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WEEK OF DECEMBER 28, 2023

VOLUME 22 | ISSUE 43

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EDUCATION Is college worth it?

Link On Demand is the City of Lone Tree’s free shuttle service.

COURTESY OF CITY OF LONE TREE

Lone Tree to expand free shuttle service into Meridian next year Link On Demand ridership growing after taking hit during pandemic BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Lone Tree will expand its free shuttle service beyond city boundaries in 2024 as officials believe passenger interest is rebounding after the lull that

hit amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Link On Demand free shuttle currently takes riders anywhere within city limits during its service hours. Starting Feb. 1, the shuttle will offer rides to and from the Meridian area, about three miles northeast of Lone Tree. People can book rides through the Link On Demand app. “We know there’s a lot of demand to grow into that area, and that’s really what we’re excited about,” Justin Schmitz, the city’s director of public works and mobility, said at a recent

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study session with the city council. As part of the expansion project, two additional Link On Demand vehicles will be phased into service in February. “It’s not just an expansion,” Schmitz said. “It is also (to) make sure we have more vehicles available within the city to provide service within and beyond the city.” The expansion of the service is projected to cost up to $1.44 million in SEE RIDESHARE, P8

THE YEAR IN PHOTOS Looking back on this year’s big P6 stories

REINDEER Local herds spread holiday joy

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December 28, 2023De

Report measures value of college education BY JASON GONZALES CHALKBEAT COLORADO

Is college worth it? It can be, but students need to have better information about what a college education can lead to. According to a recent Colorado report, residents who complete college fare much better than their counterparts. In fact, those who finish a bachelor’s degree greatly outearn residents with only a high school diploma by several hundred dollars a week. The annual 2023 Higher Education Return on Investment Report commissioned by lawmakers provides a high-level look at how Colorado students fare if they get a college certificate, associate degree, or bachelor’s degree. This year’s report shows the debt held by college graduates has dropped and in-demand jobs are expected to grow, but there are still pay gaps for college-educated residents. The data shows white and Asian American graduates earn more than Black and Hispanic graduates. The information in the report is

A recently released report seeks to sum up the return on investment for students going to college in Colorado. PHOTO BY ELI IMADALI FOR CHALKBEAT

crucial to help students make a decision about whether they should go to college, advocates said. They also say the state can go a step further by displaying more information that students can use, including which college programs benefit them the most. TeRay Esquibel, Ednium: The Alumni Collective executive director, said the report helps build a collective understanding of what students can expect if they go to college.

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In recent years, students, especially those who are from low-income backgrounds, have questioned more and more whether to go to college due to high tuition and debt. Esquibel said even more data can not only help students decide if they want to go, but decide which college to enroll in. His organization provides Denver Public Schools graduates resources to prepare themselves for college and careers. He said he hears from students who want to understand whether they’re going to be able to take care of their family or give back to their community by going to college. They don’t want to be stuck with high debt and no support once they graduate. “Students should be able to ask the question, ‘if I make this investment, what do I get out of it?’” Esquibel said. “I don’t know anybody that would make an investment of four years of time and potentially tens of thousands of dollars without being able to ask the question, ‘What can I expect?’” Below are three takeaways from this year’s report. Graduates are leaving with less debt This year’s report reaffirms that higher education continues to be important. About 91% of Colorado jobs with the potential to provide an income that can support a family of three require some education beyond high school — either a college certificate, associate degree, or bachelor’s degree. Student debt, however, can cut into the ability of students to make enough money to support themselves. The good news is that the total amount of debt among Colorado public college and university graduates has declined in recent years. Colorado students who earn a bachelor’s carried a debt load on average of $25,200 in 2022, down $1,300 from 2016. And community college graduates leave with about $12,900 in debt, down by $900 during the same time period. Van Schoales, the Keystone Policy Center’s senior policy director, said the data surprised him, but shows there’s a greater return on going to college now. The nonprofit works with policy leaders on contentious topics to reach common ground.

“I think that’s a really bright light for Colorado,” he said. Job growth in Colorado continues to look promising Across Colorado, job growth among the top in-demand jobs will continue to grow by 1.3% over the next five years. The healthcare and social assistance job sector — which includes nurses and youth and family social workers — is expected to see the greatest increases, growing by over 35,000 jobs. But Colorado has struggled to fill many jobs, with two available jobs for every unemployed person. Katie Zaback, Colorado Succeeds vice president of policy, said she hopes the data is shared widely throughout the state and in a way that’s helpful for students. Colorado Succeeds is a coalition of business leaders interested in improving education and training for students. “We need to do more to help students understand what those programs are, what kind of jobs they lead to, and what the demand for different jobs are so that they can make smart choices about what they want to pursue,” she said. There are still big gaps in who benefits the most Colorado Black and Hispanic residents who graduate with a bachelor’s degree make less than their peers, the report shows. The report says those wage gaps have marginally decreased in the last decade. But the state must also do more to bolster inclusion in the state’s workforce, according to the report. Esquibel said equitable access to information about college should be a foundational key to getting more students from low-income backgrounds interested in what college has to offer. He hopes the report isn’t just read by policymakers, he said, but displayed in a way that’s accessible to teachers, students, and families. “We’re seeing a huge swath of students that are coming from low-income backgrounds dismiss college out of hand because nobody can give them a tangible sense of what their return on investment is going to be,” he said. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

December 28, 2023 ADVERTISEMENT

Some Thoughts About the Future of the MLS in Light of Commission Lawsuits

Sellers, buyers and real estate professionals are all contemplating the future of real estate following the blockbuster verdict (and pending litigation) against the National Association of Realtors and several highprofile real estate franchises, such as RE/MAX. The multi-billion-dollar verdict was in favor of home sellers who questioned why they should be required to compensate agents who represent the buyers of their properties. Shouldn’t buyers pay for their own representation? The verdict seemed to ignore one crucial fact — that the buyers’ agents are not compensated by the seller but by the seller’s agent who agreed to share his commission with any MLS member who procured and represented the buyer. It’s such a crucial aspect of selling real estate. What seller in his right mind would list his or her home with “little old me” if I couldn’t enlist the services of 25,000 other brokers by listing each home on a common database and offering to split my listing commission with them if they brought the buyer? I’ve written about this before. It’s called “cooperation and compensation.”

Each member of the multiple listing service (MLS) agrees to cooperate with every other member, and includes in his MLS listing the amount of his commission that he’s willing to give another member who produces the buyer. It’s a good deal for the buyer. Why hire me as your agent if I don’t have the opportunity to get paid for the listing you fall in love with? The litigants in the NAR lawsuit would like to see buyers sign an agreement to pay me a certain dollar amount if I get them to the closing table on a home they want to buy. Currently, brokers who bring a buyer can expect between 2 and 3 percent of the sale price as compensation. That comes from sharing a 4- to 6percent listing commission earned by the other agent for taking their home to market. It’s much easier to choose the best listing agent based on the services he or she will perform in getting one’s home seen in the best possible light by the greatest number of potential buyers, than it is to choose the best buyer’s agent who is going to do little more than initiate an MLS alert for active listings

which match the buyer’s search criteria, then providing physical access to the listings which that buyer wants to see. The graphic at the bottom of this page describes the multitude of services offered to sellers by Golden Real Estate. Although we provide equally important services to buyers, they are more intangible, such as negotiating for the best price, helping win bidding wars on competitive listings, negotiating inspection resolution, etc. It’s easy to show how well we marketed and sold listings; we can’t show how well we served buyers. The verdict won against NAR and the big brokerage companies may be a “blockbuster,” but it’s hard to envision much changing from how our Denver MLS does business, or how the Colorado Real Estate Commission might modify the seller and buyer listing agreements we’re required to use in our transactions. Let’s start with the state-mandated listing agreement for sellers. For as long as I’ve been a Realtor, it has contained a fields for entering the amount of commission charged by the listing agent and the amount of that commission the agent will offer to brokers who bring the buyer. There’s no pre-filled percentage or dollar amount, and we’re instructed by licensing law and Realtor ethics that there is no standard or customary number to enter in each of those fields. Meanwhile, the MLS has always allowed the listing agent to enter any per-

centage or dollar amount (even $1) as the amount of compensation he or she will offer to other MLS members. So no change is needed there. (Recently, however, the MLS has allowed us to enter $0 instead of $1 in that field.) Meanwhile, on the state-mandated buyer agency agreement, there have always been (as far back as I remember in my two decades of service) fields for entering the amount that the buyer will pay his agent (if anything), and whether he will seek compensation from the seller’s agent, and, failing that, whether or not the buyer will make up the difference of a specific amount of compensation to his or her agent. So, no changes are needed to that form. There may be some disruption in other markets, but not here. Even if sellers are told they don’t have to pay buyers’ agents for their work, I picture every seller wanting to pay their listing agent enough commission to allow the offer of compensation, because failing to do so runs the risk of getting fewer showings and offers.

