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VOLUME 22 | ISSUE 48

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Republican candidates square off in debate Race for 4th congressional seat brings feisty forum BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A long list of Republican candidates seeking to replace U.S. Rep. Ken Buck in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District sparred over their experience while talking about immigration, abortion and the economy at a raucous debate. The debate, hosted by the Republican Women of Weld in Fort Lupton, kicked off what has already been a lively primary season marked by attacks and posturing. Nine Republicans who are campaigning for the 4th District seat, which is opening because Buck is retiring, shared the stage. Candidates voiced their support for former President Donald Trump, touted how their experiences made them the best fit for the job, and didn’t resist taking shots at one another. U.S. Rep Lauren Boebert faced questions from opponents about her decision not to run for reelection to the 3rd District on the Western Slope and instead switch to the 4th District. At one point, state Rep. Mike Lynch asked her to define the term “carpetbagger.” Boebert said at the Jan. 25 forum that she has moved to Weld County, adding that she and her children needed a change of setting after her recent divorce. “I’ve been very clear that this is a fresh start for my family and myself,” Boebert said. “The crops may be different in Colorado’s 4th District, but the values are not.” She also asserted that her move ensures Republicans will win both districts. The 4th District leans 27 points in SEE DEBATE, P2

Colorado Republican congressional candidates for District 4 make their introductions Jan. 25 at a debate hosted by the Republican Women of Weld in Fort Lupton. PHOTOS BY BELEN WARD

Candidate Jerry Sonnenberg speaks Jan. 25 during the Republican Women of Weld’s Congressional District 4 debate in Fort Lupton.

VOICES: 12 | LIFE: 14 | CALENDAR: 17 | SPORTS: 18

Candidate Mike Lynch answer a question Jan. 25 during the Republican Women of Weld’s Congressional District 4 debate in Fort Lupton.

LONETREEVOICE.NET • A PUBLICATION OF COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

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Candidate Ted Harvey speaks Jan. 25 during the Republican Women of Weld’s Congressional District 4 debate in Fort Lupton. PHOTOS BY BELEN WARD

DEBATE FROM PAGE 1

the GOP’s favor, according to a nonpartisan analysis of election results

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert at the Women of Weld GOP candidate debate Jan. 25 in Fort Lupton. Boebert currently serves as the District 3 representative and is now seeking District 4.

Candidate Deborah Flora Jan. 25 during the Republican Women of Weld’s Congressional District 4 debate in Fort Lupton.

Candidate Chris Phelen speaks Jan. 25 during the Republican Women of Weld’s Congressional District 4 debate in Fort Lupton.

from the last two presidential elections by staffers for the Colorado legislature. And, according to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office, there are 187,011 Republicans (35%) in the 4th District and 90,110 Democrats

(17%). Unaffiliated voters outnumber either party with 243,598 registered voters in the district. The total active number of voters in the district is 529,393. “We have an opportunity now to absolutely secure that seat and keep it red,” Boebert said, adding that she was heavily targeted by Democratic interests. “The Republicans in the 3rd District will now have a fair fight against their opponents rather than Hollywood elitists and dark money groups pouring into the district.” Boebert served a few barbs of her own, such as calling out Lynch for losing access to his gun because he is on probation for driving under the influence in 2022. Lynch stepped down from his position as the state’s House minority leader on Jan. 24 after The Denver Post brought the DUI charge to light. At the debate, Lynch addressed the matter, saying he is asking for forgiveness and putting it behind him. He said he could represent people from a variety of life experiences and was working to overcome his mistake. “It’s not how you get knocked down, it’s how you get back up on your feet, learn from it and move forward,” he said. Boebert also poked fun at Peter Yu for having unsuccessfully campaigned in Colorado’s 2nd District in 2018 and for the U.S. Senate in 2022. The second-term congresswoman touted her work helping to pass the Pueblo Jobs Act and working to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy “Everyone will talk like a Freedom Caucus member, but I’m the only one who governs as a Freedom Caucus member,” Boebert said. The House Freedom Caucus is an allied group of representatives advo-

cating for far-right policies. “I’ve been very responsible with my legislative duties in this majority,” she added. Other candidates pushed back on Boebert’s claim that she is the only one with “proven experience.” Former state Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg, pointed to his history serving the residents of the Eastern Plains and knowledge of agriculture, water and cost of living issues. “This district needs somebody who understands those issues and has grown up with those issues,” he said. Ted Harvey, a former state senator from Highlands Ranch, highlighted his work on a political action committee that funds pro-Trump candidates, as well as his history fighting for pro-life legislation. Harvey helped to pass the only abortion restriction on record in Colorado. “There’s nobody up here that has a more consistent record of fighting for conservative values,” he said. Deborah Flora, a conservative radio host from Highlands Ranch, emphasized her work in pro-life and parent’s rights spaces. Douglas County is the most populous county in the district and has the most registered voters. In addition to Flora and Harvey, two other candidates have ties to the area: Trent Leisy and Chris Phelen. “I’m not a career politician looking for my next job or my next paycheck, I’m a citizen servant,” Flora said. When asked about their top priorities, all of the candidates said some variation of dealing with immigration and closing the border or addressing the economy. Leisy and Harvey said they would push to deport all illegal immigrants

How can business owners plan for an exit? If you’re a business owner, you’ve always got a lot to do and a lot to think about. But have you thought much about how you’ll eventually leave it all behind? Even if you’re a few years away from that day, it’s a good idea to start considering your exit strategy. How will you sell or transfer your business? Essentially, you have three main options. First, you could sell or transfer the business to someone already affiliated with the company, such as a family member, business partner or group of employees. Second, you could sell to an unrelated third party. And third, you could simply liquidate the business by selling all your assets and shutting down operations. Each of these options may have advantages and disadvantages, depending on your situation. To decide which route to choose, you may want to consult with your financial, business and tax advisors. But don’t wait too long. Time goes fast — and when the time comes for you to say goodbye to your business, you’ll want to be prepared.

Erik Niemeier, AAMS™ Edward Jones Investments

4185 E Wildcat Reserve Parkway. Suite 301 Highlands Ranch, CO 80126 Phone: (303) 683-2038 Email: Erik.Niemeier@edwardjones.com This content was provided by Edward Jones for use by Erik Niemeier, your Edward Jones financial advisor at (303) 683-2038. Member SIPC 2:60

SEE DEBATE, P4

February 1, 2024 ADVERTISEMENT

How Much Did Home Sales Fall in 2022 and 2023, and Was It a Record Drop?

At right is a chart showing the number of residential sales within a 25-mile radius of downtown Denver over the past 10 years. I was inspired to do this research because I read in an email newsletter that the nationwide drop for 2023 versus 2022 was the biggest drop in 30 years. As you can see, however, here in the Denver metro area, the 2023 drop in sales was the biggest drop since… the prior year! Moreover, the drop in 2022 was only so big because the increase during the first full year of Covid was so big. As I said, my statistics were for the area within 25 miles of downtown Denver, which I consider to be a reasonable definition of “metro Denver.” The Market Trends Committee of the Denver Metro Association of Realtors uses the same data source as me, namely REcolorado.com, but they define “metro Denver” as 11 counties, many of which extend far from downtown Denver. Here’s what the same chart looks like using those criteria: (11-County Metro)

(Full MLS)

the metro area distort the figures enough to paint a less than accurate picture of the Denver metro market. I’ve added a third chart above top right, this time using the full REcolorado database, which covers much of the state. It’s common to refer to REcolorado as the “Denver MLS,” but it can and does include listings from all over the state. There are other MLSs in the state, but if a listing agent wants to reach Denver buyers, as he or she should, then entering those farflung listings on REcolorado is a must. The third chart tells an important story. If you recall the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, workers throughout the state (and country) were forced to work

from home. When it looked like the pandemic was going to linger, many of those workers decided that working at home could be a long-term arrangement. Moreover, they wanted to move somewhere that was less populated, so they wouldn’t be rubbing shoulders with possibly infected neighbors. That caused a huge surge in out-migration from Denver, which is best reflected in the third chart, where the slow market in rural listings pulled down the statewide average — until the pandemic. Looked at statewide, you’d think that the big drop in 2023 sales was more of a return to pre-pandemic levels than an absolute drop — which it certainly was if looked at on the metro Denver level.

