adults increase the number of years lived in good health.

For some people, a trip to the doctor’s o ce equates to a quick physical examination, a discussion of medical history and the symptoms of a current condition, and a prescription for some type of medication. While medications certainly help when it comes to things that require antibiotics or treatments for speci c viruses, other types of prescription medications may cover the symptoms rather than healing the underlying condition.

Two types of treatments that are bene cial to the overall health of

FROM PAGE 12

be seen as always being strong, showing their strength by being strongwilled. ey confuse anything less with being seen as meek or weak. e reality is that some of the strongest leaders in history have also been the humblest.

Humility is not just a necessary quality of leadership, it is often an overlooked quality of success in whatever we endeavor to do. Successful salespeople show humility as they give their surrounding team credit for the sale. e humble spouse who gives credit to their better half. e teacher

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LIVING & AGING WELL

Lisa

Varga

older adults will be the focus of the April 6 presentation at the Seniors’ Council of Douglas County meeting. e presenters are specialists at Rocky Vista Health Center in Parker, Colorado. e meeting is free and open to the public from 10-11:30 am at Canvas Credit Union, 9990 Park Meadows Drive, Lone Tree.

Osteopathic Manipulative (OMM) is a great complement to traditional medical techniques, including drug therapy and surgery. OMM takes a holistic approach to the diagnosis and treatment of medical issues throughout the body. It is a therapeutic application of careful, manual pressure or force on an a ected area of the body. If a patient is experiencing issues with a certain organ, a trained OMM physician may examine for structural problems in the spinal column since these problems can radiate outward and cause dysfunction in various organs. e treatment may include manipulation of bones and joints which may be the root cause of illness,

or coach who gives all the credit to the student or player for putting in all the hard work. e faithful who gives God all the credit, honor, and glory for their blessings.

Life is so much easier when we live, work, and love from a position of humility. As always, I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com. And when we learn to live a humble life, putting pride aside to achieve lasting success, it really will be a better than good life.

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

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injury, or pain. Trained physicians may use several osteopathic manipulative techniques to treat their patients. ese techniques will be discussed and demonstrated by JP Krueger, M.D., who is specialty trained in OMM, during the April 6 presentation.

e feet are one of the most important parts of the human body. ey are constantly helping us stand, walk, run, or perform other movements we do throughout the day. Additionally, they help maintain balance, allowing us to walk upright. A podiatrist is a doctor who specializes in caring for the foot and ankle, including the bones, muscles, ligaments, and other parts of the lower extremities. Podiatrists also treat symptoms of peripheral vascular disease and neuropathies which can cause numbness and pain in the feet.

Zach Weis DPM is an experienced podiatrist, who will present on treatment of the feet, with emphasis on signs and symptoms of peripheral vascular disease.

is article was prepared by Lisa Varga, Liaison for Rocky Vista

JP

Health Center. Seniors’ Council of Douglas County generally meets the rst ursday of the month at locations throughout Douglas County. Contact Seniors’ Council at dcseniorlife@douglas.co.us. For current information on meetings and activities, visit www.douglas. co.us/community-services/services/ senior-services/seniors-council/.

November 28, 1927 - February 7, 2023

Betty L Zalmanek, who longed for heaven, died Tuesday February 7, 2023, at age 95. She took her last breath at Morning Star in Lone Tree, Colorado, with her daughter and granddaughter by her side. She was the second of ve children born to Lars and Pearl Jacobsen in Dannebrog, Nebraska, on November 28, 1927. She graduated from Dannebrog High in 1944 and went on to work in payroll for the Civil Service in Omaha, Nebraska, where she fell in love and married James A. Zalmanek, four months later on August 2, 1946. Two years later Jim and Betty with their rst son were transferred to Japan, the fourth of 22 moves while in the Air Force.

Betty was a member of Mission Hills Church for over 32 years. She was a student of God’s Word, the Bible. Her favorite verse was Isaiah 40:31 “ ey that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; ey will mount up with wings as eagles; ey shall run and

not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.” She loved decorating, cooking, sewing, gardening, traveling to tropical paradises like Hawaii, Mexico, and Costa Rica, her neighbors, especially e Ladies of Adelaide, but most of all her family. She and Jim were married 58 years before his passing in 2005. She is survived by her sister Marjorie Campbell, her brother Roger Jacobsen, both of Lubbock, Texas, ve children: Jim and wife Mary of Monument, CO, Charlie and wife Roxanna of Friday Harbor, WA, Linda and her “favorite sonin-law” Tom Coulson of Highlands Ranch, CO, Mark and wife Dana of Littleton, CO, and Paul of California, seven grandchildren: Shawn, Shane, Justin, Colin, Caley and Colin, and seven great-grandchildren: Marin, Brynn, Joshua, Zeke, Eli, Henry and Freya, and one great-great grandson Ryson. A celebration of life will be in April.

ZALMANEK Betty L. Zalmanek

Krueger, M.D. RAYNA MANGER TEDFORD

Speed dating events in metro Denver o er alternatives to swiping

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

On a ursday night in late January, dozens of people walked past displays of tarot cards and crystals towards a dim room at the back of Full Moon Books in Lakewood. A man at the room’s entrance asked them each to remove their shoes. e smell of burnt sage lled the air.

For a while, people mingled. e event was not to start until 7 p.m., and stragglers arrived until moments before the doors closed. When it was time, a woman wearing a pink velvet robe asked everyone to sit in a circle.

“For all the new people, this is where we’re all going to get naked,” the woman joked. Everyone laughed, and she continued, “ ere will be none of that. is is just a really fun, safe event.”

Danny Neifert, a facilitator of an event called Tantra Speed Date, was playing with the stereotypical understanding of the word “tantra.” For many people, the term brings sex to mind. Although tantra is a spiritual practice that includes sexuality, Neifert said it has more to do with connection.

“Tonight, for the sake of simplicity, we’re just going to swap out the word ‘tantra’ with ‘connection,’” she said to the group. “It’s about connecting to yourself, connecting to the person that’s standing in front of you, connecting to the room, connecting to the building, the soil, the snow, the stars — you ll in the blank in a way that makes sense to you.”

For the next several hours, the attendees took turns rotating from person to person, doing mindful activities with a new partner at each station. At one, a partner mirrored the others’ physical actions. Next, strangers gave each other back massages. Some stations involved speaking — about gratitude, letting go or joy — and at others, people danced.

is event is one of several forms of speed dating in the metro Denver area, where singles are stepping out of their comfort zones to nd hope,

chemistry — and maybe even love — beyond the screens and swiping of modern dating.

Paying attention

Guy Shahar is a founder of e Tantra Institute, a New York-based company that aims to help people become “better lovers” through sacred sexuality. e company teaches courses about sexuality, tantra and relationship skills, in addition to hosting events like Tantra Speed Date.

Since 2017, Tantra Speed Date has hosted over 550 events in 40 cities for attendees of all ages.

“Most of the stations are really just about (giving) people instructions that show them how to put their attention on each other,” Shahar said about the speed dating event.

In his eyes, lack of attention is the number one challenge people face in modern dating, partly because of technology and partly because of the number of potential partners.