I’m Now Publishing on Substack

Everything you read in this ad each week — and more — is published at http://RealEstateToday.Substack.com and comes to you automatically each Wednesday. I also write a political column you might like. You can find it at http://TalkingTurkey.Substack.com.

It’s ‘Bucket-List Time’ for Rita and Me

Jim Smith on Title Insurance:

Like any seasoned listing agent, I have my preferred title companies based on years of experience working with them. I have found the escrow officers of some firms more attentive and better at handling issues that may arise, so I definitely recommend one for my seller to use. I admit that I should remind them it’s their decision and point them to Garry’s website, but a choice based on it would be based solely on price. Then we could talk. Where I think agents go wrong is when they have an in-house title company and they get spiffed for “capturing” a seller for that title company and probably don’t suggest their client shop other companies.

Perhaps you, like me, have yearned to travel the world — the whole world. I remember seeing “Around the World in 80 Days” when it came out, and it made me want to go for it. Thanks to Golden Real Estate’s excellent broker associates, and thanks to modern internet and cellular connectivity, Rita and I are taking the plunge, so-to-speak, and will embark next week on a 122-day world cruise on the Viking Sky (above). We leave from Los Angeles on Jan. 6th and return from London on May 6th. I will not only continue to perform most of my real estate duties (except in-person tasks), including writing this column each week, I will

also publish a daily travelogue which you’re invited to receive by email. I’ll be receiving and responding to voicemail, only answering the phone when I’m ashore, where I can also return calls. I’ll continue to receive all the usual real estate information by email and have access to our MLS, so I will be sufficiently upto-date on the topics I like to write about in this space. Feel free to call or email me about selling or buying a home while I’m away, so I can refer you to the broker associate who I feel best suits you and your needs. I’ll be composing the ads for each listing. You can subscribe to my daily travelogue at http://WhereAreJimandRita.substack.com.

Jim Smith

Broker/Owner, 303-525-1851 Jim@GoldenRealEstate.com 1214 Washington Ave., Golden 80401 Broker Associates: JIM SWANSON, 303-929-2727 CHUCK BROWN, 303-885-7855 DAVID DLUGASCH, 303-908-4835 GREG KRAFT, 720-353-1922 AUSTIN POTTORFF, 970-281-9071 KATHY JONKE, 303-990-7428 “I cannot do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good I can do.” —Jana Stanfield

December 28, 2023De

County fights state property-tax decision Local officials want to provide small cut in impending hike BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Setting up a potential legal battle with the state, Douglas County officials publicly objected to a state entity’s move that rejected their efforts to provide a small cut to the impending spike in homeowners’ property tax bills. The county plans to challenge the state’s decision. It’s an issue of “usurping local control,” said Commissioner Abe Laydon during a Dec. 19 news conference in Castle Rock. Douglas officials framed the state’s

move — a unanimous action by a five-person board that includes three Democrats and two Republicans, according to one member — as political. Local taxes are in the spotlight after homeowners around the Denver metro area checked a notice from their county assessors this spring and saw that their home value had jumped by sometimes shocking amounts. Driven by a costly real-estate market, those home values — as calculated for tax purposes — have spiked since the last time homeowners received notices of value two years ago. In Douglas County, residential properties faced increases between 30% and 60%, with a median of 47%. The high increase in property values means families’ property tax bills could jump up next year.

That’s because when property values rise, the amount of taxes people owe goes up — even if local governments’ tax rates themselves don’t change. Property taxes partly fund county governments, but they also fund school districts, fire and library districts, and other local entities. After many homeowners in Douglas County filed challenges, or appeals, to blunt the increase on their home values, the median increase went down slightly. That number was set to come down even more after Douglas County’s elected leaders voted on Sept. 19 to cut the increase in residential property values by around 4 percentage points across the board. The move was expected to provide an average of $223 in estimated property tax relief for owners of single-family

homes, townhomes or condominiums. Even Toby Damisch, who heads the county’s property valuation office, says that would be small relief. But the five-person state Board of Equalization, which reviewed Douglas County’s action, struck the relief down. State Sen. Chris Hansen, a Democrat who also sits on the equalization board, said the question about Douglas County’s action was: “Is this fair and just across the state?” The board decided it wasn’t, he said. “Imagine you live on County Line Road,” Hansen said. On the north side, in Arapahoe County, people would end up effectively paying a higher tax rate than those to the south in Douglas County — even SEE TAXES, P5

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December 28, 2023

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Douglas County Government offices will be closed Monday, Jan. 1 in observance of the New Year Holiday. Many services are available at DoItOnlineDouglas.com

Christmas tree recycling Douglas County provides several drop-off locations to recycle your Christmas tree. For locations, dates, and instructions on how to prepare your tree for recycling, visit douglas.co.us and search for Christmas tree recycling. Homes sit in the Castle Pines area in August. Homeowners are facing steep increases in their property tax bills around the Denver metro area, an issue that officials in Douglas County have called attention to over the last several months. PHOTOS BY ELLIS ARNOLD

TAXES FROM PAGE 4

though they may live in the same firefighting district. Although the amount of relief could have been relatively small in relation to homeowners’ full tax bills, Hansen also argued that on a statewide perspective, school funding could be at risk. If “every other county in the state does the same thing that Douglas County did, we’re out $100 million. It would have been almost $100 million out of school budgets,” Hansen argued. Tracie Rainey, the longtime director of the nonprofit Colorado School Finance Project, said how Douglas’ move would have affected school finance is “hypothetical” because there’s not precedence as to whether the state would or wouldn’t have to step in and pay school districts the difference. Douglas County pointed to a statement by Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat who provided a statement to The Denver Post that said he was “disappointed in the equalization board’s decision.” “While Douglas County’s approach isn’t a long-term solution, it (would have provided) relief this year,” Polis’

statement to the Post said. Damisch argued that the state board struck down Douglas’ move even though the county was still within compliance with state policy. Different perspectives

In Damisch’s eyes, the county’s move was a justified way to provide relief in an especially expensive housing market in Douglas County. “Even after our 4% adjustment was made, the increase in residential assessments in Douglas County were still higher” than in other nearby counties, Damisch said. Even though homeowners around the Denver metro area in general face much higher tax bills next year than this year — meaning a potential jump in funding for local governments — some local entities felt a small cut to the increase in their property tax revenue would pose a problem for their budgets. In particular, West Metro Fire Rescue, an agency that serves parts of Jefferson County but also the Roxborough area, has been vocal about its concerns. “We are seeing 30% (to) 40% increases in some of our major assets. A fire truck that I could have purchased a few years ago for $800,000 now (costs) $1.2 million,” Jeremy SEE TAXES, P11

Live Town Hall meetings Did you know Douglas County offers Live Town Hall meetings, inviting you to engage in the local issues of importance to you and your neighbors? Register at douglas.co.us/townhall/ to ensure you are contacted about all future Live Town Halls .

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December 28, 2023De

The biggest news in Highlands Ranch for 2023 was a rare tornado touching down. While injuries were few, damages were extensive with trees, lights and more. The community pulled together to help each other. The county PHOTO BY HALEY LENA and state declared an emergency and federal funds are coming.

IN REWIND FOR HIGHLANDS RANCH The biggest event to happen in the area in 2023 is the tornado that touched down in June. The unprecendented incident brought heavy winds and rain, damaging lights, trees and tearing through the Highlands Ranch area. While few injuries were reported. Damage was extensive, leading the county and state to declare emergencies, which has led to Douglas County being qualified for federal funding. Douglas County

The Douglas County Commission continued to gain attention throughout 2023 for in-board fighting, which now has reached the courts with Commissioner Lora Thomas filing a lawsuit. County costs are reaching $50,000. Property taxes is also an ongoing issue the county is working to address. With housing prices still soaring, the county found a loophole to try and reduce property taxes for Douglas County residents. However, the issue will likely be decided in 2024 as the state has ruled against the county’s

From left, Jack Hilbert, James Eklund, Donald Langley, Clark Hammelman and Sean Tonner, some of the members of the Douglas County Water Commission, sit at a county building Dec. 11 in Castle Rock for the commission’s first meeting. Not pictured in the room is James Maras, a member who attended virtually. PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD

plan to provide relief to residents who are facing up to 40% property tax increases this year. School district

The Douglas County School District saw a lot of changes late in the year. Board President Brian Peterson resigned, with plans to move out of state. In the November election, incumbent Susan Meek was elected to a new term, along with her

slate of running mates, Valerie Thompson and Brad Geiger. The district will also be able to give teachers a raise in 2024 after voters approved a ballot measure to provide the needed funding. However, voters rejected another measure that would ahve gone toward building new schools and infrastructure. The district will work to find a solution to address those issues in 2024.