REcolorado has released the rules for a new kind of listing called “Private Exclusive.” It replaces an earlier status called “Office Exclusive,” which made listings by individual brokers only visible to fellow agents in their office, which I felt discriminated against brokerages with fewer agents, like Golden Real Estate.

many sellers wanting to limit the exposure of their listing so drastically. When a listing is active on the MLS, it is displayed not only on REcolorado and other regional MLSs, it is displayed on Zillow, Redfin and every other consumer website, including the websites of virtually every brokerage including Re/Max, Coldwell Banker, Century 21 — and Golden Real Estate. The one likely application for this non-public status would be if the home is in a multi-million dollar neighborhood and is owned by a sports star or celebrity who values his or her privacy, and the listing agent has sold scores of such homes and has a huge personal database of prospective buyers, including other celebrities and ultra-rich persons. The motivation of our MLS to create this new status was to maximize the accuracy of its sold database. When a home is sold off-MLS or as a pocket listing, it’s less likely to be posted on the MLS once it has sold, thereby limiting its visibility to appraisers and other agents looking for comparable sales. When a private exclusive listing is sold, it must be updated with the sold price and terms and is then fully visible as a “closed” listing for all to see, including on those consumer websites like Zillow, homes.com and others. Large brokerages still have an advantage over us smaller brokerages, because other agents within the brokerage can search for and find those listings. They have the same sharing limitations as the listing broker.

MLS Introduces ‘Private Exclusive’ Listings to Combat Pocket Listings

I have been trying for years to get the Market Trends Committee and other real estate statisticians to switch from using the county definition to using the radius definition of the metro area. At right I have overlaid the 25-mile radius of downtown Denver over the 11 counties used by DMAR and other statisticians. Clearly, the rural components of those 11 counties which touch

This Column Is Now Published on Substack

Everything you read in this ad each week is published at http://RealEstateToday.Substack.com and comes to you by email automatically each Wednesday. I also write a political column you might like. Find it at http://TalkingTurkey.Substack.com. I’m on a world cruise until May 6. Read my travelogue at http://WhereAreJimandRita.Substack.com. I have free cell and email, so feel free to contact me.

The new status is intended for sellers who desire a higher level of privacy, by not publicizing widely that they are selling their home and for how much. Under this status, the listing agent cannot put a sign in front of the house and can only promote the listing one-onone to other agents or to prospective buyers in his or her sphere of influence. That means that the listing may not be promoted on social media or be mass emailed, and will not be displayed on the MLS or consumer-facing websites like Zillow until it has sold. The problem with “private exclusive,” of course, is that it severely limits the number of potential buyers who will see it. The advantage for the listing agent of off-MLS listings or “pocket listings” is that he or she is more likely to “double-end” the sale and not have to give half his listing commission to the buyer’s agent. That’s why the listing agent is required to affirm during the listing entry process that the seller requested keeping the listing private, and that that the seller was informed of the implications of not being displayed on the full MLS. With such an affirmation, if valid, it’s hard to imagine

No Real Estate Brokerage Exposes Your Home to As Many Buyers As Golden Real Estate Does

If you choose one of our broker associates or me to list your home, it will be featured in this weekly ad. But did you know how many newspapers this column appears in? It appears every Thursday in all editions of the Denver Post’s YourHub section, plus the following weekly newspapers: Arvada Press, Brighton Standard Blade, Canyon Courier, Castle Pines News-Press, Castle Rock News-Press, Centennial Citizen, Clear Creek Courant, Commerce City Sentinel Express, Denver Herald-Dispatch, Douglas County News Press, Elbert County News, Englewood Herald, Fort Lupton Press, Golden Transcript, Highlands Ranch Herald, Hustler 285, Jeffco Transcript, Littleton Independent, Lone Tree Voice, MetroWest Advertiser, Northglenn-Thornton Sentinel, Parker Chronicle, South Platte Independent & Westminster Window. Total circulation is over 300,000!

Jim Smith

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Candidate Peter Yu Jan. 25 during the Republican Women of Weld’s Congressional District 4 debate in Fort Lupton. PHOTOS BY BELEN WARD

Candidate Richard Holtorf speaks Jan. 25 during the Republican Women of Weld’s Congressional District 4 debate in Fort Lupton.

DEBATE FROM PAGE 2

who entered the country within the past few years, while Colorado Rep. Richard Holtorf advocated for deporting all Middle Eastern men. Leisy and Boebert were the only two candidates to raise their hands when asked if they believed the 2020 election was stolen from former President Trump. All of the candidates said they would vote for Trump in 2024. In a recent interview with CNN, Buck cited lies over the 2020 election as one reason he is retiring and called it a challenge that Republicans will have to overcome. “In addition to that, Republicans who have answers to these issues – and are at least aware of them, and hopefully will work on them someday — have a huge credibility problem because we continue to talk about and lie about the 2020 election as if it was stolen, as if Joe Biden wasn’t the real winner of that election,” Buck said on CNN’s “The Source.” “I don’t think we can have the credibility we need with

Candidate Trent Leisy makes a point Jan. 25 during the Women of Weld’s Congressional District 4 debate in Fort Lupton.

the American public if we continue the lies that we’re now telling.” Candidates were split on support for a federal abortion ban, with Boebert, Flora, Harvey and Sonnenberg in favor. An unofficial straw poll of debate attendees showed Sonnenberg to be the favorite, followed by Lynch, Flora, Holtorf and Boebert.

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February 1, 2024

Douglas County School District is grappling with shifts in enrollment, leading to the COURTESY DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT need to open and close schools.

Douglas County discusses plans to build, close schools BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The Douglas County School District plans to tackle growing demand for schools in newer neighborhoods and declining enrollments in Highlands Ranch. Hundreds of students in Sterling Ranch, Ridgegate, the Canyons and Crystal Valley don’t have a neighborhood school, and the district is not able to build new schools without a voter-approved bond. Meanwhile, Highlands Ranch’s population is aging and schools in the area are enrolling fewer students. That means the district buses students from neighborhoods without schools to schools in Highlands Ranch. Superintendent Erin Kane said the strategy is only a short-term solution because it strains the transportation system and district finances. Kane said maintaining optimal enrollment levels allows the district to offer the same opportunities, like extracurriculars, special education programs and advanced coursework, at every school. “At the end of the day this is about making sure that every student across our district, no matter what school they attend or neighborhood they live in, has access to the best of our amazing opportunities that our district has to offer,” she told the board at the Jan. 9 meeting. For Highlands Ranch, the district plans to close or consolidate elementary schools in 2026, taking the time before then to finalize details. No schools have yet been identified for pairing or closing. School buildings would be repurposed for other district uses and staff

impacted by future closures will not lose their jobs, Kane said. “We’re in a unique position right now to make that kind of commitment because we have such a high vacancy rate, so there really are plenty of jobs to go around,” she said. There are 13,000 homes in Sterling Ranch, 8,000 in Ridgegate East, 5,000 in the Canyons and 4,500 in Crystal Valley that don’t have access to a neighborhood school. Enough children are living in Sterling Ranch to fill an elementary school, Kane said. With the need for a new school urgently, the district considered seeking a charter partnership to open a school in Sterling Ranch in 2026 or 2027. At the Jan. 23 meeting, the school board was split on whether to request proposals from charter schools to build on district owned land in Sterling Ranch. Board members Susan Meek, Brad Geiger and Valerie Thompson raised concerns about the loss of an ideal property for a neighborhood school and noted there is community opposition to a charter school. Three residents of Sterling Ranch gave public comments at the meeting advocating for the district to focus on building a neighborhood school. Board members Christy Williams, Kaylee Winegar and Becky Myers were inclined to request proposals because the district wouldn’t be committing to accepting a charter. The motion to move forward with requesting proposals failed on a 3-3 vote. Kane indicated to the board that staff may recommend putting a bond on the 2024 ballot to build new schools and address ongoing building maintenance.

