Highlands Ranch Herald 080323

Douglas County approves over $1M for suicide prevention

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Amid numbers that show suicide deaths have steadily risen in Colorado in the past two decades, Douglas County’s elected leaders approved more than $1 million in funding for prevention and mental health support over the next three years.

e money will spread across a erse array of approaches. Organizations that will receive the funding include the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Arapahoe/Douglas Counties; You Are Not Alone Mom 2 Mom, a peer support system for mothers; and e Aspen E ect, a group that connects young people with horses for what’s known as “equine therapy.”

From peaks to pints, where your water comes from in Highlands Ranch

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

From the tops of mountain peaks to the beer in your local brewery, Centennial Water and Sanitation Districts’ interns Erica Klein and Julie Sandberg and Hunter Beckett showcased their educational program about where water comes from at Living the Dream Brewing.

While nine billion gallons of water per day is used for residential outdoor water use in the U.S., according to Sandberg, the average annual total water use in Highlands Ranch is just over 4.4 billion gallons of water.

“A single family home is the biggest consumer of water,” said Sandberg. “ ey on average use about half an acre foot, which is roughly 163,000 gallons of water per year.”

An acre foot of water is nearly 325,900 gallons of water.

Types of water

ere are two kinds of water, surface water and groundwater.

Surface water - which is considered to be a renewable resource - is water on the surface from areas like rivers, lakes, streams and reservoirs. When precipitation falls, it replenishes the rivers and lakes.

Groundwater is water below the surface and is generally considered a non-renewable water source as it can take a longer period of time to replenish.

“All the groundwater used by Centennial Water is not renewable,” said Sandberg, who is serving as a water intern this summer. “It’s something to think about when we are going through our consumption.”

Groundwater is stored in aquifers, which is an underground layer of permeable rock, gravel and sand that naturally lters the water and

helps remove unwanted substances.

Sandberg said another way to think about water usage is that nature drinks rst.

Plants and other life absorb the water rst and then the water will soak down into the pores of the earth and will sit in the aquifers.  Wells are used to extract groundwater. ere are 39 active groundwater wells across the community and supply an average of 15% of the district’s total water supply.

Centennial Water has two groundwater treatment plants where iron and manganese is removed with high pressured lters to help the water taste better.

“It acts like a piggy bank,” said Klein. “So if we have a year where we aren’t sure how much water we’re going to get or a dry year, we

But the discussion about approving the funding became overtaken by a debate over whether Castle Rock Pride — a nonpro t that aims to build a supportive community in Douglas County for LGBTQ+ residents — should receive part of the money.

e comments from area residents also included disapproval of transgender people.

One resident, talking about gender changes, said “this is satanic evil” and criticized the county commissioners for considering supporting Castle Rock Pride.

“You cannot recreate what God created,” the resident said at the July 25 commissioners meeting.

Groups at higher risk

Across Colorado, nearly 800 people died by suicide in 2004, and that one-year total reached almost 1,300 in 2022, according to state data cited by Douglas County sta .

In Douglas County, the number of suicide deaths went from a recent low of 15 in 2005 to dozens higher in years afterward.

Last year, 53 people died by suicide in Douglas County, according to the state data.

But suicide risk is a direr problem for certain demographics, and that includes LGBTQ+ youth, who are far

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Julie Sandberg at Living the Dream Brewery speaking about the importance of water and where it comes from.

PHOTO BY HALEY LENA

Woman charged in Highlands Ranch shooting discovered dead in jail

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A Highlands Ranch woman being held on a murder charge was found dead in a Douglas County jail cell.

e county Sheri ’s O ce, which oversees the jail, said Victorine Grice was discovered unresponsive alone by a detentions deputy at about 6:30 a.m. on July 28, 2023. In a press release, o cials said there are no signs of trauma, though the nal cause

WATER

have that to fall back upon.”

e district was also one of the rst in Colorado to use a process to assist with groundwater replenishment by recharging the groundwater, called Aquifer Storage and Recovery - ASR.

According to Klein, who is also a water intern, the district has injected 14,855 acre feet of water back into the aquifers since 1990 using the ASR and with the historic rainfall the community has seen this year, the district has injectedover 385 acre feet of water.

Water rights

Established in 1962, the State Wa-

and manner of death are yet to be determined.

e Sheri ’s O ce said in a statement that a Critical Incident Response Team will conduct a full investigation. Douglas County participates in the team with with Lincoln and Elbert counties. e team also said it would receive assistance of the Castle Rock Police Department.

Grice, 56, was being held on second-degree murder and do-

mestic violence. She was taken into custody on July 18 after she walked out of a residence on the 9600 block of Timber Hawk Circle in Highlands Ranch. Inside, a man was found shot to death. Grice’s bond was set at $500,000.

According to the Sheri ’s O ce, the Critical Incident Response Team is tasked with death investigations on critical incidents and in-custody deaths. ere is no timeframe for the report to be complete.

South Platte Reservoir.

Two smaller rights the district has is Tarryall Creek and Michigan Creek which are both tributaries to the South Platte River - a junior right of the district.

Centennial Water infrastructure

e district has access to water in four reservoirs. ese reservoirs include the James Tingle Reservoir, the Chat eld Reservoir and the McLellan Reservoir.

e South Platte Reservoir was built by Centennial Water in 2006 and they own all 6,400 acre feet.

Joseph B. Blake Water Treatment Plant where the water gets treated.

ter Court system helps manage and has administration over water decrees and oversees proper

use.

ere are seven di erent water court divisions for each of the major river basins in the state.

According to Klein, two ways of having water rights processed are through junior and senior water rights.

ose who take water from a stream or underground aquifer and apply that water to a bene cial use must have water rights to legally do so.

Water rights can also be purchased as common water rights are used by municipalities, for irrigation, re protection, farming, recreation and more.

“It’s a very complicated system,” said Sandberg. “We wanted to give awareness of the water rights system, of where your water comes from, and how complicated it can be to get water for people.”

Centennial Water’s Supply is half owned and half leased.

A majority of leased water comes from the City of Englewood (70%). Leased water also comes from Denver Water, the WISE Project, the Center of Colorado and Castle Pines North.

Centennial Water owns about half of the water rights, which comes from various sources.

Nearly half of the owned water is part of the augmentation plan. is plan allows for the district to pick up the water from the river, retreat it and reuse it.

Chat eld Reservoir makes up 30% of the district’s owned water supply and the remaining comes from areas such as Plum Creek, Cline Ranch, South Platte River and

First, the di erent water sources get pumped to the forebay where larger debris such as branches, pebbles and trash settle out.

e water is pumped to a occulation basin where a chemical called ferric sulfate is added, along with specialized polymers. ese particles and chemicals get mixed together, creating what it called ocs.

e bottom of the occulation basin is continuously scrapped out and the resulting sludge gets sent to the Marcy Gulch Wastewater Treatment Plant where that water is sent back into the river.

From there, the water goes to another basin where the ocs settle out, leaving clear water.

e clear water goes through a lter with carbon and ne sand.  “ is removes those extra ne particles,” said Klein. “And when these lters clog, clean water is shot back through them to backwash the lters and that backwash water is also sent to Marcy Gulch Wastewater Treatment Plant.”

e nal treatment step is disinfection where UV light is used to kill microbes in addition to the use of chlorine, which kills contaminants quickly at the initial disinfection and chloramine which helps protect the pipes through the disinfection system.

“We have to make sure we have enough chloramine in our system to protect the water after it is sent out of our plant,” said Klein.

Pumps send the water to the six storage tanks in Highlands Ranch, which then ows to homes, businesses or breweries in the Highlands Ranch or Solstice area.

SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

‘We wanted to give awareness of the water rights system, of where your water comes from, and how complicated it can be to get water for people.’

Julie Sandberg, intern with Centennial Water and Sanitation District

Douglas County to give funds from Denver Broncos sale to youth programs

Chosen

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e sale of the Denver Broncos in 2022 opened up millions in funding to Denver-area governments, and Douglas County is determining how to spend its nearly $1 million share of the pro ts on youth programs.

e county hopes to fund as many programs as it can, said Maureen Waller, special projects manager for the county.

“Of course, how many are ultimately funded will depend on how many apply and how much they request,” Waller said. “And since we plan to use the Youth Commission to evaluate the applications, it will depend on them too.”

Made up of Douglas youth, the Douglas County Youth Commission advises the county’s elected leaders on matters pertaining to youth and teens in the county.

As one of seven counties in the Metropolitan Football Stadium District, Douglas County was awarded the funds late last year that, by law, must be used for youth activities programs, according to a news release.

e Metropolitan Football Stadium District is a government body that was created for the purpose of planning, acquiring land and constructing Mile High Stadium, which is now called Empower Field at Mile High.

e district was authorized to

Comprehensive cancer care that sets us apart.

collect a sales tax of one-tenth of 1% throughout the district’s area from 2001 through 2011.  e sales tax assists the district in nancing the acquisition of land, construction of the stadium and payments of debt service, according to its website.

e funding for youth activities comes from the $4.65 billion sale of the Denver Broncos to the WaltonPenner Group, which resulted in a $41 million refund to the seven counties and 40 municipalities that helped fund the stadium, e Colorado Sun reported.

e funds were to be shared with Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomeld, Denver, Douglas, and Je erson counties and the cities and towns within them. Douglas County received about $940,000.

at’s one-time funding, but ideally, the programs the county chooses to fund will be able to continue after the funding runs out, Waller said.

“We want to hear about plans to keep the program (or) activity going in the future. We don’t have an ideal (number) of years in mind,” Waller said.

For Douglas County, proposals for youth activities to be funded were

due July 28 and were to be reviewed in August. Grant recipients will be noti ed in the fall and announced publicly in November at the annual State of the County event.

Douglas County does not have any general topics that it is prioritizing for the funding at this point, Waller said.

“We are interested in hearing from any organization that is providing youth activities programs,” she said. e county’s criteria for funding included that programs must:

• Occur in Douglas County;

• Provide access for all youth, including those with disabilities;

• And support Douglas Countybased organizations with established access to and ability to reach local youth with their proposed youth activities program.

Elsewhere, Wheat Ridge received a portion of the Denver Broncos funds and its city council recently approved funding for a new playground at Anderson Park.

Brighton schools and parks will see the biggest bene t from that city’s Denver Broncos funding, city councilmembers agreed in February.

Jill Alldredge, MD

Kian Behbakht, MD

Bradley Corr, MD

Lisa Marie Babayan, PA-C

Lindsay Brubaker, MD

Jaime Arruda, MD

Catherine Bouts, PA-C

Nicole Marjon, MD

Christine Walsh, MD

Carolyn Lefkowits, MD Marisa Moroney, MD Saketh Guntupalli, MD Spyridon Mastroyannis, MD

Empower Field at Mile High stadium. SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

programs to be announced publicly in November

UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital adding two new buildings

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Additional healthcare services will be available to the community as UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital broke ground to add two new buildings to the campus.

In its four years of being open, the Highlands Ranch location regularly operates at capacity.

“Our beds are full all the time, our operating rooms are fully booked,” said Merle Taylor, UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital president. “We do need more space and we are recognizing that people want to be here in this hospital.”