December 28, 2023

Dan Meyer, of Highlands Ranch, stands at the lectern during the Douglas County commissioners meeting Dec. 5, speaking in support of Commissioner Lora Thomas. Area residents gathered to speak in protest of the way Thomas’ colleagues have PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD treated her. One of the biggest stories for Douglas County schools in 2023 was passing the 5A initiative on the 2023 ballot. Data showed teachers in the district were being paid a lot less than neighboring districts such as Cherry Creek. Pay raises in the metro’s ILLUSTRATION BY LEAH NEU southernmost district will begin in 2024.

Douglas County school board incumbent Susan Meek and candidates Valerie Thompson and Brad Geiger, from left, celebrate early results showing they were PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD elected to the school board at Fiction Brewing in Parker. Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas applauds on stage at the 2023 State PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD of the County event in Lone Tree.

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Members of the STEM School Highlands Ranch robotics club Davis Kelley, Hayden Jones, Caroline Vargish, Eathan Boen, Luke Pauka and Sasha Weiden hold their awards from the Front Range Best Robotics competition on Nov. 4. With over 20 team members, they will compete at the regional competition in December. PHOTO BY HALEY LENA

As the Republican Party continues to be divided, reporters for Colorado Community Media went in-depth on what this could mean for the party as the 2024 elections come into full view. ILLUSTRATION BY LEAH NEU

December 28, 2023De

A publication of

Call first: 9233 Park Meadows Dr., Lone Tree, CO 80124 Mailing Address: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110 Phone: 303-566-4100 Web: LoneTreeVoice.net To subscribe call 303-566-4100 LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

RIDESHARE FROM PAGE 1

2024, but the city is not alone in paying for it. The city had success with a Denver South-led application with the Regional Transportation District’s partnership program. Lone Tree‘s share will be $540,000 in 2024, according to a city staff report.

RTD will contribute $576,000 and Douglas County $72,000. The Southeast Public Improvement Metropolitan District will spend $252,000. This expansion is funded through 2025. Funding will be reviewed and considered on an annual basis, according to the report. Schmitz said this project will serve as a pilot for future expansion that will be led by Denver South’s transportation management association. Since 2021, Link On Demand ridership has increased year after year.

About 12,000 shuttle rides were given in 2021 and 29,080 rides in 2022. As of Nov. 4 of this year, 31,693 rides have been given. Ridership is still not as high as it was before the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 46,000 rides were given in 2019. “By the end of this year, we’re going to see those numbers get as close as we have been to 2019 and, honestly, as close as any transit system has seen, I believe, anywhere in the region,” Schmitz said.

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December 28, 2023

A push for life-saving AEDs outside of Littleton schools comes to fruition, honoring a legacy BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When Kara Baker’s father died after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest outside of an elementary school, she knew she had to carry his legacy forward. The tragedy hit especially close to home since her father, Ed Walsh, had dedicated much of his life to placing automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, inside local schools. As a cardiac nurse at AdventHealth Littleton, Baker knew that her father’s medical emergency could have had different outcomes if an AED had been available. She immediately adopted a mission to follow in his footsteps and make the devices accessible in outdoor spaces. Baker celebrated the realization of her dream this month when she cut the ribbon for an outdoor AED at Euclid Middle School. Euclid is one of nine locations throughout the Littleton Public Schools district that will now have AEDs available outside, thanks to Baker’s efforts.

Kara Baker, center, cuts the ribbon for an outdoor AED placed at Euclid Middle School PHOTO BY NINA JOSS in honor of her father.

“My hope is that we will have the resources available to help prevent what happened to my dad from happening to someone else,” Baker said. “Whether it be a student at recess playing basketball, a community member using the track or someone

walking their dog around the block — that they will all have a chance of survival in the event of a cardiac emergency.” Turning tragedy into opportunity

Cardiac arrest, when the heart

suddenly stops beating, causes about 300,000 to 450,000 deaths in the United States each year, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. When a person goes into cardiac arrest, AEDs and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, allow people to intervene and increase the chance of survival while waiting for emergency medical responders to arrive. AEDs analyze the heart’s rhythm and may deliver an electrical shock to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm, according to the American Red Cross.Using the device involves attaching pads to a person’s body and following voice prompts from the machine. Baker said having an AED could have made a difference in her father’s outcome during his cardiac arrest. It happened on Sept. 8, 2018, when Walsh had come to watch his granddaughter’s outdoor soccer game. “As we were watching the kids warm up for their game, I saw my SEE AED, P10

Get emergency alerts through Douglas County’s CodeRED BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Colorado is approaching the twoyear anniversary of the historically destructive Marshall fire, a tragedy that called attention to the problem of some people receiving little or no notice to leave their homes in an emergency. The devastating fire in Boulder County destroyed more than 1,000 homes. Two people are believed to have died in the December 2021 fire that put tens of thousands of people under evacuation alerts. Many people don’t know that they might only receive alerts for certain emergencies if they’ve signed up for a free notification service. In Douglas County, that’s where the CodeRED system comes in: It can alert you by phone call, text message and email. The alerts are

sometimes known as “reverse 911” calls. “This system is paid for by the Douglas County Emergency Telephone Service Authority, and there is no cost for you to sign up,” the Town of Castle Rock’s website says. You can sign up at tinyurl.com/ SignupforCodeRED. “Officials will send messages to alert you of emergency details, instructions or precautions that you need in order for you to make wellinformed decisions and remain safe,” the Douglas County Sheriff ’s Office’s website says of CodeRED. The system will notify you about police activity, wildfires and other emergencies nearby, Douglas County’s website says. However, the system does not include weather alerts in general, Castle Rock’s website says. “The town encourages our resi-

dents and businesses to use … weather radios, subscribe to any of the free weather apps, and/or monitor local media for information during severe weather,” the website adds. For CodeRED, the Parker Police Department highlighted the potential problem of relying on a landline that does not work when the power goes out. “The CodeRED sign-up form allows you to indicate both a primary and alternate phone number,” the Parker police website says. “Cell phone and / or work phone numbers can be entered as alternate phone numbers. Both primary and alternate phone numbers will be contacted when a notification is sent.” For those who do not have internet service, the Town of Parker encourages residents to talk to their

family, friends and neighbors for help using the internet to sign up. “Dispatchers and other emergency response personnel cannot register users over the phone,” Parker’s website says. For CodeRED, you don’t need to renew your registration unless your contact information changes, the sheriff ’s office site says. “However, it is a good idea to log in annually to assure your information is accurate,” the sheriff ’s office site says. “If you move, you must update your information to continue receiving CodeRED notifications.” The county urges the public to spread the word about the system. “Please encourage friends, family members, neighbors, and co-workers to register. Businesses should also sign up,” the county’s website says.

December 28, 2023De

AED FROM PAGE 9

dad collapse out of the corner of my eye,” Baker said. She immediately assessed her father’s condition and started CPR. She said she could still remember herself calling out for someone to grab an AED. “However, the reality was that since it was a Saturday and the school was locked, we did not have access to an AED,” she said. “A brick wall stood between my dad and a potentially life-saving device.” Walsh was transported to Baker’s workplace, AdventHealth Littleton, where her coworkers worked tirelessly to save his life. Despite their best efforts, he passed away later that day. “I knew I had to make it my mission to show my dad that we were going to be okay — that this tragedy

was not going to define us, but instead teach us how to take a difficult situation and turn it into an opportunity to carry on his legacy,” Baker said. From idea to reality

Shortly after her father’s death, Baker followed in his advocacy footsteps and started working with the Anthony Bates Foundation to host heart screenings, something her father had done during his life. She presented her story to the AdventHealth Littleton Foundation and gained their support to make AEDs readily available to the public. “We’re honored to be a part of this,” said Rick Ellis, president of the AdventHealth Littleton Foundation board. “Not sure where it’s gonna go from here, but hopefully it goes even further.” The foundation contributed about $54,000 to the project, a spokesperson said. They partnered with Littleton Pub-

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The SaveStation honors Ed Walsh on the back of the cabinet. The AED at Euclid Middle School is inside a cabinet called a SaveStation, which alerts the district security office PHOTOS BY NINA JOSS when opened.

lic Schools to place AEDs outside at every middle school and high school in the district, as well as both district stadiums. Director of Secondary Education Clay Abla said six AEDs are currently in place and the remaining three will be installed over the next few months. “When we listened to Kara and her story, it was like ‘How do we not do this?’” he said. Each AED is inside a cabinet called a SaveStation, which is connected to the district’s security system, Abla said. The security system is monitored around the clock every day of the year, he said. When the SaveStation is opened, an alarm sounds to let people in the area know that an emergency is happening. At the same time, an alarm goes off in the Littleton Public Schools security office and on the cell phone of Leah Raymond, the district security office manager. The security team will then help coordinate emergency response. Beyond the hospital

Dr. Matt Mendenhall, AdventHealth Littleton’s chief medical officer, said the hospital is in the process of constructing a new tower dedicated to heart and vascular medical care. “We’re gonna fill that tower with incredible expertise and the latest and greatest in healthcare technol-

ogy so that we can serve this community in terms of their … cardiovascular medical needs,” he said. “And that’s only half of the story. If we concentrate all of the expertise and technology in that building, we will be serving the community — but not in every way that it needs.” Over the course of his career, Mendenhall said he has come to learn that you never know when or where a medical emergency is going to happen. “We have to figure out ways to distribute technology and expertise out into the community if we’re truly going to save lives,” he said. Katrysha Gellis White, partnerships manager at SaveStation, said cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, even children. “It does not discriminate. Doesn’t matter how old you are,” she said. “So it is so important that if a cardiac arrest happens, we educate the public that we cannot wait for first responders to bring an AED and to start CPR.” Baker said carrying out her father’s legacy has helped her through the tragedy of losing him, and she hopes it will save lives. “Honor those who have passed with how you move forward,” she said. “That is something I have lived with and it’s gotten me through my grief these last five years … Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time, no matter the age. Be prepared, be educated. You never know whose life you might be saving.” She said she hopes to bring AEDs and SaveStations to more locations in the area moving forward, including parks and more schools.