“A hundred years ago, who could you date? e people from your neighborhood, the people around you,” he said. “Now you can date anybody in the world… You open up any of those dating apps and you could be swiping on a di erent person in less than a second.”

His speed dating event, he said, is designed to put people in situations where they must focus on each other.

“Like a mirroring exercise, right?” he said. “I’m watching you, and I’m responding to what you’re doing… My attention is on you… Getting people to bring their attentions to each other is a really beautiful way to fool them into connection and intimacy.”

Once people surrender to paying full attention, Shahar said it’s easier to tell if there is chemistry between them.

After the initial connection, Shahar said other things become important as a relationship continues.

“ at connection isn’t necessarily compatibility,” he said. “You might have an amazing connection, or let’s say amazing chemistry… but their habits might be totally not compatible with yours. If you want a sustaining relationship, then you need to nd some points of compatibility or you need to be able to work with habits.”

at being said, Shahar thinks having the opportunity to initially sense a

connection is a powerful way to see if there’s any potential with a person.

“(To) just start your relationship o with that kind of intimacy and connection just seems like a really great, really beautiful way to get yourself o on the right foot,” he said.

Is a few minutes enough?

For speed dating skeptics, it may seem improbable that a person could have any sense of real connection after an encounter that lasts only a matter of minutes.

Dr. Randi Smith, a practicing psychologist and psychology professor at Metro State University Denver, said a few minutes might not be enough to tell a lot about a potential partner –but it can show some things.

“ ere’s some really recent research that suggests that we’re able to pick up on somebody’s relationship anxiety, their attachment anxiety, in a very brief interaction,” she said. “So can we predict whether this relationship will have legs, whether it will have a future? Probably not, but we might be able to weed out some people whose anxiety might prevent them from

having a good relationship with us.”

In addition, Smith said quick interactions can give people a sense of physical attraction and even immediate emotional attraction based on how it feels to talk to a potential partner.

On a deeper psychological level, she said people at speed dating events are probably thinking about reciprocity of liking. is idea is that people tend to like those who like them.

“Speed dating is very strategic, right?” she said. “You have little time, you’ve got to gure out how to make these choices, and so our brains are going into high strategic, albeit

Full Moon Books is Lakewood is one of the Tantra Speed Date venues in Colorado.

PHOTO BY NINA JOSS SEE SPEED DATING, P15

SPEED DATING

unconscious, responses. And it doesn’t make a lot of sense for a person to invest energy and interest into somebody who’s not going to reciprocate that energy and interest.”

Alex Zaborenko, who attended the January Tantra Speed Date event, said reciprocity is important to him in terms of relationship goals as well, not only attraction. As someone who is looking for non-monogamous relationships, he said online dating pro les and open communication help him nd people who have the same goals in mind.

“I don’t want or need just one magic person to connect with me on every level that I might connect with a partner,” he said. “Once I reached the conclusion, then it just felt much better that I can communicate what I’m looking for honestly and they can choose what they want to do with that information.”

Are you worth my (client’s) time?

For Abby Rosenblum, investing time and energy in the right people is part of her business model.

Rosenblum is the founder and head matchmaker at e Social: Modern Matchmaking, a Colorado-based service that also hosts speed dating events.

Rosenblum’s services focus not only on helping her clients nd potential partners, but also on building their con dence and making dating enjoyable.

“ e sad part is I think we’re almost taught that dating should be di cult, should be frustrating and should be some kind of just negative thing in your life,” she said. “So a lot of the work I do is trying to teach people that dating can actually be fun, which is a crazy concept to almost everyone.”

When setting up dates, Rosenblum looks for people with values and physical appearances that t with what her clients are looking for.

“And then the other thing I look for too (is) like, is this person ready to date?” she said. “Are they in a good place? … Because you can meet the greatest person ever tomorrow, but if they’re like, ‘I just got red from my job and I hate everything,’ you might not connect with them in as good of a way.”

Rosenblum works mainly with singles in stable careers who are looking for serious, committed and monogamous relationships. As a matchmaker, she helps lter out potential partners who do not align with her clients’ stages of life so she can ensure they are investing their time and energy in relationships that could have a future.

Rosenblum, who works mainly with heterosexual clients, often collaborates with the head matchmaker at Denver’s Cupid, a matchmaking service that works with LGBTQ+ singles.

Like Smith, she doesn’t think speed dating events are a silver bullet for knowing if a relationship will work, but she said they can still be bene cial. Her company hosts speed dating at its events, including a single mingle that happened the rst week of February in Englewood.

In Rosenblum’s speed dating games, participants receive conversation prompts to help people learn something about their partners, from travel dreams to relationship goals.

“It’s like, ‘OK, am I curious to get to know them more?’ she said. “ at’s really the only thing you need to know after that ve minutes, because it’s hard to know anything else… What’s the harm in meeting again?”

A new hope for dating

Andrea Cunningham has been dating on and o for the past 10 years. She decided to attend the January Tantra Speed Date event when her housemate invited her because she thought it would introduce her to spiritually open minded people.

“He actually said, ‘Do you want to go to a woo-woo speed dating event?’ and my thought was ‘Oh, yeah, that might be my kind of people,’ because I’m not nding a lot of woo-woo folks on OkCupid,” she said.

At 58 years old, Cunningham is looking for someone who is compassionate, exible and open to “more heart-centered ideas,” she said.

Going into the speed dating event, Cunningham was feeling skeptical, she said. Mainly, she thought speed dating would be intimidating, but it wasn’t.

“I think maybe my whole idea about speed dating was wrong,” she said. “Maybe you’re not just awkwardly trying to talk with people 10 times in a row for ve minutes. Maybe there’s more to it than that… at was welldesigned.”

After her experience (and several dates that arose from the event), she said speed dating might be giving her new hope after taking a pause from dating for a while.

“I was trying to do a little online, I wasn’t getting anywhere, I stopped,” she said. “ en this came up — it may kick me into gear again.”

Renewing excitement about dating and personal connection is a goal of many speed dating events, especially in a world where fewer and fewer people feel connected to each other.

In Shahar’s speed dating events, re-connecting is the greatest bene t and goal.

“If you are tired of feeling disconnected from the world, and you want to have a moment of connection, this is a really great way to step into that,” he said. “Is it for everyone? No, I don’t think it’s for everyone. But it is for people that are like, ‘Hey, I want to create something magical within my relationship life and my dating life.’”

Abby Rosenblum’s company co-hosted a speed dating event at Brewability Lab in Englewood on Feb. 2.

PHOTO BY HAN LOYD; HEPCAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Danny Neifert and her demonstration partner show an activity where partners mirror each others’ actions at Tantra Speed Date.

PHOTO BY NINA JOSS

Attendees chat at the Single Mingle event, co-hosted by The Social: Modern Matchmaking at Brewability Lab in Englewood on Feb. 2.

PHOTO BY HAN LOYD; HEPCAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Art students’ work coming to gallery

Littleton’s Senior Baccalaureate art students will exhibit their art at the Depot Art Gallery, 2069 W. Powers Ave., Littleton, from March 6-19, with a reception on March 10 from 4 to 6 p.m. Open to the public. See depotartgallery.org.

