Lone Tree Voice 060823

Douglas County state senators reflect on 2023 legislative season

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Under the gold dome at the state Capitol, Colorado lawmakers take on issues ranging from health care to the safety of children to families’ ability to recover after wild res. All that and more was on the docket for this year’s legislative session, the four-month part of the year when lawmakers pass bills.

Colorado’s session began in early January and ended in early May. Here’s a look at what the state senators who represent parts of Douglas County — all of whom are Republican — worked on and what they had to say about their bills. Responses were lightly edited for clarity.

For a look at what Douglas County’s state House representatives pushed for this year, see Colorado Community Media’s previous story at tinyurl.com/DouglasHouseMembers.

Mark Baisley

State Sen. Mark Baisley represents parts of Douglas, Je erson and several nearby counties outside the Denver metro area.

e most important bills he felt he supported touched on property taxes, Colorado’s manufacturing industry and home insurance in cases of disasters like wild res. Here’s what he had to say about them:

Baha’i Faith, religious persecution in Iran

HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Never leaving each other even when death felt near, three friends faced mother nature’s harsh elements, relied on the help of strangers and walked on foot through mountainous landscape to reach their dream of freedom.

Now, one of the three men, Dr. Mansur Nurdel, is sharing his story about eeing Iran for America.

e local optometrist and new author Nurdel recently read excerpts from his book, “One More Mountain” in hopes of educating

and the injustices that continue in Iran at the Highlands Ranch Library.

e Baha’i Faith, a religion practiced globally, was founded in Iran nearly 200 years ago. In Iran, Baha’i followers continue to be marginalized, abused, imprisoned and killed as it is considered a blasphemous religion by the Islamic Republic of Iran, according to Nurdel.

Mixed with fond childhood memories of playing soccer with his siblings and his mother’s unconditional love are the memories of having to face religious persecution and the imminent

Nurdel takes the readers through pivotal moments in his life leading up to his escape when he was 25-years-old.

“It was not possible to just jump to the escape and all those mountains that I crossed, so I decided to really give a background so it’s possible to understand why I escaped,” said Nurdel.  e rst part of Nurdel’s book focuses on how Nurdel’s came into the Baha’i Faith, his childhood and when he realized he and his family were treated di erently due to their faith. He

SEE AUTHOR, P8

State Senate Bill 23-108, on property taxes: “In November of last year, county commissioners alerted me to the imminent shock of property tax valuations. We introduced Senate Bill 108 in early January to encourage local government authorities to temporarily keep property tax rates about the same as they were in 2022.

“SB23-108 received unanimous votes in both the House and the Senate. Many taxing authorities — county commissioners, water districts, metro districts and so on — are hoping that Gov. Polis will sign this bill into law so that they can immediately take advantage of this exibility and relieve the concerns of property owners.”

State House Bill 23-1174, on homeowner’s insurance: “ is bill, signed into law mid-May, addresses the second shock that owners of homes destroyed by disasters like the Marshall re have encountered. Of course, their initial shock was that their home was lost. en (many) learned that their homeowner’s insurance fell short of replacing their house — by an average of $165,000.

Dr. Mansur Nurdel with his book, “One More Mountain.”

COURTESY PHOTO

Ground-level ozone is invisible and the Front Range’s biggest air quality issue. Created from pollutants like car exhaust, ozone is a leading cause of respiratory problems.

Improving our air quality takes all of us, and there are many ways to help. We encourage you to #JustSkipTwo car trips a week, mow your lawn after 5 p.m., don’t idle your car, telework a few days each week, and take the bus, bike, or walk.

Sign up for air quality alerts and learn more about the simple steps you can do to help.

SimpleStepsBetterAir.org

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

If you could see Colorado’s air, you would want to improve it.

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

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– 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

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Centennial Water Board votes to move out of drought restrictions

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Following record breaking rainfall totals, the Centennial Water Board voted to remove drought restrictions. However, water conservation continues to be key for long-term sustainability.

e Centennial Water and Sanitation District provides services to Highlands Ranch and Solstice, which have been in Stage 1 drought restrictions since July 20, 2022.  e district went into drought restrictions due to the lack of water supply and three years of drought, according to Swithin Dick, water rights administrator for Centennial Water.

For the rst time since Sept. 2021, Douglas County is out of drought conditions according to the U.S. Drought Monitor released on May 16. Highlands Ranch alone received four to six inches of rain in May.  “With the generous ample rains we got recently, that totally changed the situation with providing more water all over in the South Platte Basin,” said Dick. “ at rain event one, soaked up the soils and two, provided more water in the river for everyone that it enabled us to say OK, we don’t have a concern about being able to supply the community.”

e record rainfall has allowed the

district to capture a record amount of water, lling the storage reservoirs to near capacity.

According to Water Resources Manager William McLoud, the district takes water o the stream when it’s available and uses South Platte Reservoir, McLellan Reservoir and, for the rst time, Chat eld Reservoir to store the water. is allows the district to pace out the available water through the summer.

Rainfall this spring demonstrated a milestone for the Chat eld Reservoir Reallocation Project, which began in 1994.

e project received nal approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in June 2020. e approval granted project participants — Centennial Water is one of eight — the right to store water in the reservoir.

“We had the right to store it, we didn’t have those conditions where it’s wet enough that we could store it,” said McLoud. “It’s gotta get so wet that everybody on the stream has the water they need and then we could be storing our water.”

According to a Centennial Water press release, Centennial Water’s reservoirs are at 95% of total capacity, totaling 16,463 acre feet of water. One acre foot is equal to 325,851 gallons of water.

Centennial Water gained an additional 6,922 acre feet of storage

capacity, which will help the district decrease their dependence on deep nonrenewable groundwater.

Still, Centennial Water encourages residents to turn o irrigation systems momentarily as the ground is saturated.

“Of course everybody’s lawn in Highlands Ranch has gotten a good long drink, and shouldn’t need any supplemental irrigation until at least June,” said Dick.

As part of the district’s standard conservation rules, Centennial Water’s outdoor watering rules are in e ect until Sept. 30.  ese rules include limiting outdoor watering to two days per

week, outdoor irrigation is not allowed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., hand watering trees and shrubs is allowed any time if hose is held or using a watering can, irrigation using water conserving methods are allowed at any time, and washing cars are allowed any time as long as a hose end shut-o device is used.

e rules also include avoiding wasteful watering practices such as allowing excess water to ow into the street and neglecting to repair leaks are prohibited.

“ e purpose of the conservation measures is to minimize the times we have to go into drought restrictions and really impact people,” said Dick.

McLellan Reservoir PHOTO BY JOHN DONAKOWSKI

Susan Meek to run for reelection against Andy Jones

3 seats open

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Four candidates have announced they will run for the Douglas County School District Board in the November election.

e school board has three seats up for election, including the district formerly represented by Elizabeth Hanson, who resigned in May, and two districts currently represented by Susan Meek and David Ray.

Meek, serving in District A, announced her re-election plans on June 1. District A covers the western part of Highlands Ranch.

Meek will face rst-term candidate Andy Jones, who is also a member of the Highlands Ranch Metro District Board of Directors.

Meek, who was originally elected to the board in 2019, said in a statement announcing her run for reelection that serving on the school board has been an honor and a privilege.

“I believe in the transformative power of education and the importance of an engaged and inclusive community,” Meek said. “I am committed to advocating for every student and ensuring that our schools provide an environment where they can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.”

In a statement to Colorado Community Media, Jones said:

“After many years of service to my community in Douglas County, it continues to be a passion of mine to serve the students, parents, teachers, sta and stakeholders of DCSD. I’m looking forward to meeting, listening to and partnering with many of the good people of Douglas County throughout my campaign journey. “

In District C, the eastern part of Highlands Ranch, two rst-term candidates, David DiCarlo, and Bradford Geiger, have registered with the Colorado Secretary of State’s O ce to o cially run.

e District C seat is currently empty since Hanson resigned

abruptly on May 23. e school board has 60 days from their next meeting to appoint someone to ll Hanson’s spot until the November election.

Geiger currently serves on the district’s Mill Bond Exploratory Committee and the Long Range Planning Committee, which have recently looked into long-term district funding, the need for new elementary schools and declining enrollment in Highlands Ranch.

“I am strongly in favor of consistent competitive funding for teachers and sta and to maintain older schools and build new schools,” Geiger told Colorado Community Media in a statement.

“My goal is to help the board work together to address these important concerns without rancor and avoiding outside political in uence. All students in Douglas County deserve a school district and a school board focused solely on their education and  welfare.”

DiCarlo said he joined the race because he would like to see the district focus on nancial responsibility.

“I’m running because Douglas County parents and those on fixed-incomes are already struggling to pay the inflated cost of food, health care, and other bills, and it’s unconscionable that this school board and some candidates want to hike our taxes even more,” DiCarlo said in a statement. “We need to explore new approaches and not further burden the taxpayers by asking them to throw more money at an already-shrinking system.”

In District F, Ray has reached his term limit and cannot run for reelection. As of June 2, no candidates have been announced in District F, which represents the southern part of Parker and the Pinery. ough the candidates must live in the region they represent, school board members are elected by district voters at-large.

e deadline to le as a candidate in the school board race is Sept. 5.

Douglas County Government O ces closed Monday, June 19, for the Juneteenth Holiday

Many services are available at DoItOnlineDouglas.com

E-recycling: Saturday, June 10

Douglas County residents may dispose of unwanted electronics free of charge at Techno Rescue, 3251 Lewiston St. in Aurora, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and occasional Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Proof of residency is required. For a list of acceptable items, Saturday drop-off dates and more, visit douglas.co.us and search electronics recycling

Your Douglas County Fair & Rodeo is just around the corner

Looking for unique food options, star-studded country music and vintage cars all in the same place this summer? Visit the Douglas County Fair & Rodeo from July 28 to August 6. To purchase tickets and view the schedule, visit FairandRodeoFun.com

What’s happening with your County government?

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

The Douglas County School District is headquartered in Castle Rock. FILE PHOTO

Madison Marsh named 2023 Miss Colorado

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

From classic and simple to covered in sequins and rhinestones, each Miss Colorado and Miss Colorado Teen contestant expressed their individuality through their choices of evening gown during the 2023 Miss Colorado and Miss Colorado Teen competition.

e competition is more than wearing beautiful gowns and sporting athletic wear. Underneath the makeup and hairspray are inspirational women and young adults with unique stories.

Following the reign of Savannah Cavanaugh, Miss Academy, Madison Marsh was crowned as Miss Colorado 2023 during the pageant held in Parker.

In a green pilot’s uniform and headset on, Marsh encapsulated the audience when sharing her story about her rst solo ight at the age of 16. As a recent graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy, Marsh is commissioned into the Air Force as a second Lieutenant and is an o cer.

In addition, Marsh has been accepted to Harvard Kennedy School.  “I think being Miss Colorado all has to do with who you are as a person,” said Marsh. “I have such a unique opportunity to represent all

facets of myself, a pilot, a physicist, a pageant queen, a future politician. I think it’s such an amazing opportunity to show our entire state what it looks like to be a woman like myself.”

After Miss Colorado Teen 2022 Allison Carlson took her farewell walk, she helped crown Liv Newman as the new Miss Colorado Teen 2023.  e two-day competition was held at the Parker PACE Center as the Parker Chamber of Commerce secured Parker as the host city for the competition.

From former Miss America Organization members to a seasoned theater actress, judges for the competition were Becky Birdwell Walker, T.J. Sullivan, Randy Pruett, Kelly Bernard Field and Renee Lawless.