Having exceeded projected expectations for a 10-year plan in under ve years, according to Taylor, the hospital is preparing for continued growth through the expansion.

Currently the hospital has 93 inpatient beds and features a birth center, a Level III neonatal intensive care unit, eight operating rooms, a Level III trauma center and emergency department.

e hospital also includes a twostory cancer center with advanced oncology services.

On the top oor of the existing building, there will be a 31,687 square feet buildout dedicated to shelled space for additional beds and operating rooms.

Construction is already underway on a new 194,000 square foot hospital tower on the east side of the current building.

e tower will include 14 new beds in the emergency department, one dedicated to caring for victims of domestic violence or assault as part of the existing sexual assault nurse examiner program.

“ ey’re private,” said Taylor. “It will set o from the others so it can be more for the patient, more condential.”

e tower will also include an

expanded outpatient lab as well as an expansion to the oncology and stroke programs.

Aiming to expand their spine, urology and cardiology programs, there will be a new spine program and electrophysiology lab.

e electrophysiology lab will focus on the electricity of the heart, allowing the hospital to perform more cardiac procedures such as putting in pacemakers.

Construction on a new medical ofce building will begin in Sept.

In addition to physician o ces and a physical therapy space, the building will feature an outpatient surgery center and an imaging center which will include x-rays, MRI’s, CT scans and cardiac imaging.

“ ere’s a need for more of the inpatient capacity, so we shift the outpatient capacity to another part of the campus that allows us to provide more for inpatients,” said Taylor.

With an expected completion date of late 2025, the construction will be done in phases. Taylor said the community shouldn’t feel much di erence as there will be minimum disruption. Parking for the sta has been moved to accommodate for the new buildings.

Additionally, the hospital will hire more nurses and techs, said Taylor. e expansion is estimated to cost $119 million.

According to Taylor, the expansion is a way to keep people in the community instead of having to travel to the Anschutz Medical Center.

“So as we grow our program here, more and more services will be here, more people in the community will be able to remain at this hospital rather than having to be transferred,” said Taylor. “ ere’s a lot of things that we could bring to this community as we grow the facility and grow our programs, get new physicians and get new physicians out here.”

Crews break ground on July 24 for the expansion of the UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital.

PHOTO COURTESY UCHEALTH

16th Annual Honey Festival comes to O’Brien Park in Parker

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Colorado is home to 946 native bee species and this year’s Honey Festival is aimed at raising awareness and educating the public of their importance and their tedious process through fun interactive activities and games.

With nearly 3,000 people attending annually, the event is being held at O’Brien Park in Downtown Parker from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday Aug. 6. Admission is free but guests are encouraged to register on the Parker Arts website.

e event will also include a kids corner, performances and artistic displays.

“It’s a great event that brings vendors, the community and brings honeybee beekeepers in,” said Carrie Glassburn, cultural director of Parker Arts.

Honeybees are more valuable than just producing honey and beeswax. ey are important pollinators as they play a signi cant role in the agricultural system as well as animal and human life too.

organization - bees have been dying at an unprecedented rate.

Agriculture states between January and March of 2021, the number 464,640 honey-

quarter surveyed that year.  A colony is a hive that contains a queen honeybee and

butter ies, wasps, beetles

Jars of honey topped with yellow sunflowers being sold at a previous Honey Festival in Parker.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CARRIE GLASSBURN SEE HONEY, P7

August is National Water Quality Awareness Month

Did you know August is National Water Quality Awareness Month? It’s only tting the month we are active outdoors, splashing in swimming pools, or oating down a river, is a month dedicated to bringing awareness to the quality of one of our most precious resources: water.

org/waterquality.

Nick Marusin

Centennial Water & Sanitation District, the water and wastewater provider for Highlands Ranch and Solstice, serves as stewards of the community’s water. is not only includes the water that comes out of your tap at home, but the water you encounter while playing outdoors.

I’m part of the team at Centennial Water that helps safeguard our drinking water and makes sure it always meets EPA and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment water quality standards. I am the Laboratory Supervisor and together with sta across the district, our job is to ensure customers can cool o in a pool or nearby stream whenever they want, or refresh with an ice cold glass of water after their workout.

If you’re enjoying your morning co ee while reading this column, that means we’ve done our job; we’ve delivered reliable, quality drinking water to our customers.

Centennial Water, along with all water utilities across the country, are required to publish a Consumer Con dence Report each year. is report summarizes information about the district’s water sources, any detected contaminants in the drinking water as well as educational information about your water supply. You can view the 2023 report on our website at centennialwater.

Along with the job Centennial Water does day in and day out, every household, every customer plays a role when it comes to water quality. Here are four things people can do to help protect our water quality: Pick up after your pet. When not picked up, pet waste contaminates stormwater and contributes to pollution in our waterways.

Use phosphorous-free fertilizer. Fertilizers that contain phosphorous can harm the environment. An over-abundance of phosphorous in our lakes and streams can cause harmful algae blooms. ese blooms can create taste and odor problems in our drinking water and can cause sh kills.

Go to a car wash. Professional car washes not only use less water than washing your car at home, but it prevents toxic chemicals from being ushed down storm drains which empties into lakes, rivers and streams.

Properly dispose of prescription and over-the-counter medications. Medications contain toxic chemicals that should not be ushed down the drain. You can safely dispose of prescription and over-the-counter medications by using a secure collection box. You can nd one at the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce Highlands Ranch Substation, 9250 Zotos Drive, Highlands Ranch.

If you want to learn more about your water quality, visit the water quality page on the Centennial Water website at centennialwater.org/ waterquality, or you can contact me by sending an email to info@centennialwater.org. ank you for taking an interest in our local water supply.

Nick Marusin is the labratory supervisor for the Centennial Water & Sanitation District.

habitat along with a list of plant forage based on season.

and hummingbirds, however, bees pollinate about one-third of our food. Without the honeybee, food like almonds, apples and onions would be lost.

In addition, honeybees contribute over $15 billion to the value of U.S. crop production, according to e Bee Conservancy.

e Bee Conservancy states habitat loss, climate change, chemical pesticides, invasive plant species and disease and parasites are the primary threats to pollinators.

Just like other animals and humans, pollinators also need a habitat in order to thrive. e Colorado State University Extension program provides ways to design a pollinator

rough observation hives, books for kids and a variety of displays, local beekeepers and beekeeping organizations will be showing families how beehives work and what the community can do to help the state’s native bees.

“It’s great to see families that are learning together,” said Glassburn.

From Highlands Ranch Honey to Homestead in the Hood to Natural Grocers, guests will have the chance to purchase di erent types of honey, beeswax, candles and more from the 20 plus vendors.

Each vendor will have an interactive educational experience that focuses on pollinators such as learning how to make a bee hotel, spot the queen bee game and learn from master gardeners about landscapes and upcycling.

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The Mini Brew Crew, a group of mini horses, raises awareness

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

They are called the Mini Brew Crew. Together these four mini horses, Jerry, Elaine, Kramer and their friend, Mariah, are going out to the public to raise awareness for Zuma’s Rescue Ranch, located in Douglas County near Louviers.

Jerry, Elaine, Kramer and another horse, George, had curled feet and were ill when they came from an auction in Montana.

“ ey were in rough shape,” said Jodi Messenich, owner of Zuma’s Rescue Ranch, a local nonpro t.

Due to di erent kinds of infections, parasites and ticks, all four horses were put into quarantine at Zuma’s.

eir feet had become what Messenich described as “slippers” because their hooves had overgrown so much, they curled up. It took several rounds of trimming their hooves to get them back to a healthy condition.

Unfortunately, George did not make it as his conditions were too chronic.

Once trained as a tick pony in Los Angeles, Mariah was being fed an unhealthy diet and was overweight when Zuma’s rescued her.

Messenich founded Zuma’s Rescue Ranch in 2008 after rescuing 16 horses within four years.

Zuma’s is now a nonpro t organization and partner-based behavioral health center, dedicated to o ering animal-assisted learning and therapy programs.

In addition to two licensed therapists, the ranch currently has over 60 rescue animals including horses, donkeys, goats, a cow, a sheep as well as cats.

Some of the behavioral health programs consist of support groups,

family therapy and an equine assisted learning program. Messenich said one of their biggest clients is Denver Children’s Home who bring a group of kids to the ranch every Tuesday.

e nonpro t also works to help Veterans through the Department of Defense’s Skills Bridge Program for Veterans.

“ ey intern with us and they learn a trade,” said Messenich. “We help veterans in that way and we get funding from Lockheed Martin for our veterans program.

As caring for the animals and the ranch is expensive, Jerry, Elaine,

Kramer and Mariah are out in the public doing their part to raise awareness for the ranch.

According to Messenich, most of Zuma’s funding comes from their equine education and their mental health programs.

“It takes so many hours and dollars to keep all tasks completed for a happy, healthy and safe ranch,” said Nancy Hoag, a volunteer with the organization.

e Mini Brew Crew went on their second outing to Max Taps Co. in Highlands Ranch where 20% of the proceeds went to the nonpro t.  Zuma’s was invited back to the

brewery on Aug. 19 where there will also be food trucks and live music.

Messenich said they plan on doing a brewery tour with the Mini Brew Crew.

“It lets people know we’re here, lets people know we need help, we need volunteers badly,” said Messenich. “We need nancial help, we need physical help and just awareness.”

Also, items can be donated to the ranch. ese include cleaning and medical supplies and supplements. e items are listed on the ranch’s Walmart and Amazon wish list.

Jodi Messenich, founder of the nonprofit Zuma’s Rescue Ranch brought four mini horses called the Mini Brew Crew to Max Taps Co. on County Line in Highlands Ranch. A portion of proceeds from Max Taps Co. went to the nonprofit organization.

PHOTO BY HALEY LENA

Riders and animals kick up dust at 2023 Douglas County Fair & Rodeo

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In the heart of Douglas County, kids and teenagers riding animals kicked o the rodeo events at the annual Douglas County Fair & Rodeo. e early stages of the 10day event unfolded with youth performing a horse-riding routine, participating in a goat-tying competition and riding sheep in the “mutton busting” contest.

Outside the rodeo arena, crowds tried out carnival-style rides and activities, along with treats from food vendors.

Juliette holds a ribbon after winning a children’s mutton busting contest. She stood with Clara Gri th, the 2023 Douglas County Fair & Rodeo queen. Kids competed July 29 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Castle Rock.

Juliette hangs on tight during a mutton busting competition.

JR Lozano, 17, from Kiowa in Elbert County, poses for a photo July 29 at the Douglas County Fair & Rodeo. Lozano said he has done bull riding in di erent places and served as a volunteer at the Douglas fair.

One of those vendors, Jenny LeRoux of Rebel Cookie Dough and Confections, came back to the Douglas County fair for another year, selling “ice cream sandwiches bigger than most kids’ heads,” LeRoux said.

Her favorite part of vending at a place like the fair is “just bringing happiness to people through food,” said LeRoux, who lives in Parker. “ ey just get really excited.”

e fair’s rst weekend featured barbecue judging, the hometown rodeo, junior division horse show events and many more attractions, according to the schedule.

e second weekend features the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeo, a line dancing lesson, a pie eating contest and many other events.

