Parker Chronicle 060823

Madison Marsh named 2023 Miss Colorado

Event held at PACE center

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

From classic and simple to covered in sequins and rhinestones, each Miss Colorado and Miss Colorado Teen contestant expressed their individuality through their choices of evening gown during the 2023 Miss Colorado and Miss Colorado Teen competition.  e competition is more than wearing beautiful gowns and sporting athletic wear. Underneath the makeup and hairspray are inspirational women and young adults with unique stories.

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

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

In addition, Marsh has been accepted to Harvard Kennedy School.

“I think being Miss Colorado all has to do with who you are as a person,” said Marsh. “I have such a unique opportunity to represent all facets of myself, a pilot, a physicist, a pageant queen, a future politician. I think it’s such an amazing opportunity to show our entire state what it looks like to be a woman like myself.”

After Miss Colorado Teen 2022 Allison Carlson took her farewell walk, she helped crown Liv Newman as the new Miss Colorado Teen 2023.

e two-day competition was held at the Parker PACE Center as the Parker Chamber of Commerce secured Parker as the host city for the competition.

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

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

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

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

Madison Marsh with her crown, sash and flowers.

PHOTO BY HALEY LENA SEE MARSH, P8

Calls for metro district reform mount

BY ROBERT DAVIS YELLOW SCENE MAGAZINE

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

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

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

So far, the metro district has codi ed about $764 million in bonds that it can issue to investors. e debt incurred by these bonds would be paid back by Baseline homeowners over the next several decades.

ere’s just one catch: e board members that set the Baseline Metropolitan District’s tax levels all work for McWhinney Real Estate Services, the developer building the neighborhood.

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

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

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

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

Metro districts and homebuilding

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

ese districts were created in the 1980s to help solve a very practical problem. Colorado’s economy was under signi cant pressure as employment nosedived in government, retail,

and hospitality due to enormous speculation in the state’s housing market. As a result, local government tax receipts declined and caused them to be nancially unable to support new infrastructure and community development projects even as the state’s population increased.

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

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

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

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

Metro districts also don’t seem to be helping to make Colorado homes more a ordable. Colorado’s median home price has skyrocketed by more than 93% over the last decade from about $288,000 to more than $558,000 as of March 2023.

prohibit the directors of metro districts from purchasing the bonds that they issue through another entity. It was introduced by Democrat Rep. Mike Weisman of Aurora and Sen. Robert Rodriguez of Denver.

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

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

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

Instead, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 23-110, a bipartisan bill that explicitly allows metro district directors to purchase this kind of debt. SB23110 also requires additional transparency from metro districts regarding the debt issued and requires the entity to get the opinion of a registered municipal advisor regarding the market fairness of the debt incurred.

SB23-110 also gained the support of many lobbyists who did not support HB23-1090 such as the Adams County Regional Economic Partnership, the Colorado Infrastructure Council, and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.

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

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

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

SimpleStepsBetterAir.org

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

Recent reform e orts

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

Colorado lawmakers introduced multiple bills during the 2023 legislative session aimed at metro districts. One bill, House Bill 23-1090, sought to

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

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

“Statewide, this is becoming a multibillion dollar issue with no signs of abating,” Plotkin told lawmakers in March. “So as the citizens of Colorado are struggling nancially, representatives at all levels are further exacerbating the issue by enabling additional nancial burden on countless citizens who have no say in the matter.”

Governor Jared Polis signed SB23110 into law on April 3. is Yellow Scene Magazine story via e Associated Press’ Storyshare, of which Colorado Community Media is a member.

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

JUNE

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

Saturday 10 am – 10:30 pm

Sunday 10 am – 8:30 pm

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Shopping

Groove Mazda MAIN STAGE

– Live Music ALL Day

HEADLINERS:

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

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

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

THANK

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TICKETS FOR INDIVIDUAL RIDES

Home Builders Foundation ramps up mobility for metro-area families

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

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

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

“ ankfully she’s small enough right now that I can carry her up or down the stairs, but it’s not going to be that way forever,” Matt said.

e family tried going through their insurance, Medicaid, to nd a contractor to build a ramp, but the process was long, and they had little luck nding someone to take the job.

“We had contractors come out, but no one wanted it,” Caroline said, adding that they were told construction could take up to a month.

en the Prociks found the Home Builders Foundation, an Englewoodbased nonpro t that works to make homes accessible.

e Prociks family project became part of the organization’s annual Blitz Build, where volunteers construct mobility ramps for free throughout the Denver metro area.

On May 19, volunteers from Haberer Carpentry and FirstBank

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

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

year.

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

“Relatively simple projects, like ramps, can make a really big di erence for our clients,” Forbes said. “We have a lot of great local support, so these projects don’t even cost

ing to the Home Builders Foundation. Since the Blitz Build started 13 years ago, volunteers have installed 220 ramps, valuing around $950,000.  Home Builders Foundation is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. e organization serves Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broom eld, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, and Je erson counties.

For more information, go to hbfdenver.org.

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

PHOTO BY MCKENNA HARFORD

Susan Meek to run for reelection against Andy Jones

3 seats open

BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

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

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

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

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

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

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

In a statement to Colorado Community Media, Jones said:

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

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

e District C seat is currently empty since Hanson resigned

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Douglas County Government O ces closed Monday,

June 19,

for the Juneteenth Holiday

Many services are available at DoItOnlineDouglas.com

E-recycling: Saturday, June 10

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

Your Douglas County Fair & Rodeo is just around the corner

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

What’s happening with your County government?