Before the crowning, a special appearance was made by Rebecca Ann King, who held the title of Miss Colorado 1973 and Miss America 1974.

While talking about her experience as titleholder, the opportunities she was given and the people she met, she brought her crown on stage.

In total, 20 women competed for the Miss Colorado title.

e top 11 included Allison Harrisonas Miss Cherry Creek, Makenzie Jensen as Miss Colorado River Valley, Deja Moore as Miss Boulder, Molly Casey as Miss Central e

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women that made the top ve the Miss Colorado Teen title.

Madison Marsh during the talent portion of the competition.

PHOTO BY HALEY LENA

Aurora Denver Cardiology Associates celebrates 50th anniversary

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Founder of Aurora Denver Cardiology Associates, Dr. Dennis Battock is celebrating 50 years by looking back at how the practice came to be and the impact the group has had on the Denver-metro community.

“I’m very proud of it,” said Battock. “It’s like seeing your baby grow up.”

Battock graduated from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in 1964 and went onto Kings County Hospital in New York where he completed his internship and residency. He then returned to the University of Colorado School of Medicine to complete his fellowship in cardiology and pharmacology.

He also spent two years serving in the Army at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington.

In 1973, upon returning to Denver, Battock was part of the faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Battock then decided open a solo practice while maintaining a part-time position at the university.

Originally called Aurora Community Hospital (later Humana), e

Medical Center of Aurora opened in 1974.

“I decided I would like to put my feet down in Aurora,” said Battock.   Over the next few years, other doctors started to join Battock, including his boss from when he served in the military.

“At that time, there was no tertiary cardiology in Aurora and we were really getting tired of transferring patients to Rose and other downtown hospitals,” said Battock. “We really wanted to start a cardiac catheterization lab.”

Battock, along with several cardiologists and primary care physicians from around the city opened the rst cardiac catheterization lab in Aurora in 1987. e new lab was called the Colorado Heart Institute.

“What was one lab is now four labs and they’ve done well over 70,000 cases,” said Battock.

For 50 years, as the practice continues to grow and cardiology becomes more sophisticated, doctors and associates have kept up with the times.

In the past, they would put patients in the bed and possibly perform surgery on them, according

to Battock. Now, with interventions with angioplasty, stents, and electrophysiology, doctors have more available to them and are able to provide more tests, services and procedures.

In 2001, an Aurora Denver cardiologist partnered with e Medical Center of Aurora and Emergency Medical Services to develop the Cardiac Alert program. is program is now the national standard of care for treating patients who are experiencing a severe heart attack.

Aurora Denver Cardiology Associates treats a multitude of conditions, such as palpitations, coronary artery disease, heart attacks, congestive

heart failure and heart valve disease.  “Virtually, we do everything except ter,” said Battock.

While caring for thousands of patients in Aurora, the Aurora Denver Cardiology Associates also has expanded with o ces in Denver, ornton, Castle Rock, Lone Tree and Centennial.

Although Battock retired nearly 10 years ago, he is still involved and keeps in touch.

Looking back on the 50 years, Battock is proud of what has been accomplished, “I think what we have now is unique.”

From left: Drs. Charles Fuenzalida, Eugene Sherman, Je Park, Dennis Battock, Steven Crowley and Jonathan Sherman. COURTESY OF RACHEL ROBINSON

vividly recalls the moments his heart raced from fear, the moments of sadness when he witnessed autopsies and the anger when seeing family members get bullied.

e book transitions to Nurdel’s teen and young adult years after his family were forced to move to another part of the country following an attack on his childhood home.

Tensions continued to escalate across the country as well as the unfair treatment of the Baha’i community.

“It’s not easy to leave your family behind, everything you know behind, not just family,” said Nurdel. “So I needed to build that understanding with the readers, the ‘why’ I am taking this such a risky step in my life.”

In 2007, Nurdel saw the theater production of “ e Diary of Anne Frank”. He said it was di cult to sit and watch the play, so much so that he walked out of the theater.  “I just couldn’t control myself because my childhood was just right in front of me and I saw so much similarities of what Anne Frank had endured and I had,” said Nurdel.

Although Nurdel shared bits and pieces of his story with others, the play helped him realize that he too needed to share his story of religious persecution with a wider audience. Over the years, he has felt more comfortable talking about his story and writing the book has been the ultimate healing, said Nurdel.  roughout the book, Nurdel details each day of the two-week trek to the United Nations o ce in Ankara, Turkey. He writes about his time as a refugee in Turkey, what the process was like to get to America and when he got his U.S. citizenship in the nineties.

Along the way, Nurdel does not forget to mention the status of his two friends who also endured the terrain with him. He also introduces the readers to the families he bonded with, his family in Iran and the family he helped create with his wife.

As a promise to his family, he continued his education and completed a doctor of optometry degree at the University of Missouri in St. Louis.

Nurdel found a home in Denver where he has helped establish one of the largest eye-care centers in Highlands Ranch and has become one of the nation’s top independently owned eye-care centers.

Stepping into a new country

proved challenging, however, Nurdel kept his faith and dedicated his new found freedom to helping and educating others.

Nurdel started writing his book in 2019, nishing the rst draft during the pandemic.

When the new unrest and riots started happening in Iran last year, Nurdel wanted the book out as soon as possible.

Nurdel canceled his contract, went down the self-publisher route and his book was printed in early March.

“ e main goal is [for] everyone to know what’s going on today in the world,” said Nurdel. “We can close our eyes to see what’s going on around the world, but we cannot. We need to know.

e Baha’i community in Iran continues to face injustices and persecution, said Nurdel.

“It seems that it was 35 years ago… It’s really not,” said Nurdel.

Nurdel spoke about the resolutions passed by Congress that have made an impact. He encourages others to contact local representatives and ask them for support the next time there is a resolution in the Senate or Congress.

Nurdel also hopes people do not stereotype and avoid coming to an immediate judgment when hearing someone with an accent, instead

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take the opportunity to learn about them.

“ ere may be a beautiful story behind that accent,” said Nurdel. “ ere could be a life changing story that you can learn from that person.” e book can be purchased in major bookstores, on the o cial website as well as Amazon. In addition, an audio book of “One More Mountain” will soon be available. “If the book has touched only one person, I’m good,” said Nurdel.

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

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‘It’s not easy to leave your family behind, everything you know behind, not just family.’

Dr. Mansur Nurdel

LEGISLATURE

(Assuming a rebuild cost of $300 per square foot, 55% of the policies were underinsured and the average amount of underinsurance per policy is estimated at $164,855, according to a fact sheet from the state Department of Regulatory Agencies, cited by Baisley.)

“HB23-1174 requires that insurance companies o er full-replacement policies and that they communicate clearly how much each type of policy will cover in the case of a total loss.”

HB23-1260, on manufacturing incentives: “ is bill, signed into law in late May, invests $72 million dollars to meet the requirement for Colorado’s participation in the federal government’s CHIPS Act. is program, designed to bring microprocessor manufacturing out of China and back to the U.S., will bring as much as $5.5 billion in tax credits directly to private companies in Colorado. Many existing local technology companies will qualify.”

SB23-103, on Colorado recreation: “For decades, owners of vast areas of land in Colorado have allowed access across their property for outdoor enthusiasts and tourists to climb fourteeners, sh at remote river spots and camp in wilderness. Property owners relied on existing Colorado law to protect them from liability should someone get hurt while crossing their property without charge.

“However, a successful lawsuit changed everything when an injured cyclist was awarded $7 million in a lawsuit. SB23-103 would have strengthened Colorado statute to ensure that property owners who permit free access are not liable for injuries of recreators. (SB23-103 did not pass.)

“Unfortunately, (certain)

14,000-plus-foot peaks (have been) o limits to the public. It would be pointless to reintroduce this bill again so long as Democrats hold the majority.”

Kevin Van Winkle

State Sen. Kevin Van Winkle represents northwest Douglas County, including the Highlands Ranch area. e most important bills he felt he supported related to school safety, health care price transparency and retail delivery fees.

Here’s what he had to say about them:

Several bills and budget amendments, on school safety: “ is year cumulated four years of intensive work leading the legislature to advance school safety programs that honor Kendrick Castillo, and other young heroes, to ensure safer schools for our kids and teachers.

“ ere were several bills and budget amendments passed that range from upgrading physical security of buildings, assuring faster emergency response, improving mental health programs, and cracking down on so-called ‘swatting’ false emergencies. Together these will improve the safety and security of schools so that children feel safe to learn and can ultimately reach their full potential. SB23-252, on health care price transparency: “Medical price transparency will provide families with clear and upfront price transparency that is an important step forward to allowing free-market principles and competition into a health care space that desperately needs it.

is will lead to more informed decision making, cost containment, improved care and consumer empowerment without the use of any heavy-handed bureaucratic burdens.”

SB23-143, on reducing retail delivery fees: “Finally, reducing the Democrats’ new 27-cent retail delivery fee on home delivery, and its burden on businesses. It will reduce costs for both retailers and customers by saving hardworking taxpayers a little bit each day.”

Looking ahead: “Also on track is ensuring the creation of our state’s rst new judicial district — centered in Douglas County — in roughly 60 years. (Judicial districts are responsible for operating district courts, which hear criminal cases and other matters.)

“I work for the citizens of Douglas County, will remain accessible to anyone, and will ensure that citizens’ voices are heard and accounted for by the ruling majorities at the state Capitol.”

Jim Smallwood

State Sen. Jim Smallwood represents much of northeast Douglas County, including the Parker and Castle Rock areas.

e bills he supported that he felt were most important regarded taxes, prescription drugs and an o ense against minors.

Here’s what he had to say:

HB23-1135, on indecent exposure in view of minors: “ is bill makes indecent exposure in view of a child a class 6 felony, up from

a class 1 misdemeanor. I feel our children need the same protections from these o enders regardless of this type of behavior occurring online or in person, and this new law helps create this parity.

“For this new law to apply, the offender must have known there was a child under 15 years of age in view of the act and the o ender must be more than 18 years of age and more than four years older than the child. is bipartisan bill surprised me by passing unanimously out of the Senate but then facing ‘no’ votes from a huge number of House Democrats. is bill is on the governor’s desk (as of June 2), and I hope to see it signed into law very soon.”

HB23-1277, on taxable income: “ is is a simple bill that makes it easier for small businesses to le their tax returns by allowing the ling of composite returns, consolidating the composite return and withholding options, and clari es calculations of tax payments.

“ e bill also aligns the due date of income tax return deadlines between the federal government and the state of Colorado. is commonsense, bipartisan bill should really make life easier for Colorado taxpayers and has already been signed into law by the governor.”

SB23-041, on prescription drugs: “ is was another simple, threepage, bipartisan bill that would have ensured that health professions would not face disciplinary action by the sole act of prescribing an FDA-approved drug for an o -label use.

“Shockingly, after passing the Senate without a single ‘no’ vote, this bill was killed on a party-line vote in the House Health and Insurance Committee, with all Democrats voting against the bill and all Republicans voting in favor. I hope to introduce this bill again next year and hope the majority party takes some time to better understand the issue.”