Some events and times are ticketed. See the full schedule at douglascountyfairandrodeo.com or call 720-733-6900. is year’s county fair runs from July 28-Aug. 6.

e Douglas County Fairgrounds sit at 500 Fairgrounds Drive in Castle Rock, a short drive east of Interstate 25 and Plum Creek Parkway.

Jenny LeRoux and a customer pose for a photo as LeRoux hands o a dessert

A small group stood at a large food station at the Douglas County Fair & Rodeo.

Youth performed a horse-riding routine, carrying the flag of the Blazing Saddles Drill Team of the High Plains Horse Club from Elizabeth in Elbert County. They rode July 29 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.

PHOTOS BY ELLIS ARNOLD

more likely than others to experience mental health distress, suicidal ideation, and suicide planning and attempts, according to a presentation by county sta .

About 26% of genderqueer or nonbinary people attempted suicide one or more times, according to 2021 Douglas County data focused on youth. at compares to 3% of males, the data say.

Among gay or lesbian youth, 19% attempted suicide one or more times, compared with 3% of straight people, the data say.

While suicide risk is a prevalent issue for young people, suicide also severely a ects the middle-aged male demographic.

“Nationally, statewide, and in Douglas County, middle-aged men represent the single largest group in number who die by suicide,” the county sta presentation says.

“Middle-aged men have been disproportionately impacted by suicide for decades yet prevention and intervention strategies that successfully reach this population are few and far in between which is why we prioritized this group for the grant,” the presentation adds.

‘Indoctrination’

Some public commenters pushed for the commissioners to deny

funding for the Castle Rock Pride group, with one person characterizing the group’s activity as “indoctrination” and “the destruction of our children.”

at person mentioned “the drag queen show,” an apparent reference to last year’s drag show event at the county fairgrounds in Castle Rock.

Douglas County PrideFest held its annual event at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in August 2022. During a drag show at the celebration, a performer’s breast plate and false nipple were temporarily exposed.

Videos of the performance had circulated on social media, where some commenters expressed frustration with the exposure at an event not designated for adults only. Organizers had sent out an apology, saying it was not a planned part of the performance.

Castle Rock Pride doesn’t just host the annual Douglas County PrideFest. e nonpro t also holds monthly support groups, family meetups and educational opportunities, according to its website.

One commenter at the meeting said, “I am not anti-LGBTQIA alphabet city whatever. I want to make that clear,” before saying Castle Rock Pride should not receive funding, claiming the nonpro t didn’t meet criteria for the grant.

Others in the audience voiced support for the LGBTQ+ community in general. Angela omas, who

said she’s a former social worker, told the commissioners about her experience with her child, who transitioned gender to male. Her child received support through counseling, omas said.

Had her child not received help, “I would have had a dead daughter, not a (living) son,” omas said.

“What these people in (the) Pride (group) are doing is providing acceptance” that kids may not get at home, said omas, arguing people should allow youth to be who they are.

Another commenter from Castle Rock said: “Gayness or gender spectrum has been with us since the beginning of time.”

Anya Zavadil, president of Castle Rock Pride, said as a person in the LGBTQ+ community, she “was not indoctrinated by anyone.”

“I grew up in this county as a human who didn’t know what gay was. My parents made sure of that. e community made sure of that,” Zavadil told the commissioners.

But she still grew up knowing she wasn’t like others, and she was suicidal, she said.

“It doesn’t matter how hard you try to keep children from knowing about the world. Because this is who I am. I am a queer woman who didn’t know that existed, and yet here I am because it’s the real thing,” Zavadil said. “So Castle Rock Pride, again, we are not indoctrinating. We are supporting kids who are hurting.”

Zavadil said she anticipated that negative comments about the nonpro t would occur at the meeting.

“ ose comments only show us how important this support is for our youth,” Zavadil said, adding that when people hear “hatred from their community,” the need for mental health support increases.

‘Mistreated and stigmatized’

The Trevor Project, a suicide pre -

vention and mental health organization for LGBTQ young people, similarly says suicide risk in the LGBTQ community stems from how people are treated.

“LGBTQ youth are not inherently prone to suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity but rather placed at higher risk because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society,” the organization’s website says.

Lora Thomas, one of Douglas County’s three commissioners, served as county coroner in the past and “sat in kitchens of families who lost children,” she said.

“We started this meeting with the pledge of allegiance (that says) ‘liberty and justice for all.’ And I thought, ‘How fitting,’” Thomas said.

She added that the funding is the community’s opportunity to say “you are welcome here. We want you to get the help that you all need.”

Disagreement on funding

Commissioner George Teal, who criticized Castle Rock Pride’s activity at the county fairgrounds, proposed excluding the nonprofit from the award list.

Commissioner Abe Laydon and Thomas did not support that proposal, so it failed.

Castle Rock Pride’s contract for services with the county says the nonprofit will expand its support groups to a wider area.

“Castle Rock Pride currently holds all groups in Castle Rock and will offer groups in additional locations in Highlands Ranch and Parker,” the document says. It adds: “Second, Castle Rock Pride plans a structured, therapist moderated monthly meetings for LGBTQIA+ teens ages 14-21 in both regions. This meeting will be led by a professional therapist

SEE COUNTY, P31

County hosts town hall to discuss issues about PrideFest

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Dozens of people gathered in an audience that vented its opinions — sometimes loudly — about the annual PrideFest in Douglas County at a community meeting one month ahead of this year’s scheduled event.

During the July 26 town hall, county o cials attempted to ensure the public that a repeat of last year’s controversial conduct won’t happen.

Commissioner Lora omas, one of the county’s elected leaders, reminded the audience that the event is “constitutionally protected.”

“And the rest of us don’t have to be there if we don’t want to be there,” omas said.

Last year, at a drag show during the annual Douglas County PrideFest at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Castle Rock, a performer’s breast plate and false nipple were temporarily exposed.

Videos of the performance circulated on social media, where some commenters expressed frustration with the exposure at an event not designated for adults only. Organizers had sent out an apology, saying it was not a planned part of the performance.

Criticism of the event has continued nearly a year later, with a part of the crowd at the county commissioners meeting room appearing angry that the drag show was still on track to occur this year without an audience restriction.

e county commissioners had decided to hold the town hall discussion about the issue before PrideFest takes place again, hoping to clarify for the public what regulations apply to the fairgrounds.

County sta had recently proposed changes to the county’s fairgrounds facilities policies, includ-

ing an updated mission statement to state that all events are to be “family friendly.”

Another proposed change outlined that event holders agree “not to operate anything similar to a sexually oriented business” as de ned in the county’s zoning regulations, according to the document of fairgrounds policies.

e commissioners voted 3-0 to approve the fairgrounds policy updates on May 9.

Still, some area residents remain frustrated and feel it’s an issue of protecting children, while others at the town hall voiced support for the event.

Oversight of event

Art Kerkezian, cochair with the Douglas County PrideFest, has said the event last summer doesn’t represent the values of the Castle Rock Pride group and the PrideFest.

Kerkezian told the town hall crowd that the performer from last year has not been asked to return to PrideFest, referring to the exposure incident.

“When we realized we didn’t have enough oversight on the entertainment portion, we (put in) parameters” to ensure that doesn’t happen again, Kerkezian said.

Some of those procedures include previewing costumes and acts ahead of time. Performers will have to sign an agreement saying that they understand the performance must be “G rated,” Kerkezian told Colorado Community Media.

“A Castle Rock Pride board member or representative will be on stage in the wings watching the performance and has authority to stop the performance” if something inappropriate happens, he said.

One community member, Randy Mills — advocating for public of-

cials to add restrictions on PrideFest — at the town hall told omas “I’m going to call you out,” expressing frustration with her handling of policy related to PrideFest. He wanted a new ordinance, or law, to prevent child exposure to

inappropriate activity in Castle Rock. omas responded that the county’s current policy outlines that no nudity and no “adult” entertainment are allowed at the fairgrounds.

Call

At Five Star Residences of Dayton Place, our focus is on people and compassion.

options, from one to two-bedroom independent apartments, to assisted living, and memory care. Our goal is to provide an living environment that respects and dignifies our residents.

A crowd gathered at a July 26 Douglas County town hall event about county fairgrounds policy.

PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

Variety of solutions

VOICES

Beautiful, wonderful words of life

FROM THE EDITOR

As an editor of newspapers in multiple counties, sometimes I feel like I get a front-row seat to the problems and proposed solutions owing through the Denver metro area. One of those major problems is homelessness.

It’s been interesting over the last year to watch how each municipality and county has chosen to view the growing crisis.

In Arapahoe County, I have been impressed with the proactive, somewhat uni ed, approach many are taking. Littleton, Centennial, Sheridan and Englewood clearly care on a regional level about working together and solo to address the growing crisis.

Littleton continues to take the lead, hosting forums and really working with neighbors to talk about what’s happening. In a recent forum, Littleton gave business owners, community leaders and residents the opportunity to talk about the issues.

Of course, business owners are concerned when the homeless may interfere with their ability to conduct business and if the crisis continues to grow — those voices will get louder.

I was also impressed with a forum where a man who had been homeless and struggling talked about the path back. He talked about his struggles and shared a story we all need to hear. We all say we know it’s a problem — but without a face — we just look at the negatives and want it gone.

What this man did in this forum was personalize a national problem. Our homeless population is made up of human beings who should not be tossed aside like trash. ey are not all associated with criminal behavior and our reporters have talked to many of whom are just

down on their luck and falling through a variety of trapdoors that get them stuck.

Centennial has hired a homeless coordinator to address the issue head-on.

In Denver, the new mayor jumped out of the gates declaring the homeless crisis an emergency. Hopefully that declaration turns into an approach that includes working with the metro area.

en, we have Douglas County. I can be hard on Douglas County sometimes because I’m not always a fan of the self-care approach to a regional issue. Will a camping ban really work? Is it fair to ship the homeless back into the heart of the metro area?

Aurora’s mayor has raised concerns over this practice and rightfully so.

A problem isn’t solved when one area wants to shove it out of sight and claims it isn’t a problem in their county. A problem is solved when all counties and municipalities start admitting it’s a problem for the entire area and clear, united solutions are needed.

I get the concerns. When I drive home in the evenings and see growing homeless camps along the interstate — I get frustrated. When a homeless woman takes o her shirt and my children are watching at a red light — I have concerns. However, I do not think forcibly moving them to where I do not see them anymore means the problem is gone for me.

e problem is there and even with e ort — is going to grow increasingly visible in every city, town and county in the metro area until a true, united e ort is on track.

To those counties and towns already doing it — I say great job. To others — I say the problem is not going away just because you push them out with a policy.

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

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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

It may be a good time to rethink what swear words or curse words really qualify as such anymore. I mean we hear them with such frequency that they are almost indiscernible from the other regular words we seem to use so often. I almost feel like when someone tells me to go “F” myself, they are really just saying, “Hello, how are you?” Not only are we hearing them all the time, but we are also hearing them from almost everyone and from people of all ages including very young children. Not being a prude, I get it, I just think it may be time to change it up a bit. I was walking past four children playing on a beach. ey appeared to be playing a game called running the bases, and they could not have been more than 10 years old. One of the boys and one of the girls got into an argument about whether they were safe on base or not. e torrent of “F” bombs and other awful expletives were screamed at one another. It wasn’t just the words that caught my attention, it was the intensity of their words and body language at such a young age.