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

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

Douglas County state senators reflect on 2023 legislative season

BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Under the gold dome at the state Capitol, Colorado lawmakers take on issues ranging from health care to the safety of children to families’ ability to recover after wild res.

All that and more was on the docket for this year’s legislative session, the four-month part of the year when lawmakers pass bills.

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

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

Mark Baisley

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

e most important bills he felt he supported touched on property taxes, Colorado’s manufacturing industry and home insurance in cases of disasters like wild res.

Here’s what he had to say about them:

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

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

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

(Assuming a rebuild cost of $300 per square foot, 55% of the policies were underinsured and the average amount of underinsurance per

cited by Baisley.)

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

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

lowed access across their property for outdoor enthusiasts and tourists to climb fourteeners, sh at remote river spots and camp in wilderness. Property owners relied on existing Colorado law to protect them from liability should someone get hurt while crossing their property without charge.

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

DIVERSIFY RETIREMENT STRATEGIES

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

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

Kevin Van Winkle

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

Here’s what he had to say about them:

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

“ ere were several bills and budget amendments passed that range from upgrading physical security of buildings, assuring faster emergency response, improving mental health programs, and cracking down on

so-called ‘swatting’ false emergencies. Together these will improve the safety and security of schools so that children feel safe to learn and can ultimately reach their full potential.

SB23-252, on health care price transparency: “Medical price transparency will provide families with clear and upfront price transparency that is an important step forward to allowing free-market principles and competition into a health care space that desperately needs it. is will lead to more informed decision making, cost containment, improved care and consumer empowerment without the use of any heavy-handed bureaucratic burdens.”

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

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

“I work for the citizens of Douglas

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

Jim Smallwood

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

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

Here’s what he had to say:

HB23-1135, on indecent exposure in view of minors: “ is bill makes indecent exposure in view of a child a class 6 felony, up from a class 1 misdemeanor. I feel our children need the same protections from these o enders regardless of this type of behavior occurring online or in person, and this new law helps create this parity.

“For this new law to apply, the offender must have known there was a child under 15 years of age in view of the act and the o ender must be more than 18 years of age and more than four years older than the child.

is bipartisan bill surprised me by passing unanimously out of the Senate but then facing ‘no’ votes from a huge number of House Democrats.

is bill is on the governor’s desk (as of June 2), and I hope to see it signed into law very soon.”

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

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

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

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

e top 11 included Allison Harrison as Miss Cherry Creek, Makenzie Jensen as Miss Colorado River Valley, Deja Moore as Miss Boulder, Molly Casey as Miss Central Colorado, Sarah Swift as Miss Rocky Mountain, Mackenzie Mitchell as Miss Colorado Springs Elizabeth Melachrinoudis as Miss Denver Madison Marsh as Miss Academy, Madison Strasheim as Miss Northern Colorado, Savannah Watson as Miss Eastern Colorado and Madison Falkenstine as Miss Southern Colorado  e women that made the top ve were Marsh,

Madison Marsh during the talent portion of the competition.

Madison Marsh, left, and Liv Newman on stage holding each other’s hand.

PHOTOS BY HALEY LENA

Liv Newman shows emotions after winning the Miss Colorado Teen title.

Fiction Beer Company Parker opens

BY RACHEL LORENZ SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Great beer with a great concept is what took Christopher Belila from a Fiction Beer Company customer to an employee and, nally, a proprietor.

“It’s something unique,” the majority owner of Parker’s newest brewery and taphouse told Colorado Community Media. “Fiction Beer: books, beer, book clubs, book sales.”

Hours after receiving its liquor license on May 23, Fiction Beer Company Parker debuted in the former home of Welcome Home Brewery near the intersection of Hess Road and South Parker Road. It was “absolutely thrilling” to see his bar in action and customers occupying its padded vegan leather seats, enjoying themselves, Belila said. He sold 251 pours that rst evening.

e 2,600-square-foot space in the Country Meadows Square shopping center is Fiction Beer Company’s

IF YOU GO

second location. e rst, owned by Ryan and Christa Kilpa trick, opened in Denver’s Park Hill neighborhood in 2014.

Both places pay homage not just to the craft of making beer but to the literary world as well. Each taproom has a bar adorned with the spines of real books, a lending library and a list of beers inspired by literary works.

In addition to bar seating, a long community table and plenty of two tops, the Parker spot has a few reading nooks, complete with cozy chairs, and a living-room-like setup

behind the brewery’s double-sided replace.

“I like to call us a brewery lounge. … We wanted it to have a very comfortable feeling where people just want to spend time drinking great beer,” Belila said of the interior’s clean lines and sleek nishes that he designed with part-owner and General Manager Mallory Gillette.

Fiction Beer Company focuses on lagers, IPAs and a rotating selection of both classic styles and experimental beers, according to its website.

e six-barrel system in Parker will be used for additional capacity and as a laboratory for experimenting with new recipes, Belila said.

Belila became a regular at Fiction in Denver not long after it opened and then a part-time employee, working behind the bar, in 2017. Last fall, he registered his company, e Beer Bodega LLC, with the state, and by December he was contemplating the purchase of Welcome Home Brewery’s assets. In January, he left

the corporate training world where he had worked for two decades. Bringing Fiction beer to Parker has been his full-time vocation ever since.

“ e ultimate goal for e Beer Bodega is to help take great breweries and help them expand to the suburbs,” Belila said.

Fiction in Parker has several events planned to draw in customers not already familiar with their beer. Its grand opening weekend begins June 1 with a ribbon-cutting and features a variety of live music over the next three days. On June 10, it’s hosting a book fair for adults in conjunction with local bookstore Books Are Awesome. Belila and Gillette are also working on a beer and shoe shine event for Father’s Day. Trivia and poker and other game nights may be coming as well.

