Lone Tree Voice 051123

Tiger Den Tea House starts with love of boba

BY RACHEL LORENZ SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Vanessa Bui traces the genesis of Tiger Den Tea House back to her sister’s love of boba. Well, that and the entrepreneurial streak that runs in her family.

“It started with Michelle’s obsession with boba,” Bui told Colorado Community Media.

Her sister, Michelle Jankowski, is a fan of the chewy tapioca balls and the tea-based drinks they come in. Before the sisters decided to open their own shop, Jankowski regularly picked up a round of the colorful, cold beverages for herself and family members.

Now, eight months after pulling permits and bringing in an architect to redesign the former PDQ Print & Copy shop in Highlands Ranch, Bui and Jankowski have opened Tiger Den. e 1,500-squarefoot beverage shop serves milk teas, fruit teas, smoothies, and alcohol-free mojitos with toppings like brown sugar boba and mango jelly.  e tea parlor’s March 19

County services may not be harmed by Polis property tax plan

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

As pressure mounted on state lawmakers to intervene in Colorado’s expected spike in property tax bills, Douglas County o cials worried that setting the cap too low could hurt funding for local government services.

Politicians on the left and the right agreed that homeowners need relief as property taxes are expected to increase this year. Driven by a costly real-estate market, home values — as calculated for property tax purposes — have spiked since the last time homeowners received notices of value two years ago. Since then, residential properties in the Denver metro area typically saw value increases between 35% and 45%, a group of county assessors from across the Front Range announced April 26.

at rise threatens to take a big bite out of families’ nances because even when tax rates themselves aren’t increasing, the amount that homeowners owe increases as the value of homes rise.

If a proposal from Gov. Jared Polis and Colorado Democrats wins approval from voters this year, the rise in homeowners’ property tax bills could decrease by double-digit percentages.

e governor’s o ce provided an example scenario where a $600,000 home increased in value by 30% in the 2023 property valuation, which is based on June 2022 real-estate market values, compared to the 2021 valuation, which was based on June 2020 market values.

Factoring in the recent property tax relief law known as state Senate Bill 22-238, that home would see a 24% increase in its property tax bill, according to the governor’s o ce.

If Polis and the Democrats’ proposal gets the OK from voters, the increase could fall to as low as 12%, according to the governor’s o ce.

But the amount of relief won’t play out the same across the state, and the picture could look especially di erent in Douglas County.

“I don’t believe property tax bills will be only going up 12% in Douglas County,” said Commissioner Lora omas, one of Douglas County’s elected leaders.

A tiger mural graces one wall of the newly opened Tiger Den Tea House in Highlands Ranch.

PHOTOS BY RACHEL LORENZ

Owners Vanessa Bui and Michelle Jankowski opened Tiger Den Tea House, a shop serving boba tea drinks, noodle bowls and fried rice plates, in Highlands Ranch.

Douglas County seniors, from left, Brinda Malik, Iris Pixler, Sujay Potlapelly, Shruthi Rajesh and Myles Rubin received Boettcher Foundation Scholarships, which provide $80,000 over four years.

Douglas County students named Boettcher Scholars

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Five Douglas County students received the distinguished Boettcher Foundation Scholarship this year out of the largest candidate pool the scholarship program has seen so far.

Brinda Malik, a senior at STEM School Highlands Ranch; Iris Pixler, a senior at Legend High School; and Sujay Potlapelly, Shruthi Rajesh and Myles Rubin, seniors at Rock Canyon High School, are among the 50 total students receiving the fouryear, $80,000 Boettcher Foundation Scholarship.

Malik plans to attend the University of Denver, Pixler plans to head to Colorado College and Potlapelly, Rajesh and Rubin plan to go to University of Colorado Boulder.

“ e Douglas County School

District is proud to congratulate ve graduates for earning this prestigious scholarship that recognizes the next generation of doers and difference makers,” the district said in a news release.

A record of more than 2,000 students applied for the scholarship this year, which has been around since 1952 and provided more than $110 million in aid. In addition to the tuition coverage, scholars also get access to campus enrichment programming, additional grants and annual events.

“As Boettcher Scholars, these 50 dynamic thinkers and leaders have committed to attending Colorado universities where they will continue using their talents to elevate our communities right here at home,” Katie Kramer, Boettcher Foundation president and CEO, said in a statement.

Castle Rock family to sue school district over racist bullying

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A Castle Rock family is planning to take legal action against the Douglas County School District over its handling of repeated instances of racism targeting Black and biracial students at Castle Rock Middle School.

Lacey Ganzy, whose eighth-grade son Jeramiah was called racial slurs and threatened in a student group chat, reported the issue to school and district administrators on April 20. Since then, Ganzy said only one student involved has been suspended. Ganzy has not returned Jeramiah to school, fearing for his safety. He is completing the semester online.

Jeramiah said the past few weeks have been di cult.

“I just feel alone now,” he said. “ ey treat it as a joke and nobody really understands how it feels.”

Ganzy said she is taking legal action because she doesn’t feel the district is responding appropriately to the threats her son faced.

“I think that the way society is going and with the crimes in our school district, it’s imperative that I take those threats seriously,” she said.

In a past statement, the school district said it couldn’t comment on details of discipline related to speci c students, but said administrators are handling the complaint pursuant to the student code of conduct and school board policies.

“It is our goal to take care of each and every one of our students in our district,” the statement said. “We appreciate the Ganzy family bringing their concerns to us so we can make sure our system is addressing their needs.”

Iris Halpern, Ganzy’s attorney, said the family anticipates ling a civil rights lawsuit in federal court.

Halpern recently represented former Douglas County superintendent Corey Wise, who led a complaint against the school district with the Colorado O ce of Civil

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Douglas County deputies investigate gunshots near I-25, E-470

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A large group of Douglas County sheri ’s personnel responded to an area near Interstate 25 and the E-470 toll highway after reports of shots being red, according to the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce.

Two people exchanged gun re on May 3 at the intersection of Inverness Parkway and Jamaica Street, according to Sheri Darren Weekly. Witnesses and security camera footage observed the shooting, he said.

“We believe these two individuals were just shooting it out with each other,” Weekly said, adding that authorities don’t think the incident targeted the public.

e next day, Douglas County sheri ’s detectives came to the area of Jamaica and Inverness Parkway to execute a search warrant, the sheri ’s o ce tweeted at 5:20 p.m. May 4.

“Out of an abundance of caution, they have sent out a Code Red shelter-in-place noti cation,” the tweet said.

e sheri ’s o ce tweeted just before 8 p.m. May 4 that the shelterin-place noti cation had been lifted.

e o ce did not con rm whether detectives executed the search warrant on the residence of a suspect in the shooting.

“ ere isn’t much we are releasing now due to the nature of the investigation. We executed a search warrant based on information we discovered,” said Deputy Cocha Heyden, a sheri ’s o ce spokesperson. “ e suspect has not been arrested. At this point we cannot disclosed what was discovered.”

None of the suspects in the shooting have been arrested, and the investigation is ongoing, Heyden said at about 10 p.m. May 4.

Authorities received a call just before 2 p.m. on May 3 about the incident, and multiple 911 calls came in total, Weekly said. The incident occurred northeast of the I-25 and E-470 interchange, south of County Line Road in the Lone Tree area.

One of the shooters was in a dark-colored sedan and is believed to have had a handgun, according to Weekly. e other, on foot, was

LAWSUIT

FROM PAGE 4

Rights over his termination, claiming it was retaliation for his support of masking and equity policies. Wise settled with the school district in April for more than $830,000.

“I think it’s important to note that this is becoming a real pattern in Douglas County,” Halpern said.

believed to have a “long gun” with a bright pink or orange strap, Weekly said.

“We have no reports of injuries right now. We’ve alerted hospitals to be on the lookout for anyone with gunshot wounds,” Weekly said at about 4:30 p.m. ere were still no known injuries, Heyden said at about 6 p.m.

Deputies were searching for suspects, Heyden said at about 3:20 p.m. But deputies believe both individuals have left the area, and they don’t think there’s “any speci c danger to the general public,” Weekly said about an hour later.

e person on foot was a Black male, described as wearing a black hoodie coat and white tennis shoes, and he also might have had a black backpack with a logo on the back, Weekly said in a video posted by the sheri ’s o ce on Facebook. Authorities didn’t give a description of the person in the vehicle.

“ e vehicle continued southbound, drove around (an) apartment complex and left the area. e Black male was seen running north from the area and was also seen getting into an early-2000s white Tahoe in the passenger side,” Weekly said in the video.

Deputies are seeking a darkcolored Nissan sedan and the white Tahoe, Weekly said in the video.

Deputies don’t know whether the shooters were known to each other, and deputies aren’t aware of a motive for the incident, Weekly told Colorado Community Media.

e investigation is continuing, Heyden said at about 6 p.m.

No damage to nearby apartments or other property was reported, Heyden said at about 6 p.m.

Anyone who has any information about the incident can email the sheri ’s o ce at dcsotips@dcsheri . net or call its tip line at 303-6607579.

Authorities had set up one road closure on South Valley Highway, one at Inverness Parkway and Inverness Drive South, and one at Jamaica Street and Liberty Boulevard, according to the sheri ’s o ce.

“ e area and roads have been open to all normal operations,” the sheri ’s o ce tweeted at about 8:30 p.m.

“Kids don’t learn white supremacy in a vacuum.”

Ganzy said she is planning to move her family out of Castle Rock because of the backlash to them speaking out. Friends have organized a GoFundMe to support the Ganzys’ move.

“I really hope we’re the last family that Castle Rock makes an example of and the last family to have to leave a place they’ve called home,” she said.

Help make our Douglas County Fair & Rodeo a success!

Energetic, friendly volunteers age 16 and older are needed during the Douglas County Fair & Rodeo July 28 through Aug. 6. Serve your community, celebrate your County’s history and have fun all at the same time. Visit douglascountyfairandrodeo.com and click on the Get Involved tab, to learn more and sign up.