Where did they learn that from?

Maybe it’s watching news reels and videos of passengers losing their minds and yelling at each other, threatening to `F” word kill each other or beat the “S” word out of each other. Maybe it’s from older siblings or cousins, parents or grandparents, or nextdoor neighbors. It is still happening in the corporate world too. For some, maybe it seems like it helps them to underscore a point more e ectively or seem stronger in a heated debate.

Like I said, it’s everywhere with unabashed frequency and malicious intent. I wish we could ignore them and come up with new ones, but the truth is that nasty and troubling words have been around forever, so we will never change those. But maybe we can change our own use of them and our own cadence, tone and frequency of how we use them. We all lose our cool from time to time, I get it. It really just sounds, feels and seems like we are allowing our foul language threshold to

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

slip lower and lower all the time.

“But the human tongue is a beast that few can master. It strains constantly to break out of its cage, and if it is not tamed, it will run wild and cause you grief.” — Unknown

Words we use should be a construction zone, building others up along the way. Building people up with words of hope and encouragement. Beautiful and wonderful words of life that separate us from those who would rather operate through a demolition zone, using words to tear others down, and worse, doing it intentionally.

So, let’s use the rest of this column to focus on what those beautiful and wonderful words of life are, and how we can use them to foster an environment of love, grace, unity and compassion.

I am not sure about you, but this has been a very deliberate and intentional movement or change in my own life. I was de nitely a little looser in my language and word choices in the past — anyone reading this knows who I was and also knows who I have become, can validate that. I intentionally keep a word bank, a word bank that is top of mind and heart. A word bank that includes words like love, grace, kindness, gentleness, goodness, mercy, justice, forgiveness, passion, compassion, patience, faith, hope, encouragement, excellence, praiseworthy, joy, happiness, pure, powerful, positive, courage, strength, endurance, gratitude, humility, motivation, inspiration, success and so many more.

It’s been said that you can’t trust people who don’t curse. Or, that people who curse are smarter than those who don’t. I am fairly sure both of those were created by someone who loved to curse. How about you, do you feel smarter, funnier, stronger when you use swear words? Or are you a little ashamed or embarrassed at times? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can use the beautiful and wonderful words of life instead, 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.

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

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THELMA GRIMES South Metro Editor tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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Thelma Grimes

Property taxes — truths and myths

Douglas County homeowners recently received notice that their property taxes are increasing - in some cases, quite dramatically.

So how much additional funding will the Douglas County School District (DCSD) receive from this increase in taxes?

each $6, and my husband would give them each $4. I spent twice as much the second week, but did my kids bene t in any way? Did they have more money to spend? e answer is no - all that changed is whose wallet their allowance came from.

Around 85% of DCSD’s annual revenue is spent on people - salaries, bene ts, and PERA contributions. General administration accounts for just 0.6% of DCSD’s Total Operational Spending.

Technical Education opportunities for students (such as increasing the number of automotive and other CTE pathway courses)

While the increased revenue will bene t many local government and community services, you may be surprised to learn it will not increase funding for our local schools.

While the district will collect more money in local property taxes, the district will not bene t from the increase. Our total program funding is determined by the School Finance Act and is paid for by a combination of property taxes (“local share”) and the state’s general fund (“state share”). When the local share goes up, the state share goes down proportionally.

An increase in local property taxes has a $0 impact on total program funding - it just changes the balance of who is paying the bill.

When my kids were young, they had an allowance of $10 per week. I would give them each what I could based on how much cash I had (I am always woefully short on cash) and my husband (always prepared) would give them the rest. So, one week I might give them each $3 and my husband would give them each $7. e next week, I might give them

EDUCATION CORNER LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Pride isn’t enough

I have been following Douglas County’s e orts to address the mental health needs of our community members. Particularly the needs of our youth — and I’m more than a little perplexed with the recent announcement that they awarded a grant to Castle Rock Pride. Per their website, the mission of Castle Rock Pride is too “build a supportive community for LGBTQ plus residents of Castle rock.” I’ve reviewed this organization’s grant application, and they admit that they have no history of employing a mental health professional. ey do imply that a mental health professional will be employed if they were to be awarded a grant, but stepping into the clinical realm is well outside of their mission. On their website, there is no transparency on who the individuals are behind this organization. If there is a desire to expand the mission into clinical work, do they have a board who is quali ed to help make this pivot?

I also question why our county commissioners feel compelled to call out the support of one particular identity group, the LGBTQ+ community.

Douglas County teachers can drive to one of our neighboring school districts and earn a more desirable salary. For example, Cherry Creek School District’s average teacher salary is more than $19,000 higher than Douglas County’s.

With the cost of living in our area, many Douglas County teachers are unable to live in the communities where they work. at’s because DCSD’s starting teacher pay is just over $45,000.

So how does a district like Cherry Creek or Littleton pay their teachers more competitively? e only way to increase funding outside of the School Finance Act is through a Mill Levy Override, or MLO. Other school districts have been successful for years in passing MLO ballot measures. Because of this, DCSD now receives $2,000 less per student than Cherry Creek School District and Littleton Public Schools – which equals a gap of $130 million per year.

MLO Funding Per Student vs. Average Teacher Salary is has led to signi cant pay discrepancies for DCSD teachers, with those gaps growing each time an MLO is passed in a neighboring school district.

Are administrative costs to blame? Not in DCSD. e Douglas County School District has the lowest general administration costs in the metro area.

Struggles with mental health, drug abuse and suicidal ideation a ect far more than one identity group. Douglas County mental health initiatives suicide prevention roadmap states that nearly 62% of all suicide deaths in Douglas County are from individuals who have a history of mental health issues. e Colorado Department of Public Health Douglas County states that of the youth who committed suicide over a four year period, nearly 27% were on antidepressants, and nearly 40% had alcohol and 20% had marijuana in their systems when they died, and nearly 17% had opiates in their system respectively when they died. I’m skeptical that building “positive networks of support and inclusion” will be adequate to help these youths overcome drug and alcohol addiction.

Picking a group of people to support based on particular attribute of said group (e.g., their sexual orientation) is degrading and inhumane. is decision makes me question whether our country commissioners really care about the needs of all youth.

Ursula Kakos Castle Rock

With a $66 million Mill Levy Override, DCSD would:

• Make sta pay more competitive, in order to keep valued teachers and sta in the school district

• Increase and maintain safety and security, with additional support such as School Resource

O cers, or SROs

Providing safe and e ective learning environments is so important for student and sta well-being. With a $484 million Bond, DCSD would:

• Invest in school safety and security upgrades to buildings (such as hardening of school buildings)

• Provide additional Career and

• Update, maintain and construct educational facilities to ensure safe and adequate learning spaces and reduce overcrowding

What would this cost you? A Douglas County taxpayer would expect to pay $20 per year per $100,000 of home value. So, for a million dollar home, the total increase of both measures combined would be $200 per year.

e DCSD Board of Education will make a nal determination of whether to place these measures on the November ballot soon. Learn more and stay informed at www.dcsdk12.org/funding.

Erin Kane is the Superintendent of the Douglas County School District

July 17, 2023

Gregory Smith, 58, passed away peacefully and surrounded by his family on Monday, July 17, 2023.

Greg was born on March 4, 1965, in Wayland, Michigan to Shirley and Lewis Smith. He attended Michigan State University and served in the United States Army. He eventually relocated to Denver, Colorado, which he came to call home. Greg had a successful career in the technology eld, where his friends and colleagues recognized him as a dedicated employee and supportive mentor. Outside of work, he was a movie bu and jokester who made it his mission to make his children and nieces and nephews laugh. He loved troubleshooting tech issues for friends and family, MSU sports, and his favorite dog and longtime companion, Max. Most of all, he loved his family.

Greg is survived by Kathi Smith, his wife of 23 years; children Christopher (Tanya) Smith, Steven (Aliona) Smith, Alexandra (Cayden) DeBois, and Bryce Smith; mother, Shirley Smith; sisters Cherie Neu, Michelle Abner, and Stacie Peltomaa; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends. He is predeceased by his motherin-law, Jeanne Whalen, and his father, Lewis Smith, who provided him comfort as he prepared to meet them on the other side.

A Celebration of Life will be held on August 3, 2023, from 3-4:30pm at Horan & McConaty, 5303 E. County Line Road, Centennial, CO 80122. In lieu of owers, memorial donations may be made to Food Bank of the Rockies, 10700 E. 45th Avenue, Denver, CO 80239. https://secure. foodbankrockies.org/site/Donation2?df_ id=7564&7564.donation=form1&mfc_ pref=T

GREGORY LEWIS SMITH

SMITH

Gregory Lewis “Greg” Smith March 4, 1965 - July 17, 2023

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

ADenver-based nonpro t music education organization is helping local rising stars showcase and enhance their musical talents, record music and learn podcasting for free.

Youth on Record, founded by local musician community organizer Flobots in 2008 works with people aged 14 to 24.

“Flotbots’ mission was to bring music to young people to improve academic success and youth outreach, and it grew into what is now known as Youth on Record,” said Haley Witt, a guitar musician and singer-songwriter who manages Youth on Record.

Youth on Record recently rocked at its ninth annual block party in support of youth in music with over 20 live music performances, teen activities and vendors at its o ce location near downtown Denver.

“We have a state-of-the-art recording studio soundboard and all sorts of instruments,” Witt said. “So young people can drop into our programs and learn about mixing, mastering songs and learn about songwriting and instrumentation.”

After school programs

e Youth on Record runs afterschool, out-of-school and in-school programming with Denver Public Schools and Aurora Public Schools middle and high schools.

“We partner with the schools to teach four-credit classes, and we hire local professional artists to teach those classes,” Witt said. “Our Youth on Record teaching artists come to the schools, and the young people are able to learn from them. It’s one way that you nd our Youth on Record programs through the schools.”

Youth on Record also has afterschool programs at the Youth on Record media studio space called the open lab on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and is available to young people from 14 to 24 years old.

“It’s self-guided so that they can explore their interests. ey come into the space with a passion for music, making songwriting production, and we teach them the skill set they need to accomplish the projects they’re passionate about,” Witt said.

Witt said Youth on Record also o er an internship and fellowship program and a fellowship program, both of which are paid programs by donors.

“Youth on Record is a nonpro t organization so donors fund our program,” Witt said.

Witt said Youth on Record has had a lot of talented program graduates.

Baily Elora from Hudson/ Keenesburg Colorado, featured in the Fort Lupton Press, went through the program and signed on with Sony Music Subsidiary e Orchard.

“We are proud of all of our program graduates and all of the various directions that they’re headed, it’s really important to us to connect with young people with economic opportunities, “ Witt said.

Witt said Youth on Records is a pillar of academic success, economic opportunity and community activation.

“Our economic opportunity pillar, it’s really important to us to connect young people to community careers and job opportunities,” Witt said.

Witt said they have young people who play gigs in the community and support booking those gigs and paid opportunities for young people to perform.

Youth on Record also places young people into community internships and fellowships.