“We’ve got all sorts of other fun stu that we’re working on that is designed to support Parker,” Belila said.

Maggie Rae Carlisle, 5, looks at a book in a cozy corner of Fiction Beer Company Parker on May 25.

PHOTOS BY RACHEL LORENZ

Christopher Belila takes a moment away from his bartending duties to greet Bear, a 2-year-old Bernese mountain dog, and his owner Tim Casey on May 25.

Christopher Belila, owner, and Mallory Gillette, general manager, look at Fiction Beer Company Parker’s point-of-sale system on the third night of its soft opening on May 25.

Fiction Beer Company Parker is at 19523 Hess Road in Parker. It’s open seven days a week — from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 2 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Fri 6/16

Featured

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

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

Tue 6/20

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

Jun 20th - Jun 22nd

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

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

Jun 20th - Jun 23rd

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

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

Jun 20th - Jul 25th

PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker

Wed 6/21

Thu 6/22

Jeffrey Dallet @ 2pm Garden Plaza at Aurora, 14221 E Evans Ave, Aurora

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

Sat 6/17

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

Sun 6/18

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

Levitt Pavilion Denver, 1380 W Florida Ave, Denver

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

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

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

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

Juice O'The Barley: Littleton Museum Summer Concert Series @ 5:30pm Littleton Museum, 6028 S Gallup St, Littleton

Tommy Tutone @ 6pm Philip S. Miller Park, 1375 W Plum Creek Pkwy, Castle Rock

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

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

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A taste of reality

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

FROM THE EDITOR

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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

Reminiscing, lamenting — it’s all good

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

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some point in our life, but we just can’t seem to remember why. Has that ever happened to you? It has certainly happened to me. When we nd ourselves reminiscing, we sometimes drift o into the daydreams of happy times and incredible memories. at day we rst held hands, that rst kiss, our rst football championship, our rst beer together, and so many other rsts. Or we go down memory lane, reminded not just of our “ rsts” in life, but of many years of shared hardships, hurts, disappointments, wins and celebrations. Reminiscing brings back joyful moments of those we have lived our lives with and through, and just how special each moment was to us during those seasons of life. Do you have any of those memories? I sure do. While reminiscing brings fond memories of years gone by, we sometimes visit that

SEE NORTON, P13

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Chronicle. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Email letters to letters@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Thelma Grimes

P3’s FLIP Program a great resource for local businesses

The strength of a community is due in no small part to the success of its local businesses. e Town of Parker is dedicated to fostering a businessfriendly climate in our community through programs that help to grow investment in our economy.

One of the successful programs that o ers support for Parker’s existing businesses is P3’s Façade and Landscape Improvement Program (FLIP). If you’ve grabbed a glass of wine on Purgatory Cellar’s patio or gotten a bite while dining outside of West Main Taproom + Grill, you may have experienced rst-hand projects that have bene tted from P3 FLIP funds.

FLIP is a reimbursement program run by Parker’s Urban Renewal Authority, P3, where businesses located in one of Parker’s three urban renewal areas can apply for up to $6,250 per project, with P3 contributing $1 for every $1 the business invests. Businesses can apply twice a year, in June and January, mean-

NORTON

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

When given the choice, most of us would probably prefer to reminisce about the good old days, right? We can laugh with one another, embrace one another, and choose to only remember the best times of our lives. ere is nothing wrong with that and as a matter of fact I highly recommend it. ere is no greater cure for the blues than spending time with a family member or friend stirring up our greatest and most memorable escapades of our past.

Yet there is also something to be said of lamenting our past, our sorrows, our griefs, and the challenges we have faced in all our years here on earth. e struggles have been real, the hurts have been devastating, the challenges have brought us to tears, and the disappointments many and plentiful. Why would I say that there is something to be said about lamenting our past?

ing those interested can apply now for the summer cycle.

e application can be found on P3’s website at P3Parker.com/FLIP. In the past, FLIP funds have been used to change signage, paint a business’s exterior, improve landscaping, including purchasing a new fence, help fund outdoor seating projects like patios, create awnings and canopies, and more.

As a Parker community member, we bene t from these projects as new meeting places are created, our daily walks become nicer, and neighborhoods grow in property values. We’ve also heard it’s great for the businesses who participate! Previous FLIP recipient and Mainstreet property owner Andy Chanos commented on the program, saying, “P3’s FLIP grant is the best deal for businesses I have ever come across.”

FLIP was designed to encourage investment to help bolster the economic vitality of Parker. Studies show that facade and landscape improvements are one of the most e ective ways to enhance the appearance of a commercial building, drawing in customers and further investment. P3’s FLIP program assists not only local business and property owners, but also helps elevate Parker by creating a more wel-

Because sometimes even the pain brings back memories of something once cherished. Because sometimes it’s healthy to lament, and feel the pain so that we can maybe nally let it go. And sometimes, it’s OK to never let go of something or someone we cherished so deeply, that is now lost, because it keeps us connected forever.

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

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

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

coming environment for residents and families, increasing property value, and helping guide the vision of what Parker will be in the future.

To qualify, a business and building must be in one of Parker’s three urban renewal areas: Parker Road, Parker Central or Cottonwood. Additionally, the property cannot be classi ed as “exempt” by the Douglas County Assessor, must have a valid Town of Parker Business/Sales Tax license, and there cannot be code enforcement violations on the property. ose interested can nd a full list of quali cations on P3’s website.

e program has been running since January 2020 and has helped 22 businesses in Parker. is includes $130,000 in funding used to improve the community.

