Highlands Ranch Herald 092823

County to lower property values

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In response to this year’s large jump in property values, o cials have taken an action that likely hasn’t been seen in recent Douglas County history, according to the county’s head of property valuation.

“We as a county are motivated to give our citizens relief wherever it’s lawful and prudent,” said Toby Damisch, the county assessor, speaking about a move to lower the increase in property values.

Local taxes are in the spotlight after homeowners around the Denver metro area checked a notice from

their county assessors this spring and saw that their home value had jumped by sometimes shocking amounts.

Driven by a costly real-estate market, those home values — as calculated for tax purposes — have spiked since the last time homeowners received notices of value two years ago. In Douglas County, residential properties faced increases between 30% and 60%, with a median of 47%.

e high increase in property values means families’ property tax bills could jump up next year.

at’s because when property values rise, the amount of taxes

people owe goes up — even if local governments’ tax rates themselves don’t change.

After many homeowners in Douglas County led challenges, or appeals, to blunt the increase on their home values, the median increase went down slightly.

Now, that number will come down even more — for a combined total of around a few percentage points — in a move that a ects homeowners across the county, not just those who led appeals.

“We also appreciate the fact that there are people who view this as

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Marshall makes plans for 2024 session P2

WATER BOARD

County moves forward with applicants P4

OPPONENTS SPEAK

Some plan to vote no on school district’s funding request P8

Owners of homes in Douglas County, like these in Lone Tree, will see their tax bills fall by a few percentage points. FILE PHOTO

TOWN HALL

Rep. Marshall hosts town hall in Highlands Ranch

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Rep. Robert Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch, recently held a town hall to update the public on what he has been doing with the legislature out of session, and talking about his plans for the upcoming 2024 session.

Marshall said he celebrated several summer community activities and attended Douglas County’s PrideFest.

He also took part in sessions at Wind Crest Retirement home, along with Rep. Elisabeth Epps, D-Denver, to speak about his decision to not approve the assault weapons ban bill.

Marshall recently attended the National Conference of State Legislatures as he was appointed to the Task force on State and Local Taxes, also known as SALT. e force identi es issues the legislature needs to address and provides guidance to states by developing model principals for tax reform and modernization.

At the conference, Marshall said he regained interest in requiring braille on prescription bottles to be compli-

ant to those who are blind.

“Not like every little thing,” said Marshall. “But like the basics, the name, the dosage, expiration [date].”

Additionally, Marshall is currently on the Interim Committee on Tax Oversight.

According to the Colorado General Assembly website, the committee is required to de ne the scope of tax policy to be considered, consider policy considerations within the tax expenditure evaluations by the state auditor, recommend legislative changes and study tax policy.

Marshal also spoke about the lawsuit he and Epps led jointly against the Democratic party and Republicans for violating Sunshine laws during the 2023 session. Marshal said the law needs to be modernized because texting is a form of talking and is a record.

“ ere are people that may not want to see it addressed,” said Marshall. “Because it’s very easy to say there’s no way we can follow any of these laws. If we actually change it and we have workable rules, well, then you’re gonna be expected to fol-

low because you have no excuses.”

In early September, Marshall and Epps entered into a consent decree with the Colorado House of Representatives, the chamber’s Democratic and Republican caucuses and partisan leadership in the chamber.

According to a Colorado Sun report, as part of thesettlement, which must be approved by a judge, the defendants agreed to not discuss public business or take a “formal action” during a meeting where a quorum of a state body is expected to be in attendance without rst providing public notice of the gathering and promptly making minutes of the meeting publicly available.

Next session

ree bills Marshall brought last session that he may bring back again but in a di erent form were the Tax Teacher Credit, the County Commissioner Election and the Law Enforcement Professionalization (Hatch Act).

“I de nitely believe in them,” said Marshall.

If passed, the Tax Teacher Credit would create a refundable state income tax credit for eligible public school teachers for tax years 2023 through 2026 and increase state expenditures and reduce state revenue through the 2026-2027 scal year.

e County Commissioner Elections bill would have required counties with populations of 70,000 or more to have ve county commissioners instead of three. is would have a ected seven counties, including Douglas County which currently has three commissioners and a population of over 368,000

e third bill, also referred to as the Hatch Act, would limit the political activities of county sheri o ce

employees.

Marshall referred to this bill as three in one, which included the DoD regulation on extremism into law enforcement and nonpartisan elections of district attorney’s and sheri s. Two of the three pieces were taken out and the piece Marshall said he went forward with was applying the Federal Hatch Act to law enforcement, especially in counties.

“It got watered down to the point where all it was going to require was, you could not engage in partisan political activity while in uniform or using government property,” said Marshall.

Marshall clari ed that when uniformed o cers go to the legislature to testify, they are testifying in the capacity of a law enforcement o cer. He said the bill would have limited being in campaign ads and walking door to door in uniform with partisan candidates.

Marshall said he has continued to talk to the state’s attorney general about the issue.

Besides pushing to have braille on prescription bottles in 2024, Marshall said he also would like to have a neutral demographer do a study of the Douglas County Jail to identify disparities and the possible reasons for them.

Other ideas centered around the attorney general’s lawsuit against the EPA, making collected data easily accessible to the public, a disaster area casualty loss deduction to help homeowners impacted from the tornado and vacancy appointments.

Two topics Marshall wants to continue to focus on in the upcoming sessions are housing and mental health.

Marshall plans to hold his next town hall in October.

Rep. Robert Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch, speaks about work he has done over the summer and ideas for the next session at a town hall event at the Highlands Ranch library.

PHOTO BY HALEY LENA

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Douglas County water board applicant names emerge

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

One of the names in the spotlight among those who could serve on a new arm of Douglas County’s government appeared to have a path to being appointed now that county o cials have publicly discussed the names of the applicants they previously refused to release.

e new government body, the Douglas County Water Commission, will help the county’s elected leaders shape the future of water supply, a pressing question in a county that is expected to keep growing.

e new entity is expected to help create a plan regarding water supply and conservation, among other aspects of water in the county. It will consist of unpaid volunteers and George Teal, one of the county’s elected leaders.

e forming of the new body comes against the backdrop of a controversial proposal to pump about 22,000 acre-feet of water per year to Douglas County from the San Luis Valley, a region of Southern Colorado.

An acre-foot is the equivalent of a one-foot-deep pool about the size of a football eld.

Renewable Water Resources, or RWR, is the private company that proposed the project.

Last year, elected leaders Abe Laydon joined Lora omas in opting out of the project, while Teal has continued to support it.

“Everything’s on the table as far as I’m concerned,” Teal told Colorado Community Media in early August. “We get another ve or six years of rainy summers, OK, maybe then we can start to be picky and choosy.”

Sean Tonner, one of the principals of RWR, attracted media attention for throwing his hat in the ring to serve on the water commission.

In a Sept. 19 meeting of county o cials, Laydon and Teal expressed support for appointing Tonner.

Teal had previously given Colorado Community Media Tonner’s name regarding applications to serve on the water commission, but the county would not con rm names of dozens of other applicants.

In August, county o cials had maintained that the names would be kept private. Colorado Community Media had led a public-records request for the names, but the county’s response said the names would not be released unless county o cials decided to do so.

Later, Teal publicly announced his preferences in a mid-September meeting. Laydon, Teal and omas then discussed preferences further in the Sept. 19 meeting.

Long list of applicants

A total of 49 people have applied to serve on the water commission, according to county o cials as of Sept. 19. Many are current or former public o cials, including some who serve on local water providers like theParker Water District.

e county asked for applications by Aug. 11 but later waived that deadline.

e three county leaders plan to appoint three members per each “district,” or area, of the county, along with two selected “at large,” meaning from the county as a whole.

ey also plan to appoint “alternates” who can serve if a regular member is unavailable.

On top of that, the county plans to appoint a “technical advisory committee” of those with water expertise to help the water commission do its job.

e applicants who garnered some support from at least one county leader at the Sept. 19 meeting included the following. is list

From left, Douglas County Commissioners George Teal, Chairman Abe Laydon and Lora Thomas. FILE PHOTO

APPLICANTS

includes information about some applicants, generally based on how the county leaders described them.

District I

From District I, or northeast Douglas County:

• Merlin Klotz, who served as the county’s clerk and recorder, or top election o cial, and is a Parker Water and Sanitation District board member

• James Myers

• Donald Langley, who also serves on the Parker Water board and was listed as a possible technical advisory committee, or TAC, member

• James Eklund, listed as a possible TAC or at-large member

• Hal Pranger (county leaders said they need to con rm his interest in serving)

• William Wasserman

District II

From District II, including central and south Douglas County:

• Clark Hammelman

• James Maras, a Perry Park Water and Sanitation District board member

• Roger Hudson, a Castle Pines city councilmember

• Max Brooks, a Castle Rock town councilmember, listed as a possible alternate

• Randy Reed, a former Castle Rock town councilmember and mayor, as a possible alternate

• Mike Freemire as a potential alternate

District III

From District III, or northwest Douglas County:

• Frank Johns

• Evan Ela

• Scott Ludwig

• Christopher Fellows

• William “Mickey” Conway

• Andrea Cole, general manager of Dominion Water and Sanitation District, whom some but not all county leaders suggested for the TAC; omas said she wanted Cole for the water commission rather than the TAC

• John Kim, who Teal says holds a seat on the “Ravenna water board”

• David Simonson

Others in running

From the list of those in consideration in general, at least some of

whom may possibly be selected at large:

• Sean Tonner

• Tricia Bernhard

• Malcolm Biddel

• Harold Smethills, a member of the Dominion Water and Sanitation District board

• Craig Broughton

• Pete Smith, but Teal and Laydon later expressed desire to remove Smith

• Kurt Walker

• Kim Haarberg

• James Yates

• Edward Adkins, listed as a possible TAC member

• Dean Lewis

• William omas

Process unfolds

Laydon said he wants to hold o identifying potential alternates until he has the opportunity to speak to them.

“Let’s come prepared next week” to whittle the list down further, Laydon said.

ose who join the water commission may include local elected ofcials, those with experience on water district or metro district boards; others with management oversight or with a professional background in water; and at least one representative who can serve as the “voice of rural Douglas County,” according to a county news release.

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

e county’s water commission was expected to commence in the third quarter of this year and meet six to eight times during the rst 12 months with the focus of developing a Douglas County Water Plan.

e county had envisioned that the water commission will integrate existing water provider plans into the Douglas County Water Plan.

Colorado Community Media had also led a public-records request in August for all of the applications from those who have applied to serve on the water commission.

e county did not release the applications, saying in response to the request: “Once the Board of County Commissioners has formally selected Water Commission nalists we will release all of the applications per 24-72-204(3)(a)(XI), CRS,” referring to Colorado Revised Statutes, asserting that state law supports that policy.

