Highlands Ranch Herald 042023

Wise hopes settlement puts students before politics

Districts settles lawsuit for $800K

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Douglas County School District will pay former superintendent Corey Wise more than $800,000 to settle claims that Wise’s ring amounted to discrimination.

Wise led a complaint with the Colorado O ce of Civil Rights against the school district and four school board members — Becky Myers, Mike Peterson, Christy Williams and Kaylee Winegar — in April 2022 after he was red without cause, claiming he was dismissed for advocating for marginalized students by favoring a mask policy in schools and working to implement an equity policy.

Local business, nonprofit team up to help students with cost of prom

Eagle Academy benefits

BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When Lone Tree Councilmember Marissa Harmon learned that students at Eagle Academy High School would be having their rst-ever prom this April and some students face nancial burdens, she began brainstorming ways to help.

“A lot of these kids … face this food insecurity, housing insecurity, are under a ton of nancial pressure,” Harmon said, explaining she wanted to do something to help the students. “We have to surround them with love in some way.”

Harmon — who owns a hair salon in Lone Tree called Roots and Mane along with her sister, Jessica Crimi, and brother-in-law, Jeremy Crimi — consulted with her sister about how to help the school.

After doing some online research, Harmon came across Clover’s Closet, a nonpro t based in Castle Rock that o ers free formal attire to students. Together, Roots and Mane and Clover’s Closet partnered to bring prom clothing options to Eagle students.

“When people like Marissa come to me, it’s just a blessing and I just appreciate it so much,” said Karen

Highlands Ranch named Tree City USA for the 35th

Recycling event May 7

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e Arbor Day Foundation has named Highlands Ranch a Tree City USA for the 35th consecutive

year. e foundation is a national designation that honors community commitment to e ective urban forest management.

“It’s a huge honor and a great source of pride for the community of Highlands Ranch, it’s almost like a badge of honor for us,” said Dennis Donovan, forestry supervisor for

time

the Metro District parks, recreation and open space.

Located in parks and open spaces throughout the community and along roadways, Highlands Ranch is home to more than 15,000 trees in its urban forest.

Under the settlement, the school district will pay Wise $270,733 for the remainder of his superintendent contract, as well as $562,000 to resolve the lawsuit. According to a news release from Wise’s attorneys, the money will come from the district’s insurance policies, so no money will be diverted from students.

Wise told Colorado Community Media the settlement is vindicating for him, adding that he hopes it will deter politicization and discrimination in Douglas County moving forward.

“I feel validated that this sends a statement that politics should not enter education and, at the same time, discriminatory acts have consequences,” Wise said.

e administration o ce for the school district said on Monday it did not have any comment on the settlement.

e settlement is not an admission of liability for the district or board members.

Board President Peterson said in a statement that he voted to re Wise because of a lack of competency and reiterated that the settlement is not an admission of liability.

“As one director, I voted to terminate the former superintendent due

Lone Tree City Councilmember Marissa Harmon, right of the center, smiling with her sister, Jessica Crimi, left of the center, and two other Roots and Mane employees March 7.

PHOTO BY TAYLER SHAW

South Metro Fire Rescue service plan approved by 3 counties

560,000 receive services

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A largely technical change in the records of South Metro Fire Rescue met approval from the elected leaders of the three counties over which the re ghting agency spreads, the agency says.

Residents in the south Denver metro area earlier this year received a letter from the agency about an “amended service plan.” e letter contained legal language and pointed to then-upcoming public meetings of county leaders who would vote to approve or deny the proposed changes.

e amendment doesn’t set the stage for any changes to how South Metro Fire Rescue operates, said Mike Dell’Orfano, a South Metro Fire o cial.

While it’s essentially a housekeeping matter, the document has value historically and in terms of transparency for a re agency that has grown to cover a large swath of the metro area, according to Dell’Orfano.

“How did our legal existence go from this small re protection district to what we are today? And how not only each of those entities came together but each of them grew independently before that also,” Dell’Orfano said. e agency’s history is “several decades of these several districts becoming bigger and then ultimately consolidating

together.”

e agency’s original service plan dates back to 1967, when the organization was known as Parker Fire

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Protection District. e old agency served about 2,000 residents over 105 square miles in portions of Arapahoe and Douglas counties.

Now, South Metro Fire Rescue covers 560,000 people over 285 square miles, stretching over much of the south metro area after many re protection agencies combined over the years to form today’s agency.

It now covers many cities and towns, including Bow Mar, Castle Pines, Centennial, Cherry Hills Village, Columbine Valley, Foxeld, Greenwood Village, Littleton, Lone Tree and Parker, along with nearby unincorporated portions of Arapahoe, Je erson, and Douglas counties. (“Unincorporated” means an area doesn’t sit within a city or town.)

ere’s historical value in neatly summarizing how the districts changed and then came together, Dell’Orfano said. For curious members of the public, the updated document also can provide other information clearly.

“A service plan is required for all special (government) districts, and you would hope that the document is pretty transparent when it comes to the services provided, how it’s being nanced, how it’s being governed and what’s the impact to people,” Dell’Orfano said.

He added that the updated plan “is more comprehensive and understandable than the previous one, which was just several county and court documents that we pieced together.”

When a person has to “do a research project” to gure out what the plan is, that’s not helpful, he added.

Amid recent public scrutiny of “special districts, mainly metro districts, I feel like this helps us keep up with current expectations,” Dell’Orfano said.

(Metro districts are a type of government entity that carries out some government functions, such as the Highlands Ranch Metro District that oversees some services in that community.)

e amendment is “just recognizing that we might be o ering the same services, but over the past 55 years, the volume, the expertise, the types of incidents have all evolved,” Dell’Orfano, who serves as the agency’s chief government a airs o cer, has said.

It also aims to take a new “snapshot” at the features of the re district, such as the hazards, the number of cities and the population, he said.

Since the agency’s start decades ago, its original service plan was amended a couple times to account for the ability to take on debt and to make sure all its services were re ected, Dell’Orfano said. ose amendments occurred in 1983 and 1996.

“As of right now, we don’t have debt, and we haven’t used debt to fund major capital projects for several years,” Dell’Orfano said in February. “Capital” costs include paying for re trucks, re stations and ambulances, for example.

e amendment won’t change the way the agency spends money, and it won’t change South Metro Fire’s hiring ability or the pay that employees receive, Dell’Orfano said.

South Metro Fire’s property tax rate — the mill levy that property owners in the re agency’s service area pay — would not increase as a result of the amended plan.

Leaders in Douglas, Arapahoe and Je erson counties held public meetings on the proposed change in late February. e three boards of county commissioners all approved the plan unanimously, Dell’Orfano said.

South Metro Fire Rescue serves more than 500,000 people across its service area. COURTESY OF ERIC HURST; SOUTH METRO FIRE RESCUE

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Local couple looks to open Sky Zone franchise in Highlands Ranch

Construction expected this summer

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Sky Zone, an innovative indoor active entertainment experience that brings child-like fun for all, is opening its sixth Colorado location in Highlands Ranch.

“As long-time fans of Sky Zone, we jumped at the opportunity to open a franchise as it perfectly aligns our values as a place for families to come and have fun together,” said franchise couple.

As Colorado natives who have lived in Douglas County a majority of their lives, Nick and Lisa are excited to be involved in the community where they grew up.

Nick and Lisa have enjoyed bringing their two kids to Sky Zone, which provides activities such as ultimate dodgeball, skyslam and skyhoops, freeclimb, foam jousting and a ninja warrior course.

As Douglas County and Highlands Ranch o er a place for young families to live in an active community, Nick and Lisa would like to provide that experience for more at the local level.

“I think we are both very excited to share the experiences a Sky Zone has to o er with the community, o ering an active immersive play environment for all ages,” said the couple. “We want everyone to have

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Outside of a Sky Zone Trampoline Park.

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County pays for helicopter to fight wildfires

Residents urged to sign up for alerts

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As wild re risk continues to cause concern in Colorado, Douglas County approved spending on aerial wild re- ghting resources, including helicopter use.

Outlining why the county needs the helicopter resource, a county sta memorandum noted “increasing annual re occurrence coupled with warmer and drier than average climate forecasts for 2023.”

Douglas County’s commissioners at their April 11 meeting voted to approve $1.1 million for this year’s helicopter use contract, lasting from June 1 to Oct. 31 to cover what are historically the months of highest re frequency and severity in the county, according to the memo.

“We know the biggest natural hazard threat to Douglas County is a wild re,” Commissioner Abe Laydon said in a news release.

Helicopter use goes back years e county started contracting for

SKY ZONE

school parties and o ers parents a variety of ways to keep their chil-

helicopter use for wild re suppression in 2011, according to Mike Alexander, the deputy director of emergency management for the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce.

At that point, county o cials contracted for helicopter use on a “call when needed” basis.

“In March 2011, we utilized our CWN contract with Rampart Helicopter to suppress the Burning Tree re near Franktown, to great success,” Alexander said.

As opposed to the “call when needed” arrangement, Douglas County has contracted for so-called “exclusive use” helicopter support since 2018, according to Alexander.

Since 2018, the county’s contract helicopters have responded to 34 wild res and made 416 water drops, Alexander said.

“One of our most successful missions was the 2020 Chatridge 2 re where our contract helicopter arrived with the rst units and was instrumental in structure protection,” he added.

Douglas County can also help out its neighboring counties, according to Alexander.

“One notable 2022 incident was the Snow Creek re, an assist to Jef-

dren active.

Sky Zone gives individuals the opportunity to run, jump and play on a mix of attractions such as Ninja Courses, the Toddler Zone, Air Courts, Drop Zones, Zip Lines and immersive iWalls.

ferson County,” he added.

From June 1 to Oct. 31, 2022, Douglas County’s contracted helicopter responded to 11 wild res and made 148 water drops on res.

“All res the helicopter responded to were held to 5 acres or less, and most of these did not receive any media attention due to rapid suppression,” Alexander said.

In 2022, Douglas County’s helicopter costs totaled about $1 million, according to Alexander. e county does not own any helicopters or other manned-aviation assets, he said.

“Our primary mission is initial attack wild re suppression, and we have utilized the helicopter on a limited basis for smoke investigations, lightning re reconnaissance, and search and rescue support,” he added.

e county contracted with a company called Trans Aero Ltd. A type 2 helicopter capable of delivering 300 gallons of water to the front lines of a wild re will be ready to respond from June through October this year, according to the news release.

Additionally, the county commissioners approved four “call when needed” air support contracts for

In a statement, Senior Vice President of Franchise and Business Development Mike Revak saidc the company is thrilled to have the Nettletons join the network.

As the Nettletons felt the need for this type of experience in their

use from April 12 to Dec. 31 this year, each for up to $100,000, providing additional re ghting resources, the news release said.

Protect your home

Wild res can strike in any season and move extremely fast, and neighborhoods can be at risk, the news release noted.

e county urged residents to register their phone lines for CodeRED noti cations, also known as reverse 911. e system alerts people by phone, email and text about emergencies in their area. It also provides instructions on what to do to protect life and property, the county’s website says.

e system can notify the public about police activity, lost children, wild res and other emergencies nearby.

See tinyurl.com/Wild reNoti cation to sign up for alerts.

Residents can also do their part to prepare for wild res by doing mitigation work around their properties and creating a “defensible space” between vegetation and their homes, the county’s website says. For more information, see douglas. co.us/building-division/wild remitigation.

community, they began looking at locations in 2022. With a speci c location in mind, the team hopes to have the space under contract shortly and in possession to start improvements late spring or early summer of this year.