Reminder: first half property tax payments due First half payment is due by the last day of February, second half payment due by June 15, or full payment due by April 30. For more information, please visit douglas.co.us/treasurer or douglascotax.com

Skip the trip - motor vehicle services just a click away Renew your driver license or motor vehicle registration and more from the convenience of your smartphone, tablet, desktop or laptop. You can also renew vehicle registrations at MVExpress kiosks. Find information at DouglasDrives.com

Keeping Your County Healthy… You can help keep your community healthy. The Douglas County Health Department investigates communicable diseases. You can help by reporting infectious diseases along with animal bites that break the skin. To report, visit douglas.co.us and search Health Department.

Visit douglas.co.us

February 1, 2024Fe

Water advisers to have own advisers BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

With ongoing concerns about supplies of water across Douglas County, elected leaders recently created an advisory board to help them plan for the future. And, now, the county has decided those advisers will need advisers. But members of the Douglas County Water Commission are expressing confusion about the role of the second advisory group. “I hate to just bring a whole bunch of people in and have them set (as) kind of a mirror,” said Douglas County Water Commissioner Roger Hudson, also a Castle Pines city council member. Hudson raised the issue during a Jan. 22 water commission meeting. The county hasn’t yet selected any advisers to the water commission. Douglas officials envision the advisers to the water commission as “technical,” a committee of people with expertise in water. But the water commission, which only held its first meeting in December, already has some members with a deep background in water. So far, the water commission has been unable to decide how to fill the list of advisory experts. Its January meeting brought a stalemate to the issue. “I think we need to somewhat determine what we need from these people,” Frank Johns, another water commission member, said at the meeting. The Douglas County Water Commission is expected to help create a long-term plan regarding water

One of the large bodies of water in Douglas County, pictured from near Havana Street and Castle Pines Parkway in August. The Rueter-Hess Reservoir is a drinkingwater storage facility owned and operated by the Parker Water and Sanitation District, the entity that provides drinking water to much of Parker and some nearby PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD areas.

supply and improving conservation. Water lawyers, current and former elected officials, and people who serve on local districts that supply water to many county homes and businesses sit on the commission. That includes James Eklund, who worked on the state’s water plan, and Johns, who has worked on various water plans for communities over the years. Johns sits on the

board of the Centennial Water and Sanitation District, which serves Highlands Ranch. A layer of advisers to the commission could skew toward more experts, but what type of input the water commission wants from them remains an open question. “We’re not looking for the engineers to run in here,” said Jack Hilbert, one of Douglas County’s former elected leaders and a water

commission member. He felt the body needs a “high-level view” of the county’s water situation. Potentially complicating matters, the water commission has also brought up the idea of seeking outside help, separate from the advisers to the water commission. Tricia Bernhardt, another water commission member, noted in December that developing a longterm water plan is a large undertaking and asked whether the commission could find money to pay for a consultant to help with the process. County staff indicated they could request to do so. At the January meeting, the water commission also floated the idea of having large, experienced water providers speak to the commission in person. “Denver Water and Aurora and Colorado Springs … they’ve done a lot of planning,” said Jim Maras, a water commission member, advocating for big-city providers to advise the commission. The water commission doesn’t have the final say on who joins its technical advisory committee. It can only make recommendations. Ultimately, the board of elected, county-level commissioners — George Teal, Lora Thomas and Abe Laydon — will make the final decisions on who sits on the technical advisory committee, according to county staff. At the January meeting, the water commission decided to continue to another day the discussion of who might serve as advisers. The water commission’s next meeting is set for Feb. 26.

Son accused of killing dad appears in court BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Sean Gipson, the 33-year-old man accused of killing his father in a Highlands Ranch residence, appeared in Douglas County District Court as charges were formally filed against him. Gipson, who appeared on Jan. 25, is facing an accusation of first-degree murder after deliberation. Under Colorado law, first-degree

murder is an intentional or deliberate killing, or a killing that results from risky behavior. A preliminary hearing was also set (for April 25) after the defense requested extra time to better prepare for the case. The preliminary hearing will determine if there is sufficient evidence to continue toward trial. Documents indicate that on the morning of Jan. 7, sheriff ’s deputies responded to a report of gun-

shots in a residence on Elmhurst Drive. Inside, they found Sean Gipson’s father, 73-year-old Billy Gipson, deceased with multiple stab wounds. Sean Gipson was found on the floor of the living room, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Gipson’s mother had told police that her husband often carried a gun out of fear of their son, who allegedly made threats towards family members, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by Colorado

Community Media. She added that her son had been diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2018 and was off his medication. Gipson was taken to AdventHealth Littleton for treatment. Gipson had made similar threats before, according to court records. In 2022, he was convicted in both federal and state courts for making telephone threats against a local mental health agency, family members and authorities.

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Funds support people with developmental disabilities BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Because of a program voters approved more than 20 years ago, Douglas County spends a small part of homeowners’ property tax payments each year on supporting some of the people who need it most. George Teal, a county commissioner, describes it as a “safety net” for local developmentally disabled people. “There was a time when there was a second-class aspect to their citizenship,” Teal said. He said voters made it clear that “these are Americans.” “These are our neighbors, these are people who belong here, and we have found a place for them here,” Teal added. Teal’s comments came at a recent meeting where he and fellow county commissioners, Abe Laydon and Lora Thomas, voted to approve grants to organizations supporting people with disabilities. This round of funding, about $450,000 in all, went to a variety of services, including therapeutic horseback riding, water safety, job training, housing and

Representatives from organizations that serve people with developmental disabilities pose with Douglas County commissioners for a photo at a December commissioners meeting in COURTESY OF DOUGLAS COUNTY Castle Rock.

transportation, and more. In 2001, Douglas County voters approved a one-mill property tax to fund services that benefit people with developmental disabilities and their families, according to the county. A “mill” is a $1 payment on every $1,000 of “assessed,” or taxable, value of a home. For example, a $700,000 home, at the 6.7% assessment rate in Colorado, would have about $47,000 in taxable value. (This is a simplified example.) Then, applying the one-mill tax rate, that home would owe about $47 for the Douglas County Developmental Dis-

abilities Mill Levy program. A “mill levy” is the official term for a property tax. The county distributes more than 90% of the Developmental Disabilities Mill Levy funds to Developmental Pathways, a nonprofit serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, while 5.5% is set aside for the grant program. Since 2001, the Developmental Disabilities Mill Levy grant has awarded over $5 million for local services supporting residents with intellectual or developmental disabilities, according to the county.

Family pets clean up their acts at Wag N’ Wash Columnists & Guest Commentaries Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Voice. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone. Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com Deadline Tues. for the following week’s paper.

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

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When Jen and John Park decided to take over a local Wag N’ Wash, the Highlands Ranch couple wanted to give pets a chance to be pampered, maintain their health and owners a chance to connect with them. “It’s a lot of work to wash your own dog,” said John. “But it’s a very bonding experience as well. It really helps the animal understand they are being taken care of.” For years, the Parks and their dogs were customers of the Wag N’ Wash on Reserve Parkway. Then, in 2019, the owner asked the couple if they were interested in buying the location. With entrepreneurial spirits, the Parks jumped on the opportunity. Jen began working at the store, learning all the ins and outs of the business and, despite the pandemic, they became the owners in December 2020. Over the past three years, the couple has invested in innovation improvements, such as expanding the grooming salon.