December 28, 2023

TAXES FROM PAGE 5

Metz, deputy chief of administration for West Metro Fire, said at a September meeting at the Douglas County leaders’ headquarters in Castle Rock. State officials “heard loud and clear from the fire districts” that they were objecting to Douglas County’s decision, Hansen said. Speaking about school districts, Damisch said the argument about Douglas’ action being harmful to either the school district or state school funding “doesn’t hold water” because, as a result of 2023’s newly calculated property values, Douglas property owners will be contributing a significant amount more to school funding than in prior years. “And as a result of that, the state of Colorado will be able to contribute (to school district funding) signifi-

cantly less than they have had to in the past,” Damisch argued. Hansen felt it was inaccurate to view a school district’s funding in terms of potentially reaching “a cap” in a situation where local property tax revenue increases. “We’re not even close to full funding of education. We’ve been playing catchup for 40 years” because of the Gallagher Amendment and the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR, two pieces of state policy that have affected taxation, Hansen said. He added: “We have exceptionally low property taxes in Colorado.” Because Colorado is struggling to wipe out its shortfall of education funding, Hansen said, if some amount of property tax money is taken out of the equation in Douglas County, the state would have to fill that gap. Rainey, the outside school finance expert, painted a murkier picture of how funding issues could play out. She said when local property tax

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revenue goes up as a result of new property values, “the state just gets to put in less” into a given school district. That’s because school districts “are capped” and can only raise a certain amount of revenue, she said. School district voters can pass what’s called a “mill levy override” — a property tax rate increase — but districts are capped on those also, she said, based on a state formula. So if the local share of school funding, from local property taxes, goes up so much “that (a district) can be completely locally funded, that’s great, but they can’t go beyond that,” Rainey said, speaking about a scenario where the state share of the school district’s funding would go down to zero. If Douglas County’s decision were to stand, it’s undetermined as to whether the state would have to pay a difference in school funding in the absence of the state deciding to take further action, Rainey said.

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Douglas County Attorney Jeff Garcia felt that the state board went outside its purview in striking Douglas’ decision down. “They should not be looking at how they can send a message to other counties” as to what they can or can’t do, “Garcia said at the news conference. On how long the process to appeal the state’s decision will take, Garcia said the county is “probably looking at a resolution in several months.”

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“The state has already made a decision the end of last May of how much funding they were going to put toward school funding for this year. So to go back now and do an adjustment, they could do (that),” Rainey said. But she added that the current situation in Douglas County is “untested.” On whether the state would be on the hook for the funding, she said: “At this point that’s all hypothetical.”

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AFTER

LOCAL

December 28, 2023D

VOICES New year, new chapter

t was tough writing this column. It is tough because it will be my last. For nearly two years now I have had the privilege of writing whatever I feel FROM THE like from week to week. I started it EDITOR with the hopes of letting our readers get to know me and my family. After all, we ask you all to share your stories all the time. Why shouldn’t I? However, it became more as the Thelma Grimes years went on. I have come to see how amazing our readers are over the last few years. When it feels like we have nothing but an angry world — I would get a quick email from a reader saying my column was appreciated, restoring some faith. When a mom at my son’s pediatric dentist recognized me and again thanked me for the column that addresses local, national and personal issues that mean a lot to her ... it meant something. When another reader told me that a column I wrote about myself and struggles with weight loss meant enough to him that he sent it to his sister in Arizona who was also struggling ... it meant a lot to me. In all honesty, not all emails have been friendly. I have had my share of comments from those who completely disagree. The ones who disagreed with civility have my respect, and I always considered their points of view. No matter what topic I chose each week, I always took pride in knowing I am sharing something personal, or giving my opinion on something that matters, and I am not the final word on any topic. I have truly appreciated the support from our readers. I was recently offered a new opportunity to move on. It was a tough decision, as I am seeing my vision for our south metro team come true in so many ways. We have strong reporters who are

working hard to bring readers news no other organization is covering. What we have accomplished over the last year especially would not have been possible without the fantastic work of McKenna Harford, Nina Joss, Haley Lena, Ellis Arnold, Elisabeth Slay and Tayler Shaw. I also have a special thank you to Scott Gilbert. His editing kept me in line as I have put these columns together and his friendship is probably one of the most important I will leave Colorado Community Media with. I am so proud of my reporters and the hard work they have done throughout 2022 and 2023. It is the staff that made me think hard about this decision. It is also the readers who made me second-guess my decision a few times. As I move on to serve as an editor elsewhere, I still want to stress that community journalism and local news is near and dear to my heart. Over the last year, thousands of journalists have lost their jobs nationwide as community news outlets continue to struggle. I worry about our future but hope those of you reading will continue to contribute to an important element of society. Please continue to contribute whatever you can to the work we do here. Local news is my passion and will always have a place in my heart. It is where I have built a career that I am proud of and likely is the reason I have a new opportunity to expand on a professional level. I wish you all a wonderful New Year. I again thank you for bringing me into your homes and taking my points of view each week. And, as I said when I first started filling this space each week — remember how much kindness in this world matters right now. You never know what someone else is going through, and let’s make 2024 about getting back to civility even where we disagree. Thelma Grimes has served as the south metro editor for Colorado Community Media.

Year-end planning

his is goodbye to 2023. I am not sure yet how this year will go down in history, but this was definitely a year in which you could not predict FINANCIAL anything, regardless STRATEGIES of the topic. Weather, politics, interest rates, the stock market, the economy and housing were difficult to anticipate or plan around. Add in global unrest and a stubborn employment marPatricia Kummer ket, and you have a mixed pot. This uncertainty further adds confusion and volatility, causing many of us to want to hunker down and do nothing. This is where I usually advise clients to only worry about things they have control over. So, what can you do to pull out a decent year at this late date? There are a few things you can do to save taxes for this year and plan better for next year. First, always make sure you are maxing out contributions to all your qualified retirement plans. If you are too late for 2023, then start next year off by contributing the 2024 annual maximum of $23,000, or $30,500 if you are over age 50 for 401(k) plans

If you are eligible to fund a tax-deductible or a Roth IRA this year, then funding it as early as possible could be beneficial. Things change quickly. Those of you following the Treasury market and interest rates may have missed the recent peak in the blink of an eye. So too could other parts of the economy flip on a dime, so it is best to be prepared. Map out now what your one-, two- and five-year plan looks like so you can be ready to act on a moment’s notice. Keep your longterm strategy in place and resist making short-term changes to a goal that is out five to 10 years or longer. You do have control over tax-loss harvesting in the next week or two if that can help offset gains or reduce some of your taxes. This is why planning is so important — you can identify what is no longer suitable for your portfolio and offset losses and gains to clean up your holdings and be ready for the new year. You can also give money away before the end of the year if that is part of your plan. You can fund your charities or your donor-advised fund with appreciated assets to avoid paying taxes before your donation. For anyone wishing to reduce their taxable SEE KUMMER, P13

December 28, 2023

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Time for recall

Based on the lead article in the Dec. 14 issue it seems that many Douglas County residents are fed up with the infighting of the county commissioners. I’m wondering if someone has begun the process for a recall of all three commissioners, and a fresh start for governance. When elected officials fail in their charge to effectively lead and govern, a change is needed. That time for change seems to be here and now in Douglas County. douglas.co.us/elections/recallelection-faq. Doug Reese Highlands Ranch Boo for two

I attended the Oklahoma City/ Nuggets basketball game on Dec. 16. I would like to share an observation from the game experience. Oklahoma has a player named Josh Giddey. He is alleged to have had a relationship with a girl who was a high school junior. Josh is 21, the girl in question, if a high school junior, would be 16 or 17. Josh denies he was aware of her age. He was booed deliriously anytime he was involved in the game. I would like to juxtapose that with the Rockies’ Charlie Blackmon walk-up song “Your Love.” Lyrics from that song include “you know I like my girls a little bit older,” “I just want to use your love tonight” and “Stay the night but keep it undercover.” The lyrics can easily be interpreted as celebrating a relationship with a much younger girl. The crowd at the Rockies game cheer wildly when it is played, singing along. On the one hand we have an athlete who denies knowing the age of a girl he