Parker Symphony

“Shakespeare in Love” is the title for Parker Symphony’s concert on Feb. 24 at the PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker. Call ahead for tickets: 303-805-6800, parkerarts. org.

Lone Tree Arts Center

“ e Hammersteins: A Musical Family,” at Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree, will feature Andy Hammerstein III with Broadway stars Teri Hansen, Edward Watts, Michelle Liu Coughlin and Robert Sims, with pianist Cathy Venable. Tickets: $40-$50. Call 720-5091000, lonetreeartscenter.org.

Denver Art Museum

“Speaking With Light: Contemporary Indigenous Photography” opens Feb. 19 at the Denver Art Museum, through May 21 in the Gallagher Family Gallery. Included in general admission. See denverartmuseum.org.

Littleton Museum

“Christopher Warren: REinterpretating REcreating Nature” opens at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 16 and continues during Littleton Museum hours through May 14. is body of work includes sculptures created throughout the career of Colorado artist Christopher Warren, including works from the Digital Era, with topography the major focus. Artist’s talk: Feb. 17 at 4 p.m. e museum is at 6028 S. Gallup St., Littleton, 303-795 3950.

Cherry Creek Theatre

“A Moon for the Misbegotten” is presented through Feb. 26 at the Pluss eatre in the Mizel Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., Denver. Box o ce:

303-800-6578. Next for Cherry Creek eatre: May 5-21: “ e Headliners” by Je rey Newman, directed by Nick Sugar, music directed by David Nehls. See cherrycreektheatre.org.

University of Denver Newman Center Presents: March 27 at 7:30 p.m., Paul Taylor Dance Company. 303-8717720, newmancenterpresents.com.

Wonderbound Wonderbound Studio: “Reckoning at the Red Herring Tavern” by Garrett Ammons will be presented March 2-12 at Wonderbound Studios, 3865 Grape St., Denver. Unit #2. Note: Some performances are sold out. 303-292-4700, wonderbound. com.

Core New Art Space

CORE Members’ Exhibits at new location: 6501 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood. Gallery hours: Friday, 5-10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. 303-297-8428, coreartspace. com.

Staged reading

Stories on Stage: “ e White Chip” a staged reading from Sean Daniels’ wise and funny play about his personal journey from addiction to recovery, featuring Geo rey Kent, Martha Harmon Pardee and Eric Sandvold. Su Teatro Cultural and Performing Arts Center, 721 Santa Fe Drive, Denver. Tickets: $24, 303-4940523, storiesonstage.com.

String quartet

Englewood Arts Presents: Feb. 25, 2 p.m., Colorado Symphony String Quartet. Borodin and Dvorak Quartets. Dmetri Pogorelov and Liz Drabkin, violin; So a Basile: viola; Chloe

SEE GALLERY, P18

SONYA’S SAMPLER

Thu 3/02

Teague Starbuck

@ 6pm Modern Brew - Kitchen, Coffee, Bar, 8221 S Holly St, Centennial

Shallow Side

@ 8pm Wild Goose Saloon, Parker

Wild Love Tigress @ 105 West Brewing @ 6:30pm 105 West Brewing Company, 1043 Park St, Castle Rock

Sterling Ranch, 8155 Piney River Ave

RMRR March 5th 9:00 am- 5K

Johnson Lake at Clement Park @ 9am / $10

8116 W. Bowles Avenue, Littleton

Mon 3/06

YouthTuber - Rooney @ 3:15pm / $176

Mar 6th - May 1st

Rooney Elementary, 2200 S Coors St, Lakewood. 720-996-0894

Modern Swing Mondays @ 6pm / $10

Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Tue 3/07

Culinary: The Luck of the Irish (16+yrs) @ 1am

Mar 7th - Mar 6th

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

ARTS: Coffee & Painting @ College View @ 5:30pm

Denver Parks and Recreation (CGV), 2525 S. Decatur St., Denver. 720-913-0654

Wed 3/08

Scotty Austin @ 8pm Wild Goose Saloon, 11160 S. Pikes Peak Drive, Parker HE$H @ 9pm The Church Denver, 1720 S Alcott St, Den‐ver

Fri 3/03

Ninety Percent 90s @ 8pm Wide Open Saloon, 5607 US-85, Sedalia El Chaval De La Bachata @ 9pm / $40 Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Sat 3/04

Blarney on Belmar @ 12pm Belmar, 439 S. Upham Street, Lakewood. janet@see-janet-work.com, 303-815-3504

Volleyball: Youth - IntroductoryAge 6 to 8 - Spring 2023 @ 3pm Mar 4th - Apr 29th

Parker Fieldhouse, 18700 E Plaza Dr, Parker

Fleming Mansion Walkthrough (for permit holders only) @ 6pm

Fleming Mansion, 1510 S. Grant St., Den‐ver. 720-913-0654

Neil Z @ 7pm Earls Kitchen + Bar, 8335 Park Meadows Center Dr, Lone Tree

Wax Tailor @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

Flag Football: Youth - Ages 12 to 14 - Spring 2023 @ 12am

Mar 8th - May 6th

Salisbury Sports Complex, 11920 Motsen‐bocker Road, Parker

Ladies Night @ 6pm / $10

Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Cody Cozz @ 7pm

Wide Open Saloon, 5607 US-85, Sedalia

Dirty Side Down Band: Dirty Side Down @ Lincoln Station @ 7pm

Lincoln Station Coffee/Pizza/Music, 9360 Station St, Lone Tree

Christine Elise @ 9pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

Fleming Mansion Walkthrough (for permit holders only) @ 10pm

Fleming Mansion, 1510 S. Grant St., Den‐ver. 720-913-0654

Steve Bug: Into The Void @ 11pm Void Studios, 1790 S Bannock St, Denver

Wax Tailor @ 9pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, En‐glewood Sun 3/05

Sandra Wong @ 7pm Swallow Hill, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

DJ Rockstar Aaron: Forbidden Bingo at 'Bout Time Pub & Grub @ 8pm Bout Time Pub & Grub, 3580 S Platte River Dr A, Sheridan

Thu 3/09

Scott Bartlett/SBCreations: The Mad Souls w/ Scott Bartlett & Rick Monroe @ 8pm Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

Jill Tasei: Comedy Show @ 7pm

Suite 150, Littleton

World premiere on Denver stage

BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e world premiere of “Laughs in Spanish” by American author Alexis Scheer plays through March 2 at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and is set in the Wynwood section of Miami, Florida.

Scheer, who is also an experienced actor, was born and raised in a JewishColombian household in Miami and knows Wynwood well. e gallery where her play is set lies on this strip, noted for its colorful murals and art galleries.

We found her new work highly entertaining.

As the play opens, gallery manager Mariana (award-winning Stephanie Machado) is faced with empty walls — the artwork stolen and a major opening scheduled for that evening, tied in with the annual Art Basel showings. Her assistant, Carolina (Danielle Alonzo) and Caro’s boyfriend Juan (Luis Vega), a policeman, are there with her, searching for the missing art. Sirens are sounding out on the street.

“I need to think,” wails a ustered Mariana. Also present: Jenny (Olivia Hebert), Carolina’s friend.