Douglas County voters split on school funding, per survey

2023 ballot question considered

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Douglas County voters remain split on whether they support approving a bond and mill levy override for the school district since the funding measures narrowly failed in November 2022, according to new survey results.

e Douglas County school board received survey results from registered voters likely to participate in November 2023 election from Denver-based consultants Pac/West Strategies. e results were discussd during the April 11 meeting.

Of the 400 voters who answered the survey, 49% would vote for a mill levy override to pay sta competitive wages and 48% would vote for a bond to help nance new schools and building maintenance. When asked if they generally supported increasing school funding, 67% of voters agreed.

Mark Truax, president of Pac/ West Strategies, said the di erence is likely because jargon used for ballot questions can be hard for voters to decipher. Truax added that he is optimistic about the results because they show that support from last year hasn’t dropped.

In the 2022 election, a $60 million mill levy override to increase sta salaries and bene ts received 49% of

the vote, while a $450 million bond for new schools and building maintenance received 46% of the vote.

“ e fact that there has not been an erosion in support between election day of last year and spring break of this year bodes very, very well,” he said.

When it comes to e ective arguments for the bond and mill levy override, survey results show 66% voters are persuaded by messaging about how investing in schools is an investment in the entire community and 65% are persuaded by the details of the school district’s lack of funding comparative to other districts.

A majority of respondents said competitive pay, increased career and technical education, improving safety and security, and maintaining

buildings were important to fund.

Truax said he wants voters to think of the bond and mill levy override as a package deal that will both contribute to attracting and retaining sta , who drive the success of the district, which ultimately helps the success of the community.

“It’s looking at it as an investment in our students and schools and looking at it holistically and what are the resources needed, not just the people, but the infrastructure,” he said.

One challenge the results pointed to is that voters may be reluctant to raise taxes with the current level of in ation, with 66% of respondents saying that they’d be less likely to approve funding because of economic impacts.

Respondents said the district’s top two issues are that the environment is too political and the lack of competitive pay for teachers and sta .  Additionally, while 54% said the school district has a favorable reputation, only 32% said the school board has a favorable reputation.  e board has not made any ofcial decisions on putting a bond or mill levy override on the 2023 ballot, but their discussions have indicated they will return to voters again this year, though the asks may be slightly di erent.

Board members are considering increasing the mill levy override question from $60 million for sta compensation to around $65 million for sta compensation and adding 10 school resource o cers to the district.

The Douglas County School District will move forward with the equity policy.

SETTLEMENT

to a lack of competency — period,” he said. “I will not allow this matter to distract me from focusing on our students and securing more competitive pay for our teachers and sta .”

Board Member Williams also provided a statement, saying she voted to re Wise because she felt he was “unable to meet the requirements of an e cient and e ective leader.”

“I’m thankful we can nally move forward and put the focus back on our students and sta ,” Williams said.

Myers, Peterson, Williams and Winegar campaigned and were elected on platforms that included removing mask mandates in schools and making changes to the district’s equity policy.

Wise’s complaint alleged those actions, as well as numerous statements from the four board members, were evidence they were motivated by discriminatory views against immunocompromised people, people of color and LGBTQ+ people.

“I think their actions were retaliatory and discriminatory, not only against me, but all of the students that we were trying to protect,” Wise said, adding that they showed “poor leadership.”

e goal with the complaint is to stand up against discrimination and push back against partisanship and misinformation, Wise said.

Iris Halpern, Wise’s attorney, agreed, saying it’s important for there to be consequences to putting politics before students, which is a ght not unique to Douglas County.

“Hopefully this sends the message to communities that we have to be careful about how our education systems are politicized, not to vilify minority groups that need the most support and that there is an intentional playbook that is talking place right now,” Halpern said. “ ere’s a larger attempt to exploit the situation and create division and hate for political power. It’s not happening by accident.”

TREE CITY

e Metro District supports a thriving urban forest by maintaining the health of current trees, ghting tree-related insects and disease and providing free community tree and limb recycling . e metro district also leads a tree planting program, which coordinates with annual Arbor Day activities.

“We do a very good job of identifying the right tree in the right place for replacement,” said Donovan. “We dedicate our maintenance resources to get that new tree established to be a part of the Highlands Ranch landscape.”

e Metro District was recognized as it met the program’s four requirements. According to the press release, Tree City USA communities must maintain a tree board or department, while the Metro District has a forestry division and the community must have a tree-care ordinance.

In addition, the community must have a dedicated annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and host an Arbor Day obser-

Superintendent Corey Wise speaks with Becky Myers at a Douglas County School Board meeting in 2021. Myers voted to fire Wise after she was elected to the board.

FILE PHOTO BY JESSICA GIBBS

Wise said he is thankful for the support he’s received from community members and wants the best for the district. He urged the district to continue to focus on educational equity and nd ways to come together.

“Each of our students’ experiences going through school is the social piece of learning, so (addressing equity) is just as imperative as teaching academics,” he said. “If we don’t provide a safe environment for every student to learn, how are they going to reach their potential?”

Wise’s ring was a watershed for the school district, with more than 1,000 teachers calling out sick and students walking out of class to protest the termination the day before it happened.

It came under extra scrutiny when school board members Elizabeth Hanson, Susan Meek and David Ray alleged the decision had been made outside of public meetings, which would violate Colorado’s Open Meetings Law.

Douglas County resident Bob Marshall, who is now also a state house representative, sued the district over the alleged open meetings law violation and that suit is still in court.

In a preliminary order issued in March 2022, Douglas County District Court Judge Je rey Holmes agreed that the board members had violated the law and ordered the members to conduct all public business in public meetings and follow open meetings law.

School board members Myers, Peterson, Williams and Winegar maintain they did not violate any laws. Wise currently works for the Cherry Creek School District.

vance and proclamation.

On April 21, the Metro District will celebrate Arbor Day with a volunteer tree planting at Paintbrush Park, located at 4901 Valleybrook Drive. Boy Scout Troop 870 volunteers will help plant new trees in the park.

“We’ll have a little tree talk prior to the planting and then we will plant some trees and have a great experience with those kids and hopefully they remember it and can come back and look at these tree in perpetuity and say to their kids and grandkids ‘I planted these trees’,” said Donovan.

Donovan said they plan to plant bur oak, talpa and hackberry trees.

Following the Arbor Day planting, a spring tree recycling event will be held on Sunday, May 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. where residents can recycle discarded tree limbs and woody plant materials.

e event will take place in the Redstone Park parking lot near Halftime Help Stadium located at 3270 Redstone Park Circle. e event will also have free mulch available on a self-serve basis.

For more information about tree care in Highlands Ranch, visit https://www.highlandsranch.org/ resources/forestry.

knowthesignsofchildabuseandneglectandwhat todoifyoubelieveachildisatrisk.

Slash-mulch site open

The County’s main slash-mulch site, at 1400 Caprice Drive in Castle Rock, is open Saturdays only from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. through Oct. 28. For more information, directions and a list of acceptable items, please visit douglas.co.us and search Slash Mulch

Join us for a Live Town Hall on Property Taxes

Join us for a Live Town Hall - What’s Happening with Your Property

Are you, or do you know, a Veteran in need of help?

Funds are available to provide emergency assistance to Veterans struggling with housing, transportation, employment, healthcare and other immediate needs. Visit DouglasVeterans.org to learn more.

What’s happening with your County government?

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

County approves $1.6M to fix Louviers water

Sedalia help also approved

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Years of high levels of radium, a contaminant linked to the risk of cancer, in the rural community of Louviers may soon come to an end now that Douglas County sent federal funding to help the local water system x the problem.

Residents in Louviers — an area south of Highlands Ranch along U.S. Highway 85 — saw a notice from their water provider in early 2019, alerting them that their system exceeded a safety limit for radium in drinking water.

Another letter from the provider, the Louviers Water and Sanitation District, in 2021 outlined that the water had violated the “maximum contaminant level” for radium since late 2018.

In a small community, cost stood in the way of xing the problem. e federal American Rescue Plan Act came in as a lifeline.

e act, often called ARPA, is a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill signed into law in March 2021 with a goal to support the economic and public health recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

“Any assistance, especially nancial, that Douglas County could provide through ARPA” would be “critical in keeping this community going,” Matt Collitt, board president of the Louviers water district, wrote

in a 2021 letter. His words were addressed to Douglas County’s elected leaders, who voted to send federal funding for upgrades to Louviers’ water system at an April 11 meeting this year. e county commissioners also voted to provide American Rescue

Plan dollars to Sedalia — a short drive south of Louviers on the same highway — where another aging water system has often experienced issues.

Health risks in Louviers

e discovery of radium in the

water put the Louviers water district under an enforcement order from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, according to a county news release.

Radium is a naturally occurring

Using ARPA funds, Douglas County approved spending to improve water in Louviers and Sedalia. SHUTTERSTOCK

forms according ment ally soil, in Colorado’s some tent as by lows air, fact levels your levels and

radioactive chemical element that forms when uranium breaks down, according to a state health department fact sheet.

Uranium and radium generally occur naturally at low levels in soil, water, rocks, coal and plants in Colorado, the fact sheet says. Colorado’s natural geology includes some areas with high mineral content and high uranium and radium as well. Radium cannot be detected by taste or smell.

“Everyone breathes in and swallows low levels of radium from the air, water, and food every day,” the fact sheet says. “Exposure to low levels of radium is unlikely to harm your health, but exposure to high levels can increase the risk of cancer and other health e ects.”

e agreement between Doug-

las County and the Louviers water district, approved April 11, provides $1.6 million for construction associated with a radium treatment system. e funding may also be used for replacement of aging or undersized water and wastewater lines, according to county sta . (Aside from supplying drinking water, the Louviers district also provides sewer services.)

Construction could start by this December and could nish by December 2024, according to the agreement.

e agreement also provides that the Louviers water district will participate in other regional water and wastewater agreements along the Highway 85 corridor, Dan Avery, the county’s special projects manager, said during the meeting.

Fixing water lines in Sedalia

Down the road in Sedalia, another water system faces its own issues, including “frequent breaks,” a

presentation linked on the county’s website says.

e presentation notes the “limited” nancial capabilities and revenue sources in the also-small community.

“ ese infrastructure improvements are absolutely vital for us to continue to have a sustainable water source,” Mary Kasal, an engineer for Sedalia Water and Sanitation District, told the county commissioners about the county’s funding decision for Sedalia.

e agreement the commissioners approved April 11 between the county and the Sedalia water district provides $2.6 million for leak repair and costs associated with water line replacement. e agreement also provides that Sedalia’s water system be equipped with an “emergency interconnection” to regional infrastructure that can deliver renewable water supplies, Avery said.

Overall, the project cost totals $8.3

million. Along with funding from the county agreement, Sedalia has more federal funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Kasal said.

Construction could start in summer 2024 and could nish in 2025 or early 2026, according to the agreement.

About the communities

Hundreds of residents live across the Louviers and Sedalia areas, which are unincorporated, meaning they aren’t managed by a city or town government.

Despite its name, the Sedalia Water and Sanitation District does not provide sanitary sewer services, its website says.

Wastewater in Sedalia and surrounding areas is handled by onsite wastewater treatment systems, according to a 2012 report to the commissioners about infrastructure planning in northwest Douglas County.

Fertilizer: arch enemy of waterways.

Streams, lakes and reservoirs don’t need it. Your lawn may not need it, either. Fertilizer, like other products that serve a necessary purpose, can become a problem if misused. Most lawn fertilizers contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, represented by a three-number string on the front of the bag. Nutrient needs vary from lawn to lawn and can only be determined by testing the soil. If over-applied, rain carries away excess nutrients not needed by plants and washes them to the nearest waterway, causing excess algae growth that uses up vital oxygen for fish. Please take the time to have your soil tested to determine your lawn’s needs. This simple, small change in your lawn care makes a huge difference, not only to the health of your lawn but also to your nearby rivers, creeks and lakes.