Garden question? Ask a Master Gardener

Douglas County Master Gardeners provide useful information to help your gardening efforts all year long via the “Virtual Helpdesk.” Email your questions to dcmgardenr@gmail.com

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Motor

Visit eight Douglas County Open Space or Park locations, and look for clues to crack the code. Pick up or print your booklet today, discover new places including Sandstone Ranch, and decode the secret of Douglas County outdoors! Visit dcoutdoors.org/decode to start your outdoor adventure.

Douglas County offices will be closed Monday, May 29, 2023. Many services are available at DoItOnlineDouglas.com

grand opening was “a lot crazier” than its founders expected. A buy-one-get-one-free deal they posted on Instagram to promote the special event was widely shared and resulted in a line out the door for most of the day. It was fun, if a bit overwhelming, Bui said.

“Now we feel like, ‘Oh, we can handle anything,’ basically, if we could handle that night,” Bui said of the experience.

Typical of new business owners, Bui and Jankowski are practically living at their tea house, coming in seven days a week to greet customers, manage inventory, smooth out their processes and train their 12 part-time employees.

But long lines and even longer hours are not new for Bui. Before becoming a business owner, she worked for 28 years with the U.S. Postal Service. Jankowski was formerly a cosmetologist doing hair, facials and permanent make-up. However, the pair grew up in the restaurant industry where their mother, uncle and other relatives had worked for over 40 years, Bui said.

Already the sisters are putting that familiarity with food to good use. They started out serving small bites like spring rolls, wontons and sweet pastries at Tiger Den but have already expanded the menu to include noodle bowls and fried rice plates.

“Our whole mindset was ‘Hey, we are going to concentrate on making our drinks — perfect that, but also complement it with a food side, too. … It’s a one-stop where you can actually get quality on both sides,” Bui said.

The sisters are originally from Vietnam but have lived in the Denver metro region since leaving a Malaysian refugee camp with their family in 1979. Jankowski currently lives in Littleton, and Bui is a Highlands Ranch homeowner. e pair noticed that Highlands Ranch — particularly the 80129 zone, Bui said — had few boba tea places.

“We gured we can bring something new to Highlands Ranch,” Jankowski said.

IF YOU GO

From left, Tiger Den employee Kara Johnson laughs with owners Michelle Jankowski and Vanessa Bui on April 12.

Michelle Jankowski, co-owner of Tiger Den Tea House, takes an order on April 12.

Vanessa Bui, co-owner of Tiger Den Tea House, bags up food for a customer.

Tiger Den is at 44 Springer Dr. in Highlands Ranch. It opens at 10:30 a.m. It closes at 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

School board rejects settlement in open meetings lawsuit

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e Douglas County School Board rejected a settlement that would have admitted some board members violated Colorado Open Meetings Laws when deciding to re former superintendent Corey Wise last year.

During a special meeting on May 8, the board voted 4-3 to turn down a settlement in the lawsuit brought by state Rep. Bob Marshall (D-Highlands Ranch) in February 2022, alleging board members Becky Myers, President Mike Peterson, Christy Williams and Kaylee Winegar used a series of one-on-one conversations to discuss Wise’s termination outside of public meetings.

e settlement laid out three terms for the board, including an acknowledgment that Myers, Peterson, Williams and Wineger broke the law when they had nonpublic discussions about public business.

e other terms were to prevent the board from taking

formal action or discussing public business outside of public meetings, except when legally allowed, such as executive sessions or one-onone conversations not relayed to a third party, and to pay Marshall’s $66,000 legal fees.

After a brief executive session, Williams said she maintains her innocence and doesn’t believe she violated open meetings law, moving to reject the settlement.

“I have maintained for over a year now that I do not believe I did anything illegal,” she said.

Myers, Peterson and Winegar said they didn’t believe they were guilty either. Winegar repeated the argument that since the vote to terminate Wise was public, the group didn’t violate open meetings law.

“I believe there was a vote in public on the decision … and I believe the plainti can remove this (term) from the settlement and perhaps then we can get this thing behind us,” Winegar said.

Board members Elizabeth

Hanson, Susan Meek and David Ray adamantly opposed rejecting the settlement, arguing the district has sunk enough money into the lawsuit and that going to trial would further divide the community.

Invoices obtained through a records request show the district has paid around $98,000 for legal assistance from May 2022 through March 7, 2023.

Meek called the behavior of Myers, Peterson, Williams and Winegar “indefensible.”

“I don’t know how any board member can defend spending taxpayer resources, money that should be spent in support of students, to try and prove that you had the right to act in the manner that happened,” Meek said.

“We should simply agree to adhere to the Colorado Open Meetings Laws, this is what a responsible leadership would look like.”

e board has been operating under a preliminary injunction issued in March 2022 by the Douglas County judge on the case, which

found the serial one-on-one conversations violated the law and ordered the board not to discuss public business or take formal action outside of public meeting.

Ray argued that if the board can operate under the injunction, there should be no issues accepting the settlement, but his suggestion fell at.

Winegar said the cost to the district is on Marshall and suggested if the board wins at trial, he could pay for the expenses.

Peterson agreed, calling out Marshall for continuing the lawsuit as a state representative.

“He’s in a unique position to drop this lawsuit, or at least (part of the settlement) and

he could easily raise something in committee or gone to his legislature friends instead of litigating and trying to create new interpretation of the law in the courts,” Peterson said.

In a written statement, Marshall urged the board to accept the settlement and cautioned that trust would be further eroded if the board moved forward with a trial.

“Failing to admit these mistakes and moving on has seriously damaged your standing and that of the Douglas County School District,” he said. “

With the settlement rejected, the case will go to trial in June.

School Board President Mike Peterson FILE PHOTO

Polis, Dems announce plan to limit property tax hikes

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Rosa Bañuelos, an 80-year-old east Denver resident, lives on a xed income and knows devastating decisions are ahead if state lawmakers don’t take action to limit her property tax bill increase.

She fears she would have to go without buying necessities — or even lose her home.

She shared her story at a news conference held by Gov. Jared Polis and Democratic state lawmakers. Showing his cards at the last minute, the governor revealed a proposal on May 1 to curb increases on Coloradans’ property tax payments and enact what Democrats say is a “longterm solution” to prevent growing home values from raising property tax bills.

“ is will decrease the property tax rate for every homeowner in our state,” said Polis, whose o ce says the proposal would cut the added amounts Coloradans owe by doubledigit percentages.

Driven by a costly real-estate market, home values — as calculated for property tax purposes — have spiked since the last time homeowners received notices of value two years ago. Since then, residential properties in the Denver metro area typically saw value increases

between 35% and 45%, a group of county assessors from across the Front Range announced April 26.

Early May is around the time homeowners start receiving their newly calculated property values from assessors’ o ces, and the Democrats’ eleventh-hour announcement comes on the heels of public o cials openly hoping homeowners would get relief from state lawmakers.

Democrats say their plan can blunt the increase in Coloradans’ tax bills without undercutting the ability of school districts and other local governments to provide services.

“We know people want their schools funded. We know people want re response to arrive quickly,” said state Rep. Mike Weissman, an Aurora Democrat. “ ey want libraries and other community (amenities) like parks that are funded with property taxes.”

Polis and the Democrats waited until the last minute “to x a problem they knew was coming all along,” state House Minority Leader Mike Lynch, a Republican of Wellington, said in a statement.

e clock is ticking on the state legislature’s regular session, the four-month period when lawmakers pass bills.

“ e people of Colorado should be skeptical of the governor’s hastily

introduced plan with only one week left in the session,” Lynch said.

Whether the plan wins approval ultimately depends on Colorado voters. Here’s a look at what could change.

Cutting the increase

Statewide, assessed values of homes are expected to increase by 33% on average compared to the most recent assessed values, for which Coloradans paid 2021 and 2022 property tax bills, according to the governor’s o ce.

Looking at the impact of rising home values on Coloradans’ tax bills, the governor’s o ce provided an example scenario of a $600,000 home whose value grows 30%.

On average, that home would have faced a roughly $4,500 tax bill, according to the governor’s o ce.

Factoring in the e ect of state Senate Bill 22-238, a recently passed law, the tax bill falls to about $4,300.

What Coloradans pay in property taxes depends on a few numbers. Local government entities like counties and school districts set the tax rates — property tax rates are o cially called “mill levies.” Also at play is the “assessment rate,” another number that helps determine how much in property taxes a person owes. e state legislature sets the assessment rate.

With a proposed assessment reduction, the example tax bill would fall to about $4,100. And with a proposed cap — another part of the Democrats’ proposal — on top of that, the tax bill would slide further down to roughly $3,900.

e increase in the typical tax bill in that scenario, compared to 2022, would be about $1,000 if state lawmakers took no action. If the proposed assessment reduction and the proposed cap succeed, the rise in property tax bills could decrease by around 40% to 60%, according to the fact sheet. ( at’s taking into account the e ect of SB 238, which would cause about 20 percentage points of that decrease on its own, according to the sheet.)

But the savings provided through SB 238 expire, so all those savings would only continue if voters approve the proposal, a governor’s o ce spokesperson said.

What else proposal includes

If the proposal moves forward, Colorado voters will decide whether to approve it in November.

Parts of the Democrats’ plan, according to the governor’s o ce, include:

• Reducing the residential property assessment rate to 6.7% in 2023 and 2024, and continuing that reduction for primary residences — not second homes or investment properties — in future years.

• Reducing the taxable value of residences by $40,000 in 2023 and 2024, and continuing that reduction for primary residences in future years.

• Capping the growth in district property tax collections, excluding school districts, at in ation and allowing local governments to override the cap after giving notice to property owners.

• Protecting funding for public education and “back ll” revenue to re districts, water districts, ambulance and hospital districts in areas of the state that aren’t growing as fast as others by dedicating a portion of the state TABOR surplus to back ll.

( at’s a reference to the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, which limits the amount of money that the state government can collect and spend, or save, each year. Revenue above the limit — sometimes called a “TABOR surplus” — generally gets refunded to taxpayers. TABOR is an amendment to the Colorado Constitution.)