FLIP is funded through Tax Incre-

ment Financing, or TIF, which is a key nancing mechanism for P3 and urban renewal authorities. Put simply, TIF funding comes from increased property values in areas considered “blighted.” ese funds then are reinvested within urban renewal areas to reduce blight, encourage more investment and improve the community.

To learn more, you can read the full FLIP policy booklet, see past example projects, and ll out an online application at P3Parker.com/ FLIP. Applications are open from June 1 through June 30, 2023. We also recommend contacting the P3 o ce for additional assistance or with questions at 303.805.3136 or info@p3parker.com.

Je Toborg is the mayor of the Town of Parker

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

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

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

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

Within the Bella Diva studio, both the

Students learn worldwide dance styles at Bella Diva World Dance Studio

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

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

teach countries.

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

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

Samba

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

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

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

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

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

Caitlin Bronza-Smith performing. COURTESY OF CAITLIN BRONZA-SMITH

DANCE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bella Bro World Dance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Being a student at Bella Diva World Dance

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

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

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

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

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

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

LEARN MORE

Iranian Persian Currently, the only performing

Bella Diva World Dance Polynesian Performing Company.

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

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CAITLIN BRONZA-SMITH

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

Colorado Brass names new music director

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

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

Vintage Theatre

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

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

Watercolor workshop

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

Contemporary art

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

Aurora Fox

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

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

Western art

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

Family outing hot spot

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

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

Exhibition at church

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

MOA presents dance

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

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

Castle Rock

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

Bahá’u’lláh

learn

about the Baha’i Faith or find a gathering, please contact us.

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

COURTESY OF COLORADO BRASS

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Variety on display in anniversary show

Depot Art Gallery exhibition to continue through July 9

BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

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

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

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

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

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

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

possible Weight,” created with soft pastels.

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

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

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

e Depot has a companion caboose with even more art available, as well as a sunny patio and garden surrounding it, where one can sit and relax — or read for a while.

Here, it’s time to remind readers that original art makes a wonderful, one-of-a-kind gift — for that graduate, or newly married couple or birthday person! Visit the Depot Art Center (11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays: depotartgallery. org). and the Stanton Gallery at Town Hall Art Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and during performances. See townhallartcenter.org.

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

TURN TO THE COLORADO SUN FOR NEWS ACROSS THE STATE

The Colorado Sun is a journalist-owned, award-winning news outlet that strives to cover all of Colorado so that our state — our community — can better understand itself.

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

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

from politics and culture to the outdoor industry and education.

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

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

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

Author writes about Baha’i Faith, religious persecution in Iran

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

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

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

e local optometrist and new author Nurdel recently read excerpts from his book, “One More Mountain” in hopes of educating the public on the Baha’i Faith and the injustices that continue in Iran at the Highlands Ranch Library.

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

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

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

“It was not possible to just jump to the escape and all those mountains that I crossed, so I decided to really give a background so it’s possible to understand why I escaped,” said Nurdel.

e rst part of Nurdel’s book focuses on how Nurdel’s came into the Baha’i Faith, his childhood and when he realized he and his family were treated di erently due to their faith. He vividly recalls the moments his heart raced from fear, the moments of sadness when he witnessed autopsies and the anger when seeing family members get bullied.

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

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

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

In 2007, Nurdel saw the theater production of “ e Diary of Anne Frank”. He said it was di cult to sit and watch the play, so much so that he walked out of the theater.

“I just couldn’t control myself because my childhood was just right in front of me and I saw so much similarities of what Anne Frank had endured and I had,” said Nurdel. Although Nurdel shared bits and pieces of his story with others, the play helped him realize that he too needed to share his story of religious persecution with a wider audience. Over the years, he has felt more comfortable talking about his story and writing the book has been the ultimate healing, said Nurdel.  roughout the book, Nurdel details each day of the two-week trek to the United Nations o ce in Ankara, Turkey. He writes about his time as a refugee in Turkey, what the process was like to get to America and when he got his U.S. citizenship in the nineties.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nurdel spoke about the resolutions passed by Congress that have made an impact. He encourages others to contact local representatives and ask them for support the

next time there is a resolution in the Senate or Congress.

Nurdel also hopes people do not stereotype and avoid coming to an immediate judgment when hearing someone with an accent, instead take the opportunity to learn about them.

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

“If the book has touched only one person, I’m good,” said Nurdel.

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

Centennial Water Board votes to move out of drought restrictions

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

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

e Centennial Water and Sanitation District provides services to Highlands Ranch and Solstice, which have been in Stage 1 drought restrictions since July 20, 2022.

e district went into drought restrictions due to the lack of water supply and three years of drought, according to Swithin Dick, water rights administrator for Centennial Water.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

McLellan Reservoir

PHOTO BY JOHN DONAKOWSKI

BY JARED MILLER UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO NEWS CORPS

On a typical Wednesday morning at Edge Ice Arena in Littleton, skates cut into a sparkling, freshly cleaned sheet of ice. Patrick Donnelly is standing on the bench spitting blood because his wisdom teeth were pulled the day prior. But he wouldn’t miss supporting his friends and teammates at a practice. Not for pulled teeth. Not for the mid-March snowstorm. And certainly not for his heart condition.

Hockey players have a toughness to them, but Donnelly and the rest of his crew of amateurs, all part of the Dawg Nation Hockey Foundation, aren’t afraid to share what’s in their hearts with the world.

Donnelly is here for hockey as much as he is for the community the players have built around it.