Given the improvements, the Parks held a grand-reopening late last year for their one-stop, neighborhood operation that offers a full-service grooming salon, a self-serve pet wash and variety of products. “We just want to be able to reach that many more pets,” said Jen. “Making sure that they’re getting the right care and grooming, the right self-wash options and being able to increase that bond.” In addition to washes, all experienced groomers provide speciality services, like nail trims, ear cleanings and more. Also, a pet wash attendant provides pet parents with aprons, shampoo, conditioner, brushes and cleans up everything after they are done. Along with a pet bakery, toys, apparel, collars, leashes and wanting to help owners know they have alternatives, the store now carries some of the big brands that a lot of vets and breeders recommend for both dogs and cats, said Jen, which can be delivered or picked up curbside. The Parks also strive to help owners become educated about nutrition and

supplements, even bringing in vendors to talk to customers directly. “It’s all about the pups,” said Jen. “When it comes down to it, we love our human customers, but it’s really all about the pups.” Although the store sees mostly dogs, the Parks do have one cat client. The location is equipt to cut cat’s nails and with an additional expansion to be completed by the summer, they hope to grow their services for both dogs and cats. When the Parks first began managing the store, they wanted to establish connections with other local community organizations. They partner with local tap houses, sponsor events for the Highlands Ranch Community Association and hire students from ThunderRidge high school who help ensure the store gets sanitized and cleaned. They also collect donations for Colorado Pet Pantry, a food bank for family pets. Wag N’ Wash Natural Food and Grooming is located at 2229 Wildcat Reserve Pkwy. and can be contacted at 720-344-9274 or wagnwash.com.

February 1, 2024

Colorado has less time to spend $1.5B in COVID aid BY BRIAN EASON THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado state budget writers are in a race against the clock to spend $1.5 billion in leftover federal pandemic aid before the end of 2024 thanks to new guidance from the U.S. Treasury Department. The deadline is two full years sooner than state lawmakers and Polis administration officials had expected. That has set off a mad scramble to rewrite the budget for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, to allow the state to spend federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars faster than lawmakers intended. The time crunch arose from shifting guidance from federal officials on how they define “obli-

gated,” a term that doesn’t exist in state law. Federal law has long required ARPA recipients to “obligate” all of their funding by the end of 2024, but the final spending deadline is not until the end of 2026. That led state officials to assume they could spend their $3.8 billion allocation through 2025 and 2026, as long as they had passed legislation committing to do so by this year. “The state had been operating under the understanding that it would have some ability to define that term itself,” Amanda Bickel, a Joint Budget Committee staff analyst, told lawmakers in a hearing this week. “Now that is absolutely not the case. Legislative staff and the executive staff all agree that SEE AID MONEY, P10

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what we need to do is expend this money as fast as possible.” Under the new federal guidance, the state is generally prohibited from spending ARPA money beyond the 2024 deadline, with limited exceptions. That’s left the Polis administration and lawmakers looking to swap out the funding sources for at least 36 programs in order to get the money out the door before the federal government requires Colorado to give it back. Here’s how the funding swap would work: State agencies would spend the pandemic aid money as soon as possible on qualifying government services, a broad category that includes

employee salaries. Doing so will free up state tax dollars that can be spent at any time. That money would be redirected to the programs the state had planned to use the ARPA money for in future years, such as behavioral health care, teacher stipends and wildfire prevention projects. But the clock’s ticking. The JBC on Wednesday directed its staff to present the funding swap plan by mid-February. It would then need the full legislature’s approval. Meanwhile, the JBC must submit its 2024-25 budget proposal to the legislature by mid-March. The fear of losing the federal money has been a constant theme on the budget committee in recent months. Colorado budget writers this fall asked every state department for a detailed accounting of how they

were spending ARPA dollars and how much they had left. “We knew that there was a selfdestruct time on those funds,” said Sen. Jeff Bridges, D-Greenwood Village, who serves on the JBC. But no one was sure what the 2024 “obligation” deadline actually meant. Colorado’s not alone in facing a time crunch. As of June 2023, states had only spent about half the money the federal government provided, according to the Economic Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank. The stakes are high. Lawmakers don’t want to risk losing federal money — the leftover dollars represent 40% of the state’s entire ARPA allocation. So if the new spending plan doesn’t work as intended, there could be pressure to call a special session later this year.

“The more thoughtful the General Assembly can be in tackling this issue in a bill, the less likely a special session will be required in fall 2024 to fix ARPArelated problems,” Bickel wrote in a briefing document. Bridges told The Colorado Sun he doesn’t think it will come to that. Other states have already done similar funding swaps of their own to work around the deadline, he said, indicating that Colorado’s plan should pass federal muster. “It is a well-trodden path,” Bridges said. Colorado Sun staff writer Jesse Paul contributed to this report. This story was printed through a news sharing agreement with The Colorado Sun, a journalistowned nonprofit based in Denver that covers the state.

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February 1, 2024F

VOICES Consistently confident and courageous

hen dreams whisper just out of reach, our instinct is often to shrink back, feeling underqualified for bold pursuits. But buried beneath selfdoubt, embers of our true potential still glow. Now is the time to fan those embers into flames. It’s time to embrace our created purpose with confidence and courage. Confidence silences the nagging inner critic. It drowns out voices shouting, “Who do you think you are?” Confidence straightens slumped shoulders and lifts the chin. It declares, “I am filled with strengths and talents to offer this world. I have a rightful place and voice.” Our fright shrinks because our confidence believes the best about us. Initially this column started out as piece that would help salespeople understand the importance of confidence in their profession. Many sales leaders today share that confidence has become a major issue as advancement in technology, fierce competition, and other factors are causing sellers to doubt themselves. My guidance has always been that sellers need to master three levels of confidence: confidence in themselves, confidence in their products and services, and confidence in their company to stand behind their products and services and fully support their customers. But as I socialized the idea for this

column, my inner circle encouraged me to make it about all people because there is so much disruption going on in the world coupled with fear and uncertainty, that we could all use a shot of confidence and courage. Courage is confiMichael Norton dence on fire, propelling us past paralysis into action. Courage says, “I feel afraid but will forge ahead anyway.” It risks failure for the sake of fulfilling our calling. As we move forward while still trembling, courage builds muscle memory for our next brave act. Our capabilities multiply as we climb the stairsteps of growth. And remember that our confidence and courage are built while we take the stairs and avoid the false promises of an easy elevator ride. With inspired confidence and courage, we break free from confining expectations and dead-end jobs. We pivot into purpose-fueled vocations that energize us. We build platforms sharing hard-won wisdom. Our authentic voice leaves a unique impact on those we live and work with. With confidence and courage, we escape stagnancy. We learn new skills, then launch inspiring ven-

WINNING WORDS

tures. We adopt healthier rhythms and mindsets. We enrich community through our gifts. We turn stumbling blocks into steppingstones, where once we teetered and wobbled, but now thrive and conquer. True confidence is not arrogance that fluctuates with circumstance. Lasting confidence emanates from an identity rooted in unconditional love. This soul-deep assurance fuels consistent courage to live out purpose, no matter the cost. With confidence as our foundation, consistency abounds. The world peddles counterfeit confidence based on achievement and approval. But when statuses change or critics attack, false confidence crumbles. Basing our worth on shifting sand leads to inconsistency, soaring in success but plunging at the first sign of failure. Genuine confidence stands on the bedrock of our faith-based foundation. When we internalize the grace and blessings that surround us, our confidence stabilizes. Our moods, mistakes and critics no longer control us. Confidence coupled with our inner strength sees us through our weaknesses, helping to liberate us from fear while living boldly. Confidence-fueled consistency manifests in persevering despite hardship, staying true to values amid temptation, and speaking truth with grace not judgement. Consistent

confidence steps up when others retreat. It keeps believing the best about people and possibilities when cynicism abounds. Living confidently also means resisting perfectionism that sabotages consistency. Progress over perfection is grace in action. When we stop berating ourselves, consistency builds momentum. Small consistent steps compound into massive transformation. As our true confident consistent courageousness increasingly defines us, restlessness gives way to deep purpose and joy. We show up authentically without pretense. Our glow comes from within. We finish each race with heads high, already eager for the next. How might the world change if you bravely stepped into your full potential? Your gifts are irreplaceable. It’s time to stand tall, claim divine affirmation, and let courage have its way. You were made to shine. As always I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com and when we can be consistently confident and courageous, it really will be a better than good life. Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