Mari’s mother, Estella (Maggie Bo ll), a former lm actress, is visiting to help with the opening by means of a “special live performance” at the opening ... and needs help with her own problem: She is facing an upcoming court date.

e gallery is set up for a party, even though the art is still missing ...

“I will probably be charged as accessory to a crime,” Estella says. It seems that in the ‘80s, friends asked her to carry two suitcases across a

border for them. “I thought they were lled with guavas,” she says.

Mariana and her mother talk about art and politics throughout the play and about how artists push for changes in the world — whether or not successful.

is leads to Estella talking about roles she will not play: the maid or the one who handles the cocaine — Hispanic stereotypes. She is presently working the night shift ... is she a brujera? (One who combines healing and intuition about the spiritual world?)

Maggie Bo ll, who plays Estella, is a

will be held in Hampden Hall in the Englewood Civic Center, 1000 Englewood Parkway.

Hall of Fame

Hong, cello. Tickets: ebertoluzzi@hotmail.com or visit englewoodarts.org. The concert

Littleton’s Libby Bortz will be inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame on March 15.

widely experienced actor and playwright. Her skill was apparent as she dominated the scene, and her daughter made it quite clear that she did not want to be like her mother!

Mari continues to listen as Estella tells her that she wants Mari to know her as more than a mother: as a person with hopes and dreams and ambitions out there in the world ...

e playwright does a good job of developing a mother-daughter relationship that sends one home with something to consider ...

“Laughs in Spanish” plays through

Arvada Center

Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., will present: “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder, Feb. 24 to May 21 and “The Book Club Play” by Karen Zacarias March 17 to May 18. Tickets start at $45. 720-898-7200, arvadacenter.org.

March 12 in the Singleton eatre, with evening and matinee performances.

IF YOU GO

The Denver Center box o ce phone number is 303-893-4100 and the website is denvercenter.org. The Denver Center is at 14th and Curtis Streets in downtown Denver. Also playing: “Hotter than Egypt” through March 12 in the Kilstrom Theatre. Next scheduled: “The Color Purple” and “The 39 Steps.”

Lakewood play

Performance Now Theatre Company presents “Carousel” at Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, Lakewood, from March 17 to April 2. 303-987-7845, PerformanceNow. org.

Stephanie Machado and Olivia Hebert appear in the world premiere of “Laughs in Spanish” at Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

PHOTO BY JAMIE KRAUS PHOTOGRAPHY

‘Laughs in Spanish’ plays through March 2

A whole new immersive Disney world

Anyone who has fallen in love with a Disney animated lm knows one of the great joys of the studio’s work is getting lost in the astounding worlds that have been created. Now, fans of Disney can wander through many of their favorite worlds in a much more literal sense, thanks to Disney Animation: Immersive Experience.

“ is year is Disney’s 100th anniversary, so we wanted to do something that really honored all the animators,” explained J. Miles Dale, an Oscar-winning producer and creative director of the experience. “What we created is a little bit educational, a little bit entertaining, and provides access to things most wouldn’t be able to see. It all combines to give that magical experience people have come to expect from Disney.”

Created in partnership with Walt Disney Animation Studios and Lighthouse Immersive Studios, the Disney Animation: Immersive Experience is on display at Lighthouse ArtSpace, 3900 Elati St. in Denver.

As Dale explains it, a trip to the famous Disney archives provided a wealth of inspiration for the creative team as they put the exhibit together. Seeing the early pencil sketches of seminal moments like Cinderella’s dress transformation was awe inspiring for the team.

“It was important for us to show how these characters and worlds were created. When you see how

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Clarke Reader

it was made and who made it, you appreciate the animation more,” he said. “I love hearing kids who are inspired to be animator after seeing the exhibit. They feel the magic and see some of themselves in these characters.”

According to provided information, additional exhibit features include interactive features within the projection show that move with visitors, and custom bracelets that light up in sync with the projections and specific movements. There’s also the Gazillion Bubbles effect, where 500,000 cubic feet of galleries are filled with bubbles.

The cumulative effect is to give visitors an experience like visiting one of Disney’s famous parks — one filled with wonder and escape.

“In a way, watching a movie is a passive experience, but this is very active. You are in the movies, immersed by them,” Dale said. “The totality of the experience makes it multigenerational. I can’t really think of anything my mother, me, my kids and their kids could all go to together like this.”

Visit lighthouseimmersive.com/ disney/Denver for details and tickets. disneyimmersive.com.

Sadeqa Johnson brings ‘The House of Eve’ to Tattered Cover

Sadeqa Johnson’s newest book, “ e House of Eve,” is a moving testament to an important truth — the more things change, the more they stay the same. An examination of racism and women’s rights in the preRoe era, Johnson blends both wit and powerful humanity to remind all of us how much work there still is to do.

In support of the book — which was selected as Hello Sunshine/ Reese Witherspoon’s February book club pick — Johnson will be stopping by at the Tattered Cover Colfax, 2526 E. Colfax Ave. in Denver, at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25. She’ll be speaking with L. Alison Heller, a lawyer and author.

e event is free and no registration is required. Find the details at www. tatteredcover.com/event.

BIFF celebrates power of story in 19th season

e 19th annual Boulder International Film Festival is back for another season of brilliant lmmaking, a chef competition and much more.

Running from ursday, March 2 through Sunday, March 5, the festival will be screening 66 lms from 20 countries, with 45 lmmakers and subjects in attendance. According to provided information, the event will also feature the return of the popular Adventure Film Pavilion, the CineCHEF food competition and a live recording of e Hollywood Re-

porter’s Awards Chatter podcast with Scott Feinberg.

For those who can’t attend the screenings held at the Boulder eater, 2032 14th St., some of the lms will be able to watch as part of the BIFF at Home! virtual program, running from Monday, March 6 to Sunday, March 19.

Find the full schedule, ticket options and more at bi 1.com.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — White Reaper at Summit Music Hall

My original pick here was going to be Bruce Springsteen and e E Street Band at Ball Arena, but since tickets sold out pretty much instantaneously (at exorbitant prices, no less), let’s instead turn our attention to another great rock band that’ll be in townKentucky’s White Reaper. e group specializes in the kind of indie guitar rock that has unfortunately gone out of style in the last decade or so. ankfully, their latest album, “Asking for a Ride,” keeps that sonic palette going strong.

In support of the album, White Reaper will be performing at Summit Music Hall, 1902 Blake St. in Denver, at 7:30 p.m. on ursday, March 2. ey’ll be joined by openers Militarie Gun and Mamalarky. Get tickets at www.livenation.com.

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

Sterling Ranch advances internet speed

8 gigs coming

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

After nearly eight years of investing in ber technologies, Sterling Ranch is expanding a partnership with Lumen Technologies as they plan to be the rst community to roll out up to 8-gig internet.

President of Sterling Ranch Development Company Brock Smethills said in 2014, the community elected to do a ber to the home community when it was not commonplace. Since then, millions of dollars has been invested into Sterling Ranch’s ber network.

“We see that as really an amenity,” said Smethills. “Just like homeowners expect pools and schools - we believe that they have come to expect really good broadband service and that’s something we hope to deliver on now, and continue to deliver in the future.”

In the existing relationship with Lumen, the base service was one gig service to each residential unit for $89 a month. According to Smethills, the dollar amount was reduced to $75 a month and

will be e ective this year.

