Lone Tree Voice February 15, 2024

WEEK OF FEBRUARY 15, 2024

VOLUME 22 | ISSUE 50

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County commissioners mull ‘In God We Trust’

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

MANAGING THE PHYSICAL SIDE OF STRESS P6

Douglas County Commissioner George Teal speaks at the 2023 State of the County event in Lone Tree.

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN COLORADO NEWSLINE

Douglas County commissioners are considering the addition of the words “In God We Trust” to the chambers where they meet.

Commissioner George Teal during a Jan. 9 meeting first proposed installing the national motto, “In God We Trust,” or the state motto, “Nil Sine Numine” — Latin for “Nothing Without Deity” — for display behind the board’s dais.

The matter arose again Jan. 24 during a commissioner meeting.

The proposal echoes efforts by other local public officials in Colorado and elsewhere in the country to post “In God We Trust” in public places.

Teal, who said he’s not locked

into the proposal, noted the idea came after a conversation with former Castle Rock Mayor Paul Donahue, who said the nation’s motto, “In God We Trust,” is often forgotten, Teal said. Donahue added a series of slogans to the City Council chambers during his tenure, including the national and state mottos, the town’s mission statement, and its incorporation date.

“I think the people of Douglas County do believe (In God We Trust). I think we have the support of the people,” Teal said. He also noted that the project would be easy to complete and wouldn’t cause a financial burden.

Commissioner Lora Thomas, who is running for a Colorado House seat, said she’s interested

VOICES: 14 | LIFE: 16 | SPORTS: 18 | CALENDAR: 19

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in hearing what people in the county think.

“We know that there’s a portion of our population that’s not going to like this. So I want to make sure that if we do this, we’re being respectful,” Thomas said.

However, Thomas in her weekly newsletter later questioned the purpose of Teal’s proposal.

“At a time when we are all counting our pennies, especially our county government, is this REALLY how we need to be spending taxpayer dollars — on dubious decor and window-dressing?”

Thomas wrote.

While the topic didn’t appear on the Jan. 24 work session agenda, county resident Katie Barrett

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February 15, 2024Fe

$1M in Denver Broncos sale funds go to youth causes

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Not many government efforts put teens at the adults’ table to decide how to spend almost $1 million.

But that’s what happened in Douglas County as officials weighed how to distribute their local slice of revenue triggered by the 2022 sale of the Denver Broncos. The county’s payout stems from a tax plan in metro Denver that helped build Mile High Stadium, now called Empower Field at Mile High.

Funding that flowed to Douglas County will now support a long list of youth activities programs, including those that address sports, special needs, education and more.

After a monthslong process to decide where the money goes, the county’s elected leaders presented checks to organizations that they felt were worthy.

“From safe driving classes to mental health programs and camps for children with developmental disabilities — the use of this one-time money is going to save and change lives through community partnerships,” Commissioner Lora Thomas said in a prepared statement.

Douglas leaders are “thankful

for the organizations that took the time to apply for this funding and our youth representatives for their work guiding our decision making,” Thomas added. “We were truly impressed by their thoughtfulness.”

Where the funding came from

As one of seven counties in the Metropolitan Football Stadium District, Douglas County was awarded the funds in late 2022 that, legally, must be used for youth activities programs, according to the county.

A long process led to the county distributing the money this year.

The district is a government body that was created for the purpose of planning, acquiring land and constructing Mile High Stadium. It was authorized to collect a sales tax of one-tenth of 1% throughout the district’s area from 2001 through 2011.

The funding for youth activities comes from the $4.65 billion sale of the Denver Broncos to the WaltonPenner Group, which resulted in a $41 million refund to the seven counties and 40 municipalities that helped fund the stadium.

The funds were to be shared with Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson counties and the cities and towns

within them. Douglas County received about $940,000.

From organizations seeking a piece of the Broncos sale funding in Douglas, the county received 45 grant requests that totaled about $1.8 million. That means the youth representatives and county officials had to figure out how to whittle the size of the requested funding down by about half.

Where the money goes

The Douglas County Youth Commission advises the county’s elected leaders on matters pertaining to young residents in the county.

The youth commission chose mental health as its top priority in guiding county officials on how to distribute the money.

The priorities the youth commission ranked as most important in steering its recommendations, in order, included mental health, “education/STEM,” “prevention/mentoring,” special needs, a fifth-place tie among arts and sports equipment, “vehicles/buildings,” and agriculture.

Out of the 45 grant requests, 31 youth activity programs won funding. Some of those include: - A “Save Teen Lives - Teen Crash

Avoidance” program from the South Metro Safety Foundation - Therapy camp for families with disabilities, a program from Colorado Institute of Developmental Pediatrics Inc., also called Adam’s Camp - Middle school “prevention assemblies” in Colorado from an organization called Johnny’s Ambassadors that focuses on youth marijuana prevention -Tuition assistance “for underserved children” for Garden Preschool of Lone Tree - And mental health training from an organization called Happy Crew.

The youth commission and Douglas County Youth Initiative reviewed the proposals and recommended about $830,000 in funding. The remaining $110,000 will be “retained for future investments in innovative mental health programming,” the county said in a news release.

In Douglas County, proposals for youth activities to be funded were due in July, and the youth commission then discussed priorities in meetings in the summer. As part of the decision making, the county also hosted alive town hall event with youth panelists in September.

County commissioners recently presented the checks.

Police identify arrested ACC student

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Apprehension on weapon warrant was subject of campus crime alert STAFF REPORT

An Arapahoe Community College student who was arrested on campus Feb. 1 while allegedly carrying a loaded handgun in his backpack has been identified as James Curtis Graham Jr., 35.

Graham was the subject of a campus crime alert that was emailed to ACC students, faculty and staff the day of his arrest, though campus police did not publicly identify him until Feb. 6, in response to a records request from Colorado Community Media.

On Jan. 30, Denver marshals contacted campus police to inform them they were attempting to lo-

cate Graham on a felony arrest warrant, said Arapahoe Community College Campus Police Chief Joseph Morris.

Morris said the marshals believed GraGraham ham was enrolled in classes and had a history of violence and weapons violation, so he could be armed.

Campus police created a plan to apprehend Graham next time he was on the Littleton campus, Morris said. With assistance from the Littleton Police Department, campus police located Graham in Parking Lot B SEE ARREST, P4

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February 15, 2024 ADVERTISEMENT

Evidence Mounts That the Off-Site (aka Modular) Construction Industry Is Maturing

Every day I receive email newsletters about real estate, and one of my favorite is Construct Utopia, published by Pro Builder magazine. This week is not the first time I have written a column based on or inspired by an article in that newsletter.

A common subject these days is modular or “off-site” construction. The latest Construct Utopia newsletter has an article about Cuby Technologies, a startup which devised a solution for customizable mass-produced prefab homes — mobile micro factories. Instead of constructing big factories that ship new home modules, Cuby produces micro factories that are set up near the construction site, such as in a field or on a rented parking lot.

Modular construction is typically off site, but bringing the factory to or near the worksite is an interesting twist — perhaps call it “on-site (or close-by) offsite construction.” But the factory could also serve other build sites, functioning as a traditional off-site modular factory but one that is much closer.

The micro-factory is shipped in about 10 containers, and it is set up inside an inflatable tent that covers 30,000 to 40,000 square feet of interior space for creating the modules to be assembled on a nearby construction site.

The idea is to eliminate one of the major costs of modular construction, which is shipping the modules great distances to the work site.

I’ve been a fan of the idea of modular construction ever since I purchased what I thought was a stick-built home in the Mesa Meadows subdivision in north Golden. I bought the home in 1997. After moving in, a neighbor told me he had watched my home go up in one day, delivered from Ft. Morgan on flatbed trailers for installation on a prepared foundation. The interior work was then completed by Pat Foss, a local builder.

The advantages of building the home in a factory, I was told at the time, was better quality control, including better insulation. The exterior walls were all built with 2x6 instead of 2x4 studs, to better survive flatbed transportation from Ft. Morgan.

At right is an artist’s rendering of one of Cuby’s micro factories. It reminds me of how Elon Musk built a tent for assembling the Model 3 next to the Fremont factory rather than wait for a brick-and-mortar building to be permitted and built.

Neighbors of construction sites would probably appreciate having the construction of a new building or subdivision taking place largely indoors, even if it is just a tent, reducing the noise and dust of on-site construction.

Construction in a tent has other advantages including protection from the elements, whether it be rain or snow or simply cold weather. Productivity would be greatly enhanced. Workers will appreciate working a predictable number of days and hours as well as being warm during the winter months. Making working conditions better could also address one of the biggest problems facing the home construction industry: attracting and hiring enough workers.

By completing the major structural panels indoors, the subsequent on-site finishing work can be made more attractive thanks to being able to “weather in” the building quickly. This too improves working conditions and recruitment.

“Inside the dome,” according to the company, “machines and conveyor belts produce and prep all the elements of the home—windows, wall panels, plumbing pipes, drywall, HVAC systems, and so on—then package them into kits.”

The enclosed environment also contributes to less waste and better waste management and recycling.

This Column Is 20 Years Old — See What You Missed

Have you enjoyed reading this column? I have been writing this column for nearly two decades, but only started paying for it to appear in this newspaper last April. At www.JimSmithColumns.com you can find links to more than a decade of “Real Estate Today” columns that you may find applicable to your own real estate journey. At right is a glimpse of what that catalog of previous columns looks like, showing just a few of the columns that predated my contract with this newspaper.

Cuby is a startup that began in Belarus. Cofounder Aleksandr Gampel says the first micro factory is being delivered to Detroit shortly.