Local stormwater agencies are teaming together to bring you this message. We take this so seriously that we posted this ad rather than send you more garbage in the mail. One thing is clear: our creeks, rivers and lakes depend on you.

THIS STORMWATER MESSAGE BROUGHT TO YOU BY

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Cherry Creek Schools teacher dies of bacterial meningitis

Public at low risk

BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Arapahoe County Public Health o cials held a virtual press conference April 12 to follow up on their announcement that an Eaglecrest High School teacher died over the weekend after displaying  symptoms consistent with bacterial meningitis.

“We’re very concerned about this case being a case of Neisseria meningitidis, which is a speci c type of bacteria and this bacteria is very, very serious because it causes invasive disease very quickly,” said Dr. Chris Urbina, chief medical o cer for the health agency.

e Cherry Creek School District sent a letter to Eaglecrest families on April 11 informing them that Maddie Schmidt, an Integrated Learning Center teacher died over the weekend. Meningitis is in ammation around the brain and the spinal cord that can be deadly if not treated quickly, Urbina said. Eaglecrest is in the Centennial area.

People who become infected may experience symptoms such as sudden headaches, sti neck, fevers, nausea, vomiting, a sensitivity to light, general illness and occasionally a rash, Urbina added.

e germ may be transmitted by close contact, like a person coughing, he said.

“You actually have to have very close contact with this person, like, greater than eight hours,” Urbina said.

He added that close contact includes sharing food or utensils with an infected person.

“It’s not spread by casual contact,” Urbina added.

e federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention agrees. e bacteria are “not as contagious as germs that cause the common cold or the u,” according to the CDC. “People do not catch the bacteria through casual contact or by breathing air where someone with meningococcal disease has been.”

e health department is concerned that bacteria spread to Schmidt’s brain and caused severe disease.

Jennifer Ludwig, director of the health agency, said a lab-con rmed test led the department to begin an investigation.

“Our team kicked into gear working with Cherry Creek School District to identify close contacts of the individual so that we could begin our contact tracing,” Ludwig said.

“It’s very important that we notify close contacts as quickly as possible because the timeframe in which to reach them, so that they can then seek medical care, is very short.”

Urbina said the health department is working to identify those cases and get them prophylaxis, which he said is a simple antibiotic. If they receive that in a very short time period, the spread of the disease can be prevented, he said.

At this point, the health risk to the general public is very low, Urbina said. He noted it is not being called an outbreak, but rather a case of meningitis.

One reporter asked the health department representatives about the death of another Eaglecrest educator, Judith Geo roy, who also died over the weekend. CPR reported Geo roy was a paraprofessional in the Integrated Learning Center, but Geo roy’s cause of death has not been con rmed.

“We are only investigating the one case — that is the only individual that we have information on at this time,” Ludwig said.

When asked whether Schmidt and Geo roy were close contacts with one another, Ludwig said, “ at is not information that we would be able to disclose at this time. It’s still an open investigation, and we are only investigating the one right now.”

If more cases do come up, the health department will continue to recommend treatment, Urbina said. He said there are two vaccines associated with preventing this type of meningitis, which he said are available on the health department’s website.

“If you’re concerned about protecting yourself against Neisseria meningitidis in general, then I would encourage you to get these vaccines,” he said.

Ludwig said the health department wanted to give its sympathy regarding the deaths at Eaglecrest High School.

“Our hearts go out to the families, to the school community and to the school district. is is a very dicult time for the whole community,” Ludwig said. “We are thinking of you all.”

CULMINATING IN A PRESENTATION OF RIMSKY-KORSAKOV’S “SCHEHERAZADE,” BASED ON THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS, THE PARKER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA BRINGS US A SYMPHONY OF INTERNATIONAL COMPOSITIONS.

Wrapped in stress FROM THE EDITOR

There seems to be some kind of “awareness month” for almost every topic on the planet, so I was not overly surprised to see that April is Stress Awareness Month. Not sure a month quite does it for the level of stress we are under these days, but hey, at least there is an established time to educate the public about it. By nature, I am a stressed person. I have regular anxiety. I have imposter syndrome in several aspects of my life. en, there are the daily realities of life that I do not create in my head to add to the stress. In doing some research, I learned about three levels of stress, which include:

• Acute stress – is is known as more “brief” stress. However, those brief stresses are common and frequent. is kind of stress is caused by reactive thinking where negative thoughts re ect current events and situations.

• Episodic acute stress – is is when a person experiences acute stress frequently. is level of stress may leave someone feeling like they are always under pressure and that things are always going to go wrong.

• Chronic stress – is is the most harmful type of stress, especially if left untreated. is level of stress never fades, leaving someone to feel pressured and overwhelmed over a long period of time.

Stress does not just a ect the mind. I can attest to that in telling you all something I rarely talk about. Not because I am embarrassed, but it is hard to explain.

In my early 20s, I was getting my journalism career started, had recently been married and was waking up feeling o some mornings. My tongue was hurting and something was wrong.

After getting married and moving in with my husband, we found out I was having seizures in my sleep. I never had them during the day and they only happened on occasion. ey had also never happened before.

I was sent to a neurologist who ran tests and found nothing wrong or nothing to explain it, especially given that the seizures only occurred in my sleep. He considered it to be hormones and maybe other causes but eventually told me I would either have to learn to deal with the stress of my job or nd another career.

Seizures can a ect everyone di erently. For me, it impacted some of my memories. I do not remember dating my husband and sometimes he has to remind me of things that happened in those early years of marriage.

ere was no way I was going to give up my career, so I started working with doctors and therapists on what to do.

To this day, I am still a stressed person by nature, but on those particularly bad days, I have a di erent feeling or sense. I know that before going to sleep, I must destress. I must take some time to smile and try not to think about the day I just had.

I haven’t had a seizure since I was 32. I am now 44.

To this day, we still do not know for sure what exactly triggered these seizures, but it did force me to be a lot more aware of what is happening to me on a mental health level.

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

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Choose Eller for South Suburban

As former members of the South Suburban Parks & Recreation District Board of Directors, we join many others in asking district voters to elect Pam Eller in the May 2 board election.

Pam previously served on the BOD from 2010 to 2018, and she has remained active and invested in South Suburban in the ve years since being term-limited in 2018.

We four had the pleasure of serving either concurrently or in overlapping terms with Pam and are familiar with her many strengths. We encouraged her to run again in this election, believing that her leadership and knowledge will be of immense value in the coming four years.

SEE LETTERS, P13

Don’t let fear block goals

She was invited to speak at her rst women’s conference. Although Carolyn was excited about the opportunity to nally be invited to share her story, she was petri ed of speaking in public. Without a real opportunity to speak that was immediately in front of her, she would dream about one day becoming a speaker. She could see herself on stage wowing the audience. But now, it suddenly became very real for her, and with each passing day, her panic levels increased. She couldn’t eat, she couldn’t sleep, and she couldn’t focus on her full-time job. And sadly, a week before she was scheduled to speak, she backed

Allen is in sales. Allen is having a very difcult beginning to his year as his numbers are way o . He has heard the word “no” so often

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

already this year that he has developed a fear of asking the prospect for the business. Before each call he began thinking to himself, “ is prospect will just say no too.” He decided he would rather just not ask for the business, hoping they would ask him for an agreement, because he feared the word, “no.” is became so bad for Allen that he actually stopped making prospecting calls as he was fearful that no one would take his calls. His email and social media reach out campaigns became informational without any calls to action as he was afraid no one would reply or he would be blocked. So now he shared that his biggest fear is losing his job for non-performance. Unfortunately, Allen is right, he is in danger and has been placed on a performance improvement plan.

Fear impacts us all in di erent ways. For some the grip of fear becomes paralyzing. For others, they have learned to work through their

SEE NORTON, P13

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Thelma Grimes

LETTERS

roughout her previous board service, Pam earned the support of many across the district for her work ethic, integrity, fair-mindedness and compassion. Pam was always thoroughly prepared for each board meeting, adding thoughtful comments and often a fresh perspective to decisions that came before the board, and she had a remarkable ability to listen carefully to help nd workable solutions to constituents’ issues and requests. We all will be well-served if Pam is elected once again on May 2.

You may vote in this election if you are a resident and/or property owner within the district boundaries:

1. At the polls on Tuesday, May 2 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Goodson Recreation Center, 6315 S. University Blvd., Centennial.

2. By absentee ballot — Voters who have signed up on South Suburban’s Permanent Absentee Voter (PAV) List automatically receive a mail ballot for every South Suburban May election. To be added to this list, visit www.ssprd.org and search “2023 Election.” e link to the Application for Absentee Ballot is on the Elections page. To speed the application process and receive a ballot for this election, take a phone photo or make a PDF of your completed application and email it to Elections@ ssprd.org. Questions? Call South Suburban Elections at 303-483-7011 during regular business hours, M-F, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Visit the Elections page to learn more about all six candidates running for the two open seats in this election. With your vote on May 2, Pam Eller will again work collaboratively with the board, sta , and residents to maintain and strengthen our recreational amenities for the personal and nancial health of our entire community.

Kay Geitner, Centennial, 20042012, board chair 2010-2012

Sue Rosser, Centennial, 2008-2016

John Ostermiller, Littleton, 20092018, board chair 2012-2018

Mike Anderson, Lone Tree, 20102018

Zoning plans hurt homeowners

Douglas County commissioners are considering zoning regulations changes that would let them approve new high-density developments without regard to the character of the existing neighborhood. ese changes would give developers an easier route to getting multi-family, HUD projects, apartments, and other urban-style housing inserted into Douglas County’s longtime single-family traditional communities. Governor Polis is attempting a similar result with the terrible SB23213 that steals the zoning authority of citizen-elected council members in towns across Colorado, handing one-size- ts-all control to the state in the name of more “a ordable housing.”

e county’s proposed zoning changes come after the commissioners voted 2-1 ( omas and Teal yes, Laydon no) to rezone so a 220-unit apartment complex can be built on the northwest corner of Scott Avenue and Parker Road. Over 50 upset homeowners from Stone Creek Ranch and the Pinery, many of them residents for decades, testi ed at the January commissioner hearing to voice their concerns about strained water resources, more tra c, and other problems. e month before, the eight-member Planning Commission had voted unanimously to deny the developer’s rezoning request because this large development didn’t meet some of the rezoning criteria, primarily that it was not compatible with the character of the surrounding neighborhood according to current zoning regulations and the Douglas County Comprehensive Master Plan. Two commissioners ignored the advi-

sory body they had appointed and voted to rezone anyway. Now the proposed zoning criteria changes would essentially allow more apartments to be built by removing the requirement for new development to preserve the character of the existing neighborhood. Zoning is the mechanism that determines the very nature of a community; zoning criteria preserve the reasons that residents love Douglas County and have invested their sweat, tears and savings into their homes and raising their families here. ese families have every right to expect local government to preserve their communities without being labeled NIMBYs. Government should not permanently alter neighborhoods after thousands of families have moved in, trusting the existing rules.