New cartoon, ‘Never Will I Ever,’ hits puzzle page BY MICHAEL DE YOANNA MICHAEL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

On the beloved puzzle page of this week’s newspaper, you find something new to give you a laugh. It’s a comic from lifelong Coloradan Marc Vargas called “Never Will I Ever.” They’re single panel comics that will run weekly and debut this week. In one, for example, a man sits in a chair and is covered in cats. “Never will I ever have to turn up the heat… again,” the comic reads. Whether it be teaching a grand-

child to drive or ignoring an emergency alert on your mobile phone, Vargas’ weekly comics highlight the small disasters of daily life and outcomes that typically make us wiser the next time. The comic is punctuated by the word, “again.” It implies it really happened “and ended horribly wrong,” as Vargas said. Or, in some cases, only mildly wrong, because life could be much worse than being covered in cats on a cold day. Vargas is a longtime illustrator. He’s put his pen to work for papers

in Denver and Boulder, the Colorado Rockies and for books and other publications. So, where does he get his ideas? “I’m a trained observer,” he says. “I love to watch people interact. I’m the guy in the back of the room watching everything happening. My ideas come from overhearing conversations, watching people do crazy stuff and my own catastrophes. These get my brain percolating.” Vargas got his start as a kid, admiring the likes of Charles Schultz of “Peanuts” fame. He went to Colorado State University, but also the

Joe Kubert School of Cartooning in Dover, New Jersey, which he calls a life-changer. After working for the college paper, including editorial cartoons, and receiving an honor from the Society of Professional Journalists, he got hooked. “I hope people are entertained,” he said. “Possibly they will laugh or smile. Maybe they’ll say, ‘Yes, I remember trying to shovel snow with a crappy shovel.’ A smile, a laugh, a little seltzer down the pants (I stole that from somewhere). This is an absurd and crazy world we live in. Laughing is our only armor.”

February 1, 2024

Revisit a critical historical moment at Wings Over Rockies

hen people think of the Cold War, images of nuclear bombs and covert spies are probably among the first images that come to mind. But for Stewart Bailey, collections manager at the Wings Over the Rockies museum, there’s something else he likes to focus on. “The first battle of the Cold War was won by the Western Allies and was won with airplanes,” he said. “Not only that, but those airplanes didn’t have guns or bombs. Instead, for 11 months the Allies worked to support a city of 2.6 million people entirely by air.” The story of that battle is told in the Air and Space Museum’s, 7711 East Academy Blvd. in Denver, new exhibit, The Berlin Airlift: Supplies from the Sky. The exhibition runs through Monday, May 27, and marks the 75th anniversary of the Airlift. The exhibit tells the story of the nearly year-long effort by the United States, Britain and other countries to keep the people of Berlin alive during the Berlin Blockade, when the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies’ railway, road and canal access to the sectors of Berlin under Western control. “At the beginning, the Allies were using any kind of plane that could handle cargo and there were some accidents and a lot of confusion,” Bailey said. “Eventually it got better and the efforts were extremely efficient. There were planes coming in with materials like coal on average of every three minutes.” The creation of the exhibit is largely due to donations from two families who had members who participated in the Airlift, including Denver resident Thomas Moss, who was a C-54 pilot during the events. His daughters Barbara Drury and Linda Lewis donated many of their father’s artifacts to the museum and that provided the backbone for the story told in the display. “This exhibit isn’t so much about the planes and technology as it is about the people and the human experience of what they went through,” Bailey said. “I think it’s powerful because it shows how people’s opinions can change — we went from years of fighting the Germans to helping them and Germans went

through years of

COMING fearing the sound ATTRACTIONS of Allied planes to

finding hope in it.” As well as donated artifacts, the exhibit features a lot of photos and creative set dressing to give just a taste of what being in bombed-out Berlin would be like. Clarke Reader The aim was also to make it interactive for all ages, so it includes activities like weight and balance exercises and more. In addition to learning more about a historical event that many people might not be aware of, Bailey hopes visitors come away with a greater appreciation of the many ways the Berlin Airlift influenced the ensuing decades. “One of the key takeaways from this exhibit is that freedom is something to be valued and supported,” he said. “In many ways, the Airlift still echoes through our world today.” Tickets and details can be found at https://wingsmuseum.org/exhibits/berlin-airlift/. LSO uses ‘Peter and the Wolf’ to enchant young audiences

Get ready for some family fun at the Lakewood Symphony Orchestra’s annual children’s and family concert, which will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3 at the Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Parkway. Not only will it feature Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf,” as it does every year, but also “Add Story and Play,” where the audience will create a story with several characters, develop a plot and choose music to go along with the story. Then the narrator, Joel Hillan, from CBS 4, will tell the brand-new story while conductor Matthew Switzer leads the orchestra, performing the music the audience has chosen to go along with the story. Information and tickets can be found at https://lakewoodsymphony.org. SEE READER, P16

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

February 1, 2024F

Meet some of the people behind the new automated trains at Denver International Airport BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Twenty-six new automated trains are coming to Denver International Airport this summer, according to operators. Currently, 31 automated trains carry ticketed airport passengers from the three active concourses. About half the fleet has been in service since the airport opened in 1995 and has run over 1.4 million miles, so replacements are sorely needed, according to the airport. The new trains are also automated, but more than 73 people are responsible for keeping them running every day around the clock. “Passenger traffic at Denver International Airport is expected to reach more than 78 million by the end of this year alone, and 100 million annual passengers are expected within the next three to five years. We are preparing for the future in a variety of ways, including renovating the Great Hall, adding gates to concourses and adding capacity to the trains to the gates,” DIA CEO Phil Washington said. “New train cars will increase the number of passengers that can be moved to the gates by approximately 850 per hour. They will reduce the time between arriving trains and allow us

to run a more effective operating schedule. These efficiencies are going to be felt by passengers and make for a more seamless experience at DEN.” The first of the new trains arrived in December 2023 and will be tested through the next six months. Everyone is excited, from the director of operations to the mechanic who maintains the trains. The new trains may be automated, but the people who keep them running are skilled, working people who are eager to enter the next era of moving people around DIA. The automated people mover and airport nerd stuff

The trains are important to the operation of the airport, according to DIA Senior Director of Operations Matt Robb. “You can’t get to B and C concourse. The only way you can get there is on the train,” Robb explained. “It is a single point of failure, which is why we put such a heavy emphasis on maintaining (the trains). If we get the train doesn’t move, the airport doesn’t move.” Robb said that trains and airports have been his passion since age 13, when he took a trip through the O’Hare International Airport. SEE PEOPLE MOVER, P15

Roberto Cortez, of Commerce City, has been working on the trains at DIA for Alstom for 24 years. He explained how his military background (maintaining helicopters) and experience as an auto mechanic helped when he started learning to fix the trains. PHOTO BY JO DAVIS

The new trains are at the shop and being tested by a special team right now. RJ Henessy Alstom DIA Site Production Manager and Maintenance Manager, said the new train PHOTO BY PETER SCOTT BARTA is testing now, with styrofoam bumpers on the sides to ensure that measurements and other stats keep the train from bumping into the walls.

February 1, 2024

DIA TRAINS BY THE NUMBERS

Alstom, the company contracted to operate and maintain the DIA trains, has a display of flags in its shop. The flags represent the United States, Colorado and the branches of the military represented by their staff. According to Matt Fasbender, human resources manager, more than half of the people who work for Alstom are military veterans. PHOTO BY JO DAVIS

PEOPLE MOVER FROM PAGE 14

“There were so many people here. So many airplanes. So much space. The logistics of operating a place like that, the challenges, again, it’s all about the movement of people,” Robb said. “So how they could operate a place like that was beyond what my 13-year-old brain could comprehend. So really, this is like some next-level airport nerd stuff.” Robb fell in love with airports as a teen, taking trips with his dad to airports in Oklahoma City and Dallas Forth Worth. “We just ride the train around and walk around the airport and spend a morning and afternoon just in the airport,” Robb said. His love of airports and moving people started there. Robb explained that the DIA trains are operated by Alstom, a contractor that manufactures French rails. “They build a lot of surface rail trains, the traditional trains actual trains,” Robb said. According to Robb, besides himself, only one other DIA employee, the automated guideway transit system administrator, works with the train system inside the airport. The rest of the people behind the trains work for Alstom.