KUMMER FROM PAGE 12

estate and gift to family members, the limit for 2023 is $17,000 per donor per recipient. So, a married couple can gift $34,000 to each recipient. Next year that amount increases to $18,000 each. Taxpayers over the age of 70 1/2 can send all or part of their required minimum distribution (RMD) to a charity and avoid paying taxes on that distribution up to $100,000.

allegedly had a relationship with, and he is booed. On the other hand we have Blackmon’s walkup song celebrating a relationship with a younger girl (may or may not be a minor) and is cheered wildly. I find it very hard to square those two things. If you boo the first, you should also boo the second. I boo both. John Salanitro Highlands Ranch Tired of Laydon and Teal

Thanks, Cindy Dalton, for helping organize the speakers who told Laydon and Teal how they feel about their treatment of fellow commissioner, Lora Thomas. I agree that she has been treated outrageously by “the boys” who do not like her conservative ways. After reading all the nasty things she has been accused of, I came to the conclusion that the boys are nitpicking, gaslighting show-offs who really enjoy spending taxpayer money to enhance their own egos. It is time they grew up. It is time that citizens started to say no to this type of clown show. Remember that at election time next year. Mary Ann McCoy Lone Tree Commissioners’ issues

Thank you for providing real journalism of the county commissioners’ ongoing issues. Without your excellent coverage we would have no idea of what is going on in the commissioners’ office. Looking forward to more of your unbiased and outstanding work. Rance Massey Acres Green While you are busy giving away money, funding retirement or taking investment losses, the time will fly by, and the next opportunity may be close behind. Plan well for 2024 by making sure you are contributing, withholding, and planning to benefit you. Compounding really adds up year after year if you are organized and ready to participate. Patricia Kummer has been a Certified Financial Planner professional and a fiduciary for over 37 years and is a Senior Wealth Advisor for Mariner Wealth Advisors.

Memory In Loving

Place an Obituary for Your Loved One. 303-566-4100 obituaries@coloradocommunitymedia.com Self placement available online at HighlandsRanchHerald.net LoneTreeVoice.net

December 28, 2023D

LOCAL

LIFE

Handlers in Idaho Springs, Brighton and beyond help the animals spread holiday joy BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

sense of magic in the air sparks joy when people young and old see reindeer. But for the owners of the reindeer, it’s a balance between creating a magical experience for people and making sure the reindeer are comfortable. Kayla McIntosh, who owns Riverdale Reindeer of Colorado with her husband David McIntosh, said it’s easy these days for people to get caught up in school and work, which doesn’t always feel magical. “But the ability to see an animal

that most people believe doesn’t actually exist,” Kayla McIntosh said. “And to see the kids light up and the parents really enjoy it and even learn things, it really is just a beautiful opportunity.” Reindeer have been domesticated for thousands of years and have been used for various purposes. They also tend to make the holidays a little brighter by participating in holiday events across the metro area. However, it takes a lot of work to prepare reindeer for events to ensure it’s a safe environment for the public and so the reindeer remain happy and healthy.

For each reindeer owner, training may look different, but it all starts with learning about the fascinating animal. What makes reindeer a unique animal

Santa Bill (as he preferred to be called) at Laughing Valley Ranch in Idaho Springs has learned a lot about reindeer over his many years of working with them. Just as other entities train their reindeer differently, reindeer are not all alike, he said. They each have a unique personality and different characteristics than other animals in the deer species.

“We want to educate everybody about reindeer and what magical animals they really are,” Santa Bill said. When adults and children interact with the reindeer, Santa Bill includes an educational piece, which he calls a domestic livestock educational experience, that details reindeer adaptations for survival. Reindeer can adapt to the changing seasons. They can change their coats and hooves and have amazing eyesight — they are the only animals that can see ultraviolet light, according to Santa Bill. SEE REINDEER, P15

December 28, 2023

train them to be petable animals.” For events, the reindeer are set up in an enclosure which is decorated with garland, bows and lanterns around the holiday season. It is important to the family to include an educational aspect where they can talk to the kids and other guests about what it is like to be in agriculture and to raise animals. The family loves to interact with the kids as well and typically provides treats, stickers and coloring sheets. Although the reindeer don’t do long events, when they get tired, they will just lay down. “We don’t force them to do anything they don’t want to do,” Kayla said. “They’re resting and relaxed and we want to encourage them to just enjoy their surroundings. They should feel like they are at home.”

REINDEER FROM PAGE 14

What helps reindeer stand out are their antlers, Santa Bill added. Reindeer are the only members of the deer family that both male and female grow a new set of antlers every year. They use their antlers to strip away snow and vegetation, to find food and to defend themselves. Male reindeer, also known as a bull, can have antlers that grow up to four feet tall, and they can weigh 25 to 30 pounds each, Santa Bill said. Owners have to be extra careful with reindeer during their rut season, because they’re scraping velvet off their antlers — which is part of the natural growth process and acts as protection, Santa Bill continued. At the ranch, most of the reindeer training happens after the rut and mating season where they are walked around their pens, outside and practice going in and out of the trailer. When training, even reindeer who have done events in the past need a little refresher to get back into the routine and certain training aids may not always work. “Sometimes we have to try different things,” Santa Bill said. “Nothing is an exact science when it comes to training animals.” These reindeer also learn how to pull Santa’s sleigh by using reigns to signal the reindeer to start moving and the assistance of reindeer wranglers using lead ropes to guide the reindeer. Another unique characteristic of reindeer is, unlike horses and cattle, reindeer can only kick forward and have a slight retraction. This helps them gain traction and start to catch air, Santa Bill said. When people tell Santa Bill they thought the reindeer would be bigger, he says if they were any bigger, they’d be too heavy to get off the ground. “It’s a magical thing,” Santa Bill said. Riverdale Reindeer Farm

Currently in flight school in preparation to one day pull Santa’s sleigh are Kayla and David McIntosh’s reindeer at Riverdale Reindeer of Colorado in Brighton. The McIntoshes bring their rein-

Holly sits in front of Eve, enjoying the warmth of the sun as they rest after taking PHOTO BY HALEY LENA part in the Parker Hometown Holiday Parade and event

deer to events simply because of their love of reindeer and the hope to share that joy and passion with others. David McIntosh is a fifth-generation dairy farmer whose family has been caring for and raising animals in Colorado since the early 1900s. He has also always been interested in reindeer. Together, David and Kayla McIntosh spent years studying the history and biology of reindeer, have talked with other reindeer owners and breeders and have visited a number of farms. Kayla McIntosh said it may sound corny, but just being in the presence of the reindeer and seeing their majesty is truly wonderful. The McIntosh family has been raising reindeer for about three years. They have Lacuna, Chilli, Noelle, Cranberry, Juniper, Kristoff and Hickory, the first bull to be born on the Riverdale Reindeer farm. When preparing reindeer for events, Kayla McIntosh said the most basic point in training is spending time with the reindeer. “It’s not like dedicated training hours, so much as it is just spending a lot of time with them,” Kayla McIntosh said. “It’s a pretty consistent thing to get them to be comfortable with us.” At their farm, they are very particular about giving the reindeer their autonomy and don’t expect the reindeer to be okay with people petting them. Cranberry is one of the reindeer

that regularly goes to events but isn’t keen on being touched and the McIntosh family doesn’t force it. However, working with Hickory over the past year, he has become more comfortable around kids. In addition to shows and holiday events, Hickory has also gone to schools where he got used to standing still for photos. “A lot of the training was just on the spot,” Kayla McIntosh said. “Watching his cues, seeing if he felt comfortable in the situation and walking him out of the situation if he felt uncomfortable and giving him time to resettle.” To ensure the reindeer always feel comfortable and safe, the family’s goal is that the reindeer enjoy going to events just as much as people enjoy coming to see them. The family takes their reindeer’s personalities into account when they decide who goes to an event. Kayla McIntosh said even on the day of an event, they look to see who is feeling comfortable and who is feeling agitated. If they can’t put a certain two reindeer together, they won’t do it. The McIntoshes also want to make sure they keep the people coming to watch the show safe in the instance a reindeer gets nervous or agitated — one swing of the head could cause someone to get poked or hit with an antler. “We do our best to make sure that isn’t even an option,” Kayla McIntosh said. “So we encourage lots of photos and things but we don’t specifically

Keeping reindeer happy and healthy

Holly and Eve are two reindeer who are not afraid to lay down and get comfortable. At 7 Oaks Reindeer Farm in Franktown, Lisa Vaughn said she would never let her reindeer get to the point of feeling overworked. “When they’re tired, they just fall asleep,” Vaughn said. Vaughn has had Holly and Eve for about two and half years and said they are like big dogs as they like to greet her when she comes, love treats and even get the zoomies. Vaughn works with trainer Karena Mee to get the reindeer used to people. In addition to gently touching the reindeer, they would hold a happy hour once a week so the reindeer could get used to a crowd and music. Holly and Eve have been busy throughout the holiday season. They took part in the tree lighting in Elizabeth, were at the Parker Hometown Holiday Parade and spent time at Lone Creek Farms. The holiday season is also a lot of effort for the reindeer owners and handlers as well. They have to load the trailer, make sure there is enough food and supplies to last throughout the event and once they get to the event, they set up the pen to ensure it’s comfortable for the reindeer. Hard work and early mornings aside, it’s all worth it when they have the opportunity to educate others on reindeer and see the excitement on the children’s faces. And it’s not just kids who get excited to see the reindeer. “The adults are just as flabbergasted as the kids,” Mee said.