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Kendrick Castillo honored at inaugural event with Fallen Hero award

BY THELMA GRIMES TGRIMES@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Four years after Kendrick Castillo was killed in the shooting at STEM Schools Highlands Ranch as he lunged at a shooter to protect fellow students, Douglas County still has not forgotten. Showing what Kendrick’s heroics that day still mean to the community, Kendrick was honored with the inaugural Fallen Hero award during the rst-ever Heroes Gala. e event, held by the Douglas County Community Foundation, honored local heroes from law enforcement, re departments and dispatch.

However, the main award of the night was given to a young man who had never had any training in law enforcement. Instead, he just used instincts.

Capt. Joe White of the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce said Kendrick’s actions that day in 2019 “forever changed our lives and showed us what it really meant to be a hero. His bravery was not a result of training but a testament of character. He gave his life to save others.”

Kendrick’s parents, John and Maria, appeared both in video and in person during the ceremony. In a tribute

video, the couple said their son was always happy as they described his childhood and the last morning with him when he drove away for the nal time.

In accepting the award on behalf of his son, John Castillo said his family supports, respects and values law enforcement, adding that he and his wife continue to take what happened to their son to help and educate others.

“Live every day to its fullest,” John Castillo said. “(Kenrick) gave everything and I thank you for honoring him.”

John Castillo also said Kendrick was not the only hero that day, crediting his classmates who also charged the student gunman to save lives. Kendrick’s friend, Joshua Jones, also attended the gala to honor his friend. Several other awards were presented during the inaugural gala on Sept. 21.

Keara Martin, a dispatcher for the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce, was recognized for what she did in taking one call last year. In playing the audio, Martin received a 911 call where a woman said her husband had found out his daughter was sexu-

John and Maria Castillo talk about seeing their son, Kendrick Castillo, for the last time in 2019. Kendrick was honored with the Fallen Hero award at the Heroes Gala on Sept. 21.

More than 600 attended the Heroes Gala on Sept. 21 where SROs, dispatchers and more were honored for service in Douglas County. COURTESY PHOTOS

ally assaulted by a man. e woman asked for help, saying her husband was headed to that man’s house to hurt him.

Martin called the father. Using empathy, she told the man she understood his feelings and anger but stressed it would do his daughter no good if he went through with going to the suspect’s home. e man was two minutes away from the home when Martin got through to him and convinced him to stop and wait for deputies.

In accepting the award, Martin credited the work of all call dispatchers, adding that she was meant to get that call that day.

In re and rescue, CJ Bailes with South Metro Fire Rescue was honored for his leadership that took place in June when a tornado

suddenly swept through Highlands Ranch.

As the storm came through, the South Metro dispatch center received 269 calls, more than double a normal day.

O cials said Bailes led his team through the day, taking calls and getting help to those in need.

In accepting the award, Bailes gave credit to his team and the entire department, noting that people in the nance department and elsewhere stepped in to provide assistance to all the citizens in need of help that day.

In another emotional part of the night, the SRO of the Year award was presented to Je Cisclo, of the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce. In a video tribute, a student’s voice could be heard reading a letter written to thank Cisclo.

e student explained that at Mountain View High School last year, her friends found her in the bathroom trying to cut her wrist. She said

she promised counselors and other school administrators that day that she did not need help and was not going to commit suicide.

She said she made those promises knowing she would leave the school and was going to try again that night.

However, she somehow got sent to Cisclo’s o ce, where he talked to her about the importance of getting help and how much her family would rather see her get help.

“Indirectly, you saved my life that day,” the student said. e inaugural gala drew a crowd of more than 600 people, where an auction was held to collect funding to help support emergency services.

Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon said for every dollar up to $200,000 that the audience gave, the county would match it.

“In Douglas County we do not defund the police, we fund them,” Laydon said to a cheering audience. “Here we back the blue.”

Kendrick Castillo was killed while trying to stop the STEM School shooting in May 2019. COURTESY PHOTO

Residents speak out against school district funding questions

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When Larkspur resident Jim Maras receives his ballot this election season, he’ll be voting against the Douglas County School District’s ask for a $66 million mill levy override and $484 million bond for a variety of reasons.

A large contributing factor for Maras is that he doesn’t believe the district is scally responsible. Maras, whose children graduated from Douglas County schools, volunteered on the district’s Financial Oversight Committee, the Mill

Bond Oversight Committee and the Mill Bond Exploratory Committee from 2018 to this year.

He said he voted for the 2018 bond and mill levy override, the last time the district passed a bond and mill levy override, but has since disagreed with how that funding was spent and managed.

“ ey were buying laptop computers, o ce furniture, all kinds of stu that will never last 20 years,” Maras said. “If they were doing building repairs that stu would be around. So going back to that, I got disenfranchised with the district.”

According to polling from the

school district, Maras is not alone in his opposition to the funding questions. In April, 43% of the voters polled opposed the bond, which would be used to build new schools and maintain buildings, and 41% opposed the mill levy override, which would go to increasing salaries for teachers and sta .

In regards to the bond, Maras said he doesn’t support building new schools when the district has buildings that are below capacity.

“I get that it would be really nice to have neighborhood elementary schools, but my opinion is that time has passed because the schools are getting so expensive to build and maintain and they’ve got all these other buildings that are underutilized,” he said.

Maras said he supports paying teachers more, but thinks the district should nd ways to do so within the existing budget, such as drawing on the district’s $70 million reserves or making budget cuts to other areas. He added that the district should have asked voters for a more modest amount.

“I can’t nd where there’s ever been any (budget) cuts,” Maras said. “It’s not being run like a business, it’s being run like a bureaucracy that wants to create empires and not do what’s best for taxpayers.”

Similarly, Robert Hampton, a Roxborough resident and former bus driver for the school district, said he thinks the district needs to consider budget cuts to prioritize teacher pay. He disagrees with the school district asking taxpayers for more funding amid high in ation and increased property taxes.

but some of us less than others,’” he said.

Both Hampton and Maras said the district is “manufacturing a crisis,” such as by cutting bus routes, to get the funding.

Douglas County School District was short over 100 bus drivers at the beginning of the school year and the district implemented rolling cancellations.

Up until Sept. 14, Highlands Ranch resident Jenny Brady wasn’t planning to vote for the bond or mill levy override. Brady’s children don’t go to school in the district and, as a stay-at-home mom, she is concerned about the increased taxes impacting her family’s budget. However, Brady said she is now undecided on the funding questions after attending a debate on the bond and mill levy override hosted by the Douglas County GOP.

“For me to go from a ‘no’ to ‘undecided’ shocked me,” Brady said. “I wanted (the opposition) to prove to me that there was money available to fund the underfunded things and I didn’t see that.”

Brady said she would like to see the state increase school funding and make the funding formula less complex, but added that she sees that the district is in “desperate need” of local dollars too.

She said that the district’s recent test scores and the school board’s policy changes regarding parents rights also restored her trust in the school district.

The More We Move

AM

This interactive performance illustrates the technique of ballet with company dancers and audience participation. Young audience members are invited to take the stage to learn the movement of a professional dancer in a show that is sure to expand the understanding and appreciation of ballet.

“Get rid of the diversity, equity and inclusion specialists and take a look at the number of non-instructional personnel,” he said. “If you want to pay the teachers more, pay them more, and then let’s look at what’s leftover.”

Hampton also thinks that passing bonds on a regular basis is “absolutely wasteful” and doesn’t feel he’s getting a return on his investment in the public schools.

ough Douglas County’s recent test scores were better than the state average and most other districts, Hampton doesn’t trust the scores to re ect accurately on the schools.

“It’s like saying ‘we’re all failing,

“I trust (school board member) Mike Peterson’s conservative values and how he’s improved parentteacher partnerships,” she said. “I’m now at the point where I trust this board to implement conservative scal policies.”

Brady remains undecided largely because of the potential costs, but she said she will continue to seek out as much information as possible before making her decision.

“I’m a coach in the community, so I care about all of the kids on my teams, I care about thecare the kids in my neighborhood, I care about my babysitters who attend local schools, I care about my community,” Brady said. “I don’t want our kids to not have the opportunities to do band, extracurriculars or sports, and I want the best teachers to stay around.”

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practically an insult because it’s so modest compared to the increase,” Damisch said, adding: “But it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take the action.”

e move, approved by the Douglas County commissioners Sept. 19, will provide an average of $223 in estimated property tax relief for owners of single-family homes, townhomes or condominiums, or a 4% adjustment.

“We understand this is a small step — this is one of a series of small steps,” said Damisch, who emphasized the county leaders are encouraging smaller local government entities to provide further relief.

Here’s a look at how the action works, how the 4% lowering was determined and where it applies.

Unusual move

Some homeowners may wonder why their property values jumped so high this year. e property valuation that homeowners received around early May is based on data as of June 2022, near the recent peak in the realestate market.

So even though home prices have declined since then, property values from the county assessor’s o ce reect last year’s exceptional highs.

Property taxes partly fund county governments, but they also fund school districts, re and library districts, and other local entities.

ough Damisch’s o ce is bound by Colorado law, he and other o cials researched a way to provide some property tax relief that would still fall within the bounds of legality.

e action went through what’s called the Douglas County Board of Equalization. In Douglas County, the county’s elected leaders, or commissioners, serve as the board of equalization.  ey voted 3-0 to approve the action.

found an error at a speci c address that needed correcting, but this broad action is rare, according to Damisch.

Why not more?

So why only a 4% adjustment?

Damisch’s o ce recently received a review from a state-hired auditor that showed that his o ce’s calculations of property values were “straight down the middle” in terms of compliance with audit parameters and state statute, Damisch said.

“ ere’s a really important statute in Colorado law which says when an assessor performs a (revaluation), they must be within 5% of market value,” Damisch said.

Because the calculated property values this year in Douglas County started out essentially on the nose — and then saw a small drop overall due to the impact of homeowners’ led appeals — a 4% change around the county was as large as Damisch felt he could propose while staying within the 5% boundary, he said.

“As much as we as a county would really wanted to do more than 4%, a lot more than 4%, to bene t our citizens and mitigate the results of this reassessment, we had to remain compliant with state statute, regulation, audit parameters,” Damisch said.

(Among Douglas County homeowners who led a successful appeal on their property value in recent months, the average adjustment to the increase in value they saw as a result of the appeal for a single-family home was $340 less in estimated taxes, given current conditions, Damisch said. at’s in addition to the average of $223 in estimated tax relief around the county.)

Apartments not part of relief

Apartments, duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes, or “multifamily” properties, aren’t part of the county’s Sept. 19 property tax relief action. Neither are other types of property, like commercial buildings.

prices.

“Frankly, I think you would have to ask an apartment owner whether they would pass those increases on to their tenants or not,” Damisch said.

Owners of houses, townhomes or condos will see the 4% adjustment, including for homes of those kinds where renters currently live, Damisch said.

Vacant land in a residential neighborhood would not get the reduction, he added.

Other appeals continue

e action by the commissioners, acting as the board of equalization, is separate from the equalization board’s normal work, which includes making decisions on property value appeals that homeowners push past the assessor’s o ce level and contest further. Regardless of the equalization board’s eventual decisions on those continuing appeals, those homeowners will receive the relief from the Sept. 19 decision as well, Damisch said. e equalization board is no longer accepting appeals, as the deadline has passed. See more information about the appeal process at cdola.colorado. gov/appeal-of-your-valuation-reminder.