Within the next decade he expects to produce 275 micro factories that will build 200,000 homes and create 300,000 jobs, removing approximately 750,000 tons of waste from the construction process.

Although Cuby promotes its micro factories for home building, it’s not a home builder. It sells the micro factories for $10 –15 million. Their customers are typically developers, builders, general contractors and private equity groups, whose customers might be midsize home builders.

Cuby claims that it can lower the cost of new construction from $150 per square foot to $100 per square foot.

This & That: Smaller Topics Not Worth Full Articles Renewable Energy Is Being Banned in More and More U.S. Counties

This is according to a Feb. 4 article on USA Today’s website. Here’s an excerpt: “In the past decade, about 180 counties got their first commercial wind-power projects. But in the same period, more than twice as many blocked wind development.

And while solar power has found more broad acceptance, 2023 was the first year to see almost as many individual counties block new solar projects as the ones adding their first projects.

“The result: Some of the areas with the nation's best sources of wind and solar power have now been boxed out.”

I have a link to the full USA Today article at http://RealEstateToday.Substack.com.

Beware of Scammers Pretending to Be Alerting You to a Scam

Fox 31 reported last week about a Golden couple that was scammed out of more than $137,000. The scam began with a phone call from the “Chase fraud department.” It is so important to question every phone call, text message or email you receive. If that Golden resident had thanked the caller, but hung up

and then called Chase’s customer service number to see if there was a fraud alert on his account, he could have avoided being the victim of that scam. I have posted a link to that story on my Substack blog.

NAR Is Criticized by Its Own Members for Donating to Anti-LBGTQ+ Candidates

The political action committee of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) is one of the biggest donors to political candidates and incumbents who are considered, based on Realtor interviews, to be “prohousing.”

A collection of diverse NAR members calling themselves the Real Estate Alliance is now challenging donations by local and national Realtor associations to candidates who push laws which violate Fair Housing.

For example, the Florida association donated $200,000 to Gov. Ron DeSantis, despite his well-known anti-LGBTQ+ policies such as the “Don’t Say Gay” law. Here in Colorado, the Realtor association has donated to three candidates who sponsored an anti-trans bill.

On my Substack blog, you can learn more about the Real Estate Alliance’s program.

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

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February 15, 2024Fe

Sheriff asks for help finding suspected wallet thief

BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is asking for help identifying a man suspected of stealing wallets from local shoppers and then using their credit cards to purchase items.

The suspect is described as a male between 20-30 years old with a thin build and brown curly hair.

The sheriff’s office believes the suspect in recent weeks stole wallets from shoppers in Douglas County

and Lone Tree.

“He then took their credit cards and made several charges at local stores, totaling thousands of dollars,” the sheriff’s office said on social media. “He was seen wearing a black bucket hat in both cases.”

The agency told shoppers to keep their purses or bags with them at all times and never leave them unattended.

The sheriff’s office asks anyone with information about the suspect to email acoleman@dcsheriff.net.

ARREST FROM PAGE 2

on the campus around 3:55 p.m. on Feb. 1.

Upon arresting Graham, police found a loaded handgun in his backpack, according to the crime alert.

The felony arrest warrant was for failure to appear on weapons charges from Jefferson County, Morris said.

Records show the Jefferson County District Court case that led to the failure-to-appear warrant stemmed from an incident on Aug. 16, 2023.

Seven charges arose from that incident, listed in the court register of actions as weapon possession/ previous offender; protection order violation; weapon-prohibited usedrunk with gun; driving under the influence; and three traffic offenses.

Graham was initially booked into

the Arapahoe County jail on Feb. 1. Denver County records show he was then booked into Denver’s Downtown Detention Center on Feb. 5, and as of Feb. 7 he continued to be held there on a failure-toappear warrant and 2021 charges of assault, protection-order violation and harassment-strike/shove/kick.

Court dockets and jail records show Graham’s next court appearance is set for Feb. 20 on the Jefferson County charges; followed by a Feb. 23 appearance in Adams County on charges of assault and protection order violation; then a Feb. 26 appearance in Denver on charges of assault, protection order violation and harassment-strike/shove/ kick; followed by a Feb. 26 status conference in Arapahoe County concerning a 2021 conviction for assault-strangulation; and then another Arapahoe County status conference the same day concerning a 2021 conviction for weapon possession by a previous offender.

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February 15, 2024

Memorial planned for Castle Rock’s beloved ‘Joe Pro’

b. w ’s on noof on k. ds BY MCKENNA HARFORD r- MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM ra A memorial service for Castle n- Rock legend Joe Procopio, known c- as “Joe Pro,” will take place later 26 this month at the Douglas County es Fairgrounds. a- Procopio died on Dec. 22 at 83 e/ years old. He was an omnipresent us figure in the Castle Rock community ty, who helped found the Emmaus or Anglican Church, worked to start n- the boy’s lacrosse program at Casn- tle View High School and served on a numerous councils and boards. s- Procopio moved to Castle Rock in 1998 after an extensive career serving in the U.S. Navy, including three tours to Southeast Asia.

Jenna Lahey, Procopio’s daughter, said he fell in love with the town and dedicated himself to helping wherever possible.

“He may have been born and raised in New Jersey, but Castle Rock was his home,” she said.

Procopio sat on Town Council from 2012-2014 and worked to bring businesses like AdventHealth Castle Rock and Arapahoe Community College to town.

In 2015, Procopio was named Douglas County Citizen. The award honored his roles on the county planning, public safety and public works commissions, the Denver Regional Council of Governments, the board for the Douglas County Fairgrounds and a veteran’s memorial working group.

Procopio is survived by Lahey and his son, Joseph Procopio, as well as six grandchildren.

The memorial is scheduled for 2 p.m. Feb. 19 at the fairgrounds’ event center and will be followed by a reception.

Holiday office closure Douglas County offices will be closed Monday, Feb. 19, 2024.

Many services are available at DoItOnlineDouglas.com

Presidential Primary Election March 5, 2024 *

Watch for your mail ballot Ballots for the Presidential Primary Election are being mailed to registered voters this week.

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Instructions for unaffiliated voters Unaffiliated voters receive both the Democratic and Republican ballots but can vote and return ONLY ONE.

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Track your ballot Sign up at DouglasVotes.com/track-your-ballot to check the status of your mail ballot.

For trusted election information visit DouglasVotes.com or call 303-660-7444.

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Nominate a special teenager for a 2024 Youth Initiative Award Do you know a Douglas County teenager, between the ages of 13 and 19, who has overcome adversity and created positive change in their lives, as well as the lives of others? Nominate them for a 2023 Douglas County Outstanding Youth Award by March 3. Visit douglas.co.us and search Youth Awards.

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February 15, 2024Fe

Experts talk about impacts of stress on the body

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Whether it’s daily hassles or major life events, the resulting stress can impact both physical health as it engages nearly every system in the body.

“It can cause mind-body changes,” said Alyssa Henry, licensed professional counselor with UCHealth Family Medicine. “And in doing so, stress contributes directly to psychological and physiological disorders and disease.”

In addition to impacting mood, behavioral changes, anxiety disorders, depression and even potentially linking to post-traumatic stress, Henry and Licensed Clinical Social Worker Gina Hochhalter, say unchecked stress can lead to a number of physical health concerns.

The most common symptoms of stress include muscle tension, digestive issues, headaches and fatigue, but stress can also exacerbate existing health conditions, weaken immune systems and even affect the musculoskeletal, respiratory, endocrine and other systems.

Chronic stress can also negatively impact the cardiovascular system.

Prolonged stress can increase the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and other issues because stress activates the release of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

“This release can raise blood pressure and could damage blood vessels over time,” said Henry.

But stress can also suppress the immune system, which makes the body more susceptible to infections and diseases.

According to the National Institute

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Alyssa Henry and Gina Hochhalter with UCHealth Family Medicine say while stress can impact mood, behavior, anxiety disorders and depression, unchecked stress can lead to a number of physical health concerns such as having a negative impact on the SHUTTERSTOCK cardiovascular system.

of Health, chronic elevations of cortisol can lead to the immune system developing a resistance and the accumulation of stress hormones can further compromise the immune response.

“Being ill more frequently may impact productivity at work or home, which could result in an increasing number of growing tasks,” said Henry.

Chronic stress can disrupt digestive system functions as well as it can lead to stomach aches, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome and worsen symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. It can also contribute to weight gain or weight loss.

Sleep quality and physical activity

Diet and the quantity of food can also disrupt sleep patterns as well as caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime can disrupt the quality of sleep.

Alcohol can make people feel sleepy, said Hochhalter, but it won’t contribute to the quality of sleep.

“It might get you to sleep,” said Hochhalter. “But you’re not going to be getting that restful sleep because your body’s gonna have to metabolize that alcohol through the night which turns into sugar.”

Chronic stress may lead to insomnia, which can result in fatigue and can cloud judgment and impacts our mood and increases our perception of stress.

“It’s not something we can catch up on, on the weekends,” said Hochhlater. “We want to be consistent with how much we are getting.”

Maintaining a consistent sleep

schedule, even on the weekends, and establishing a relaxing bedtime routine that signals the body it’s time for sleep can help regulate the body’s internal clock and improve the quality of sleep.

A review in the Journal of Sleep Medicine found that mindfulness and meditation interventions significantly improve sleep quality, reduce insomnia symptoms and normalize sleep duration.

Additionally, regular exercise can promote better sleep, however, intense activity close to bedtime can have the opposite effect. Therefore, it is recommended that physical activity should be done a few hours before going to sleep.