Keeping the trains running around the clock

Robb noted that the trains are not actually trains on a track. They have wheels and tires. “We call the train the AGTS, which is an automated guideway transit system,” Robb explained. “We also sometimes call it an APM, which is an automated people mover. It’s not, it is a train. But really, they’re just like big, automated buses, they run on big rubber wheels. And then there’s a guideway in between that kind of keeps them going where they are supposed to, but there’s no rail or anything.” Alstom makes the trains and also operates a section of the airport accessed beneath the concourses by way of the tunnel system. Alstom owns and operates the shop where the trains are maintained, repaired and tested. According to Aurora resident and Environmental Health and Safety Manager for Alstom DIA Marcus Huff, the site had gone 812 days without an accident at the time of Colorado Community Media’s interview at DIA. Because of the importance of the trains, Huff said safety is a top priority. The reason, according to Alstom DIA Operations Manager Shawn Bingham, also from Aurora, is because of the downtime commitment between Alstom and Denver.

Bingham said the trains have to be available 99.94% of the time that the airport is open. And the airport never closes. “In a 31-day month, there are 44,600 minutes in that month,” Bingham explained. “We have about 20 minutes of downtime out of those 44,600 minutes every month. So, we can try to paint that picture for taking such a small amount of downtime on average every month out of those 44,600 available minutes. And that’s about 99.94% availabilities.” Alstom DIA Site Production Manager and Maintenance Manager RJ Hennessy, from Brighton, explained that up to seven trains run each day to keep up with the demand. The highest demand for the trains is in the spring and summer, not during the holidays, Hennessy said. “Don’t get me wrong. We typically have (high demand) maybe two days around each of those holidays,” Hennessy said. “That’s it. The people coming in for the holiday season and the people leaving for the holiday season are pretty much it. So, it’s two days around the Thanksgiving timeframe. And around the Christmas timeframe. That’s it — just two days. In the summertime — take those two days and now put them over probably two weeks. And it starts at

26 new trains will come online at DIA by the end of 2024 6,500 passengers ride the trains every day 78 million passengers expected in 2024 100 million passengers per year by 2027 31 trains in the fleet before the new trains 16 of the old trains were in operation for 29 years 1.4 million miles run by the old trains being retired 41 trains will be in the DIA fleet by the end of 2024 15 minutes maximum amount of downtime allowed for the train system each month. 812 days since the last accident in the Alstrom DIA shop (as of Jan. 11, 2024) 73 employed by Alstom to operate and run the trains at DIA 2 DIA employee works with the train system

spring break.” Keeping the trains going all year, with only 20 minutes of downtime per month takes the help of all 73 Alstom employees, according to Bingham. Who keeps the trains running

Alstom DIA Senior HR Manager Matt Fasbender said the Alstom team is more than 50% military veterans. The employees come from all over the Denver Metro area. Many of the Alstom team members have been working at DIA for more than 20 years. “About 27 people have 25 years or more,” Fasbender said. Roberto Cortez, a mechanic from Commerce City, is one of those military vets with a long tenure at the site. “I had like I had 10 years in the Marine Corps,” Cortez said. “So, I had already been through a lot of oopsies and the mistakes when you start turning wrenches. It made the transition pretty easy.” Cortez said that his experience working on cars and military helicopters helped when he started working on the DIA trains 24 years ago. “It’s not that technology is the same, but technical aspects and using logic, stuff like that is,” he said. SEE PEOPLE MOVER, P16

February 1, 2024Fe

PEOPLE MOVER FROM PAGE 15

Ryan Parrish, a train mechanic for Alstom DIA from Thornton, agreed that his military background prepared him for work on the trains. “I was in the army for five years. I worked on the Patriot missile system,” he said. “I guess I wanted work that kind of translated.” Parrish went to Spartan College of Aeronautics in Broomfield to acquire more skills. His counselor at the college directed Parrish to Alstom. “I mean, there’s no money in the civilian world for taking out aircraft, but money is in fixing things,” he said. Parrish has been with Alstom at DIA for six years. Carlos Alvarez is a helper mechanic from Aurora with two years at Alstom DIA. Alvarez was also educated

READER FROM PAGE 13

Sink Into Walker Fine Art’s Nomadic Daydreams

There are few times during the year when the relationship between man and nature is rich and nuanced as it is during winter. This makes it the perfect time for the opening of Walker Fine Art’s, 300 W. 11th Ave., No. A, in Denver, first exhibition of

The trains are maintained in the Alstom shop, underneath the Denver International Airport. Mechanics, technicians and others access the trains from these platforms for cleaning and service. PHOTO BY JO DAVIS

at Spartan College. He worked on wind turbines before coming to Alstom. His previous skills helped ease the learning curve when he came to work on the trains. “Once you know how to read schematics and turn wrenches, it’s all the same,” Alvarez said. The mechanics, managers and ev-

eryone else at Alstom are eager to get their hands on the new train. Cortez said they are just “peeking over the shoulders” of the new train’s testers for now. “They don’t want us to touch it,” Cortez said. “But the testing process is a little regimented so that they’re not gonna let us put our hands on the train until they figure

2024 — Nomadic Daydreams. The group show runs through Saturday, March 16, and features the works of Angela Beloian, Derrick Breidenthal, George Kozmon, Bonny Lhotka and Ben Strawn. According to provided information, the artists use two-dimensional mediums like oil, photography, drawing to explore the all-important interactions between man and nature. Find all the details at www.walkerfineart.com.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Lydia Loveless at Globe Hall

Lydia Loveless, who hails from Columbus, Ohio, is a songwriter’s songwriter. Over their career they’ve delved deep into the rather nebulous “alt-country” world and in 2023 they released “Nothing’s Gonna Stand In My Way Again.” As usual, it’s an astounding collection of songs, chronicling a breakup and the struggle to find a way to move forward in a difficult world. In support of the record, Love-

it out. And get it going. Then, they’re gonna give it to us so we can tear it up. I mean, so we can work on it.” “We have a team that is here specifically for introducing the new trains,” Bingham said. “And they have a very, as (Alvarez) said, regimented plan that they follow, testing and making sure the train functions the way it’s supposed to. That it assimilates into our system the way it’s supposed to.” F He said the train must run 300 In hours without fail before Cortez and D @ the others get to it. According to Bingham, the new Fe Pa trains should be online and trans- Pa ported by the public this summer. Until then, these people will see to the trains, and to moving people F throughout the Denver International Airport. For more information on the new train system, Alstom and the Denver International Airport, visit FlyDenver. com. less will be performing at the Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St. in Denver, at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3. They will be joined by singer/songwriter Jason Hawk Harris and alt-country upand-comer Cousin Curtiss. Get tickets for the concert at https://globehall.com.

B Clarke Reader is an arts and en- P tertainment columnist for Colo- @ rado Community Media. He can be L reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail. C com.