• Providing seniors who currently receive the homestead exemption a larger reduction of $140,000 and allowing them to continue to receive that reduction if they move. e homestead exemption “portability” in the plan ensures that seniors can use the exemption even if they have to downsize or otherwise

TAXES

County could act on tax relief

In a place with notably high home prices like Douglas County, the amount of increase in property tax bills could outpace many other areas of the state.

In Douglas County, residential properties saw increases in value between 30% and 60%, with a median of 47%. at includes singlefamily homes, condominiums and townhomes, according to Douglas County Assessor Toby Damisch. He’s the o cial who oversees the process of valuing property in the county.

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

If Colorado voters decide to approve the Democratic state lawmakers’ proposal in November, the remaining amount of increase in property tax bills could still give Douglas County more revenue than it was expecting.

e budget that Douglas County o cials wrote for 2024 was based on expecting a 9% property value increase, omas, a county commissioner, has said.

“At 9%, we can deliver the services we need to. Obviously, I’m one of three (commissioners), but if there’s more than that, we would do a tax credit like we have ve of the seven years I’ve been a commissioner,” omas said.

If the increase is 10% or more, omas said she would vote for what’s called a “temporary mill levy credit” to reduce residents’ tax bills. (Property tax rates are o cially called “mill levies.”)

e county has authorized such credits in 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, e ectively lowering county revenue by $30 million.

Plan comes with caveat

Colorado Democrats proposed a multi-pronged plan, and one of the parts is to cap the growth in district

property tax collections, excluding school districts, at in ation.

(“Districts” means any type of local government — such as counties, re ghting districts, metropolitan districts and others — that imposes a property tax.)

e catch: e Democrats’ plan would also allow local governments to override the cap after giving notice to property owners, according to the governor’s o ce.

Going back to that general example of a home previously valued at $600,000, the increase in its property tax bill if the proposal is approved would be 12% if districts stay under the local cap, according to the governor’s o ce. But if the proposal goes through and governments waive the local cap, the home’s property tax bill would see a 19% increase, according to the o ce.

Living within a metropolitan district, such as Highlands Ranch, can make a big di erence in a home’s total property taxes, omas has said. Metro districts are a type of government entity that can o er some government services.

Asked whether he expects metro districts and other districts to waive the cap, Damisch, the assessor, said it’s likely that many districts would.

“I believe, based on historic precedent, unless there is a tremendous amount of political pressure and citizen engagement, that most special districts and such will waive the cap,” Damisch said.

omas took issue with the timing of the proposal in this year’s state legislative session at the Capitol. She generally found the details of the Democrats’ proposal to fall short of a solution to how Colorado handles its property tax policy, saying more people should be represented at the table in hammering out a plan.

She favors that “instead of having (talks) in a smoky dark room and popping this on all of us a week before the session ends,” she said.

Note: e state legislature’s regular session was set to end in early May, and the Democrats’ proposal could be amended after this story was nalized.

FROM PAGE 1

Denver Assessor Keith Er meyer, left, speaks at an April 26 news conference at the Denver City and County Building near the state Capitol. Beside him sits Toby Damisch, Douglas County assessor.

PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

Man faces murder trial 13 years after shooting

nity Media at the time.

pect.

BY ELLIS ARNOLD

EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

irteen years after the fatal shooting of a Centennial man— and several years after the court sentenced other defendants in the same case — the man prosecutors accuse of pulling the trigger, Terrell Jones, is facing trial.

e case became a long legal saga that has seen ve di erent defendants in court, two grand juries and multiple plea deals.

Andrew Graham, a University of Colorado graduate who had plans for grad school, was found fatally shot about 5:30 a.m. on Nov. 6, 2009, in the front yard of a home in the Willow Creek neighborhood of Centennial near County Line Road and Yosemite Street.

A few hours before Graham, 23, was found — just before midnight — video surveillance captured Graham riding an RTD light rail train and exiting at the station near Park Meadows Shopping Mall in Lone Tree.

Graham had been making living arrangements in Boulder that day and would often walk from the station to his parents’ house in nearby Willow Creek a couple miles away, his mother told Colorado Commu-

Jones was arrested in March 2020, KCNC-CBS4 reported. Jones was 16 years old at the time of the shooting. In a case that doesn’t appear to rely on physical evidence, the varying stories of witnesses will take center stage.

Chris Wilcox, a prosecutor with the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s O ce, foreshadowed the type of testimony witnesses will likely give.

“ ere are going to be some people that told one story and told a second story and told a third story,” Wilcox told potential jurors in Arapahoe County District Court on May 5.

Jones’ trial could run for weeks, possibly until June 2, according to the state judicial branch website. Here’s a look at the details that led up to this point.

Case revolved around group of defendants

A 2016 Arapahoe County grand jury indicted Clarissa Jae Lockhart, Allen Deshawn Ford, Kendall Adam Austin and Joseph Martin — also teenagers at the time of the shooting. e four were arrested in January 2017 in connection with Graham’s death.

Grand juries are sometimes used to decide whether authorities have enough evidence to charge a sus-

Saturday, May 27, 2023 Sweetwater Park 6 - 9 p.m.

e codefendants described a plot to rob Graham, whom they saw as “a white male who might have money,” according to the a davit for Jones’ arrest. Jones and three other codefendants are African American. One codefendant, Joseph Martin, was listed as American Indian on the state Department of Corrections website.

Ford, Lockhart and Austin had been linked to a string of racemotivated robberies and assaults in downtown Denver in 2009, according to the a davit and court proceedings in the Graham case. Suspects in that rash of crimes told police they targeted White males because they assumed they had money and wouldn’t ght back or present a threat.

Lockhart and Austin pleaded guilty to attempted robbery in September 2009 incidents, and Ford pleaded guilty to a bias-motivated crime involving “bodily injury” and pleaded guilty to assault in August 2009 incidents, according to online court records.

Separately, in the case of Graham’s death, Jones was charged with rstdegree murder after deliberation and rst-degree felony murder, according to court records.

As it relates to this case, a count of rst-degree felony murder can be charged against anyone in a group that is allegedly involved in a serious crime in which a death occurs. e charge applies even if a particular member of the group is not believed to have directly caused the death.

Long road to case

Despite the years it took to arrest Jones, his arrest a davit did not mention any physical evidence that points to any of the defendants. An arrest a davit is a document that

lists the alleged facts surrounding an arrest.

In court in October 2020, Evan Marcia Zuckerman, a defense attorney for Jones, hammered on what she argued are inconsistencies in the accounts of the four codefendants.

Jones — who apparently rst spoke to authorities in 2010 — has acknowledged to investigators that he knew the codefendants but has denied involvement in Graham’s death.

He admitted to having a gun around the “2009 time frame,” according to the January 2017 indictment that led to the arrest of the other defendants. He indicated before a grand jury that Ford stole that gun from him at a party, the indictment says.

Wilcox argued in October 2020 that “while the court heard voluminous statements about stories that changed,” Jones still may be found guilty by a jury.

e codefendants “aren’t just witnesses that came forward to make a statement,” Wilcox has said. ey are people who “put themselves as being involved in a crime.”

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Terrell Jones is accused of shooting Andrew Graham to death in November 2009. COURTESY OF ARAPAHOE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Centennial family sells garden boxes to support school therapy dogs

BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

After surviving a school shooting, three brothers in Centennial are working together to donate money to help support the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce school therapy dogs and the agency’s e orts to keep students safe.

“It’s been really cool to have my kids be able to nd something that they have a connection to, that they can give back to,” said Bambi Watson, the mom of the three boys.

Her sons — Bannon, Brycen and BG — build and sell garden boxes through Facebook Marketplace. For each box sold, they donate $5 to Back the Blue K-9 Force, a nonpro t that helps fund school therapy dogs and law enforcement K-9 units.

e idea originated when Watson saw a Facebook post from Back the Blue K-9 Force asking for money to help support Rex, the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce rst-ever school therapy dog who serves in Littleton Public Schools.

e Watson family knew Rex, as they had met him and Deputy John Gray, a school resource o cer and the K-9 handler of Rex, during a school fun run.

to turn it around.

“

ey like to give back to things that mean something to them and that they have a connection to, so as soon as they found out this (was) to Rex, it was just an immediate connection with my kids,” Watson said.

Having school therapy dogs like Rex, a certi ed therapy dog who is also trained in detecting rearms perfect way to get guns out of school, nd guns in schools, keep our kids safe (and) keep our kids happy,” she said.

“My goal in donating is, I don’t ever want my kids to go to a school again where there is a school shooting. And I can’t think of a better way to make sure it doesn’t happen,” she added.

Reflecting on the STEM school shooting

On May 7, 2019, Watson’s three children were at STEM School Highlands Ranch when two people opened re, killing one student and injuring eight others.

Watson re ected on how intense and chaotic the shooting was for her and her children, who were in kindergarten, second grade and third grade at the time.

It was the last day her sons went to school there. e family moved out of

Image of a garden box created by the Watson family. COURTESY OF BAMBI WATSON SEE GARDENS, P28

The losses will mount

During a recent vacation, I was able to meet and talk with several people who are from the Denver area. What I found interesting is what they told me their plans for the future hold. You see, they did not talk about a love for Colorado or Denver in terms of living day-to-day. ey love the parks, trails, mountains and wildlife. However, they are not happy with the direction this state is headed.

One family is changing. A couple is getting married. She has a daughter, and he has a young teenage daughter. e upcoming family of four will not be staying in Denver as their new life begins. Instead, they they cannot a ord to come together and live here.

He is a teacher. He said the salaries for teachers in Colorado are some of the worst in the nation. at means he is looking elsewhere.

e couple, once married, will be moving to Texas where teachers are paid a lot better.

Let that sink in. Texas, which makes the news regularly for politics in schools and other controversies, is about to gain a lovely family to improve their economy and communities.

Besides not being able to make it work on a professional level — the couple also said they cannot a ord to nd a home to come together as a new family. Costs are too high. Property taxes are high because of valuations — believe me, I have read mine. at means Texas will get a new-home purchasing family.