Also, changing the zoning criteria as proposed would make it nearly impossible for citizen groups to appeal the commissioners’ rezoning decisions. It’s probably not a coincidence that the local homeowners’ group that objected to the rezoning is doing just that; their appeal is now before the Colorado District Court. Bit by bit, state and even local governments seem allied in their determination to chip away at our property rights and urbanize our neighborhoods. If you’re concerned, email your county commissioners

who will meet in May to vote on the new zoning rules: BOCC@douglas. co.us

Joy Overbeck Parker

Polis wants renters, not owners Jared Polis’ SB23-213 is designed to make us all renters forever instead of homeowners who can build wealth and equity by living happily in our beautiful Colorado communities. is bill would impose ”a ordable housing” that is, apartment buildings, on town and cities, overriding their local control with dictatorial statewide mandates (coloradocommunitymedia.com/ stories/local-leaders-oppose-govpolis-housing-bill-for-taking-awaylocal-control,428079) But it’s market forces that govern housing prices, and its in ation, and out-of-control homebuilding regulations, and especially the disastrous construction defects law that are making homeownership too costly for so many of our citizens. e legislature should x these problems before trying to change all of our communities into look-alike cities with citi ed apartment housing.

Our Colorado property rights are being trampled on by Colorado legislators bent on turning Colorado

SEE LETTERS, P23

FROM PAGE 12

fears, developing strategies and coping mechanisms to help overcome their fears in certain situations. And some of us face our fears head on.

It’s not that the fear isn’t there, it’s just that they acknowledge their fear and summon the courage to deal with it in that moment. Still there are others who say they have no fear, that they aren’t afraid of anything, and these are the folks who lie about other things too.

We all have fears, and that’s normal and okay. What we should strive to work towards is not letting our fears stop us from achieving our goals. We can never let our fears get in the way of who we want to be and what we want to do. When fear wins, we lose, and when we allow fear to cheat us from achieving our goals it’s a double loss.

Here are a few things that I have learned to lean into when I have felt fearful. First is this that hope and fear are the same thing, a belief that something is going to happen in the future. So why not live with hope instead of fear, hoping that something good will happen and not anything bad. Second is turning fear into an

acronym, F.E.A.R. stands for False Evidence Appearing Real. And lastly, the famous quote said by so many, but I will choose this version, “Courage is not the absence of fear, it is the realization that there is something more important than fear.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Here’s the good news, Carolyn overcame her fear of public speaking by learning how to be overprepared with her content. She learned other helpful speaking tips from Toastmasters, and she is doing awesome. Allen not only survived his 90-day performance improvement plan, he is also back to focusing on doing his sales behaviors, following a sales process, and winning business. Fear for both is a thing of the past. Are you holding on to any fears that are keeping you from achieving your goals? I would love to hear your hope and fear story at gotonorton@ gmail.com and when we can never allow our fears to cheat us out of our goals and dreams, 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.

BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE OLOVE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In a state that has over 400 breweries and almost 100 distilleries, approaching the topic of sobriety can be a hard conversation for many people to have.

But with low-key, no-fuss non-alcoholic options at many establishments across the metro, it doesn’t have to be a big deal if you don’t want to drink, whatever your reasons.

Mocktails that you wouldn’t even know were NA

Golden Moon Speakeasy in Golden uses all its own distilled spirits and creates unique craft cocktails at’s all the more reason that general manager Kayla Veatch sees to o er quality, non-alcoholic options.

“My overall philosophy when I changed the menu was to have the same options as the alcohol menu,” Veatch said.

So no, you won’t have to order a water if you’re the designated driver. e mocktails at Golden Moon use highly steeped teas to replace alcohol and utilize many of the same syrups and NA ingredients the cocktails use.

Mocktails are a great option for people ready to slow down on alcohol for the night, people taking certain medications, pregnant people and people exploring sobriety, Veatch said. e speakeasy even serves mocktails to children before 9 p.m.

Having an inclusive menu makes an establishment like this a gathering place for groups, Veatch explained.

“People can still come together….if I didn’t have mocktails, I wonder if they would still be excited to come,” she said about group members who don’t consume alcohol.

Some of the mocktails Veatch makes include the Cloud City, which features an earl grey tea base, ginger, lemon and elder ower, or the Cheshire Cat, which features a butter y pea ower tea base, passionfruit juice and lime. Veatch even makes a copycat smoked whiskey.

Golden Moon Speakeasy is located at 1111 Miner’s Alley in Golden.

An alcohol alternative

For those looking for another NA drink option, perhaps with health bene ts, kombucha has been a popular choice.

Kombucha has been added as an option at many breweries, bars and co ee shops around Colorado; but Marc Gaudreault owns one of only two kombucha tap rooms on the front range.

Before the pandemic, the Trubucha tap room in Lone Tree had space for people to sit inside and enjoy a glass of kombucha. According to Gaudreault, Trubucha actually grew during the pandemic, and the demand for his product is so great he needs most of his shop space for fermenting the kombucha in huge vats.

Still, Trubucha boasts 31 taps in the store and has a spacious patio for people to enjoy kombucha, lemonade, ginger beer or cold brew.

So, what is kombucha? Put simply, Gaudreault explained, it’s lightly fermented tea. But the health bene ts are much more lengthy, he said. Most notably, the drink has an abundance of natural probiotics,

Kayla Veatch crafts a mocktail.

A lineup of mocktails at Golden Moon.

Water gardeners to show o ponds

Co lorado Water Garden Society members, including Jim Arneill of Centennial, will conduct tours of the ponds at Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St. in Denver, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on April 20. They will also have advice for prospective water gardeners.

Installation coming to museum

“Abstract Expressions,” a new sound and garden installation, will open on the terraces of the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver in May, envisioned by artist Nathan Hall, in collaboration with Kevin Phillips Williams, assistant curator and horticulturist, Denver Botanic Gardens. The museum is at 1250 Bannock St. in downtown Denver. See clyffordstillmuseum.org.

Highlands Ranch Concert Band

The Highlands Ranch Concert Band will present “Natural Wonders Across America” at 3 p.m. on May 7 at Littleton High School Auditorium, 199 East Littleton Blvd. Rob Yost will conduct. Free.

Arapahoe Philharmonic

“Summer Songs of Support” will be a fundraising concert, banquet and silent auction held by the Arapahoe Philharmonic at 7 p.m. on June 2 at The Dome at AMG, 6295 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Greenwood Village. Tickets, $75. Featuring Sauel Chang, piano; Jackson Bailey, violin; Jacob Martin, cello.

Benefit craft fair

A craft fair to benefit the ACC Foundation will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 6 in the first-floor, west-side Summit Room at Arapahoe Community College, 5900 S. Santa Fe Drive in Littleton. Vendor registration fee benefits ACC Foundation and Study Abroad Programs.

OPTIONS

as well as B vitamins and an acidic composition that some say can help your gut health.

For many, this drink has become a replacement for beer and other alcoholic beverages, partly due to its prevalence in drinking establishments.

“We have some breweries that go through three of these (kegs) in a week,” Gaudreault said.

People who choose not to drink should have options besides a soda, Gaudreault said.

“You want something that is a little more sophisticated,” he said.

Trubucha is located at 10047 Park Meadows Drive Unit A in Lone Tree.

Make it at home yourself

For those looking to have an NA drink at home, e Spice and Tea

Dog walks

Historic Littleton Inc. leads dog walks along a di erent section of the City Ditch. Meet in Ridgewood Park, 2492 West Euclid Ave. See some of the oldest sites in Littleton. Tour guide is Rebeca Kast, with Dog-Mayor Murdoch and friends. Questions? email historiclittleton@gmail.com. Park in small lot at Lower Ridgewood Park . Dogs are welcome. Tours are free. Donations are welcome. Next one is at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 7.

Spring Show

e Arapahoe Community College

Art and Design Department is hosting its annual Spring Show at Aspen Grove April 20-May 7. Reception: April 20, 5-7 p.m. 7301 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton.

Lone Tree

e Mary Louise Lee Orchestra will perform music of Natalie Cole at 8 p.m. April 21 at Lone Tree Arts Center. Tickets: $31-$45. See lone-

Exchange in Idaho Springs has almost everything you need to get started on your very own mocktail creation.

Logan Houser, manager at e Spice and Tea Exchange in Idaho Springs, explained that the shop has all sorts of ingredients to make cocktails or mocktails at home.

e sugar and salt wall, which contains countless canisters of avored granules, is a good place to get ingredients to sweeten your mocktails or rim the glasses, according to Houser.

“It all just depends on what you’re trying to achieve,” he said.

e store has many types of teas, some of which can make for a good mocktail base.

“We have like four or ve teas you can use for mocktails,” Houser said.

He said the fruity teas do really well for those drinks, but you can try out lots of combinations.

“Really anything you buy here is multipurpose,” Houser said.

treeartscenter.org.

Artists invited

Douglas Land Conservancy announces Plein Air Community Day at Sandstone Ranch Open Space. Artists, both professional and casual are invited. Five awards will be given at the end of the day, to young artists. See douglaslandconservancy.org.

Stories on Stage

Stories on Stage will perform “Confessions of a Wedding Singer” at 2 p.m. on May 7 at Su Teatro, 721 Santa Fe Drive, Denver. Virtual performance May 11 and after. Tickets: $24. 303-494-0523, storiesonstage.org.

Book launch

Mary Taylor Young’s new “Bluebird Seasons” will launch at e Bookies, 4315 E. Mississippi, Denver, at 2:30 p.m. on May 7.

‘The Little Prince’ “ e Little Prince” by Rachel Port-

man will be presented at Lamont School of Music April 20-23 in University of Denver’s Newman Center. bit.ly/lamontopera.

Art in Highlands Ranch

Ken Caryl Art Guild Exhibit will be at St. Andrew UMC, 9203 S. University Blvd., Highlands Ranch, from May 5 to June 14.

Vintage Theatre

“ e Inheritance” by Matthew Lopez runs through May 14 at Vintage eatre, 1468 S. Dayton St, Aurora. Part 1 and Part 2 add up to three hours with intermissions. See website to arrange timing for tickets: vintagetheatre.org.

Aurora Fox

“Treasure Island: a New Musical for a New Generation,” directed by Nick Sugar will run April 28 to May 21 at Aurora Fox Arts Center. Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. See aurorafox.org.

e shop also o ers cocktail kits with sugars, teas and syrups to make drinks, which Houser said are popular for people to use for NA drinks.

“You can change them out for club soda,” he said of champagne or other alcohol recommended in the recipes.

e Spice and Tea Exchange is located at 1634 Miner St. in Idaho Springs.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, call the alcohol addiction hotline at 331-200-1664, or visit alcohol.org.

Kayla Veatch strains a mocktail.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA JEWELL LOVE

Colorado Water Garden Society members will conduct tours of the ponds at Denver Botanic Gardens.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS

SONYA’S SAMPLER

Hudson Gardens is gem for generations

Lovely acreage has roots in namesake couple

BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

I spent a happy Monday afternoon soaking up Colorado sunshine and the beautiful views at Hudson Gardens with my grandson. And I wanted to remind readers that it’s a really lovely way to spend a few hours — just being there! It’s free, beautifully maintained by South Suburban Parks and Recreation District and o ers an ever-changing menu of growing things. Soon, the Rose Garden will be blooming, as will the Water Lily Pond and trees and shrubs ... including fragrant lilacs.

In 1940, Col. King C. Hudson was stationed at Fort Logan in Denver and his wife, Evelyn, joined him. He was ready to retire soon and the couple decided they would like to live in the area and start the restaurant she had been wanting to operate after a career in the foods business in Chicago. (Marshall Field’s tearoom in particular.) ey looked at various properties and decided on a large plot of farmland in Littleton, near the bank of the South Platte River.

Local old-timers in this primarily agricultural community shook their heads over that restaurant idea. “People will never come this far south to have dinner,” they said.

