All Colorado Art Show open at Curtis

Denver gallery director serves as juror for exhibit

BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Curtis Center for the Arts, at 2349 E. Orchard Road in Greenwood Village, held the opening reception for its annual All Colorado Art Show on July 15. e juror for this exhibit was Danya Bryant, gallery director for the David B. Smith Gallery in Denver.

(We will announce her choices of winners next week, since we must le this prior to that date.)

e exhibit includes entries created in many media, with a great variety of styles and techniques.

Lighting at Curtis is always good and this is a nice show for nearby residents, who may want to bring summer visitors in with them ... e gallery is open long hours.

We step inside and are happy to note a red “Sold” sticker on Stacy Roberts’ pastel, “Moonage Daydream,” near the entrance. Roberts lives in Morrison. All works are for sale and may be just right for a bare spot on the wall — or a wedding or graduation gift.

ere are 67 works displayed, selected by Bryant from a number of entries. e variety illustrates the many ways artists see their worlds ... and the assorted worlds they create! Included: “Brain Scramble,” an oil painting on canvas by Karen Shaw, Centennial.

A contrast to the many works in color is “Pride of Trees,” a black and white work, executed in graphite on paper by Barbara Barnhart of Denver.

“Dance rough Time” is an acrylic and acrylic ink painting on canvas by Pamela Gilmore Hake, measuring about 30” x 36”.

Michael Toussaint’s digital photograph, “Dream Portrait,” is of a man’s head with water owing over it. Looks cool and relaxed on a warm summer day!

Near the entrance is “Landlines,” by Kalliopi Monoylos of Denver, a sculpture created with telephone and stereo wires and white tape ... Also close to the entrance is a handsome “Saggar Vase Form” by ceramist Bob Smith, who teaches at Arapahoe Community College.

“Mt. Princeton # 2,” by Stephen Austin of Lakewood, is an oil painting on canvas.

Chet Vioma has a more abstract oil painting called “Purple Gardens,” with linear abstracted plants and lines — and intense color that calls out to a visitor.

Conn Ryder of Wheat Ridge shows his sense of humor in naming his bright abstract painting “Well, Yellow ere.” It’s located in a central, squared-o space, which includes a nice assortment of small works surrounding the visitor. One wants to linger there ...

Linda Blalock of Castle Rock entered a small, delicate painting, “Feather,” that shows her technical skill with watercolor, pencils and graphite, while Leo Compliment, Evergreen, hangs “Bouquet,” executed with acrylic and mixed medium.

“Sifting rough the Ash So I Can Remember” by Sophia Ericksen, Denver, tells a story with watercolor, ink and photography combined ... It made me think about a trip to Oregon on the day that Mount St. Helens blew its top — the morning my son graduated from Reed.

At the entrance is an elongated print showing a lone nest on a branch broken o from a tree ... hurricane, perhaps? Sad note there. Photographers are certainly storytellers, as are most of these artists.

“I look forward to it because this does, for those in our agricultural areas, in our rural areas, this does give them that (ability) to capitalize on their properties in a new way,” Teal said.

Not a universal allowance e text of the law says a home within a “planned development” shall not be licensed as a shortterm rental property “unless such (planned development) speci cally allows such use.” at means short-term rentals would be prohibited in Highlands Ranch and the Pinery area south of Parker, for example, because the planned developments do not speci cally allow them, according to county sta .

Even under the county’s new law, short-term rentals won’t be allowed in many parts of unincorporated Douglas County.

(“Planned development” means land in a special type of zoning that applies to certain areas. Zoning is a local government’s rules for what can be built where.)

Plus, homeowners associations would be able to prohibit short-term rentals under the ordinance, according to county sta . e new law passed on a 2-1 vote with omas opposed and Teal and Commissioner Abe Laydon voting in favor.

Commissioner Lora omas rattled o a long list of areas in Douglas County where the rentals would not be allowed in addition to Highlands Ranch and the Pinery area, including Chat eld Farms, Keene Ranch, Meridian, “which includes Stepping Stone,” the Roxborough Park area, Sterling Ranch and many others.

“ e (rentals) will not be allowed in their neighborhoods unless there is a zoning change,” omas said.

County will charge fees for license

But omas supported a companion policy to the new law, a resolution approving the county’s fees associated with regulating short-term rentals.

“I think that if we’re doing this, we need to cover the costs of sta ,” omas said.

Under the resolution, the shortterm rental property license fees are as follows:

• Application review fee for rst licensing year: $500

• Application review fee for subsequent licensing years: $270

• License fee: $130

Teal noted the fees may appear high to some, but “those fees are not meant to ll the co ers of the county.” e commissioners approved the fee resolution unanimously.

Fees were to be set to cover the cost of administering and enforcing the ordinance, a statement from county sta in June said.

Ins and outs of regulations e ordinance includes a long list of rules, such as the following:

• For properties that contain a detached single-family home and an additional residence of any kind — such as a guest house or a caretaker residence — the owner is allowed to use only one residence as a shortterm rental property.