Highlands Ranch Herald

A legal newspaper of general circulation in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, the Herald is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 9233 Park Meadows Dr., Lone Tree, CO 80124. Send address change to: Highlands Ranch Herald, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110

ey used a state law — Colorado statute 39-8-102 — to make the reduction around the county, a rare move according to Damisch, a 25-year veteran of the assessor’s o ce.

“I would say in that time frame, I can say with con dence that the (board of equalization) has held its hearings and made decisions because of its hearings and from time to time received small recommendations from the assessor, but nothing like this in recent history has occurred,” Damisch said.

Often, county o cials have gone to the equalization board and said they

So renters in those types of units won’t see a change based on the county’s action. “Multifamily is 100% rental properties,” Damisch noted. ose properties were excluded because their values increased at a “signi cantly more modest rate than single-family residential,” seeing average value changes that were generally similar to what the county saw in recent property revaluations, Damisch said.

Multifamily properties saw increases of somewhere around 20% this year, Damisch estimated.

He wasn’t sure how much the resulting rise in tax bills could translate into some shift in monthly apartment rent

Marshall seeks $103K in legal fees from school district

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e Douglas County School Board is scheduled to be back in court on Oct. 6 for a hearing to decide how much in legal fees the district will pay after a judge found school board members broke Colorado Open Meetings Law.

In June, Douglas County District Court Judge Je rey Holmes ruled school board members Becky Myers, Mike Peterson, Christie Williams and Kaylee Winegar broke open meetings law by having a series of private one-on-one conversations about ring former superintendent Corey Wise.  State Rep. Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch, who led the lawsuit against the district in February 2022, is seeking over $103,000 in attorneys fees and court costs, which he’s entitled to under Sunshine Laws.

Since Holmes ruled that the board members acted illegally, the district is obligated to pay Marshall’s attorneys fees and court costs. However, the district can argue before a judge

legal costs between March 11, 2022 and August 10, 2023 to defend the lawsuit.

In a ling ahead of the hearing, Marshall’s attorney, Steve Zans-

tomary rates charged by attorneys of comparable experience in this legal marketplace for providing similar services,” Zansberg says in the ling.  Zansberg said in the ling that the

district’s attorney, Geo Blue, of the law rmlaw rm Gessler Blue, regularly charges $450 per hour. Gessler

School District a discounted rate of If the judge rules that Marshall’s request is reasonable, the total amount the district will owe will increase to include costs related to the Oct. 6 hearing.

DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES

WHEN: Friday, October 13

TIME: 4 pm – 5:30 pm

LOCATION: Lone Tree Library - 10055 Library Wy, Lone Tree

ASK THE CANDIDATES: Do you have a question you want us to ask the candidates? Send them to us ahead of the event.

Send to South Metro Editor Thelma Grimes at tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com

The Douglas County School Board is due back in court on Oct. 6 for the process of deciding how much the school district must pay in legal fees for violating a state law requiring government transparency. PHOTOS COURTESY DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Education Corner: A losing proposition

One of my favorite job duties as the superintendent of the Douglas County School District (DCSD) is visiting any one of our 90 schools. ese visits bring a smile to face and joy to my heart as I see the incredible work taking place in our classrooms. However, these visits have also brought to light a common concern happening all across our district: losing sta members to neighboring districts. e reason? Money.

During a recent visit to Mountain Vista High School (MVHS), I had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with Principal Rob Ceglie. Rob beamed as he discussed the importance of teachers, Mountain Vista’s robust career and technical education o erings, and more.  en the conversation took a turn. Rob shared that he has been hiring teachers in our school district for the last 13 years and this has been, by far, the lowest number of applicants he has ever seen. e reason? Teacher pay.

In DCSD, our starting teacher salary is $45,209, which is dra-

matically less than what neighboring school districts can pay. In fact, Rob shared that he lost three teachers to a neighboring district this year. All three were very promising young professionals with one thing in common: they left our school district for a higher salary.

Rob said he had teachers in his o ce in tears, having to choose between a school they love, and their livelihood. ey had to make that di cult choice for themselves and their families.

e truth is teachers are just like all of us - they want what’s best for their family. ey are raising children and putting their kids through college, and when our neighbors right across the county line offer on average $20,000 more per year, especially when our average teacher salary is only $58,193, how do our teachers say no to that kind of increase? It is a very signi cant

struggle for us. And it makes it hard to compete for the best teachers to put in front of our students.  is isn’t unique to Mountain Vista High School, or even the Highlands Ranch area. is is a Douglas County issue that is impacting our entire 850 square mile school district.

Although Douglas County homeowners are seeing an increase in their property taxes, and our district will collect more locally, this does not increase funding for our local schools. 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. Mill levy overrides, on the other hand, are over and above the allowance we get per the School Finance Act, and do have a signi cant impact on the district’s funding and ability to pay teachers.

For example, when my children were young, my husband and I gave them each a $10 weekly allowance. I am known to never carry cash - so

some weeks, I would have only $3 for each of my children, then their dad would add in the remaining $7. Let’s say that the next week, I am able to give $6 to each of my children - they would collect the remaining $4 from their dad. While twice as much money came out of my wallet the second week, my children still ended up with the same allowance.

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.  is is truly a losing proposition, unless our funding changes. We are losing our teachers, the ones who inspire and connect with our students every day. And in the end, it’s our kids who stand to lose the most.

Our funding in DCSD is at a critical point. Our Board of Education recognizes that and voted unanimously to place 5A (Mill Levy Override) and 5B (Bond) on the November 2023 ballot. For arguments for and against these measures, visit www.dcsdk12.org/funding.

Erin Kane is the Superintendent of the Douglas County School District

Thu 10/05

Kids' Zone Parent/Child: Goblin Giggles (18mos-3yrs) F23/W24 @ 3pm

Oct 5th - Oct 26th

Parker Recreation Center, 17301 E Lincoln Ave., Parker

Sat 10/07

Ryan Hutchens at Burning Ham @ 4pm Yetman Family Farm, Lakewood

Jessie Murph @ 7pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, Englewood

Tue 10/10

Don McLean @ 6pm

Pace Center, Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

Fri 10/06

Blue Canyon Boys @ 5pm

McAwesome Ranch, 3039 Haystack Rd, Castle Rock

Drowning Pool @ 7pm

KennyHoopla Live @ Gothic Theathre (Denver, CO) @ 6pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

A Place For Owls w/ mlady + James Barrett + A Mouthful of Thunder @ 6pm

Moe's Original BBQ, 3295 S Broadway, Englewood

Sun 10/08

Wild Goose Saloon, 11160 S. Pikes Peak Drive, Parker Celebration at the Ranch @ 11am / $5

Promise Ranch Therapies and Recreation, 11892 Hilltop Rd, Parker. karli@adamscamp.org, 303-563-8290

Wed 10/11

Mothica @ 6pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

You Me At Six @ 6pm

Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

Zac Brown Band - VIP Upgrades @ 5pm

Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Englewood

Thunderstorm Artis @ 6pm

Fiddlers Green Amphitheater, 6501 S Fiddlers Green Cir, Green‐wood Village

Maddy Smith: (7:30 PM)

Comedy Works South @ 6:30pm

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

Thu 10/12 Calendar

Gaining invaluable insight

Since becoming the south metro editor for Colorado Community Media, I do not get out into the communities as much as I’d like. In fact, it feels like my desk is where I am permanently attached some weeks. However, once in a while a story catches my attention that I want to write myself. It takes me back to those glory days as a journalist covering a variety of topics and loving it.

FROM THE EDITOR

hat or T-shirt is not about getting recognition from the general public, but instead, about nding others who served in the war and knowing that they are the ones who understand.

I bought my dad a Vietnam veteran hat from a guy on the side of the road selling merchandise out of a truck. When I gave it to him I was surprised by his excitement. I was also surprised at how often he wears it.

Interviewing Gary gave me that insight. Now I also understand why my dad seems to feel more comfortable and at ease when we are at the VA. He is with others who understand.

One of those stories came up last week. I was invited to talk to the new veteran services o cer hired by Dougals County. e grant-funded position will provide one-on-one services to our veterans, with a focus on mental health.

is covered two areas I am particularly passionate about — veterans and mental health.

I drove to Castle Rock and met with Gary Weston, who had an impact on me beyond just writing a story that will come out next week. He gave me a bit more insight into understanding my dad.

I have written here several times about my close relationship with my dad. I am proud that he is a Vietnam veteran but could never understand what happened there.

What Gary gave me in this interview was a true blessing. You see, he talked about a veteran wearing a hat or T-shirt that says where they served. In his case — in my father’s case — it says “Vietnam veteran.”

Gary explained that the war in Vietnam was like no other our country has ever fought, and that the way it a ected our soldiers cannot be understood by anyone other than the veterans who were there. He explains that wearing a

Gary talked about the need for family and spouses to try and understand what a veteran who fought in a war is going through. I believe we should try to be supportive, but in listening to him, I am not sure we can ever truly understand.

My dad rarely talks about what happened to him at a young age in the jungles of Vietnam.

I am glad he is one of the lucky ones who seems to have dealt with it in his own ways and does not have it impacting his life. However, our soldiers coming home from war, especially Vietnam, were often told to bury the past and move on. ey weren’t allowed to share what they were going through and they could not dare talk about mental health.

I hope that people like Gary continue to be hired by counties to serve our men and women who served. I hope they help them through the bad days into nding better weeks, months and years.

For me, I just thank Gary for the insight he gave me last week. When I see my dad with that hat — I now know it means it means more than making some statement that he served.

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

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Stop cut-through tra c

Pertaining to the Sept. 14 article in the Highlands Ranch Herald that gave detailed information about the ongoing construction at the intersection of Quebec, University and Lincoln:

ank you to Daniel Roberts for the update on the project’s progress and e orts to minimize the impact on tra c congestion. However, I take issue with the dismissive way the problem of cut-through tra c in certain neighborhoods was addressed. Simply, it wasn’t, and hasn’t been since the project started.

I happen to live on a street that is a cut-through for Quebec commuters, and at certain times of the day, those of us on the street are unable to get out of our own driveways due to the constant stream of cars using the street as their personal bypass. It’s basically like a tra c jam on the freeway.

e problem is destroying the peace and tranquility that everyone has a right to expect in their neighborhood. I have personally witnessed two verbal confrontations

between people who live in the neighborhood and those cutting through. It’s only a matter of time before it escalates and becomes a more serious issue.

As Roberts indicated, a barrier was installed at the start of the project to prevent using the neighborhood as a cut-through to Lincoln. is was the same tactic used years ago when the last big project happened at the intersection, and it basically eliminated the cutthrough problem and was apparently acceptable to all back then. is time it was removed immediately due to, according to Roberts, discussions with the “leadership team,” the sheri ’s o ce and some unde ned “safety concerns.”