To stress, this is a family that contributes to our economy, attends our schools and has a truly positive impact on our local communities. is is a

family we are about to lose.

Given current living conditions — they cannot stay here.

Moving on to another gentleman that I had a lovely conversation with while waiting for a boat to leave for deep-sea shing: He talked about working in the Denver metro area and along the Front Range, and said his wife, in law enforcement, works in another state.

He said given the current nature of politics in not just Colorado, but all over the U.S., he and his wife will likely be living in another country in the next few years.

Again, a well-established couple who works hard and contributes positively to our country — does not want to be here anymore.

Look at our own legislature in Colorado. With the 2023 session ending on May 8, the day this column was written, the Democratic majority waited until the very last minute to even consider addressing the property tax issue. Let’s face it — it was not exactly a secret. So – focusing on left-leaning priorities and ghting with the Republicans the majority of the session did nothing to help local families want to stay here. In fact, in my neighborhood I’ve had plenty of discussions with moms who say when school is out — so are they.

Good families are leaving our state for another state. Young couples are saying they do not even want to be in our country anymore.

While these are quiet conversations I have had on a trip or in picking my kids up from school — the sentiments are loud and I am willing to bet a lot of families and residents are getting fed up.

And, as they move away, so will the sensible voters lawmakers might need in the next big election.

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

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher

lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

The freedom to read

Recently, the Douglas County Library Board held their monthly business meeting. e meeting was well-attended, something that usually doesn’t happen.

But this session was no ordinary business meeting. e board allows a period at the beginning for public comments. Almost two dozen citizens spoke, ostensibly about one controversial illustrated book — “ e Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish” — held in the public library stacks. e board rightly adhered to its published policy related to the process of reviewing book complaints led by citizens.

Because the book touched on the subject of drag queens’ clothing, some of the public commenters wanted the book removed from the shelves, while others suggested that the book be locked away in a “special place.”

At the same time, just as many commenters supported keeping the book available on open shelves.

In this time of divisiveness and culture wars, many of us take one side or another about things like book bans. Taking sides often has multi-aspects that are practical, as well as ideological … sometimes religious, even bigoted.

SEE LETTER, P13

Receiving and giving light and love

WINNING

Do you have people that you get to see often, maybe daily, weekly, or monthly, and whenever you do have the opportunity to meet with them, they always seem joyful bringing light and love to the atmosphere? Some of us are truly blessed to have a few of these bright and cheerful people in our lives, making us feel better whenever we are together.

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Some of the folks who bring me such great joy whenever we meet, speak, or even text seem to know exactly when to reach out as there are times I am facing a challenge, a tight deadline, or just trying to keep up with the pace of the race. eir intuition is uncanny, as they either just show up, call, or send me a really funny text message,

SEE NORTON, P13

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Thelma Grimes

bringing some much-needed light and love to my day, or even in the moment.

As I have traveled quite a bit in my career, one of my favorite pastimes is people watching. Is that something you enjoy as well? And I love it when perfect strangers become the light and the love for me. Watching a group of people or a family laughing out loud as they share jokes and stories. I was watching this one family as I waited to board my ight and they were traveling with their grandfather. I couldn’t hear what was said, but they all started laughing hysterically, and the grandfather was laughing so hard with huge belly laughs and tears streaming down his face, I started laughing just watching him laugh so hard and I didn’t even

LETTER

ese days, when a minority group is the target of book complaints, there’s often a bigger ideological trigger in play at places like the DougCo Library Board meeting.

Based on the behaviors and words o ered by a few at the library board meeting, there are local people who would like the issue of freedom to read, to be subjugated to their ideological pre-approval, even to the point of removing disfavored perspectives and people minorities from public purview.

Many believe Douglas County Library is a public system second to none. And fortunately, the Douglas County Library adheres to the American Library Association Library Bill of Rights.

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know what I was laughing about. When it comes to people watching, I have several other scenarios that always bring a smile to my face and warm my heart; watching parents being really attentive to their children instead of being buried in their phone, couples holding hands as they sit or walk together, strangers stepping up to help another traveler should they have dropped something or needed help in some other way, my fellow travelers greeting each other, the airline sta and ight crew with the courtesy they deserve, and so many other acts of being the light, love and kindness in this world. Being on the receiving end of someone showing up for me as the light and love in my life feels so awesome. It doesn’t matter if it’s a family member, friend, co-worker, or perfect stranger, all that matters is that I am open to seeing it, hearing it, or experiencing it, and allowing that light and love to move

“1. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information and enlightenment of all people of the community, which the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background or views of those contributing to their creation.

“2. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

“3. Libraries should challenge censorship in the ful llment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.”

Well, the Library Bill of Rights surely covers the “Swish, Swish, Swish” issue. If not, the 1st Amendment stands at the ready, not just for the few, but everyone.

Lloyd Guthrie Roxborough Park

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inside of me. Receiving the light and love is one thing, but do we recognize our obligation to be the light and love for others, even when we don’t know that we are actually doing it?

Think of the last time you were out to dinner with your spouse or friend, and you were having such a great time eating, drinking and sharing stories. You were probably smiling, laughing and having such a good time that you didn’t realize the impact you were having on others who probably wished they were sitting with you. There could have been a different couple in that same pub or restaurant going through a difficult time, and just because your positive light, love and energy were so contagious, pretty soon they too forgot their woes and began a new and loving conversation.

Is it our responsibility to be the light and love for others? Maybe it depends on who we ask. My answer

is yes, because I believe we are called to be both light and love in this world. e world can seem very dark right now, but just remember that there is no such thing as darkness, there is only an absence of light. So let’s bring it.

Do you enjoy being around people who make you happier just by being in their presence? Does your heart come alive when you see or experience moments of love and light happening around you? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can enjoy the light and love of others and be the light and love for those who need it, it really will be a better than good life.

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

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Pools around the metro area are gearing up to open for the summer. That is, if there are enough lifeguards.

The years-long trend where pools have cut hours or closed altogether appears to be waning, though it’s still a possibility in some places, according to aquatics managers across the Denver area, who are more optimistic than in past years, but still concerned as summer nears.

For instance, South Suburban Parks and Recreation needs 250 lifeguards for its peak summer season but has only 183 ready to go.

Karl Brehm, the recreation dis-

trict’s aquatics manager, hopes to get closer to the goal as summer approaches but wonders why applications are so slow to roll in.

“I have seen, more and more, less interest in the position,” Brehm said.

He’s been in the business for a long time. Brehm worked at Elitch Gardens for five seasons and the Highlands Ranch Community Association for 16 years. He said he’s seen a general lack of interest, generationally, from young people who want to do the job. Fewer people are becoming CPR certified as well, he added.

“I’ve often wondered why we were having those issues,” Brehm said. “Back in the day, I remember if you didn’t have

your job by spring break, you weren’t getting a summer job.”

The problem could affect South Suburban pools across the district, which serves more than 150,000 residents in Bow Mar, Columbine Valley, Littleton, Sheridan, Lone Tree and parts of Centennial and Douglas, Jefferson and Arapahoe counties.

If he can’t hire enough lifeguards, hours at pools could be cut, Brehm said. It’s not for a lack of trying, though. The district has introduced incentives, bonuses, pay bumps and more in hopes of luring in more lifeguards.

South Suburban isn’t alone.

There’s a national lifeguard shortage, which was exacerbated by the pandemic. Lifeguard shortages affected roughly a third of public pools throughout

the country.

In response last year, Gov. Jared Polis announced a “Pools Special Initiative 2022,” in which Colorado introduced incentives. Chief among them was a $1,000 payment to those who completed lifeguard training to fight pool postponements and decreasing operating hours.

Now, out of necessity, hiring lifeguards is ongoing throughout the entire summer season, Brehm said. Lifeguards for South Suburban make between $15 and $19.14 per hour, per South Suburban’s website. A head lifeguard makes $15.75 - $19.93 per hour.

But there are additional costs to South Suburban. Though life-

LIFEGUARDS

guards are generally seen as rst-time, fun summer jobs, they must possess crucial knowledge regarding saving human lives. A full-course lifeguard training at South Suburban through Red Cross costs $175. Community First Aid, CPR and AED training/ blended learning costs $80. After 75 hours of work, South Suburban reimburses course fees, excluding the $40 certi cation fee.

Despite such incentives, lifeguards still make less than sports o cials at South Suburban. A youth sports o cial starts at $20.00 per hour.

North of Denver, in Federal Heights, the Hyland Hills Parks and Recreation, a youth baseball/softball umpire makes $65 per 90 minutes. A Pilates instructor for Brighton makes $1 more than a lifeguard per hour. e discrepancy is notable, especially considering most lifeguards work on a part-time basis.

Yet, the lifeguard numbers are booming for Hyland Hills. Generally, the district employs roughly 300 lifeguards per season. is season, it’s closer to 375, according to Director of Communications Joann Cortez.

e main focus in hiring and retaining their lifeguards at Hyland Hills pools and the massive Water World water park is legacy, Cortez said. Water World is in its 43rd operating season.

“We’ve been in the water park business for over 40 years, and we’re very aware of the nationwide shortage of lifeguards,” she said. “I think what has helped us is we have a legacy pool of candidates. Kids often know Water World just from coming for the experience, and if one of their older siblings takes a job with us, eventually the ones that are following can’t wait for their turn. We’re just very, very fortunate in that way.”

Cortez said Hyland Hills is committed to creating a memorable rst-job experience. It should be fun, but also taken seriously. It’s a constant balance of managing a “fun job” and literally monitoring people’s lives daily. Recruiting is big, and so are the incentives. e employees get free soft drinks, free membership, and even fun events like “prom night” during the season.

Hyland Hills has an end-of-season bonus as well, with the ability to earn an additional dollar per hour’s pay. e lifeguards’ pay ranges depending on the position, such as a guard lifeguard, a shallow-water lifeguard and a deep-water lifeguard.