“There’s considerable evidence that an individual who is addressing stress in a healthy way has improved cognitive function, their ability to mentally attuned to demanding tasks go up and their cognitive performance increases,” said Henry.

The Journal of Neurobiology of Learning and Memory found that regular physical activity has improved memory and cognitive function in older adults as physical activity stimulates the release of endorphins and can contribute to a positive or relaxed mood.

Henry added that regardless of physical ability, any amount of time committed to moving the body is beneficial. Other benefits of physical activity include a reduction in stress hormones, improvements in mood, emotional well-being and cognitive abilities, which can help people cope with stress more effectively.

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February 15, 2024

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February 15, 2024Fe

DEA confiscated 2.6 million pills in Colorado

BY OLIVIA PRENTZEL THE COLORADO SUN

Roughly 3.4 million fentanyl pills were seized across Colorado, Utah, Montana and Wyoming last year, federal officials said, marking a 79% increase across the region from 2022 and the highest number of fentanyl pills ever seized in a calendar year.

The Rocky Mountain Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration announced the record-breaking numbers as fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing the country and is now the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45.

As many as 7 in 10 counterfeit pills tested last year contained a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl, or roughly the amount that fits on the tips of a pencil, national DEA laboratory testing

showed. That’s an increase from 4 in 10 pills in 2021 and 6 in 10 pills in 2022, the DEA said.

In Colorado, investigators seized nearly 940 pounds of fentanyl last year, or about 2.61 million pills, the DEA said.

The amount seized across the fourstate region in 2023 was more than a 500% increase from amounts confiscated in 2021.

The increase in fentanyl seizures across the Rocky Mountain region highlights the extent to which cartels are bringing fentanyl into the country, David Olesky, Acting Special Agent in Charge for DEA’s Rocky Mountain Field Division said in a news release.

Most of the pills entering Colorado were manufactured in Mexico with chemicals shipped there from China.

“As we begin the new year, DEA is committed to staying laser-focused on

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investigating the two cartels most responsible for trafficking fentanyl into the United States, as well as bringing greater public awareness to the dangers of fentanyl,” Olesky said in the release.

While there is far more information on the dangers of fentanyl now than when the state first started seeing a spike in overdose deaths in 2017, families who have lost loved ones to the drug say there is still a lot more work to do.

Several universities and community colleges have agreed to a list of requests by parents, including joining a real-time overdose map, that would quickly alert school leaders about fentanyl deaths in their cities and on campus, and naloxone training for students.

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young adults who died from fentanyl poisoning questioned by state universities had not done more to warn students, especially when local authorities knew that a particularly deadly batch of counterfeit oxycodone or Xanax containing fentanyl was circulating.

In 2023, 948 people in Colorado died from a fentanyl overdose, up from 920 in 2022, according to preliminary state health department data. Officials expect the total fentanyl overdose deaths from last year to increase due to a roughly three-month lag in the data.

Nationally, the DEA seized more than 77 million fentanyl pills and nearly 12,000 pounds of fentanyl powder last year, officials said.

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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February 15, 2024

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February 15, 2024Fe

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D.A. Kellner will not seek reelection in 2024

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

John Kellner, a Republican, has served as the lead prosecutor for the 18th Judicial District, since his election in 2021.

Kellner announced he will not to run for another term in the district that includes Douglas, Elbert, Arapahoe and Lincoln counties. His term ends in January 2025.

He cited the impending split of the 18th Judicial District into two districts.

He told Colorado Community Media on Monday that he is unsure what his next steps will be.

“I’ve thought a lot about it,” he said.

“I’ve made my life about public service and this seems like a real natural inflection point with the break up of the districts.”

Kellner has spent the past few years helping the district prepare for the split, which is slated for 2025. It will create a new 23rd Judicial District, which will include Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties. The 18th will be limited to Arapahoe County.

“There’s no question the electoral math for somebody who’s a Republican is very challenging for Arapahoe

MOTTO FROM PAGE 1

noted during public comment that she was concerned Teal’s motion directing staff to explore adding religious slogans to the chamber’s walls would be a “constitutional faux pas.”

“I remind you that Thomas Jefferson envisioned a wall symbolizing separation of church and state. Mr. Teal is attacking that wall,” Barrett said. “The Founding Fathers didn’t want the entanglements of religion in our government as was the norm in England.

Corruption by religious affiliation is to be guarded against.”

Barrett suggested sticking with the original U.S. motto, “E Pluribis Unum,” or, “out of many, one.” Teal later commented that he liked the idea.

Efforts to place “In God We Trust” in public schools, government buildings and on license plates are backed

by Project Blitz, a coalition of more than 40 right-wing Christian organizations. Yet, according to BlitzWatch,

County,” Kellner said.

Kellner is not eligible to run to become district attorney in the 23rd Judicial District because he doesn’t reside within its boundaries.

Kellner added that he feels it’s important to remain focused on Kellner completing the process of splitting the district instead of focusing on a campaign.

“I’m excited to see us get through the rest of the year and see us hand off two very excellent district attorneys offices to the new DAs,” he said.

Kellner started working in the 18th Judicial District in 2013, holding positions including prosecutor, senior deputy district attorney and chief deputy district attorney.

He said he is proud of his work as a prosecutor, particularly the 2022 conviction of serial murderer Alex Ewing, also known as the “hammer killer,” fol-

a project backed by civil rights organizations including the Freedom From Religion Foundation and the Interfaith Alliance, “This first seemingly innocuous phase is meant to build enough momentum to pass “religious history and freedom” bills, which purport that America was, is, and will always be a Christian nation.”

Late last year, an El Paso County school district approved a resolution encouraging its schools to display the national motto “In God We Trust” in classrooms, along with other historical displays depicting the founding and heritage of America.

In response, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a nonprofit watchdog that advocates the separation of church and state, sent a letter to the district requesting it rescind the resolution.

“The phrase ‘In God We Trust’ was chosen belatedly as a national motto by an Act of Congress only in 1956 as a response to the fear of ‘godless’ communism. It first appeared on paper currency in 1957,” wrote Annie Laurie Gaylor and Dan Barker, co-presidents

lowing a series of rapes and murders back in the 1980s.

“Being part of the investigation of that for several years and then ultimately trying him, personally convicting him and seeing him sentenced to prison for the rest of his life was very rewarding,” he said.

Kellner repeatedly praised his colleagues in the district attorney’s office for their dedication and hard work. He encouraged the next district attorney to build on the office’s team mentality.

Another piece of advice Kellner offered his successors is to maintain the diversion program that helps lowlevel offenders avoid charges and aims to reduce recidivism. He also said specialized teams, like the Organized Crime Unit, are important to the district In 2022, Kellner campaigned to become Colorado’s Attorney General, but lost to Phil Weiser, a Democrat.

As of Monday, the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office showed Democrat Amy Padden had filed paperwork to run to become the next district attorney in the 18th Judicial District. Two Republicans, George Brauchler and Dagna Van Der Jagt, are running in the 23rd Judicial District.

of the foundation.

“This symbolic unity of ‘God’ with government has created a lack of respect for the previously revered constitutional principle of the separation of state and church. America’s original motto, ‘E pluribus unum’ (From many, one), chosen by Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, celebrates unity through diversity rather than imposing a distasteful de facto religious test upon citizens.”

Gaylor and Barker also claim the displays are offensive and alienating to those who don’t believe in God or who have contrasting beliefs.

“As a public school district, the Board cannot discriminate on the basis of religion. Yet, the Board has voted to encourage the display of a religious message that alienates the 37% of the American population is non-Christian, including the almost 30 percent who are nonreligious. At least a third of Generation Z (those born after 1996) have no religion, with a recent survey revealing almost half of Gen Z qualify as ‘nones’ (religiously unaffiliated),” wrote Gaylor and Barker.

February 15, 2024

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Why a Littleton wine shop is closing

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

After about 18 years on Littleton’s Main Street, a small wine and liquor store is closing.

Neighborhood Wine & Spirits, formerly Lido Wine Merchants, offers a selection of liquors, beers and artisan wines.

The shop is saying goodbye in response to the economic challenges it faced last year, owner Jordan Blaydes said.

“This decision was not made lightly, but it has become clear that moving forward is no longer sustainable for us,” he wrote in an email announcement to his customers.

Blaydes bought the store from its previous owners in 2020.

In the past year, he said his shop was hit by a number of factors, including voters’ decision in 2022 to allow grocery stores to sell wine. The ballot measure, which went into effect in 2023, narrowly passed with just over 50% of Colorado voters in favor of allowing grocery and convenience stores to sell wine.

“Everybody in my industry just, you know, they blame the grocery stores,” he said. “But it was bigger than that, because a lot of people are having a tough time.”

He also blamed the economy in general for the closure. Blaydes said the loss of his small store and other wine and liquor shops like his may have a farther-reaching impact than people realize.

“Small stores like mine, we work with small distributors who support small boutique wineries,” he said. “When all of these little stores go under, those little distributors are going to be behind them, and then consumers are not going to have access to the small-production boutique wineries that they used to have access to.”

Blaydes worked with 18 different distributors, and he said he worries about the challenges the small wine and liquor companies may face as stores like his close.

The end of the COVID-19 pan-

demic also changed people’s drinking habits, which reduced demand on businesses that sell alcohol, he added.

“A lot of people, during COVID, overdid it with the drinking,” he said. “Last year, a lot of people were cutting back on their alcohol consumption.”

Blaydes himself has changed his relationship with alcohol in recent years, as he celebrates over two years of sobriety. As he moves forward to his next professional steps, he hopes to find a way to help people on a similar journey.