Dawg Nation started with a pass of a hat among friends more than a decade ago. Since then, the men’s league hockey team has evolved into an organization that has given away more than $4 million to those who need it most.

It all began in 2009 when the Dawgs were just 15 friends who loved playing hockey together. en, in the span of just nine days that February, three of them were diagnosed with cancer.

“Each time I would pass my hat around the room and we would go see Danny or Dave or Andy in the hospital,” Dawg Nation founder and CEO Marty Richardson said. “It wasn’t that we gave them 250 bucks, but it was the fact that they have buddies that had their back.”

All three won their battles. About a year later, Jack Kelly, a fourth member of the Dawgs, would come down with an autoimmune disease. In six months, Kelly was gone. Richardson spoke at his funeral, and it was the rst time he had lost a close friend.

“I told his three daughters, ‘I want to do something in your dad’s honor,’” Richardson added. “‘I don’t know what it is, but I want to do something.’”

Eight months later, in 2011, Dawg Nation Hockey Foundation was born. Nobody was sure, including Richardson, what it would grow to

SPORTS

MEDICINE ON ICE — HOCKEY

Karr is one of the regulars that hits the ice in Littleton, despite what life is throwing at her.

“It just gives me this high for like the rest of the week,” Karr said. “It’s like I have a whole team behind me supporting me.”

At the rink, Karr is never without a smile. She resonates with friendliness and loves to talk with everyone who is skating, usually causing her to be one of the last players to leave the arena as everyone is clearing out.

Recently, Karr went to a Colorado Avalanche game with Dawg Nation. Team legend and now President of Hockey Operations Joe Sakic spent an entire period in a suite talking with Karr and everyone else, listening to all the stories about how hockey can heal.

Richardson re ects on what the organization has grown into. It is constantly planning, giving, helping families and communities, he said.

“We didn’t envision that we would be tied into [helping] handicapped children and adults and veterans and blind hockey players,” Richardson said. “No one, including myself, could have seen this, and last year alone we were able to hand out checks around $900,000 in one year.”

be.

“We started Dawg Nation, and what it was designed for was [that] we can’t be the only team in the whole area that needs help or has players that need help,” Richardson said. “So we put on a [hockey] tournament to help a couple of guys, and then we put on a golf tournament, and we put on a comedy night, and all of these di erent things in that rst year.”

After that, it just kept growing and growing.

Along the way, Donnelly found Dawg Nation. Or, rather, Dawg Nation found him. About 10 years ago, Donnelly was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

He was forced to quit his job and moved back into his parents basement because of his heart. But he found a new calling: becoming an operations manager at Dawg Nation.

He fought his heart condition with medicine at rst, but as time went on, it worsened and his heart was too far gone for the medicine to help. Doctors installed a

pump in his left ventricle to keep him alive by circulating blood to his body.

He was also put on a heart transplant list, but was OK with the pump because it worked.

“I was implanted with this LVAD and all of a sudden I had a new lease on life. So I decided to get back in shape,” Donnelly said. “One day I got a wild hair to put on my skates and go get on the ice. It was just so obvious that that’s what I should be doing to stay in shape.”

Donnelly would keep getting on the ice while also learning his limits of how hard he could push his body. He decided as long as he has warm blood in his body, he’ll spend his time on the cold ice he loves.

As Richardson said, Donnelly, who relied on the team for support as he rst hit the ice, now thrives on helping others.

“He all of a sudden was in a position not to accept, but to give,” Richardson said. Or, as Donnelly said, “I use what’s left of my heart to

help people.”

Recently, Dawg Nation made their way up to Minnesota. A family was in need of help, and the Dawgs responded. ey were there for Ethan Glynn, a threesport athlete in hockey, baseball and football. Some would call Glynn a superstar bound for the pros. But just 11 plays into his freshman high school football season, his life changed on a routine tackle. In one moment, Glynn became a paraplegic. A pond hockey tournament was organized, and Glynn and his family had $81,000 to help navigate the bills, thanks not only to Dawg Nation, but the wider community that supports their mission.

Sarah Karr, who lives in Parker, Colorado is another Dawg Nation member uplifted by the community.

Karr was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer that spread to her liver and given a year to live.

“Luckily, I’m giving it one heck of a run for its money,” Karr said.

And, thanks to people like Donnelly, di erences are being made on the ice. e early-morning ice time Dawg Nation gets can be a bit daunting, but one person drives the rest to be there: Van Stone.

Stone su ered a traumatic brain injury in 2018. He now faces a slew of struggles, whether it is speech, motor skills, or navigating everyday life. He was told by doctors that he would never be able to play hockey again, but he wasn’t ready to give up. Stone, with the help of the Dawgs, proved those doctors wrong.

“ is is one of the only places he can go where he is just one of the guys,” Donnelly said.

While dealing with his own struggles, Donnelly will still go out of his way to help others. It’s bigger than one person, he explained.

“What we created was a place where you can go when you know you want to help,” Richardson said.

When times get tough, Littleton’s Dawg Nation has a goal to heal

Sarah Karr (left) and Marty Richardson hug on the ice at a Hockey Heals skate on March 22.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAWG NATION HOCKEY FOUNDATION

HOCKEY

And Dawg Nation isn’t nished either. ere is a bigger goal still on the horizon: a $64 million arena with three sheets of ice that anyone — disabled or not — can access. It would be one of the only facilities like it in the country. is is still years in the making, but the group is determined to see it through.

A place where Dawg Nation can call home. Where players can go to escape the hard times and enjoy the game that brings them all together. Somewhere where people like Richardson and Donnelly can go to positively a ect the lives of hundreds who need to be uplifted.