• e motor vehicles and trailers of all occupants of the short-term rental property “shall be able to be accommodated on the permitted and approved driveway” of the property. No motor vehicles or trailers “shall be parked on the vegetated areas” of the property.

• e county will also be able to inspect the property to enforce the requirements of the ordinance, including by the Douglas County Sheri ’s O ce, and may enter “at all reasonable times.” e law has some exceptions to who has to follow regulations. e ordinance “shall not apply to” homes that are not leased more than 14 days in a calendar year and not advertised as a short-term rental on a regular basis, the law’s text says.

• Any person who violates any provision of the ordinance would face a ne of $250 for a rst violation, $500 for a second violation and $1,000 for the third and subsequent violations.

Leadup to new law

Just because short-term rentals weren’t regulated in unincorporated Douglas County doesn’t mean they weren’t happening. Airbnb’s website on June 18 showed a handful of listings that appeared to be in unincorporated Douglas County. (Some listings don’t show an exact location on the website’s map.)

Over the past two years, county sta met with the commissioners multiple times to discuss a potential ordinance and other possible options for allowing and regulating short-term rentals, a county sta report says.

“ ere were also multiple live town halls held on the topic for the board (of commissioners) to discuss options with the public,” the report says.

What’s the big deal?

Without treatment or removal, an a ected ash tree will die, increasing the risk of falling trees, which can be hazardous to personal safety and property.

“Dead trees in an urban homeowner setting can be a dangerous thing,” Mason said.

e impact on the urban canopy also poses a threat to the community bene ts currently provided by ash trees, according to the Arapahoe County website.

“Healthy ash trees play an essential role in urban tree canopy health; they slow down stormwater runo , provide much-needed shade and greenery, and help mitigate climate change by storing sequestered carbon,” the webpage reads.

Littleton’s action plan

Littleton has a plan prepared, which Danser put together last year “knowing that [EAB] was coming, not expecting for it to come this quickly,” she said. “We thought we had more time.” e city has chosen roughly one third of its healthiest ash trees to treat with insecticides, and is in the process of removing and replacing its least healthy trees. Danser said that it’s important to get ahead of tree removal and not wait until EAB invades, as the removal then becomes dangerous and complicated due to infested wood being “incredibly structurally unsound.”

As for ash trees on residential properties, Danser is in the process of applying for a grant which would allow Littleton to subsidize tree removal or treatment. A survey currently live on the Littleton forestry website is collecting resident responses to gauge the need for such a program.

Although EAB has not been detected by nearby cities, several localities near Littleton have made action plans in preparation for the pest’s arrival.

Surrounding areas

Like Littleton, Englewood completed an EAB management plan last year, and has been treating eligible trees and designating others for removal. Englewood already has a subsidy program in place for chemical treatment and removal, o ering to cover 25 percent—up to $500—of the cost to the homeowner.

Lone Tree has been planning for the arrival of EAB and will look to treat eligible ash trees that are in optimal health.

Only one percent of Parker’s urban canopy is composed of ash trees, so as of now, the town is not treating for EAB prevention and is not planning on preemptively removing trees, but is monitoring for issues.

Centennial is also monitoring for EAB at City facilities, but has not been conducting preemptive treatment.

What to look for

“ e best thing to do right now is determine if an ash tree is on your property,” Lone Tree City Forester Sam Waggener wrote in a statement to Colorado Community Media.

According to the Colorado State Forest Service website, homeowners can look for compound leaves with ve to nine lea ets, diamondshaped bark ridges on mature trees, and lea ets, buds and branches growing directly opposite from one another.

Although EAB is di cult to detect in a tree and can go years without being noticed, Mason said that homeowners with ash trees on their property can look for D-shaped exit holes, shrinking leaf size, and heavy woodpecker activity.

If a homeowner thinks they have an infestation, Mason advises that they get in contact with a local CSU Extension o ce, which can help with identi cation and next steps.

When tensions ran high, Davis said in the release, Twite reminded those around him that most folks want the same thing: “To understand and trust the system, know that their vote counts, and the democratic process is secure.”

“His dedication to his work comes in many forms,” Davis said, “from spending an extra hour at church or the store to answer questions or address concerns, to taking the time to personally provide tours for citizens who visit our elections o ce seeking more information about the process.” e award honors Michele Burton, who began her elections career in 1976 with the Colorado Secretary of State’s O ce and ended it as an Arapahoe County elections deputy. She and her husband Wayne died in a car accident in 2000 as they were traveling to Utah to watch their 14-year-old son play in a soccer tournament, according to the release. e Grandview High student was not in the car, which collided with a deer. ose who knew her said Burton’s commitment to service in the elections division was surpassed only by her devotion to her family, according to the release.

“Michele’s legacy lives on be- cause of her passion to serve, commitment to elections integrity and excellence, and dedication to her colleagues and our citizens,” Davis said. “Jack embodies these same values in a way that would make Michele very proud.”

Twite was one of four election sta ers statewide nominated for the award. e association honored them at its summer conference in Durango in June. e award went to Gar eld County Clerk sta er Edna Place. Besides Twite, the other nalists were Kim Wright with Montrose County, and Jonathan Arebalos with Ouray County. e conference, which concluded June 29, featured national election gures who saw attacks from Trump and others after the 2020 presidential election.