“I’ve just experienced a lot of personal growth in the last two and a half years and learned a lot about myself,” he said. “Part of that was various disorders that I have, that I was never diagnosed with, that can lead to substance abuse problems.”

Blaydes hopes to use his public speaking skills to help people.

“I really want to try to find a way to speak to people who may be suffering from substance abuse and not know that they may also have underlying disorders that contribute to that,” he said. “If I can help other people who might be struggling, I would really like an opportunity to do that.”

In addition to the wine and liquor shop, Blaydes is a part owner of Littleton Learning Lab, an interdisciplinary studio where he teaches wine classes.

He is looking forward to growing this business and teaching people about what they drink, even as he says goodbye to his shop.

“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being part of our story,” he wrote in his email to his customers. “You have not just been customers; you have been friends and an integral part of our wine-loving family. We hope the memories and experiences shared within our walls will linger fondly with you, as they will with us.”

Neighborhood Wine & Spirits will remain open on weekends through the end of February.

February 15, 2024

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LOCAL

February 15, 2024F

VOICES

Living with an abundance mentality

W

hen bombarded by problems, our instinct is often to fixate on lacks, not enough time, energy or resources. We opWINNING erate from a scarcity mindset govWORDS erned by fear and self-protection. But shifting to an abundance paradigm alters life’s trajectory.

There are many of us who grew up with parents, grandparents, and even Michael Norton great-grandparents who lived during the Depression era. For those of us who did, we were often told stories of how they lived and survived during those lean years. Times were hard, people became hardened, and abundance was tough to come by.

Even now, there are still those who live and work with a scarcity mentality instead of an abundance mindset. Being cautious and wise with resources is important, and not chasing foolish optimism is sound advice. We need to use good judgment when determining our condition and environment when it comes to choosing abundance over scarcity.

One of my favorite scenes from a movie that clearly depicts the scarcity mindset in a lighthearted way is found in the movie, Finding Nemo.

It’s the scene where Nemo’s dad and Dory find themselves among a flock of seagulls. The seagulls mimic their cry using the words, “Mine, mine, mine.” How often do we look at what we have and refuse to share, saying the same thing, “Mine, mine, mine?”

Living with abundance means that we carry the belief that there really is enough for everyone. It’s not just making sure we get our slice of the pie; it’s about making the pie bigger so all can enjoy it. It’s know-

ing that we have enough to meet our needs and looking at how we can help others who might be in a time of need.

Learning to live with abundance takes away the edge and worry about what will happen next. It not only calms our fears, but it also actually increases our generosity. An abundance mindset can bolster innovation at work. Feeling strapped stifles creativity about possible solutions. But believing options and answers exist outside of our scope of understanding liberates innovation. If resources feel scarce, we likely need to think bigger. Leaders would do well to shift from scarcity to abundance thinking to spur breakthroughs.

Abundance empowers us to stop hoarding in fear. We spend time and talents freely, trusting the well will not run dry. Saying yes to life’s invitations leads to growth. Declut-

tering the unnecessary makes space for joy and purpose.

Abundance thinking reframes “not enough” into “more than enough.” It believes resources exist to accomplish our divinely inspired purpose, whether launching a company or raising a child. Lack is merely a limitation of vision, not actually supply. Abundance thinking builds confidence, not arrogance.

Our worth rests on grace, not works.

When we live and work with an abundance mentality instead of material scarcity, anxiety is lifted. We take bold risks toward the achievement of our goals and dreams. We create value instead of competing for those slices of the pie mentioned earlier. We breathe deeper and stand taller, empowered to change the world.

Those with an abundance mentality are generous because they believe resources exist to fulfill pur-

pose. They freely spend time mentoring others whose talents could one day launch world-changing ventures. They know the water won’t run out if they pour out freely.

Abundance breeds gratitude and giving.

An abundance mentality also builds resilience amid hardship.

During storms, scarcity fixates on all that may be lost. It knows setbacks are often setups for greater impact.

This mentality lifts eyes beyond the present turmoil to see hope.

Scarcity thinking shrinks possibility and fuels fear. Adopting an abundance mentality liberates us to thrive. Despite real limitations, embracing the truth of the blessings that we have lavishly been provided transforms everything. Abundance thinking awakens courage, creativity, and deep joy.

SEE NORTON, P15

15

February 15, 2024

The good, bad and ugly

M

y readers know I like to look at all sides of a situation. The beginning of the year is a good time to map out what is great, FINANCIAL what may be chalSTRATEGIES lenging and what is potentially awful with the economic landscape and how it affects investors.

I like to be positive, so I’ll start with the current good things.

First is the Fed and that they may Patricia Kummer have pulled off a soft landing. This is where they are able to raise interest rates enough to curb inflation and not cause a recession. So far, so good. Inflation has come down; the economy is still growing and employment remains strong.

Second, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is positive but slowing. I put this measure of economic growth in the good category because it could be much worse considering the level of interest rate hikes we have endured. Economic growth is naturally expected to slow as inflation comes down. Much of this growth is fueled by consumer spending which last year made up 80 percent of the GDP. Higher inflation should have curbed some of that spending but there could still be pent up demand from shortages during COVID. Housing has also held up well considering high mortgage rates. Those of us buying houses in the eighties when interest rates were around 12% don’t think current rates are high. However, there is a whole new generation of home buyers that

have never seen anything north of 4%. Fannie Mae states “Mortgage rates will fall below 6% in 2024.”¹ Investors are enjoying a nice start to the year. The stock market falls into both the good and the bad category. While returns have been nice as corporate earnings have held up during rising rates, many believe valuations are artificially high and will correct at some point. That is usually the natural cycle of the market so this is not really unexpected. It may also depend on which stocks and which sectors, given that we often see rolling corrections that don’t affect the entire S&P 500. Currently we have price to earnings (P/E) in a wide range. Twenty or below is considered decent. This is the calculation of the stock price divided by annual earnings, so the lower the better if you are looking for undervalued stocks.

Other economic indicators on the bad list include a slowing economy, a softening labor market, and uncertainty around when the Fed will start to lower interest rates.² And we can’t talk about 2024 without mentioning that it is an election year. While political outcomes are never a successful investment strategy, it does affect the mood, if not the perception, of how the economy will be affected at least for the next four years. Therefore I would put elections in the ugly category along with war, violence, poverty, and declining health.

Maybe we just need more love, hope, faith, and charity to push everything into the good category!

Anything is possible.

1.Dow Jones Market Watch 1.26.24 2 UN News at UN.org

NORTON

gmail.com, and when we can truly understand the impact of living with a mindset of abundance, it really will be a better than good life.

FROM PAGE 14

Where are you now when it comes to living with an abundance mentality rather than one of scarcity? Was there ever a time when you made the shift from scarcity to abundance, and if so, how did that make you feel? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@

Patricia Kummer is managing director for Mariner Wealth Advisors.

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.

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

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February 15, 2024F

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

I

n the back of your mind, you might recall fond memories of your parents taking you to the park — or school programs busing you to faraway nature scenes.

And in the bustle of adulthood, getting outdoors may have become less of a priority in your daily schedule.

But the benefits of viewing and spending time in nature go deeper than the proverbial “getting some air.”

In fact, it can lower blood pressure and is linked with lowering levels of stress, depression and anxiety, according to the National Park Service.

One easy way to capture those benefits is hiking, a word that conjures images of mountains and rugged dirt trails. And in Colorado, chances are you’ve met someone with a “hiker” persona:

lots of gear, often heading out on weekends, probably driving a Subaru.

But hiking doesn’t have to be so extreme. It doesn’t even have to involve big hills.

In the purest sense, it’s just a long walk for pleasure or exercise. And if you live in any of the counties around Denver, the good news is you’re never far from a hiking spot.

That includes places with breathtaking views in Douglas County.

“Most Douglas County staffers will tell you that the open space that they like best is the last one they got to hike,” said Dan Dertz, director of Douglas County’s open space office.

From Georgetown in the mountains to the plains of Elbert County, here’s a look at hiking spots for beginners and seasoned veterans alike — and some tips if you’re new to the activity.

Douglas County

If you’re just starting out, one of the easiest

hiking trails in Douglas County is Bluffs Regional Park, Dertz says.

Just a few miles from Park Meadows mall, Bluffs Regional Park offers sweeping views of the mountains and the Denver metro area. It’s a short drive south of Yosemite Street and Lincoln Avenue near Lone Tree.

If you’re seeking high elevation and more of a challenge, try Spruce Mountain Open Space Trail. That’s off Spruce Mountain Road south of Noe Road, west of Interstate 25.

There are no costs for parking or access at those hiking spots.

Jefferson County

For an easy and flat hike not far from downtown Denver, try Crown Hill Park off 26th Avenue in the Wheat Ridge area. Its trailways offer lakeside views.

SEE TAKE A HIKE, P17

February 15, 2024

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TAKE A HIKE FROM PAGE 16

One of the higher-elevation spots in Jefferson County for a hike is Elk Meadow Park in the Evergreen area. There, you can brave a 2,100-foot elevation gain from the Stagecoach Boulevard trailhead to the 9,708-foot Bergen Peak, according to Jefferson County Open Space.

All Jeffco Open Space parks are free to access and open to the public one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset, according to the county.

For information on park closures, see the county’s alerts and closures webpage.

Clear Creek County

Asked about lesser-known spots for hiking in Clear Creek County, Jon Butcher, a county staffer, said: “The Silver Creek Trail is probably the coolest but hard to get to.”

“It is a wagon road built in the mid-to-late 1800s that is flat once you get there,” said Butcher, the county’s recreation facilities manager.