What’s changed? What are these safety concerns? e only change that I can see is perhaps with the “leadership team” and someone with clout who doesn’t want to be personally inconvenienced. And as for the comment that public works discourages people from cutting through neighborhoods, or that

Thelma Grimes

LETTERS

there are signs stating local tra c only, get real. No one pays attention to either.

I would ask Mr. Roberts and the Douglas County Public Works Department to reinstall the barricade and save my neighborhood.

And to those who use the cutthrough and say quit whining because it’s a public street, I say if it was your neighborhood, you’d be singing a di erent tune.

Tom Buehner Highlands Ranch

Commissioners’ foolishness

e county commissioners’ ofce and role is to be “responsible under state statute for the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens.” I have had enough of the antics and games being played by the commissioners. It is taking away their credibility as a sound organization. Constant reprimands to Lora omas should not be the role of Commissioners Laydon and Teal.

How did we even get to this point? It is shameful and shows a great deal of dysfunction. Why did Laydon and Teal use county funds to investigage omas and then ask her to pay her own personal money to counter the o ense for legal fees?

If you say you are going to pay back the funds for Harvard training then do so, Mr. Laydon.

Commissioner omas needs to be able to do her job, give her the access to the credit card instead of basically again asking her to use personal money. It’s time for a ve-person commissioner board or have a full-time mediator in place because this isn’t working anymore. I think the people Douglas County have had enough of this.

Kyra Storojev Parker

Commissioners cause dismay

e three-member board of Douglas county commissioners once again is in the news over inghting between themselves. It is embarrassing and dysfunctional. What county business is actually getting done? County funds are being spent on lawyers’ fees in-

stead of for the taxpayers’ needs. Lora omas has once again stirred the pot against Abe Laydon and George Teal. Why won’t she just rubber-stamp all decisions made by these two men like a good little woman? e men always know what is best. is is what constantly seems to be coming out of commissioners’ meetings.

Douglas County has grown dramatically in the last decade. We should increase the commissioners to ve. And instead of career politicians being on the board as in the case of Ms. omas or career land developers Mr. Laydon and Mr. Teal we should open the county to others with great concern for our county. Individuals with re/safety experience, water/ irrigation expertise, transportation knowledge and even longtime ranchers and farmers comes to mind.

e new 190 condo/80 townhome development by Lokal Homes in Lone Tree is a prime example of development over county safety, water use and increased tra c issues by our county commissioners. ough the FAA strongly opposes the new development, the City of Lone Tree approved this hazard. Douglas County had to approve it before being approved by Lone Tree. Why?

It is being built just 2.5 miles southwest of one of the busiest runways for Centennial Airport and they don’t see a problem. Centennial Airport is the second busiest commercial airport in the nation. Second only to Trenton, NJ. And it brings in millions of dollars to the surrounding community. It wasn’t too many years ago that a plane crash just a few hundred feet from the new development sent a spinning prop into a home nearby. What do they think will happen when a larger jet crashes into the condos? A warning to new residence owners that they have a 24-hour busy airport just 2.5 miles to the north of them does not su ce.

Lora omas should resign. Douglas County comissioners must be increased to ve from three. And a more diversi ed group of commissioners must be elected.

Gail McDonnell Castle Rock

TOURING HAUNTED HISTORIES OF COLORADO

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In the 1800s, a maid allegedly ran out of an open door and fell to her death from an upper oor of a building in Golden.

Some say they have heard operatic singing in a historic home in Georgetown.

Tales of the olden days say there was a secret tunnel under downtown Littleton.

ese stories are shared on ghost tours across the Front Range that immerse visitors in the haunted histories of Colorado cities.

Organized by historians, writers and believers of ghosts, these tours o er creative and entertaining ways to learn the history of Colorado towns while getting in the mood for the spooky season of Halloween.

For some, these tours are a fun reason to suspend disbelief and enjoy time with family and friends. For others, they showcase paranormal truths that exist in the places Coloradans live, work and play.

‘A combination of history and haunting’

Georgetown, located about an hour west of Denver in Clear Creek County, has a haunted history. From the historic Hamill House to vigilante justice, the place abounds with ghost stories.

A 1990s television series called “Sightings,” which explored paranormal and extraterrestrial activity, even included a segment that took place in a haunted café in Georgetown.

“When you think about how it was started — it was a mining town — and the fact that the people who came here were looking for a better life, there was a certain energy connected to that,” Anne Marie Cannon, owner and tour guide at Silver Queen Walking Tours, said of Georgetown.

“ at is the kind of energy that has lingered here.”

Cannon’s company o ers various themed tours at di erent times of the year, all rooted in history. e most popular tour she o ers is her ghost tour.

“I always say that my ghost tour is a combination of history and haunting,” Cannon said.

e Georgetown–Silver

Plume National Historic Landmark District, which includes downtown Georgetown, has hundreds of buildings that are protected from the 19th century, she said.

“It makes you feel like you’ve kind of been dropped back in the 1800s when you come here,” she said.

Cannon curates and guides the ghost tours herself, using information from historical research, archival work, letters, books and personal experiences.

e walk is about one mile long and lasts for two hours, she said. Visitors get a guided tour of Georgetown, stopping at di erent locations to learn stories of deaths and murders. ey even sometimes go into properties where the ghost stories take place.

For Cannon, the tours are an interesting way to share history with visitors.

“Even if the story might not be in a history book, I connect the story to the history of (the) place,” she said, adding that she enjoys the creativity she gets to put into her storytelling.

Bringing stories to life

Other tours in the region have di erent formats for their haunted explorations, like e Talking Dead, an immersive haunted scavenger hunt in Golden that combines history and haunts with an interactive adventure.

GHOST TOURS ACROSS THE METRO AREA OFFER PARANORMAL FESTIVITIES

Youth and adults volunteer to guide guests and tell spooky stories on the Haunts of Littleton tour, the proceeds of which support the scouts of Troop 444.

TOURING

“Guests are given a map of downtown Golden and it’s their job to nd the locations,” said Anneliese Farmer, who organizes the tours with the immersive theater company, Elevate Immersive. “ e whole goal of the guests’ evening is to visit all of these locations to either talk to a ghost and learn about their story or to get a clue … to basically piece together (their) ending location.”

At the stations with “ghosts,” costumed actors get into character to make the stories more immersive.

Guests on this self-guided tour can also stop at partner bars along the way to get special discounts on drinks.

Living “ghosts” also play a role in Haunts of Littleton, a tour that happens the last two weekends of October in downtown Littleton.

On this tour, guests are guided by “ghosts” and meet storytellers in costumes at each location.

In the early 2000s, three local leaders started the Littleton ghost tour. Greg Reinke, who owns a costume and Halloween store downtown, Brian Vogt of the Denver Botanic Gardens and John Brackney of the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce started it to “get things going” in downtown Littleton, Reinke said.

“I knew a bunch of ghost stories from around here, ‘cause I grew up here,” Reinke said. “It was to get some activity down here.”

Haunts of Littleton is now run by the Friends of 444 Foundation, which exists to support the scouts of Troop 444 in Littleton. e tours are executed by volunteers from the community, including youth, and proceeds from the event go to support the troop.

“We are blessed to have some really phenomenal scouts and families,” said Brian Cotter, who helps put on the tours. “We have talent in many di erent areas, and a lot of them have sort of acting backgrounds where they can provide this really exciting presentation to the stories.”

Even with theatrical elements, both Farmer and Cotter said their respective tours are based on historical information.

“All the stories we focus on are real stories of people that lived and worked and shared their lives in Golden and met … a dangerous past through one way or another,” Farmer said.

To write the stories for the immersive scavenger hunt tour, Farmer said her team researches in the library, the history museum and by looking at old newspaper articles.

Cotter said volunteers on his team conduct research for the stories they share. He emphasized that the stories on the tour are not scary and the event is family-friendly.

“ ese are more interesting, sort of haunted historical events or historical persons that have been in this region,” he said. “(Guests are) people that are fascinated by Littleton and some of the history around it and want to be entertained in a novel way.”

The big question

ose who go on ghost tours have a wide range of beliefs, from total skepticism to passionate paranormalists.

Farmer, who identi es as a “huge believer” in ghosts, said she likes bringing light to them in a fun and creative way through ghost tours.

She said ghost stories also continue the generations-long tradition of storytelling in human culture.

A value of the tours, Farmer said, is that they use history to give participants a jumping-o point to dive into paranormal concepts. She said she thinks this is part of the draw for those who participate.

“ is Victorian, macabre, spooky time in history is really compelling to quite a few folks because it feels so far out of reach as to what we’re living in now,” she said. “I think that it’s a form of escapism into the fantastical, but it still is kind of rooted in history — because (the history) did really happen and it did really exist at that time.”

Cotter, who said he tends to believe in ghosts as well, said public interest in ghost tours may

GO ON A TOUR

Silver Queen Walking Tours

Website: https://www.silverqueenwalkingtours. com/

When: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through October

Cost: $28 per adult, $18 per child

The Talking Dead: Immersive Haunted Scavenger Hunt

Website: https://www.elevateimmersivecolor com/shows/talking-dead

When: Oct. 7, 14, 21, 27, 28 and Nov. 4.

Cost: $40 per adult

Haunts of Littleton

Website: https://hauntsoflittleton.com/

When: Oct. 20, 21, 27 and 28

Cost: $17 per adult, $10 per child

come from the energy surrounding the Halloween season, like any holiday.

“ ere’s lots of reasons that we get together and celebrate,” he said. “ is is an opportunity, as the holiday season starts to come around, that you can get together with friends and family.”

For Cannon, interest in ghosts is tied to something deeper.

She said she started out as a huge skeptic but has had some experiences that have started to change her mind.

“ ere is something,” she said. “I don’t know what it is.”

at question, for Cannon, is what draws people to ghost tours.

“It’s the big question, right?” she said. “What happens to us when we die? What happens to our loved ones? It’s kind of an acceptable, safe place to really think about that stu , contemplate that stu and talk about it. I mean, I think it’s at the root of who we are as human beings.”

Whether the goal is to gather with friends or to re ect on human existence, this is the season to dive into paranormal curiosity, by walking, scavenger-hunting and wondering.

Visitors learn Littleton’s haunted history firsthand from ghosts and other storytellers on the Haunts of Littleton tour.

COURTESY OF HAUNTS OF LITTLETON

‘Thoughtful Intuition’ exhibit will run until January

Denver-based Japanese artist

Taiko Chandler has installed a new exhibit at the Littleton Museum called “ oughtful Intuition,” which runs through Jan. 7, 2024. Gallery hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. e museum is at 6028 S. Gallup St., Littleton. Admission is free. ere will be a related printmaking workshop on Nov. 15 at the museum. Admission is free. 303-795-3950.

HOOTenanny

e 12th Annual Owl and Music Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 30 at the Denver Audubon Kingery Nature Center, 9308 S. Wadsworth Blvd. Littleton.

e Nearly ere Band will play and educators will hold live owl demonstrations at 10:30 a.m., noon and 1:30 p.m. Owl crafts for kids, owl pellet dissections, owl merchandise. All ages welcome. Learn about how to make it safer for birds migrating at night ... Ticketed. Also, beginning birding classes are available. See denveraudubon.org.