On the Water World website, lifeguards are hired at $16.15 per hour. A “lifeguard attendant” makes $16.00 per hour. Returning lifeguards make slightly more depending on experience. Cortez said the main factor in keeping employees is how they treat them.

“We’re in a very favorable position, but we’re sad there aren’t enough lifeguards to go around,” Cortez said.

Meanwhile, local pools and recreation centers around the Denver area have conducted pointed campaigns to ensure their numbers are sustainable and their pools are ready for the masses.

While it remains to be seen if that strategy will work for South Suruban, it seems to be working elsewhere. Recreation centers in the City of Brighton, for example, are fully sta ed ahead of the summer. ey were last year, too.

“It’s been tough at di erent agencies, municipalities, and neighborhood pools. ere was de nitely a lifeguard shortage the last several years, especially

last year,” said Je rey Hulett, assistant director of recreation services for Brighton. “But we were fully sta ed last year.”

ere have been a number of initiatives and incentives they’ve introduced to get ahead of the lifeguard shortage crisis, he said. It was a top-tobottom e ort in Brighton to make sure the crisis was minimized. Pay was a main focus. It wasn’t too long ago they were paying lifeguards just $13 per hour, he said. Now, it’s up to $17. And it goes up each season for returnees. Head lifeguards make roughly $1.50 more per hour.

Recreation bene ts were expanded to the sta and their families, even part-time employees. at includes complimentary membership to the recreation center and discounts on youth programs.

ere’s also an end-of-season bonus for those that work the entire summer.

e grants from the governor’s o ce gave Brighton exibility to expand e orts in hiring and retaining employees. According to Aquatics Supervisor Nicole Chapman, it can be di cult to retain lifeguards for pools and centers too big or too small. Brighton, fortunately, was right in a “sweet spot.”

“Some of the much larger municipalities are running into an issue where, physically, the sta we hire are local kids who want to work at their local pool,” Chapman explained. “And if they get hired on by a larger municipality, the expectation is to expect your sta to be willing to work at any of your city rec facilities, and that’s just not feasible for a lot of

Brighton only has two locations — the Brighton Recreation Center and Brighton Oasis Family Aquatic Park — and Chapman said, and there are options for those living on either side of the city. But it’s still a small enough area that employees can work at both locations.

Perhaps back in the day, they could wait for the applications, and they’d have more than they knew what to do with come pool season. Now, that’s simply not the case. Recruiting is essential, both in the high schools and at job fairs, as well as providing a ordable training opportunities and classes in-house — something Hulett said they’d never do before.

Brighton had 88 lifeguards in 2022, which is considered fully sta ed. ey currently have 70 lifeguards for the upcoming summer, but Chapman said she expects those numbers to ll out to 88 again considering guards in training are set to graduate from classes by the end of the month.

Meanwhile, back in South Suburban, Brehm is looking for dozens more lifeguards to fully sta pools this summer.

High school students and student athletes are encouraged to apply. ey can learn valuable skills and essential life-saving procedures they’ll carry with them forever, Brehm said. Plus, it’s an ideal time for student athletes to make money, considering many sports are inactive over the summer.

As the pandemic continues to dwindle, the lifeguard participation numbers are expected to make a leap. But the job itself, and those working it, must be valued consistently to hire and retain those numbers season after season.

younger kids that don’t have their own transportation. ey’re really there looking for a summer job around the corner.”

“We really look for not just kids, but really anyone who is going to take the job seriously and understand just how much of a vital role they play every summer in keeping the community safe,” Chapman said. “We really try to emphasize that with our sta , and there are always sta members that really take that to heart, and those are the ones we want to see come back.”

Finding a balance between making sure lifeguards understand the seriousness of the role and not taking all the fun out of the job is a ne line to walk, she said. But they have to walk it every season.

The lifeguard shortage has become a crisis nationwide. Local pools and recreation centers have worked overtime to ensure its e ects on them are minimal this season. COURTESY CITY OF BRIGHTON

Miners Alley play raises tough questions

Miners Alley Playhouse, 1224 Washington Ave. in Golden, will present “The Oldest Boy: A Play in Three Ceremonies” by Sarah Rule. It’s described as: “In this moving exploration of parenthood, an American mother and a Tibetan father have a 3-year-old son believed to be the reincarnation of a Buddhist lama. When a Tibetan lama and a monk come to their home unexpectedly, asking to take their child away for a life of spiritual training in India, the parents must make a life-altering choice that will test their strength, their marriage, and their hearts.” From May 19 through June 11. Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. 303-935-3044, minersalley. com.

‘Elizabeth Rex’

Eleven Minutes Theatre Company will present “Elizabeth Rex,” by Timothy Findley. Elizabeth I meets an actor. At The People’s Building, 9995 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora. 720333-3499. Through May 13. 720333-3499, 11minutestheatre.com.

Summer reading

Douglas County Libraries present a Summer of Reading: “Dog Days of Summer” with a free summer lunch program for those younger than 18 at Castle Pines, Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch and Parker. (Castle Rock will be moving into its new building.) No meals June 19 or July 4. Program runs through July 28. Holiday May 29 for Memorial Day. See dcl.org.

Curious Theatre

Curious eatre Company presents “On the Exhale,” featuring outgoing leaders, Dee Covington in a one-woman show, directed by Chip Walton. Runs May 6-June 10, at Curious eatre, 1080 Acoma St., Denver. 303-623-0524, curioustheatre.org.

Art exhibit

Paint Box Guild will open a juried show at Bemis Library, 6014 S. Datura St. in Littleton through May. is is the 50th Anniversary year for the Paint Box Guild.

Photo show

Lone Tree Arts Center presents “Exploring the Light Photo Show,” through June 5. Tunes on the Terrace: June 23, July 7, July 21, Aug. 4. See lonetreeartscenter.org.

Walking tours

Historic Walking Tours — onehour walk in downtown Littleton on First Fridays at 6 p.m. Dates will be added during Western Welcome Week in August. To be announced. Meet in front of the Old Courthouse on Littleton Boulevard.

Summer music

Summer concerts at Denver Botanic Gardens, York Street. July 17

— Fitz and the Tantrums. July 24 — Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Aug.

1 —Andy Grammer. Aug. 2 — Steep Canyon Rangers and Amythyst Kiah. August 9 — Ozomatli. See botanicgardens.org.

ACC fundraiser

Arapahoe Community College

Art and Design Center and ACC Foundation invite you to enjoy art experiences at a fundraiser on May 18 from 6:30 to9 p.m. at the Art and Design Center, corner of Prince and Alamo from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Scanning, photography, ceramics, silkscreen, jewelry.

Music festival

Colorado Music Festival o ers 20 di erent concerts at the Chautauqua Auditorium, 900 Baseline Road, Boulder. June 29 through Aug. 6. See chautauqua.com.

Art comes back Denver Art Museum will unveil three reimagined Hamilton Building Collection Galleries on May 14. African Arts, Forms of Power, Modern and Contemporary Art. Some have been in storage for more than a decade. Some new acquisitions will also be shown. The Arts of Oceana Gallery will reopen with a site specific work by Niki Hastings-

McFall: large “Lei-bombing” installations. See denverartmuseum. org.

Opera season

Central City Opera starts with “Romeo and Juliet” on June 2 adding “Kiss Me Kate” and “Othello.” On some days, an Opera Bus is available. On others, the printout we have says a “lunch and a song.” ere are performances in afternoons and a few evenings at 7 p.m. See centralcityopera.org.

Art at library

Smoky Hill Library at 5430 S. Biscay Circle in Centennial, has an exhibit of art by Casey Kawaguchi, who started of as a gra tti artist. May is Paci c Islander Month.

Master puppeteer Cory Gilstrap poses with one of his creations. His work is a crucial part of “The Oldest Boy: A Play in Three Ceremonies” at Miners Alley Playhouse.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MINERS ALLEY PLAYHOUSE

SONYA’S SAMPLER of

Thu 5/18

Wind, Women, & Water Clinic

@ 4:30pm / $55

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

Sun 5/21

Son Little @ 6pm

Levitt Pavilion Denver, 1380 W. Florida Ave., Denver

Violent Femmes: performing the debut album cover to cover @ 5pm Levitt Pavilion Denver, 1380 W. Florida Ave., Denver

powered by

Something For Tomorrow @ 5pm

Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

Smile Empty Soul @ 5pm

Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

Teague Starbuck @ 5pm

The Pint Room, 2620 W Belleview Ave, Lit‐tleton

Less Than Perfect @ 5pm Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

Thu 5/25

Gii Astorga @ 4pm Jacks on Pearl, 1475 S Pearl St, Denver

Sygnal To Noise

@ 5pm

Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

Death Valley Dreams

@ 5pm

Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

Dibu

@ 5pm

Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

AOA: Cooking with Friends: Meatless Meatloaf @ Platt Park @ 5pm Platt Park Recreation Center, 1500 S. Grant St., Denver. 720-913-0654

Fri 5/19

Kowan Turner @ 7pm

Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

Sat 5/20

Within Destruction @ 6pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Englewood

Wed 5/24

Rachel Baiman @ 6pm Swallow Hill Music Association, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

The Sweet Lillies @ 3pm Breckenridge Brewery, 2920 Brewery Ln, Littleton

Tony Goffredi: Tony G w/Mike @2 Penguins @ 5pm

2 Penguins Tap and Grill, 13065 E Briarwood Ave, Centennial

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

The Stone Eye @ 5pm

Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

The Nocturnal Affair @ 5pm Herman's Hideaway, 1578 S Broadway, Denver

Chatham Rabbits: Tuft Theater at Swallow Hill @ 7pm Swallow Hill Music Association, 71 E Yale Ave, Denver

IF YOU GO

On May 19, conductor Rene Knetsch will lead the 70-member Parker Symphony Orchestra in a concert called “Arabian Nights” at the PACE Center.

In a recent talk for residents of Vita in Littleton, Knetsch described the program, with help from concertmaster/violinist Nadya Hill and cellist Cheri Swisher, who played passages of music from the program as he explained it.