As of February, Donnelly was moved up to number one on the heart transplants list.

For a month and a half, all he could do was wait with the Dawg Nation family behind him. In April, he got the call he was waiting for. e next morning he was in the hospital. Donnelly got his heart.

“I can’t wait to slide him the puck and watch that one-timer hit the back of the net for the rst time with his new heart,” Richardson said with a smile.

For more information about Dawg Nation and how you can help, visit https://www.dawgnation.org/ . is story via University of Colorado Boulder News Corps, part of a collaboration in spring of 2023 with Colorado Community Media.

Patrick Donnelly, back row middle, with a group of Dawg Nation members, on a Wednesday morning at a Hockey Heals skate.

PHOTO BY MAX HOUSE/CU NEWS CORPS

CLASSIFIEDS

Help Wanted

Regional Sales Manager

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

Help Wanted

Speech Language Aide and/or Occupational Therapy Aides

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

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

LEGITIMATE WORK AT HOME

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

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

Help Wanted

Eng 3, Eng Ops Comcast Cable Comm, LLC, Englewood, CO. Mng full life-cycle of co Entrprs nwk infrstrctr, incl mng tech stack that runs co’s nwk hw, sw,& configuratn lifecycle; Reqs: Bach in CS, Eng or rel; 2 yrs exp use route & switch protcls & techs, incl OSPF, ISIS, iBGP, & eBGP; process pkts thru load balancers; write scripts use Python for nwk autmtn & orchestratn; & wrk in Scrum & DevOps environss; 1 yr incl dev & admin wireless nwk infrstrctr. Salary: $87,194- $110,000/yr. Benefits: https://jobs.comcast. com/life-atcomcast/benefits. Apply Jacquelin_ Branks@comcast.com Ref Job ID# 0108

Early Childhood Special Education Teacher

Openings for Maternity Leave Coverage

Full/Part-Time opening located in Bennett and surrounding schools and; Full/Part-Time opening in the Limon and surrounding schools.

Starting August 7th and ending November 10th. The salary range $13,530 to $16,302 for 62 days of work dependent on experience. Itinerant position working in the preschool setting providing direct and indirect services to students.

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

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

SERVICE

DEADLINES

CLASSIFIED LINE ADS:

MONDAY, 5 P.M.

SERVICE DIRECTORY:

THURSDAY, 5 P.M.

LEGALS: THURSDAY,

COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Market Place

Misc. Notices

WIDOWED MEN AND WOMEN OF AMERICA.

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

COMMUNITY SHREDDING DAY

BRING YOUR DOCUMENTS

June 10th

SATURDAY, 10AM – 1PM

ON SITE UNLIMITED PROFESSIONAL SHREDDING

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

PARKING LOT behind the church

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

TELL YOUR FRIENDS

Garage and Estate Sales

Save the Date!

Gigantic Garage Sale in the Pradera Golf Community Subdivision

Friday & Saturday, June 9th and 10th

8am-4pm

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

Multi Family Sale

June 10th 8-2

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

Huge Neighborhood Sale

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

Friday and Saturday June 9th and 10th

8am – 2pm

6653 W. Geddes Ave. Littleton

Huge Annual Antique, Collectible & Horse Drawn Farm Equipment Sale

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

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

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

Garage Sales

27th Year for “Old Farm Item Sale”

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

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

HUGE COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE

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

Firewood

Split & Delivered $450 a cord Stacking $50 Call 303-647-2475 or 720-323-2173

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Allegedly high on meth, burglar entered school through the roof

BY NINA JOSS NJOSS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

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

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

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

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

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

When police arrested Ward, she was wearing a black wig she had al-

legedly stolen from the building and had various other stolen items, according to their report. O cials said the total value of the stolen items is about $200.

Ward was charged with seconddegree burglary, possession of drug paraphernalia and theft, according to the arrest a davit.

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

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

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

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

e Je erson County Sheri ’s Ofce assisted the responders with a K-9 unit and the Englewood Police Department also helped on the scene, Poelman said.

e district informed maintenance personnel and contractors to double-check all hatches and ladders after completion of main-

tenance in the future, Moyer wrote. She said checks of these locks will be part of regular security sweeps going forward.

Ward appeared in Arapahoe County District Court for an advisement hearing on May 20. Her case

Publication Date: July 6, 2023

Advertising Sales Deadline: Wednesday, June 28th at NOON

Classified Sales Deadline: Thursday, June 29th at 10 a.m.

was set for a formal ling of charges on May 25, court executive Shaun Clark wrote in an email to Colorado Community Media.

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

Police at a former incident at Littleton High School. LITTLETON POLICE DEPARTMENT

Public Notices call Sheree 303.566.4088

www.douglas.co.us/public-trustee/

Legals

To Whom It May Concern: On 3/28/2023 1:37:00 PM the undersigned Public Trustee caused the Notice of Election and Demand relating to the Deed of Trust described below to be recorded in Douglas County.

Original Grantor: ROGER BARTLETT

Original Beneficiary: FRANCES FITZGERALD

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: FRANCES FITZGERALD Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 4/13/2022

Recording Date of DOT: 5/4/2022

Reception No. of DOT: 2022032287

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $150,000.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $150,000.00

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 pursuant to the Settlement 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 30, VILLAGES OF PARKER FILING NO. 22, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO **SCRIVENER’S AFFIDAVIT DATED JUNE 24, 2022, RECORDED ON JUNE 27, 2022 AT RECEPTION NO. 2022045107 TO CORRECT LEGAL DESCRIPTION.