“Our fellows will have the opportunity to have community internships with local partners as well. It’s important to us to connect young people to jobs in the industry and to connect them to opportunities in creative elds and show them that it’s possible,” Witt said.

ere also is an open mic every rst Friday, and it is open to the public, where the youth perform and gain experience in combination with all the First Fridays and art walks across the city, speci cally in collaboration with the Santa Fe Art Walk.

“ at’s a program run by our fellows and learn how to put together a music festival, run it, secure porta potties and design posters for the festival and how it ties in economic opportunity. e block party is a youth-led program,” Witt said.

Learning about podcasting

David Ladon, Youth on Record audio arts innovation manager, teaches youth how to do podcast interviews. Ladon has been teaching podcasting for nine years and has worked with Youth on Record for three in a half years.

“We have a podcast show that comes out monthly called ‘Generation Collaboration’ that we produce in collaboration with Colorado young leaders,” Ladon said, adding that they just nished season one and that the podcast airs on KGNU.

ARTISTS

“We have another monthly show called ‘Youth on Rewind,’ which is a segment-based show and the tagline podcast amplifying young people’s voices, stories and ideas,” Ladon said. Ladon said the podcast features segments produced by interns, peer navigators and fellows, covering whatever interests them.

“Our third show is called ‘Underground of the Showcase’ as

the official podcast of the underground music showcase, which Youth and Record helps put on.”

The podcast is hosted and produced by youth interns from 16 to 24 years old.

Ladon said his love for the application of podcast work expanded beyond media production or journalism.

“It gets to the root of socialemotional learning and developing yourself because you’re learning to exercise your voice and get to practice hearing your voice, which is not something we’re all comfortable with,” Ladon said.

Mobile Studio

Oren Bregman, executive director of the Mobile Studio nonprofit music outreach program has partnered with Youth on Record. Bregman’s program brings the mobile studio to Denver, Green Valley and Montebello pathway schools in Aurora.

“We focused on singing, rapping, and poetry so we bring our equipment and expertise so students can create music to express themselves and share it online with their family and friends,” Bregman said.

Bregman said Youth on Records helped Mobile Studio get their

first grant and gave them some instruments.

“We are happy to be part of the family,” Bregman said.

Witt said that the young people the programs serve are incredibly talented. “It blows me away to see the ways that they’re able to cultivate their skills, and it’s inspiring to watch and build strong mentorship relationships with our staff and to feel connected to a sense of community through our programs,” she said.

For more information about Youth on Record, visit youthonrecord.org or call 303993-5226.

Youth on Record student Addie Uhl performs at the Youth on Record block party.

PHOTOS BY BELEN WARD

Cornelius Bates sings a hip-hop rap on the mic at the Mobile Studio tent.

David Ladon, Youth on Record audio arts innovation manager, prepares the podcast studio for an interview.

Laura Stedman warms up for her solo performance at the Youth on Record block party.

Summer arts in full swing

he “Best of Colorado” exhibit, juried by abstract painter Christian Dore, will ll the Depot Art Gallery, 2069 W. Powers Ave., Downtown Littleton, from Aug. 8 to Sept. 10. Dore selected 60 works for the exhibit from over 400 submitted by Colorado artists. Gallery open, admission free, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays.

Littleton Fine Arts Guild

Littleton Fine Arts Guild, which operates the Depot, also will host a “Home on the Range” a Western Welcome Week art event through Sept. 10 at Stanton Gallery in the Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St., Downtown Littleton. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and during performances. For information, call 303-794-2787.

Rox Arts Gallery

Rox Arts Gallery, at Aspen Grove, has moved to Suite 222, next to See’s Candy, and has new artwork exhibited by many members. e gallery o ers instruction throughout the week. See website, aspengrovecenter.com/retailer/rox-arts-gallery/, for schedules and registration info. Aspen Grove o ers a lot of free parking.

Bega Park Art Fair

Littleton Fine Arts Guild will hold a Bega Park Art Fair on Aug.  4, from 8 a.m. to 4   p.m. Admission is free so wander through this green, historic park and enjoy. e Guild will also have an exhibit at Bemis Library, 6014 S. Datura St., during August during regular hours.

Chatfield Farms

Chat eld Farms, part of Denver Botanic Gardens, is located at Chat eld State Park and includes the

historic Hildebrand Farm, lavender gardens and much more, plus spots for family picnics. Denver Botanic Gardens members are free, others need tickets. Be sure to visit the immersion sculpture, “One Fell Swoop,” by Patrick Daugherty. While on site, visit the Butter ies: Swallowtail, Monarch, Mourning Cloaks, Painted Ladies and more. With paved walkways that are wheelchair accessible – remember the last entry is 2:45 p.m.

Smash Fine Arts Festival

e Smash Fine Arts Festival will run Aug. 12-13 in the Cherry Creek North area. e show is open between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the Fillmore Plaza, located at 105 Fillmore St., between First and Second streets.

Shakespeare in the Wild Theater Company

e Shakespeare in the Wild eater Company will present “As You Like It,” at Goodson Recreation Center on Sept. 18, 20, 25-27. Get more information at shakespeareinthewild.com.

The Peach Festival

e Peach Festival will be held in Centennial on Aug. 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 8242 S. University Blvd., Unit # 150.

Denver Botanic Gardens

Denver Botanic Gardens at York St. hosts summer concerts, organized by Swallow Hill Music and Denver Botanic Gardens. and Evenings Al Fresco on select Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:30to 8:30 p.m. Musicians and small ensembles will appear throughout the gardens. For tickets, visit the website at https://shorturl.at/fNR47.

Photographer Andy Marquez

Littleton area photographer Andy Marquez has published a new book, “Sacred Seasons,” hardcover, $24.95. Available from the artist: andymarquez.com. or andymarquezimages@gmail.com. Added $10 for shipping.

Local author publishes ‘I Can Be Anything: A Book About Careers’

BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Local author Leslie Tucker, who is also a preschool teacher, has published an appealing new book for small family members: “I Can Be Anything: A Book About Careers,” with illustrations by Courtney Sarro.

It should o er subjects for numerous family conversations with kids, parents and grandparents. And perhaps some inducements for family eld trips to see who is doing what out there ...

Tucker’s friend found Sarro’s name and art on Facebook, she said — and the illustrations ow well with the story.

e kindergarten types are an ethnic mix and show varied interests, ranging from mechanics and medicine to concert musicians and astronauts ... all in a Pre-K style.

Although Tucker was an art major in college, she didn’t choose to illustrate this one herself. But it ts into her idea of how the book should look, she said. With a girl in the Army and the boy, a nurse, for example.

Tucker said she is also working on several other books presently and has more ideas in mind for topics appropriate for children and adults.

Tucker, who works as a substitute teacher at local preschools, said the book is available through Amazon and she hopes it can be added to story

times at area schools.

Tucker’s imagination is working overtime shaping possible storylines and interactions ... She said she designed the book’s cover and conveyed her idea to the illustrator. She is happy with the result, which introduces the kids who live within the covers. She was able to express her thoughts to the illustrator is a social worker who enjoys “working with children to help them understand their feelings and learn to advocate for themselves.”

e author’s next book will perhaps be about a homeless child. She is in the formative stages and will probably soon hit the computer keys... Watch for news about a new title ...

“The Boss” by artist Steve Reicks is included in the “Best of Colorado” exhibit, running from Aug. 8 through Sept. 10 at the Depot Art Gallery. COURTESY PHOTO

Thu 8/10

Eric Golden @ 5pm ViewHouse Centennial, 7101 S Clinton St, Centennial

Featured

Chase Wright @ 6pm Philip S. Miller Park Amphitheater, 210 E Wolfensberger Rd, Castle Rock

Adina Howard @ 6pm Stampede, 2430 S Havana St, Aurora

Fri 8/11

Kids’ Zone: Fairy Tea Party (3-6 yrs) S/S23 @ 3pm Parker Recreation Center, 17301 E Lincoln Ave., Parker

Electric Whiskey Experiment @ 5pm Locavore Beer Works, 5950 S Platte Canyon Rd, Littleton

Axeslasher @ 7pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

Sun 8/13

Hot Like Wasabi: HLW at Viewhouse

@ 7pm ViewHouse Centennial, 7101 S Clinton St, Centennial

Sat 8/12

Giant Zero at Private Party @ 2pm private party, Sedalia

The Sensational Barnes Brothers: Backyard Beats 2023 @ 5pm Sweetwater Park, 8300-1/2 Sweet Water Rd, Lone Tree

The Denver Pops with The Ultimate Stones @ 7pm / $30-$50

The Amphitheater at Philip S. Miller Park, 1375 W Plum Creek Pkwy, Castle Rock

Pancake Stampede 5K @ 7am / $25

The Hudson Gardens & Event Center, 6115 South Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. SarahN@ssprd.org

Featured

Little Jam Free Concert @ 5:30pm

Sterne Park, 5800 South Spotswood Street, Littleton. cweaver@littletongov.org, 303795-3727

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

The Ultimate Stones BandRolling Stones Tribute: With the Denver Pops Orchestra @ 7:30pm

Philip S. Miller Park Amphitheater, 210 E Wolfensberger Rd, Castle Rock

Dave Mensch - Tailgate Tavern - Parker, CO @ 11am

Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Mainstreet, Parker

Wed 8/16

Tom Mcelvain Music @ 5pm

The Englewood Tavern, 4386 S Broadway, Englewood

The Newarkansans live at The Inverness HIlton Denver @ 4pm Hilton Denver Inverness, 200 Inverness Dr W, Englewood

Wind, Women, & Water Clinic @ 4:30pm / $55

Cherry Creek Reservoir, 4800 S Dayton St, Greenwood Village. 303-757-7718

Crazy Dave, Bass Guitarist: Reso‐nance Debuts | Tailgate Tavern @ 5pm

Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Mainstreet, Parker

Thu 8/17 Calendar

Rock down to Avenue Q at Miners Alley

COMING ATTRACTIONS

When we’re young, the art and entertainment we connect to can really take a hold and shape who we are and what we like. Usually, that art remains in our past — something we think of fondly occasionnaly. But every now and then it gets an update that turns it into something else.

at’s the case with “Avenue Q: e Musical,” the new production at Miners Alley Playhouse, 1224 Washington Ave. in Golden. e show is an adult modernization of the kind of puppet-driven storytelling that has been a part of growing up for years.

“So many of us have memories of these kinds of stories, but this is more about real life,” said director Warren Sherrill. “ e overall theme is that no matter how well we prepare ourselves in life, there are going to be curveballs, disappointments and unknowns that mess things up. ings get worse and then better.”

“Avenue Q” runs at Miners from Friday, Aug. 11 through Sunday, Sept. 17. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. ursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

According to provided information, the musical focuses on Princeton (David Otto), a recent college grad who has moved into a run-down New York City apartment on Avenue Q. As he meets neighbors and makes friends (with a cast that includes Ava Francis, Mike Martinkus, Keandra Hunt, Emily Gerhard, Carter Edward Smith and Corey Exline) they try to nd jobs, relationships and meaning in life.   e production features music direction from Susan Draus, who has served as musical director for “ e Book of Mormon,” “Mamma Mia” and many more.

“ e show is a bit cartoonish because of the puppets, so I wanted to add more cute and funny sounds to the score,” Draus said. “I really want the music to match the show — when it’s funny, the music should be funny and when it’s tender, it should be tender.”