“Bachinal Brasilieros # 5 for Soprano and Cellos” by Heitor VillaLobos begins the program. The text is Brazilian Portuguese, which is more melodic than European Portuguese. The multi-talented Hill, who also performs as a soprano, will sing the aria.

Knetsch commented.) Hill, Parker Symphony’s concertmaster, played a segment from it.

Next will be Carl Nielsen’s “Aladdin Suite opus 34.” He was a Danish composer who taught at the Royal Danish Academy until 1931. He played second violin in the Royal Danish Orchestra for seven years.

“Scheherazade” by Nicoloy Rimsky-Korsakov, one of his most famous works, tells the tale of the young woman who told stories for a cruel sultan. It had previously been his custom to spend a night with a young virgin, then kill her in the morning.

Scheherazade would always stop midway through her story, when the sultan would fall asleep and

concert, but this one does. He was charmed the first time he heard the work, less so now. Hill said it was fun and showed a spirit coming out of the First World War. Knecht’s wife, Lynn, also a Parker Symphony violinist, commented that is “very accessible.” She added: “We wouldn’t be playing this music if we didn’t have Cheri and Nadya.”

Knecht said that after the “Scheherazade” opening, the heavy music reflects the sultan’s anger — it’s increasingly difficult to play. Hill played the leitmotif from “Scheherezade,” a familiar theme, then heavy music portraying the angry king, a theme that has become familiar for angry kings ... a devil tone, repeated many times. “I find

it difficult every time we play it,” Swisher said.

“Nothing here is very simple,” Knecht agreed.

In the early part, the cello is Sinbad’s ship, with the violin playing on top ... The theme repeats in the fourth movement. He wrote the tri-tone on purpose, a “Devil tone,” Knecht commented.

Knecht taught at Arapahoe Community College for 17 years, he said.

He also told a bit about the upcoming fall season. “In October, we will perform the Beethoven Violin Concerto, with the concertmaster of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Yumi Hwang Wang, playing on her 1748 Guadagnini instrument.”

The Parker Symphony Orchestra will perform in its “Arabian Nights” concert on May 19 at the PACE Center.

PHOTO FROM PARKER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FACEBOOK PAGE

Symphony Orchestra will perform on May 19

The PACE Center box o ce is open noon to 5, Monday to Saturday. Tickets start at $24. 303-805-6800, parkerarts.org.

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Pondo scores twice in final minutes to edge Huskies

is one was too good for these two teams to not play each other

In their rst meeting since 2012, and in what was the Colorado High School Activities Association’s game of the week, the Douglas County and Ponderosa boys lacrosse teams went at it for 48 minutes May 1 at Douglas County School District ese two programs may compete in di erent classi cations and in di erent leagues, but their rst tilt in over a decade sure had the look and feel of a peppery rivalry — it was physical, it was back and forth, and it had a big-brother-small-brother kind of feel to it, the 5A Huskies welcoming their 4A friends from

Douglas County took the lead with more than half the fourth quarter gone, but the Mustangs responded with two goals in the nal three and

“Any time we play anyone on the east side of Douglas County, it’s a

rivalry game,” Ponderosa coach Andrew Trietley said. “We view it as a rivalry game because the towns are so close to each other and the social circles of the kids all intertwine. So this was a good win.”

Rivalry or not, it was wildly entertaining.

Moments after Ponderosa’s Camden Stanley scored in tra c to even the score at 4 apiece, Nolan Case responded with a goal of his own to put the Huskies on top 5-4 with 5 minutes, 16 seconds remaining. With 3:31 left and a man down for Douglas County, Stanley leveled the score at 5-all when he corralled a pass from Garrett Katrana in the X and slung it into the cords.

Less than a minute later, and with Ponderosa in possession again, Caden D’Lallo passed the ball forward to Ryder Richardson, who turned and stuck it in the corner of the net for a 6-5 Mustangs lead. e Huskies forced a turnover with 21 seconds left, but Connor Jenkins’ last-second shot rolled just past Ponderosa’s cage.

A day of baseball to honor Englewood legend Harry Wise

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Following a doubleheader at the stadium named for him, Englewood High School baseball legend Harry Wise will be honored with a celebration of life ceremony. e games on May 6 are meant to honor and remember Wise’s legacy as a teacher and multi-sport coach who was an inspiration to multiple generations of players. Wise passed away at age 95 in December, but word of his death has only recently come to light publicly.

By the accounts of colleagues who also call themselves friends, Wise had a spectacular life lled with countless accolades, Hall of Fame ceremonies, and lots of winning on the diamond. He was also a military veteran who served during World War II, and a standout ball player in college who turned pro. But according to Je Jones, who played for, coached with, and employed Wise, the celebration will be simple, just as Wise would have wanted it.

e Englewood High School varsity baseball team will host back-to-back games at 10 a.m. and noon, followed by a tribute to him at 3800 S. Logan St. Jones is one of the organizers of the event.

“Harry loved the community,” said Jones, who coached with Wise for three years following his college

baseball career in the 80s. Jones also spent nearly 30 years at the Englewood Recreation Center with the city.

“He actually prepared elds for us,” Jones added. “He prepared and lined elds for us for many, many years. Anybody that grew up in Englewood would have seen him on the elds. He’s always down there taking care of it during the day, mowing the in eld on his own. e attention to detail and his work ethic, it was second-to-none.”

Younger players and audiences wouldn’t recognize Wise for his own stardom on the diamond. at’s what happens when a legend becomes a servant of the community he loves.

Below is a loose timeline of Wise’s career accolades and milestones, as detailed by Ken Summers, who played for Wise in the 70s and coached junior varsity baseball and volleyball at Englewood with Wise for two years.

Early life and college:

Wise was born on Nov. 18, 1927 and raised on the family farm in Platteville, south of Greeley, graduating from Platteville High School in 1944. He played football, basketball and track because there was no baseball

team. After high school, he was recruited to attend Colorado State College (now the University of Northern Colorado) to play basketball and baseball for Coach Peter Butler.

His college days were interrupted by serving in the military during World War II. After that, he returned to college playing football, basketball, and baseball. He was outstanding in basketball earning rst team all-conference honors and leading the league in scoring. He was also an honorable mention All-American.

In baseball he was a dominating pitcher. He only lost one game in his college career. In 1949, he pitched a three-hit complete game of University of Southern California to earn the CSC Bears a trip to the College World Series. He also had a batting average over .500. He was the rst All-American in the history of the college.

Professional career:

After college, he was signed by the Chicago Cubs and played minor league baseball. He was with several teams, including the Topeka Cubs. In his best year, he pitched 24 complete games for a 19-5 record and a 0.89 ERA, leading the team to a league championship and earning MVP honors. However, an arm injury derailed his major league dream.

e Basin League in South Dakota was the place in the 1950s and 1960s that served as a recruiting and train-

ing ground for promising professional baseball players. He was a player and then player-coach in the league. As a pitcher, Wise holds the earned run average record (ERA) with 0.89 in 1955.

After a year away from the league, he returned to coach the Winner Pheasants. He also served as a scout for the Baltimore Orioles. He coached a young Jim Palmer, a star pitcher, and future hall of famer to a contract with the Baltimore Orioles. Wise would coach 15 future professional players during his years in the league. While at Englewood he signed one of his star pitchers, Mike Wegener, to a pro contract.

Teaching & coaching, later years:

Wise’s rst coaching and teaching positions were at Cheyenne Wells High School and Trinidad Junior College in southern Colorado. At Cheyenne Wells, he coached basketball and led the team to a state championship. In 1959, Wise moved to Englewood. He would teach and coach at Englewood High School for over 30 years.

In his rst season as baseball coach, his 1960 Pirates team won the Northern League Conference and played South High School in the state championship game.

At Englewood High School, in ad-

dition girls’ Wise ketball and a Colorado. was teams,

Ponderosa’s Lance Padilla looks to pass against Douglas County on May 1 at Douglas County School District Stadium. Ponderosa won the nonleague game 6-5.

PHOTO BY ALEX K.W. SCHULTZ

SEE LACROSSE, P22

Standout golfer at Valor Christian signs with University of Montana

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

For senior Elle Higgins, the grass is always greener when she’s on the fairway. It has treated her well at Valor Christian High School and now provides a unique opportunity to shine in college. Last month, she narrowed down her options, and chose the University of Montana as her new home.

Now, she re ects on her past and looks to her future at once. It’s a mixed bag of emotions when beginning a new chapter, but she’s more excited about the challenge than anything.

“I’m really excited to take it to the next level because I want to take golf as far as I can, even after college,” Higgins said. “I want to try to go on (pro) tour, if I can. So I’m excited to get more competition and more experience out there. I love Valor, and the golf program has been amazing. It’s sad to leave them.”

It’s easy to understand not wanting to let go of Valor Christian golf. For one, the Highlands Ranch-based program continues to see consistent success. It won back-to-back 5A Jeffco League Championships in 2021

WISE

dition to baseball, he was the head girls’ volleyball coach for 20 years. Wise also was a football and basketball referee. He was an adviser and developer of coaches and had a widespread impact on baseball in Colorado. roughout his years he was involved with three semi-pro teams, the Englewood Redbirds, e Arvada Dons and the Littleton Pioneers.

Wise is a two-time inductee to the University of Northern Colorado Hall of Fame. Once as a player individually and then as part of the 1949 baseball team. He is also a member of the Colorado Coaches Hall of Fame.

and 2022. In 2022, four Eagles were named rstteam, all-conference golfers, including Higgins. Valor Christian enjoyed the largest margin of victory ever with 179 strokes in a shortened 2022 season.

Now, Higgins is sad to leave teammates, especially her sister, Brenna, (a current sophomore and all-conference golfer in her own right). e duo enjoyed two years of memorymaking and record-breaking golf on the green, but now that Higgins is graduating, she is looking to Brenna to lead the team. No one is more prepared or capable, she said, though a sibling rivalry burns deep.

“Obviously, playing with my sister on the same team is a blessing because we’re both pretty good. So, we drive each other’s competitive nature,” she said. “We also like to go against each other (through individual competitions).”