Samara Joy

Samara Joy comes to the University of Denver’s Newman Center on Oct. 15. She is the winner of the 2023 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal album and Best New Artist. Tickets:

SONYA’S SAMPLER

303-871-7720 or newmancenterpresents.com. Newman Center is at 2344 E. lli Ave., Denver. Weekly programs, including Compagnie Herve Koubi: What the Day Owes the Night, 14 male dancers from the Mediterranean on Jan. 23. Joshua Redman Quartet performs on March 1. Okareka: Mana Wahine (Maori Indigenous dance) on March 10.

Garden club

Learn about a variety of edible plants at the Douglas County Garden Club meeting from 1-3 p.m. on Oct. 3. Becky Elder, permaculture expert and Colorado State University Master Gardener, will present at the library in Castle Rock, 100 S. Wilcox St. New members and guests are invited. See douglascountygardenclub.org.

`Cabaret’

Musical classic “Cabaret” by Kander and Ebb plays through Oct. 22 at Vintage eatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora. Directed by Bernie Cardell, with music direction by Tanner Kelly

“Practice Makes Perfect” is part of Denver-based artists Taiko Chandler’s “Thoughtful Intuition” show at the Littleton Museum.

and choreography by Adrienne Hampton. 303-856-7830, vintagetheatre.org.

MOA

e Museum of Outdoor Arts will host a movie night on Oct. 20 and 21 at Marjorie Park in Greenwood Village, 6331 S. Fiddlers Green Circle. Doors open at 5 p.m. and movie will show at dusk — about 6:30 p.m. On Oct. 20, the lm will be “Drop Dead, Gorgeous” and on Oct. 21, it will be

“Alice in Wonderland” (2010). Free for MOA members, $15 general admission. e park contains more than 40 original artworks.

Town Hall Arts Center’s 41st season tickets are on sale. “All Shook Up” opened Sept. 21-to Oct. 15. Followed by “Last Session,” “Matilda,” “Urine Town,” “Raisin,” “Red,” “ e Prom.” Monday night performances are a bene t for the Denver Actors

One Book, One Littleton

“ ey Can’t Take Your Name” by Robert Justice is the title for his year, One Book, One Littleton program. On Sept. 29, Justice will speak at Bemis Library, 6014 S. Datura St., at a reception in his honor. e library has multiple copies, for those who might hear him speak and then read the book.

Craft fair

e Littleton Craft Fair will be held on Oct. 7 at Ketring Park, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the annual Harvest Festival will be on Oct. 14 at the Littleton Museum, 6028 S. Gallup St. Families can bring a wagon to haul a fat pumpkin from the museum to your car. Games, refreshments and wagon rides are part of the festival fun.

COURTESY PHOTO

steps to retaining and developing women leaders

By the Center for Creative Leadership

If retaining and developing women leaders are priorities in your company, what actions are you taking to achieve sustainable results?

Your organization, like others around the globe, may be struggling to overcome what’s now been coined the “SHEcession.” During the height of the pandemic, the unemployment rate for women was recorded about 2% higher than that of men — with the employment rate of women of

A special pullout advertising supplement from

LEADERS

color taking the biggest hit, according to statistics from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research.

It’s now more critical than ever to take an intentional and systematic approach to retaining and developing women leaders. Your HR function may have created policies or processes aimed at supporting the women in your organization. Maybe diversity training or gender-specific hiring and promoting goals are in the mix. Perhaps some of the policies aimed at increasing flexibility that were established in the height of the pandemic are here to stay, in recognition that women are commonly burdened with more caregiving responsibilities than men.

But HR policies and initiatives are just one piece of what’s needed to prepare and encourage women employees to take on leadership roles. More is needed, and it starts with your culture.

5 Keys to Success

The culture of an organization or a department — and even the views of a single manager — can have a direct impact on whether women stay with an organization or leave for something better. The informal patterns of influence and unspoken performance expectations play a role. And, of course, a woman’s individual experiences and perspectives are powerful factors, too.

To provide an equitable work experience that helps to support, retain, and develop women leaders, organizations should take a broad, “whole systems” view.

1. Address women’s leadership challenges and needed competencies.

Ensure your female leaders have the experiences and the resources to learn what they need most. Interventions for developing women leaders on an individual level could include targeted training, guidance for onthe-job learning, coaching opportunities, and mentoring at work.

It’s important that the organization — and individuals — are clear on the perspectives, skills, and capabilities that are needed to be effective in various leadership roles in your organization. In general, our research has

found that:

The top four leadership challenges for women are typically establishing credibility, managing up and across the organization, negotiating adeptly, and influencing others.

The two most important competencies to start developing are managing organizational complexity and strategic thinking and acting.

2. Leverage the power of choosing.

Individual women also need to be intentional about their careers and their development as leaders.

The power to choose is sometimes overlooked by women, due in part to cultural conditioning. So encourage female leaders in your organization to recognize their own agency and: Exert greater influence over the choices they make.

Take the lead in shaping conversations about their career.

Take ownership over their career choices.

Create a personal leadership development strategy.

Be as strategic about family responsibilities as they are about workplace roles.

Women leaders should receive messaging from the organization that embraces a more individualized — and less stereotypical — perspective on professional and personal roles that may have historically been categorized as “men’s roles” and “women’s roles.” It’s all part of living with intention, both at work and at home.

3. Rethink systems and challenge assumptions.

Helping individual women become better leaders is not enough. While there are no easy fixes for rebalancing the global gender gap, one thing is clear: the pandemic and consequent “SHEcession” have highlighted systemic imbalances that have a great impact on women, organizations, and larger society. It’s clear now that we do not need to change women — we need to change systems.

Look for ways that unconscious bias in the organization affects opportunities and motivation for women, and make increasing gender equity in the workplace a priority for your organization.

When your leaders (at every level) are able to recognize conscious and unconscious biases and imbalances, they can proactively work to address

them. The key is to create an environment where women leaders feel the psychological safety to speak out and have the backing of an organization committed to driving widespread culture change.

Take concrete steps to evolve your organizational culture to orient toward building greater equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) — starting with a focus on equity — and connect developing women leaders to your broader EDI approach.

Meeting scheduling, social norms, networking opportunities, mentoring programs, and talent management policies and processes are some potential areas for focused improvement. Also, ensure that managers are aware that they should ask, rather than assume that they know, what women in the workplace want from work (this is also a good idea with all employees).

Above all, organizations should create the culture and systems that make it easier to have candid conversations.

4. Provide flexible women’s leadership development experiences.

Talented women want organizations to invest in their development, but be sure to include them in the program selection process. Offer flexible formats, including virtual options, and provide “air cover” and the permission for women leaders to put their dayto-day work responsibilities on hold to make space for their development.

Another consideration is whether an all-women or all-gender experience is more beneficial for your organization’s unique situation. Both approaches can have a positive effect on retaining and developing women leaders. When making the decision, evaluate these factors:

Are women a demographic minority in the leadership ranks of your organization? If so, they may benefit from an all-women leadership development experience. The opportunity to connect and network with other women across their ranks can sometimes be more meaningful when it’s less available in their day-to-day work lives.

Do you have executive-level support? All-women programs are most effective when they have the explicit support and involvement of executive sponsors. This sends a message to women leaders that their needs are seen and that the organization is in-

vesting in the value they are capable of creating.

Is the development hosted within your organization? If so, sponsoring and mentoring women on an ongoing basis should also be considered. Doing so can provide guidance and support from senior leaders to help women integrate what they’ve learned into day-to-day operations.

Mixed-gender leadership development settings are also highly beneficial. After all, women lead in organizations that are racially, culturally, socioeconomically, and gender diverse. All-gender development can help participants network, influence, and lead across demographics more effectively. And for women leaders struggling with burnout, it can be validating to hear that many of their challenges are shared across genders, functions, and even industries.

5. Create the right networks. The right relationships and ties are an asset in getting access to information, earning promotions, and gaining opportunities. Effective leaders rely on key networks and trusted partners to influence others and to get results. Many women have struggled with networking, especially during the pandemic — often due to a combination of factors including lack of time, cultural programming, and the belief that networking is insincere, manipulative, or inauthentic. But the networks that come easily are not necessarily the most beneficial.

Organizations can support women in developing the relationships they need to succeed. Women need a network of champions, including mentors, sponsors, and coaches. This can help women leaders gain a clear understanding of the network they have, compared to the network they need. New relationships and new connections can be built, with both the short and long term in mind.

Organizations serious about retaining and developing women leaders will want to ensure they are helping all their talent build the right relationships, political skills, and networks to succeed.

Reprinted with permission from the Center for Creative Leadership. To read more, sign up for their newsletter or to download their “5-Day Retaining Women Leaders Challenge,” go to CCL.org.

CEO shares her early-career tips to move up

(Family Features) Many young professionals, especially women, face unique challenges in navigating workplace cultures. Passionate about mentoring young professionals and sharing her methods for success, Morgan DeBaun, founder and CEO of digital media and technology company Blavity, partnered with Sharpie — makers of a wide selection of permanent markers, pens, highlighters and more for the classroom, office and home — to share these steps you can take and skills you can build during the early stages of your career to enhance your long-term goals.

Be proactive: Take initiative and identify areas you can contribute beyond your assigned tasks. Instead of waiting to be asked to do something, draft an email, spreadsheet or project board that could benefit the team. Showing a willingness to go above and beyond may lead to additional projects or responsibilities being sent your way in the future.

Write everything down: Putting your dreams and goals to paper can help you commit to them, track progress and stay on course to achieve them. Additionally, particularly in meetings, your brain is processing new information, ways of thinking and operational systems all while you are trying to come across as engaged and personable. Jotting down key action items and learnings along the way can save you later. Being an active listener and note-taker can increase your ability to retain information and contribute to your team.

Identify useful productivity tools: Look for tools and programs that can help make you more productive and successful then leverage them in your personal workflow. Whether it’s an email scheduling tool, calendar software or favorite writing utensil, ensure you are taking advantage of things that can help you succeed.

Develop and strengthen your organizational skills: Regardless of what role you are in, being organized and structured in the way you work can help keep you on track as you grow in your career. Whether it’s a smartphone app, old-fashioned to-do lists on paper or desktop reminders on your computer, find a system that works for you and stick with it — refining the approach as you go — for best results.

Embrace teamwork and learn from your peers: Across your company, you are likely working with bright, talented people who may have completely different skill sets and ways of working and thinking than you. Set up 15- to 20-minute virtual coffee chats to meet people not on your team during your first 90 days as a way to connect with your coworkers and learn more about not only them but the company and its environment as a whole.

Say yes to opportunities: Whether it is a work event, new project, meeting or class, take advantage of prospects presented to you. Taking advantage of opportunities to network, learn and grow in your career can help lead you on the trajectory you are aiming for.

Li leton Busine Chamber celebrates a of our women-owned busine es!