December 28, 2023De

Weather, insects ravage Colorado trees BY JENNIFER FORKER THE COLORADO SUN

Years of roller coaster weather in Colorado is taking a toll on our trees. Besides frequent drought, the state experiences extreme temperature fluctuations, with day-to-night temperatures often varying by 30 degrees or more. Recall Dec. 21, 2022, when a 51-degree high was followed by a -10-degree low in the Denver area. (Take a stroll down a chilling memory lane with this National Weather Service review of the greatest fluctuations in temperature changes since 1872.) “It’s tough being a tree in Colorado,” says Whitney Cranshaw, Ph.D., emeritus professor of Entomology at Colorado State University. According to CSU Extension, 2018 and 2020 were two of Colorado’s dri-

est years on record, and we’ve experienced many other hot, dry years. Recent summers have been brutal, and last summer was one of the worst, with last August registering worldwide as the hottest on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In the Denver area, the average temperature in August was above normal — with 15 days at or above 90 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Those are the background facts for this: While humans have intermittently frozen and sweltered, so have Colorado’s trees. And stressed trees become hosts for deadly pests and disease, primarily an ips beetle (there are 11 known species in Colorado) or pine wilt disease. “All insects are advantageous, just like cancer is advantageous,” says

arborist Troy King, owner of American Tree preservation service, based in Golden. “Don’t give them the advantage.” Keeping trees healthy requires mulching, watering and fertilizing not only pine and spruce trees, but all trees, from the ash, which are at severe and imminent risk of emerald ash borers, and red maples to birch, linden and the many ornamental and fruit trees.

around a tree. It provides a sturdy barrier against weeds (better than landscape fabrics, which Smith discourages using). As good-quality mulch degrades, it adds nutrients into the soil around a tree. Smith recommends using arborist wood chips, which includes any part of a tree that’s passed through a wood chipper. (See if you can obtain the material free via ChipDrop.) The next-best thing? Small bark mulch.

Mulch

Watering

“Mulch is a wonderful thing,” says arborist Toni Smith, the Rocky Mountain territory manager for Rainbow Ecoscience, which provides chemical products and equipment to tree and lawn care companies. Mulch helps retain moisture and keeps the soil temperatures cooler

Oftentimes, the difference between a living tree and a dead one is watering. Because of the years of drought and our sizzling summers, trees need to be watered year-round. On a late November afternoon, King pointed out dead and dying SEE TREES, P18

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December 28, 2023De

TREES FROM PAGE

trees in Arvada and Wheat Ridge neighborhoods. Behind a line of six tall, dead spruce trees on 42nd Avenue in Arvada stood the same variety, but healthy and living. What was the difference? Water. Trees are dying from thirst and they’re dying from the opportunistic pests and diseases that prey on stressed trees, King says. The ips is a bark beetle that infests pine and spruce trees, according to CSU. An infested tree dies from the top down. Avoid this — and pine wilt disease — with ample watering. “The ips’ ability to attack a tree is greatly affected by the hydration of the tree,” Cranshaw says. “The tree’s primary defense is a good pitch (or resin) flow that drowns out the (pest).” Give trees a slow, thorough watering weekly or every two weeks during the summer, Smith suggests. During the winter months — November through April — that don’t receive at least an inch of precipitation as rain or snow, water trees an average of 10 gallons for every 2 inches of diameter. Or use a garden hose with a fountainhead sprinkler, set a timer to 20 minutes and slowly soak every tree on two sides, Smith said. Don’t water trees when air temperatures hit freezing — it could kill them — but do water them when temperatures are above 30 or 40 degrees, said King, who, like some other arborists, will water your trees for you. Among the more than 3,000 clients his company serves annually, he estimates about 100 ask for help watering their trees during the cru-

Arborist Davis Glover of American Tree cuts down branches of a spruce tree that were infested by ips beetles Nov. 21, 2023, in northeast Denver. American Tree, based in Golden, estimates they have cut down hundreds of trees since 2021 due to the insects. PHOTO BY OLIVIA SUN / THE COLORADO SUN VIA REPORT FOR AMERICA

cial winter months. Fertilizing

Visit a reputable garden center for advice on fertilizer, Smith said, and avoid concentrations that lean heavily into nitrogens, which encourage growth. Instead, look for fertilizers with organic materials such as friendly bacteria and humic acids, which help trees absorb nutrients. “I’m not a big nitrogen fan,” Smith said. “Nitrogen has its place, but it pushes the tree. It makes the tree push quite a bit of new growth. If it’s not able to support that below ground (in its root system), you’re setting yourself up for failure.” She also recommends using a fertilizer with little or no phosphorus because of its overuse in the agri-

cultural industry. Fertilizers high in nitrogen and phosphorus wash into storm drains, eventually reaching — and de-oxygenating — nearby lakes and streams, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. One more critical detail: Do not fertilize newly planted or stressed trees. “It’s like giving a sick person a shot of adrenaline,” Smith warned. If all else fails … It’s time to call the professionals. If a pine or spruce looks under duress, call a tree care company. But know that insecticides are preventative, according to CSU Extension fact sheets for ips beetles and pine wilt disease. They cannot save a tree that’s already been infected by either.

“The first sign of pine wilt is death,” King says matter-of-factly. Death can occur within three weeks of infection with the nematode, according to CSU research. Still, King will sometimes battle for a tree’s life. “I have the technology to save a tree, but I cannot save every tree,” he says. “I’m a preservationist. That’s what I do. I save trees. But if you don’t water your trees, even if you spray them (with insecticides), you’re probably going to end up with dead trees. You’ve got to water your trees.” This story was printed through a news sharing agreement with The Colorado Sun, a journalist-owned nonprofit based in Denver that covers the state.

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Energy assistance asks on the rise Colorado’s low-income energy assistance program gets record applications BY TATIANA FLOWERS THE COLORADO SUN

“Rents are higher, housing costs are higher, food is much more expensive and medicine is getting much more expensive,” said Theresa Kullen, Colorado’s LEAP program manager. “We’re living in an economic situation where the impacts can be devastating enough that people have to either take food off their table or cut down medications to an unsafe amount,” she said. “And we don’t want, ever, to see a household have to make choices of that nature in order to live in a home with a safe indoor temperature.” In 2022, the program received 16% more applications than in 2021, Kullen said. And this year, the program’s administrative agencies have already received almost 10,000 more applications compared to last year at this same time. People are applying for assistance in higher numbers from all areas across the state. “And it’s not even that cold yet,” Kullen said. “The recent temperatures in the last few days have gotten chilly but we haven’t seen our worst time of winter. To see the increase so early on in the year is showing that this need is real and that people are really needing our help.” LEAP program employees have already approved 55% of the applications received so far this year for

For the second year, Colorado’s Low-Income Energy Assistance Program is receiving a record number of applications to start the heating season, as the cost of energy and other necessities continues to rise and many Coloradans struggle to afford their bills. The federally funded statewide program helps eligible people and families pay a portion of their winter home heating bills by making a one-time payment directly to the utility company on their behalf. More than 71,000 Coloradans have applied for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program, also called LEAP. That’s a 12% increase in the number of applications received this year compared with this time last season. Eligible families can receive between $200 and $1,000 in energy assistance, depending on the type of heating fuel they need, their income and other factors. Applications will be accepted through April 30.