But who’s the better golfer?

“Well…,” Higgins said, laughing. “If you ask me that, I would say me. If you ask her that, she would say her. But I say that I’m handing [the torch] o to her.”

“One time I mentioned to him, I said, ‘Harry, I want to get you in the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame,’” Summers said. “And he said, ‘Well, really the [Colorado] Coaches Hall of Fame means the most to me.’”

In the 1990s, Wise, known for his meticulously-groomed baseball eld, continued to work on the baseball and softball elds for the Englewood Recreation Department. During this time, he also served as a scout for the Yakama Hawks.

As much as Wise is known for his commitment to baseball and sports, he was a dedicated family man. He was married to his college sweetheart Lois for over 60 years. ey had three children: Deborah, Mike and Lori, and a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

“He de nitely dedicated his life to

Growing up, the sisters would golf with their father, but Higgins said she never envisioned golf taking her so far. In fact, she said she never even took the sport seriously until her sophomore year. She was a soccer player, track runner, and mogul skier until she tore her ACL and had to rethink her options. Now she’s a Division I golfer, ready to win for the Grizzlies in Montana.

“It was pretty much everything I wanted: a school not too big, but also not small. It had a lot of the same things I grew up doing,” Higgins said. “It’s close to skiing and other outdoor stu , and everyone there had a really chill attitude, which is how I am. I loved the team. It was my favorite one out of all the [colleges] I talked to before. I just loved everything about it. I’m still speechless, really. I just never thought it would come to this point, but I’m glad it has.”

According to the NCAA, only about 2.8% of women playing high school golf go on to play at the Division I level.

Higgins is going to miss Valor’s coaches and guidance during tournaments, the practices with teammates, and lifting trophies. But she anticipates success at the next level

not only baseball, but the Englewood community. He was the epitome of a player’s coach and none of us even knew his baseball history,” Jones said. “What he accomplished, personally, he never shared any of that. I think visiting him as he aged, you could just see his commitment to family. His wife, Lois, had passed, and that’s all he wanted to talk about at that point in time.”

Wise is currently a nominee for a lifetime award from the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. As a longstanding, but humble, titan in the Englewood sports arena, he stands tall, even among mountain views that decorate the Front Range where he raised a family and followed his passion.

“In a nomination for the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, I made

with room for improvement, like focusing on her bunker play. Head Coach Justen Byler said Higgins is the epitome of a Valor Christian student athlete, especially considering injuries and COVID-19 derailed her rst two seasons.

“Elle is one of those rare athletes that combines a true competitive spirit with the ability to grow in terms of her leadership,” Byler said. “And it’s a testimony to her determination, her grit, her competitive spirit, but also her humility to be able to understand what it was going to take to get back to the type of level that would allow her to play at the college level.”  She did it the hard way, battling adversity and making the necessary sacri ces, he said. Now, it’s paid o .

With Je co League Tournaments coming up on May 3, 9, and 11, Higgins has another month or so to stamp more to her legacy at Valor. But the future’s calling, and Higgins is eager to answer the bell and continue to do what she’s done since she committed to golf: win.

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the comment, ‘Everyone who knew Harry Wise, has a Harry Wise story,’” Summers said. “I recall a former student saying he told them his initials ‘HG’ stood for ‘Highly Gifted.’ at was certainly true, along with being highly unique and leaving his mark on a game and the lives of many.”

On May 6, the community will celebrate Wise and Englewood baseball around a baseball diamond. First pitch of the doubleheader is at 10 a.m.Wise’s son, Michael, expressed how grateful he is for the celebration, and said it is well-deserved for his father. “It’s just who he was. He helped anybody. It’s nice that they appreciate that and remember him for that,” Michael Wise said. “I’m de nitely grateful, but I really do feel like he deserves to be honored that way.”

LACROSSE

FROM PAGE 20

“It was an adrenaline rush. It was crazy,” Richardson, who also scored the game’s rst goal, said of the sequence leading up to his gamewinner. “I saw the ball coming. I was like, ‘I’m going for it. I don’t care if I get knocked on my butt. I’m going to go for it.’ And it worked out. [D’Lallo and I] have been working together for a while, so it was pretty much instinct. It was really cool.”

After Richardson’s rst-quarter goal, Katrana scored 13 seconds into the second period to extend Ponderosa’s (9-5, 1-3 4A Southern League) lead to 2-0.

en, in the blink of an eye, the Huskies (8-4, 5-2 5A League #1) ripped o back-to-back-to-back goals — courtesy of Max Kroening, Ben Hasselback and Kai Mathews — to grab a 3-2 advantage. at all happened in just 1:06.

Katrana’s catch-spin-and-shoot goal from the left side tied the score at 3 apiece right before both teams headed into the locker room for halftime.

e third quarter was largely dominated by both teams’ defenses. Recording the lone goal in the period was Owen Colton, who scored from about 5 yards out after receiving a pass from Connor McAnally. at goal set up the back-and-forth fourth quarter. “ ey stuck with it,” Trietley said of

his group. “It was a great win.”

Said Richardson of playing from behind most of the fourth quarter but ultimately nding a way to win: “I think we really came together as a team. We’re family. It was close, but we nished it.”

Douglas County goalie Carter Holvick, who entered the game boasting a Colorado-best 77% save percentage, saved 70% (14 of 20) of the shots thrown at him by the Mustangs. Ponderosa goalie Doran Trietley had an exceptional game as well, denying 81% (22 of 27) of the Huskies’ shots. Both teams will now await their postseason fates. e 5A and 4A state playo brackets are set to be released May 7.

“We still have a lot of things we can clean up to get a rst-round win in the playo s,” Trietley said, “and so we’re just hoping to build every day and keep getting better.”

Douglas County’s Nolan Case, #23, shoots and scores against Ponderosa on May 1 at Douglas County School District Stadium. Ponderosa won the nonleague game 6-5. PHOTO BY ALEX K.W. SCHULTZ

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the state shortly afterwards, and Watson said she did not plan on coming back to Colorado.

Prior to the school shooting, Watson had tried to get a school resource o cer at STEM School Highlands Ranch, she said.

As previously reported by Colorado Community Media, the school did not have a school resource ocer when the shooting happened. Rather, it contracted with a private security rm that employs men and women with military backgrounds as guards.

“I was so angry that I couldn’t process anything, and I just wanted to get out of Colorado,” Watson said.

After leaving Colorado, the Watson family traveled across the country, which was amazing, she said.

“And then my husband’s boss asked if he could move back,” she said. “And so we did, and we really struggled with — where would they go to school where they will be safe?”

In December 2019, the family returned to Colorado and now lives in a Centennial neighborhood near Heritage High School.

At the time, Watson was angry about moving back. Meeting Rex and learning about his role, however, helped bring her comfort.

“Getting to know Rex and seeing that there are changes being made,

it’s really helped me to pocket that anger and to actually want to be part of it,” Watson said. “ ere’s trust now with me. ere’s, like, a feeling of comfort letting my kids go to school.”

Gray: ‘It’s a huge help’

When Deputy Gray found out that the Watson family was donating money to help support the Arapahoe County Sheri ’s O ce school therapy dog program, he said it was incredible to see.

“I think it validates the point of our program, right? Because our purpose in this program was to do just that … to make kids feel safe and to be able to build relationships with kids,” Gray said.

e sheri ’s o ce has ve school therapy dogs so far: Rex and Zeke in Littleton Public Schools; Riley and Bear in Cherry Creek Schools; and Otis in Byers and Deer Trail schools.

“I’m unaware of any agency in the state that has dogs designated to working only in schools that are both certi ed therapy dogs and can also provide school safety,” Gray said.

Rex, for example, is getting trained to search for guns and explosives, and Zeke is trained in detecting electronics such as storage devices, hard drives and ash drives, he said.

“It’s kind of cool that in two years we’ve gone from … one dog to ve dogs. And you know, currently we’re working on training our third dog in his dual purpose which is to, again, nd guns — and that’s Riley,” Gray said. “We’re not looking to get kids

in trouble; we’re just looking to keep kids safe and provide them support.”

So far, the Watson family has donated more than $840. e money will help the sheri ’s o ce get all the materials it needs to train Rex, Gray said.

“It’s a huge help,” he said. “Because otherwise, you know, that leads to us having to go try to nd ways to fundraise to get the materials that we need.”

One of the assets of having a dog trained in detecting explosives in the schools is that it allows the agency to investigate bomb threats more quickly, he explained.

“It could take hours … if you had to call in another agency’s dog and wait, right? But now we have dogs working during the day in our own schools that could go clear a school in 20 minutes and have kids back safely in class, which is huge,” he said.

When it comes to making schools safer, Gray said the agency’s school therapy dog program is one of the solutions.

“Is it a perfect one? Nothing’s perfect. But when you start stacking these things together and we layer solutions, that’s when we get results,” Gray said. “You have an SRO in the building that’s trained in how to respond to stu , you have a dog that can nd guns, you have — you’re building relationships with kids and helping mental health.”

Re ecting on the impact of the Watson family’s donations, Gray said, “What they’re doing is bigger

than just Rex.”

“And that’s what I think is important,” he said. “Yes, they’re raising money for those training supplies — but the idea behind it is bigger than that.”

Gardening for a purpose

Watson has always gardened, she said, and after moving into their Centennial home, the family started building garden boxes.

Her sons then had the idea to put the garden boxes on Facebook Marketplace to see if they could earn some money from selling the boxes.

“We kind of all do it together,” Watson said about creating the garden boxes. “ e only two things that they (her sons) need help with are cutting the wood and moving the wood, but they build the rest of it themselves.”

In April of last year, so many orders came in that the family was making 100 boxes a week, Watson said.  is year is the rst time the family is directly donating part of the money earned from selling the garden boxes, though the family has given boxes for free to rst responders and members of the military in the past.

Watson’s son, Bannon, said one of his favorite parts of the process is getting to see everyone who comes to get a garden box.

“We work really hard on these boxes,” Bannon said.

ose interested in purchasing a garden box can nd more information at bit.ly/gardenbox23 or bit.ly/ gardenboxfb.