“So the standard service will still be one gig, or $75 a month and customers will be able to opt into if they want three gig or eight gig service for a premium,” said Smethills.

e new technology,

XGS-PON, is expected to be available across all of Sterling Ranch by the end of 2024. According to the press release, the technology will enable internet speeds of up to 8 gigabits per second. at is 40 times faster than the average advertised download

speed.

“It’s the next generation of residential ber telecommunication services that CentryLink is rolling out,” said Smethills.

While most internet networks start with ber to hubs in neighborhoods

like Highlands Ranch and Roxborough, they need to be converted to coaxial cable for the nal distance to each home.

According to Smethills, the last mile of coaxial cable has been a limiting factor in internet speeds.

“Now we have glass from a point of presence all the way to a residential unit,” said Smethills. “ at gets rid of that bottleneck of that piece of coaxial copper that has physical constraints and how fast you can literally send electrons back and forth on copper.”

e technology is being made available by Lumen Technologies through its premier ber internet service, Quantum Fiber.

By investing in this technology early on, Smethills said that the community was well prepared for COVID-19 as they had work from home capability before it was necessary. is new technology will allow residents to have stronger internet connection and better manage their home utilities.

“ ere’s something to be said about having good broadband that enables our residents to fully utilize technology to help their lives,” said Smethills.

SHUTTERSTOCK

Vista win over rival is instant classic

ThunderRidge loses in double overtime

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

e Mountain Vista and underRidge boys basketball teams have authored plenty of great moments together throughout their decades-old rivalry.

But the Golden Eagles and Grizzlies’ latest production, an all-out war on Feb. 17 inside a loud and jam-packed underRidge gymnasium, might very well have been the two programs’ magnum opus.

e crosstown rivals pounded on each other deep into the night. irty-two minutes of regulation wasn’t enough to settle things. Neither was overtime.

Finally, momentum swing after momentum swing, big play after big play, incredible moment after incredible moment, Vista prevailed 103-99 in double overtime in what was nothing short of an instant classic.

e win completed a perfect run in league play for the Golden Eagles, Colorado’s No. 1-ranked team. It was also Vista’s rst win over underRidge in three years.

“I’ve been a part of a lot of basketball games in my life. at was probably the best one,” Vista coach Brian Wood said. “It would be nice if nobody had to lose on a night like this.”

In the other locker room, longtime Grizzlies coach Joe

Ortiz had something similar to say: “[ underRidge and Vista] have had a lot of classic games. is was one of them for sure.”

No question.

In the second overtime, Charlie Spann’s 3-pointer from the top of the key shaved Vista’s lead to 100-99 with 52 seconds remaining.

After a Golden Eagles timeout, Vista’s Radek Homer was fouled on a driving attempt and coolly sank both of his free throws. en, with less than 10 seconds left, Andrew Crawford’s would-be-tying 3-point attempt from the left wing seemingly went halfway down before coughing out.

Homer hit the back end of a pair of free throws on Vista’s ensuing possession to essentially seal the win for the Golden Eagles.

“ at was one of the best high school games I’ve ever played in,” said Crawford, who was sensational all night, scoring a game-high and mind-boggling 48 points. “We fought hard. We almost got it.”

e nal moments of regulation were as dramatic as any basketball game at any level could ever produce.

Spann connected on a mid-range jumper with 34 seconds left to spot underRidge a 2-point lead at 72-70.

On Vista’s next possession, Cal Baskind buried a clutch 3-pointer to return the lead to Vista with 10 seconds to go.

Four Pondo wrestlers win at 5A state

Pomona takes team championship

BY JIM BENTON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Ponderosa had four individual state champions at the Class 5A state wrestling championships but the Mustangs once again came up short in the team race.

Pomona won its fth straight team championship with a record 278.5 points on Feb. 18 at Ball Arena while Ponderosa was the runner-up with 190 points. e Mustangs have nished second four times in the past ve seasons.

Ponderosa’s state champions were freshman omas Verrette, who whipped Mark Cardenas of Pomona 10-1 to captured the 126-pound

individual title, and junior Jacob Myers won his second consecutive state title with a pin in 35 seconds during the 132-pound title match.

Senior Brandon Cannon, who is bound for Ohio State, had two broken ngers but outlasted Jakob Romero of Pomona, 1-0, to earn a welldeserved 138-pound championship. Tyler Eise took a 16-1 technical fall decision over Castle View’s Ian Crabtree to capture the 175-pound state title.

Other Pondo wrestlers on the podium were 113-pounder Jaylen Burge and DJ Wince at 120 pounds, who were both second. Senior Peyton Harris, a 150-pound contestant, nished fourth and 190-pounder Westin Ho schneider was third.

SEE WRESTLING, P23

Pomona freshman Zaidyn Quinonez reacts after defeating Eaglecrest junior Adonias Cantu 7-5 in the Class 5A 106-pound championship bout Feb. 18 at Ball Arena. The Panthers had three freshmen — Quinonez, Derek Barrow (120) and Kalob Ybarra (144) — win individual state championship titles.

PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

SEE BASKETBALL, P23

Mountain Vista’s Radek Homer, #11, shoots over the outstretched arm of ThunderRidge’s Andrew Crawford, #42, on Feb. 17 in the ThunderRidge gymnasium. Homer scored a team-high 30 points for the Golden Eagles in their 103-99 win in double overtime.

PHOTO BY ALEX K.W. SCHULTZ

“It seems like every year I come here, Pomona just comes out harder and harder every time,” said Myers. “ eir kids just seem to get it done. We just we fall short sometimes. Pomona has a great lineup and they will continue to have a great lineup.

“ ey are talking about all the younger kids they have. It really comes down to what our young kids can do.”

Pondo’s four individual state champions were highlighted by Cannon’s win after his tough battle to even be wrestling again.

I was happy with the way a lot of the guys on the team wrestled,” said Mustangs coach Jarion Beets. “We snagged a lot of state titles. It was a great win for Brandon Cannon. We’ve been in a lot of di erent tournaments but this was the one we really wanted. is is the one he really needed to cap o his high school career.”

Cannon had an aneorysmal benign bone cyst removed and then had a kidney infection which forced him out of action during his sophomore and part of his junior seasons, but he notched a satisfying win in the 138-pound championship nale and celebrated by heading to the emergency room to take care of his ngers.

BASKETBALL

Ortiz then called a timeout to set up one nal play.

Ryan Doyle inbounded the ball to Crawford, whom the Golden Eagles tried to foul in the backcourt because they had three fouls to give, but no foul was called.

After making his way into the frontcourt, Crawford was fouled just beyond the arc as he ailed and heaved the ball somewhat toward the basket.

But did the foul occur on the oor? Was Crawford fouled while shooting? Was he shooting at all? e o cials conferred and ultimately ruled that Crawford was indeed fouled while attempting a 3-point shot.

And so, the junior went to the line for three free throws with 3.8 seconds showing on the clock and his team trailing by one point. out. His second went through, knot-

Myers donned Pokemon head gear again after his second straight title victory.