The Colorado Senate on the first day of the 2023 legislative session, Jan. 9, 2023, in the Capitol in Denver. COURESTY OF THE COLORADO SUN

Fri 6/16

Featured

Featured

Tue 6/20

Poms/Spirit Camp K-5 @ 7am / $189

Jun 20th - Jun 22nd

Valor Center, 3775 Grace Blvd, Orchestra Room, Highlands Ranch. 303-471-3000

YS: Sports Camp - 5-8 Multi-Sport @ Southwest @ 2pm

Jun 20th - Jun 23rd

Denver Parks and Recreation (SOU), 9200 W Saratoga Pl., Denver. 720-913-0654

Dance: PreTeen/Teen Modern & Contemporary (12-18yrs) @ 10:30pm

Thu 6/22

Jeffrey Dallet @ 2pm

Garden Plaza at Aurora, 14221 E Evans Ave, Aurora

Mike Love @ 3pm Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd, Greenwood Village

Featured

Vamonos Pest/Mobro: Va‐monos Pest at Brewability Lab @ 5pm Brewability Lab, 3445 S Broadway, Englewood

Jun 20th - Jul 25th

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker

Wed 6/21

Featured

Steve Tice: With Cowboy Brad and the TropiCowboy Band @ 6pm Private Concert, Littleton

Sat 6/17

Featured

Jay_Martin @ 6:30pm Rocker Spirits, 5587 S Hill St, Lit‐tleton

Mike Ippolito Live at The Alley @ 7pm The Alley, 2420 W Main St, Little‐ton

Sun 6/18

Featured Featured

Lolita Worldwide: LADAMA at Levitt Pavilion with Lolita @ 5pm

Levitt Pavilion Denver, 1380 W Florida Ave, Denver

Featured

Dear Marsha,: DM Acousticafternoon on the Patio @ 1pm Brewability Lab, 3445 S Broadway, Englewood

Juice O'The Barley: Littleton Museum Summer Concert Series @ 5:30pm

Littleton Museum, 6028 S Gallup St, Littleton

Dear Marsha,: Chats, Chews and Brews with Women Who Rock the Rockies @ 5pm Brewability Lab, 3445 S Broadway, Englewood

Teague Starbuck @ 5pm Modern Brew - Kitchen, Coffee, Bar, 8221 S Holly St, Centennial

Featured Featured

Tommy Tutone @ 6pm

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

Mark Masters Comedy: Mark Masters hosts Castle Rock Comedy Show with Jenny Zigrino @ 6pm Lost Coffee, 390 Perry St, Castle Rock

Rotating Tap Comedy @ Coal Mine Ave Brewing @ 6pm Coal Mine Ave Brewing Company, 9719 W Coal Mine Ave unit a, Littleton

A taste of reality

During a recent trip to Chicago, I got a heavy dose of reality vs. perception. Part of that is due to media coverage which, in my opinion, is part of why trust in the industry I love and value is at an all-time low.

FROM THE EDITOR

Before taking the trip with my husband and son, my brother, who lives in Texas, asked if I packed my bulletproof vest.

He was referring to the constant media reports about the shootings and crime in Chicago. Given some media reports — he thought you get o a plane and take cover.

I must admit, I didn’t know what to expect in getting the rental car and hitting the streets to head downtown where my son had some big dream of touching the famous massive bean sculpture. For context, it was from a YouTube video he had watched.

We got downtown and found the huge silver bean and my son touched it. We walked around, crossed streets, and did some shopping. e parks were lovely. e area where kids were playing in a fountain and splash pad were full and vibrant.

You see — the reality is Chicago is nothing like I had imagined from ongoing media reports over the last few years. In fact, I was sad in seeing a vibrant downtown Chicago and comparing it to Denver.

On a recent brewery hopping trip with my brother — Denver’s downtown did not instill any con dence. In our day of walking all over the area, from Coors Field to a few miles away — I saw a lot of problems.

For one, here in Denver, I saw people using drugs on the wide-open sidewalk. To say I was completely unnerved to see that needle and spoon is an understatement.

As kids played in the water and ran around the park in Chicago, I thought about how there is no way I will, at this point, take my children to downtown Denver. A favorite pastime for my family used to be heading down to the 16th Street Mall and exploring the stores and walking and enjoying a nice day.

Today — with boarded-up buildings and an unsafe atmosphere — I will not take my children to my own city’s downtown.

We sit back and hear media reports and judge other cities, but really, the reality is our own backyard needs attention. Downtown Denver and the region need true solutions to our homeless, crime and drug issues.

I feel like everything I write about these days leads right back to this — If our state does not start addressing growing problems in car thefts, drugs, homelessness, and cost of living — families are going to keep leaving.

I know the reality is Chicago probably has a “bad side of town” that I didn’t get to see. However, over three days of traveling to various ice-skating rinks and touring the city — I changed my tune about the Windy City and became a lot more concerned with my own.

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

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher

lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Time for mutual respect

For over two years, the Douglas County School Board has struggled with their equity policy. As a retired teacher, I’ve followed the debate with keen interest, and I’m glad to see that a resolution has nally come. e policy’s main aw was always language. What do key words mean? For example, diversity’s de nition was broadened to go beyond identity groups based on immutable characteristics to evolving skills such as diversity of thought that only comes through the encouragement of critical thinking.

Speaking of diversity, I’m sad to hear that one

school board member resigned suddenly. Her voice matters, because diversity of thought is important to any group.

Kudos to F.A.I.R. for their involvement in the process by linking the public into policy rough drafts and the submission of personal comments for board consideration. anks also to the board itself for allowing comments from a variety of stakeholders that lasted into the wee hours of the morning. Now that the equity policy changes have been approved, let’s work together to respect everyone in our public educational system.

Linda Mazunik Lone Tree

Reminiscing, lamenting — it’s all good

WINNING

Not sure about you, but one of my favorite pastimes is reminiscing with friends and family about the good times that we enjoyed over all the years we have been a part of each other’s lives. Oh, the stories change and grow in grandeur over time, but then we all laugh at one another as we realize the tall tales we are sharing about our favorite, crazy, and sometimes even cringeworthy events that we shared together. We reminisce about those we have loved and lost. We remember our family and friends as tears build up in our eyes, recounting their most infamous moments that we can recall. And then

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

we think about how angry we were with them at some point in our life, but we just can’t seem to remember why. Has that ever happened to you? It has certainly happened to me.

When we nd ourselves reminiscing, we sometimes drift o into the daydreams of happy times and incredible memories. at day we rst held hands, that rst kiss, our rst football championship, our rst beer together, and so many other rsts. Or we go down memory lane, reminded not just of our “ rsts” in life, but of many years of shared hardships, hurts, disappoint-

SEE NORTON, P13

saw time the change low high, back limit days overwhelmingly tial back were in ously, the tion, importance make we at

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Thelma Grimes

Water conservation still important to supplies

GUEST COLUMN

Sam Calkins

Centennial Water and Sanitation District is proud to serve the communities of Highlands Ranch and Solstice. After almost a year of being in Stage 1 drought restrictions, the record precipitation we saw last month has provided a realtime demonstration of how quickly the weather – and water – can change in Colorado.

Last year our reservoir levels were low and water demand was very high, so we asked customers to cut back their water use by 15-20% and limit their outdoor watering to two days per week. e response was overwhelmingly positive! Residential and commercial water users cut back by an average of 15%, and we were able to maintain water levels in our storage reservoirs. Simultaneously, the community learned about the importance of water conservation, the value of water, and the importance of coming together to make a di erence for the long-term. Fast forward to the present, and we removed all drought restrictions at the end of May. While our stor-

NORTON

FROM PAGE 12

ments, wins and celebrations. Reminiscing brings back joyful moments of those we have lived our lives with and through, and just how special each moment was to us during those seasons of life. Do you have any of those memories? I sure do.

While reminiscing brings fond memories of years gone by, we sometimes visit that other side of our memories as we lament the missed opportunities in life, lost chances of love, and the mistakes we may have made along the way. We don’t often hear the word “lament” anymore. Merriam Webster’s Dictionary denes “lament” as, to express sorrow, mourning, or regret often demonstratively, or, to regret strongly, or, to cry out in grief. ose are some very strong words that should emote some very deep feelings.

When given the choice, most of us would probably prefer to reminisce about the good old days, right? We can laugh with one another, embrace one another, and choose to only remember the best times of our lives. ere is nothing wrong with that and as a matter of fact I highly recommend it.

ere is no greater cure for the blues than spending time with a family member or friend stirring up our greatest and most memorable escapades of our past.

Yet there is also something to be said of lamenting our past, our sorrows, our griefs, and the challenges we have faced in all our years here on earth. e struggles have been real,

age reservoirs are now full, water conservation will continue to be at the forefront of our summer messaging to customers. Just because we’ve had a wet spring doesn’t mean that drought won’t continue to be a concern over the long-term. We all need to continue to keep an eye on conservation, partner to practice water e ciency while keeping our landscape vibrant, and continue our e orts to nd opportunities to preserve the community’s long-term water sustainability.

rough innovative practices in nance, operations and resource management, we are constantly working to ensure we remain a resilient community, capable of responding when drought occurs. We have a history of taking proactive steps to build resilience over the past 40 years, and that philosophy remains at the core of Centennial Water’s focus for the future.

Examples of the district’s e orts to create a resilient community include work that began decades ago, such as securing additional surface water storage as part of the Chat eld Reservoir Reallocation Project (1994-2020), implementing a

the hurts have been devastating, the challenges have brought us to tears, and the disappointments many and plentiful. Why would I say that there is something to be said about lamenting our past? Because sometimes even the pain brings back memories of something once cherished. Because sometimes it’s healthy to lament, and feel the pain so that we can maybe nally let it go. And sometimes, it’s OK to never let go of something or someone we cherished so deeply, that is now lost, because it keeps us connected forever.

e daughter who lost her mom before her wedding day laments that she couldn’t experience that special occasion with her mom. e same daughter reminisces each holiday about how special her mom made each and every holiday, bringing both tears of sorrow and tears of joy to her face. Do you see how they can both exist in the same moment?

How about you? Do you love and appreciate the moments where you get to reminisce about the best, happiest, and craziest times of life with your family and friends? Do you also lament those moments in life where you wish things could’ve been di erent? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can remember all of the sweet, bitter and bittersweet moments of life that shape who we are, 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.

conservation-focused water budget billing system (2003), building the South Platte Reservoir (2007), adopting a Drought Response Plan (2021), and making the tough decision to go into drought restrictions last year to protect our long-term sustainability.

is is not always an easy job, which makes us appreciate our customers every day. Water is a nite resource, and we can’t protect it on our own. Centennial Water has the important job of acting as stewards of water for our customers, and we need the help of residents and business owners alike to help us continue our success.

Centennial Water will be out in the community this summer, so please stop by and say hello. We will have a booth at Kid-Fest on June 10, a stop on the High Line Canal on Bike to Work Day June 28, and a booth at

the Ice Cream Social on Aug. 2. We would love to answer your questions, and we always enjoy talking about water.

If you have questions about conservation, want to learn about our rebate and incentive programs, or would like to learn more about our water supply, our sta would love to help you. You can email info@centennialwater.org, call us at 303-791-0430, or nd lots of great information on our website at www. centennialwater.org.   ank you for taking the time to learn more about our water supply in Highlands Ranch and what you can do to be a part of our long-term success.

Sam Calkins is the general meanger of the Centennial Water & Sanitation District

e Studio is an all-inclusive space for people young and old to feel the music and express themselves. For dancers who want to break out of the traditional dance studio format, the international company based in Denver could be a dream come

Striving to bring the magic of global movement to people in Colorado, Caitlin BroznaSmith founded the dance studio that brings a piece of global culture along with self-expression and con dence with each class.