Public Notices

Legals

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. **This loan has been modified through a Loan Modification

recorded 07/05/2022 at Reception No. 2022046902 in the records of the Douglas County

Said Deed of Trust was rerecorded on 4/23/2019, under Reception No. 2019021213.

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.

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

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 21, 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: 4/27/2023

Last Publication: 5/25/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 2/28/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

The name, address and telephone numbers of

the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

AMANDA FERGUSON

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

Phone #: (303) 274-0155

Fax #:

Attorney File #: CO21458

*YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE

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

Legal Notice No. 2023-0047

First Publication: 4/27/2023

Last Publication: 5/25/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press City and County

A public hearing will be held on May 15, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. before the Douglas County Planning Commission, in the Commissioners Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, CO. The hearing is for the proposed adoption of Building

Codes: 2021 International Building Code, 2021 International Building Code Appendix C, 2021 International Residential Code, 2021 International Residential Code Appendix AM, 2021 International Mechanical Code, 2021 International Fuel Gas Code, 2021 International Plumbing Code, 2021 International Plumbing Code Appendix E, 2018 International Energy Conservation Code, and the 2023 National Electrical Code, as amended. A public hearing will be held on June 13, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. before the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners, in the Commissioners Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, CO. The hearings are for the proposed adoption of Building Codes: 2021 International Building Code, 2021 International Building Code Appendix C, 2021 International Residential Code, 2021 International Residential Code Appendix AM, 2021 International Mechanical Code, 2021 International Fuel Gas Code, 2021 International Plumbing Code, 2021 International Plumbing Code Appendix E, 2018 International Energy Conservation Code, and the 2023 National Electrical Code, as amended.

For more specific information, call Korby Lintz, Chief Building Official, Douglas County Building Division at 303-660-7497.

Legal Notice No.: 945401

First Publication: April 27, 2023

Last Publication: May 11, 2023

Arapahoe Community College kicks o healthcare annex renovation

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Across the country, hospitals and other medical facilities are facing a healthcare worker shortage.

Colorado is certainly feeling these e ects, as it is projected to be lacking 64,000 nurses and “lower wage” health care workers by 2026, according to an analysis of the U.S. healthcare labor market by Mercer.

With a focus on addressing this shortage, Arapahoe Community College is expanding its healthcare programming with the creation of the ACC Health Innovation Center, a renovation to their Annex building on its main campus in Littleton.

On May 4, ACC community members gathered at a celebration to kick o the renovation project, which will o cially begin on May 15.

“Prior to the pandemic … we knew that demand for a robust, well-trained healthcare workforce was great, and COVID simply served to amplify and exacerbate it,” said ACC President Stephanie Fujii at the event. “As an educational institution which seeks to be innovative and responsive, we have chosen a planned strategic approach to this project that will allow us to be at the forefront of cutting-edge practices to meet our community’s healthcare needs.”

ACC developed the pro-

POLIS

FROM PAGE 8

make a change, said state Sen. Chris Hansen, a Denver Democrat.

“Seniors on xed income, they’re going to be able to use that exemption for the rest of their lives, even if they change their home situation,” Hansen said.

If voters give it the green light, the Democrats’ proposed measure would last a decade, under a 10-year “sunset” timeframe, the fact sheet says.

posal for their renovation project in 2017 and submitted it to the state legislature at the start of 2018, Fujii said.

With an almost $8.4 million investment from the state and $3.5 million of ARPA funding from Arapahoe County, ACC is ready to set o on the rst phase of its renovation project. e institution also received $1.1 million in in Higher Education Emergency Relief funds from the U.S. Department of Education for the project.

After the initial renovations, ACC hopes to continue enhancing the healthcare annex through future phases, Provost and Vice President Cheryl Calhoun said. e overall project is expected to cost about $26 million, she said, which ACC plans to fund through fundraising, future grants, individual contributions and partnerships.

Renovation details

Healthcare students at ACC can study emergency medical services, nursing, health information technology, medical laboratory technology, mortuary science and more.

In the rst phase of the annex renovation project, ACC is working with Anderson Mason Dale Architects and Haselden Construction to improve infrastructure and enhance spaces for innovative approaches to healthcare education.

TABOR ‘backfill’ e governor’s o ce fact sheet says the proposal protects funding for school districts, re districts, counties and other local services by dedicating a portion of the state TABOR surplus. at would allow the state to retain roughly $167 million in 2024, reducing the state TABOR surplus from an estimated $2 billion to an estimated $1.8 billion and reducing taxpayer refunds by $46 in 2024, the sheet says.

“Taxpayers can still expect to receive a surplus refund of $700 this year and over $400 next year,” the sheet says.

e infrastructure renovations will include Americans with Disabilities Act improvements throughout the annex, including a new elevator and upgrading four entrances, two ramps and two stairways.

ere will also be several new ADA and unisex restrooms.

In addition, workers will update the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system as well as re systems throughout the building.

To enhance educational experiences for ACC students, the college is adding simulation components that will give students the chance to practice the skills they are learning in real life-like scenarios.

One technology will be high delity mannequins, which are human-like robots that can speak, make facial expressions and even bleed. is technology gives students the chance to practice the skills they are learning before they do it on live patients. e nursing program and EMS academy will both be gaining more high delity mannequins that represent patients at various stages of life. One is a mother-baby unit, which works with virtual reality to show the process of a pregnancy and a live birth to nursing students.

“Students will be able to put on VR headsets and they’ll be able to see the baby in womb, watch the descent,” interim director of nursing

Ins and outs of property taxes

It’s the job of county assessors’ o ces to establish accurate values of homes and other properties to determine how much property owners will owe government entities in taxes — a process meant to ensure that the amount of taxes people pay is fair and equitable.

( e assessor doesn’t set the tax rate but determines the value of the property that the tax rate then gets applied to.)

e property valuation homeowners were receiving around early May is based on data as of June 2022, near the

Kari Hyland said. “All of the uids and things that come are very natural and real, so they experience that whole thing … ese new simulators give birth to our high delity newborns, so they’ll come out crying.”

ere will also be a new immersive simulation classroom in the EMS academy that uses four screen walls to put students in the middle of a realistic emergency situation.

“It comes with a 360 camera, so we have the ability to take that camera and set it anywhere we want in the world, lm it, bring it back here, plug it in and put that environment in the room,” said Dennis Edgerly, director of the EMS academy.

e simulation room will have the ability to create wind to simulate tra c going by, environmental sounds, smells and even smoke to create a realistic scenario for students to practice.

e renovation project also includes expanding the capacity of instructional classrooms and adding more beds to nursing classrooms.

Interdisciplinary collaboration

rough these improvements, ACC leadership hopes to create more opportunities for interdisciplinary learning, to better train healthcare students to work with others in the eld.

“How do we help our stu-

recent peak in the real-estate market.

So even though home prices have declined since then, property values re ect last year’s exceptional highs. e expected 33% assessed value increase statewide is an average that applies across all residential properties, including single-family homes, condos and townhomes, duplexes, triplexes and multifamily, according to the governor’s o ce.

‘Among lowest in nation’ e governor’s o ce said the proposal, along with previous legislation, will ensure

dents not only learn how to do the job they’re doing, but how do they interact with the other professionals around them?” said Calhoun. “How do they develop communication skills, how do they develop the soft skills and empathy skills that they need to be able to work actually in the careers that they’re choosing?”

In future stages of the Health Innovation Center project, Calhoun said ACC hopes to build a streetscape with a hospital, a two-story townhouse and an ambulance bay for students to do interdisciplinary simulations in a variety of environments, with EMT students, nursing students and even criminal justice students working on the same situation together.

Looking forward to the future of healthcare in Colorado, Chancellor of the Colorado Community College System Joe Garcia said programs like the Health Innovation Center at ACC are just what the state needs.

“It’s great not just for the students, but it is great for Colorado because we know we have a shortage,” he said. “Some of us baby boomers are not going to be in the workforce but we’re going to need good health care providers, trained healthcare providers, diverse health care providers — that’s what we can do better than anybody else.”

Colorado’s property taxes “remain among the lowest in the nation.”

Nationally, Colorado has relatively low residential property taxes, according to an analysis by the conservative Tax Foundation. Colorado ranked 47th in property taxes paid as a percentage of owner-occupied housing value in 2020, according to the foundation.

Note: e state legislature’s regular session was set to end in early May, and the Democrats’ proposal could be amended after this story was nalized.

Carnival Rides: Open Thursday, June 8 from 4:00 pm – 10:30 pm

Festival and Carnival Rides: Friday 4 pm – 10:30 pm

Saturday 10 am – 10:30 pm

Sunday 10 am – 8:30 pm

PARKER’S FAVORITE WEEKEND!

FUN

• Enjoy your Favorite Festival Food

• Shopping Marketplace

• Music on Four Stages

• Culinary Demonstrations

• Street Performers

• Carnival Rides for the Whole Family

Groove Mazda MAIN STAGE – Live Music ALL Day HEADLINERS:

Friday, June 9 presented by 8:15 pm: Still They Ride (Journey Tribute Band)

Saturday, June 10 presented by 8:30 pm: Chris Daniels and The Kings

Sunday, June 11 presented by 5:15 pm: That Eighties Band

CARNIVAL RIDES & GAMES:

presented by

BUY DISCOUNTED UNLIMITED CARNIVAL RIDE WRISTBANDS ONLINE

Thursday Friends & Family Special

4 wristbands for $99

Only available for use on Thursday, June 8

Sold online through 12 noon Wed. May 31

Single-Day Unlimited Carnival Rides

$35 each

Good any one day during the festival

Sold online through 12 noon Wed. June 7

4-Day MEGA Unlimited Carnival Rides

$89 each

Good all 4 days of the festival

PURCHASE DURING THE FESTIVAL

Single-Day Unlimited Carnival Rides

$40 each

TICKETS FOR INDIVIDUAL RIDES

Food, Beverage & Ride Tickets may be purchased at Festival Ticket Booths.