First, the Hudsons built a log home for themselves, close to the riverbank, then they designed and built the log Country Kitchen Restaurant on Santa Fe Drive.

e pair had traveled widely in Europe and Asia and she had written a series of “Tummy Travel” books about food they’d enjoyed. (Some reprints are available in the Gardens’ shop.) e restaurant opened with bu et assortments of foods re ecting various nationalities and added some more traditional menu dinners as well. e Country Kitchen was an immediate success, was recommended in the latest Duncan Hines travel guidebook that many driving travelers carried and, drew crowds

from Denver, as well, who returned soon with more friends in tow. At rst, the pair would close the restaurant in the winter after the holidays and travel for a while, opening again in warmer weather, but eventually, it had a sta who could keep the operation running.

In the early 1950s, Marathon Oil and Martin Marietta both opened labs nearby, drawing employees who enjoyed good food. Our family came to work for Marathon and soon visited the Hudsons’ restaurant with our families. (Moving here, in the middle of the U.S., with Rocky Mountains close enough for a picnic excursion, seems to guarantee lots of company, which is usually ne, as long as there’s time to wash sheets in between!)

Eventually, the busy couple retired, renting the log building to another food person, who operated as e Northwoods Inn, with a huge Paul Bunyan gure standing by their sign.

e Hudsons continued to live in their riverside home. He raised purebred horses and she became interested in beautifying her city, contributing trees and planting materials to the new Arapahoe Community College campus and elsewhere. She also served on the Littleton Fine Arts Board, seeking ways to pay for sculpture and an art collection for the growing city.

She told me of a visit to the city planning o ce to inquire about something. (A visit she made quite frequently.) While there, she saw a drawing on a desk of riverfront land that included hers, she realized. Planners’ drawings showed that land lled with houses and apartments.

I can remember Evelyn telling me a few days later that she had driven home and immediately called her lawyer and set up a foundation that day, which would protect the Hudson acreage as open land. Her thinking quickly progressed to creating a place of beauty that people of all

ages could enjoy and appreciate — and perhaps learn a bit about how to grow beautiful plants and teach others about that beauty.

She called a few close friends and her beloved nephew, Don Had eld, and soon was involved in setting up the rst Hudson Gardens Board of Directors, which met in her living room monthly — and at times, more often. Local landscape architect Doug Rockne was hired to design Hudson Gardens, with input from British horticulturalist Andrew Pierce. Board members and sta were generous with time and expertise at public gardens visited across the U.S. and in Canada. From Longwood Gardens in Philadelphia to Buchart Gardens in Vancouver, Canada.

Plans were drawn and redrawn and plant lists were developed and landscapers hired. Soon, a lovely garden was open for business ... I feel certain, Evelyn is somewhere, smiling ...

A water lily at Hudson Gardens. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

Thu 4/27

Tom Mcelvain Music @ 5pm

The Englewood Tavern, 4386 S Broadway, Englewood

Jamie Lissow @ 6:30pm

Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Pl, Greenwood Village

Fri 4/28

Mark O'Connor @ 6pm Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St, Lone Tree

Vamonos Pest/Mobro:

Vamonos Pest at Cherokee Ranch & Castle @ 5:30pm

Cherokee Ranch & Castle, 6113 N Daniels Park Rd, Sedalia

Wild Pink @ 6pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

R�N for Fire Heroes - Fire�ghter Strength Challenge & 5K @ 11pm / $30

Apr 30th - May 7th

1071 Round Top Lane, Castle Rock

Mon 5/01

Social Skills: Group for Teens (1317 yrs) S/S23 @ 5am

May 1st - Aug 31st

Parker Recreation Center, 17301 E Lincoln Ave., Parker

Kids’ Zone: Gym Jam (3-6 yrs) S/S23 @ 5am

May 1st - Aug 31st

Jamie Lissow @ 6:15pm

Comedy Works South, 5345 Land‐mark Pl, Greenwood Village

Tom Mcelvain Music @ 7pm Wild Goose Saloon, Parker

Dave Hadley: Water 2 Wine w/ June Star @ 5pm

Water 2 Wine, 8130 S University Blvd #110, Centennial

Ryan Chrys & The Rough Cuts @ 8pm Wild Goose Saloon, Parker

Miguel Mateos @ 8:30pm

Stampede, 2430 S Havana St, Aurora

Sat 4/29

The Slocan Ramblers: Five String Barn Concert @ 6:30pm

Five String Barn Concert, Castle Rock

Sun 4/30

Parker Recreation Center, 17301 E Lincoln Ave., Parker

BOOM Sports: (18 mos-6 yrs) 10 Punch Card S/S23 @ 5am

May 1st - Aug 31st

Parker Fieldhouse, 18700 E Plaza Dr, Parker

Preschool Month RegistrationMay @ 8am / Free May 1st - May 31st

Parker Fieldhouse, 18700 E Plaza Dr., Parker. 303-805-6315

Tue 5/02

Gymnastics: Ninja: Mighty Ninja (34 yrs) May @ 3pm

May 2nd - May 23rd

Parker Recreation Center, 17301 E Lincoln Ave., Parker

Denver Concert Band: Young Artist Concert @ 1pm / $22

Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075

Commons Street, Lone Tree. Info@ DenverConcertBand.org, 720-5091000

Ruston Kelly @ 6pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

Wed 5/03

Dear Marsha,: DM Acoustic @ Brewability @ 5:30pm Brewability Lab, 3445 S Broadway, Englewood Whitechapel

@ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, En‐glewood

Littleton YMCA Offering Free Family Fun on Healthy Kids Day @ 8am Littleton Family YMCA, 11 West Dry Creek Court, Littleton

6 Million Dollar Band @ 7pm Wild Goose Saloon, Parker

Kelsey Cook @ 6pm

Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Pl, Greenwood Village

New Pornographers @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, En‐glewood

Ladies Night @ 5pm / $10 Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Thu 5/04

Bad Omens: 107.9 KBPI Birthday Bash @ 6pm Fiddlers Green Amphitheater, 6501 S Fid‐dlers Green Cir, Greenwood Village

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Chicks Fly at Wings Over the Rockies

Women have played a role in aviation since humans rst took to the sky, but as is so often the case, they don’t receive nearly the recognition and celebration their male counterparts do. e Wings Over the Rockies’ Chicks Fly! Showcase aims to do something about this fact.

“In the aviation world, ‘chick’ is a term of endearment for women pilots. I’ve been ying for 20 years and have always loved being referred to as a chick pilot,” wrote Ann Beardall, Exploration of Flight Program Coordinator at Wings Over the Rockies, in an email interview. “We’ll have a couple of pilots on duty for airplane rides and you will be amazed at the diversity and depth of experience they have.”

Chicks Fly! will be held at Wings

Over the Rockies Exploration of Flight, 13005 Wings Way in Englewood, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 22. e event will feature guest speaker Col. Kim “Killer Chick” Campbell, who will also be signing her book, “Flying in the Face of Fear.”

Beardall answered some questions about the event, what audiences can expect and more:

Interview edited for brevity and clarity.

Tell me about why it is important to showcase women in aviation.

ere are women who y or have own who have done fantastic things

COMING ATTRACTIONS

in both their careers and the aviation community. Telling their stories and having them meet with future aviators is a great way to generate interest and foster dreams for young girls and young boys.

Clarke Reader

Why is it important to host events like this?

We look for all kinds of di erent aviation events to host and showcase. It is important to highlight di erent aspects of aviation, simply because most people think it’s only about the pilot. Later in the Summer we will highlight First Responders (safety/air ambulance), Taildraggers, helicopters, and we cover drones, air marshalling and much more. As part of our mission we educate, inspire and excite everything aviation, as well as teach the teachers through our Teachers Pathway program.

What part of the event are you most looking forward to?

I can’t wait to see the women pilots come in and I hope they will display objects on their aircraft that will designate it as a Chick Plane. I know my plane will be there. And I am really looking forward to meeting the Killer Chick, herself!

What do you hope attendees

come away with?

I really hope that people from all walks of life will be inspired by listening to Col. Campbell. I also hope that the kids who come, see themselves in aviation. No dreams are out of reach.

Visit Wingsmuseum.org for more information and to purchase tickets.

See the world through the eyes of ‘Blind Visionaries’

e work done by composer and artist Daniel Kelly shows why the idea of siloing arts o into di erent mediums is a foolish idea. His work is a multisensory presentation that highlights his songwriting and piano playing while simultaneously projecting “light painting” portraits, created by visually impaired and sighted photographers from the Seeing With Photography Collective, according to provided information.

Kelly’s show, “Blind Visionaries,” is coming to the Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway, at 7:30 p.m. April 21. Get tickets for the performance at https://lakewood. showare.com/.

Explore the Titanic, as told by the movies

ere are many great debates centered on movies: should Ilsa have gone with Rick at the end of “Casablanca?” Was the latter half of “Inception” a dream? Dude, where’s my car? But one of the great discussions for a

certain generation is whether or not the door at the end of “Titanic” could safely hold both Jack and Rose while they waited on rescue.

As part of the Molly Brown House Museum’s, 1340 Pennsylvania St. in Denver, annual recognition of the anniversary of Titanic’s sinking, it is hosting Room for Two: Titanic Story in Film at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 22. e event will feature an “irreverent” exploration of the vessel’s story in lm and include moviethemed snacks and cocktails. Get the details at www.mollybrown.org.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Wiz Khalifa and Joey Bada$$ at Red Rocks

I’d be pretty pressed to think of a more tting kick o to the warm seasons in Colorado than Wiz Khalifa and Joey Bada$$ co-headlining Red Rocks, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway in Morrison, at 6:45 p.m. April 22.   e rappers will be joined by a slew of genre stalwarts, including Action Bronson, Berner, Marlon Craft, Chevy Woods and Little Stranger, creating the perfect lineup for a spring Saturday night. You can sample all kinds of approaches to rap by attending but they all share a hazy, feel-good vibe. Get tickets at www.axs.com.

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

BY ELLIOTT WENZLER THE COLORADO SUN

Making, possessing and selling so-called ghost guns, the untraceable homemade weapons linked to several recent high-pro le Colorado shootings, will likely soon be illegal in the state.

Democrats in the state legislature Wednesday introduced a measure outlawing the rearms as part of their package of bills this year aimed at curbing gun violence in Colorado.

When guns are made by licensed manufacturers, they are required to have an engraved serial number. If that type of weapon is used in a crime, investigators can trace where it was purchased and by whom.

Additionally, anyone purchasing a

gun in Colorado must go through a background check.

But the proliferation of make-ityourself gun kits and 3D printers has allowed an unknown number of untraceable rearms to be produced by people who are able to skirt Colorado’s universal background check system.

Under the bill, which is set to be introduced in the state Senate, people who already own rearms that have no serial number will have until the start of 2024 to have them engraved with a serial number by a licensed dealer. at transaction would require a background check and recording of the serial number. e bill would also outlaw the purchase and possession of any un nished rearms that don’t have

serial numbers and can be easily assembled, and it would outlaw devices that would let semi-automatic ghost guns re at a rate similar to an automatic weapon.

Under the bill, people found to have created or be in possession of an unserialized rearm or gun frame would face a Class 1 misdemeanor for a rst o ense, punishable by up to 364 days in jail, and a Class 5 felony, punishable by up to three years in prison, for subsequent o enses.

“What we’re going to be doing is interrupting access to guns,” said Sen. Rhonda Fields, an Aurora Democrat. “It’s a very popular weapon for criminals to use because you don’t have to go for a background check. So we’re about to put an end to that so that we can interrupt the level of gun violence that we’re seeing in our state and across the nation.”

Other prime sponsors of the bill are Sen. Chris Hansen, D-Denver; Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins; and Rep. Junie Joseph, D-Boulder.