“I wanted to be aggressive and I was in the match,” he said. “It was more expected this season. I wore this head gear last year and it is Pikachu from Pokemon. My little sister had it and she decided when I won a state title I had to wear it. So that’s what it was last year, this year and next year.”

ting the score at 73-73. His third shot ricocheted o the left side of the iron, and o to overtime the two teams went. (It should be noted that Crawford was perfect from the free-throw line in the two overtime periods — he was 5-for-5 — to keep his team in it).

“ ey all felt good,” Crawford said. “ ey just rimmed out.” e game appeared to be heading toward its end in the rst overtime, but Crawford and the Grizzlies had other ideas.

A Baskind 3-pointer — one of the sophomore’s six triples on the night — stretched Vista’s lead to 88-81 with just 67 ticks remaining.

However, Crawford quickly responded with one of his own six treys. Moments later, the junior was fouled on a 3-point attempt and knocked down all three of his free throws to trim Vista’s lead to 89-87.

After an empty possession by the

Other wrestlers from south metro schools that did well included Rock Canyon senior Sammy Mobly, who was the runner-up at 157 pounds. Chaparral’s Delcan Smith was fourth at 113 pounds and teammate Noah Kubala was a fth-place nisher at 126 pounds.

Crabtree was second at 175 pounds. underRidge’s Nic Vicic was third at 138 pounds and Legend’s Juan Diaz

ing in,” said Homer, who scored a team-high 30 points for the Golden Eagles. “Andrew and Charlie hit some crazy shots. ey’re amazing players.”

In regulation, the two teams went back and forth the whole way. ey exchanged the lead 14 times, were tied on 14 separate occasions and were never separated by more than ve points. Most of the night, only a point or two separated them. Four players scored in double gures for Vista: Homer, Caden Stevens (29), Baskind (22) and Zach Bowen (10).

underRidge’s leading scorers were Crawford, Spann (27) and Tommy Wight (10).

e Golden Eagles (21-2, 10-0 6A/5A Continental League) clinched the league title three nights before their duel with underRidge — only their second league championship in program history — but have their eyes set on a bigger prize.

e Class 6A state tournament begins Feb. 22, and Wood believes his squad has a chance to go the

was sixth at 144 pounds. Jake Howell of Cherry Creek was third at 215 pounds and Legend’s Nathan Sandy was fourth. Valor Christian’s Winston McBride nished fourth in the 285-pound bracket.

In the Class 5A girls competition, Douglas County’s Jylian Cabral was fth at 115 pounds and the Huskies’ Elizabeth Sandy was fourth at 190 pounds.

distance. Vista, the No. 1 seed, will play 32nd-seeded Bear Creek (Lakewood) in a rst-round game.

“It’s single elimination, so you never know,” Wood said. “But I feel like we’re de nitely one of the teams that can win it.”

But don’t sleep on the Grizzlies (13-10, 4-6), who are young — they don’t have a single senior on the roster — but seem to be peaking at just the right time. underRidge is also a program that is very familiar with the state tournament and has achieved enormous success there. In Ortiz’s 26 years leading underRidge, the Grizzlies have been to the Great Eight 16 times, the Final Four 12 times and the championship game eight times. ey’ve won the whole thing four times, including last year.

underRidge drew a 13 seed and will take on No. 20 Eaglecrest (Centennial) in a Round 1 game.

“We just showed that we can play with anybody if we play like we did tonight,” Ortiz said. “Absolutely we believe [we can make a run in the playo s].”

Friday,

Sunday,

Pomona won its fifth straight Class 5A team title Feb. 18 at Ball Arena. The Panthers racked up a state record 278.5 team points and captured five individual state champions. It is the seventh team title in eight seasons for Pomona.

PHOTO BY DENNIS PLEUSS/JEFFCO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ThunderRidge’s Charlie Spann, #23, takes an acrobatic shot as Mountain Vista’s Caden Stevens, #22, defends on Feb. 17 in the ThunderRidge gymnasium. Spann scored 27 points for the Grizzlies. The Golden Eagles won the game 103-99 in double overtime.

PHOTO BY ALEX K.W. SCHULTZ

CROWSS UP

ELZZ

faces rough rollout

Regulators unprepared

BY JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN

e Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies recently warned state lawmakers that it is unprepared for its assigned job of implementing the state’s new, second-in-the-nation legal “magic mushroom” industry, which voters approved in November. e department — which normally oversees sectors like insurance and banking — is tasked with quickly adopting a regulatory structure under which psychedelic mushrooms can be legally consumed by people 21 and older at licensed facilities. e facilities are set to open as soon as late 2024.

DORA will also be responsible for writing regulations governing the cultivation and manufacturing of psychedelic mushrooms, as well as protecting consumers, developing public education campaigns and making recommendations to the legislature about how to shape the industry.

ere’s just one problem: DORA says it has no idea what it’s doing when it comes to psilocybin, the hallucination-inducing compound derived from psychedelic mushrooms.

“ is is an area completely outside the scope of any existing expertise or regulatory history within the de-

partment,” DORA wrote in a budget document submitted to the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee. “ is is unlike anything else the department regulates. e department has no resources or expertise to begin implementation of this expansive new program involving substances with agricultural, controlled substance, chemical/scienti c and facility issues.”

Proposition 122, which legalized magic mushrooms, passed by nearly 8 percentage points. e measure was unique in that it speci cally charged DORA with rolling out the psilocybin industry, as opposed to letting the state gure out for itself which of its agencies should be responsible for regulating magic mushrooms. And it doesn’t appear Proposition 122’s proponents reached out to DORA to see if they could handle the responsibility.

“Did they come sit down and say do you want to take this? I don’t think so,” said Katie O’Donnell, a spokeswoman for DORA. “It could have gone in a lot of places. It doesn’t t perfectly in any of them.”

(Patty Salazar, who leads DORA, declined an interview request as her agency works to determine who will take on the psilocybin assignment.) e Colorado Department of Revenue, for instance, regulates the cannabis industry. Hemp is handled by the Department of Agriculture.

Answers

By a thin margin, Coloradans voted to make the state only the second in the nation to legalize use of psychedelic mushrooms. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

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Visa U.S.A. Inc., a Visa Inc. company, currently has an opening for Sr. SW Engineer (multiple openings) (REF52805A) in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Job duties include: Architect, design, build, develop, test, and/or implement software applications. Conduct business and technical analysis, code reviews, and unit testing. Position reports to the Employer’s Highlands Ranch, CO office and may allow for partial telecommuting. The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is $151,649.34 USD to $177,800.00 USD. Salary may vary depending on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, this position may be eligible for an annual bonus and equity. Visa has a comprehensive benefits package for which this position is eligible that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Program, FSH/HSA, Life Insurance, Paid Time off and Wellness Programs. Qualified applicants should apply by emailing resume to careersus@visa.com. Must reference job code: REF52805A.