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December 28, 2023De

New tricks, contests headed for Buttermilk Winter X Games will see changes in lineup, layout for January event in Aspen BY KAYA WILLIAMS ASPEN PUBLIC RADIO

This winter will be one of historic firsts for the X Games in Aspen — and not just because athletes are landing new tricks at Buttermilk Mountain. The lineup for Jan. 26-28 includes the debut of a women’s “knuckle huck,” alongside the men’s event, offered for both skiers and snowboarders on the “knuckle” or rollover of a larger jump. It’s a milestone in gender and discipline parity at the Winter X Games, where both male and female athletes will also compete in the usual slopestyle, “big air,” and “SuperPipe” events. “This is the first year it is exactly one to one,” said Valerie Ryan, the vice president of fan experience and hospitality for the X Games. But to get close to the action, people will need to pony up. The spectator corrals at the base of the courses will require tickets, ranging from about $25 to $70 for a single daypart. (Rates are higher for nighttime events than they are for daytime ones, and access to the base of the SuperPipe costs more

than access to the base of the big air and slopestyle courses.) Those areas were previously free — and jam-packed. The decision to charge for access was partly spurred by a desire for crowd control, Ryan said. “The big driving factor for that is fans used to have to wait in long lines and hope that they could get into the crowds,” Ryan said in a Zoom interview earlier this month. “Now they’ll actually be able to guarantee a spot to get into the corral.” Ryan said there will still be a free viewing area, but it will be set further back from the course. An X Games map submitted to Pitkin County as part of the special event permit process indicates that those free areas may have some obstructed view of the big air, knuckle huck and slopestyle courses, and sightlines will be extremely limited for the SuperPipe. Paid access to the spectator corrals is separate from existing “SuperFan” tickets to stand on the side of the SuperPipe; those seeking a more luxury experience will have “XIP” and “VIP Chalet” options. Other changes to the X Games lineup and layout will impact extracurricular offerings at the event. There will be no live slopeside concerts at Buttermilk, but there will be DJs playing music throughout the day. Ryan said or-

ganizers wanted the focus to be on the competition instead. And the Special Olympics races that have become a Winter X Games tradition over the past decade will not be part of the event this coming year. Ryan said that was due to timing and planning constraints. “We weren’t able to make it happen in the amount of time that we had, once we kind of greenlit what we were doing for Aspen,” Ryan said. “But hopefully, we’ll bring them back again.” Other community programs are in effect, however, including a partnership with the Buddy Program to welcome local youth the night before the X Games officially begin, Ryan said. According to the special event permit paperwork filed with Pitkin County, organizers also plan to offer discounts to local students and valley residents who wish to purchase a corral ticket. This January will mark the 23rd consecutive Winter X Games in Aspen, but the future of the event at Buttermilk Mountain is still unclear. ESPN sold a majority stake in the event to a private equity firm, MSP Sports Capital, last year. And a contract with the Aspen Skiing Company to host the Winter X Games here ends in 2024. Ryan said officials are still talking about what happens next.

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“We’re still in conversations to try to plan our future locations, and whether that’s in Aspen or whether that goes someplace else, we’re still figuring that out,” Ryan said. “But I will say that Aspen is, and has been, the best location we’ve ever worked with for an X Games event.” The X Games special event permit application with Pitkin County indicates other elements, like parking, transportation and security, are largely the same as previous years. There will be no spectator parking at Buttermilk, but there will be spaces at the Brush Creek Park and Ride, as well as frequent shuttle service. And a security agency, hired by the X Games, will work hand in hand with local law enforcement to ensure safety at the event. The athlete lineups will likely look familiar as well. Organizers have invited athletes like Aspen freeskier Alex Ferreira, a six-time X Games medalist, and Basalt freeskier Hanna Faulhaber, who won bronze in her debut X Games two years ago. X Games has not announced which athletes have accepted their invitations yet, however. The final athlete list could be confirmed in early January, Ryan said. This story via The Associated Press’ Storyshare, of which Colorado Community Media is a member.

December 28, 2023

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PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088 Legals Public Trustees PUBLIC NOTICE Highlands Ranch NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0182 To Whom It May Concern: On 10/24/2023 9:36:00 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: MARK S URICH AND TE HUEY URICH Original Beneficiary: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 11/8/2019 Recording Date of DOT: 11/14/2019 Reception No. of DOT: 2019077663 DOT Recorded in Douglas County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $241,600.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $228,584.75 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Borrower’s failure to make timely payments as required under the Evidence of Debt and Deed of Trust. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: Condominium Unit 3C, Sugarmill Condominiums, in accordance with and subject to the Subassociation Declaration for Sugarmill Condominiums Association, Inc., of Highlands Ranch Community Association, Inc., recorded on August 1, 1984 in Book 532 at Page 354 and Supplemental Declaration recorded June 17, 1985 in Book 579 at Page 642 and the Condominium Map recorded September 10, 1984 in Plat Book S at Page 51, Reception No. 335337, in the of Office of the Clerk and Recorder of Douglas County, Colorado, County of Douglas, State of Colorado. Which has the address of: 838 Summer Dr #3c, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126-3094 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, February 14, 2024, 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: 12/21/2023 Last Publication: 1/18/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press Dated: 10/24/2023 DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: DAVID R DOUGHTY Colorado Registration #: 40042 9540 MAROON CIRCLE SUITE 320, ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO 80112 Phone #: (303) 706-9990 Fax #: (303) 706-9994 Attorney File #: 23-030368 *YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/ Legal Notice No. 2023-0182 First Publication: 12/21/2023 Last Publication: 1/18/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Pres PUBLIC NOTICE Highlands Ranch NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0175 To Whom It May Concern: On 10/12/2023 8:34:00 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: TARA ANDRICKSON Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. ACTING SOLELY AS NOMINEE FOR PARKSIDE LENDING, LLC Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 12/20/2019 Recording Date of DOT: 12/26/2019 Reception No. of DOT: 2019088643 DOT Recorded in Douglas County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $452,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $461,634.96 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 130, HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 110-I, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

legals@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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, February 7, 2024, 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: 12/14/2023 Last Publication: 1/11/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press Dated: 10/12/2023 DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: RYAN BOURGEOIS Colorado Registration #: 51088 1391 Speer Boulevard, Suite 700, DENVER, COLORADO 80204 Phone #: (303) 350-3711 Fax #: Attorney File #: 00000009900085 *YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/ Legal Notice No. 2023-0175 First Publication: 12/14/2023 Last Publication: 1/11/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press PUBLIC NOTICE Littleton NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0177 To Whom It May Concern: On 10/12/2023 8:30:00 AM the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Douglas County. Original Grantor: Christoffer Hoover Original Beneficiary: Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Inc. Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as Trustee for MASTR Specialized Loan Trust 2006-03, Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 6/26/2002 Recording Date of DOT: 7/5/2002 Reception No. of DOT: 02065786 Book 2364 Page 957 DOT Recorded in Douglas County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $234,026.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $173,610.47

NOTICE OF SALE

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 current holder of the Evidence of Debt

THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A

Which has the address of: 10459 Hollyhock Ct, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

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 25A, ROXBOROUGH VILLAGE FILING NO. 16-A, 1ST AMENDMENT, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 9812 Falcon Lane, Littleton, CO 80125 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 7, 2024, 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: 12/14/2023 Last Publication: 1/11/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press Dated: 10/12/2023 DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: ILENE DELL'ACQUA Colorado Registration #: 31755 7700 E. ARAPAHOE ROAD, SUITE 230, CENTENNIAL, COLORADO 80112 Phone #: (877) 369-6122 Fax #: Attorney File #: CO-23-967206-LL *YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/ Legal Notice NO. 2023-0177 First Publication: 12/14/2023 Last Publication: 1/11/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press PUBLIC NOTICE Highlands Ranch NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0183 To Whom It May Concern: On 10/24/2023 9:31:00 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: LEMUEL G. BRINKLEY, JR. AND BARRIE L. BRINKLEY Original Beneficiary: MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. ACTING SOLELY AS NOMINEE FOR USAA FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: SELECT PORTFOLIO SERVICING, INC. Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 8/1/2018

Recording Date of DOT: 8/8/2018 Reception No. of DOT: 2018047706 DOT Recorded in Douglas County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $275,500.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $266,106.50 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay principal and interest when due together with all other payments provided for in the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust and other violations of the terms thereof. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 3 BLOCK 2, A REPLAT OF HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 1, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 68 Prairie Ridge Rd, 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, February 14, 2024, 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: 12/21/2023 Last Publication: 1/18/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press Dated: 10/24/2023 DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: RANDALL CHIN Colorado Registration #: 31149 1391 Speer Boulevard, Suite 700 , DENVER, COLORADO 80204 Phone #: (303) 350-3711 Fax #: Attorney File #: 00000009788787 *YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/ Legal Notice No.2023-0183 First Publication: 12/21/2023 Last Publication: 1/18/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Highlands Ranch Legals December 28, 2023 * 1

December 28, 2023

Public Notices Bids and Settlements PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF CONTRACTORS SETTLEMENT COUNTY OF DOUGLAS STATE OF COLORADO

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Section 38-26-107, C.R.S., as amended, that on January 21, 2024, final settlement will be made by the County of Douglas, State of Colorado, for and on account of a contract between Douglas County and Hudick Excavating Inc DBA HCI Civil for the Waterton Rd. Extension Phase 2 Project, Douglas County Project Number CI 2020-025, in Douglas County; and that any person, co-partnership, association or corporation that has an unpaid claim against said Hudick Excavating Inc DBA HCI Civil for or on account of the furnishing of labor, materials, team hire, sustenance, provisions, provender or other supplies used or consumed by such contractor or any of his subcontractors in or about the performance of said work, or that supplied rental machinery, tools, or equipment to the extent used in the prosecution of said work, may at any time up to and including said time of such final settlement on said 01/21/2024, file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid on account of such claim with the Board of County Commissioners, c/o Director of Public Works Engineering, with a copy to the Project Engineer, Sean Owens, P.E., Department of Public Works Engineering Division, Philip S. Miller Building, 100 Third Street, Suite 220, Castle Rock, CO 80104.