“No law stops illegal activity,” Hansen said. “I have no doubt there will be people who will break the law. But, the point is, we have nothing on the books right now to address unserialized rearms.”

e measure is expected to cruise through the Democratic-controlled legislature to Gov. Jared Polis, who supports the legislation.

ere’s also growing, bipartisan support outside of the Capitol for regulating ghost guns. e mayors of Denver, Colorado Springs and Aurora wrote a joint opinion column in January supporting legislation that would restrict untraceable guns.

Ghost guns have been associated

with several high-pro le shootings in Colorado over the past year, including one in March when an East High School student with a history of making guns shot two administrators. e alleged shooter in the Club Q massacre in Colorado Springs also had a history of using a 3D printer to produce guns at home.

e bill would also add crimes around unserialized guns and gun parts to the list of reasons someone could be barred from purchasing a rearm.

Eleven states — including Washington, Nevada, California and Rhode Island — as well as Washington, D.C., have enacted laws regulating ghost guns, according to Gi ords Law Center, an anti-gun violence advocacy organization that tracks statutes related to rearms.

Colorado’s forthcoming bill would make it illegal to use a 3D printer to produce a rearm but would not go as far as some states — such as New Jersey — that bar the distribution of instructions for how to make a gun with a 3D printer.

“As federal law has evolved and as the industry tries to get around these regulations we make updates to the law,” said Allison Anderman, an attorney with the Gi ords Law Center, who worked on the Colorado bill.

e Gi ords Law Center is an o shoot of Gi ords, an organization that advocates for tighter gun regulations across the country and is named after former U.S. Rep. Gabby Gi ords. e Arizona Democrat was gravely wounded in a 2011 mass shooting that forced her to retire from

Making, possessing ‘ghost guns’ will likely be illegal

Colorado to receive $31 million settlement from Juul

BY OLIVIA PRENTZEL THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado is expected to receive $31.7 million from electronic cigarette manufacturer Juul Labs in a multistate settlement over claims the company used deceptive marketing tactics and promoted products to teens, the state’s attorney general announced April 11.

e lawsuit, led in 2020, claimed Juul was misrepresenting the health risks of their vapes and targeted young people by hiring social media in uencers to promote e-cigarettes and brand ambassadors to give free samples to teens at Colorado convenience stores.

“ is settlement is a victory for the state of Colorado and everyone who fell victim to Juul’s reckless, deceptive, and unconscionable marketing tactics,” Attorney General Phil Weiser said in a statement. “While no amount of money or new restrictions on Juul’s business practices can undo the harms caused by the teen vaping epidemic, this settlement will make

GHOST GUNS

Congress.

Regulations around ghost guns in other states are all relatively recent, making their e cacy di cult to gauge, Anderman said.

ere are di culties around regu-

great strides toward reducing it and can support young people who are hurting now more than ever.”

Vapes typically contain the same addictive nicotine as other tobacco products.

e settlement funds will be used solely to address tobacco prevention and teen mental health programs, Weiser said in a news conference, despite a news release his o ce sent earlier that said it would be used in part to cover attorneys’ fees.

“ at $31 million is going to be dedicated entirely to supporting young people who have su ered both from a public health and from a mental health perspective,” Weiser said. “ e kids are not OK. Right now they’re su ering. is vaping epidemic is part of that, it has in icted harms that remain and that need to be addressed.”

e attorney general’s o ce will send $167,000 to the National Association of Attorneys General to reimburse them for a grant they provided for investigation and litigation costs, according to the settlement.

lating the production of guns that can be made behind closed doors, but Anderman said the bill will focus primarily on sellers and distributors of ghost gun parts.

“We are trying to essentially go after the supply,” Anderman said.

In 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives issued a rule requiring that kits that can be used to create rearms at

Under the settlement agreement, Juul will be prohibited from using those marketing tactics in the future, Weiser said. e company will also be required to hire a compliance o cer and provide the public opportunities to review documentation of their compliance with the agreement.

Most recent state data shows that 16% of Colorado teens reported they had vaped in the past month. When Colorado led the suit, the state had the highest rate of vaping teenagers in the nation at 27%, double the nation average, according to the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey.

Juul has settled lawsuits with 47 states and territories, paying more than $1 billion, the company said.

“With this settlement, we are nearing total resolution of the company’s historical legal challenges and securing certainty for our future,” a company spokesman said. “Since our companywide reset in the fall of 2019, underage use of JUUL products has declined by 95% based on the National Youth Tobacco Survey.”

home must include serial numbers.

e bill comes as Democrats in the Colorado legislature have taken up four other measures aimed at preventing gun violence. e bills would impose a three-day waiting period for all gun purchases, raise the minimum age for buying guns to 21 and expand Colorado’s red ag law to let teachers, prosecutors and medical professionals also petition a judge to order the

Colorado sued Juul with other attorneys general, including from California, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Mexico and New York. e total settlement was $462 million.

Late last year, Juul announced it settled more than 5,000 cases brought by about 10,000 plainti s in the U.S., sidestepping a substantial amount of legal issues for the company.

“ ese settlements represent a major step toward strengthening Juul Labs’ operations and securing the company’s path forward to ful ll its mission to transition adult smokers away from combustible cigarettes while combating underage use,” the company said in a news release.

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.

temporary seizure of someone’s guns. A fourth bill would make it easier to sue the gun industry.

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.

Davis, who started Clover’s Closet with her daughter, Molly, in 2019.  roughout the month of March, Roots and Mane hosted a prom drive at its salon to collect clothing and accessories to donate to Clover’s Closet, which organized the clothing into a retail setting for students to shop.

Taking it a step further, for Eagle students, the salon hosted a cash and gift card drive.

“Our Roots and Mane family and all of our clients that come here, they … have the most generous, huge hearts. And so it was the perfect platform,” she said. “Truly, it’s touched Jess, my sister, and Jeremy, and I’s heart, with just the amount of donations and people showing up with gift cards and sticking cash in the envelope after an appointment.”

A di erent way of learning

Eagle Academy is an alternative, afternoon and evening high school that serves students between the ages of 16 and 20.

Eagle came to Lone Tree in 2017, said Je Broeker, the high school’s principal. It was founded, however, in the early 1990s as a program that was housed in Highlands Ranch High School.

Initially, the program took about 120 students who were identi ed by an at-risk quali er, Broeker said.

“In the state of Colorado, at-risk has a number of quali ers anywhere from truancy, to credit loss, to learning disabilities, behavioral disorders, homelessness — they’re all various examples of what could identify kids (as) at risk,” he said.

Once the program moved to Lone Tree, it was able to expand to up to 150 students, he said.

“ ey come from all over our district. In fact, all nine traditional schools have representation at Eagle. And occasionally, we will get some out-of-district candidates,” he said, saying the high school has had students from Denver Public Schools, Littleton Public Schools and Cherry Creek Schools.

Eagle is considered a school of choice and is a public school, Broeker said. It is quarterly school, so the student population is frequently changing. e only prerequisite for students is that they have attempted traditional high school.

“What I would like people to

understand is that the word ‘alternative’ shouldn’t bring about this perception of ‘bad,’ or kids that don’t follow rules, or are doing bad things.

“‘Alternative’ should say, ‘ is is a school that provides a di erent way of learning for kids that need a different way of learning,’” Broeker said.

“I think what we do is we provide a unique learning environment for kids who learn di erently, and it’s got a tremendous amount of support.”

Supporting Eagle’s first prom

One of the perceptions some students have about attending an alternative school is that it means they will give up certain big-school traditions, such as prom, Broeker said.

“Prom is a pretty important component, and to bring something like that into a small school setting, it allows our kids to have that same experience,” he said. “Even though they know that the traditional schools are probably not the best place for them to get their academic and mental health needs met, they can still have that same high school experience.”

Eagle Academy will be hosting its rst prom on April 29 at the new Legacy Campus in Lone Tree, with the theme of a night in Paris.  e idea has been in the works since 2019, said Heather Clark, the

volunteer coordinator for Eagle Academy. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the planned 2020 prom had to be canceled.

“I promised the group of students I worked with back in 2019, they made me promise that I wouldn’t change the theme for the rst prom,” Clark said. “It’ll be beautiful, and it’ll be fun.”

When Mayor Jackie Millet and Harmon came to tour Eagle Academy earlier this year, the upcoming prom came up, as did conversations about the nancial hardships some students face.

“I think it’s safe to say that a lot of people assume that Douglas County is a very wealthy district. And I think, for the most part, you do have a signi cant number of families that are fairly well o ,” Broeker said. “But like any community, you always are going to have pockets of people that maybe struggle more.”

Some students at Eagle Academy are working to contribute to their home, he said. Clark added that some are working full-time jobs to help pay for groceries and rent.

“We have a lot of families that are struggling to get by. is is not the cheapest place to live, Douglas County. I mean, Lone Tree is expensive enough, but so is the rest of the county. And you know, people are working hard just to get by,” Broeker

said.

“It’s awesome because it gives some of our students that don’t have semi-formal apparel a way to get it. And if they don’t have the funds, then they have a way to get it,” she said. “I’m very grateful for that because it’ll allow more of our students to go and dress up.”

Clark said she has the mentality that everyone doing a little bit accomplishes a lot.

“Every little thing helps and is de nitely helping our teens who are dealing with adult stu , adult bills, and just trying to make it through high school, and trying to push through and nish and have some fun while doing it,” she said.

Clover’s Closet aims to help

When a student comes to a Clover’s Closet pop-up shop to select formal attire for an upcoming prom or homecoming dance, a goal for Davis is to make it similar to any other shopping experience.

“It’s important to us to do it in a retail setting, so that when they’re coming in, it’s a store. It doesn’t look any di erent from any other store,” Davis said. “So when they come in, they’re able to come in and shop there with their friends. ey’re maintaining those social norms that any kid would have.”

e main di erence from a traditional retail shopping experience is that after a student has found what they want, they don’t have to pay anything.

“It’s available for all students, so it’s all inclusive,” Davis said. “It’s no money, no transactions. You just come in, you shop and everything’s free.”

e importance of this work was evident to Davis during Clover’s Closet prom event last year, when a young lady came in with her mother.  e student selected a bubblegum pink tulle ball gown, a pair of shoes, a purse, some jewelry and makeup, Davis recalled.

“And her mom was sitting there and she was kind of nervous. She goes, ‘So how does this work?’” Davis said, explaining that she then told the mom that everything was free.

“And she looked at me and she started crying,” she said. “And you know, that’s why we do it.”

In addition to hosting these popup shops in the spring and fall, Clover’s Closet also does community outreach with other organizations such as Douglas County Human

Castle Rock Interfaith Community Prayers. A Space for Spiritual Reflections and Conversations

April Topic: The Importance of Truthfulness

Sunday, April 23rd @ 10:30 am - Noon

Philip S. Miller LibraryJames H. LaRue Meeting Room castlerockbahais@gmail.com castlerock.local.bahai.us/

A collection of donated clothes and accessories for the prom drive sits in the corner of Roots and Mane in Lone Tree March 7.

PHOTO BY TAYLER SHAW

SEE PROM, P31

Reality sets in as seniors look at future as adults

Final days a mixture of emotions

BY DELANEY JORDAN SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

With 56 days until the seniors at Castle View High School walk the

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FREE

Red Rocks Stage at graduation, saying goodbye to 13 years of their lives, many are feeling like time is running out as they look to a future known as “adulthood.”

“It’s very daunting. I didn’t expect it to come so soon,” said senior Misha Syed.

With 13 years in the K-12 education system, countless deadlines

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UCHealth Hospital of HR Satellite”)

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Highlands Ranch and UCHealth Hospital

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Highlands Ranch and UCHealth Hospital

met, a solidly developed work ethic, and 20 hours of community service under their belts, one would think these students have been well prepared to move on.