“It was so important to include people from where these cultures are sourced,” said Brozna-Smith. “I found people from Polynesia to teach Polynesian dance… teachers from Iran. We really have this beautiful, electric group of dancers from all over the

Among a multitude of dance styles, students can learn the soft style of Hula ‘Auana, Tahitian dance, Bollywood, Belly Dancing, adult ballet and Ginga Vibe, which draws on styles from the African Diaspora including Funk, Afro-Caribe, Dance Hall, Soca, Lambada and Samba.  e studio also o ers Taiji Fit, a halfhour mind and low-impact body workout that combines traditional T’ai Chi with mindfulness and modern Western tness. Inspired by the Bollywood style of dance, BollyX Fitness is a 50-minute cardio workout and GROOV3 Hip Hop Dance Fitness.

Within the Bella Diva studio, both the

Students learn worldwide dance styles at Bella Diva World Dance Studio

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

teaching sta and students are multinational. e dance teachers come from ve di erent countries and teach a range of students from 29 di erent countries.

teach countries.

To bring as much authentic culture into Denver, many teachers have gone abroad to study di erent styles of dance.

“ e people (teachers) who are not native from the cultures that we’re teaching travel and learn from the source because it’s really important that we do cultural appreciation and cultural exchange,” Brozna-Smith said.

Samba

Samba, the high energy and fast footwork style is not just a dance form, it is a lifestyle.  ose who teach Samba at Bella Diva make sure they are staying true to the culture and teach the students the history of where the dance originated.

styles (teachers) the from source appreciation exchange,” Brozna-Smith abso-

“I am very careful when I am teaching my students because I am not Brazilian, it is not my culture, but it is something that I am absolutely fascinated with and love,” said instructor Chelsi Vecchiavelli. “I spend a lot of time outside of class researching, asking experts, listening to podcasts, consulting my mentors who are Brazilian and who are my teachers.”

Born out of the slave trade when it was down in Brazil, Samba was a means of hope and joy and is a dance of resistance and raises up against oppression.

Samba schools have often been located in a favela, which is the poor neighborhoods within Rio De Janeiro. Vecchiavelli said there

Caitlin Bronza-Smith performing.

OF CAITLIN BRONZA-SMITH

DANCE

is a big connection between the people and the culture, which is something she wanted to bring back to her classes in the U.S.

Since spending time in Brazil earlier this year, Vecchiavelli has implemented a sense of community within her classes.

e class starts with a warm-up, which can di er each week, but tends to be drill focused. Students start to move their bodies by working on hip movements, endurance and strengthening the ankles.

After warming up, the class begins to stretch out every part of their body to help prevent injuries. e class then moves to work on technique, whether it is adding the ourishes of the arms during Samba no pé or gaining speed and endurance for the style.

In Brozna-Smith’s Samba class, her students warm up to the upbeat rhythm of the drums.

Just as Brozna-Smith has her students perform for one another during the class, Vecchiavelli has integrated improvisation at the end of her class. e students gather in a circle and with an energetic song playing, they dance with each other.

e end of class time is not about technique or who has the best footwork, it’s about connecting with one another as that is what the culture is about. Western dancers are often trained to perform, but this style of dance is about looking each other in the eyes, singing and embracing the joy that comes along with Samba.

“We need to recognize that we’re dancing it from a place of privilege,” said Vecchiavelli. “We’re not able to connect to it in the same way that people in Brazil can, and so I try to make sure that we at least know the context of it.”

Bella Bro World Dance

For an hour each week, men take part in a high-intensity, choreographybased workout. Led by Kyle Kastner, the group’s heart rate increases and sweat pours down as Kastner focuses on moving fast.

Having been the only consistent man who danced at Bella Diva for eight years, Kastner felt the need to bring more men into the fold, as male representation in dance in America is not as strong as in other cultures.

Kastner believes the American culture is dismissive and even undermining of male dancers.

“I actually think that it is incredibly masculine to dance, and when you look at other cultures around the world, dance is ingrained,” Kastner said. “It’s not gendered. ere may be gender norms within it, but gender is not important.”

With the goal of creating a space for men to feel free to use their bodies in a creative way, Kastner created Bella Bro World Dance. ere are about eight individuals who are regulars to the class.  Kasnter gains inspiration for his class

from Bollywood and Brazilian Samba no pé. It is not just the energy that those styles of dance bring but embracing the masculinity of the Indian culture and bridging the gap between di erent stylings that is being shown in Samba no pé.

Bella Bro World Dance recently worked on a piece inspired by a lm based on a true story. e character they are portraying was a great warrior and fought in battles. Although it appears that the dancers are not doing much, their moves are incredibly complex and take a lot of strength to complete.  roughout the class, the students started to learn how to move their bodies in new and challenging ways and discover things about themselves, Kastner said. e class also helps rede ne what masculinity is and shift the focus from a toxic idea of masculinity to a much more embracing, accepting idea of what it could be.

In his class, he helps the students learn how to use their inherent male privilege as a superpower for good.

“ at’s something I’ve de nitely been working with the men on is understanding that just because we are men, we have privilege that others don’t,” said Kasnter. “And then especially if we are white men with privilege that others don’t (have), to use that in a bene cial positive way for society and community as a whole.”

instructor of the Iranian Persian style of dance in Colorado, Delsie KhademGhaeini is honored to represent her community and to be a vessel for cultural outreach by sharing Iranian culture through dance.

In Iranian culture, there are a couple of di erent stylizations of dance as there are di erent minority groups and languages, all of the groups have their own folk dancing and style of dancing. e style Khadem-Ghaeini teaches is not a regional style of dance in Iran, it is shared across all of those cultures.

Iranian culture is deeply rooted in poetry, therefore, a lot of the music has poetry in it.

Khadem-Ghaeini said the style she teaches is more of a staged kind of style of dancing, a style that is closely related to what is seen in current pop styles of dance. She focuses on the quality of the movements. e movements are more structured and re ned compared to some of the more theatrical styles of dancing.

“Depending on what region they’re from, there might be dance movements that are associated to the kind of farming that they might have done or in the southern region, along the Persian Gulf, there may be dance movements that are related to shing,” Khadem-Ghaeini said.

Her classes focus on connecting with the music by using the uidity of the arms, hands and wrists, which can be very emotive. One form of movement that di erentiates the Iranian style of dance from other styles that also use

arms and hands is the use and curving of the spine. e combination of the arm, hand and spinal curves is subtle to the eye.

According to Khadem-Ghaeini, the aesthetics of Iranian culture has a lot of curves and a lot of geometry. Many of the shapes in the body that dancers create are very curved, even mirroring the way Persian calligraphy curves and moves are showing up in dance.

Another important piece of Iranian Persian dancing is learning the history of Iranian culture and sending messages and making statements. With the current revolutions taking place in Iran, Khadem-Ghaeini and her students performed at the University of Denver, choosing songs that relate to the woman-led revolutions.

“When I’m dancing, it’s a much deeper connection to music,” said Khadem-Ghaeini. “It’s not just about trying to hit my body a certain way that that music hits… but the poetry and the music that has like thousands of years of history, that is part of Iranian culture, to me, every time I do a performance is deeply involved for me.”

Being a student at Bella Diva World Dance

Having studied dance since she was a little girl, Elizabeth Buckius has trained in di erent kinds of studios with strict teachers in traditional ballet. She said that Bella Diva is the most welcoming, supportive and caring studio.

Students at the Denver-based studio are of all ages, all orientations and all shapes and sizes. e people bring an electric energy into the studio and by embracing the cultural aspect of the di erent styles of dance, everyone — from sta to students to the costume designer — has created a strong community within the walls of the studio, according to Buckius and sta at the studio.

“What makes us unique is also what makes us stronger,” said Brozna-Smith. “We’re able to really learn empathy by putting ourselves in somebody else’s shoes or position and life.”

Along with the positive and supportive energy in each classroom, there is a lot of curiosity as well. e studio focuses on learning about different cultures and becoming a global citizen. Buckius said it’s a great way to learn about other parts of the world.

Bella Diva also focuses on being body positive and being a healthy place for dancers. And with such multicultural sta and students at the studio, the studio has become a strong and vibrant community in Denver and internationally.

“We really want to be rooted in the actual traditions that we’re studying,” said Buckius. “So even though we’re here in Colorado, we want to make sure we’re connecting with the actual traditions at the world dance studio.”

LEARN MORE

Iranian Persian Currently, the only performing

Bella Diva World Dance Polynesian Performing Company.

Bella Diva World Dance Studio teaching sta , who come from five di erent countries and 12 heritages.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAITLIN BRONZA-SMITH

Bella Diva World Dance Studio is located at 4309 E. Mississippi Ave. Glendale, CO 80246. For more information, visit belladivadance.com.

Colorado Brass names new music director

The Colorado Brass announced the appointment of Dr. Brett Keating as music director. He was principal conductor of the band last year and is an internationally recognized euphonium soloist. He led the Colorado Brass to awards last year. He is director of bands and brass at Western Colorado University

Photos at museum e Littleton Museum holds a reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on June 15 for an exhibit of photographs, “A Colorful Dream,” by photographer Adrien Broom, which will run through Aug. 9 at the museum, 6028 S. Gallup St. Admission free.

Vintage Theatre

Vintage eatre presents “In the Heights” by Lin-Manuel Miranda, with book by Alegira Hudes. Vintage is at 1468 Dayton St., Aurora. Performances: Fridays and Saturdays and Monday, July 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Sun-

days at 2:30 p.m. Director is Jonathan Adujar. 303-856-7830, vintagetheatre. com.

Watercolor workshop

Castle Rock painter Cindy Welch will present a two-day watercolor workshop on June 21 and 22, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Taft House, 3570 Celestial Ave., Castle Rock. (In the Meadows.) $185 for 13 hours of instruction. Complete a painting of Castle Rock and Pikes Peak. Drawing, reference photo and supply list will be provided. Age 14 and up. All experience levels. Call 303-814-2358, CindyWelchArtist.com

Contemporary art

New at Museum of Contemporary Art, 1485 Delgany St., Denver — Open June 14: exhibition of works by Tomashi Jackson and Anna Tsouhlarakis. B-Side music Fridays on the MCA rooftop garden. Starting July 7: Mixed Taste. See website for membership information: mcadenver.org.

Aurora Fox

Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 E. Colfax Ave, Aurora, continues “One Night

of under” at 5:30 p.m. on June 10 and 11 in the Studio eater and and an Aurora Symphony 2023 Chamber Works Music Concert at 3 p.m. on June 18 from 3 to 5 p.m. Free-reserve ticket. 303-739-1970, aurorafox.org.

Western art

e American Museum of Western Art at 1727 Tremont Place, Denver, will participate in First Friday art openings through the summer. Check on daytime hours as well. is is a special spot to take visiting art lovers. A special ArtSPARK program will be on June 22 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., free. 303-293-2000, anschutzcollection.org. Reminder: Your libraries o er free Culture Passes during the summer that will include American Museum of Western Art free of charge. Check with your local library.

Family outing hot spot

Summer family outing suggestion: Denver Botanic Gardens at Chateld Farms, a 700-acre native plant refuge at 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Road, Littleton. Not all paths will carry strollers and wheelchairs, but many will, and the Lavender Festival is planned for July 15/16. (Reserve

space ahead.) History of local agriculture, was once a cattle ranch. Growing vegetables, “One Fell Swoop,” an immersive architectural sculpture by Patrick Dougherty delights young and old. ere are picnic tables, the original one room schoolhouse and a children’s play area. Admission charged for non-Denver Botanic Gardens members. See botanicgardens.org.