For easiest access, park at Georgetown Lake and take the part of Tom Benhoff trail on the south side of the lake, then head uphill on Purdy or Dunbar- A trail meanders through Columbine Open Space in Douglas County.

COURTESY OF DOUGLAS COUNTY ton trails to get to Silver Creek Trail. Once there, head east for about 4 miles one way or 8 miles out fields, and trail access is at the northwest corner of Chris Barker, a county spokesperson. “Visitors and back. the parking area. that provide information on wildlife interactions In a mountain county, trails are better suited to All trails in Elbert County mentioned above are play a critical role as stewards and partners in experienced hikers. open to pedestrians, bikes and horses and closed managing wildlife.”

“As far as ‘easy trails’ lacking too much elevation to motorized vehicles, according to the district.

All reports are anonymous. You can report wildchange, I would suggest Alvarado, Georgetown Free parking is available near all trail access life sightings, encounters or incidents at jeffco.

Lake, Meadow Loop at Floyd Hill or any of the points. us/3620/Human-Wildlife-Interactions.

Greenway Trails,” Butcher said.

The trails are accessible for free.

Staying safe Navigating snowy season For beginners, here are some tips for hiking For hiking amid snow this winter and early Elbert County from Jefferson County Open Space, especially for spring, here are some tips from Jefferson and In the plains of Elbert County — east of Douglas challenging routes: Clear Creek counties for staying safe in challengCounty and southeast of Aurora — wide-open ru• Pick up a physical map near a trail parking ing environments: ral views are the norm. area, or use a mapping app like COTREX. (You • Bring traction devices for your shoes or boots, But for a trail maintained for the public, look to can download offline maps to navigate trails for or trekking poles, for snow-packed or icy trails. the Elizabeth area. when you don’t have cellular service.)

• If heading to parks alone, let someone know One trail runs for 1.3 miles with access at Run• Bring a compass if you know how to use one. where you’re going and your anticipated return ning Creek Elementary School on the south and • Dress in layers or have extra layers for warmth time just in case.

Evans Park on the north, said Eric Larson, an El- or rain protection.

• Check online for park or trail closures in case bert County staffer.

• Use sunscreen, hats and long sleeves for sun snowy conditions begin to thaw and create mud(Flooding last summer washed out the trail at protection. dy trails that are closed.

Colorado Highway 86. Repairs are slated for this • Bring extra food and plenty of water for your• Know what layers to bring: Synthetic fabric or summer, intended to return the path to its full self and your pets. wool are best as they tend to provide some insulalength and useability.)

• Have a flashlight in case you get caught out af- tion even when wet. Avoid cotton.

Once in Evans Park, the town trail connects with ter dark.

• Bring a map. Remember: Many trails in lessa small trail that loops through a wooded section • Bring a first-aid kit. populated regions go outside phone coverage arof the park.

• Bring matches in case of an emergency. (Gen- eas. Have a full phone battery and keep it warm.

“The most significant, and perhaps only other erally, Jeffco Open Space does not allow fire or • Bring a flashlight or headlamp with spare batpublicly accessible, trail in the county is located open flame in its parks.) teries. in Casey Jones Park at 4189 Highway 86” in the • Have emergency shelter, such as a tent or tarp.

• The snow off trails can be deep. If going off Elizabeth area, said Michael Barney, director of Be on the lookout for wildlife. Jeffco Open Space trail, bring gaiters and skis or snow shoes.

Elizabeth Park and Recreation District. That park tracks human-wildlife interactions in parks and • Do not enter avalanche terrain unless you is next to Evans Park. surrounding neighborhoods. have the needed training and equipment.

The trail is roughly 1.4 miles and passes through “We strive to balance the protection and preser“Know the limits of your fitness and clothing,” the northern wooded section of the 103-acre park. vation of wildlife and their habitat while promot- Butcher said. “Turn around if either of them are It’s best reached by parking north of the baseball ing a safe and positive visitor experience,” said failing to keep you comfortable.”

Left: A group stands as the sun goes down at Bluffs Regional Park in the Lone Tree area of Douglas County.

COURTESY OF DOUGLAS COUNTY

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February 15, 2024Fe

SPORTS

The mental game: Castle Rock coach focuses on athletes’ mindset Stacy Ingram’s mission to help athletes, performers overcome mental obstacles

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Like Super Bowl champion and former Seattle Seahawk Marshawn Lynch famously stated, “Take care of y’all bodies, take care of y’all chicken, and take care of y’all mentals.”

As for the last part of that, many say sports are 90% mental. While there are ways to measure the physical attributes of athletes, there aren’t too many ways to demonstrate mental performance, especially on a stat sheet. Often athletes are only measured by points, tackles, saves or other statistics.

Stacy Ingram, a mental toughness and performance coach for youth athletes, performers and others in Castle Rock, knows mental barriers can prevent individuals from reaching their full potential.

She’s here to help.

“Sports and performance is a way that you’re able to teach them skills they can use in their sport but also throughout their life,” Ingram said.

“Things like emotional regulation, stress reduction and more.”

Whether it’s managing a full class schedule and a demanding sports calendar at once, overcoming an injury to get back on the field or stage or trying to stay tunnel-focused on earning a scholarship, Ingram knows high school athletes today have a lot to manage.

Before the pandemic, Ingram owned a clothing boutique, where she said a lot of people (friends and otherwise) would come in and look for emotional or mental support. Feeling her store was a place of refuge, Ingram cared for her patrons and wanted to take the next step in helping them.

She began taking psychology and coaching courses and fully pivoted to mental coaching when the pandemic forced her store to close.

“I really wanted to address this niche because I do have a passion for sports, but also I have a passion for kids this age,” Ingram said.

“Even at my store, I had a lot of

Stacy Ingram specializes in several different mental coaching services, including managing inner dialogue, staying present in the moment and overcoming body posiCOURTESY PHOTO tivity issues.

Call 866-977-2602 to schedule your free quote!

high school and college kids that worked for me. And I really missed that sort of mentorship piece and relationship piece. It showed me a lot about how much these kids need additional support, but they’re sort of afraid to ask for it.”

She’s now worked with several clients across various sports and performance activities. Her focus (for now) is on schools in the south like Arapahoe, Mountain Vista and Green Mountain, her alma mater.

For more from Ingram, check out the Q&A below. You can find her services at www.cultivatingyourcourage.net.

Colorado Community Media:

What goes into the mental gymnastics of re-trusting yourself after you’ve been injured in your sport or profession?

Ingram: That’s a pretty emotional thing for a number of reasons: everything from disappointment if you’re a senior especially and you lost your last season to simply being afraid. And when you are afraid of being injured, you have a much higher percentage of likelihood of actually being injured because you’re focusing on the wrong things and that mind-body connection isn’t in the most posiSEE MINDSET, P20

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February 15, 2024

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tive space. I think one thing that can happen with the kids, too, is they get so afraid of getting injured that sometimes they don’t even want to get back. It is a mental thing to get past because it’s not a failure of their own but sometimes they can look at it like that.

CCM: What percentage of your clients are bouncing back from injuries?

Ingram: It really varies because it depends on what’s happening. But I would say about 25%. The athletes’ goals can vary. If they’re really at a high level and are trying to get a scholarship, they’re working more on the peak performance side of things…

Then you have others that are overcoming injuries. And then you have some kids that just want to enjoy their time playing in high school, but

February 15, 2024Fe they start to get themselves either so burnt out or so wound up between the mental side of the game that they begin not to enjoy it. So it’s that balance of how to teach those things so you can manage the anxiety and the stress and all the pressure.

CCM: What makes advising this age group unique?

Ingram: One thing that we see a lot is just kids’ prefrontal cortex in their brain is not fully developed until they’re 25. Because of that, they have a little bit bigger extremes, but they also have a lot of neuroplasticity happening, so it’s a great time for them to learn, and they can learn a lot faster than we learn as adults. So it’s sort of a crucial time to try and help teach them some good skills.

CCM: What goes into managing an internal dialogue during a game, performance or otherwise?

Ingram: For one, the internal dialogue… a lot of it is negative self-talk.

I try and work with them on different little techniques and skills to get past

that. And a lot of times, if you can focus them somewhere else, you’re able to do that, even if it’s something as simple as making sure they have a routine or understand their nervous system enough to know, “When I feel this, I need to do this and not get caught up in the emotion.” The other piece that happens in pressure moments is teaching them to mentally slow down the moment. Sometimes it can be as simple as a visualization method, but it really depends on the kid. The other internal dialogue piece I see is body positivity and sometimes not feeling comfortable with their own body. So, sometimes the internal dialogue can be around a topic like that.

CCM: Are there notable differences between coaching athletes and performers, or is it mostly the same?

Ingram: Honestly, it’s pretty similar. I would say the speed of the game is something more on the athletic side, where if you’re in dance or mu-

sic or something like that you might not be experiencing that so much.

But things like focus, concentration, all of those you do. I would say it’s about two-thirds similar and onethird different.

CCM: Finally, how rewarding is it to see your services working and see an athlete or performer overcome their obstacles?

Ingram: It’s amazing. One of the victories is just having an athlete or performer being able to control their own emotions enough to think is a really big thing. For example, when you have someone that typically freezes during games… they’re amazing during practice but then in a game, they constantly are freezing… it’s gradual steps so you don’t change 100% overnight. But at the moments that you see the difference, you just want to jump up and down and scream. And so do their parents.

It is really rewarding from that perspective. And also just to be another ear for these kids.