“I am turning 18 in a little over a month, but I don’t feel like an adult,” Syed said. “I am excited to start college because it’s a fresh start and a progression towards my future, but it is a very big change and happening really fast.”

Senior Carter St. Clair said the process is all “bittersweet,” noting she is excited to start new things while at the same time being sad to leave old things behind.

come and gone. Each year, a handful of students have taken an early graduation program o ered at Castle View High School. “Since graduating early, I’ve been able to work a lot to be more nancially prepared for college,” Posch said. “I’m planning on pursuing a double major in nance and youth ministry, so I’ve been having nancial talks with my parents before fully committing.”

Early graduation is a unique experience for many reasons, one of them being no longer returning to school with your classmates.

Donation$ to Rotary Accepted (Cash, Credit Cards, Checks payable to “RC of HR Satellite”)

$25 fee (credit computers/laptops, monitors, TV’s, projection re/systems, hard drives, ptical drives, printers, adding machines, NOT ACCEPTING:

Saturday, May 6, 2023, 9 am - 2 pm

UCHealth Hospital NE parking lot, 1500 Park Central Dr.,Highlands Ranch, CO Enter at Plaza Dr. off Lucent Blvd.

Saturday, May 8, 2021, 9 am - 2 pm

UCHealth Hospital NE parking lot, 1500 Park Central Dr.,Highlands Ranch, CO Enter at Plaza Dr. off Lucent Blvd.

With only two months left in the last year, it is common for students to get senioritis, which is a supposed a iction of students in their nal year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance. Castle View students agree it is real and it hits really hard.

“I have been trying my best to stay focused and not let the idea of graduating a ect my motivation and how hard I work. It’s de nitely tempting to stop trying since I have already committed to CU Boulder, but I have to remind myself to nish strong and that I still have AP tests to take,” Syed said.

“It didn’t really settle that I had graduated until everyone went back to school [after winter break] and I didn’t,” Posch said. “If I’m being honest, I don’t know if it has truly set in and I won’t until I walk across the stage in May. While that’s a little scary, it also makes me proud of myself for doing how well I did in school and that I have made it this far.”

Posch, who has her heart set on attending Indiana Wesleyan University in the fall, is still nervous for adulthood.

Donations to Rotary accepted: cash, credit cards or checks payable to HRR Foundation

*All ELECTRONIC recycling is FREE with the EXCEPTION of a $30 fee (credit cards, cash accepted) per TV regardless of size.

*All ELECTRONIC recycling is FREE with the EXCEPTION of a $25 fee (credit cards, cash accepted) per TV regardless of size. ACCEPTING: computers/laptops, cameras, CD players, cell/desktop phones and systems, copiers, monitors, TV’s, projection TV’s, DVD’s, VCR’s, DVR’s, fax machines, gaming consoles/software/systems, hard drives, hubs, keyboards, mice, modems, MP3 players, network switches, optical drives, printers, remote control routers, servers, software, surge protectors/UPS, toner, adding machines, typewriters, small appliances, stereos/speakers, two-way radios NOT ACCEPTING: thermostats, smoke/CO detectors, light bulbs.

stains, shellacs, sample sizes too. containers. NOT adhesives, roof donation to the many

ACCEPTING: computers/laptops, cameras, CD players, cell/desktop phones and systems, copiers, monitors, TV’s, projection TV’s, DVD’s, VCR’s, DVR’s, fax machines, gaming consoles/software/systems, hard drives, hubs, keyboards, mice, modems, MP3 players, network switches, optical drives, printers, remote control routers, servers, software, surge protectors/UPS, toner, adding machines, typewriters, small appliances, stereos/ speakers, two-way radios.

Senior Kyra Markert said she has been taking challenging classes, and working hard to try and stay on top of schoolwork so she can graduate feeling good about her high school experience. For some seniors, like Alexa Posch, graduation has already

“I think there are a couple of things that I might not be totally prepared to face like cost of living, but I am excited to be able to be more independent,” she said, “I’m scared to leave the familiar. I know so many people here and my family lives here, so it’s hard for me to go to a place 15 hours away with no friends or family around me.”

All PAINT recycling is FREE Accepting oil-based, acrylic, latex, stains, shellacs, lacquers, sealers, varnishes, urethanes. Five-gallon cans or smaller, sample sizes too. Unlimited amounts and must be in original, non-leaking, labeled containers. NOT ACCEPTING: Spray paint, paint thinner, solvents, cleaning agents, adhesives, roof patch, dry-wall mud, etc.

NOT ACCEPTING: thermostats, smoke/CO detectors, light bulbs.

All PAINT recycling is FREE ACCEPTING: oil-based, acrylic, latex, stains, shellacs, lacquers, sealers, varnishes, urethanes. Five-gallon cans or smaller, sample sizes too. Unlimited amounts and must be in original, non-leaking, labeled containers.

The Rotary Club of Highlands Ranch will distribute EVERY penny of your donation to the many worthy causes we support. www.HighlandsRanchRotary.org

NOT ACCEPTING: spray paint, paint thinner, solvents, cleaning agents, adhesives, roof patch, dry-wall mud, etc.

Your generous donations will help support worthy causes and projects the Rotary Club of Highlands Ranch assists throughout the year. www.rotaryclubhr.org

Senior Alexa Posch

Senior Kyra Markert Seniors Lily Defnet (L) and Misha Syed (R) COURTESTY PHOTOS

even dence enjoy enough vigor choose St. I maintain side that’s independence. long being ally asked “adulthood”.

SENIORS

Posch is not the only one worried about being on their own.

“I am still stressed about [college], even though I know where I’m going. e change in scenery and independence is overwhelming. I know I’ll enjoy [college], but it will be a difcult adjustment for sure,” Syed said. “Making sure I am self-su cient enough to continue my academic vigor in whatever environment I choose to go in is important to me,” St. Clair added. “I’m worried that I won’t be disciplined enough to maintain a sustainable lifestyle outside of high school and the structure that’s been built for me.”

Some students are welcoming this independence.

“I’ve felt independent for a very long time, so I’m not worried about being entirely on my own, I’m actually excited for it,” Markert said when asked about her feelings towards “adulthood”.

LETTERS

into a sea of apartment dwellings usurping authority away from local politicians to support ownership, especially single family ownership. Single family ownership that is being swamped, being overrun in favor of non-ownership rentals by shortsighted state and local government policies does not solve the growing

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It’s not just the students feeling like time is running out. Castle View Counselor Zac Ross has noticed “a lot of avoidance” as graduation approaches.

“Avoidance and procrastination are probably the two biggest things we’re seeing right now,” he said. “ ere’s also a little bit of panic, mainly around things like community service and kids realizing the short amount of time they have left to complete it.”

Ross said it is common to see general senioritis with students knowing they are close to being done, don’t want to attend school anymore and just wants to be done. Ross, who denes his job in the “post-grad” world as “assisting students in whatever their goal is after college” including college, trade school, military, work force, and gap years, has a bit of a chaotic few months ahead of him.

“I have about 70 seniors in my caseload, but I also have 260 kids total, so I’m preparing to get our seniors out while also making sure all of my other students are staying on track with academics, helping them

“a ordable housing” crisis. is is not left or right, but a right or wrong issue.

Families trying to raise their kids do not want to be forced to live in rental “ ats” as they do in Europe. Moms and dads raising families need air to breathe and yards to play or work in. People of all ages want to live in ownership units to preserve wealth building. Single family units are the key to wealth building no matter how much appointed planners or follow the money politicians think otherwise

• Publication of any given letter is at our discretion. Letters are published as space is available.

• We will edit letters for clarity, grammar, punctuation and length and write headlines (titles) for letters at our discretion.

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with social and emotional things,” he said.

Ross is not alone when he says graduation is “a light at the end of the tunnel for me”.

“It’s a really, really busy season,” he said. “I’m making sure they [seniors] have a plan, so that when they walk across that stage and walk out of that building, they’re not just going o into nothingness, they actually have a solidi ed plan.”

With these newfound plans, students know their mindsets and lifestyles will be shifting with this new chapter of adulthood.

“I think the biggest issue for me today, especially with social media, is body image and how people compare themselves with others,” said Senior Allyson Ferguson. “I think as people mature, they become comfortable with themselves and don’t put themselves down in the same way teenagers do.”

Student Lily Defnet also had some opinions on the changes in society’s issues as she grows older.

“A lot of prominent issues among Americans, like climate change and

e long solution: Give quality developers the challenge to solve a ordable housing issues o ering ownership instead of renters. Remove the heavy hand of government agendas now calling the shots against developer innovation and creativity. Developers have become a hated group unnecessarily. Good developers can and will solve the a ordable housing crisis ... untie their hands.

e short solution: If defending your property rights is important to you, Join up with a multiple county

equality, are necessary in the progression of society. I think it is important to address them,” she said.

Defnet went on to say, “As I grow older, I expect these issues to change as our culture shifts. Historically, we’ve seen American society evolve, accepting ‘radical’ ideas like women’s su rage, racial equality, child labor laws, things like that. As I become an adult, I expect there to be progress made and new issues to emerge.”

ese ideals are apparent in the routes of study students are taking .

“I want to study something along the lines of environmental science,” St. Clair said. “I want to study it because I feel like it can make a big di erence in the world around me as I go through life.”

Defnet said as seniors become a new generation of adults, they have to be willing to take on and progress issues facing society.

Delaney Jordan is a senior at Castle View High School serving as a spring intern for Colorado Community Media.

coalition forming against property right abuses. A Public Outcry Alert was held in Lakewood on April 11th at the Rockley Event Center. e place was packed. Homeowners/ taxpayers showed up from these ve surrounding counties; Je erson, Arapahoe, Adams, Douglas, Denver plus towns Lakewood, Parker and Westminster. Add your name to the list held by organizer RameyKJohnson@gmail.com

Evie Zur Parker

Prep baseball in thick of season

BY JIM BENTON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

e Heritage baseball team took an undefeated record into a pair of tough games during the week of April 10-15.

Coach Jordan Johnson’s Eagles were ranked fth in the CHSAANow.com state poll on April 10 and defeated Valor Christian 8-1 on April 12 as pitchers Case Kunz and Henry Hossfeld combined to limit the Eagles to one run and eight hits.

On April 15, Heritage played top-seeded Rocky Mountain in Fort Collins and lost 9-5 in a game between unbeaten teams. Will Shefte had two hits and two runs batted in for the Eagles (111).

In other baseball action, Mason Scott went 3-for-3 with a run batted in and scored twice as third-ranked Cherry Creek (8-4) downed Arapahoe 8-5 on April 11.

Nick Herrick was 3-for-3 and had two RBI in Creek’s 14-0 win over Mullen on April 13.

Sixth-ranked Mountain Vista (7-3) couldn’t push across the tying run in the sixth or seventh innings and dropped a 10-9 decision to Columbine on April 12. Carson Vitry had two hits for Vista.

Chaparral, ranked fourth in the Class 5A poll, edged Lutheran 6-5 on April 15. Brayden Munroe belted two home runs, scored twice and had three RBI for Chap (7-11). Drew McNear and Josh Miller each had two hits for Lutheran, the sixth-ranked team in the Class 4A state rankings.

P25

Rock Canyon routs Grandview 12-0

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

If the Rock Canyon baseball team continues to do what it did on April 12 against Grandview the rest of the season, watch out, 5A Continental League.

In their second-to-last nonleague game of the year, the Jaguars scored early, they scored often and they scored emphatically.

Led by Chase Jaworsky’s two-home-run day, the Jaguars pummeled Grandview 12-0 in a ve-inning, mercy-rule a air on their home diamond.