Gabe Sterling, a Republican in the Georgia Secretary of State’s o ce, oversaw two hand recounts of the election, which con rmed Joe Biden won the state. He talked about death threats — which some Colorado elected o cials could relate to.

Besides elections, clerks handle a variety of duties, including recording wedding licenses and handling motor vehicle transactions. Other workshops at the association’s conference dealt with those issues. Attendees heard from the Colorado State Patrol, the state Department of Revenue and the federal Election Assistance Commission.

The Aspen E ect provides programs for local youth

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Just like the interconnected root system of an aspen tree, the nonpro t organization, e Aspen E ect, aims to connect with youth and give them support and mentoring so they know they don’t have to stand alone.

“ e mission at e Aspen E ect is to help kids become more resilient by reimagining themselves in a positive way,” said Jerry Van Leuven, founder and executive director of the nonprofit organization.

About six years ago, Leuven started a summer program for teenagers called Ranch Hand Leadership Academy. rough the program, the teens found ways to problem solve, resolve con icts and learn how to support and motivate each other.

Goats at Sky View Farm in Castle Rock.

calendar of fun starts here.

Join RidgeGate and South Suburban Parks and Recreation for free community yoga classes on the grass at the south end of Belvedere Park, at the corner of RidgeGate Circle and Belvedere Lane. Please bring your own mat, water bottle and towel to all classes. In case of heavy rain or lightning, class will be cancelled.

Tuesday, July 25th, 6:30-7:30pm

Tuesday, August 29th, 6:30-7:30pm

Within a couple of years, Leuven noticed kids needed an alternative in their lives that they could draw strength from. He saw the apparent e ect COVID-19 had on the mental health of youth.

When it comes to the prevalence of children’s mental illness and access to care, the 2021 State of Mental Health in America Report for children and youth ranked Colorado 42nd in the country.

Guided Nature Hikes

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According to Partners for Children’s Mental Health, suicide is a leading cause of death among youth ages 10 to 24 in Colorado. In addition, nearly 22% of youth who have mental illness with severe impairment are receiving care.

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Each year, RidgeGate teams up with the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District to provide free, guided nature hikes. These hikes are led by professional naturalists from the district, and offer insight and education into the natural ecosystems within the open space at RidgeGate. Registration is required and available at RidgeGate.com

Friday, July 21st, 6-7:30pm – Urban Coyotes

Youth mental health became a great concern during the pandemic.

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Saturday, August 5th, 9-10:30am – Reflecting on Women in Nature

Thursday, August 24th, 6-7:30pm – Leave No Trace

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Summer Beats Concerts

Enjoy these summertime concerts out on the grass with free live music, food trucks and activities for kids. It’s all happening in Prairie Sky Park, just west of the Lone Tree Recreation Center, courtesy of the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District.

Thursday, July 20th, 6-8pm – 6 Million Dollar Band

During a pediatric mental health media roundtable event, CEO of Children’s Hospital Colorado Jena Hausmann declared a youth mental health “state of emergency” in 2021, leading to the appointment of Dr. Ron-Li Liaw, as the hospital’s inaugural Mental Health-in-Chief in addition to her serving as chair of the Pediatric Mental Health Institute.

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Tunes on the Terrace at the Lone Tree Arts Center

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RidgeGate is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Lone Tree Arts Center’s ‘Tunes on the Terrace’—an outdoor evening concert series that will bring your summer nights to life. Check out the full schedule and buy tickets at LoneTreeArtsCenter.org

Friday, July 21st, 8pm – Pink Martini Featuring China Forbes

Friday, August 4th, 8pm – FACE Vocal Band

Experience Historic Schweiger Ranch

The restoration of the 38-acre historic Schweiger Ranch, led by the Schweiger Ranch Foundation, gives us a glimpse into settlers’ lives. Today, the ranch is open to the public for self-guided visits and a variety of events throughout the year. Register for or learn more about these events online at SchweigerRanch.org

Saturday, August 19th, 10-11am – Guided Public Tour

Saturday, August 19th, 6-7:30pm – Campfire Storytelling Series (Ranger Trey)

Wednesday, August 30th, 7-8:30pm – Natural Heritage Walking Tours with SSPRD (Blue Moon & Bats) e Children’s Hospital Colorado website states they are seeing rates of anxiety and depression among youth during the pandemic have doubled and 44% of American teens report feeling persistently sad or hopeless.

In 2021, e Aspen E ect moved to Sky View Farms in Castle Rock and is run by Wendy Ingraham, who started Robin’s Nest Foundation. ere, youth are accompanied by goats, pigs, horses, chickens and more.

Along with a board of directors made up of eight members - one of which is a quali ed therapist - the nonpro t has six fully developed programs in addition to the Ranch Hand Leadership Academy.

Other programs include Healing Horse Connections, Riding with Resilience Lessons and Animal Lovers Volunteer Club, a one on one mentoring program.