As if working with puppets, which were designed by Cory Gilstrap, wasn’t a big enough challenge, there were also the normal challenges of staging a musical in an intimate space. But Draus said it was great fun to be a part of the project.

“I love what they’re doing a Miners Alley,” she said. “ ey have such a wonderful sense of humor and a great kindness and lightness. e audience is going to have a blast.”

What makes the show unique isn’t

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the puppets — it’s the searchingly human way topics like racism and LGBTQIA+ issues are examined. And that deep humanity is what Sherrill hopes audiences take away from the production.

“ e puppets allow the meaning and messages to be more subtle, instead of right in your face. It allows for boundaries to be broken,” he said. “ ere are important reminders in the show about taking life one day at a time. So much of what we worry about won’t even matter in a year.”

For information and tickets, visit https://minersalley.com/avenue-qthe-musical/.

Get thoughtful at Walker Fine Art’s Evocation exhibition

I think most of us imagine art-making to be an extremely introspective pursuit and that is often the case, as Evocation, the latest exhibit at Walker Fine Art, 300 West 11th Ave., No. A, in Denver, beautifully explores.

On display through Saturday, Sept. 2, the exhibit features worksVirginia Steck,Matt Christie,Atticus Adams,Kim Ferrer,Peter Illig and Doug Haeussner. According to provided information, the artists use nature and landscape to work their way through memories. e resulting pieces come in a variety of mediums – painting, wall sculpture and mixed media – and invite the viewer to participate in their own introspective process.

All the details can be found atwww. walker neart.com/evocation.

Celebrate highland life at Colorado Scottish Festival

e Denver Polo Club is inviting people to get their Scottish on at the 59thAnnual Colorado Scottish Festival, which will be held at the club,

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6359 Airport Road in Sedalia, on Saturday, Aug. 5 and Sunday, Aug. 6.

Hosted by the St. Andrew Society of Colorado, the club celebrates all things Scottish — culture, tradition and history. e family-friendly event features a range of activities, including athletics, music and dance, Celtic merchandise, drinks and eats and much more. Spectators can check out the Scottish Games and traditional Irish Step Dancing by the Heritage Irish Stepdancers while sampling haggis, whisky and other delicacies.

Find all the details atwww.scottishgames.org.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — boygenius at Red Rocks

Musical super groups aren’t things we see very often anymore, which is a shame, because even if they’re not always good, they’re usually interesting. Fortunately, boygenius, the group made up of indie/alt-rockers Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, are not just good, they’re great. e three women are among the sharpest tunesmiths around right now and together they explore the pitfalls of life and relationships with a novelist’s eye for nuance. eir debut full length,“the record” is one of the year’s best releases.

e group’s visit to Red Rocks, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway in Morrison, at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 5, is one of the season’s most anticipated concerts. ey’ll be joined by arthouse rockers illuminati hotties, making this a don’t-miss performance. Secure tickets at www.ticketmaster.com.

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

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Bridget’s Botanicals o ers classes, products

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

For more than a decade, Bridget Molloy has been teaching people how to enhance their wellbeing through the use of plants.

Now, Littleton locals can learn to make herbal teas, try botanical tru es and purchase aromatherapy and tincture kits at Molloy’s new storefront, just o of Main Street.

Bridget’s Botanicals, which Molloy started in 2014, is a company that embraces health, wellness and fun through experiential classes and natural products.

Molloy, who grew up in Littleton, said she hopes her store becomes “a community place to experience botanicals and (connect) to nature in a really fun way.”

Learning about botanicals

Molloy has studied ecology, molecular biology, teaching, pharmacology and medicinal chemistry, including graduate work at Harvard and Georgetown. She said her com-

pany allows her to combine two of her main passions in life: teaching and herbalism.

“Herbalism is really the practice of when you’re using botanicals — it can be leaves, owers, berries … to bene t your health,” she said.

With over 40 courses developed, Molloy and her team will o er classes ranging from an in-depth herbalism study to an elderberry syrup-making class. She will also teach sessions about ethnobotany, which is the study of traditional knowledge and customs of di erent groups and cultures concerning plants and their uses.

Some of her classes are o ered as private events, which people can schedule for their teams, workplaces or friends, Molloy said.

Sustainable products and kits

Her shop also sells a variety of products, including tea blends, tinctures, elderberry syrups, aromatherapy mists and cocktail bitters — all made by Molloy. She said she hopes to partner with other

local businesses to o er some of her products for use on their drink menus.

In an e ort to be sustainable, Molloy’s product line have labels that are all ink-based and made in a wind-run printing facility in Colorado, she said.

Of her products, Molloy is most excited about the kits, which o er curated selections of tea, aromatherapy mists, tinctures and other products that aim to address speci c mental or physical wellness goals.

She sells kits for menstruation care, fertility, sleep and stress, mental wellness and sexual vitality. Several of these showcase her passion for women’s wellness and sexual health.

“Traditionally (women have) been very marginalized in the medical system, and it’s been very shameful to talk about di erent things,” she said. “So I think it’s great to have a space where women can feel comfortable and con dent to come to.”

Community support

Members of the Littleton Chamber of Commerce, District 1 Councilmember Patrick Driscoll, At-Large Councilmember Pam Grove and other community members gathered at 5733 S. Prince St. to celebrate the company’s grand opening on July 27.

“We just are really happy that you have the courage to do what you’re doing, and you decided to do it in Littleton,” said Pat Dunahay, copresident of the chamber. “ is community really will support you. You wouldn’t have the people here today if they didn’t have heart for what you’re doing and believe in what you’re doing.”

Molloy thanked her family, who baked cupcakes and set up for the event, for their unwavering support of her goals and for helping her create her shop.

“I’m very excited for her,” her husband said to the group. “ is is a dream of hers and I’m — as we’ve helped already — all-in to help her with whatever she needs to be happy and successful in this.”

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Members of the Littleton Chamber of Commerce, city o cials, family and friends cheer at the ribbon cutting for Bridget’s Botanicals on July 27.

PHOTOS BY NINA JOSS

Visitors examine the teas and herbs on display at Bridget’s Botanicals, a new apothecary and herbalism education shop in downtown Littleton.

In a drag performer’s words e town hall crowd also heard from a drag performer who goes by LaLa, who said “it’s very possible for drag performers to do G-rated acts.”

“Just like any other (actor can) go from rated R to G or Disney movie,” said LaLa, who is not a PrideFest performer but spoke generally about drag.

Performers care about kids in the community too, LaLa said.

“But what we want is for our queer youth to grow up to be queer adults,” LaLa said, adding that if people don’t have supportive spaces, that leads to youth dying by suicide.

In Douglas County, the number of suicide deaths went from a recent low of 15 in 2005 to dozens higher in years afterward, according to state data cited by Douglas County sta .

Last year, 53 people died by suicide in Douglas County, according to the state data.

But suicide risk is a direr problem for certain demographics, and that includes LGBTQ+ youth, who are far more likely than others to experience mental health distress, suicidal ideation, and suicide planning and attempts, according to an earlier presentation by county sta .

Among gay or lesbian youth, 19% attempted suicide one or more times, compared with 3% of straight people, according to 2021 Douglas County data focused on youth.

Making comparisons

County Commissioner Abe Laydon said detractors should give PrideFest a second chance after last year’s incident.

“I support the Catholic Church,” but it has thousands of allegations of sexual abuse against it, Laydon said. And so does the Boy Scouts of America, he said.

“Are we going to say Boy Scouts can’t come to the fairgrounds?” Laydon said.

He also pointed to the example of singer Janet Jackson experiencing what’s been called a “wardrobe malfunction” at the Super Bowl years ago.

“Are we going to say no one can go to the Super Bowl?” Laydon said. “You still have Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders in dental oss performing in front of families every week.”

Laydon also drew a line from the current conversation about wanting restrictions on what children can watch to the debate over masking in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. He brought up how area residents at the time asked authorities not to require masks for kids.

“We’re all about parental rights,” Laydon said.

Douglas County Undersheri Dave Walcher ensured the crowd that if the sheri ’s o ce receives information regarding a crime, o cials follow up with the local district attorney’s o ce.

“We will have individuals from the sheri ’s o ce at this event,” and if anyone breaks the law, the o ce will take action, Walcher said.

‘Love the Lord’

One person, who made a comment remotely, said she thinks people should go to PrideFest because “I don’t want to see any kind of buildup of hate in our community.”

Kerkezian, with Castle Rock Pride, chalked the disagreement in the community up to cultural di erences.

“It doesn’t shock us to see a man in a dress … Drag is part of the LGBTQ fabric,” Kerkezian told Colorado Community Media, saying drag is “not sexual in nature.”

Another commenter in the crowd referred to the concept of people choosing to be LGBTQ, and Laydon responded that “it’s not a choice.” Religion also came up during the event.

“I love Jesus, I love the Lord,” Laydon said in response. “I love queer kids who are struggling as well.”

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OTR must have, or be eligible for appropriate Colorado licensure. Provide Pre-12 intervention, assessment, direct & indirect services just east of Denver on I-70, Bennett & Strasburg. Full Time Salary range: MA $50,450$56,050 PhD $55,700 -$61,300. Part-Time Salary prorated based on the number of days employed. Excellent Benefits. Access to a company vehicle or mileage reimbursement. May be eligible for a loan forgiveness program! Flexible scheduling with the opportunity to complete some work at home. To apply for this position, please visit our website ecboces.org and click on the “Jobs” page, click on the job you are interested in & then click on the grey button “Apply Online”, located at the bottom of the job listing. EOE Questions contact Tracy at (719) 775-2342, ext. 101 or email tracyg@ecboces.org

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Schedule – For two boys ages 5 & 8. School year (Aug-May) work schedule will primarily be on weekdays 6:30am-8:30am & 3pm8pm. Individual will have to have valid Colorado driver’s license to transport boys to and from school and other extracurricular activities. We will provide a vehicle for this use as well as limited personal use. For Summer break (End of May through beginning of August) this individual will watch the kids 9am-6pm MonFri. Also allowed flexibility with the option to switch days or hours for weekends occasionally.

Primary Responsibilities - Feeding and prepping boys for school every weekday morning. Making sure they have packed snacks. Driving and picking up every weekday to and from school. Driving to Kumon twice a week. Assisting in their school and Kumon assignments. Getting them fed, showered and ready for bed. Assisting in piano practice for 30 minutes every morning. All boy’s laundry to include changing their bed linens and bath towels once a week. Doing all dishes for yourself and kids after each meal. Participate in outdoor activities i.e. playing at the park, riding bikes, swimming, sledding, walking, or going to the rec. center. Reading books. Doing arts and crafts. Portuguese as 2nd language preferred to continue to teach boys Portuguese as a second language. Integrating bilingual communication in everyday activities (if applicable). $37,000 annual salary paid in weekly increments. Provided bedroom and attached bathroom at the employer’s residence is provided. If interested please email your resume to employer, Lindsey Donakowski, at lindsey.mayer@gmail.com

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Visa Technology & Operations LLC.