Jaworsy’s two dingers — a bomb to straightaway center eld and a moonshot deposited over the rightcenter eld fence — gave the senior seven homers

on the season, which is second-most in Colorado. Jaden Clause also smacked a home run — the junior’s rst of the year.

Combined, Rock Canyon hit .524 (11-for-21) against the Wolves, who were forced to burn through four pitchers as the Jaguars teed o all afternoon.

“We can hit the ball,” fthyear Rock Canyon coach Allan Dyer said. “We work on it every day. It’s the focal point of our practices every day.”

Added Jaworsky, a threeyear varsity starter: “All the boys were hot today. We saw the ball well. We’re a good team.”

e Jaguars got the scoring party started early, sending 11 batters to the plate, scoring seven runs

and knocking out starting pitcher Justin Dean — all in the rst inning.

Matthew Shipley’s tworun triple to the right-center eld gap on a 3-2 count spotted the Jaguars a quick 4-0 lead. Next up was Zach Perry, whose laser-beam triple o the left eld fence scored Shipley. David Brabb and Will Garduno also had RBI singles in the opening frame.

“Once we’re on, we’re hot and we stay hot,” Jaworsky said. “We don’t go cold.”

And stay hot the Jaguars did. ree more runs in the second inning — courtesy of Jaworsky’s rst big y and a two-run double smashed to left eld by Manaav Bhatt — stretched Rock Canyon’s lead to 10-0.

Jaworsky’s and Clause’s third-inning home runs rounded out the scoring.

While the Jaguars’ (8-3) hitters were doing damage at the plate, their pitchers were shutting down the Wolves (6-5) on the mound.

Starting pitcher Austin Bowker threw 41 pitchers — 28 of them going for strikes — and surrendered just two hits, one of which was an in eld single in the rst inning. Bowker also tallied four strikeouts.

Chase Goode and Eric Hagner also got some pitching work in and combined to give up only two hits.

“To keep it small, we want to win as many innings of every game as we can. en the games will take care of

Sisters lead way for Vista tennis

Top two players have successful matches

BY JIM BENTON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Mountain Vista sophomore tennis player Marian Hayes is having a good time this spring, thanks in part to her o -season workouts with her best friend who just happens to be her sister.

Marian, a state semi nalist last spring, is Vista’s No. 2 singles player and is undefeated

after an April 12 dual match against Legend. Her sister, senior Lauren, is the No. 1 singles player for the Golden Eagles.

“I’ve played really well this season so far,” said Marian.

“I did really well last year and I think I have improved like just overall and with my mental game.”

Her improvement started before the girls tennis season.

“My sister is the No. 1 singles player and we would go out and hit together a lot and practice serves,” Marian said. “We would go to the

Parker Racquet Club a lot.

“She (Lauren) is an in uence for me. I love playing with her. She is such good competiton in practice and she is like my best friend.”

In the 7-0 win against Legend, Marian defeated sophomore Matthea Mathurin 6-1,6-2 while Lauren downed freshman Mia Scaife 6-2, 6-2. Mountain Vista, ranked sixth in the April 12 CHSAANow.com poll, defeated underRidge 6-0, in another match on April 13. Lauren Hayes defeated Kelsey Wheeler of under-

Ridge 6-0, 6-0. Marian Hayes improved her record to 12-0 with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Paige Colmenter.

“It is great having the Hayes girls at the top of the line up,” said Vista coach James Flanigan. “We are very fortunate to have them. ey are great kids and tennis players.”

Flanigan believes his team is one of the top six in the state this season along with defending state champion Cherry Creek, Fairview, Ralston Valley, Valor Christian and Fossil Ridge. A new four-round, dual-

style bracket will be introduced in girls tennis to determine this season’s state team champion.

Individual state champs will be decided May 11-13 at Denver’s City Park. Finals in the team competition will be May 16 at City Park.

“I love the new format,” said Flanigan. “It mirrors what the NCAA does and makes it more similar to other team sports.

“I think it is great for the teams to compete as teams together and great there is an individual portion as well.”

Rock Canyon’s Chase Goode delivers a pitch April 12 against Grandview. Goode gave up no runs and one hit in a 19-pitch outing for the Jaguars, who won the nonleague game 12-0.

PHOTO BY ALEX K.W. SCHULTZ

Girls soccer

Valor Christian and Heritage continue to play good soccer.

Valor (5-1-1), ranked fourth in the latest state poll, defeated Lakewood 5-1 on April 13 as all the goals in the match were scored in the second half. Addison Whitehouse tallied three goals for Valor.

Valor whipped Bear Creek 10-0 on April 14.

Sixth-ranked Heritage (7-0-0) edged Castle View 1-0 on April 10 with Charley Bell scoring the winning goal. e Eagles’ Kailin Gudewicz got the only goal as Heritage nipped Chat eld 1-0 on April 12.

No. 5 Mountain Vista (6-1-0) outlasted Grandview, 2-0, on April 10 with Riley MacDonald and Keira Woody scoring for the Golden Eagles,

Arapahoe (6-2-1) edged Cherokee Trail, 2-1, on April 13 with Karli Holmes and Jordan Stead scoring for the No. 7 Warriors. Bella Lopez assisted on both goals.

Lutheran, ranked fourth in Class 4A, defeated Golden, 4-0, on April 15. Four di erent players scored for the Lions and keeper Bissett Bussey made four saves.

Boys volleyball

Douglas County, ranked fth in the

ROCK CANYON

themselves,” Dyer said. “We won all ve of those innings today. at’s something we talk about.”

Rock Canyon won the Class 5A state title in 2015 but has had some lean years since, including 2018 (eighth-place nish in league) and 2017 and 2019 (seventh-place nish both seasons).

But Dyer feels this year’s group has a chance to make some noise in the

HERITAGE

e Lions (8-6-1) split a two-game series with No. 8 Lewis-Palmer. Lutheran lost 15-12 on April 11 but rebounded with an 11-6 win on

state poll, swept No. 3 Legend 3-0 in a Continental League rst place showdown on April 14.

e win left the Huskies unbeaten in the league with seven wins and a 12-1 overall record. Legend dropped to 5-1 and 16-3.

Second-ranked Valor Christian (14-2) outscored Mountain Vista 15-9 in the deciding fth set to pull out a 3-2 win on April 14. Gabe Repplinger had 21 kills for Valor in the match while Tucker Shearn contributed 46 assists.

Boys swimming Cherry Creek (6-1), ranked second in the PrepSwimCo.com poll, defeated Fossil Ridge 399-190 in an April 15 dual meet. Creek’s Zachary Reese won the 100 backstroke in :52.82 and the 200 IM in 1:58.33.

Sixth-ranked Highlands Ranch (31) downed No. 7 Heritage 227-128 in a dual meet on April 11.

Sota Kawahata of Highlands Ranch won two events. He was rst in the 100 freestyle in :49.15 and won the 200 freestyle in 1:46.07.

Heritage was second and Ponderosa fourth in the April 15 Smoky Hill Invitational. Littleton’s Connor Wherry won the diving with 436.70 points and Heritage’sJacob Maestas was rst in the 100 backstroke in :52.35.

5A Continental League and perhaps even in the state tournament, primarily because seven starters from last year’s squad are back and nearly everyone on the roster has been playing together since before high school.

“We’ve got a good, experience group,” Dyer said. “ e kids have been playing together a long time — club ball, youth ball. ey’ve been around each other a long time.

“We still have a long way to go. We haven’t put together a complete game yet, but today was a good day.”

April 13. Josh Miller went 3-for-4 and scored three runs in the Lions’ win in the second game against LewisPalmer.

Two-time defending Class 4A state champion Ponderosa (6-5) defeated Denver East 16-4 on April 15 with Bryce Robinette going 4-for-4 with three RBI.

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PROM

Services, local food banks and churches.

“Especially this last couple of years, there was a lot of need out there,” she said. “We try to make sure that we have available what the community needs.”

“We really want to support the community.”

‘A big di erence’

As a result of the donations the Roots and Mane salon got from the community, they had four full carloads of men’s and women’s prom apparel that went to Clover’s Closet, Harmon said.

On the opening weekend of Clover’s Closet pop-up shop, she said there were 117 pieces of formal attire including dresses and men’s wear, as well as shoes,

accessories, makeup and purses.

In total, the salon raised more than $1,500 in cash and gift cards to be given directly to Eagle Academy, which Harmon said she dropped o at the school in a gift basket.

e salon also gave prom accessories — including hairspray, combs and bobby pins — for students to use for the big day. e salon will also be paying for a photo booth at the prom for students to use.

Harmon said the students at Eagle were so excited to share with her the dresses that they got from Clover’s Closet.

“I want each of those students to know that we’re here for them, and we see them and we support them. And we are so proud of them for making the choice to continue to get up every day (and) do what you need to do to better yourself and

your family,” Harmon said.  “Lone Tree, we really just want to focus on always continuing to build our community around us,” she said. “Because that’s really what we all rely on.”  Clark of Eagle Academy noted how much the support of the community can impact the students.

“Every little bit counts. Every little thing, every donation — whether it’s monetary, clothes, food, gift cards, all of it matters. And all of it makes a big di erence,” Clark said.  at sense of collaboration and community is something Harmon highlighted, as well.

“You never know what

anybody’s going through. And so, how can we all lean in together and support each other, whether it’s our schools, your neighbor, or any challenges that face our city?” Harmon said. “I think that we all work better when we have partners and community, and so I’m excited to be a part of that.”

of trust.

Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 121, HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 122-Q, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Which has the address of: 10629 Wynspire Way, 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, June 7, 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.

Lot 13, Highlands Ranch filing No. 108-D, County of Douglas, State of Colorado.

Which has the address of: 3730 White Bay Dr., Highlans Ranch, CO 80126-5020

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, May 24, 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

4/27/2023

Douglas County News Press

GILL

COUNTY Public Trustee

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

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 407, HIGHLANDS RANCH, FILING NO. 121-B, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO

Which has the address of: 9762 Westbury Cir, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

NOTICE OF SALE

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

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 31, 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.

7700 E. ARAPAHOE ROAD, SUITE 230 , CENTENNIAL, COLORADO 80112

Phone #: (877) 369-6122

Fax #:

Attorney File #: CO-22-950359-LL

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

Legal Notice No. 2023-0036

First Publication: 4/6/2023

Last Publication: 5/4/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press City and County

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on April 25, 2023 beginning at 2:30 p.m. or as soon thereafter as possible, in the Commissioner’s Hearing Room, Philip S. Miller Building, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Douglas will conduct a public hearing concerning the proposed adoption of a resolution amending the 2023 adopted budget Any interested elector of Douglas County may file an objection to the proposed amendment to the budget at any time prior to it’s final adoption by the Board of County Commissioners. A copy of said resolution may be obtained for inspection at the offices of the County Commissioners at the above address in Castle Rock, Colorado, or viewed on-line at www.douglas.co.us.

Legal Notice No. 945357

First Publication: April 20, 2023

Last Publication: April 20, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

PUBLIC NOTICE

PURSUANT TO THE LIQUOR LAW OF THE STATE OF COLORADO, Scissors & Scotch S&S Highlands Ranch, LLC d/b/a Scissors & Scotch has requested the Licensing Officials of Douglas County to grant a Liquor License for a Tavern liquor license at the location of 1493 Park Central Drive, Suite 200 in Highlands Ranch, CO 80129. The Public Hearing on this application is to be held by the Douglas County Local Liquor Licensing Authority at 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, 80104 on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 at 1:30 p.m.

Date of Application: February 3, 2023

Officers: Sean Finley

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

and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: ILENE DELL'ACQUA

The prom drive at Roots and Mane will continue throughout the month of March.

PHOTO BY TAYLER SHAW