Project Plans and Specifications. Douglas County will not be held responsible for misinformation received from private plan rooms. A PRE-BID CONFERENCE will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, at the Department of Public Works Engineering, Philip S. Miller Building, 100 Third Street, Suite 220, Castle Rock, CO 80104. All questions are due to Project Engineer by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 16, 2024. The Bid Opening will be conducted at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at the same address. The Project includes the following major items and approximate quantities: • 70,866 tons hot mix asphalt overlays Prior to submitting a Bid Proposal, Bidders shall have received prequalification status (active status) with the Colorado Department of Transportation to bid on individual projects of the size and kind of work as set forth herein. Any questions on the bidding process shall be directed to Keith Burke, Project Engineer at 303.660.7490. Plan holder information, can be found on the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System Website. Legal Notice No. 946597 First Publication: December 28, 2023 Last Publication: December 28, 2023 Publisher: Douglas County News-Press Account Number: 2734 PUBLIC NOTICE

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

NOTICE OF CONTRACTORS SETTLEMENT COUNTY OF DOUGLAS STATE OF COLORADO

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

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Section 38-26-107, C.R.S., as amended, that on January 21, 2024, final settlement will be made by the County of Douglas, State of Colorado, for and on account of a contract between Douglas County and Hudick Excavating Inc DBA HCI Civil for the Inverness Drive South Bridge Project, Douglas County Project Number CI 2020-025, in Douglas County; and that any person, co-partnership, association or corporation that has an unpaid claim against said Hudick Excavating Inc DBA HCI Civil for or on account of the furnishing of labor, materials, team hire, sustenance, provisions, provender or other supplies used or consumed by such contractor or any of his subcontractors in or about the performance of said work, or that supplied rental machinery, tools, or equipment to the extent used in the prosecution of said work, may at any time up to and including said time of such final settlement on said 01/21/2024, file a verified statement of the amount due and unpaid on account of such claim with the Board of County Commissioners, c/o Director of Public Works Engineering, with a copy to the Project Engineer, Sean Owens, P.E., Department of Public Works Engineering Division, Philip S. Miller Building, 100 Third Street, Suite 220, Castle Rock, CO 80104.

Legal Notice No. 946545 First Publication: December 21, 2023 Second Publication: December 28, 2023 Publishers: Douglas County News Press Account Number: 2734 Public Notice PUBLIC INVITATION TO BID Separate sealed bids for 2024 Asphalt Overlay Project, CI 2024-003 will be received by the Owner, Douglas County Government, Department of Public Works Engineering, Philip S. Miller Building, 100 Third Street, Suite 220, Castle Rock, CO 80104, until Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. This project consists of placement of hot mix asphalt overlays at various locations throughout Douglas County. Bid items include removal of asphalt mat, hot mix asphalt paving, adjustment of manholes and water valve boxes, replacement of pavement markings, and erosion control. The Contract Documents will be available after 10:00 a.m. on Monday, January 1, 2024, through Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System Website (www.rockymountainbidsystem.com) or they may be obtained at the above address. Electronic versions of the Plans obtained by any other means than as described above may not be complete or accurate, and it is the Bidder’s responsibility to obtain a complete set of the

Failure on the part of the claimant to file such statement before such final settlement will relieve said County of Douglas from all and any liability for such claimant's claim. The Board of Douglas County Commissioners of the County of Douglas, Colorado, By: Janet Herman, P.E., Director of Public Works.

Legal Notice No. 946544 First Publication: December 21, 2023 Second Publication: December 28, 2023 Publishers: Douglas County News Press Account Number: 2734

Children Services (Adoption/Guardian/Other) Public Notice DOUGLAS COUNTY DISTRICT COURT, STATE OF COLORADO 4000 Justice Way Castle Rock, CO 80109 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO In the Interest of: IVY OWEN, D.O.B.: 04/27/2022, FALLON FOSTER, D.O.B.: 08/25/2011, Children And Concerning: REBECCA FOSTER, D.O.B.: 03/16/1985, Mother, RANDALL OWEN, D.O.B.: 03/13/1989, Father of Ivy Owen, TRAVIS ANDERSON A/K/A TRAVIS ANDERSEN, Possible Father of Fallon Foster, JOHN DOE, D.O.B: Unknown, Possible Father of Fallon Foster, Respondents. Attorney for Department: R. LeeAnn Reigrut, #28833 Amy Hendrickson, #32110 4400 Castleton Ct. Castle Rock, CO 80109 (303) 814-5326 lreigrut@douglas.co.us ahendrickson@douglas.co.us CASE NUMBER: 23JV44 DIVISION 8 DEPENDENCY SUMMONS This Summons is initiated pursuant to Rule 2.2 of the Colorado Rules of Juvenile Procedure, Rule 4 of the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure, and Section 19-3-503, C.R.S. TO: JOHN DOE 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 which may be obtained at the office of the Douglas County Attorney’s Office. A Review Hearing and Adjudicatory and Dispositional Hearing for Respondent Father John Doe has been set for March 4, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. in Division 8 by phone: 720-4376180 + 75590# Douglas County District Court, 4000 Justice Way, Castle Rock, Colorado, 80109. Your presence before this court is required to defend against the claims in this petition. IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR, THE COURT WILL PROCEED IN YOUR ABSENCE, WITHOUT

FURTHER NOTICE, TO CONDUCT AN ADJUDICATORY HEARING AND MAY ENTER A JUDGMENT BY DEFAULT THEREBY ADJUDICATING YOUR CHILD AS A DEPENDENT OR NEGLECTED CHILD. You have the right to request a trial by jury at the adjudicatory stage of this petition. You also have the right to legal representation at every stage of the proceedings by counsel of your own choosing, or if you are without sufficient financial means, appointment of counsel by the Court. Termination of your parent-child legal relationship to free your child for adoption is a possible remedy in this proceeding. If that remedy is pursued, you are entitled to a hearing before a Judge. You also have the right, if you are indigent, to have the Court appoint, at no expense to you, one expert witness of your own choosing at any hearing on the termination of your parent-child relationship. You have the right to have this matter heard by a district court judge rather than by the magistrate. You may waive that right, and in doing so, you will be bound by the findings and recommendations of the magistrate, subject to review as provided by sec. 19-1-108(5.5), C.R.S., and subsequently, to the right of appeal as provided by Colorado Appellate Rule 3.4. This summons is being initiated by the Douglas County Department of Human Services through its counsel. Dated: December 14, 2023. /s/ Amy Hendrickson Amy Hendrickson, #32110 Assistant Douglas County Attorney Legal Notice No. 946575 First Publication: December 28, 2023 Last Publication: December 28, 2023 Publisher: Douglas County News-Press Public Notice DOUGLAS COUNTY DISTRICT COURT, STATE OF COLORADO 4000 Justice Way Castle Rock, CO Douglas County, CO 80109 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO In the Interest of: TAYLOR ANNE HEILMAN, D.O.B.: 09/07/2008; Children, And concerning: LAURA ANNE KEELER, D.O.B.: 09/29/1986, Mother; ROBERT MICHAEL MORRIS, D.O.B.: UNKNOWN, Presumptive Father; WILLIAM BALL, D.O.B.: 01/16/1988, Possible Father; Respondents, And EUGENE KELLER, D.O.B.: 08/18/1983, Stepfather to Taylor; Special Respondent. Attorney for Department: R. LeeAnn Reigrut, #28833 Amy Hendrickson, #32110 4400 Castleton Ct. Castle Rock, CO 80109 (303) 814-5326 Fax: (303) 479-9259 lreigrut@douglas.co.us ahendrickson@douglas.co.us CASE NUMBER: 22JV110 DIVISION 8

DEPENDENCY SUMMONS This Summons is initiated pursuant to Rule 2.2 of the Colorado Rules of Juvenile Procedure, Rule 4 of the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure, and Section 19-3-503, C.R.S. TO: ROBERT MORRIS 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 which may be obtained at the office of the Douglas County Attorney’s Office. A Paternity Hearing is scheduled for March 4, 2024 at 11:00 AM in Division 8, of the Douglas County District Court, 4000 Justice Way, Castle Rock, Colorado, 80109. Parties shall participate by calling 720-437-6180, extension 75590# 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., and subsequently, to the right of appeal as provided by Colorado Appellate Rule 3.4. This summons is being initiated by the Douglas County Department of Human Services through its counsel. Dated: December 15, 2023. /s/ Amy Hendrickson Amy Hendrickson, #32110 Assistant Douglas County Attorney Legal Notice No. 946590 First Publication: December 28, 2023 Last Publication: December 28, 2023 Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

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