Help Wanted

Visa Technology & Operations LLC, a Visa Inc. company, currently has an opening for Systems Engineer – Sr. Consultant level (Systems Engineer) (multiple openings) (REF51377H) in Highlands Ranch, CO. Job duties include: Drive engineering, certification and security aspects of Application Performance Management monitoring tools and services for on-premises APM Platform. Follow good engineering practices and concepts and adhere to audit requirements, and understand corporate compliance issues and requirements. The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is $139,650.00 USD to $193,500.00 USD.; Staff Network Engineer - Service Reliability (multiple openings) (REF52978F) in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Job duties include: Responsible for support and reliability of infrastructure supporting critical services only and for solving unique and complex problems that have a broad impact on the business. Provide technical coordination, oversight and leadership for staff and serve as escalation point for complex technical issues. The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is $111,200.00 USD to $177,800.00 USD per year. All positions report to the Employer’s Highlands Ranch, CO office and may allow for partial telecommuting. Salary may vary depending on jobrelated factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, this position may be eligible for an annual bonus and equity. Visa has a comprehensive benefits package for which this position is eligible that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Program, FSH/HSA, Life Insurance, Paid Time off and Wellness Programs.

Qualified applicants should apply by emailing resume to careersus@visa. com. Must reference job code.

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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, March 22, 2023, 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: 1/26/2023

Last Publication: 2/23/2023 Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 12/2/2022 DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

JENNIFER C. ROGERS

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:

THE NORTHWEST 1/4 OF THE NORTHEAST 1/4 OF SECTION 25, TOWNSHIP 7 SOUTH, RANGE 69 WEST OF THE 6TH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO. EXCEPTING THEREFROM PROPERTY CONVEYED IN DEED RECORDED JULY

29, 1987 IN BOOK 737 AT PAGE 596 OF THE DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO RECORDS

Which has the address of:

3755 North Rampart Range Road Two ParcelsR0477486 And R0481068 , Littleton, CO 80125 NOTICE OF SALE

The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein,

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 3, PARCEL 2, HIGHLANDS RANCH - FILING NO. 109-D, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO

Which has the address of: 8618 Canongate Lane , Highlands Ranch, CO 80130

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, March 22, 2023, 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

Last Publication: 2/23/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 11/29/2022

DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

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 #: 22-026260

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE

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

Legal Notice No.2022-0182

First Publication: January 26, 2023

Last Publication: February 23, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

PUBLIC NOTICE

Highlands Ranch NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2022-0188

To Whom It May Concern: On 12/7/2022 9:58:00

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: WILLIAM J ROGERS AND PAIGE P ROGERS

Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. ACTING SOLELY AS NOMINEE FOR UNIVERSAL LENDING CORPORATION

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt:

Universal Lending Corporation

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 3/16/2022

Recording Date of DOT: 3/23/2022

Reception No. of DOT: 2022020901

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt:

$651,973.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $651,973.00

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.

Said Deed of Trust was rerecorded on 4/5/2022, under Reception No. 2022024250.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.

Douglas County Treasurer’s Statements

Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 10, HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 70-C, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Which has the address of:

2162 Biscayne Court, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126-4019

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, March 29, 2023, 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: 2/2/2023

Last Publication: 3/2/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 12/7/2022

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

RYAN BOURGEOIS

Colorado Registration #: 51088 1391 Speer Boulevard, Suite 700, DENVER, COLORADO 80204 Phone #: (303) 350-3711

Fax #: Attorney File #: 00000009672429

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

Notice No. 2022-0188

DORA? It houses the Colorado Civil Rights Division and Broadband Deployment O ce. To put it simply: DORA isn’t synonymous with psychedelics.

“It just doesn’t t in the mold of what we regulate,” said O’Donnell, who explained that DORA is preliminarily planning to handle regulations for psilocybin and the other plants through its Division of Professions and Occupations.

Tasia Poinsatte, who leads the Healing Advocacy Fund, an o shoot of the group that funded the passage of Proposition 122, said supporters of the measure thought DORA was an appropriate place to regulate Colorado’s new psychedelic mushrooms endeav-

HOUSING

type of mortgage, an adjustable-rate mortgage. ARMs at Bank of Colorado o er a lower interest rate of 5.875% in the rst ve years. Borrowers can re nance anytime if rates drop. Comparably, the bank’s 30-year rate is 6.375%, which includes 1% in mortgage points to reduce the interest over the life of the loan.

“Just trying to save a little bit of

or because of its licensure work.

“Proposition 122 was designed to provide breakthrough therapies to Coloradans for mental health and wellness,” Poinsatte said. “At the heart of this new regulated program are the licensed facilitators who supervise the preparation sessions, the natural medicine administration session, and the integration sessions. We believe it’s appropriate for the agency that regulates other health professions, such as therapists, addiction specialists and nurses, to also regulate this new profession of licensed facilitators.”

Still, Poinsatte said she recognizes DORA may need help creating a “program that works for all Coloradoans and is a model for the rest of the country.” Oregon is the only other state where psychedelic mushrooms are legal, and that only happened Jan. 1.

Proposition 122 allows people 21

interest with the hope that rates might come back down, that’s the thinking here,” he said. “It gives them a chance to buy a home they can a ord.”

e Fed-regulated interest rates are expected to decline since in ation is slowing. On Tuesday, the Consumer Price Index for January showed that it cost U.S. households 6.4% more to live, compared to a year ago. at was a smidge lower 6.5% in December and down from 9% in summer. e Fed has already backed o the higher rate increases,

Public Notices

NOTICE OF SALE

Public Trustee Sale No. 2022-0197

To Whom It May Concern: On 12/21/2022

11:49:00 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: MATTHEW J. ROUSE

Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. AS NOMINEE FOR FIRST COMMUNITY MORTGAGE, INC., ITS SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 7/31/2018

Recording Date of DOT: 8/3/2018

Reception No. of DOT: 2018047124

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt:

$201,973.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $173,438.19

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:

CONDOMINIUM UNIT 17D, SUGARMILL CONDOMINIUMS, PHASE 3, IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND SUBJECT TO THE SUBASSOCIATION DECLARATION FOR SUGARMILL CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC. OF HIGHLANDS RANCH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. RECORDED ON AUGUST 1, 1984 IN BOOK 532 AT PAGE 354 AND SUPPLEMENTAL RECORDED JUNE 17, 1985 IN BOOK 579 AT PAGE 642, AND THE CONDOMINIUM MAP RECORDED ON JUNE 17, 1985 AT RECEPTION NO. 355445, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO Which has the address of:

908 Summer Dr, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126

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, April 12, 2023, 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

and older in Colorado to grow and share psychedelic mushrooms. Sales, however, are not allowed.

Where DORA comes in will be the state-regulated centers OK’d by Proposition 122, where people will be able to make appointments to consume psilocybin.

Gov. Jared Polis last month appointed 15 people to serve on the state’s “Natural Medicine Advisory Board,” which is tasked with advising DORA on implementing the regulations. 5280 magazine reported there were more than 200 people who applied to be on the board.

But DORA says it still needs more help.

In its budget request to the legislature, DORA said it wants to spend $700,000 this year and next to “contract resources and expertise” to get its trip down the rabbit hole going. It says the speed at which it’s expected to im-

dropping to a quarter point hike on Feb. 1 from the several months of three-quarter point increases. is, of course, means in ation and interest rates are still rising. But Silverstein, president of Development Research Partners in Littleton, believes consumers are already getting used to it.

“Consumers will start to adapt, will start to expect those slightly higher interest rates given that we still have people moving into this state,” Silverstein said. “We still have a lot of folks that have put o housing

plement rules is unprecedented, and it’s still guring out the fee structure for legal-use facilities under which it will fund its work.