A Visa Inc. company, currently has an opening for a Sr. Software Test Engineer (Multiple Openings) (REF62144O) in Highlands Ranch, CO. Job duties include: Responsible for application testing, support and monitoring. Design and develop test plans and functional test cases from business requirements and conceptual documents with a focus on coverage, performance and automation. The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is $116,563.00 USD to $146,700.00 USD; Systems Analyst (multiple openings) (REF61891M) in Highlands Ranch, CO. Job duties include: Act as the initial escalation point for Service Desk Tier 1 application issues. Perform routine application maintenance including host file updates, log rotation, shell scripting for common tasks. The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is $94,700.00 USD to $146,700.00 USD. Positions report to the Employer’s Highlands Ranch, Colorado office and may allow for partial telecommuting. Salary may vary depending on jobrelated factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, positions may be eligible for an annual bonus and equity. Visa has a comprehensive benefits package for which this position is eligible that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Program, FSH/HSA, Life Insurance, Paid Time off and Wellness Programs. Qualified applicants should apply by emailing resume to careersus@visa. com. Must reference job code.

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East Central BOCES is looking for a part-time Educational Audiologist for the 2023-24 school year. CDE Special Services and Colorado Audiologist licensure required; CCC’s or AAA certificate; knowledge of current technologies in Audiology including HAT systems and cochlear implants preferred. Experience with children 0-21 preferred. Complete evaluations, provide direct services, and consultation services, manage hearing equipment and oversee hearing screening program. Benefits include: a signing bonus, mileage reimbursement. Flexible scheduling with some opportunity to work from home. May be eligible for a loan forgiveness program. Ph.D. Salary $51,450-$60,550. For Questions, please contact Tracy at tracyg@ ecboces.org or 719-775-2342 ext. 101. To apply for this position, please visit our website ecboces.org and click on the “Jobs” page, click on the job you are interested in & then click on the grey button “Apply Online”, located at the bottom of the job listing. EOE

SRE Engineer (FT; Multiple Openings)

Job Location: Centennial, CO

Requirements: BS or equiv. in CS, IS, Math, etc. + 2 yrs. exp. req’d. Exp. w/UCaaS, Python, Bash, Java, JS, AWS, Cloudformation, Terraform, Linux OS, Jenkins, GitLab, CI/CD, Redhat & CentOS req’d.

Salary: $127,200 Apply online at ringcentral. com/company/ careers

Help Wanted

Visa U.S.A. Inc.

Has an opening for Staff SW Development Engineer (Multiple openings) (REF59311V) in Highlands Ranch, CO. Job duties include: Responsible for the architecture, design, development, and implementation of software applications. Evaluate and introduce technology tools and processes that enable Visa to develop products and solutions, to embrace business opportunities and/ or improve operational efficiency. Up to 5-10% Domestic travel required. The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is $139,984.00 USD to $177,800.00 USD; Sr. SW Test Engineer (Multiple Openings) (REF62247J) in Highlands Ranch, CO. Job duties include: Responsible for designing, creating and executing test plans and test cases for the Debit Processing Services applications. The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is $116,563.00 USD to $132,300.00 USD; Sr. Staff SW Engineer (Multiple Openings) (REF62219E) in Highlands Ranch, CO. Job duties include: Work with Solution or Enterprise Architecture to translate architecture into a delivered solution that realizes the vision and purpose. Effectively translate functional and non-functional requirements into an engineered solution. The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is $132,100.00 USD to $211,300.00 USD; Sr. Systems Analyst (multiple openings) (REF61155G) in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Job duties include: Ensure root cause analysis is performed and permanent solutions are implemented. Perform proactive activities designed to promote a troublefree production environment. The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is $ 131,456.00 USD to $161,100.00 USD. Positions report to the Employer’s Highlands Ranch, CO office and may allow for partial telecommuting. The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is $ 131,456.00 USD to $161,100.00 USD. Salary may vary depending on job-related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location. In addition, positions may be eligible for an annual bonus and equity. Visa has a comprehensive benefits package for which this position is eligible that includes Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), Employee Stock Purchase Program, FSH/HSA, Life Insurance, Paid Time off and Wellness Programs. Qualified applicants should apply by emailing resume to careersus@visa. com. Must reference job code.

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WIDOWED MEN AND WOMEN OF AMERICA.

A social club offering many exciting activities and life long friendships. Social hours for all areas of Metro Denver. Visit Widowedamerica.org for details

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The HG Community is located in Centennial | 3 Entrances to Community: Colorado Blvd. & E. Links Parkway S. Holly and E. Links Circle S.. Holly and E. Otero Avenue

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Old Crows Antiques featuring The Root Beer Bar

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Join us on Memory Lane. Something for everyone.

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Legals

To Whom It May Concern: On 5/26/2023 12:08:00

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

Original Grantor: WILLIAM ARVIDSSON AND ANN MARIE ARVIDSSON

Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. AS NOMINEE FOR BROKER SOLUTIONS, INC.DBA NEW AMERICAN FUNDING, ITS SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: MIDFIRST BANK Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 10/22/2019 Recording Date of DOT: 11/19/2019 Reception No. of DOT: 2019078925 DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $259,239.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $250,473.32

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

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

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

Legal Description of Real Property:

LOT 440, HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 111-B, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Which has the address of:

9626 Whitecliff Place, 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, September 13, 2023, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

First Publication: 7/20/2023

Last Publication: 8/17/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 5/26/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

ALISON L. BERRY Colorado Registration #: 34531 9540 MAROON CIRCLE SUITE 320, ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO 80112 Phone #: (303) 706-9990

Fax #: (303) 706-9994

Attorney File #: 23-030075

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE

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

Legal Notice No. 2023-0098

Brian Leben

Beneficiary: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as Beneficiary, as nominee for United Wholesale Mortgage, its successors

To Whom It May Concern: On 5/12/2023 2:31:00

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

Original Grantor: Brian C. Reseigh and Rebecca M. Reseigh

Original Beneficiary: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as Beneficiary, as nominee for Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Inc., its successors and assigns

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: Bell Bank

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 12/2/2020

Recording Date of DOT: 12/7/2020

Reception No. of DOT: 2020119935

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $417,000.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $377,290.19

Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: FAILURE TO MAKE TIMELY PAYMENTS AS REQUIRED UNDER THE EVIDENCE OF DEBT AND DEED OF TRUST.

AND SHERIANNE V. GRANT

Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. ACTING SOLELY AS NOMINEE FOR NOVASTAR MORTGAGE, INC.

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt:

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, F/K/A THE BANK OF NEW YORK AS SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. AS TRUSTEE FOR NOVASTAR MORTGAGE FUNDING TRUST, SERIES 2005-4, NOVASTAR HOME EQUITY LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-4

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 10/26/2005

Recording Date of DOT: 11/2/2005

Reception No. of DOT: 2005105932

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $311,920.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $325,960.93

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

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. 945781

First Publication: August 3, 2023

Last Publication: August 3, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

Public Notice

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE DOUGLAS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

$616,487.12

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

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

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

Legal Description of Real Property:

Lot 378, STERLING RANCH FILING NO. 1, County of Douglas, State of Colorado.

Which has the address of: 8200 Superior Cir, Littleton, CO 80125

NOTICE OF SALE

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

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 6, 2023, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

First Publication: 7/13/2023

Last Publication: 8/10/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 5/12/2023

DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

AMANDA FERGUSON

Colorado Registration #: 44893

355 UNION BLVD SUITE 250, LAKEWOOD, COLORADO 80228

Phone #: (303) 274-0155

Fax #:

Attorney File #: CO21704

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

Legal Notice No. 2023-0088

First Publication: 7/13/2023

Last Publication: 8/10/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

NOTICE

Ranch

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

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

Legal Description of Real Property:

LOT 165, HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 120-C, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Which has the address of: 10004 Heywood St, 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, September 6, 2023, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

First Publication: 7/13/2023

Last Publication: 8/10/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 5/15/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

AMANDA FERGUSON Colorado Registration #: 44893 355 UNION BLVD SUITE 250, LAKEWOOD, COLORADO 80228

Phone #: (303) 274-0155

Fax #:

Attorney File #: CO21661

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

Legal Notice No. 2023-0089

First Publication: 7/13/2023

Last Publication: 8/10/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press PUBLIC NOTICE Highlands Ranch NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0106

To Whom It May Concern: On 6/2/2023 9:30:00

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

Original Grantor: CARL D. GRANT

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

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

Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 333, HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 110-J, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 10125 Spring Water Court, 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, September 27, 2023, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

First Publication: 8/3/2023

Last Publication: 8/31/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 6/2/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

RANDALL CHIN

Colorado Registration #: 31149 1391 Speer Boulevard, Suite 700, DENVER, COLORADO 80204 Phone #: (303) 350-3711

Fax #: Attorney File #: 00000009686460

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE

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

Legal Notice No. 2023-0106

First Publication: 8/3/2023

Last Publication: 8/31/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

A public hearing will be held before the Board of County Commissioners to consider the approval of a lease agreement between Sean Dodd and Emma Curtis, as lessees, and the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Douglas, Colorado, as lessor, regarding the real property located at 6516 South Interstate 25 (aka Iron Horse Open Space).

The public hearing will be held on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at 2:30 p.m. in the Commissioners Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado. For more information please contact the Douglas County office of Open Space and Natural Resources at (303) 660-7495, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado 80104.

Legal Notice No. 945773

First Publication: August 3, 2023

Last Publication: August 3, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press Bids and Settlements PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Section 38-26-107, C.R.S., as amended, that on September 3, 2023 final settlement will be made by the County of Douglas, State of Colorado, for and on account of a contract between Douglas County and American West Construction, LLC for the US 85 CPW Access Road, Parking Lot, and City Ditch Relocation Project, Douglas County Project Number CI 2021-037, in Douglas County; and that any person, co-partnership, association or corporation that has an unpaid claim against said American West Construction, LLC for or on account of the furnishing of labor, materials, team hire, sustenance, provisions, provender or other supplies used or consumed by such contractor or any of his subcontractors in or about the performance of said work, or that supplied rental machinery, tools, or equipment to the extent used in the prosecution of said work, may at any time up to and including said time of such final settlement on said 3rd day of September, 2023, file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid on account of such claim with the Board of County Commissioners, c/o Director of Public Works Engineering, with a copy to the Project Engineer, Neil Sarno, Philip S. Miller Building, 100 Third Street, Suite 220, Castle Rock, CO 80104.

Failure on the part of claimant to file such statement prior to such final settlement will relieve said County of Douglas from all and any liability for such claimant's claim.

The Board of Douglas County Commissioners of the County of Douglas, Colorado, By: Janet Herman, P.E., Director of Public Works.

Legal Notice NO. 945790

First Publication: August 3, 2023

Second Publication: August 10, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Account Number: 2734

Public Notice

INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) #032-23 CLERK

The Department of Facilities, Fleet and Emergency Support Services of Douglas County Government,

COUNTY

hired by Castle Rock Pride.”

Zavadil said with the grant, her organization aims to help build connections and support and that the grant “is not being used for any other aspect.”

“We know that this county is large, and that citizens, especially youth, can’t always drive across the county to access” support, Zavadil said.

omas mentioned that any grant recipient has to prove it is successfully using its money, and if it doesn’t, it won’t continue to receive funding.