Photo courtesy of Sharpie

The Benefit of Hindsight

Evergreen, Colorado, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, is not only known for its breathtaking natural beauty but also for its vibrant business community. In recent years, this picturesque town has seen a surge in female entrepreneurs who are making a significant impact on the local economy. These women are breaking barriers, shattering stereotypes, and carving their own paths in various industries, showcasing the unstoppable spirit of Evergreen’s businesswomen.

Lisa Perl and Kristen Porter are well known in the Evergreen area as owners of Evergreen Bread & Cocktail Lounge along with John Porter. The team had a vision of a community-focused restaurant and bakery which can bring friends and family together. They make food

using old-fashioned techniques and whole ingredients, using the freshest produce and high-quality baking ingredients to create delicious and healthy meals. As business leaders, Lisa and Kris have learned a few things over the years navigating the world of small business and entrepreneurship. Their journey offers valuable insights and inspiration for women seeking to make their mark in the world of entrepreneurship:

1. Build a Strong Network: Surround yourself with a supportive network of mentors, peers, and advisors. Networking is not just about who you know but also about who knows you.

2. Continuous Learning: Stay curious and committed to learning. The business world is ever-evolving, and acquiring new

skills and knowledge is key to staying competitive.

3. Embrace Risk: Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks. Success often requires stepping out of your comfort zone and seizing opportunities.

4. Confidence Matters: Believe in your abilities and ideas. Confidence can be a powerful tool in breaking through barriers.

5. Work-Life Balance: Finding balance between your professional and personal life is crucial for long-term success and well-being.

6. Advocate for Yourself: Don’t hesitate to speak up and advocate for what you deserve. Negotiate for fair compensation and recognition.

7. Mentorship: Seek out mentors

who can provide guidance and support. Learning from those who have been there can be invaluable.

8. Persistence: Don’t be discouraged by setbacks. Success often comes to those who persist in the face of challenges.

9. Give Back: As you succeed, remember to give back to your community and support the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Kris and Lisa are more than successful business owners; they are role models for women aspiring to advance in business. The journey of Lisa and Kristen underscores that the time for women to advance in business is now, and with the right vision and dedication, success is well within reach.

Chamber music opens fall season

Englewood Arts Presents stages concerts in city’s Hampden Hall

BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e fall season began on Saturday, Sept. 23 with a chamber concert opening the new Englewood Arts

Presents season in Hampden Hall, the performance venue in Englewood Civic Center.

e Lirios Quartet performed Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 3, Opus 18; “Re ejos de la Noche,” by Mario Lavista and Debussy’s String Quartet.

Quartet members, a graduate quartet-in-residence at the Universi-

ty of Colorado, Boulder, are coached by the widely recognized Takacs Quartet.

Formed in August 2022, Lirios Quartet members are Benjamin Goldstein and Maggie Brady, violin; Yuri Santos, viola; and Charles Barnard, cello.

During the summer, the Lirios Quartet worked on music by Debussy with the Juilliard String Quartet.

Chamber music concerts scheduled later into the fall will be:

October 28, 2 p.m.: Pianist Jooeun

Pak: Haydn: Sonata in C Major; Beethoven: Sonata No. 8, Opus 13; Rachmaninov: Preludes Nos 4 and 10; Chopin: Bercuse, Opus 57; James P. Johnson: “Blueberry Rhyme.”

Pak, known for her interpretation of contemporary music, performs internationally and gives master

classes nationally. She is currently director of keyboard studies at Metropolitan State University. Nov. 18 brings a performance by Alex Gonzalez, violin, and Dr. Suyeon Kim, piano, that will include Richard Strauss’ Violin Sonata.

And, leading into the holiday season will be a Dec. 16 return visit by cellist Silver Ainomae, who will perform with Joshua Sawicki, piano, and Claude Sim, violin/viola. eir program will include Beethoven: Duo for Viola and Cello; David Pepper: “Hungarian Rhapsody” and Felix Mendelddohn: Piano Trio in D Minor.

Programs for 2024 will be announced in the future months by director Eric Bertoluzzi.

Tickets for the Englewood Arts Presents Chamber Music of the Masters concerts cost $30, Adults; Seniors (over 60) $25; Students (under 18) $10. Ticket o ce opens at 1 p.m. on concert days. Online purchases at englewoodarts.org. Hampden Hall is in the Englewood Civic Center, 1000 Englewood Parkway. Handicap-accessible. 303-806-8196. Free parking.

The Boulder-based Lirios Quartet opened the fall season for the Englewood Arts Presents program. COURTESY PHOTO

Japanese artist brings work to Littleton Museum

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In traditional printmaking, an artist creates a design on wood, metal, stone or another material and transfers it onto a di erent surface, usually paper or fabric.

Denver-based Japanese artist Taiko Chandler lets her intuition, memories and emotion drive her printmaking practice, which allows her to use the medium in new and innovative ways.

A solo exhibition by Chandler titled “ oughtful Intuition” is on display at the Littleton Museum, showcasing monoprints, paintings, three-dimensional artwork and installations created through Chandler’s original processes.

“My process is very organic … also instinctive,” Chandler said. “( e) most important thing is just to be true to myself.”

Chandler’s unique process

After having traditional printmaking work on display at the museum

“ e big installation piece in this exhibit is actually a print on Tyvek and then she cuts out some of the pieces,” Casey said. “ en, she actually folds it up and manipulates it and pins it to the wall so it really becomes a 3-D, almost sculptural piece — (it) just doesn’t even look like a print.”

e result feels symbolic of the

way people might experience some of their most deep-rooted memories, Casey wrote in a press release.

“Instead of having an exact visual picture or a structured outline of the experience, we recall the curve of sentiments felt in that space,” she wrote. “We sense the wispy dappling of a beautiful light, or the dense pull of a heavy sense of loss or sorrow. Chandler recreates the feeling of memory in a way that is both tangible and intangible simultaneously.”

Memories and emotion

Chandler said the main installation of the exhibit was inspired by a recent visit to Japan to visit her mother, who was sick. e colors represent the intensity of her emotions during that time and she incorporated artifacts of her mother’s calligraphy practice in the

installation.

Her work usually begins abstract, but sometimes it grows to carry a larger message as she spends more time with the piece, she said.

“Sometimes memory comes up, or some emotion comes up, or some idea or thoughts come up,” she said.

Casey said this approach to Chandler’s artwork stands out to her.

“It’s sort of this balance of having a gut intuition about what she wants to do and how to make a piece feel balanced and beautiful, and also just sort of putting her energy into it and her emotion from what she’s experiencing at that time,” Casey

Casey said she hopes the exhibit shows visitors a new purpose of art.

“I really want people to understand that art can be a medium for emotional exploration and sort of working through visceral feelings and kind of responding to the environment and events that are occurring, for both personal and communal events,” she said.

Since visitors will not have lived through the same experiences and emotions as Chandler, she said she hopes her work makes people pause to wonder and be curious.

And with the abstract shapes and colors, she hopes it might even resonate with their personal memories, emotions or experiences in some way, too.

Chandler’s exhibit will be on display until Jan. 7.

e gallery is open 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is free.

e museum will also host a printmaking workshop on Nov. 15, which guests can register for at https:// www.museum.littletonco.gov/ Events-Programs/Events/WonderWednesday-Playing-with-Prints.

INVENTORY INCLUDES: classic vehicles, pickup trucks, tire service truck, fuel truck, bucket trucks, tractors, vacuum truck, box truck, tow truck, utility bed pickup truck, flatbed pickup truck and more. All items are sold “AS IS.” 10% buyers premium applies.

A site-specific installation titled “Practice Makes Perfect” by Taiko Chandler. The piece includes Tyvek monotype and calligraphy by the artist’s mother.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LITTLETON MUSEUM

Castle Rock council directs sta to draft policy for public indecency

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Castle Rock will be implementing public indecency, indecent exposure and public nudity laws at the municipal level following a town council discussion on Sept. 19. e council unanimously directed sta to create an ordinance updating the town code to make public indecency, indecent exposure and public nudity illegal within town limits.

Currently, anyone charged with public indecency or indecent exposure in Castle Rock is prosecuted at the county or district level under state law. Adding the o enses to the town code will allow the crimes to be prosecuted at the municipal level.

“ at’s why we’re proposing to add these three o enses to (the town code), so we can prosecute them right across the street,” Town Attorney Michael Hyman said.

According to records requested from the Castle Rock Police Department, there have been four summons and one arrest for public indecency or indecent exposure since 2020. None have occurred this year.

Hyman recommended Castle Rock adopt the same language as the state statute for public indecency, which prohibits sex, exposing genitals and other sexual behaviors in public places or places that are visible to the public.

Similarly for indecent exposure language, Hyman suggested copying the state statute, which de nes the o ense as exposing genitals or masturbating in front of a nonconsenting person, both in public and private spaces.

State statute makes indecent exposure involving a child under

15-years-old a felony. Since felonies cannot be prosecuted at the municipal level, Castle Rock will not adopt that part of the statute in its town code, Hyman said.

“A felony means they could go down to the state penitentiary to serve the sentence, so we’re not going to do that portion of the statute and let those o enses be prosecuted where they should,” he said.

Colorado doesn’t have a state statute around public nudity, but other municipalities, including Lone Tree and Parker, prohibit public nudity. Hyman said public nudity laws cannot discriminate between men and women’s breasts and didn’t recommend a law banning all toplessness.

He suggested the town combine parts of ordinances from Parker and Fort Collins to prohibit people over the age of 10 from intentionally exposing their genitals or butt, or simulated genitals, while in public or in certain places visible to the public.

Exceptions would include things like receiving treatment during a medical emergency, being in a bathroom, locker room or changing room, or if the nudity is part of a performance or religious activity within an enclosed space, like a church or theater.

With the new ordinances, Hyman suggested the town also update rental permits and use agreements to require renters and users of town facilities to abide by town code.

e proposed ordinances come after months of conversations at the town council prompted by a wardrobe malfunction at last year’s Douglas County PrideFest, where a drag performer’s breast plate was exposed.

is year’s PrideFest included a

now you’re scaling up in Omaha.

Two residents, Anya Zavadil and Jay Griebling, who previously opposed one another in public comments, spoke together at the meeting about finding common ground.

Mount Evans becomes Mount Blue Sky

‘Blue Sky’ gives nod to indigenous ceremony of the renewal of every living thing on Earth

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Applause erupted from the crowd as they listened to a federal board’s decision to rename Mount Evans in Colorado to Mount Blue Sky. Some of those cheering were listening virtually as the U.S. Board on Geographic Names voted 15-1 in favor of the change. ree members abstained in the vote, which took place in Oregon.

“ is was the nal step in the renaming process,” said Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Gov. Reggie Wassana after the vote.

e name change takes e ect im-

G-rated drag show with no malfunctions or nudity.

Many public commenters at the Sept. 19 meeting supported adopting the proposed ordinances. Two residents, Anya Zavadil and Jay Griebling, who previously opposed one another in public comments,

spoke together at the meeting about nding common ground.

“What’s at stake is further division or resolution,” Griebling said.