Exhibition at church

Paint Box Guild members will exhibit work at St. Andrew United Methodist Church, opening June 18 with a 10 a.m. reception. 9203 S. University Blvd., Highlands Ranch, paintboxguildlittleton.org.

MOA presents dance

e Museum of Outdoor Arts will present an evening of dance with the Zikr Dance Ensemble at 8 p.m. on June 8 at Marjorie Park, 6331 Fiddlers Green Circle., Greenwood Village. Tickets$30, 303-806-0444. MOA

Members: $10. Food and beverage will be available for purchase (no outside food and beverage allowed). Doors open at 7 p.m., performance at 8 p.m., moaonline.org.

Castle Rock

powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.”

please contact us.

Dr. Brett Keating, center, has been chosen as music director of Colorado Brass, following his service as principal conductor.

COURTESY OF COLORADO BRASS

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Variety on display in anniversary show

Depot Art Gallery exhibition to continue through July 9

BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Littleton’s Depot Art Gallery is holding an exhibit through July 9, showing works by members of Littleton Fine Arts Guild to celebrate its 61st anniversary.

Just at your left as you enter is a painting by artist/juror Rodgers Naylor, a Colorado artist who selected works to be exhibited and which ones were winners exhibit. It will run through July 10 at the historic red Santa Fe Depot at 2069 West Powers Ave. in downtown Littleton.

Naylor named “Mika” by Gaby Zapien as Best in Show.

It is described as painted with oil paint and cold wax and shows a portrait of a young woman, who looks a bit sad to me. Or, perhaps, “pensive” is a better descriptive word ... e appearance is free and casual, but really, is indicative of skillful work and an understanding of portraiture. Mika is ready to tell the viewer about some recent incident in her life that may have caused her some anxiety, I’m thinking!

But another viewer may have an entirely di erent response ... at’s what makes viewing a new exhibit so much fun!

“Arrangement,” an oil painting by Teresa Maone, was awarded Second Place, and ird Place was awarded to Stacy Roberts for “Im-

possible Weight,” created with soft pastels.

Carl Paulson’s photographic print, “Brake Arm,” won an Honorable Mention, as did Sue Williams’ nostalgic painting, “Attic Lights,” and Richard Simpson’s acrylic painting, “A Storm Approaches.”

Juror Naylor’s website says that he usually works “alla prima,” beginning with a warm tone underpainting and completing a painting in one session. A source of light is important, whether he is in his studio or painting outside, “en plein air.”

e 61st Anniversary Show runs through July 10 at the Depot and will be followed by “Being Human” from July 11 to Aug. 5 and “ e Best of Colorado” Aug. 8 through Sept. 10. Also included in summer events: A Bega Park Art Show on Aug. 12 and a Bemis Library Show from Aug. 1 to Aug. 31.

e Depot has a companion caboose with even more art available, as well as a sunny patio and garden surrounding it, where one can sit and relax — or read for a while. Here, it’s time to remind readers that original art makes a wonderful, one-of-a-kind gift — for that graduate, or newly married couple or birthday person! Visit the Depot Art Center (11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays: depotartgallery. org). and the Stanton Gallery at Town Hall Art Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and during performances. See townhallartcenter.org.

New members are welcome to the Littleton Fine Arts Guild. Inquire at the Depot.

TURN TO THE COLORADO SUN FOR NEWS ACROSS THE STATE

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In this way, The Sun contributes to a more vibrant, informed and whole Colorado.

The Sun, launched in 2018, is committed to fact-based, in-depth and nonpartisan journalism. It covers everything

from politics and culture to the outdoor industry and education.

Now, The Colorado Sun co-owns this and other Colorado Community Media newspapers as a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy. The Sun is CCM’s partner for statewide news.

For Colorado Sun stories, opinions and more, and to support The Sun’s misssion as a member or subscriber, visit coloradosun.com.

“Mika,” by Gaby Zapien, a painting created in oil and cold wax, won best in Show at the Depot Art Gallery’s 61st anniversary exhibit.

COURTESY PHOTO

Calls for metro district reform mount

BY ROBERT DAVIS YELLOW SCENE MAGAZINE

Andrew Sorensen and his wife Samantha were elated when they bought their home in Broom eld’s Baseline neighborhood in September 2022 after nearly a year of bidding on homes that were overpriced and uninhabitable in some cases.

However, Sorensen said that excitement quickly turned to trepidation after the couple learned that their home was controlled by a metropolitan district, a controversial tool that Colorado developers use to build homes.

Sorensen’s home is part of Baseline Metropolitan District 3, one of nine metro districts that are responsible for developing homes and maintaining the necessary infrastructure like roads, water lines, and sewer systems. Colorado law also allows metro districts to issue bonds to nance its work, and those bonds are often paid back through property tax mill levies.

So far, the metro district has codied about $764 million in bonds that it can issue to investors. e debt incurred by these bonds would be paid back by Baseline homeowners over the next several decades. ere’s just one catch: e board members that set the Baseline Metropolitan District’s tax levels all

work for McWhinney Real Estate Services, the developer building the neighborhood.

“When McWhinney owns the land, the rights to develop it, and the right to charge Coloradans whatever the company would like to nance the project via bonds, can you call it anything but self-dealing?” Sorensen asked Colorado lawmakers in February.

Like other homeowners in Colorado, Sorensen wants greater transparency and responsiveness from his metropolitan district’s governing board. For example, Sorensen said he and his neighbors don’t know if McWhinney is charging them a fair price for their development services.

He added that they also have no say in whether McWhinney raises the district’s mill levy in the future. is could e ectively price Sorensen, and other homeowners, out of the neighborhood if they are unable to keep up with property tax increases, he said.

“ ese practices should be far more heavily regulated than they are,” Sorensen added.

Metro districts and homebuilding

Metropolitan districts have come under increasing scrutiny in recent years as Colorado’s challenges with housing a ordability continue to fester.

Tickets:

Six One Five Collective

ese districts were created in the 1980s to help solve a very practical problem. Colorado’s economy was under signi cant pressure as employment nosedived in government, retail, and hospitality due to enormous speculation in the state’s housing market. As a result, local government tax receipts declined and caused them to be nancially unable to support new infrastructure and community development projects even as the state’s population increased.

Metro districts o ered tax-hobbled jurisdictions an alternative nancing model for infrastructure projects. Instead of only using tax subsidies, metro districts can raise debt from private investors by selling bonds and use those proceeds to fund construction. ese districts then collect property taxes from homeowners to pay for their maintenance expenses.

In 2000, there were about 200 metro districts in Colorado. Today, there are more than 2,300 metro districts in Colorado, according to the Special District Association of the Division of Local Government. Groups like the Colorado Association of Home Builders say metro districts can improve housing a ordability by reducing the per unit infrastructure costs by between $30,000 and $40,000. But homeowners like Sorensen think there need to be more safeguards in place to limit the amount of debt that metro districts can issue.

For example, the more than $760 million in bonds that the Baseline Metropolitan District can issue is about 72% greater than the city and county of Broom eld’s total outstanding debt, according to Broom eld’s latest comprehensive nancial statement. Collectively, the 2,300 metro districts in Colorado hold more than $1 trillion in debt, which dwarfs the state of Colorado’s more than $37 billion of total debt.

“Unchecked, some of thesenancial structures could easily lead down a road of mass foreclosures or whole communities defaulting,” Sorensen said.

Metro districts also don’t seem to be helping to make Colorado homes more a ordable. Colorado’s median home price has skyrocketed by more than 93% over the last decade from about $288,000 to more than

$558,000 as of March 2023.

Rents for a two-bedroom apartment in major cities like Denver and Boulder have also increased signi cantly. In Denver, rents have increased by 120% from about $830 in 2013 to about $1,967 today, according to data from RentCafe. Boulder’s average rent has increased by 137% over the same time period, from about $1,060 to more than $2,300, according to RentCafe.

Recent reform e orts

Despite some glaring issues with metro districts, legislative reform e orts have been hard to come by in part because of the strong lobbying e orts from developers.

Colorado lawmakers introduced multiple bills during the 2023 legislative session aimed at metro districts. One bill, House Bill 23-1090, sought to prohibit the directors of metro districts from purchasing the bonds that they issue through another entity. It was introduced by Democrat Rep. Mike Weisman of Aurora and Sen. Robert Rodriguez of Denver.

Weisman told the House Finance Committee that the bill is designed to create “higher restraint” on the part of metro district directors before they issue debt on behalf of the homeowners they represent.

“I want to be clear that there is a role for government debt. e state has it for school and re districts,” Weisman told the committee. “But in just about every other case, those who purchase the debt do so at an arm’s length from those who issue it.”

However, HB23-1090 attracted signi cant pushback from groups like the Associated Builders and Contractors Rocky Mountain Chapter, the International Council of Shopping Centers, and the Colorado Chamber of Commerce to name a few. e Senate Local Government & Housing Committee voted to postpone the bill inde nitely by a 4-3 margin at the end of March.

Instead, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 23-110, a bipartisan bill that explicitly allows metro district directors to purchase this kind of debt. SB23-110 also requires additional transparency from metro districts regarding the debt issued and re-

SEE REFORM, P21

Drawing inspiration from Fleetwood Mac and Little Big Town, this country music group performs original music alongside songs they’ve written for artists such as George Strait, Lee Brice, and Sister Hazel.

Allegedly high on meth, burglar entered school through the roof

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e burglary at Littleton High School on May 19 was allegedly committed by a woman who wandered into the school through an unlocked hatch on the roof after inhaling methamphetamine, according to police documents.

According to the arrest a davit, 33-year-old Christine Ward told police she saw people following her after inhaling meth early on the morning of May 19. She stumbled upon the high school when attempting to ee from the people following her.

She allegedly wanted to enter the building to steal items to use as a disguise from the people following her, the a davit says.

REFORM

quires the entity to get the opinion of a registered municipal advisor regarding the market fairness of the debt incurred.

SB23-110 also gained the support of many lobbyists who did not support HB23-1090 such as the Adams County Regional Economic Partner-

After encountering several locked doors, she allegedly climbed onto the roof and entered the building through a latched — but unlocked — hatch, according to o cials.

In an email to Colorado Community Media, Littleton Public Schools communications manager Nicole Moyer said maintenance personnel left ladder and hatch locks unsecured, but the district does not know if an employee or an outside contractor made this error.

When police arrested Ward, she was wearing a black wig she had allegedly stolen from the building and had various other stolen items, according to their report. O cials said the total value of the stolen items is about $200.

Ward was charged with seconddegree burglary, possession of drug

ship, the Colorado Infrastructure Council, and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.

Supporters of the bill like Maryann McGeady, an attorney with McGeady Becher P.C., a law rm that represents special districts, told lawmakers that SB23-110 ensures there is a standard set of best practices for all metro districts to follow. is includes clarifying information that needs to be included in a metro district’s service plan and

paraphernalia and theft, according to the arrest a davit.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, burglary is the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft.

“ at’s why it was second-degree burglary, because she did break into the school, and then theft because it was pretty petty, minor,” said Littleton Police spokesperson Sheera Poelman.

Poelman said the Littleton Police Department searched and cleared the entire building twice before declaring it safe.

“We never want to assume anything when it comes to the safety of (Littleton Public Schools) students, sta , and the Littleton community as a whole,” she said.

e Je erson County Sheri ’s Of-

which entities will be responsible for maintaining the district after it is complete.

But Colorado residents like Alex Plotkin, who lives in Boulder, told lawmakers that SB23-110 would simply add to the nancial problems that homeowners in metro districts face.