‘Vulnerable populations’

Some in the audience at the meeting argued Laydon should “recuse,” or remove, himself from

the funding vote because he identi es as part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Laydon responded that Teal is a veteran and that “we’re going to support that community. I wouldn’t ask him to recuse himself when (talking) about veterans in our community.”

He noted that for many years in America, people were told that they were “unnatural.”

“And we hear, as the board of social services, (we know of children) who aren’t welcome in their own homes because of gender dysphoria,” Laydon said. “I’m a dad. I’m a Republican. I’m a man of faith. And I’m a member of the LGBTQ community … For me, supporting vulnerable populations is a priority.”

Laydon and omas voted to approve the funding for the several mental health-related organizations, with Teal voting against

Public Notices

hereinafter referred to as the County, respectfully requests bids from responsible and qualified contractors for all materials and services required to complete the construction of the Clerk of the Courts Service Counter Remodel Project.

ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2023 @ 1:00 P.M., THERE WILL BE A MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING RELATED TO THIS PROJECT. THE MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING WILL ALLOW ALL POTENTIAL BIDDERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE PROJECT DETAILS AND VIEW THE WORKSITE LOCATION. THE MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING WILL BE HELD AT THE ROBERT A. CHRISTENSEN JUSTICE CENTER, 4000 JUSTICE WAY, CASTLE ROCK, COLORADO 80109. ALL ATTENDEES MUST CLEAR SECURITY AND MEET IN THE JUSTICE CENTER LOBBY. ONLY THOSE PROSPECTIVE BIDDERS ATTENDING THE MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING WILL BE ALLOWED TO SUBMIT A BID ON THIS PROJECT Please bring a business card, as sign-in sheets will not be passed around.

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

IFB documents are not available for purchase from Douglas County Government and can only be accessed from the above-mentioned website. While the IFB documents are available electronically, Douglas County cannot accept electronic bid responses.

Bid responses shall be submitted in a sealed envelope plainly marked “IFB No. 032-23, Clerk of the Courts Remodel Project” and mailed or hand-carried to the address shown below prior to the due date and time. Electronic and/or faxed bid responses will not be accepted. Bids will be received until 1:00pm on Monday, August 28, 2023 by the Douglas County Finance Department, Purchasing Division, 100 Third Street, Suite 130, Castle Rock, Colorado 80104. Bids will not be considered which are received after the time stated, and any bids so received will be returned unopened.

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

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

Legal Notice No. 945787

First Publication: August 3, 2023

Last Publication: August 3, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

them.

Other organizations

e funding comes amid the county’s ongoing e ort to bolster mental health support in recent years.

e source of the grant funding is the federal American Rescue Plan Act, often called ARPA. at’s 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.

e grant funding the county approved July 25 totals $1.37 million. Aside from those already mentioned in this story, the bene ciaries of the grant funding include:

• e Happy Crew, an organization that gathers for “dinner, discussion, learning, and community” and provides a welcoming and positive environment for

pancy of the hereinafter Described Land, Lot or Premises, and to the Person in Whose Name the Same was Taxed or Specially Assessed, and to all Persons having an Interest or Title of Record in or to the said Premises and To Whom It May Concern, and more especially to: CASTLE ROCK INVESTMENT PROPERTIES LLC - CASTLE ROCK INVESTMENT PROPERTIES LLC A COLORADO LIMITED LIABILTY COMPANY - REGISTERED AGENT MARK CUCAROLA CASTLE ROCK INVESTMENT

PROPERTIES LLC - MARK CUCAROLA AS MANAGER FOR CASTLE ROCK INVESTMENT

PROPERTIES LLC - HIGH ROCKIES LAND

MANAGEMENT LIMITED - BROMLEY DIS-

TRICT WATER PROVIDERS LLC A COLORADO

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY - ROBERT A LEMBKE AS MANAGER FOR BROMLEY DIS-

TRICT WATER PROVIDERS LLCA COLORADO

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY - REGISTERED

AGENT ROBERT A LEMBKE BROMLEY

DISTRICT WATER PROVIDERS LLCA COLO-

RADO LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY - BELL

MOUNTAIN RANCH MASTER METROPOLI-

TAN DISTRICT - BELL MOUNTAIN RANCH

MASTER METROPOLITAN DISTRICT AKA

BELL MOUNTAIN RANCH PHASE II METRO-

POLITAN DISTRICT AKA BELL MOUNTAIN

RANCH PHASE III METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

AKA BELL MOUNTAIN PARK & RECREATION

DISTRICT - BELL MOUNTAIN METROPOLITAN

DISTRICTS - CONSOLIDATED BELL MOUN-

TAIN RANCH METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

C/O CLIFTONLARSONALLEN LLP - SILVER

PEAKS METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO 1 C/O

SPENCER FANE LLP - THE DISTRICT AND THE TOWN OF LOCHBUIE - LANDAMERICAN

LAWYERS TITLE INSURANCE - CASTLE

ROCK INVESTMENT PROPERTIES LLC ATTN:

MARK G CUCAROLA MANAGER - BROMLEY

DISTRICT WATER PROVIDERS LLC ATTN:

ROBERT A LEMBKE MANAGER - JOHN M

SPILLANE - THE AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY AKA AT&TMOUNTAIN STATES TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY - OCCUPANT

You and each of you are hereby notified that on the 1st day of November 2018 the then County Treasurer of the County of Douglas, in the State of Colorado, sold at public tax lien sale to HIGH ROCKIES LAND MANAGEMENT, LIMITED the following described real estate situate in the County of Douglas, State of Colorado, to wit:

TRACT B BELL MOUNTAIN RANCH #1B 0.730 AM/L (FUTURE WELL SITE) and said County Treasurer issued a certificate of purchase therefore to HIGH ROCKIES LAND MANAGEMENT, LIMITED. That said tax lien sale was made to satisfy the delinquent* taxes assessed against said real estate for the year 2017. That said real estate was taxed or specially assessed in the name(s) of CASTLE ROCK INVESTMENT PROPERTIES LLC for said year 2017

That said HIGH ROCKIES LAND MANAGEMENT, LIMITED on the 17th day of August 2022 the present holder of said certificate, has made request upon the Treasurer of said County for a deed to said real estate; That a Treasurer’s Deed will be issued for said real estate to the said at 1:00 o’clock P.M., on the 9th day of November 2023 unless the same has been redeemed. Said property may be redeemed from said sale at any time prior to the actual execution of said Treasurer’s Deed. Witness my hand this 27th day of July 2023

teens, its website says.

• e Juvenile Assessment Center for Colorado’s 18th Judicial District, which connects youth and families to resources and services “to help overcome their current barriers and create a stable environment where they can thrive,” its website says.

• Second Wind Fund, an organization that “provides an avenue for families to obtain actual treatment services for children and youth at risk for suicide by breaking down nancial and transportation barriers,” according to its website.

Data indicate suicide disproportionally a ects middle-aged men. As a result, the commissioners are also allocating $127,830 to programs for men and veterans, including a grant to the organization Dads of Castle Rock for mental health rst-aid training, according to a county news release.

/s/ David Gill County Treasurer of Douglas County

Legal Notice No. 945733

First Publication: July 27, 2023

Last Publication: August 10, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press Children Services

(Adoption/Guardian/Other)

Public Notice

DOUGLAS COUNTY DISTRICT COURT, STATE OF COLORADO 4000 Justice Way Castle Rock, Colorado 80109 (720) 437-6200

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

In the Interest of:

BABY BOY LANDERS, D.O.B.: 11/14/2022 Child, And Concerning:

XEA ELIZABETH MARIE LANDERS, A.K.A. XEA BERGFELD, A.K.A. XEA LANDERS-BERGFELD, Mother JOHN DOE, Possible Father Respondents

Attorney for Department: R. LeeAnn Reigrut, #28833 Amy Hendrickson, #32110 4400 Castleton Court Castle Rock, CO 80109 Phone: (303) 814-5325 Fax: (303) 479-9259 lreigrut@douglas.co.us ahendrickson@douglas.co.us

CASE NUMBER: 22JV106 DIVISION 8

DEPENDENCY SUMMONS

This Summons is initiated pursuant to Rule 2.2 of the Colorado Rules of Juvenile Procedure, Rule 4 of the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure, and Section 19-3-503, C.R.S.

TO: JOHN DOE, D.O.B.: Unknown

TO THE RESPONDENT NAMED ABOVE:

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

An Adjudication and Disposition Hearing has been set for August 7, 2023, at 8:45 a.m. in Division 8, Douglas County District Court. All parties shall appear by calling 720-437-6180, extension 75591#, unless otherwise indicated by the Court.

Your presence before this court is required to defend against the claims in this petition. IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR, THE COURT WILL PROCEED IN YOUR ABSENCE, WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE, TO CONDUCT AN ADJUDICATORY HEARING AND MAY ENTER A JUDGMENT BY DEFAULT THEREBY ADJUDI-

To Every Person in Actual Possession or Occu-

CATING YOUR CHILD AS A DEPENDENT OR NEGLECTED CHILD.

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

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

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

Dated: July 21, 2023

/s/ Amy Hendrickson Amy Hendrickson, #32110 Assistant Douglas County Attorney

Legal Notice No. 945770

First Publication: August 3, 2023

Last Publication: August 3, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press Public Notice

DOUGLAS COUNTY DISTRICT COURT, STATE OF COLORADO 4000 Justice Way Castle Rock, Colorado 80109 (720) 437-6200

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

In the Interest of:

BABY BOY LANDERS, D.O.B.: 11/14/2022 Child,

And Concerning: XEA ELIZABETH MARIE LANDERS, A.K.A. XEA BERGFELD, A.K.A. XEA LANDERS-BERGFELD, Mother JOHN DOE, Possible Father Respondents.

Attorney for Department: R. LeeAnn Reigrut, #28833

Amy Hendrickson, #32110 4400 Castleton Court Castle Rock, CO 80109 Phone: (303) 814-5325

Fax: (303) 479-9259

lreigrut@douglas.co.us

ahendrickson@douglas.co.us

CASE NUMBER: 22JV106 DIVISION 8

DEPENDENCY SUMMONS

This Summons is initiated pursuant to Rule 2.2 of

the Colorado Rules of Juvenile Procedure, Rule 4 of the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure, and Section 19-3-503, C.R.S.

TO: XEA ELIZABETH MARIE LANDERS, A.K.A. XEA BERGFELD, A.K.A. XEA LANDERS-BERGFELD, D.O.B.: 11/13/1982

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

An Adjudication and Disposition Hearing has been set for August 7, 2023, at 8:45 a.m. in Division 8, Douglas County District Court. All parties shall appear by calling 720-437-6180, extension 75591#, unless otherwise indicated by the Court. Your presence before this court is required to defend against the claims in this petition. IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR, THE COURT WILL PROCEED IN YOUR ABSENCE, WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE, TO CONDUCT AN ADJUDICATORY HEARING AND MAY ENTER A JUDGMENT BY DEFAULT THEREBY ADJUDICATING YOUR CHILD AS A DEPENDENT OR NEGLECTED CHILD.

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

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

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

Dated: July 21, 2023

/s/ Amy Hendrickson Amy Hendrickson, #32110

Assistant Douglas County Attorney

Legal Notice No. 945769

First Publication: August 3, 2023

Last Publication: August 3, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press ###