“ at’s why we’re sitting here together, to try and come to an agreement on this ordinance so that Castle Rock has a clear de nition of what is appropriate in front of children and what is not.”

Zavadil, who is the president of Castle Rock Pride, encouraged the town to ensure the laws are nondis-

criminatory.

“We’re happy to follow ordinances, be respectful to our neighbors and continue to be great citizens, we don’t want this ght,” she said. “We’re here because we’re concerned that the new ordinance might be used disproportionately against the minorities in this town.”

Before the council voted on moving forward with the ordinances, council member Desiree La eur

said the ordinances are not meant to target any speci c group.

“It’s not appropriate for us to focus on any one group because these issues can and will involve everyone,” La eur said.

With the council vote, town sta will draft an ordinance regarding public indecency, indecent exposure and public nudity. Ordinances must be approved by the council at a rst and second reading before they take e ect.

To learn more about the Baha’i Faith or find a gathering, please contact us.

castlerockbahais@gmail.com

castlerock.local.bahai.us/

Parker

“So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.” ~ Bahá’u’lláh

Castle Rock

One of Colorado’s famous Fourteeners, Mount Evans will now be known as Mount Blue Sky.

FILE PHOTO BY CORINNE WESTEMAN

SEE BLUE SKY, P27

BLUE SKY

mediately. Wassana said he was glad what had become a long, drawn-out process over the name of the more than 14,000-foot peak in Clear Creek County ended with a solid vote.

“It is a huge step, not only for the Cheyenne and Arapaho people but also for… other allies who worked diligently to begin the healing process, bringing honor to a monumental and majestic mountain,” Wassana said.

e new name for the mountain comes from the Blue Sky Ceremony, a ceremony for all living things, including “men, women, children, plants, earth, water, life,” Chester Whiteman of the Southern Cheyenne tribe said.

Months-long delay on expected vote to rename in March

In an unexpected twist, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names deferred a vote that would have changed the name of Mount Evans back in March.

At the last minute, the Northern Cheyenne tribe objected to Mount Blue Sky and requested a formal consultation, according to William Walks, a tribal administrator. at set in motion a series of discussions culminating in a meeting between tribal leaders and the Department of Interior in June.

Several other names were suggested, including Mount Soule, Mount Rosalie, Mount Sisty and Mount Cheyenne-Arapaho, according to the US Board on Geographic Names.

In the end, the board voted on only one name: Mount Blue Sky.

“Changing its name was long overdue, and I thank the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes for leading this e ort,” said Jim Ramey, Colorado state director for e Wilderness Society, a nonpro t conservation organization.

History of namesake Gov. John Evans

Indigenous groups say the mountain celebrated an era of terror. e mountain was named for Colorado’s territorial governor from 1862-1865, John Evans, who played a role in enabling the Sand Creek Massacre.

“Anytime you have to hear of or speak of an individual who wanted to decimate your family or your tribe, it’s really hard,” Wassana said in a November 2022 Clear Creek Courant article.

On a November morning in 1864, U.S. Army Col. John Chivington and elements of the Colorado Infantry

Regiment of Volunteers and Regiment of Colorado Cavalry Volunteers launched an attack on Arapaho and Cheyenne civilians where they camped about 180 miles southeast of Denver. Over the course of eight hours, the troops slaughtered some 230 people, many of them women, children and elderly, according to the National Park Service, which maintains a national historic site in the area where the events occurred. In 1895, the mountain was named for Evans after settlers lobbied the legislature to honor him.

“We are grateful for all of the efforts of Tribal Nations to make this much-needed renaming a reality,” said Native Lands Partnership Director Starlyn Miller. “May the mountain be a place that no longer in icts sorrow and grief but rather a place that brings comfort and healing.”

Kim, regional teams look toward golf state

BY JIM BENTON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Rock Canyon senior Nathan Kim has faced his share of disappointments but is now focusing on the upcoming Class 5A Boys State Golf Tournament.

Kim tied for second place in the Class 5A Central Region qualifying tournament on Sept. 20 at the University of Denver Club at Highlands

Ranch.

He shot a 2-under par 70, which was one stroke behind medalist Brayden Forte of Cherokee Trail.

What was disappointing for Kim was the fact that he was 4-under-par heading into the 17th hole, but a pair of bogeys pushed him back into a second-place tie with Castle View’s Gavin Amella. Amella ended up with birdies on the nal four holes.

“I played good overall, it was just

the last holes where the putter wasn’t as good as I wanted,” said Kim. “I was four undergoing into 17 and three putted the last two holes. We still have state and I’m hoping to do good there.”

Now, looking at state, Kim said it will be about working on the essentials. He said all his focus will be on state.

Kim was focused on the regional tournament.

After advancing to the state tournnament as a freshman, he didn’t qualify as a sophomore or junior.

“I was pretty disappointed at regionals so I wanted to do well at this one, at least make it to state,” he said.

e entire Rock Canyon golf team made it to state, qualifying second behind Cherokee Trail.

e Jaguars had four of the top eight nishers and wound up with a 2-under-par team total of 214. Cherokee Trail had three players in the top four and came in with a 211-team score.

Besides Kim, Charlie Tucker tied for fourth place with a 1-under-par 71. Trey Kahrho had a 73 while Mason Conrad rounded out Rock Canyon’s scoring with a 74.

In order to qualify for the state tournaments, the top two teams from each regional advance and 13 individuals not on those top two teams also earn a ticket to the tournament.

e Class 5A state meet will be held Oct. 2-3 at Collindale Golf Course in Fort Collins.

In other 5A regional tourneys, the top ve golfers in the individual standings were all under par of 70 in

the Southern Region tourney which was played at Indian Tree Golf Course in Arvada.

Cherry Creek was rst with a score of 209 and Highlands Ranch tied Denver East for second but the Angels won the tiebreaker to earn a spot in the state tournament.

Sophomore Billy Verstraate, of Highlands Ranch, was second in the chase for medalist honors with a 3-under-par 67. Cherry Creek teammates Henry Starr and Wyatt Isgrig tied for third with 68s while Kyle Bubier of underRidge was fth with a 69.

Valor Christian (219) nished second behind Regis Jesuit (210) in the Western Region at Flatirons Golf Course in Boulder.

ree Valor golfers, Maxwell Eide, Campbell McFadden and Ian O’Fallon, tied for sixth place with 73s. Mountain Vista’s Connor Scheich also had a 73.

Heritage junior Sabastian Hein eagled the 18th hole and came in second in the Northern Region at Todd Creek Golf Course in ornton. Heritage was third in the team standings, one stroke out of a second place nish,

Ponderosa nished second behind Erie in the Class 4A Region 1 meet and will be playing in the state tourney on Oct. 2-3 at e Bridges in Montrose. Pondo had a 230 team score.

Senior Bryar Moss of Pondo tied for medalist honors with a 2-underpar 70 at Pueblo’s Walking Stick Golf Course.

Lutheran was second with a score of 221 in the Class 4A Region 2 tourney at the Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs. Lions’ sophomore Nicholas Brooks was second in the medalist chase with a 1-under-par 70. e Class 3A state tourney will be Oct. 2-3 at Rain Dance National in Windsor and SkyView Academy’s team has quali ed.

Colorado Academy and SkyView Academy tied for second at 237 points apiece in the Region 2 meet but the Hawks won a head-to-head tiebreaker to get the automatic qualifying spot. SkyView’s Landon Webb was fourth with a 2-over-par 73.

Castle View’s Gavin Amelia had birdies on the last four holes he played to finish tied for second place in the Class 5A Central Regional with a 2-under-par 70 on Sept. 20. PHOTO BY JIM BENTON

The e ect of higher interest rates for longer

Would you rather have high in ation or high interest rates? at Goldilocks economy where we had low interest rates and low in ation is now a distant memory and reality is setting in.

e Fed has been targeting in ation and has been successful in bringing it down considerably so far this year. e trade-o is higher interest rates. And due to a “tardy’ recession” according to Chief Economist Bill Greiner, CFA, higher interest rates for longer.

If you are taking out a mortgage, you want lower interest rates. If you are selling a house, in ation may help you get a better price. It is all relative to what you are buying or borrowing.

Interest rates may need to stay elevated to get the economy on a stable track and without spikes in in ation. So far, it appears the Fed

FINANCIAL STRATEGIES

managed a “soft landing” where raising rates did not trigger an immediate recession.

e two stubborn indicators keeping us out of recession have been the rather healthy housing market and very low unemployment.

Higher interest rates for longer means it may take longer to curb the higher housing prices. Some geographical areas are experiencing lower housing prices as new owners struggle to qualify for the expensive home purchase plus a 7% or higher borrowing rate. is forces the seller to come down on their price to compensate for the higher monthly mortgage. However due to low inventory, this is a slow

turn and will take some time.

Housing inventory is low because there are not as many people on the move. Who wants to give up a current 2.5% rate and move for a 7%plus rate? erefore more people are staying put and spending money on home improvements instead.

As more housing is built, this imbalance will eventually shift, but it takes time to bring more housing to market.

e strong jobs market is another factor in keeping a recession at bay. Our revised economic outlook calls for slower growth, lower in ation, and slightly higher unemployment. is suggests that the fed funds rate may rise again before year end to help sustain lower in ation. ¹

Fed policymakers have raised their key interest rate to about 5.4 percent, its highest level in 22 years, to try to slow borrowing and spending and cool in ation pressures.

ey are now considering whether to raise the rate even higher — a move that would heighten the risk of a recession — or leave it at its current level for an extended period.” ²

On the positive side of this seesaw, anyone invested in short-term xed income has been enjoying higher interest coupons on their bonds or cash equivalents. Buyer beware though, these instruments are not designed to keep up with in ation. You will still need a welldiversi ed portfolio to provide some growth in addition to your xed income allocation.

1. William Greiner, CFA, Mariner Chief Economist

2. Fortune; Atlanta Fed.

Patricia Kummer has been a Certied Financial Planner professional and a duciary for over 35 years and is Managing Director for Mariner Wealth Advisors.

Solution

TRIVIA

1. LITERATURE: What is the name of the clown in Stephen King’s horror novel “It”?

2. ASTRONOMY: How o en does Halley’s Comet appear in the Earth’s sky?

3. U.S. STATES: Which state has the most electoral votes in 2024?

4. MOVIES: In “Jurassic Park,” what kind of container is used to store stolen dinosaur embryos?

5. ART: Which art movement is Salvador Dali associated with?

6. AD SLOGANS: Which car manufacturer used the ad slogan “Quality is Job 1”?

7. TELEVISION: Which TV show spawned the spino comedy/drama “Maude”?

8. FOOD & DRINK: What is the main ingredient in falafel?

9. GEOGRAPHY: What is the world’s shortest river?

10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What are a crab’s pincers called?

Answers

1. Pennywise.

2. On average, every 76 years.

3. California (54).

4. A canister that looks like a Barbasol Shaving Cream can.

5. Surrealism.

6. Ford Motor Company.

7. “All in the Family.”