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Mustard Plug @ 8pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, Englewood

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Featured Mick Flannery

@ 7pm / $10 Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Glenn Hughes Performs Classic Deep Purple Live @ 8pm Wild Goose Saloon, Parker

Move Like A Kid Again @ 10am / $39 Upswell, 1842 S. Broadway, Den‐ ver. jamie@kinetikchainden ver.com

Mustard Plug & Save Ferris & Catch 22

Tue 2/06

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@ 7pm Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St, Lone Tree The Mike G Band

Modern Swing Mondays 2024

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A-Mac & The Height: Colorado Youth Diversity Conference

Benny Benack Jazz: JALC Presents Sing & Swing

Mon 2/05

Kids Cooking Valentine Surprises (6-12yrs) @ 4pm PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

Immortal Sÿnn w/Cönaxx + Dead Man's Alibi + War Kitten

@ 7:30pm Takoda Tavern, 12311 Pine Bluffs Way # A, Parker

@ 7pm Moe's Original BBQ, 3295 S Broadway, Englewood

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@ 8pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, Englewood

Sun 2/04 Inline Hockey: Adult- Intermediate Drop In League-Sunday-Feb @ 4pm Feb 4th - Feb 25th Parker Fieldhouse, 18700 E Plaza Dr, Parker

Sheng Wang @ 6pm Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Pl, Greenwood Village

Mayer Hawthorne @ 8pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐ wood

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@ 7:30pm Twenty Mile House Concerts, 11875 Cattle Lane, Parker Calendar information is provided by event organiz‐ ers. All events are subject to change or cancella‐ tion. This publication is not responsible for the ac‐ curacy of the information contained in this calendar.

February 1, 2024Fe

Chase Zimmerman sits at home with his parents, Scott and Lindsey, in Parker in November. PHOTO BY MICHAEL TIERNEY FOR CU NEWS CORPS

Comeback trail: How Valor’s Chase Zimmerman persevered despite football injury BY AUGUSTUS OSWALD, AND MICHAEL TIERNEY CU NEWS CORPS

JARED

than he feared. He suffered a compound tibia fibula fracture. “I looked down, and I was kind of holding my leg, and it was like, dangling in half,” Zimmerman said. “So I knew it was a pretty brutal injury.” He was a standout on the team and now was facing the prospect that he was at the end of the road in terms of football. His dreams of playing in college were in limbo. As his teammates, coaches and family gathered

BRENDLINGER

It happened during a championship game against Cherry Creek High School last season. Valor Christian High School linebacker Chase Zimmerman took a big hit. He went down hard. His mind flashed the painful information that his knee was damaged. It was worse

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in concern, a reality set in. Zimmerman wondered how he would get through this. After surgery, he faced a ninemonth recovery, the better part of a year typically spent training for the next season. With this, would he even have a shot at playing his senior year? “So a lot of doubts were going through my mind,” Zimmerman said. His play already was good enough to attract some interest that could extend his career into college. Now, he wondered. “That was when things started to get more hard, was when I was in the unknown of ever playing again,” he said. He says even his faith was tested, but he took solace in family and friends. And, Valor Head Coach Bret McGatlin stood by him, making a difference. McGatlin came to Valor before the 2022 season after spending 16 years

at Chatfield High School in Littleton. In his final season at Chatfield, he led the Chargers to a 4A championship title over Erie 41-34. The Chargers started 7-3 and then won their final four games of the season on the way to a championship. “Our team kind of rallied around each other and had this miraculous run, so we found a way to win a state championship, which was a blessing,” McGatlin said. After coming to Valor, McGatlin wasted no time continuing the success he had enjoyed at Chatfield. After his team’s appearance in the 5A state championship in 2022, he notched an important milestone, following in the footsteps of former coach Donnie Yantis, who led Valor to 5A championship games in 2020 and 2021. Going into his first season, McGatlin knew Valor had lost a lot of players who graduated from that chamSEE ZIMMERMAN, P19

February 1, 2024

ZIMMERMAN FROM PAGE 18

pionship team. “I think they had 19 starters that had graduated and I think 11 of those guys went on and became Division I football players,” he said. Valor started 2-2 but then won nine straight games before losing in the championship to Cherry Creek 21-0 in the 2022 season. “We just kind of slowly but surely came together and it was not an easy way there, winning the semifinal by one point,” McGatlin said. “But yeah, to get back to the state championship game with a whole different team was pretty cool.” “I really felt like that team that we had last year was so well bonded and they played so well together,” McGatlin said. Despite the injury in the championship game, Zimmerman was de-

termined to work his way back. “I don’t think he was in disbelief, I think he was more upset that he couldn’t wrestle but he’s one of those kids that as soon as he could he was rehabbing and he was in the weight room,” McGatlin said. Valor got off to a rocky start in the 2023 season. After losing nearly an entire roster of seniors, the Eagles began their season on a bad note. And despite being a football powerhouse, this was the most attention Valor had received in a long time. Every local media outlet was knocking on their door wondering “What’s wrong with Valor football?” “Competition was tough to start the year first thing,” McGatlin said. There were lots of other factors, too, including Zimmerman. His recovery was long and slow. Having his world turned upside down made Zimmerman look for answers, which his mother provided. “You can wallow in your misery or you can go see what God has to say

about this,” Mom Lindsay said. So, Zimmerman opened his Bible. He got into the practice of telling his mom each morning the verses he read. He resolved to trust what God had planned for him. “It was really inspiring to hear a 17-year-old kid say that,” Lindsay said. Zimmerman’s father, Scott, described the amazing moment that he witnessed from the football community around them. “We had calls from all over the country, the opposing team, coaches, parents, and all the Valor community,” Scott said. “I mean we had more food, everything that we needed, it was really humbling,” Adversity would strike again. His wound was not healing correctly. When the bone had come out of his flesh after the impact, it was splintered and shattered, causing complications. Zimmerman had to go back for another surgery. “That was a huge setback,” Lindsey

said. When the doctors had cleaned the wound, they found an infection with bacteria in it. “So, it just kind of sent us into a spiral a little bit because he had been on antibiotics for six months. We didn’t know if it was going to come back,” she said. “That was a very hard time.” Doctors kept Zimmerman on antibiotics because they feared if they took a rod out that was stabilizing his knee, the infection might spread. “The hardest thing in the world is the kid is in so much pain, you know, it was hard, even though he had a good attitude and he stuck with it. I felt so bad for him out there, if I could’ve given him my leg I would have, “ Scott said. Zimmerman was still in rehab when Valor began its 2023 season. He watched as the team struggled on the field, eager to get in and play. “He went from kind of sad to SEE ZIMMERMAN, P20

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ZIMMERMAN FROM PAGE 19

depressed and then angry after the losses, and he was just so frustrated,” Scott said. But his knee was healed. There were no more setbacks and finally, he decided he was ready to go in and play, even though he could have used more time to recover. “He said, ‘It hurts worse standing on the sideline watching my team lose than it does being out there helping so I’m playing next week, no matter what,’” Scott said. So the family backed their son but still worried as he took to the field. “Any time anyone would hit him or any of that I just would kind of get that feeling in my heart like ‘Oh, gosh. Please be okay,’” Lindsey said. Zimmerman went in to play offensive guard for the first time in his high school career. “He’s gonna go play some offensive line, that’s kind of a cool story,” McGatlin said. “He’s never played offensive line before, at least in high school, so it’s kind of cool to see what he’s doing.” Zimmerman was excited about the opportunity for a new challenge. “It was a lot like leading up to the first game, just like learning the entire offense. I haven’t played offense since little league, so just learning,” he said. In Zimmerman’s final regular season high school game, he exclusively played guard. Heading into the playoffs, Zimmerman hopes he can get back on the field as a linebacker and offensive lineman. The Legend Titans eliminated McGatlin’s Eagles in the second round

Chase Zimmerman stands in an athletic stance on Valor Christian’s football field in PHOTO BY AUGUSTUS OSWALD FOR CU NEWS CORPS Highlands Ranch.

of the playoffs after Valor received a first-round bye. It was a heartbreaking 20-13 loss, ending their season and Zimmerman’s high school ca-

reer. Despite Valor’s playoff loss, Zimmerman showed off in his final game as an Eagle. He took snaps on

both sides of the ball as a linebacker and guard. On offense, he recorded quite a few pancake blocks and was a force racking up tackles on the defensive side. All of this while not being 100% healthy. Asked what his favorite memory of high school football would be, Zimmerman said: “Honestly just being with the boys, just having that brotherhood, and that camaraderie and going on the team retreats and just us all being together and just growing so close as a team.” After every game, Valor circles up their team and anyone else wanting to join and pray. After their upset playoff loss, this was an extraordinary moment regardless of the defeat; for many Valor players, including Zimmerman, this was their last football game as a Valor Eagle. Tears were shed, players and coaches hugged and pictures were taken. Despite the loss, many were happy to share the field one last time. Now, Zimmerman looks toward his future. “That’s been my dream since I was a little kid is to play college football and this injury might have been a setback,” he said. “But honestly, I’m just going to kind of trust what God’s plan is for me. I have one offer to play at the University of Northern Colorado, so I was really excited to get that, but I’m just kind of keeping an open mind.” He continued: “And, honestly, if there’s no football in my future then I’m fine with that, then I know that something else big is going to come from it.” This story is a capstone project from journalism students with the University of Colorado-Boulder’s CU News Corps. Colorado Community Media advises News Corps students.