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February 15, 2024Fe

Colorado hits Suncor with $10.5M settlement

BY MICHAEL BOOTH THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado has issued a $10.5 million penalty on the Suncor refinery in Commerce City over three years of air pollution violations, calling it the largest-ever action against a single facility, and also settled a suit resulting in a doubling of fenceline monitoring at the troubled fuel plant.

The agreement surpasses a $9 million deal in 2020 for similar releases.

Colorado director of public health Jill Hunsaker Ryan called it a “historic enforcement package” to “demonstrate our unwavering commitment to environmental protection and the health of our residents.”

“We will continue to use every tool available to prevent Suncor from having future violations,” Hunsaker Ryan said. The $5 million in required plant improvements in the 2020 settlement have made a measurable difference in Suncor violations since then, and the new settlement requires $8 million more in plant changes, she said.

The new $10.5 million settlement includes a $2.5 million cash fine, which will be split between environmental justice grants and the general fund.

The violations lasted through June 2021. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment investigates Suncor violations on a two-year cycle, and is still probing air pollution releases from the past two and a half years, said Michael Ogletree, director of the department’s Air Pollution Control Division.

With Canada-based Suncor reporting $2 billion in profits from the third quarter of 2023 alone, “it’s a really good question” whether a $2.5 million fine is enough to change Suncor’s behavior, Hunsaker Ryan said.

“What I would say is, we are limited in the penalties that we can assess by law,” she said. It’s also important for the state to protect the community by reaching a reasonable settlement “that’s not going to drag out a long time, but get some meaningful action,” she said.

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Suncor Energy’s Commerce City plant on Feb. 17, 2023.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA SUN THE COLORADO SUN VIA REPORT FOR AMERICA

The settlement is not part of Suncor’s application for a renewed air pollution permit for part of the sprawling Commerce City refinery, which is still pending revisions at the state health department.

State officials said the violations from July 2019 through June 2021 often involved power disruptions. Violations cited include: - Exceeding EPA and state emissions limits on sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides.

- Exceeding hydrogen sulfide concentration caps.

- Exceeding opacity and visible emissions standards.

- Violations from causes other than power outages.

Suncor, the only vehicle and airplane fuel refinery in Colorado and one of the few in the West, has long been a target for environmental and community groups, as well as

state regulators, for both local pollution violations and greenhouse gas emissions. Suncor has responded that it has made continual improvements to both refining and monitoring equipment to better protect the community, and that the plant is an important economic engine for the neighborhood and Colorado.

A fire at the refinery in December 2022 disrupted operations for months, and may have contributed to an increase in fuel prices for Colorado drivers. Some environmental advocates have called for an outright denial of future permits for Suncor and a closure of the refinery, but state officials have never endorsed those calls.

The latest settlement also include a deal for more intensive fenceline monitoring and community SEE SUNCOR, P23

February 15, 2024

Plan protects future oil leasing on Colorado lands

BY ERIC GALATAS PUBLIC NEWS SERVICE

The Bureau of Land Management has released its final Eastern Colorado Resource Management Plan, which will guide the use and management of over 658,000 acres of public lands for decades to come.

Conservation geographer Alison Gallensky with Rocky Mountain Wild said the plan does a good job of increasing protections for some 300,000 currently undeveloped acres, mostly along the Arkansas River between Salida and Canon City.

“By setting aside several hundred thousand acres,” said Gallensky, “to stay the way they are now, for wildlife, for the headwaters for the different tributaries into the Arkansas River.”

In addition to protecting areas for hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and hunting - which bring over $54 million into local economies - Gallensky said these lands support healthy ecosystems that can help species survive in a changing climate.

Some environmental groups criticized the BLM’s plan for keeping most acres open to oil and gas leasing, but the Western Energy Alliance defended the agency for balancing development with conservation.

SUNCOR FROM PAGE 22

alerts about air pollution releases in Commerce City. A 2021 state law required Suncor and three other large facilities to implement fenceline monitoring of certain toxins and sharing data with the public. Suncor had sued the state in 2022 over how Colorado was applying monitoring regulations to the refinery.

The deal will have Suncor doubling the number of monitors from its latest proposal to the state, officials said. Suncor will also expand the number of toxins monitored from the minimum list in the 2021 law. Colorado had required covered facilities to monitor and alert for hy-

The plan paves the way for future oil and gas production on BLMmanaged lands in northeastern Colorado, where current production has been linked to a rise in harmful ground-level ozone pollution and the state’s failure to meet Environmental Protection Agency clean air standards.

Gallensky said the plan, which has been in the works for nearly a decade, includes old analysis on the true risks of drilling.

“There’s been a lot of new information learned about the impacts of oil and gas development and how to transition to cleaner forms of energy,” said Gallensky. “And that wasn’t as well integrated into the plan as it could have been.”

The plan takes thousands of acres off the table for drilling, but those acres are considered to have very low potential for tapping oil and gas.

Advocates say they will ask the Colorado BLM to address the threats of continued fossil fuel development, the primary driver of climate change, by strengthening their Big Game Resource Management Plan Amendment, which is currently accepting public comments.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

This story runs via The Associated Press’ Storyshare, of which Colorado Community Media is a member. drogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide and benzene. Suncor has agreed to also monitor toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes, state officials said.

Suncor will also alert the public sooner than previously required when certain pollution thresholds are crossed, Ogletree said. For some compounds, alerts were triggered when releases hit the EPA’s more stringent one-hour thresholds for certain toxins. By the end of 2024, when the monitoring equipment is fully in place, those compounds will trigger alerts after reaching the lower four-hour thresholds.

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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February 15, 2024Fe

Beguiling audiences with storytelling Denver’s Wonderbound reimagines ‘Sleeping Beauty’ with a forceful princess, live music

BY KIRSTEN DAHL COLLINS SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

At Wonderbound ballet’s performance of “Wicked Bayou” this past fall, a zombie band played funky rock-and-roll onstage, while two children lost in the bayou tried to evade a snapping, 20-foot-long alligator.

There were no tutus or pointe shoes in sight.

That’s nothing unusual at Wonderbound. The Denver dance company — which was honored with the 2013 Denver Mayor’s Award for Excellence in Arts & Culture — is nudging ballet into the 21st century with dramatic storytelling, live rock and pop artists, and powerful ballerinas who sometimes lift their male partners instead of vice versa.

After relocating 10 times in 10 years, Wonderbound recently settled into permanent headquarters: a cleverly renovated 1920’s airplane hangar in Denver’s Northeast Park Hill neighborhood. New features

Dancers Nathan Mariano and Danielle Lieberman rehearse for Wonderbound’s upcoming show, “Awakening Beauty,” in the company’s newly-renovated quarters in northern Park Hill in Denver. Appropriately enough, the dancers now take flight in a PHOTO BY TIM COLLINS space that was once an airplane hanger.

include retractable seating, which allows the troupe to transform its enormous theater into two spacious practice studios. In the company’s new, onsite scene shop, production manager Eleanor Moriarty can hammer and saw to her heart’s content — since a six-inch thick freezer door blocks all noise from the stage.

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Garrett Ammon and Dawn Fay, who live in Adams County, the 12-member troupe is Denver’s second largest dance company. As former principals with Ballet Memphis, both Ammon and Fay are accomplished dancers in their own right. Both are retired from the stage but if anything, their explosive creativity has only increased – enlivening the local arts scene with full-length, original story ballets, often in collaboration with local musicians, visual artists, poets and even a local magician. In a way, their collaborative approach evokes the birth of contemporary ballet in turn-of-the-century Paris, when impresario Sergei Diaghilev gathered dancers, composers, artists and writers together to form the legendary Ballets Russes.

A mid-century modern fairy tale

On Feb. 22, Wonderbound will raise the curtain on “Awakening Beauty,” a new ballet created by Artistic Director Ammon and Denver musician Tom Hagerman, known for his Grammy-nominated band, DeVotchKa. The story draws on Peter Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet, “Sleeping Beauty.” In Ammon’s version, the young heroine, Talia, will take charge of her own journey to adulthood instead of snoozing while Prince Charming hacks his way through a wall of thorns. Her castle will have a distinctly mid-century

modern feel.

Ammon choreographs while in rehearsal with the dancers. Often, he said, the characters take on a life of their own.

“Sometimes things I thought were … pivotal … won’t make any sense in the rehearsal process.” He compared it to writing a novel. “You discover things as you go along.”

To create the ballet, Ammon said he read many coming-of-age stories about young girls entering their teenage years. He also looked backward in time. The name Talia, he said, comes from an earlier – and much grimmer — 17th-centuryItalian version of the fairy tale. Wonderbound’s retelling will also lean toward the dark side.

“This is not Disney,” declares a press release.

A beehive of creativity

Wonderbound Artistic Director Garrett Ammon poses with the mid-century modern-style sets he designed for “Beauty Awakening.”

A retired ballet dancer, Ammon is primarily involved in choreography and draws on a life-long love of visual arts to create the right setting for each of his ballets.

In addition to creating the story and choreography for “Awakening Beauty,” Ammon also designed the striking, geometric sets.

“Here we wear a lot of hats,” he said.

Fay, who serves as Wonderbound’s president, also wears many hats. As a classically trained ballerina, she has danced many a Sugar Plum Fairy – and when she isn’t fundraising, writing grants, working on the budget or meeting with the board, she teaches classical technique and rehearses the dancers. She also designs all the costumes. As Ammon develops the story for each ballet, Fay works with him closely to make sure the costumes are a good psychological fit.

Tango-inflected melodies

In setting this dark fairy tale to music, Hagerman said he used some of Tchaikovsky’s familiar themes, while creating a score that is largely new.