And once DORA gets its psychedelic mushroom regulations squared away, the work may be just beginning.

Proposition 122 gives the Natural Medicine Advisory Board the option to similarly legalize and regulate a number of other naturally derived psychedelics, including dimethyltryptamine (known as DMT), ibogaine and mescaline, which is found in the San Pedro cactus.

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

purchases (and saying) ‘OK, a 5% to 6% mortgage rate is not outrageous. We just need to take it into consideration as we’re planning for future purchases.’ Consumers are still out there.”

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

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.

Douglas County News Press

GILL

COUNTY Public Trustee

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

APRIL WINECKI Colorado Registration #: 34861 9800 S. MERIDIAN BLVD. SUITE 400, ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO 80112 Phone #: (303) 706-9990 Fax #: (303) 706-9994 Attorney File #: 22-029049

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

Legal Notice No. 2022-0197

First Publication: 2/16/2023

Last Publication: 3/16/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press Bids and Settlements

Public Notice

INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) #008-23

EXCLUSIVE USE

HELICOPTER SERVICES for the OFFICE of EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

The Office of Emergency Management of Douglas County Government, hereinafter referred to as the County, respectfully requests bids from responsible and highly-qualified individuals and/or companies for the provision of an Exclusive Use Helicopter for law enforcement, public safety, fire suppression, and search and rescue.

ON THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2023 @ 1:00 P.M., THERE WILL BE A MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING RELATED TO THIS PROJECT. THE MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING WILL ALLOW ALL POTENTIAL BIDDERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE PROJECT DETAILS WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT STAFF. THE MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE ROBERT A. CHRISTENSEN JUSTICE CENTER, 4000 JUSTICE WAY, CASTLE ROCK, COLORADO 80109. ALL ATTENDEES WILL CLEAR SECURITY AND MEET IN THE JUSTICE CENTER LOBBY. ONLY THOSE PROSPECTIVE BIDDERS ATTENDING THE MANDATORY

LOWED TO SUBMIT A BID ON THIS PROJECT. Please bring a business card, as sign-in sheets will not be passed around.

The IFB documents may be reviewed and/or printed from the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System website at www.rockymountainbidsystem.com. IFB documents are not available for purchase from Douglas County Government and can only be accessed from the above-mentioned website. While the IFB documents are available electronically, Douglas County cannot accept electronic bid responses.

Three (3) copies of your bid response shall be submitted in a sealed envelope plainly marked “IFB No. 008-23, Exclusive Use Helicopter Services” and mailed or hand-carried to the address shown below prior to the due date and time. Electronic and/or faxed bid responses will not be accepted. Bids will be received until 3:00pm, on Thursday, March 16, 2023 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 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. 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. 944675

First Publication: February 23, 2023

Last Publication: February 23, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

Children Services

(Adoption/Guardian/Other)

Public Notice

DISTRICT COURT, DOUGLAS COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO

CONSOLIDATED

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT IN THE

ACTIONS FILED IN THIS COURT UNDER THE “UNIFORM DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE” AND “UNIFORM CHILD CUSTODY JURISDICTION” ACTS, due diligence has been used to obtain personal service within the State of Colorado and further efforts would be to no avail: therefore, publication has been ordered:

NUMBER: NAME: TYPE OF ACTION

2022DR000630: Jennifer Janet Olivas v Oswaldo Cardenas Custody

A copy of the Petition and Summons may be obtained from the Clerk of the above Court during regular business hours (7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) and that failure to respond to this service by publication within thirty-five (35) days of the publication date may result in a default judgment against the non-appearing party.

Andrea K. Truett CLERK OF THE COURT 4000 JUSTICE WAY CASTLE ROCK, CO 80109

by Margaret Corbetta, Deputy Clerk

Legal Notice No. 944666

First Publication: February 23, 2023

Last Publication: February 23, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press Public Notice

DOUGLAS COUNTY DISTRICT COURT, STATE OF COLORADO 4000 Justice Way Castle Rock, CO Douglas County, CO 80109 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

In the Interest of:

ZAMIRACLE A/K/A ZAMIRA ROSE ARMIJO, D.O.B.: 9/9/2020; Child, And concerning:

LUCIA CAMILLE ARMIJO AKA CAMILLE ARMIJO, D.O.B.: 11/26/1991; Mother;

TIMOTHY JAMES MACULEWICZ, D.O.B.: 12/7/1977; Possible Father, JOHN DOE; Possible Father Respondents, And ARIANA ARMIJO, D.O.B.: 7/18/1998, Maternal Aunt, MONICA ARMIJO, D.O.B.: 8/19/1974, Maternal Grandmother, Special Respondents.

Attorney for Department: R. LeeAnn Reigrut, #28833

Angela Borkowski, #50088 4400 Castleton Ct. Castle Rock, CO 80109 (303) 814-5326

Fax: (303) 479-9259

lreigrut@douglas.co.us aborkowski@douglas.co.us

NUMBER: 20JV174 DIVISION 8

Section 19-3-503, C.R.S. 2021.

TO: JOHN DOE

TO THE RESPONDENT NAMED ABOVE:

You are hereby notified that a petition has been filed which alleges that the above-named child is dependent or neglected as per the facts set forth in the Dependency and Neglect Petition, a copy of which may be obtained at the office of the Douglas County Attorney’s Office.

A Review Hearing has been set for March 6, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. in Division 8 of the Douglas County District Court by phone at 720-437-6180, code 75592#. All parties shall be present by phone unless otherwise indicated by the Court. Your presence before this court is required to defend against the claims in this petition. IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR, THE COURT WILL PROCEED IN YOUR ABSENCE, WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE, TO CONDUCT AN ADJUDICATORY HEARING AND MAY ENTER A JUDGMENT BY DEFAULT THEREBY ADJUDICATING YOUR CHILD AS A DEPENDENT OR NEGLECTED CHILD.

You have the right to request a trial by jury at the adjudicatory stage of this petition. You also have the right to legal representation at every stage of the proceedings by counsel of your own choosing, or if you are without sufficient financial means, appointment of counsel by the Court. Termination of your parent-child legal relationship to free your children for adoption is a possible remedy in this proceeding. If that remedy is pursued, you are entitled to a hearing before a Judge. You also have the right, if you are indigent, to have the Court appoint, at no expense to you, one expert witness of your own choosing at any hearing on the termination of your parent-child relationship. If you are a minor, you have the right to the appointment of a Guardian ad litem to represent your best interests.

You have the right to have this matter heard by a district court judge rather than by the magistrate. You may waive that right, and in doing so, you will be bound by the findings and recommendations of the magistrate, subject to review as provided by sec. 19-1-108(5.5), C.R.S. 2021, and subsequently, to the right of appeal as provided by Colorado Appellate Rule 3.4.

This summons is being initiated by the Douglas County Department of Human Services through its counsel.

Dated: February 14, 2023

/s/ Angela Borkowski Angela Borkowski, #50088

Assistant Douglas County Attorney

Legal Notice No. 944669

First Publication: February 23, 2023

Last Publication: February 23, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press ###