“Statewide, this is becoming a multi-billion dollar issue with no signs of abating,” Plotkin told lawmakers in March. “So as the citizens

ce assisted the responders with a K-9 unit and the Englewood Police Department also helped on the scene, Poelman said.

e district informed maintenance personnel and contractors to double-check all hatches and ladders after completion of maintenance in the future, Moyer wrote. She said checks of these locks will be part of regular security sweeps going forward.

Ward appeared in Arapahoe County District Court for an advisement hearing on May 20. Her case was set for a formal ling of charges on May 25, court executive Shaun Clark wrote in an email to Colorado Community Media.

Ward failed to appear in court on May 25 and a warrant has been issued for her arrest, Clark wrote.

of Colorado are struggling nancially, representatives at all levels are further exacerbating the issue by enabling additional nancial burden on countless citizens who have no say in the matter.”

Governor Jared Polis signed SB23110 into law on April 3.

is Yellow Scene Magazine story via e Associated Press’ Storyshare, of which Colorado Community Media is a member.

Valor baseball takes state title

BY JIM BENTON SPECAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Valor Christian ended its baseball season in a more satisfying way than it started.

e Eagles had a 4-8 record on April 13 but Valor overlooked the poor start and wrapped up the season on June 3 at All-Star Park in Lakewood with a 4-0 win over Cherokee Trail in the Class 5A state championship game.

It was the 16th straight win for Valor, which won its rst Class 5A state title and wound up the season with a 20-8 record.

Valor, which won three 4A state titles from 201618, used a strong pitching performance from senior Hunter Smith and timely hitting to defeat the Cougars and nished the season with players and fans celebrating on the All-Star Park eld.

Valor coach Travis Cruz had to do a lot of thinking over the Eagles early-season woes.

“It’s like where do I start, how do I keep them going and how do I keep building them to know that it’s just a game of baseball,” Cruz recalled.

“It all started with a bucket,” he continued. “Here’s a Band-Aid and we’re going to cover up with a BandAid. e bucket came to life and they carried a bucket of Band-Aids around and they just kept going. ey bought into everything and just kept going.”

Smith said the 15th-seeded Eagles pulled together.

“My thoughts on the 4-8 start is that we weren’t playing as a team and then we came out with the brotherhood that we have,” Smith said. “We play together.

“ e game that turned it around for us was Cherry Creek (a 6-4 win). We went on a 16-game winning streak after Cherry Creek.I’m so happy for this team. We just did it.”

Senior third baseman Stephen Lukasiewicz said the Eagles started to feel comfortable as the season progressed.

“ e 4-8 start was pretty rough,” admitted Lukasiewicz. “We were all kind of down a little bit but we had two of our best players out. Once we got them back that gave us a lot of con dence and energy. As time went on we got more comfortable.

the seventh inning when he reached his pitch limit. At one point during the

Cashel Dugger and Parker Feagan had two hits and each had an RBI.

Valor Christian starter Hunter Smith (29) allowed just four hits in 6.2 innings of work as the Eagles shutout Cherokee Trail, 4-0, to win the Class 5A state baseball championship on June 3 at All Star Park.

“It feels like a dream to win said Cruz. “It was grateful to watch them keep going. We those outs, the game is not over. We stuck together as a

25th in the state tournament bracket, ended the season with an 18-13 record which

advance into the championship game.

Individual golf battle enlivens championship

Girls 5A players go to playo round

BY JIM BENTON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Valor Christian took most of the suspense out of the girls 5A state golf championship by winning its second straight title by 21 strokes.

However, one of the Eagles’ top players added a little suspense to the nal day of the state tournament on May 31 at Black Bear golf course in Parker.

Sophomore Brenna Higgins tied Sophia Stiwich of Smoky Hill for the individual championship with 143 two-round totals and forced a playo .

However, the suddendeath playo was also unfortunately one-sided as Higgins was declared the

state champ when Stiwich conceded after hitting two tee shots out of bounds.

Higgins hit her drive down the left side of the fairway on the 18th hole while Stiwich’s tee shot went far to the right and was out of bounds. She hit another drive from the tee and it too landed in the weeds, Stiwich then walked to Higgins and conceded, which sent Valor teammates running towards Higgins to celebrate.

“We had the drama at the end,” said Valor coach Justin Byler. “We would rather not have drama but at the same time it makes for some fun. From the tee box we didn’t know where Sophia’s ball had ended up. It looked like it had been found but we didn’t know if it was out of bounds or playable.

“So it was a matter of making a good swing, putting

the ball in the middle of the fairway so we had an opportunity to be on the green in two and maybe two or three putt. at was the strategy of going second there.”

Byler gained a lot more respect for Stiwich after she conceded.

“She made a di cult decision and I have a huge amount of respect for her,” added Byler. “It was a tough decision for a young lady because she played so well for two days. We would have all liked to see it nish on the green, not only for Brenna’s sake but for Sophia’s because they both deserved that. You see a lot of things in this sport but that’s the rst time I’ve seen that one.”

Higgins followed up on what she had done during the rst two rounds when

Valor sophomore Brenna Higgins walked o with the Class 5A girls state golf individual championship after a one-shot playo against Smoky Hill’s Sophia Stiwich.

PHOTO BY JIM BENTON SEE GOLF, P23

PHOTO BY JIM BENTON

that’s what I did both days,” she said. “It could have gone either way for both us. I’m really happy with the outcome right now.”

Higgins shot a 6-under-par 66 on the rst day of the tourney on May 30 and had a nal round 77 for her 1-under-par 143 total. Stiwich had rounds of 67 and 76 and left a putt inches short on the nal hole of regulation, which would have given her the individual title.

“It’s incredible,” said Higgins. “I’ve spent so much time preparing for this. I was shaking through the nal ve holes. I was putting really well in the rst round. I didn’t miss a green and that helped.”

Valor Christian had rounds of 224 and 237 to wind up with a 461 total. Castle View rallied during the sec-

Byler. “I’m super super proud of these young ladies. ey handled themsleves with grace and humility all year long, even experiencing a level of success.”

Higgins older sister, senior Elle, tied for fth in the individual standings with a 74-75 149 two-round total. She tied with Castle View’s Sydney McCord (75-74 149).

e other two members of Valor’s golf team were Isabella Hidalgo, who was 28th with a 173 score, and Halahn Lee, who nished 29th at 174

Rock Canyon sophomore Ashleigh Wilson had the best score in the nal round with a 2-under-par 70 and was third in the individual race with a 145 total after an opening round 75.

Castle View, led by Sydney McCord, was the girls Class 5A state golf championship runner-ups with a tournament total of 482 strokes. PHOTO BY JIM BENTON

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FLSmidth Inc., Regional Sales Manager, Mexico, Central Am. & Caribbean Reg., Greenwood Village, CO: Supprt material handling & mineral processing bus in mining indstry throughout assigned region, incl facilitating key account mngmnt & sales growth acts for new eqip packgs, aftermarket services, & spare & wear parts. Reqs: Bach degree in Metallurgical, Mining, Mechanical, Electrical, or Mineral Processing Eng., or foreign equivlnt; exp must be gained in job offered or a technical sales engineering or management position in the miningrelated material handling and mineral processing industry, & 2 yrs’ exp w/ each of the follwng: devlpng material handlng & mineral processing proposals in the mining indstry for new eqip packgs, aftermarket services, & spare & wear parts, incl executing associated scopes of work & supply, vendor estimates, eng orders, & fabrication, installatn, commissn, & start-up supprt service acts; devlpng detailed customer proposals for material handlng & mineral processing projects in the mining indstry for new equip packgs, aftermarket services, & spare & wear parts, incl negotiating & clarifying contractual terms & issues with highlevel client & vendor reps, performing pricing calculatns, & executng contracts; preping eng & eqip specificatns for material handlng & mineral processing projects in the mining indstry, incl evaluatng vendor offers & tech bids; performing market analyses & sales strategy & planning for material handlng & mineral processing projects in the mining indstry; leading or supportng the sale of large, multimillion dollar material handlng & mineral processing new equip packgs in the mining indstry, incl stackers, reclaimers, conveyors, crushers, sag & ball mills, & HPGRs, & aftermarket equp services packgs for preventative maintenance & predictive & corrective services; managing offer & order mngmnt lifecycles for mining indstry relatd material handlng & mineral processing equip spare & wear parts utilizng CRM (customer relatnshp mngmnt) software, SAP PP systs, & indstry specific spare parts catalogue software. Exp may be gained concurrently. The incumbent will be req’d to travel internationally at least 40% of the time. Apply online at https://www.flsmidth.com/en-gb/ company/careers using keywords

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East Central BOCES is seeking a Speech Language Aide and/or Occupational Therapy Aides for the 2023-24 School Year!

Duties include picking up students from class, monitoring students during virtual instruction, and returning them to class. Training will be provided. The salary range is $15 - $18 per hour, depending on experience. 32 hours per week. Mileage reimbursed for travel between schools. Location of schools TBA. Questions, please contact Tracy at 719-775-2342 ext. 101 or tracyg@ecboces.org. To apply for this position, please visit our website ecboces.org and click on the “Jobs” page, click on the job you are interested in & then click on the grey button “Apply Online”, located at the bottom of the job listing. EOE

LEGITIMATE WORK AT HOME

No Sales, no Investment, No Risk, Free training, Free website. Contact Susan at 303-646-4171 or fill out form at www.wisechoice4u.com

Systems Safety Engineer Boom Technology, Inc. seeks Systems Safety Engineer in Centennial, CO. to provide guidance and conducts engineering, as required, during the capture, allocates and management safety requirements. Apply at https://www. jobpostingtoday.com/Ref #17340.

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Eng 3, Eng Ops

Comcast Cable Comm, LLC, Englewood, CO. Mng full life-cycle of co Entrprs nwk infrstrctr, incl mng tech stack that runs co’s nwk hw, sw,& configuratn lifecycle; Reqs: Bach in CS, Eng or rel; 2 yrs exp use route & switch protcls & techs, incl OSPF, ISIS, iBGP, & eBGP; process pkts thru load balancers; write scripts use Python for nwk autmtn & orchestratn; & wrk in Scrum & DevOps environss; 1 yr incl dev & admin wireless nwk infrstrctr. Salary: $87,194- $110,000/yr. Benefits: https://jobs.comcast. com/life-atcomcast/benefits. Apply Jacquelin_ Branks@comcast.com Ref Job ID# 0108

Early Childhood Special Education Teacher

Openings for Maternity Leave Coverage

Full/Part-Time opening located in Bennett and surrounding schools and; Full/Part-Time opening in the Limon and surrounding schools. Starting August 7th and ending November 10th. The salary range $13,530 to $16,302 for 62 days of work dependent on experience. Itinerant position working in the preschool setting providing direct and indirect services to students.

CDE Licensed ECSE preferred but may accept CDE substitute license. Mileage is reimbursed between schools. Questions contact Tracy at (719) 775-2342, ext. 101 or email tracyg@ecboces.org

To apply for this position, please visit our website ecboces.org and click on the “Jobs” page, click on the job you are interested in & then click on the grey button “Apply Online”, located at the bottom of the job listing. EOE

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Seeking Tech Coordinator part-time position in Parker. Proficient in video, graphics, music and streaming software. Includes online + in person weekly/monthly meetings and in-person set-up/production for Sunday worship service. $21-$23/hr for approx 8 hours/wk.

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WIDOWED MEN AND WOMEN OF AMERICA.