He and six other musicians will play tango-inflected melodies complete with the sensual wail of the bandoneon.

Denver musician Tom HagerSEE WONDERBOUND, P25

25

February 15, 2024

the focus is on these amazing things I didn’t know I could do,” said dance a love scene with Nathan dancers.” the California-born dancer, who Mariano, who is also in his second WONDERBOUND when In turn, Fay said working with mu- now lives in Denver’s Cherry Creek. season with the company. He too FROM PAGE 24

man, pictured on the far left, composed the score for Wonderbound’s “Awakening Beauty.” To his right are musicians Sara Parkinson, Evan Orman and Susan Cahill. Not pictured are musicians Shane Endsley, Jocelyn Hach and Nadya Hill, who will round out the onstage band.

“I call it my ‘little devil box,’” said Hagerman, who finds the bandoneon tougher to play than its cousin, the accordion.

A prolific musician who plays many instruments and operates two different bands, Hagerman said he especially enjoys working with Wonderbound.

“When you write music for dance, there’s a storyline, there’s richness,” he said. “It’s definitely more fun

sicians onstage is “a magical thing” that allows dancers to be in conversation with the music.

Dancers drawn to the unconventional

Danielle Lieberman, who will dance the leading role of Talia in “Awakening Beauty,” started her career in competition hip hop. Ballet won her over when she was cast as a mouse in the Nutcracker at age 10. She was first drawn to Wonderbound by its nonconformist style, including the chance to leave her pointe shoes behind.

“I felt dancing in pointe shoes held me back a little bit,” Lieberman said.

Minus those stiffly reinforced soles, she said she felt more freedom of movement.

“I discovered I could do a lot of

“Our partnering requires the woman to handle the men just as much as they handle us. It’s very different from classical ballet which requires women to be light and dainty.

This has taught me a lot more about being powerful,” Lieberman added.

She also enjoys the company’s informal style, which encourages performers to connect with the audience.

“We go out in the lobby and talk to people after the show. They’re so receptive. I just love that,” she said.

Although the central character in Wonderbound’s “Awakening Beauty,” Talia, danced by Danielle Lieberman, left, confronts darkness on her journey to adulthood, she also finds love with A Boy, portrayed

by Nathan Mariano, also pictured.

In “Awakening Beauty,” she will

enjoys Wonderbound’s kinetic style of partnering.

“We’re not just hoisting women.

Sometimes we’re on the floor, all tangled up together, using arms, legs, core — the entire body,” Mariano said.

Growing up in northern Minnesota, Mariano was active in community theater. Now a resident of Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, he relishes the chance to dance in full-length dramatic works instead of the short, abstract ballets more common in contemporary dance.

In fact, that’s what motivated him to audition for Wonderbound in the first place.

“I love theater,” he said. “I love telling a story.”

And that seems to be what Wonderbound does best.

26

February 15, 2024Fe

Homeowners can delay property tax payments Under the program, homeowners don’t have to pay any portion of their deferred tax amount — including interest — so long as they continue to reapply, according to the Colorado Department of the Treasury.

“As long as the homeowner reapplies each year, they don’t have to pay until they don’t apply,” said Sheena Kadi, spokesperson for the department.

The current deferral interest rate is 4.125%. That means after a year, the deferred tax amount will have grown by that percentage.

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORACOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

If you’re staring at your property tax bill and having a meltdown, a Colorado program might offer you relief.

The state’s Property Tax Deferral Program allows homeowners to push their property tax payment down the road, potentially for years — depending on eligibility.

“Anytime we can keep folks in their homes and help them find tax relief at the same time is a win for Coloradans,” Colorado State Treasurer Dave Young said in a prepared statement.

Homeowners can delay, or “defer,” tax payment for as long as they own their home. The program charges interest — or a slow yearly increase — in the amount of taxes you owe.

Here’s how the program works.

Other criteria

Other eligibility criteria include: • The property claiming the deferral must be owner occupied, meaning the taxpayer must, by themselves or with another person, reside at the property • All property taxes for years before 2024 must be paid • For the growth cap-based deferrals, the property must not be income producing, meaning the property is not used for financial gain.

Who is eligible

Colorado’s deferral program has traditionally helped seniors and active military personnel, but it was expanded last year to provide relief to homeowners affected by increased property taxes for the tax years including and between 2020 to 2023. (2023 property taxes are what you’re billed for this year.)

The application period closes on April 1. Homeowners who aren’t seniors or active military can apply under different criteria — they’re eligible if their property taxes increased above what the program calls a “growth cap.”

The tax-growth cap is met when the current year’s property tax amount has increased 4% or more compared to the average of the two preceding tax years’ amounts.

A vast view of homes from Bluffs Regional Park and Trail in Lone Tree in October PHOTO BY TAYLER SHAW 2022.

Given the headline-grabbing spikes in property values — as calculated for tax purposes — last year in the Front Range and other parts of the state, many homeowners will likely qualify for the program because of how much their home’s property tax bill has increased.

Ins and outs

The program does not exempt homeowners from paying taxes but, rather, serves as a loan that a home-

owner pays later.

Seniors and active military can defer for as long as they own their home and they reapply for deferral each year.

Others applying under the tax growthbased eligibility can defer for as long as they own their home and reapply each year — as long as the amount being deferred does not exceed $10,000.

For example, if you applied last year and were granted a $6,000 deferral and then apply again this year, only $4,000 more could be deferred.

To apply

Homeowners can learn more by calling 833-634-2513 toll free or emailing cotreasproptax@state.co.us People in some areas may need to wait for their county to upload data before they’re able to apply, Kadi said on Feb. 8.

Looking for tax exemptions?

For information on property tax exemption for qualifying disabled veterans and gold star spouses orfor senior citizens, email dola_dpt_frontdesk@ state.co.us or call 303-864-7777 or 303864-7758.

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February 15, 2024

Colorado deadlier for pedestrians and cyclists

BY OLIVIA PRENTZEL THE COLORADO SUN

The number of pedestrians killed on Colorado streets reached an alltime high last year, painting a grim picture of traffic safety, a year after the state recorded the largest number of road deaths in more than four decades.

While traffic deaths saw a slight dip last year, the picture isn’t getting any brighter for those traveling by foot or bike.

Data from the Colorado Department of Transportation shows the number of cyclist deaths jumped by 33% last year to 20, up from 15 in 2022, and the number of pedestrians killed on Colorado’s streets reached a new high.

Colorado saw a significant uptick in pedestrian deaths in 2020 when 93 people were killed while walking along or across the state’s streets compared with 76 in 2019, and the number has continued to rise. Last year, at least 131 pedestrians were killed — an overwhelming majority of them at night.

“A lot of people die just moving from point A to point B,” said Pete Piccolo, executive director of the advocacy group Bicycle Colorado. “And it seems as though unless you’re impacted by traffic violence, it’s almost normalized.”

“The fact that 12,982 people died in Colorado (since 2002) going to school, going to work, going to the grocery store, it is really an unbelievable thing that we cannot figure out how to move around our communities without killing each other,” Piccolo said.

Preliminary data shows that last year, 712 people were killed on Colorado’s roads, including 20 cyclists, 134 motorcyclists and scooter riders and more than 300 drivers. In 2022, 764 people were killed in traffic crashes.

The causes aren’t easy to identify and there are several theories to explain how driver and pedestrian behaviors, road design and vehicle size all fit together.

While rising pedestrian deaths match a nationwide trend, it isn’t one that has occurred in other countries of comparable wealth, where pedestrian and cyclist deaths have generally been declining, not rising.

The number of pedestrians killed by drivers in the U.S. has been climbing for more than a decade and in 2022, they reached a 40-year high when more than 7,500 pedestrians were killed.

The Colorado Sun parsed last year’s data on traffic deaths and spoke to experts about the numbers.

Here’s what we found: More than 2 in 3 pedestrians were

killed last year between sunset and sunrise.

In Colorado last year, 67% of pedestrians died while walking across or along the road in the dark, data from CDOT shows.

The data shows that of the people who died at night, 65 were in areas with streetlights and 16 were in areas that had no lights at all.

“A lot of times you’ll have street lights, but not necessarily a really visible crosswalk,” said Annelies Van Vonno, CDOT’s bicycle and pedestrian planning coordinator.

Since crash data from 2023 is still being evaluated, final data could vary. Officials expect the year’s total number of traffic crashes to represent a 5% decrease from 2022, a spokesman said.

The pedestrians who were killed included three people age 10 and younger and eight people between the ages of 11 and 20.

More than three-quarters of the pedestrians killed were male and all but one of the cyclists killed on Colorado’s roads were male, preliminary data shows. “(Men) are overwhelmingly represented as both victims and offenders in traffic crashes,” said Sam Cole, CDOT’s safety communications manager. “They tend to be young.

And what do we know about young men? They tend to be risk-takers.”

Research also shows that more men tend to bike compared to women and men could have the tendency to walk more often at night compared to women, Van Vonno said.

Cycling deaths are on the rise After three consecutive years without an increase in cyclist deaths, the number of people killed while riding a bike in Colorado jumped to 20 last year.

Among the bicyclists killed in 2023 were 13-year-old Liam Stewart, who was struck by a car while riding his bike to his middle school in Littleton, and 17-year-old Magnus White, who was training for the upcoming world championships in Scotland when he was struck near Boulder by a driver who fell asleep and drifted from her lane.

Colorado’s growing population could be contributing to the rise in traffic deaths with more people on foot, bike, electric scooters and vehicles sharing the road, said Piccolo, with Bicycle Colorado.