Which has the address of:

11346 South Lost Creek Circle, Parker, CO 80138

The Deed of Trust was modified by a document recorded in Douglas County on 7/28/2022, Reception number 2022051945. Reason modified and any other modifications: to correct the date of Settlement Agreement in DOT.

NOTICE OF SALE

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

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

First Publication: 5/25/2023

Last Publication: 6/22/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 3/28/2023

DAVID GILL DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

K. JAMIE BUECHLER

Colorado Registration #: 30906 999 18TH STREET, SUITE 1230-S , DENVER, COLORADO 80202

Phone #: (720) 381-0045

Fax #: (720) 381-0382

Attorney File #: 11346LOSTCREEK

LLC., ITS SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS

PUBLIC NOTICE

Parker NOTICE OF SALE Public Trustee Sale No. 2023-0056

To Whom It May Concern: On 3/21/2023 12:53:00

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

Original Grantor: THOMAS G. NEDDENRIEP

Original Beneficiary:

MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. ACTING SOLELY AS NOMINEE FOR UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE

Current Holder of Evidence of Debt: NATIONSTAR

MORTGAGE LLC

Date of Deed of Trust (DOT): 1/5/2018

Recording Date of DOT: 1/11/2018

Reception No. of DOT: 2018002660

DOT Recorded in Douglas County.

Original Principal Amount of Evidence of Debt: $313,600.00

Outstanding Principal Amount as of the date hereof: $300,380.25

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

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

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

ORDINANCE NO. O-023-002

THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, COLORADO

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

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

WHEREAS, the Board finds that the purpose and intent of this Ordinance is to ensure the safe use of public property, to protect those lawfully using public property, preserve public property, promote the safe and lawful use of public property, and promote the public health, safety, and welfare of the citizens, including the residents of Douglas County.

Section 11.Enforcement

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

Section 12.Violation

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

Section 13.Severability

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

Section 14.Safety Clause

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

Section 15.Repeal

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

Section 16. Adoption

Pursuant to C.R.S. §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 52,, BLOCK 2, STROH RANCH, FILING NO. 3, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO

Which has the address of: 19211 E. Legend Ave, Parker, CO 80134

NOTICE OF SALE

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

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 26, 2023, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

First Publication: 6/1/2023

Last Publication: 6/29/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 4/5/2023

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 9800 S. MERIDIAN BLVD. SUITE 400, ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO 80112 Phone #: (303) 706-9990

Fax #: (303) 706-9994

Attorney File #: 23-029643

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

Legal Notice No. 2023-0065

First Publication: 6/1/2023

Last Publication: 6/29/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

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 8, BLOCK 1, STROH RANCH FILING NO. 9G, COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, STATE OF COLORADO.

Which has the address of:

12541 Prince Creek Dr, Parker, CO 80134 NOTICE OF SALE

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

THEREFORE, Notice Is Hereby Given that on the first possible sale date (unless the sale is continued*) at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at the Public Trustee’s office, Philip S Miller Building Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, I will sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder for cash, the said real property and all interest of said Grantor(s), Grantor(s)’ heirs and assigns therein, for the purpose of paying the indebtedness provided in said Evidence of Debt secured by the Deed of Trust, plus attorneys’ fees, the expenses of sale and other items allowed by law, and will deliver to the purchaser a Certificate of Purchase, all as provided by law. If the sale date is continued to a later date, the deadline to file a notice of intent to cure by those parties entitled to cure may also be extended.

First Publication: 5/18/2023

Last Publication: 6/15/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press

Dated: 3/21/2023

DAVID GILL

DOUGLAS COUNTY Public Trustee

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

RYAN BOURGEOIS

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

Fax #:

Attorney File #: 00000009747080

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

Legal Notice No. 2023-0056

First Publication: 5/18/2023

Last Publication: 6/15/2023

Publisher: Douglas County News Press City and County Public

NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, COLORADO, THAT:

PART I: PROHIBITED USE OF PUBLIC PROPERTY

Section 1.Limitation on Public Camping

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Section 2. Prohibited Use of Temporary Structures on Public Property

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

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

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

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

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

CERTIFICATION

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

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

THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF DOUGLAS, COLORADO

By:/s/ Abe Layton Abe Laydon, Chair

ATTEST:

/s/ Roberta Nelson, Deputy Clerk

Legal Notice No. 945524

First Publication: June 8, 2023

Last Publication: June 8, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

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

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

Legal Notice No. 945544

First Publication: June 8, 2023

Last Publication: June 8, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

Public Notice

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

A public hearing will be held on June 13, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. before the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners , in the Commissioners Hearing Room, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock, CO. The hearings are for the proposed adoption of Building Codes: 2021 International

State breathes life into lifeguard training

e grants, implemented by the state’s local a airs and labor departments, ranged from $1,000 requests to $20,000, the maximum. In the end, the state allocated mixed amounts, but exhausted almost all of the available funds, leaving just $200 to potentially allocate supplementally..

BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Countless public pools opened over the Memorial Day weekend as schools let out and summer approaches. But whether they remain open throughout the season is another matter.

e state of Colorado is boosting aid along the Front Range and across the state to help local pools avoid that outcome.

Gov. Jared Polis announced nancial help on May 30 for nearly 50 cities and districts as part of the Lifeguard Training Initiative — a follow-up to his administration’s Pools Special Initiative, launched last summer.

e initiative was announced early this month at the Northglenn Recreation Center, along with administrators, local o cials, lawmakers and community members.