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

COMMUNITY SHREDDING DAY

BRING YOUR DOCUMENTS

June 10th

SATURDAY, 10AM – 1PM

ON SITE UNLIMITED PROFESSIONAL SHREDDING

1400 S. University Blvd St. Michael & All Angels’ CHURCH

PARKING LOT behind the church

$7.00 / banker box or $25/car trunk load/ pick-ups negotiable

TELL YOUR FRIENDS

Garage and Estate Sales

Save the Date!

Gigantic Garage Sale in the Pradera Golf Community Subdivision

Friday & Saturday, June 9th and 10th

8am-4pm

Numerous homeowners in the Pradera community will be participating in this event Major cross streets into Pradera are Bayou Gulch and Parker Road, Parker 80134 Call Dotson Skaggs, Kentwood Company, 303-909-9350 for more information.

Multi Family Sale

June 10th 8-2

Fairways at South Suburban East Side of Colorado Blvd, just north of County Line

Huge Neighborhood Sale

Antiques, kitchen items, power tools, lawn and patio, furniture, collectibles and so much more!

Friday and Saturday June 9th and 10th

8am – 2pm

6653 W. Geddes Ave. Littleton

Huge Annual Antique, Collectible & Horse Drawn Farm Equipment Sale

Horse Drawn Farm Equipment, Wood Wheel Wagons, Buggy, Steel Wheels, Misc. Farm Tons of Collectibles. Gas Pumps.

Thurs-Sun June 8th - June 11th 8:00am-4pm

10824 E Black Forest Dr Parker 80138 720-842-1716

Garage Sales

27th Year for “Old Farm Item Sale”

8258 Inspiration Place, Parker. 9am - 6pm, June 9th, 10th and 11th.

3 wagon wheel hubs, 3 wood wagon wheels, 3 rotary hoe wheels, 1 cultivator, 1 1952 Case Tractor with bucket and snow blade, 20 assorted iron wheels, 1 garden cultivator, lots of farm and yard art, 3 cream cans, 4 planter tables, 100 new dowel sticks 3 sizes, cast iron buckets, 1 barn wood wheelbarrow, ladders, lumber and old iron, galvanized buckets and old tubs, 2 small wagons, lots of cheap nuts and bolts, 1 wash tub. No children clothes or items. Builders and collectors sale. Cash only.

HUGE COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE

(up to 86 garages) at the St. Andrews at Plum Creek community, located in Castle Rock, CO. The sale will be held on Friday and Saturday 16 and 17 of June 2023, from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm each day. Follow your GPS to 3123 Newport Circle for the center of the community. The homes are located on Mount Royal Drive, Newport Circle and Compass Circle. From Exit 181 (Plum Creek Parkway) off of I-25 follow the signs to Mount Royal Drive. A full range of items will be on sale from appliances to baby clothes. Merchandise

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If the Colorado Republican Party had employees in April, they didn’t get paid

BY SANDRA FISH THE COLORADO SUN

It’s the rst time in at least 20 years the Grand Old Party didn’t pay any employees in Colorado.

And the party’s actual bank accounts have less money than the $120,540 a recent ling said the party had on hand, the GOP acknowledged in an addendum led with the Federal Election Commission.

“ e executive board has formed a committee to investigate the discrepancy and will likely lead to the restatement of previous reports to account for the error,” the document concluded.

e Colorado GOP raised only about $58,000 in the rst four months of the year, including less than $15,000 in April. e party spent more than $15,000 last month, with $9,100 going to health and dental bene ts. It’s unclear if anyone is working for the party; no sta is listed on its website.

Questions about the party’s nances point to rocky beginnings for Party Chairman Dave Williams, an electiondenying former El Paso County lawmaker who won control of a divided state GOP in March.

Williams didn’t return phone calls, text messages or emails from e Colorado Sun seeking comment. Colorado Public Radio reported last month that Williams was also working a full-time job as a legislative aide.

Tom Bjorklund, the party’s new treasurer, referred questions to Williams. e initial April report Bjorkland led reported only $3,000 in contributions. An amended report was led later.

e $120,540 cash balance reported by the party isn’t the lowest ever — the party’s cash on hand fell below $100,000 for several months in the 2015-16 election cycle.

Williams was elected on a platform that included falsely insisting that former President Donald Trump won the 2020 election. But he told e Sun in March that his critics should “relax,” and said he was focused on attacking Democrats.

A sampling of his emails since he became chairman show he’s been doing that. “Democrats Defend Perverts,” “ ey hate you,” “Democrats’ Witch-Hunt of Trump” and “Democrats threaten Pastor” are among the subject lines of his emails. e emails include buttons to donate but talk more about state legislative proposals than how the party will rally behind candidates for o ce or assist campaigns.

e lack of a payroll for a state party in Colorado is unusual.

“ ere have been other cycles where the party pays only one or two salaries in the o year,” said Kristi Burton Brown, who chaired the party during the last election cycle. “If they want to run it all-volunteer, they cer-

tainly can.”

e party raised only a little more than $18,000 in the rst two months of the year, before Williams was elected chairman.

From January through April, Colorado’s GOP spent more than $263,000.

at compares with $539,000 spent in the rst four months of 2021, another nonelection year when ve people were paid for their work in April. Of this year’s spending, $73,000 went to Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck for legal services.

It’s unclear if the law rm is still representing the party. Former GOP Executive Director Joe Jackson went to work for U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, RWindsor, at the start of the year. Shana Banberger, the GOP’s fundraising consultant for many years, also is no longer working for the state party.

e state account for the GOP had only about $1,500 in cash at the end of March. at account has smaller contribution limits so raises less money than the federal account, which is used to pay most of the party’s expenses.

“Anybody who gets elected state chair should probably prioritize raising money,” said Dick Wadhams, who ran the state party from 2007 to 2011 and has been critical of Williams. “You can’t run an operation without that in the bank.”

Newly elected Colorado Democratic Party Chairman Shad Murib said the

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Advertising Sales Deadline: Wednesday, June 28th at NOON

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lack of paid sta should be concerning.

“It means the infrastructure of the party doesn’t have much support without a sta kind of assisting it,” he said.

Murib told e Sun he’s splitting his time between working with grassroots Democrats and fundraising.

“We’re reengaging with donors who are interested in seeing our success in 2022 continue,” he said.

e state Democratic Party raised nearly $92,000 in April, and spent nearly $211,000, including about $26,000 on payroll for a half-dozen employees. at left the party with nearly $196,000 in cash at the end of April.

e Democratic Party raised more than $419,000 in the rst four months of the year, while spending about $454,000. e party’s state-level account had nearly $32,000 at the end of March.

And the Colorado GOP has trailed Democrats in political spending in the state in recent years.

e Colorado Sun co-owns Colorado Community Media as a partner in the Colorado News Conservancy. It is a reader-supported news organization dedicated to covering the people, places and policies that matter in Colorado. Read more, sign up for free newsletters and subscribe at coloradosun.com.

Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088

Legals

To Whom It May Concern: On 4/3/2023 3:44:00 PM the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Douglas County.

Original Grantor: DARRIN LEE MARTIN

Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS BENEFICIARY, AS NOMINEE FOR RENASANT BANK, ITS SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, as trustee of Stanwich

Mortgage Loan Trust I

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 12/17/2015

Recording Date of DOT: 12/18/2015

Reception No. of DOT: 2015090262

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $181,649.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $158,785.59

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

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

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

Legal Description of Real Property:

BUILDING 9, UNIT 104, CANYON RANCH CONDOMINIUMS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND SUBJECT TO THE DECLARATION FOR CANYON RANCH CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC., RECORDED ON DECEMBER 19, 1995 IN BOOK 1307 AT PAGE 260, ANNEXATION RECORDED MARCH 27, 1996 IN BOOK 1328 AT PAGE 1217 AND THE CONDOMINIUM MAP RECORDED ON DECEMBER 19, 1995 AS RECEPTION NO: 9560424 IN THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK AND RECORDER OF DOUGLAS COUNTY, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Which has the address of: 8459 Little Rock Way Unit 104, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126

NOTICE OF SALE

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

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 26, 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: 6/1/2023

Last Publication: 6/29/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 4/4/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

JENNIFER

described

to be recorded in Douglas County.

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

Publisher: Douglas County News Press PUBLIC NOTICE

Highlands Ranch NOTICE OF SALE

Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0052

To Whom It May Concern: On 3/15/2023 10:28:00

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

Original Grantor: VICKI K. SCOTT

Original Beneficiary: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 9/5/2008

Recording Date of DOT: 9/16/2008

Reception No. of DOT: 2008063555

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $75,000.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $129,351.83

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

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

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

To Whom It May Concern: On 3/30/2023 11:43:00

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

Original Grantor: LEE ANN KNUTSON

Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. ACTING SOLELY AS NOMINEE FOR NATIONAL MORTGAGE CENTER DBA

PRICELINEMORTGAGE

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt:

LOANCARE, LLC

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 5/30/2000

Recording Date of DOT: 6/7/2000

Reception No. of DOT: 00039182

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $163,500.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $96,961.61

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

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

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

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.: 945402

First Publication: May 18, 2023

Last Publication: June 8, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

PUBLIC NOTICE

From the Office of Toby Damisch, Douglas County Assessor Colorado law requires the County Assessor to hear objections to hear objections to personal property valuations. Objections will be heard beginning June 15, 2023. Objections to personal property valuations for 2023 must be delivered by close of business or postmarked no later than June 30, 2023. If the last day to appeal falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, it is deemed to have been timely filed if postmarked on the next business day.

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: the failure to make timely payments required under said Deed of Trust and the Evidence of Debt secured thereby

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN.

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

Legal Description of Real Property:

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

Which has the address of:

10004 Heywood Street, Highlands Ranch, CO 80130

NOTICE OF SALE

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

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 19, 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: 5/25/2023

Last Publication: 6/22/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 3/27/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

DEANNE R.

Legal Description of Real Property: A PARCEL OF LAND SITUATED IN THE STATE OF COLORADO, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, WITH A STREET LOCATION ADDRESS OF 9562 PINEBROOK ST; HIGHLANDS RANCH, CO 801303778 CURRENTLY OWNED BY VICKI K SCOTT HAVING A TAX IDENTIFICATION NUMBER OF 0342753 AND FURTHER DESCRIBED AS LOT

11 BLK 1 HIGHLANDS RANCH # 69A 0.149 AM/L

Which has the address of: 9562 Pinebrook St, Highlands Ranch, CO 80130 NOTICE OF SALE

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

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the 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: 5/18/2023

Last Publication: 6/15/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 3/15/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

ALISON L. BERRY

Colorado Registration #: 34531 9800 S. MERIDIAN BLVD. SUITE 400, ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO 80112

Phone #: (303) 706-9990

Fax #: (303) 706-9994

Attorney File #: 23-029451

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

Legal Notice No. 2023-0052

First Publication: 5/18/2023

Last Publication: 6/15/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 22, HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 101-A, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 9778 S. Bucknell Way, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126

NOTICE OF SALE

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

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 26, 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: 6/1/2023

Last Publication: 6/29/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 3/30/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

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

Fax #:

Attorney File #: 00000009763855

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

Legal Notice No. 2023-0062

First Publication: 6/1/2023

Last Publication: 6/29/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press City and County

Notice

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

The Assessor’s Office, located in the Wilcox Building at 301 Wilcox Street in Castle Rock, will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Information regarding the valuation process, appeals and appointments can be obtained on the Assessor’s website at www. douglas.co.us/assessor, or by phoning the office at 303-660-7448.