Five times the number of cyclists died in 2023 compared with 2003, when three cyclists were killed. The state’s population has also soared in the past two decades with census data swelling to 5.8 million in 2023 from 4.5 million in 2003.

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28

CRASHES FROM PAGE 27

more people on bikes, a lot more people on foot and one-wheeled scooters, within this essentially the same built environment,” Piccolo said.

Generally, data shows that more deaths happen in urban areas, with more cars and bikes on the roads and more people walking or biking to public transportation, and a higher number of commuters are killed compared to recreational riders, Piccolo said.

But in the end, the deaths don’t discriminate.

“It is everyone,” Piccolo said of the demographics. “At the end of the day, it is young and old. It is rural and urban, it is a commuter and recreational rider. It has impacted everyone now.”

Lawmakers this year are considering two bills intended to make Colorado’s roads safer for cyclists.

It’s currently illegal in Colorado to text and drive. But Senate Bill 65, also known as the “hands-free bill,” would ban all cellphone use while driving, unless drivers are using a hands-free device. Current law only prohibits drivers under the age of 18 from using a cellphone while driving.

Senate Bill 36 would provide transportation funding for bike lanes, pedestrian walkways and crosswalk lighting, among other safety improvements, by imposing a small fee for each driver during registration in Colorado’s 12 most populous counties — calculated based on a vehicle’s weight.

Senate Bill 65 has been introduced in prior years and failed to pass, Piccolo said.

“This is one public health crisis where we know what the solutions

February 15, 2024Fe are,” he said. “So the challenge isn’t figuring out what to do, the challenge is finding the will to implement them.”

The highest number of pedestrian deaths happened in urban, more populated areas Denver saw the highest number of pedestrian fatalities with 24, followed by 15 in Adams County, and 14 in El Paso County, data shows.

Urban arterial roads are overwhelmingly the most dangerous for pedestrians because of the high speed of cars and the extended exposure for pedestrians before reaching the other side, Van Vonno said.

“When you have to cross six or eight lanes of traffic, it just takes a longer time,” she said.

Arterial roads are designed similarly to highways, but with more cross streets, and often have a limited number of crosswalks.

“If it’s gonna take you a quarter-mile, half a mile to walk to the nearest crosswalk, you might just take your chances in traffic and try to dash across the road,” Van Vonno said.

While it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what causes each crash, distracted driving is a growing concern, Colorado State Patrol Master Trooper Gary Cutler said.

A recent report from The Schiller Kessler Group, a Florida-based law group, which used data from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, shows that Colorado has the highest number of pedestrian deaths occurring at intersections in the country.

Of the 433 pedestrian deaths recorded in Colorado between 2017 and 2021, 138 were at intersections, accounting for nearly 32% of pedestrian deaths, data shows. Nationwide, pedestrian deaths occur at intersections

17% of the time, according to NHTSA data.

Last year, Colorado State Patrol recorded 36 pedestrians or bikers who were struck, but not necessarily killed.

Twenty-five of those crashes were a result of a driver failing to yield to a pedestrian at a crosswalk and three collisions happened at a crosswalk where there were flashing lights, Cutler said.

Three bikers were hit when a driver failed to yield to a cyclist in a bike lane.

“I believe we’re just getting as a society that we’re trying to push the limits of what we should be doing on the roadways and trying to get there faster and quicker and it’s not safe to do that,” Cutler said.

Smartphones and the distractions they offer both drivers and pedestrians could be playing a huge factor in traffic fatalities, especially in the U.S. where the ubiquity of automatic transmissions frees up a driver’s hands for other uses.

A CDOT survey in 2022 found that more than half of drivers in Colorado use their phone while driving.

The New York Times reported that Americans spend nearly three times as much time interacting with their phones while driving compared to drivers in Britain, according to data collected by Cambridge Mobile Telematics, a company that tracks dangerous driving. The data showed that distracted driving in the U.S. — detected when phones are tapped or in motion in vehicles traveling faster than 9 mph — typically peaks in the evening hours, the Times reported.

Experts say bigger cars on the road could also play a factor, though car sales haven’t dramatically changed in the last few years.

“As cars have gotten bigger, longer, taller, heavier, they’re hitting pedestrians and bicyclists with more force,” Van Vonno said. “The heavier a car is, the longer it takes to stop that car.

Brakes are slower when you have a heavier vehicle and you have a lot of vehicles nowadays that have a very tall hood and instead of hitting a person at the leg or knee level, it’s hitting people

in the chest.”

In 2023, the most registered car in Colorado was a Ford F-150, followed by the Chevrolet Silverado, two massive trucks with high front ends, according to data from the Division of Motor Vehicles.

The best-selling car nationwide in 1990 was a Honda Accord, a much smaller sedan.

“At the end of the day, when a car and a bike come into conflict, it’s the pedestrian who’s going to lose,” she said. “A person in a car might be safe, but you might kill somebody and I don’t think anyone wants to be responsible for that.”

226 people were killed in an impairment-related crash Impairment-related crashes were down last year compared with 2022, but still 226 people lost their lives.

“There’s not a soul in the U.S. that doesn’t know if you get behind the wheel (while impaired) that you could end up killing somebody. So getting behind the wheel, knowing that information, is selfish, it’s careless and reckless,” Cutler said.

A variety of factors could contribute to the dip in traffic fatalities in 2023, Cutler said, including increased technology in newer cars that reminds drivers to fasten their seatbelts.

Enforcement is also up, with a team of state troopers stationed in parts of the state to target impaired driving and various campaigns to warn against dangerous driving behaviors, including aggressive driving, he said.

For safer roads, drivers need to stop thinking about pedestrians and cyclists as an afterthought, Cole with CDOT said.

“We need a wholesale shift in the way drivers think about safety and sharing the road,” Cole said. “Too many people drive without a consideration to the increasing number of roadway users out there.”

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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February 15, 2024Fe

Scileppi’s reopens after wall fall at old Castle Rock church

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

A 136-year-old church turned Italian restaurant in Castle Rock has reopened only days after a building wall collapsed during construction to expand the restaurant.

The owners of Scileppi’s said in a Facebook post on that the restaurant is open again for dine-in service and back to normal business hours.

“The town, construction crews, engineers, and everyone else involved have been working round the clock to ensure the church is safe to occupy and ready for patrons,” the Feb. 6 post says. “We are so thankful to have so many people in our corner to get us to today.”

The restaurant suffered a wall collapse on Jan. 31 and closed while repairs got underway.

Castle Rock Communications Director Melissa Hoelting said the fallen wall appeared to be an “unintended” result of excavation work for the foundation of a 6,000-square-foot addition.

The site had yet to have its first inspection because the construction was in the early stages, Hoelting said.

“The first building inspections by Town staff that would be needed would be related to the new underground plumbing work, which has not yet occurred,” she said in an email.

Built in 1888 as a Catholic church, the stone Victorian Gothic structure has seen several changes over its life-

A wall at the 136-year-old church turned Scileppi’s restaurant collapsed on Feb. 1 during excavation for a 6,000-squarefoot addition. Repairs are underway though a timeline is unclear.

PHOTO COURTESY TOWN OF CASTLE ROCK

time, including damaging events and various additions.

Until 1966, the building was the St Francis of Asissi Catholic Church.

Then it served briefly as a Protestant church until it was transformed into a restaurant in 1969. In 2004, the church suffered a fire that burned down the rear addition.

Scileppi Properties bought the restaurant in 2018 and in 2023 received approvals from town staff to add a rear addition and basement.

Hoelting said the site plans met all of the town code’s requirements and the building plans were reviewed by the building department.

While the church is historically significant, it is not a designated historic landmark.

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February 15, 2024

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February 15, 2024Fe

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February 15, 2024F

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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. 2023-0204 To Whom It May Concern: On 12/7/2023 8:16:00 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: WILLIAM LESLIE IV Original Beneficiary: ZIONS BANCORPORATION, N.A., dba VECTRA BANK COLORADO Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: ZIONS BANCORPORATION, N.A., dba VECTRA BANK COLORADO Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 6/27/2022 Recording Date of DOT: 10/11/2022 Reception No. of DOT: 2022066559 DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $160,000.00 Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $160,074.12 Pursuant to C.R.S. §38-38-101 (4) (i), you are hereby notified that the covenants of the deed of trust have been violated as follows: Failure to pay installments of principal and interest, together with other payments provided for in the evidence of debt secured by the deed of trust and other violations of the terms thereof.

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 82, HIGHLANDS RANCH – FILING NO. 150, 4TH AMENDMENT, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO Which has the address of: 9600 Firenze Way, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126 NOTICE OF SALE The current holder of the Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust described herein, has filed written election and demand for sale as provided by law and in said Deed of Trust.

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 3, 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: 2/8/2024 Last Publication: 3/7/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 12/7/2023 DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee The name, address and telephone numbers of the attorney(s) representing the legal holder of the indebtedness is:

legals@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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.

DOUGLAS W. BROWN Colorado Registration #: 10429 7995 E. Prentice Avenue, Suite 101E , GREENWOOD VILLAGE, COLORADO 80111 Phone #: (303) 329-3363 Fax #: Attorney File #: 3230-157

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. 2023-0204 First Publication: 2/8/2024 Last Publication: 3/7/2024 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. 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

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/ Legal Notice No. 2023-0193 First Publication: 1/25/2024 Last Publication: 2/22/2024 Publisher: Douglas County News Press 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 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 *YOU MAY TRACK FORECLOSURE SALE DATES on the Public Trustee website: https:// www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/

“Trust Us!”

Legal Notice No. 2023-0198 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 15, 2024 * 1

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February 15, 2024Fe

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