8. Chickpeas.

9. Roe River, Montana.

10. Chelae.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

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A Visa Inc. company, currently has an opening for Sr. Staff Software Engineer (multiple openings) (REF64535E) in Highlands Ranch, CO. Job duties include: Maintain and enhance the Visa Integrated Payment (VIP) system. Provide support and problem resolution for the VIP system. Ensure that the standard software development life cycle is followed. Develop technical specifications from high level business requirements. Up to 10% domestic travel is required. The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is $152,069.00 USD to $211,300.00 USD; Sr. Systems Analyst (multiple openings) (REF64648W) in Highlands Ranch, CO. Job duties include: Act as initial escalation point for Service Desk Tier 1 for application issues. Perform routine application maintenance including host file updates, log rotation, and shell scripting for common tasks. The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is $111,200.00 USD to $177,800.00 USD; Sr. Staff SW Engineer (multiple openings) (REF64120K) in Highlands Ranch, CO. Job duties include: Develop, test, and debug new and existing functionality that meets specific requirements for the Service Now Platform. Identify requirement gaps to maintain a high degree of quality in the solution built and provide

configuration options to identify respective pros and cons. Domestic travel required up to 5% of the time. The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is $152,069.00 USD to $211,300.00 USD; Sr. Cybersecurity Analyst (multiple openings) (REF63790Q) in Highlands Ranch, CO. Job duties include: Support Cybersecurity Identity and Access Management (IAM) team by enrolling applications into the IAM tool and manage IAM governance for the enrolled applications. Proactively communicate and collaborate with external and internal customers to gather and analyze IAM business and functional requirements to achieve successful enrollment of enterprise-wide applications to the centralized IAM infrastructure. The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is $130,707.00 USD to $177,800.00 USD; Senior Systems Analyst (multiple openings) (REF64611P) in Highlands Ranch, CO. Job duties include: Be a part of the production support group which keeps the applications and systems of Visa up and running to cater to the 24*7 needs of the business. Support critical applications and ensure the stability of the applications by performing proactive maintenance activities, engage in automation activities, do root cause analysis and remediation. The estimated salary range for a new

hire into this position is $111,200.00 USD to $177,800.00 USD; Sr. Analyst -Cloud Application Support (DevOps) (multiple openings) (REF64668A) in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Job Duties include: Keep the applications and systems of Visa up and running to cater to the 24*7 needs of the business. Support critical applications and ensure the stability of the applications by performing proactive maintenance activities, engaging in automation activities, and performing root cause analysis and remediation. The estimated salary range for a new hire into this position is $139,838.00

USD to $ 177,800.00

USD. Positions report to the Employer’s Highlands Ranch Office, Colorado and may allow for partial telecommuting. 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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PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088

Legals Public Trustees

PUBLIC NOTICE

Highlands Ranch NOTICE OF SALE

Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0127

To Whom It May Concern: On 7/5/2023 11:47:00

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: SHARON T. MCNALLY

Original Beneficiary: WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, FA

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 10/20/2004

Recording Date of DOT: 11/5/2004

Reception No. of DOT: 2004113964

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $247,000.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $246,869.14

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 37, HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 88-A, 1ST AMENDMENT, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Which has the address of: 6694 Dutch Creek 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, October 25, 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: 8/31/2023

Last Publication: 9/28/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 7/5/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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 #: 23-029688

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

Legal Notice No. 2023-0127

First Publication: 8/31/2023

Last Publication: 9/28/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press PUBLIC NOTICE

Highlands Ranch NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0124

To Whom It May Concern: On 6/30/2023 9:35:00

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: David Siu

Original Beneficiary: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as Beneficiary, as nominee for Ideal Home Loans LLC, its successors and assigns

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt:

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: 8/31/2023

Last Publication: 9/28/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 6/30/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

HEATHER DEERE

Colorado Registration #: 28597 355 UNION BLVD SUITE 250, LAKEWOOD, COLORADO 80228 Phone #: (303) 274-0155

Fax #:

Attorney File #: CO21977

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE

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

Legal Notice No. 2023-0124

First Publication: 8/31/2023

Last Publication: 9/28/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press PUBLIC NOTICE

Littleton NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0134

To Whom It May Concern: On 7/25/2023 10:42:00

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

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 15, 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: 9/21/2023

Last Publication: 10/19/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 7/25/2023

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 #: 18-019380

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 712, ROXBOROUGH VILLAGE FILING NO. 16-A, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Which has the address of: 7432 Elk Trail Pl, Littleton, CO 80125

NOTICE OF SALE

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

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 1, 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: 9/7/2023

Last Publication: 10/5/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $503,511.16

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 111, HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 122S, 1ST AMENDMENT, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Which has the address of: 3158 Woodbriar Dr, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126

NOTICE OF SALE

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

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 25, 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),

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: LIGITA S BARDULIS

Original Beneficiary: ARGENT MORTGAGE COMPANY, LLC

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR PARK PLACE SECURITIES, INC. ASSET-BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES

2005-WHQ3

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 3/31/2005

Recording Date of DOT: 1/6/2006

Reception No. of DOT: 2006001890

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $323,550.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $284,415.50

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 213, ROXBOROUGH DOWNS, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO

Which has the address of: 10506 Brown Fox Trail, Littleton, CO 80125

NOTICE OF SALE

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

Legal Notice No. 2023-0134

First Publication: 9/21/2023

Last Publication: 10/19/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

PUBLIC NOTICE

Littleton NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0130

To Whom It May Concern: On 7/12/2023 1:40:00

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: HEATHER KREBS AND KRISTOFFER WEST

AKA KRISTOFFER C WEST

Original Beneficiary:

FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF OMAHA

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt:

FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF OMAHA

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 9/30/2021

Recording Date of DOT: 10/1/2021

Reception No. of DOT: 2021113088

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt:

$596,850.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $582,275.63

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 installments of principal and interest, together with other payments provided for in the evidence of debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof.

Dated: 7/12/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

NEAL K DUNNING Colorado Registration #: 10181 7995 E. Prentice Avenue, Suite 101E, GREENWOOD VILLAGE, COLORADO 80111 Phone #: (303) 329-3363

Fax #:

Attorney File #: 3554-040

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

Legal Notice No. 2023-0130

First Publication: 9/7/2023

Last Publication: 10/5/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

PUBLIC NOTICE

Highlands Ranch NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0126

To Whom It May Concern: On 7/5/2023 10:24:00 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: TIMOTHY S EMERY

Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. ACTING SOLELY AS NOMINEE FOR MIDWEST LOAN SOLUTIONS, INC.

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: U.S. Bank

The name, address and telephone

Public Notices

Trust National Association, not individually or personally but solely in its capacity as Trustee on behalf of the ICW MAT Trust

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 1/29/2020

Recording Date of DOT: 1/30/2020

Reception No. of DOT: 2020006683

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt:

$422,211.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $363,374.37

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

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

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

Legal Description of Real Property:

LOT 189, HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 122-R, ACCORDING TO THE RECORDED PLAT THEREOF. COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Which has the address of:

10672 Braselton St, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126

NOTICE OF SALE

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

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 25, 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: 8/31/2023

Last Publication: 9/28/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 7/5/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

DAVID W. DRAKE

Colorado Registration #: 43315 1391 Speer Boulevard, Suite 700, DENVER, COLORADO 80204

Phone #: (303) 350-3711

Fax #:

Attorney File #: 00000009663444

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE

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

Legal Notice No. 2023-0126

First Publication: 8/31/2023

Last Publication: 9/28/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press City and County

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF ELECTION

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2023

DOUGLAS COUNTY

SHERI DAVIS, CLERK AND RECORDER

In compliance with the provisions of Colorado

Revised Statute 1-5-205(1) notice is hereby given that a Coordinated Election will be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Ballots will be mailed to all eligible electors beginning on October 16, 2023. Voters who do not receive a ballot by October 25, 2023, may request a ballot from the Douglas County Elections Office, located at 125 Stephanie Place, Castle Rock, CO 80109, or by calling 303-660-7444.

Completed ballots may be returned by U.S.

Mail or hand delivered to a Douglas County BALLOT DROP BOX LOCATION or VOTER SERVICE AND POLLING CENTER . If you choose to return a completed ballot by mail, you must affix adequate postage to the OFFICIAL BALLOT RETURN ENVELOPE before mailing. Ballots must be received by the Douglas County Elections Office no later than 7:00 p.m. on November 7, 2023. Postmarks do not count as a received date.

24-HOUR BALLOT DROP BOX LOCATIONS:

These locations are available 24 hours a day beginning Monday, October 16, 2023, until 7:00 p.m. Election Day, Tuesday, November 7, 2023.

Castle Pines Library 360 Village Square Lane, Castle Pines

Crystal Valley Ranch Recreation Center

2160 Fox Haven Drive, Castle Rock Douglas County Elections Office 125

First Publication: September 28, 2023

Last Publication: September 28, 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: 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.

A Termination of Parental Rights Hearing has been set for October 13, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in Division 8 of the Douglas County District Court. All parties shall appear in person unless otherwise indicated by the Court.

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: September 20, 2023

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

Legal Notice No. 946055

First Publication: September 28, 2023

Last Publication: September 28, 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: 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.

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: September 20, 2023

/s/ Amy Hendrickson Amy Hendrickson, #32110 Assistant Douglas County Attorney Legal Notice No. 946054

First Publication: September 28, 2023

Last Publication: September 28, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press Public Notice

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

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

In the Interest of:

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 Ct. Castle Rock, CO 80109 (303) 814-5325 lreigrut@douglas.co.us ahendrickson@douglas.co.us

CASE NUMBER: 22JV106 DIVISION 8

NOTICE OF TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS HEARING

COMES NOW the Douglas County Department of Human Services, by and through counsel, Amy Hendrickson, Assistant Douglas County Attorney, who respectfully provides notice that a Termination of Parental Rights Hearing is scheduled on October 13, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. in Division 8 of the Douglas County District Court. Parties and counsel are ordered to appear in person on that date and time unless otherwise ordered by the Court.

Respectfully submitted this 20th day of September 2023,

VOTER SERVICE AND POLLING CENTER

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

These locations are available Monday – Friday, October 30 – November 6, 2023, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.., Saturday, November 4, 2023, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Election Day, Tuesday, November 7, 2023, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Douglas County Kirk Hall

500 Fairgrounds Road, Castle Rock Northridge Recreation Center 8800 S. Broadway, Highlands Ranch Lone Tree Library 10055 Library Way, Lone Tree Parker Town Hall 20120 E. Mainstreet, Parker

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

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

Legal Notice No. 946017

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

A Termination of Parental Rights Hearing has been set for October 13, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in Division 8 of the Douglas County District Court. All parties shall appear in person unless otherwise indicated by the Court.

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

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

You have the right to have this matter heard by a district court judge rather than by the magistrate.

/s/ Amy Hendrickson Amy Hendrickson, #32110 Assistant Douglas County Attorney /s/ Jaime Lessar, Paralegal Legal Notice No. 946053

First Publication: September 28, 2023

Last Publication: September 28, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press ###

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