Legal Notice No. 945544

First Publication: June 8, 2023

Last Publication: June 8, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

Public Notice

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

A public hearing will be held before the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at 2:30 p.m., in the Commissioners Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, concerning the adoption of the following Ordinance:

ORDINANCE NO. O-023-002

THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, COLORADO AN ORDINANCE FOR SAFE USE OF PUBLIC PROPERTY TO LIMIT PUBLIC CAMPING AND PROHIBIT TEMPORARY STRUCTURES ON PUBLIC PROPERTY WITHIN THE UNINCORPORATED PORTIONS OF DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO

WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Douglas, Colorado, (“Board”) is authorized to enact this Ordinance pursuant to C.R.S. § 30-11-101(2), to provide for public health, safety, and welfare and C.R.S. §30-15-401(1)(d) to restrain loiters.

WHEREAS, the Board finds that the purpose and intent of this Ordinance is to ensure the safe use of public property, to protect those lawfully using public property, preserve public property, promote the safe and lawful use of public property, and promote the public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens, including the residents of Douglas County. NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, COLORADO, THAT:

PART I: PROHIBITED USE OF PUBLIC PROPERTY

Section 1. Limitation on Public Camping

(A.) No person shall camp on county property without first having obtained the written permission of the authorized officer of such public property.

1. A person cannot violate Section 1 of this Ordinance where there is no access to other shelter available. Refusal to accept or move to other available shelter, where other shelter is accessible is a per se violation of this Ordinance.

2. For purposes of Section 1 of this Ordinance, county property means all land, including, any park, parkway, recreation area, roadway, open space, or any other public property owned by Douglas County in unincorporated Douglas

Home Builders Foundation ramps up mobility for metro-area families

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When Matt and Caroline Procik moved into their Castle Rock home over a year ago, it was mostly accessible to their daughter Juniper’s wheelchair, with one major exception — the step at the front door.

Lifting 3-year-old Juniper and her wheelchair over the front step became a daily task for the Prociks any time they had to leave the house.

“ ankfully she’s small enough right now that I can carry her up or down the stairs, but it’s not going to be that way forever,” Matt said.  e family tried going through their insurance, Medicaid, to nd a contractor to build a ramp, but the process was long, and they had little luck nding someone to take the job.

“We had contractors come out, but no one wanted it,” Caroline said, adding that they were told construction could take up to a month. en the Prociks found the Home Builders Foundation, an Englewood-based nonpro t that works to make homes accessible.

e Prociks family project be-

came part of the organization’s annual Blitz Build, where volunteers construct mobility ramps for free throughout the Denver metro area.

On May 19, volunteers from Haberer Carpentry and FirstBank worked through on and o drizzle building a ramp that Juniper would be able to use the very same day.  Juniper, who has a rare genetic variant, an RHOBTB2 mutation,

Public Notices

County, Colorado.

3. For purposes of Section 1 of this Ordinance, camp means to reside or dwell temporarily in a place, with shelter, and conduct activities of daily living, such as eating or sleeping, in such place. Camp does not include temporary residence associated with the performance of governmental services.

4. For purposes of Section 1 of this Ordinance, shelter includes, without limitation, any cover or protection from the elements other than clothing.

5. For purposes of Section 1 of this Ordinance, written permission includes a documented reservation, permit, park pass, or contract.

6. Failure to provide written permission upon request by an authorized party, including all law enforcement personnel shall be treated as an admission appropriate permission was not obtained.

Section 2. Prohibited Use of Temporary Structures on Public Property

(A.) No person shall erect or use any tent, net, or other temporary structure for the purpose of shelter or storage of property on county property without first having obtained the written permission of the authorized officer of such public property.

1. For purposes of Section 2 of this Ordinance, temporary structure includes any structure used to shelter a person or property after sundown and all enclosed structures. For purposes of this Ordinance, temporary structure does not apply to non-enclosed portable structures designed to provide overhead covering, including umbrellas and awnings.

2. For purposes of Section 2 of this Ordinance, written permission includes a documented reservation, permit, park pass, or contract.

3. Failure to provide written permission upon request by an authorized party, including all law enforcement is an admission appropriate permission was not obtained.

Section 3-10. Reserved

Section 11. Enforcement

The Douglas County Sheriff shall be responsible for the enforcement of this Ordinance.

Section 12. Violation

Any person who violates any Section of this Ordinance commits a civil infraction as defined under C.R.S. §30-15-402(1) and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 for each separate violation of this Ordinance, plus a surcharge of $10 under C.R.S. §30-15-402(2).

Section 13. Severability

going up and down the stairs.” rough Blitz Build, the Prociks are the rst of many families to receive no-cost mobility ramps this year.

Beth Forbes, executive director for the Home Builders Foundation, said this year’s Blitz Build will serve 24 clients with teams of volunteers building ramps on weekends from May through October.

“Relatively simple projects, like ramps, can make a really big di erence for our clients,” Forbes said.

Should any section, clause, sentence, or part of this Ordinance be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional or invalid, the same shall not affect, impair, or invalidate the ordinance as a whole or any part thereof other than the part so declared to be invalid.

Section 14. Safety Clause

The Board of County Commissioners hereby finds, determines, and declares that this Ordinance is necessary for the preservation of the public welfare, health and safety.

Section 15. Repeal All ordinances or parts of ordinances, of the County of Douglas, Colorado, in conflict herewith to the extent necessary for the enactment and enforcement of this Ordinance are expressly repealed.

Section 16. Adoption Pursuant to C.R.S. §§ 30-15-405 and 406, County ordinances are typically adopted on First Reading at a Board of County Commissioners Business Meeting. Subsequently, after notice has been provided in the newspaper, the Board of County Commissioners will adopt an ordinance at Second and Final Reading, which is conducted at a public hearing. If adopted as an “emergency ordinance,” the ordinance will take effect immediately. Otherwise, all ordinances go into effect 30 days after publication after Second and Final Reading.

CERTIFICATION

The Douglas County Clerk shall certify to the passage of this ordinance and shall have on file copies of this ordinance available for inspection by the public during regular business hours.

INTRODUCED, READ AND ADOPTED ON FIRST READING on May 23, 2023, and ordered published in the DOUGLAS COUNTY NEWSPRESS.

THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, COLORADO

loves to explore downtown Castle Rock and her neighborhood, listen to music and swing outside. Her new mobility ramp will help her more easily access many of her favorite things, the Prociks said.

“I’m happy to not have to maneuver the step every day, it’ll be a big di erence,” Matt said. “We walk into town with Juniper, so it will be great to get out into Castle Rock without

PUBLIC INVITATION TO BID

The Department of Public Works of Douglas County Government hereinafter referred to as the County, respectfully seeking Request for Proposals (RFP) from responsible and qualified providers of Consultant Services to assist with the 2023 Douglas County Ride Quality Testing Project, Douglas County Project Number CI 2023-018.

This project consists of the performance of ride quality testing and reporting of data in Half-car Roughness Index (HRI), using line laser equipment, for each driving lane of the concrete roads in Douglas County. No turn lanes are to be included in this project. Data shall be collected in segments, based on the Douglas County Pavement Management database and reported as an average HRI for each lane for each segment as well as a composite average for each segment. The selected firm must be on the Colorado Department of Transportation’s list of firms with a pavement smoothness testing device certified for use on concrete pavements.

The contract documents will be available after 10:00 A.M., on Monday, June 12, 2023. Documents may be reviewed and/or printed from the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System website at www.rockymountainbidsystem.com.

All questions are due to Brian Schultz, Engineering Construction Manager by 5:00 P.M., on June 28, 2023.

RFP responses will be received until 11:00

A.M., on Tuesday July 11, 2023. Please submit one (1) electronic copy in pdf format, via email to bschultz@douglas.co.us of your Proposal with the subject line, “Request for Proposal (RFP) CI 2023018, 2023 Douglas County Ride Quality Testing Project”. Physical copies may be submitted via Mail or hand-carried to Douglas County Government, Public Works Department, Engineering Division, 100 Third Street, Suite 220, Castle Rock, Colorado 80104, prior to the due date and time. RFP responses will not be considered which are received after the time stated.

“We have a lot of great local support, so these projects don’t even cost Home Builders Foundation except for time coordinating volunteers.” e average cost of a mobility ramp is upwards of $5,000, according to the Home Builders Foundation. Since the Blitz Build started 13 years ago, volunteers have installed 220 ramps, valuing around $950,000.  Home Builders Foundation is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. e organization serves Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomeld, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, and Je erson counties. For more information, go to hbfdenver.org.

Legal Notice No. DCNP1201

First Publication: June 8, 2023

Last Publication: June 8, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

Children Services

(Adoption/Guardian/Other)

Public Notice

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

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

In the Interest of:

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

And Concerning:

XEA ELIZABETH MARIE LANDERS, A.K.A.

XEA BERGFELD, A.K.A. XEA LANDERSBERGFELD, Mother CHRISTOPHER LYNN MILLER, D.O.B.: 10/2/1986, Possible Father JOHN DOE, Possible Father Respondents.

CASE NUMBER: 22JV106

DIVISION 8

Attorney for Department:

which may be obtained at the office of the Douglas County Attorney’s Office.

A Return of Service and Pretrial Conference has been set for July 17, 2023 at 8:45 a.m. in Division 8, Douglas County District Court. All parties shall appear by calling 720-437-6180, extension 75592#, unless otherwise indicated by the Court.

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

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

You have the right to have this matter heard by a district court judge rather than by the magistrate. You may waive that right, and in doing so, you will be bound by the findings and recommendations of the magistrate, subject to review as provided by sec. 19-1-108(5.5), C.R.S. 2019, and subsequently, to the right of appeal as provided by Colorado Appellate Rule 3.4.

By:/s/ Abe Layton Abe Laydon,

ATTEST:

/s/

Chair

Roberta Nelson, Deputy Clerk

Legal Notice No. 945524

First Publication: June 8, 2023

Last Publication: June 8, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

Bids and Settlements Public

Douglas County Government reserves the right to reject any RFPs, to waive formalities, informalities, or irregularities contained in a said RFP, and to award a contract for items herein, either in whole or in part, if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the County to do so.

Additionally, we reserve the right to negotiate optional items/services with the successful vendor.

Please direct any questions concerning this RFP to Brian Schultz, Engineering Construction Manager, 303-660-7490, bschultz@douglas.co.us, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

Plan holder information, can be found on the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System Website.

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

DEPENDENCY SUMMONS

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

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

TO THE RESPONDENT NAMED ABOVE: You are hereby notified that a petition has been filed which alleges that the above-named child is dependent or neglected as per the facts set forth in the Dependency and Neglect Petition, a copy of

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

Dated: May 31, 2023

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

Legal Notice No. DCNP1200

First Publication: June 8, 2023

Last Publication: June 8, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press ###

Matt, Juniper and Caroline Procik, center, surrounded by some of the volunteers from Haberer Carpentry and FirstBank who built a mobility ramp for the family through Blitz Build, a program of the nonprofit Home Builders Foundation. PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD

37th Annual MILE HIGH HOOK & LADDER

In Partnership with South Metro Fire Rescue

Saturday, June 17, 2023

PARADE: 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Littleton Blvd West through Historic Downtown Littleton

MUSTER: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Arapahoe Community College 5900 S. Santa Fe, Littleton

FREE • EDUCATIONAL • FUN!

• Firefighters & Other First Responders

• Antique & Modern Fire Rescue Apparatus

• Rescue Demonstrations

• Fire Truck Rides

• Junior Firefighter Games

• Emergency Helicopter Landing