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Real news in real time. Colorado’s CORE Initiative seeks to get associate degrees to students who completed at least 70 hours of their four-year education but dropped out. PHOTO BY ELI IMADALI FOR CHALKBEAT

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Visit us online for breaking news and more.

Colorado state leaders are celebrating the first 300 students to receive an associate degree through a program meant to award students who earned at least 70 college credits but never finished their four-year degree. Colorado is believed to be one of the first states in the country to offer this type of program, which was launched in 2021 through $1 million in pandemic relief funds. The state estimates that more than 25,000 former college students statewide may be eligible for an associate degree under the Colorado ReEngaged Initiative, or CORE. Several thousand students are also expected to become eligible to take part in the program each year, according to a news release from Gov. Jared Polis’ office. “CORE is a great opportunity for Coloradans to get a degree and advance their careers,” Polis said in the release. “So many Coloradans who are forced by their circumstances to step away from education have invested so much time and money, yet don’t have the degree to reflect their hard work. I am proud that Colorado is providing students and institutions with the tools they need to help Coloradans get degrees and fill in-demand, good-paying jobs.” So far, seven colleges and universities have participated in the

program, including Colorado State University’s Fort Collins and Pueblo campuses; Fort Lewis College; Metropolitan State University of Denver; University of Northern Colorado; and University of Colorado’s Colorado Springs and Denver campuses. Western Colorado University plans to take part in the program starting this year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that students who have completed some college, but did not earn a degree make about $935 a week on average. Meanwhile, an associate degree increases weekly pay by about $70 more a week. The governor’s office said the program also increases the number of Coloradans with a degree or certificate and helps them secure employment in higher paying careers. The program also may entice former students to return to college, the release says. Lawmakers and school officials across the state have applauded the impact of the program. Beth Myers, an associate vice chancellor at CU Denver, said it’s life-changing for students. “I heard one graduate tell her mother that her coursework wasn’t for nothing,” Meyers said in the news release. “It was worth the investment.” Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

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February 1, 2024

www.ColoradoCommunityMedia.com/Notices

PUBLIC NOTICES

Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088 Legals Public Trustees PUBLIC NOTICE Highlands Ranch NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0194 To Whom It May Concern: On 11/28/2023 9:24:00 AM the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Douglas County. Original Grantor: DONALD R ERMEL Original Beneficiary: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 5/27/2015 Recording Date of DOT: 5/28/2015 Reception No. of DOT: 2015034703 DOT Recorded in Douglas County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $195,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $152,280.45 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Borrower's failure to make timely payments as required under the Evidence of Debt and Deed of Trust. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 33A-C, HIGHLANDS RANCH FILING NO. 121-B, 4TH AMENDMENT, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO Which has the address of: 1235 Carlyle Park Cir, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129-5668 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, March 20, 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: 1/25/2024 Last Publication: 2/22/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press Dated: 11/28/2023 DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: DAVID R DOUGHTY Colorado Registration #: 40042 9540 MAROON CIRCLE SUITE 320, ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO 80112 Phone #: (303) 706-9990 Fax #: (303) 706-9994 Attorney File #: 23-031247 *YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/ Legal Notice No. 2023-0194 First Publication: 1/25/2024 Last Publication: 2/22/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press PUBLIC NOTICE Littleton NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0198 To Whom It May Concern: On 11/28/2023 9:26:00 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: Ha Nguyen and Nang Long Original Beneficiary: Credit Union of Colorado Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: Credit Union of Colorado Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 6/7/2022 Recording Date of DOT: 6/13/2022 Reception No. of DOT: 2022041713 DOT Recorded in Douglas County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $195,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $195,252.62 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 installment payments of principal, interest, taxes and/or insurance as provided for in the Revolving Credit Deed of Trust and Credit Agreement. 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 177, Highlands Ranch Filing No. 122-G, County of Douglas, State of Colorado Which has the address of: 4575 Hunterwood Drive, Littleton, CO 80130 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 20, 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

legals@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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: 1/25/2024 Last Publication: 2/22/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press Dated: 11/28/2023 DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is: IMAN TEHRANI Colorado Registration #: 44076 514 KIMBARK STREET: P.O. BOX 298 , LONGMONT, COLORADO 80502-0298 Phone #: Fax #: Attorney File #: Long

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, March 20, 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: 1/25/2024 Last Publication: 2/22/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press

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

Dated: 11/28/2023 DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

Legal Notice No. 2023-0198 First Publication: 1/25/2024 Last Publication: 2/22/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press

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

PUBLIC NOTICE Littleton NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0197 To Whom It May Concern: On 11/28/2023 9:26:00 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: John L. Davalos Original Beneficiary: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as Beneficiary, as nominee for Sovereign Lending Group Incorporated, its successors and assigns Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: Freedom Mortgage Corporation Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 11/12/2021 Recording Date of DOT: 11/19/2021 Reception No. of DOT: 2021129594 DOT Recorded in Douglas County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $681,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $673,167.90 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: FAILURE TO MAKE TIMELY PAYMENTS AS REQUIRED UNDER THE EVIDENCE OF DEBT AND DEED OF TRUST. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 150, CHATFIELD FARMS FILING NO. 1-B, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 10515 Cross Country Ln, 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

122-G, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO. Which has the address of: 10334 Hunterwood Way, Highlands Ranch, CO 80130 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust. THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 20, 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.

HEATHER DEERE Colorado Registration #: 28597 355 UNION BLVD SUITE 250, LAKEWOOD, COLORADO 80228 Phone #: (303) 274-0155 Fax #: Attorney File #: CO22528

First Publication: 1/25/2024 Last Publication: 2/22/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press

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

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

Legal Notice No. 2023-0197 First Publication: 1/25/2024 Last Publication: 2/22/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press

ALISON L. BERRY Colorado Registration #: 34531 9540 MAROON CIRCLE SUITE 320, ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO 80112 Phone #: (303) 706-9990 Fax #: (303) 706-9994 Attorney File #: 23-030797

PUBLIC NOTICE Highlands Ranch NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0193 To Whom It May Concern: On 11/28/2023 9:05:00 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: NADIA E. ALONSO Original Beneficiary: BELLCO CREDIT UNION Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: BELLCO CREDIT UNION Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 9/17/2021 Recording Date of DOT: 9/23/2021 Reception No. of DOT: 2021109370 DOT Recorded in Douglas County. Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $76,500.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $77,379.43 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Borrower's failure to make timely payments as required under the Evidence of Debt and Deed of Trust. THE LIEN FORECLOSED MAY NOT BE A FIRST LIEN. The property described herein is all of the property encumbered by the lien of the deed of trust. Legal Description of Real Property: LOT 290, HIGHLANDS RANCH - FILING NO.

Dated: 11/28/2023 DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

“Trust Us!”

Legal Notice No. 2023-0193 First Publication: 1/25/2024 Last Publication: 2/22/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Without public notices, the government wouldn’t have to say anything else.

Public notices are a community’s window into the government. From zoning regulations to local budgets, governments have used local newspapers to inform citizens of its actions as an essential part of your right to know. You know where to look, when to look and what to look for to be involved as a citizen. Local newspapers provide you with the information you need to get involved.

Notices are meant to be noticed. Read your public notices and get involved!

Highlands Ranch Legals February 1, 2024 * 1

February 1, 2024Fe

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