“We are making a splash with this exciting support for lifeguards, part of our ongoing work to make sure that pools can safely open earlier, expand hours, and stay open longer this summer,” Polis said in his announcement. “We are thrilled that so many local governments across the state applied for this funding so that families, friends, and neighbors can dive right into the summer.”

South Suburban Parks and Recreation District (SSPRD), which reported a signi cant shortage of lifeguards earlier in the month, received $10,700 — the highestallocated amount awarded to more than a dozen districts or cities. Cities like Aurora and Boulder received the same amount.

Part of the shortage lies with the expensive cost of training lifeguards. Many prospective employees may be dissuaded by the idea of paying to obtain lifeguard certi cation. ough it won’t solve the main shortage problem, having the funding helps, said SSPRD Aquatics Manager Karl Brehm, who came down from a lifeguard stand himself to talk to Colorado Community Media.

“It will help us reach a demographic that is lacking in having the funds upfront to start,” Brehm said. “With the grant, we will defer the payment of those [lifeguard] certication costs.”

A full-course lifeguard training at South Suburban through Red Cross costs $175. Community First Aid, CPR and AED training/blended learning costs $80. But after 75 hours of work, South Suburban reimburses course fees [excluding the $40 certication fee].

Other communities received smaller amounts. e City of orn-

Public Notices

Building Code, 2021 International Building Code

Appendix C, 2021 International Residential Code, 2021 International Residential Code Appendix AM, 2021 International Mechanical Code, 2021 International Fuel Gas Code, 2021 International Plumbing Code, 2021 International Plumbing Code Appendix E, 2018 International Energy Conservation Code, and the 2023 National Electrical Code, as amended.

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

Legal Notice No.: 945402

First Publication: May 18, 2023

Last Publication: June 8, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

Bids and Settlements

Public Notice

PUBLIC INVITATION TO BID

The Department of Public Works of Douglas County Government hereinafter referred to as the County, respectfully seeking Request for Proposals (RFP) from responsible and qualified providers of Consultant Services to assist with the 2023 Douglas County Ride Quality Testing Project, Douglas County Project Number CI 2023-018. This project consists of the performance of ride quality testing and reporting of data in Half-car Roughness Index (HRI), using line laser equipment, for each driving lane of the concrete roads in Douglas County. No turn lanes are to be included in this project. Data shall be collected in segments, based on the Douglas County Pavement Management database and reported as an average HRI for each lane for each segment as well as a composite average for each segment. The

selected firm must be on the Colorado Department of Transportation’s list of firms with a pavement smoothness testing device certified for use on concrete pavements.

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

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

RFP responses will be received until 11:00 A.M., on Tuesday July 11, 2023. Please submit one (1) electronic copy in pdf format, via email to bschultz@douglas.co.us of your Proposal with the subject line, “Request for Proposal (RFP) CI 2023018, 2023 Douglas County Ride Quality Testing Project”. Physical copies may be submitted via Mail or hand-carried to Douglas County Government, Public Works Department, Engineering Division, 100 Third Street, Suite 220, Castle Rock, Colorado 80104, prior to the due date and time. RFP responses will not be considered which are received after the time stated.

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

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

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

ton got $6,892, Commerce City, $1,462, and Parker, $4,499. e Town of Castle Rock received $7,873 and Brighton received $1,687.

A national lifeguard shortage affects roughly a third of public pools throughout the country. Colorado has struggled similarly. e state grant money aims to help train and retain lifeguards, which can be difcult to do these days, according to Brehm.

“I have seen, more and more, less interest in the position,” Brehm told Colorado Community Media in May. Brehm said South Suburban, like many other area pools, must hire

the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System Website.

Legal Notice No. DCNP1201

First Publication: June 8, 2023

Last Publication: June 8, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

Children Services (Adoption/Guardian/Other)

Public Notice

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

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO

In the Interest of:

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

Child,

And Concerning:

XEA ELIZABETH MARIE LANDERS, A.K.A.

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

CASE NUMBER: 22JV106

DIVISION 8

throughout the season to try and maintain strong employee numbers. e funds from the state help provide time for pools to keep hiring and training ongoing, Brehm added. He described the support as not a favor, however, but a public service.

“It hearkens to a safety situation. People want to have the pools open. We want to have them open. But there’s a barrier that stands there,” Brehm said in response to the funding. “Having the state recognize that it is something that people want, and there’s a barrier to it, I look at it as a civic responsibility. ere is a need, and it is being met.”

Attorney for Department:

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

DEPENDENCY SUMMONS

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

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

TO THE RESPONDENT NAMED ABOVE: You are hereby notified that a petition has been filed which alleges that the above-named child is dependent or neglected as per the facts set forth in the Dependency and Neglect Petition, a copy of which may be obtained at the office of the Douglas County Attorney’s Office.

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

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

You have the right to request a trial by jury at the

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

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

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

Dated: May 31, 2023

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

Legal

Notice No. DCNP1200

First Publication: June 8, 2023

Last Publication: June 8, 2023

Publisher: Douglas County News-Press

###

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

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CITY OF BRIGHTON

More than $250,000 allocated to help open pools across the Front Range

37th Annual

MILE HIGH HOOK & LADDER

In Partnership with South Metro Fire Rescue

Saturday, June 17, 2023

PARADE: 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Littleton Blvd West through Historic Downtown Littleton

MUSTER: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Arapahoe Community College 5900 S. Santa Fe, Littleton

FREE • EDUCATIONAL • FUN!

• Firefighters & Other First Responders

• Antique & Modern Fire Rescue Apparatus

• Rescue Demonstrations

• Fire Truck Rides

• Junior Firefighter Games

• Emergency Helicopter Landing